Convince me to not buy a WRX and get a Mazda3 instead

[DE31]

WRX

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/Apex174/Car Stuff/387cd1c3.jpg

Tell me this aint sexy

you gotta love the white wrx

 

[Antoine]

WRX comes down to more power potential (more easily at least) and awd but that's about the only plus point..The 3 is more about style and handling...an everyday fun car with more character than brute power...but where as a boosted wrx is obvious...a 250-300 hp boosted Mazda3 is not...and what about the Mazdaspeed3?

 

[J dragon]

^^^^That WRX is ugly as s***.......get the 6i if you want 2.3 liter of performance and sexiness ^_^

 

[MrDiggler]

I vote WRX. A co-worker has one and he loves it. I enjoy riding in it as well. Great power.

I just came off a 2 1/2 week stint with an '05 Mazda 3 2.3. It was okay, but I was very glad to get back into my MSP. It looks good, and the handling is not bad, I guess. This one had 17's on it, but the suspension wasn't all that great. Way too much body roll. I hated the speedometer orientation. I hated the headlights (very sharp cutoff that rears its ugly head on hilly roads.) The outward visibility was piss-poor compared to my Protege. The combination of a high beltline and small rear glass area really screws it up. The interior plastic (dash, door panels) is made of some funky material that looks good but shows tons of scuff marks whenever it's bumped. That would make me crazy if it were my car. Let's see... oh, do NOT get the automatic. It was marginal at best, and the car would pull scary slow from the bottom of second gear. Not impressed with the 2.3 liter at all. (Yes, I know I have a turbo). My stock '91 Escort GT with a 1.8 and 5-speed would give it a serious run for it's money up to 50 or 60 mph. Finally, the gas and brake pedals were way too close together and my foot would get hung between them, and there's no dead pedal.

On the plus side, it looked good inside and out. Fit and finish were excellent. Cargo and passenger space seemed more than adequate. The glovebox rocks!! You could put a golden retriever in there! The handling wasn't bad if you weren't really leaning on it. The 6-disc indash changer was pretty cool, unless you want something aftermarket. The controls were layed out pretty well.

Would I buy one? No. Over a WRX? Hell no.

 

[1sty]

If you have to have the power, then get teh WRX, it is untouchable by a 3 with minor mods.
However, it has to constantly lug that heavy AWD system around rather your using it or not so gas millage suffers.

Handlinf wise, I like the 3 better at stock but the WRX has enough support to make it a top perfomer on any track.

The one thing to remeber about Subaru is that you are only getting a 3 year, 36000 mile warrenty. Thats rather crappy compared to other brands today.

 

[chimchim]

Ah... getting much better. And that pic with all the girls makes the WRX very convincing, although I don't think they come as an option. Heh.

 

[SubXer0]

Ah... getting much better. And that pic with all the girls makes the WRX very convincing, although I don't think they come as an option. Heh

lol to bad they don't i want the one in the bottom right corner Mmmmm....
peace
dante

 

[mobomelter]

if for nothing else get the wrx for speed and awd. i'm sorry but i think there is very few people who would prefer fwd to a good awd or rwd car.

 

[Mazda3ofKent]

It's not CARB approved though, so that's a no-go. I'm in CA and I'm not intent on paying off inspectors.

And I thought Mazda3 owners woulda put up a bigger fight, seeing that you must be into the Mazda3 enough to participate in this forum... (doh)

And for the few: AOL monoculture mentaily (smash)

ted

The WRX has more going for out the box, it would be silly to say other wise, I like the looks of the 3 better and I can afford it better than a WRX, and I figuer with the turbo kit, I can get some good numbers, bottom line if i had the change for a WRX umm I dont know that New Charger looks cool

 

[chimchim]

Being my own devil's advocate, here are things in favor of the Mazda3:
- The Mazda3 has a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) much lower than the WRX (purchase budget doesn't matter here)
- better fuel economy and uses 87 octane fuel (instead of 91)
- lower insurance
- lower maintenance cost
- longer wheel base 103.9 vs WRX's 99.4
- has a sunroof
- comes with nav
- about 230 lbs lighter than the WRX
- variable valve timing engine
- SU-LEV emissions
- better looking
- no turbo = less things to go wrong

 

[theice]

shouldn't the mazdaspeed 3 be out for '06? I'd want to see more info on that. It seems like it might be AWD like the MS6. Then, your decision will have already been made, you'll get the style, nav, handling & hopefully... all of this in a wagon. (lol2)

 

[ChopstickHero]

get the 3 ... it's almost better in everyway, except that it doesn't have a turbo and awd. but the interior is nicer, the styling is newer, better gas mileage, most likely cheaper insurance too.

 

[1sty]

THe only major reason I can see to go for the WRX is either because you hae driven it and just like it better, or you plan on doing power mods in which case very few cars today can touch the power potential of a WRX. There is simply a sea of simple to install mods that make real nice power. MOst are tried tested and proven at this point. Hell the most diffucult whing is deciding which of the 4 major vendors your going to go with. Vishnu, Turboxs, ecotec or Cobb. Plus there a bajesus more of them out there.

If your thinking about the 3, put power gains out of your mind. Its not going to happen. There is a very good reason that 99% of the people tha turboed there proteges kept them for less then 2 years afterwords. Its not a simple procedure and its just one long ass headache of crap going wrong. Even if its just little stuff. Plus the warrenty is istantly void and unless you have some real talent in your area, you will be on your own to deal with it all. Also, unlike a WRX, the 3 will not make big power with bolt ons. Like all current mazda's its just regualted to strickly by the ecu.

 

[Mazda3ofKent]

THe only major reason I can see to go for the WRX is either because you hae driven it and just like it better, or you plan on doing power mods in which case very few cars today can touch the power potential of a WRX. There is simply a sea of simple to install mods that make real nice power. MOst are tried tested and proven at this point. Hell the most diffucult whing is deciding which of the 4 major vendors your going to go with. Vishnu, Turboxs, ecotec or Cobb. Plus there a bajesus more of them out there.

If your thinking about the 3, put power gains out of your mind. Its not going to happen. There is a very good reason that 99% of the people tha turboed there proteges kept them for less then 2 years afterwords. Its not a simple procedure and its just one long ass headache of crap going wrong. Even if its just little stuff. Plus the warrenty is istantly void and unless you have some real talent in your area, you will be on your own to deal with it all. Also, unlike a WRX, the 3 will not make big power with bolt ons. Like all current mazda's its just regualted to strickly by the ecu.

IMO i think the mazda 3 will performe well with a turbo, becuase I am sure they had that in mind when the designed the MZR, the mazdaspeed 6 is going to use that engine so I think it has some potentional. just dont to expect to make more than 330hp

 

[1sty]

IMO i think the mazda 3 will performe well with a turbo, becuase I am sure they had that in mind when the designed the MZR, the mazdaspeed 6 is going to use that engine so I think it has some potentional. just dont to expect to make more than 330hp

THe mazdaspeed 6 has radicly different internals. The blocks are about the only thing even close to the same. The 6 will even have direct port injection. Nothing about the mazda 3's 2.3l engine was designed for boost. That aside, I am speaking in general. Any car that you add something like a turbo to in todays computer controlled age, is just one long abortion.

Most who have done it, won't do it again.

 

[FSDET]

1sty u dont have ur STI anymore ? which one of the 4 wrx vendors u think is better ?

 

[Mazda3ofKent]

THe mazdaspeed 6 has radicly different internals. The blocks are about the only thing even close to the same. The 6 will even have direct port injection. Nothing about the mazda 3's 2.3l engine was designed for boost. That aside, I am speaking in general. Any car that you add something like a turbo to in todays computer controlled age, is just one long abortion.

Most who have done it, won't do it again.

hmmm. i will take note of this, i know if i go that route i was going have to get new internals, but I was hopeing at low boost levels i could get away with it for the mean time, on a diffrent note, if I dont get the boost kit I looking into geting a Ducati Monster, how do you like your Katana?

 

[1sty]

1sty u dont have ur STI anymore ? which one of the 4 wrx vendors u think is better ?

I traded it in last week.

I was leaning toward CObb. Vishnu and TurboXA make the most power but there customers seem to eager to swap out of their systems soon after install.

ECUTECK and Cobb had a great plug and play advatage. No tuning or tweaking crap

 

[1sty]

hmmm. i will take note of this, i know if i go that route i was going have to get new internals, but I was hopeing at low boost levels i could get away with it for the mean time, on a diffrent note, if I dont get the boost kit I looking into geting a Ducati Monster, how do you like your Katana?

Worring about the internals is just the tip of the iceberg. Getting a water hose to not slowly cut itself because of the pressure the clamp must be to keep it from leaking in the first place. Not to mention, keep the hose from drying out and cracking open. Then there is the ever lovely smelling fuel while driving and you spend the next week looking for a leak that is impossible to find since its too small to leak exceot under pressure and the fuel evaporated before you can even open the hood. Lets also not forget how great it is as the various parts of the turbo and manifold start rusting together.

Simply put....ITS A LONG ASS LIST.

 

[chimchim]

I was leaning toward CObb. Vishnu and TurboXA make the most power but there customers seem to eager to swap out of their systems soon after install.

Where do you get this information?

I'm still torn between the two cars. The 160hp Mazda3 is quite adequate as a daily driver. No, it's not "fast" but at least I can merge from the 0-65 onramp without being smashed by traffic... or go from the stop n go non-carpool lanes to the 80 mph carpool lane. But everyone knows the thirst for power can never be quenched.