New Car Recommendations

[Katya4me]

My boyfriend is thinking about adding another car in addition to his Miata. He wants to keep the price in the mid teens and would like something that is either new or lightly used.

This car is going to be more for his daily driving but would also see light AutoX duty (the Miata would be the main AutoX car). He had a Ford Contour SE V6 before the Miata.

Car must be MTX (he don't know how to drive Automatic)

The cars he has been thinking of are:

Scion tC
Ford Focus ST
Ford Focus SVT
MSP
Mazda3

The good and the bad as he sees them.

Focus ST
Good - Carsdirect has them listed at about 15K, Standard 6 disc mp3 changer, "SVT inspired suspension" from what I was reading this means the shocks/struts from the SVT but not the springs. Duratec 2.3L engine with 151HP this is a lower reving engine than the SVT engine and only needs regular gas not premium. 10/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty.
Bad - Bland colors

Focus SVT
Good - Available in orange. High reving engine with 170 HP. not just "SVT inspired suspension" but real SVT suspension.
Bad - Premium fuel. a but quirky and a few problems with them. Gas mileage.

Mazdaspeed Protege
Good - Available in orange. TURBO!!. good suspension. Decent aftermarket sound stock
Bad - Premium fuel. Known for a few issues.

Mazda3
Good - about 16K brand new on S-plan. 2.3L engine with 160HP. Manual: 25 mpg / 32 mpg on regular.
Bad - Still getting the new car premium on the lots but this seems to be slowing down. The dash is just weird and I dont know if I like it or not. The clutch felt soft compared to the Miata and what I remember the Contour feeling like.

Scion Tc
Good - I like the looks. Lots for your money. Nice roof. MP3 player stock.
Bad - Understeers like a pig. Heavy for the size/HP.


Anybody with other options or differences of options on what I posted?

He has been slowly test driving these different models, hasn't found a stock MSP at a dealership to try yet and still needs to find a manual tC to drive.

 

[noclue119]

well focus sux it set the record for the most recalls and tsb. I never like the way Mazda3 looked. so it was a Tc vs MSP. I like my msp so i'd say go with MSP.

 

[Foolish]

I'd say Shawn should go MSP, but only 'cause you're already so plugged in to the Protege community. Or, if they don't require premium gas, maybe an MP3 would be better, and probably cheaper to insure, though harder to find.

This would all depend on how much he likes your car, though. I dig the hell out of Dru's P5, so I got the LX.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

Car must be MTX (he don't know how to drive Automatic)

nice

 

[Mike R]

Take over the payments on my 5...I really want another Crown vic or maybe a Marauder

 

[Captain KRM P5]

Scion tC - decent torque, decent power, available supercharger, but rides on aging camry platform and the suspension is too soft. nice moonroof

Ford Focus ST - uglier than sin, slightly less problems that previous focus, good suspension and ok engine

Ford Focus SVT - outstanding transmission and suspension package, decent looks without screaming "i read super street like falwell reads the bible", average reliability and not much more power you can get out of the engine

MSP - plenty of folk selling these for dirt cheap now, no need to list the good and the bad here that hasnt already been said. Sport Compact Car rated it the best handling front wheel drive car ever made.

Mazda3 - quiet ride, smooth powerband, nice stock shifter, huge glove box. Car and Driver called it the best compact car ever made.

 

[Katya4me]

Foolish: He's not a fan of the soft Protege clutch compared to Miata clutch, he's not as concerned about the shifter. MP3 requires premium too and if he got the MSP, he'd get Spicy Orange, which isn't an MP3 color.


Mike R: He's not a fan of wagons or hatches that look like wagons. The only hatch style he likes is the Mazda6 hatch style that looks like a sedan. We also really don't need another hauler so this is more of a commuter car for him probably. And he wants a stock car, not modded. So I couldn't sell him my car either.

 

[1sty]

TC or 3

 

[Da 6]

6 hatch it is J/K

not looking at chevys or dodges?

 

[Foolish]

He could save a ton of money and buy a Pro ES, run regular gas, and get good mileage and reliability. I know, no orange. Get the Miata painted orange. See if we can get a 2 for 1 deal. I'm in.

If he doesn't like hatches, why look at the SVT Focus, it's only available in hatches?

 

[moxnix]

BF here

Foolish: Something about the bubble butt on the FSVT I like for some reason. I am not a real big fan of any of the Protege's except the MSP. Not all the cars come in orange that is just a bonus for the ones that do (only seem to be the high preformance ones that do for some reason)

KRM P5: The focus ST and the Mazda 3 share the same basic engine with a few differences but on one you praise the powerband and the other it is just an ok engine?

Da 6: Dodge? neon - ummm no thanks. STR4 - I admire what it is and can do but I dont like it. (and insurance kills it also)
Chevy? cavalier - ummm no thanks. Cobolt - I like what I read about the SS but it is not out yet and a little out of the range I want to pay for something the rest of that range I have not read real good things about except that it is a big improvment over the cavalier (I dont think that means much at all)

I know the Mazda 3 is on the C1 platform (euro Focus) that the next gen US focus should be on.

 

[Protege52003]

Msp.....

 

[girth]

ANYTHING but a Mazdaspeed Protege. Especially the orange ones. I'm not just a spokesman for car, I'm an owner. It is a turd on wheels with too many mechanical issues, none of which are honored by Mazda through the warranty I paid for.

 

[Da 6]

01/02 neon R/T is what I was refering too 03 has NGC PCM that cancels out any mods done... but again thats also a 91 octane car

 

[ghost]

RSX-S....................shameless promotion off now.

 

[toucci]

I voted for the mazda 3. If I were to go balls out on the P5 and needed a daily driver I'd get one.

 

[Gaboost]

99-00 Civic Si, Integra GS-R, Impreza 2.5 RS all come to mind for that price range.

 

[Jliao]

Civic Si

 

[Gaboost]

Oh yeah, don't get a msp unless you like taking your car to the dealer alot, I know firsthand.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

Civic Si

fugly

KRM P5: The focus ST and the Mazda 3 share the same basic engine with a few differences but on one you praise the powerband and the other it is just an ok engine?

they do not share the exact same engine. there are differences between the two in terms of electronics, valve train and head. i drove both and found them to behave markedly different. the previous year SVT drivetrain is more to my likey likey