Okay... it was mine. ^_^;;
On my way to lunch, I noticed an unfamiliar phone # on my cell.
Upon listening to the voicemail, I realized that it was Matt from Brown's Fairfax Mazda telling me that my MS3 had been delivered today.
I was like 'huh -_-a' because the car wasn't supposed to be here until mid January. But who was I to complain? So I picked up one of my friends who happened to be a huge Mazda fan, and headed to the dealership.
Dealership experience was straightforward since I had a pre-approved check from a federal union, and even though the service department didn't seem all that convenient (short hours, no "anytime" loaners), I didn't mind it too much since it was no Acura dealership. Overall, I was quite satisfied with the sales staff.
Now... about the car. ^_^v
I had my doubts about the color (since I basically ordered the car without ever seeing/ test driving), but I loved the cosmic blue color in person. Not too flash but unique. I chose to drive on the local roads rather than taking I-66 on the way back home 'cause I didn't feel like driving on the hwy (and I like shifting the gearbox). Compared to my previous car (RSX) the ride was quite stiff; nonetheless, it didn't feel too punishing. The noise level, on the other hand, was something I'd have to get used to. I've never owned a car that had so much noise coming from the rear. At the same time, it goes well with the sporting intentions of the vehicle. Like other MS3 owners have noted, the shifter felt a bit rubbery with long throws especially compared to my RSX which had very crisp short throws. I'm sure a short-shifter and new bushings will cure that easily. Power... now that's another story. For the sake of break-in, I never went past 3k rpm; nevertheless, I could feel the gobs of power surging through the gears. Even the 1st & 2nd gear (limited) had strong pull, and 3rd and 4th had yet another dimension.
Clutch engagement wasn't as progressive as other cars I had driven, and I did manage to stall once at a light. ^_^;; It wasn't as bad as (i.e. on/off) some of the members complained though.
Maneuvering the car in my friend's apartment parking lot revealed the car's tight handling capabilities and its small turning radius. The Bose stereo sounded decent for a factory unit, offering crisp highs and mid-range tones balanced with bass that wasn't overpowering.
Some of the annoyances: no heated seats, no mp3 CDs (missing my Alpine unit), and not enough foot room by the throttle
Bottom line: I had a big grin on my face the whole time I was driving (albeit slowly), and I can't think of another vehicle that offers so much fun for the price range. I'd go for another drive if I weren't so sleepy. >_<
Now... I just need to make an appt. to put on the Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S set that's been sitting in my basement for about 3 weeks.
On my way to lunch, I noticed an unfamiliar phone # on my cell.
Upon listening to the voicemail, I realized that it was Matt from Brown's Fairfax Mazda telling me that my MS3 had been delivered today.
I was like 'huh -_-a' because the car wasn't supposed to be here until mid January. But who was I to complain? So I picked up one of my friends who happened to be a huge Mazda fan, and headed to the dealership.
Dealership experience was straightforward since I had a pre-approved check from a federal union, and even though the service department didn't seem all that convenient (short hours, no "anytime" loaners), I didn't mind it too much since it was no Acura dealership. Overall, I was quite satisfied with the sales staff.
Now... about the car. ^_^v
I had my doubts about the color (since I basically ordered the car without ever seeing/ test driving), but I loved the cosmic blue color in person. Not too flash but unique. I chose to drive on the local roads rather than taking I-66 on the way back home 'cause I didn't feel like driving on the hwy (and I like shifting the gearbox). Compared to my previous car (RSX) the ride was quite stiff; nonetheless, it didn't feel too punishing. The noise level, on the other hand, was something I'd have to get used to. I've never owned a car that had so much noise coming from the rear. At the same time, it goes well with the sporting intentions of the vehicle. Like other MS3 owners have noted, the shifter felt a bit rubbery with long throws especially compared to my RSX which had very crisp short throws. I'm sure a short-shifter and new bushings will cure that easily. Power... now that's another story. For the sake of break-in, I never went past 3k rpm; nevertheless, I could feel the gobs of power surging through the gears. Even the 1st & 2nd gear (limited) had strong pull, and 3rd and 4th had yet another dimension.
Clutch engagement wasn't as progressive as other cars I had driven, and I did manage to stall once at a light. ^_^;; It wasn't as bad as (i.e. on/off) some of the members complained though.
Maneuvering the car in my friend's apartment parking lot revealed the car's tight handling capabilities and its small turning radius. The Bose stereo sounded decent for a factory unit, offering crisp highs and mid-range tones balanced with bass that wasn't overpowering.
Some of the annoyances: no heated seats, no mp3 CDs (missing my Alpine unit), and not enough foot room by the throttle
Bottom line: I had a big grin on my face the whole time I was driving (albeit slowly), and I can't think of another vehicle that offers so much fun for the price range. I'd go for another drive if I weren't so sleepy. >_<
Now... I just need to make an appt. to put on the Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S set that's been sitting in my basement for about 3 weeks.
