Lovin my new MS3

[Mocoso]

In college I had always thought my next car would be a Mazda 6, while I was driving my Galant. Of course, that changed quickly when my chance to buy a Z06 came along. I always thought my dream car was a corvette, and it was fun, but after a couple of near death experiences (vettes are horrible rain cars if you wanted to know), and a desire for something slightly more practical, the MS3 article in C&D caught my eye. One test drive and I was ready to part ways with the vette.

Believe it or not, as a 22 year old who loves to race and drive fast cars, the MS3 brings more smiles than the vette ever did. Maybe it was just because the force of being pushed into the seat of the vette flattened them out, but either way, the MS3 is not the compromise I thought it would be.

Sure, it has straps for baby seats and 6 air bags for safety, and fold down back seats for that SUV-esque cargo space, but these are just extra benefits. This car is fast, not scary fast, but fast nonetheless. I have a little stretch of road that my roomates and I call the quarter mile, although it is not quite so, and while the vette hits 102, the MS3 still reaches a respectable 93. It probably should be a bigger difference, but there is a slight bump that puts the Z06 out of sorts, while the MS3 was solid throughout. As for torque steer, I have encountered minimal amounts a couple times, but after knowing what happens when you floor it in the vette with the wheels turned, I would consider any negative effects non-existent.

But the real difference between this car and the vette is the smoothness. You don't feel the speed in the MS3, which is why I am investing in a radar detector soon. 80 feels the same as 50, and even 120 is a breeze. And it is true not just for straightline speed. Slinging the car into corners is the most fun I have ever had. Nov. 19th is the next autocross, and you better believe I won't be holding back. I will give you all updates of how that goes. There is WRX running DS, and while he is more experienced than me, I hope to give him a run for his money. Now, all this talk has made me itch for a drive, so gotta go.

(naughty) 400HP/400ftlb 3200 lbs does require throttle discipline in the rain and big fat high performance runflats dont like water period.....

Interesting that you dont feel the speed with MS3... I agree on straightaway the MS3 suspension tends to mask speed better than the vette but for me a lane change or slight turn/irregularity in the road and the MS3 gives me a rude wake up call compared to the other beast..

I was commenting to my wife that the MS3 is a totally different type of fun from the vette... the vette is scary fun (instant adrenaline rush stomping on the gas.. suffient to call it quits 4.5 seconds later hitting 60 - instant adrenaline rush taking a turn and seeing that g meter hit .5, .6, .7, .8...) but it can also be "oh sh... that wasnt fun" scary as any car with that performance has very little tolerance or margin for bonehead moves on the part of the driver... and no way in hell I can even come close to the limits on public roads....(rookie bonehead move: turn wheel at a stop sign to make a right turn and stomp on gas from a stop.... guaranteed: youll be facing left instead of right)

The MS3 on the other hand can be pushed/tossed around/taken closer to its limits and has sufficient tolerance that you can recover without having your life flash in front of you...you dont need as much throttle discipline and throwing it into the wrong gear wont mean youll be in the bushes....and you can experiment SOME of its limits without making you public enemy #1...

 

[Captain KRM P5]

welcome to the forums

 

[div2]

If you ever owned either M or the 993 you wouldnt have made the "dont want to support the domestics"... BMW may make sweet driving machines but they cant design window regulators worth a damn and their rubber wasnt tested in dry hot climates...and have fun on the maintenance...

There have been one or two BMWs in my garage ever since 1983-eight in all, and I've had to replace a grand total of two window regulators(1973 Bavaria 3.0, 1997 528i). I special ordered my Club Sport in 1995, and at 110,000 miles it's seen more than a few track days and autocrosses(though not as many as my M6-which, BTW, never needed a window regulator either). And yes, the maintenance costs have been mind-boggling- a bit less than $40 per month- and that includes three sets of sticky W-rated tires and one set of pads and rotors. So I suppose you could call it fun.
In any event, I'm still not going to support the domestics.

 

[redspeed]

EDIT: With the local Mazda dealer slapping a $3000 ADM on the MS3(not to mention asking $27K for a used MS3 with 6K on the clock), it looks like
I will simply wait a few more months and order one of these puppies.(burnout)

WOW! Thats nice. But what about $$$$$??? I personally love the 130i.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/hatchbacks/0705_2007_bmw_130i_m_sport/

 

[div2]

WOW! Thats nice. But what about $$$$$??? I personally love the 130i.

I don't know; I've heard all sorts of numbers. And like you, I'd love a 130i M Sport. I begged BMW NA's ///M brand manager to import the 130i, but the NA suits simply refuse to import any more hatchbacks(the M Coupe doesn't count). The funny thing is, the US 318ti met its projected sales targets- the problem was that those sales were to the wrong people. BMW NA priced the car aggressively in an attempt to lure younger first-time Bimmer owners. Instead, most buyers turned out to be current BMW owners who(like me) wanted a light and agile track rat or a second car.

 

[redspeed]

Well, I guess is alright. I won't be able to afford one on my active duty pay check anyway. (sick)

 

[div2]

Well, I guess is alright. I won't be able to afford one on my active duty pay check anyway. (sick)

Now I'm hearing early to mid 2008. The MS3 may not be out of the running after all...

 

[funkyman]

I drove a 330CI 2002 for several years,great cars,loved it.Classy,but i had the choice of driving a brand new car or buying a used M3 that is slowly becoming too common and out of date and with the cost of maintanace,most commonly known mechanical problems and breakdowns associated with the E46 BMW`setc.I decided to go with brand new Speed3 Hatchback fully loaded for 28750 out the door.A similar BMW 135i will be close to 45k out the door.I chose to be conservative and just enjoy my Mazda fun to drive vehicle.Considering it stops just a few feet short of a Corvette Z06 supercar for 75k out the door ,i am not complaining.Porche 911 turbo out the door 135k 60-0 112ft Speed3 115ft OHHHH Yeah baby.People don`t realise its more important to our lives to go from 60-0 than it is to 0-60 heheheh.Mazda does it shorter than any BMW,Subaru Mitsu and many super cars