Touring Roger
Member
Finally took delivery of my new 2007 5 door Touring. Looked all over the east coast and finally found a Crystal White Pearl with sunroof and cd changer.
I had a 2004 and put 70,000 miles on it before a nice lady in a Kia Rio destroyed it by wiping on the left side. I came out without a scratch, but the 3 was a total. I hated to loose that car.
I spent the next few days reviewing the cars I could buy, but it always cam back to the 3 for the safety, FUN FACTOR and reliability. Off to the Mazda dealer to find a new 3
My 04 and 07 were 5 doors in white. There the simularity ends.
The 2007 is a much improved car and I wouldn't have believed that there was much room to do that. The handling is still the best, but the ride control is much improved. Sharp bumps don't shock the car and its ability to handle the back roads of Baltimore County is a joy. My 2004 would bottom out and react with sharp jolts to the rough roads, not so the 07. It must be shocks, springs and the stiffer chassis. More civilized, but at no cost to the handling.
The car seems quieter at speed and they definitely fixed the buffeting from the open sun roof.
Equipment wise the 07 has it hands down with the stability control (which can be turned off and on) and the traction control. A fast uphill start on wet pavement produced an instant of wheel spin and then the tc kicked in almost like 4 wheel drive, there was no more spin. Seamless. The tire pressure monitoring is another plus that was available in 2004, but I couldn't find a car so equiped.
To say the Crystal White Pearl is an improvement over the Rally White goes without saying. Looks just like normal white until the sun hits it. Very impressive. It gets peoples attention. I have had more comments on both cars than anything else I have owned.
Some bitches I had with the 04 have been solved and some have not. Was pleasantly suprised to see color matching vinyl over the paint just below the rear door on the lower trim. My 2004 had serious bad paint chips from gravel there.
Head lights still do not have an auto off. I always run with headlights on and therefore I carry a quick start battery for those times when I forget to turn them off. Has happened often.
The split 5 spokers are growing on me. Didn't like them at first.
We finally have intermittent wipers with a selection of speeds. Grandkids love the rear arm rest. Upholstery is easier to keep clean compared to the 04. Too bad all my blue interior door, dash, dead pedal, floor mats and shifter don't go with the maroon in the new car.
Have 1200 miles on the car and looking foreward to the next 100,000. Bought an Ipod so I don't have to carry CD's. Now what do I do with the 6 cd changer?
If you like your 3, stay away from the Kia drivers.
I had a 2004 and put 70,000 miles on it before a nice lady in a Kia Rio destroyed it by wiping on the left side. I came out without a scratch, but the 3 was a total. I hated to loose that car.
I spent the next few days reviewing the cars I could buy, but it always cam back to the 3 for the safety, FUN FACTOR and reliability. Off to the Mazda dealer to find a new 3
My 04 and 07 were 5 doors in white. There the simularity ends.
The 2007 is a much improved car and I wouldn't have believed that there was much room to do that. The handling is still the best, but the ride control is much improved. Sharp bumps don't shock the car and its ability to handle the back roads of Baltimore County is a joy. My 2004 would bottom out and react with sharp jolts to the rough roads, not so the 07. It must be shocks, springs and the stiffer chassis. More civilized, but at no cost to the handling.
The car seems quieter at speed and they definitely fixed the buffeting from the open sun roof.
Equipment wise the 07 has it hands down with the stability control (which can be turned off and on) and the traction control. A fast uphill start on wet pavement produced an instant of wheel spin and then the tc kicked in almost like 4 wheel drive, there was no more spin. Seamless. The tire pressure monitoring is another plus that was available in 2004, but I couldn't find a car so equiped.
To say the Crystal White Pearl is an improvement over the Rally White goes without saying. Looks just like normal white until the sun hits it. Very impressive. It gets peoples attention. I have had more comments on both cars than anything else I have owned.
Some bitches I had with the 04 have been solved and some have not. Was pleasantly suprised to see color matching vinyl over the paint just below the rear door on the lower trim. My 2004 had serious bad paint chips from gravel there.
Head lights still do not have an auto off. I always run with headlights on and therefore I carry a quick start battery for those times when I forget to turn them off. Has happened often.
The split 5 spokers are growing on me. Didn't like them at first.
We finally have intermittent wipers with a selection of speeds. Grandkids love the rear arm rest. Upholstery is easier to keep clean compared to the 04. Too bad all my blue interior door, dash, dead pedal, floor mats and shifter don't go with the maroon in the new car.
Have 1200 miles on the car and looking foreward to the next 100,000. Bought an Ipod so I don't have to carry CD's. Now what do I do with the 6 cd changer?
If you like your 3, stay away from the Kia drivers.
