How does the Mazda3 compare to the Mazdaspeed3?

[klocktown]

A Mazdaspeed3 has always been somewhat of a dream car for me. Unfortunately, it'd stretch my budget quite a bit to pick one up used. I've seen them go as low as $13.5k but that was at a little shady hole-in-the-wall dealer and I was kinda scared to buy it; most seem to go for about $17k around here though. I really like the look of the Mazda3 hatch. It seems like it'll be coming down to a Scion xB or Mazda3 when I buy a car in the next couple months. How does the Mazda3 compare to the Speed? Also anyone able to compare it to the xB?


Thanks for any help. I really wish I could afford the Speed, lol.

 

[Yuko]

PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ dont buy an X B over a mazda3 its no speed three but my little sedan drives quite nice and out handles an xb in every way. You will not be dissapointed.
I promise.

 

[klocktown]

Haha, I think the Mazda3 would be my 2nd choice right now (1st being the Speed), but they are much harder to find in 5 door around here.

 

[Yuko]

I have a sedan but i will be the first to agree hatches look 100X better, not to say i don't love my baby.

In all honesty i have driven both and let me make that decision for you take XB out of your equation and u'll have your answer lol

 

[klocktown]

Are they a fun drive? I'm hoping to pick up a car sometime after Christmas. Figure that there will be more cars being sold after Christmas than there are right now.

 

[Yuko]

yea i love to take mine up to the mountains and fool around, def get a 2.3 though is worth it. also if a speed comes in range nab it. anything specific you would like to know

 

[superdoughboy4]

Rofl. I was in this exact situation before I got my 3.
Don't get an xB. You'll be disappointed because you won't be able to have ANY fun driving it.
And a Speed3 to a 3, huge difference in speed, of course, and even better handling.
If you can afford the insurance on a boosted car, go ahead and get the MS3.

 

[klocktown]

I can afford the insurance bc it's only $200 more a year. It's the initial price I'm not sure I can afford. I'm hoping more will be on sale come December or January.

 

[superdoughboy4]

You can find 07-08s for about 17k easily.

 

[klocktown]

LOL. That's $4k or so more than I want to spend.

 

[superdoughboy4]

Oh whoops. I skimmed your first post and saw the 17k thinking that was the budget.
Yeah.
Good luck finding a Speed3 at a price of 13.5k.

 

[klocktown]

LOL. I actually found one for $13.5 but it was from a shady dealer. When I went to check it out it was all younger dudes (25s or so) and they just tossed me the keys and told me not to rev it to high when I asked to check it out. On Yelp they have like a 2 star review. Kinda afraid to buy it from them. LOL.

 

[Yuko]

yea that one is probably *****