ok, the "new-ness" of my MS3 expired quickly.

[pointysticks]

and it is the lame ass fuel prices. i typically have alot more new owner joy when i buy a new car. the fun went away before the new car smell. fuel in my hood jumped 20 cents in 3 days. it is now 4.75 for a gallon of super. i love the MS3, and feel that there is no better car in the price range. nothing even close. well, the GTI is in the area, but hands down the MS3 is the best for a sub $22k car.

NEVER thought i would see the day where i have buyer's remorse. how much per gallon till you seriously consider a real econobox? (dare i say PRIUS?) it hits $8.00 and my car is going to mysteriously disappear in oakland. heheheh.

 

[Zimmer]

i'm getting 28 mpg (i do mostly highway) ... i'm the slowest car on the highway and it takes serious discipline .... SERIOUS DISCIPLINE

 

[hilmar2k]

The break even on a Prius is ridiculous at the moment. They are selling over sticker. Factor in the loss you will take on an MS3 and it is like a 15 year break even, unless you drive 60k miles per year.

 

[pointysticks]

i'm getting 28 mpg (i do mostly highway) ... i'm the slowest car on the highway and it takes serious discipline .... SERIOUS DISCIPLINE

here lies the rub...i can get all ZEN with the gas pedal and probably get the same 28 (best is 26 thus far) mpg. but what is the point? buzzing along, short shifting, and coasting to a stop...sounds just like a prius, dont it? damn it. i want to drive it like a speed3.

hilmark, your math is right on. i missed the econobox boat. the hit i take on the MS3, kills the deal.

 

[Donas64]

no point in owning an MS3 if you're just going to putter around. Might as well get a regular 3. If you can afford the car, you should be able to afford the gas. Trading it in now would not be a good move.

 

[DKo5]

Ticking 13k miles after ~6 months of ownership here in the next week or two and I still get a goofy grin every time I turn the key in my '08 MS3.

True, paying $4.85/gal this morning really hurt (especially considering my 70mi/day commute) but I've started coasting a bit slower on the freeway on my way to work and I'm hitting 25-27mpg regularly. Still doing my normal "spirited" D) driving when not on my normal commute, though, to keep the love. Saving that 5-10 minutes in the morning by crusing at 75mph just isn't worth the -3-5mpg I was losing for all those miles.

I'm sure if I granny-shifted + coasted everywhere I'd be getting even higher, but hey - I came from a '95 Toyota pickup that was getting 16mpg. I'm happy! Heck, I get better mileage than my wife's '05 Subaru 2.5RS and that thing is DOG slow - absolutely no fun to drive. If in a few years Mazda is offering a ~285-300hp AWD MS3 I'm 100% down, even at $6/gal.

 

[Super Unique]

remind me not to complain about 4.03 a gallon for premium here in central florida

 

[haberdashery]

drive off the turbo as much as possible, and get on it when you have an open stretch of road. instead of fret about gas prices, save your money elsewhere, on things that aren't completely necessary. pack your lunch instead of eating out and clip some coupons before you go to the grocery store or something. it sounds ridiculous but it helps!

 

[lunchbox16]

i love the MS3, and feel that there is no better car in the price range. nothing even close. well, the GTI is in the area, but hands down the MS3 is the best for a sub $22k car.

a friends has an 06 GTI he's not getting much beeter gas mileage then me. plus i paid less then him for my car. he got worse mpg after he put in a program.

i'm still happy with my mpg. i just left a V8 pick up truck a week for my MS3.

 

[dkswim]

do what i did, buy another toy. one that has 2 wheels and gets 40-50 mpg when i ride balls to the wall.

 

[ottawaP5]

Our gas here is $1.42 a LITRE. I bought this car to have fun, so I haven't adjusted my driving in any way.

 

[wolverine_man]

If you want the performance, the Speed is your car. No question. If you are looking for mpg, the Speed and even the regular 3 is probably not your best bet. Get a nasty egg-shaped boring prius or civic. I wanted decent performance, but not to the extent of premium gas and sub 20 mpg in the city. Specifically, I was looking for the lowest cost, best handling car that still took regular fuel. So I got a regular (read whimpy) 3S, which is my only car/commuter. I get on mine good a few times every fill up and still am getting 27.1 mpg (hand-calculated) on average with about 65/35 city/highway. I usually drive 70 on the freeway.

Now, if I were looking for a second car, the Speed would be up there on my list.

 

[pointysticks]

super unique! wow! cheap gas...who knew?

it is going to touch $5 here in the bay area.. thanks for the pep talk. i gotta admit, going for groceries has never been more fun. i EFFEN ALMOST bought a dodge diesel (to tow my trackcar) ..then i came to my senses and bought the MS3 (screw towing).

 

[trufanatic]

you'll can freely call me stupid...... wait for it.

i bought the speed thinking and knowing it was a more grown up car than my srt4 and loved it for the first 2-3 months until gas prices crossed 4$. i was tolerating $3+ but with the likely propect of gas crossing 5$ a gal for premium b4 the end of the summer nation wide and living in florida where gas will shoot up $1.50 over average with the mention of the word hurricane or tropical storm its a pain but i havent regretted it. I've owned, well now 13 turbo cars in the past 4.5yrs and after buying the speed and seeing how much mods cost becuase of 'exclusivity' i've moved on to larger endeavors and built a 2jzgte supra powered lexus. It almost that time for you to call me stupid....wait for it...

So, i do have my real toy..a car capable for as much HP as i feel like throwing at it but i also have my ms3. After giving it some serious thought i dont think i'd keep my ms3 for daily driver past the summer simply because its turbo. I have my toy that will give me my kicks when i feel like wasting money but now im just thinking more economical. Im 26 and i do pretty good for myself career wise but with the car payment, insurance and gas prices owing my speed equals a small mortgage....seriously.

So two high powered cars, single and rediculous gas prices and i dont 'own' a house yet. you can call me stupid now.

 

[pointysticks]

you aint stupid. i also make a great living, and i save lots of money in case the schit hits the fan. i have a fun car i "waste" cash on. a 1981 911SC. one thing is for certian, i am not modding the MS3.

 

[BayAreaMS3]

Almost $5 per gal.

I pay 4.85 here in Vallejo not to far from Oakland. It should hit 5 by the end of the month.

 

[trufanatic]

you aint stupid. i also make a great living, and i save lots of money in case the schit hits the fan. i have a fun car i "waste" cash on. a 1981 911SC. one thing is for certian, i am not modding the MS3.

i've always loved the idea of a turbo daily driver. nothing over powered, just enough to work traffic when you really need to and get down the highway quickly if need be. i'm by no means rich but have worked hard to make a damn decent living, now after i got lex-supra going i took a look at my ms3 and say eh! what a waste...all because of gas prices, i went from spending just over 200+ a month, three months ago to spending 400+ a month and i actually travel less now. a month or two and my speed should be gone, she will be missed but i'd prefer to hold on to what ever dime i can the way this economy is going even if it means driving a beater civic or accord...s*** i'd do a geo metro with a mixture of brown gas(h20)...so be it

 

[AutoXRacer]

remind me not to complain about 4.03 a gallon for premium here in central florida

Where??? I am paying $4.17-$4.22!!!!

 

[trufanatic]

we're at $4.19-$4.35 in south fla

 

[happy and angry]

To everyone who MIGHT be considering trading in or selling their MS3 because of inflating gas prices:

If you drive 15,000 miles a year, and average 25 mpg, you will use 600 gallons of gasoline.

If gas is $3 a gallon, you spend: $1800 a year.
If gas is $4 a gallon, you spend: $2400 a year.
If gas is $5 a gallon, you spend: $3000 a year.

For every $1 a gallon, you spend an extra $600 a year.

How much will you lose in resale of your vehicle in depreciation? How much might you lose if you're upside down on your car loan? Is it actually the "smart" financial choice to ditch the car?