Please Help Me Decide.

R

RUMBLEFISH

Member
I want eveyones opinion on the MAZDASPEED3. Im a 47 year old dude not overweight and 5'10. I drive a 03 honda accord now with 100,000 miles and had it since new and its still runs like the day I bought it. Im a sales person on the road everyday of the week and travel around Long Island NY about 20,000 miles a year give or take.(drive)

I have really started looking into the mazdaspeed3 and like its size for hauling stuff that sometimes I do. I also dont mind the stick since before the accord I had a Jetta stick. And having that little hot rod sounds like it would be fun but I have a few questions for everyone.

I can test drive one but how do you think I would like the ride on a daily bases over the coarse of severl years?

How dependible would that tweaked motor be with say 75,000 miles on it if driven without hauling ass for the most part every day.

I can use all the advice from you members about my decision on this sweet little ride so tell me the good and the bad.(hear ya)

Thanks
 
Yeah I absolutely love mine. I really cant say anything bad about the car for what you pay for it. I would definitely look into it if I was you.
 
If you were fat I'd have said stick with Honda. Since you stated you aren't over weight, the MS3 would be a nice car.
I'd stay with Honda if you were shorter than 5 foot 8 or taller than 6 feet. Since you are 5' 10" the Mazda should be fine. What color is your hair? If it's grayish brown, the Mazda will work. If it's another color, buy a Ford.
 
Hmm more and more I think Swamp has been a victim of his own tail pipe soot.....

Well Im shorter than 5'8" and the MS3 works just fine... nothing platform shoes wont fix damn it!!!

The MS3 will be a fine choice - yes its a turbo so there are more things to go wrong in the long term but its also technically a very simple setup so a lot less geewizz crap that can and will go wrong in the long term...

Dont let us convince you.. take a look at almost every single car mag that has done a comparison of it against cars in the same class.. its come up #1 every single time. Its a car with the right combination of things and the right price... does it have flaws: yes - are they deal breakers no -

On a 08 the only flaws you are bound to run into are:
1. Mushy shifter (not a biggie less you are picky)
2. Trip Computer hack wont work on 08 - only on 07 sport models
 
it's the best deal out there right now, i suggest getting the car !!! u wont regret it, after u buy the car, ull be back in this forums thanking everybody for a wonderful purchase that u have done :). Not only the car is superfast on the highway, it has good breaking , has very good gas milege on highways, i get 310 to 340 highway trips ;). Also, as far as hauling things, it's real nice, the backseat can go down, where my 2 dogs can fit going:).

um... the only bad things so far might be that slight torque steer, wheelhop, and if drivin like u stole it everyday, ur tires will be BALD ;)...so there u go :)
 
Mocoso said:
Hmm more and more I think Swamp has been a victim of his own tail pipe soot.....

Well Im shorter than 5'8" and the MS3 works just fine... nothing platform shoes wont fix damn it!!!

The MS3 will be a fine choice - yes its a turbo so there are more things to go wrong in the long term but its also technically a very simple setup so a lot less geewizz crap that can and will go wrong in the long term...

Dont let us convince you.. take a look at almost every single car mag that has done a comparison of it against cars in the same class.. its come up #1 every single time. Its a car with the right combination of things and the right price... does it have flaws: yes - are they deal breakers no -

On a 08 the only flaws you are bound to run into are:
1. Mushy shifter (not a biggie less you are picky)
2. Trip Computer hack wont work on 08 - only on 07 sport models
Click to expand...


I was foolin!
 
I ain't got no southern accent. My folks are from the nawth.

FWIW I think it's a good car for commuting and usage for someone in sales with one caveat. I'd look into a set of 17 inch wheels. You'll have a boat load of tire choices, it will ride a bit softer, and tires will cost you $75-80 each vs. $150
 
I love my Speed3. I haven't had any problems with it since I bought it minus the warped rotor disks. But that was technically, my doing... Braking hard with a heavy load... I have a cousin about 300+lbs and about 5'6''. So yeah, I was taking him around town in Texas, and showing him what the Wild Child can do. But I got that fixed.

You'll fit fine into the Speed3, as I'm 5'9'' at 190lbs. The seats are comfortable. A month after I picked mine up, I took it for a trip to Texas. ^^ Hence how I got warped rotors..lol The seats/cruise control and my 6 disk changer along with the I-Pod Aux port were awesome. Not to mention the seats that could be folded down for the extra space in the back. With the turbo, and the power on tap, I got over the mountains between Cali, and Yuma, AZ with no problems whatsover.

I have had no problems with the torque steer, since I don't drive it like I stole it daily. But when I want to stomp on it, the torque is there, but you get used to gripping the steering wheel really well where the torque doesn't bother you. But if you do it right off the bat without realizing how your car pulls, you'll be in for a surprise. lol

Other than that, I love everything my GT trim had to offer over the Sport. The black leather inserts, the HIDs, the Auto Dim Mirror w/ Compass (you don't know how much this kept my eyes from being blinded by those high beams on my trip to Texas, and back at night!!) The auto windshield wipers, it rained several times on that trip, and the auto sensing wipers adjusted accordinly to the rain, from slow, to fast. Pretty neat. The Auto on/off lights I don't use as much really. But they're there for just in case you don't feel like turning them on yourselves. I saw that once on a BMW like 4 years ago, drove into a dark overpass tunnel, like in Gran Turismo on the highway in Phoenix, and I saw this ladies BMW lights turn on automatically, and turn off once we got to the other end where daylight hit. Pretty neat. The bose system is ok; not too shabby, but could use more thump. But I'm content with it. Ummm, lets see.

I guess the only way to know for sure is to take the Speed3 for a spin, and decide ultimately for yourself if its for you or not.

By the way, welcome to the forums!!! Good luck with your decision. FYI, Mazda is coming out with a White, and some Gray colored Speed3s sometime next year incase you're wondering about colors.


Oh and by the way, I didn't opt for the Navi, it looked hideous to me.... but I sure love my TOM TOM XL!!! (249.00OTD) (ughdance)

-J
 
Last edited:
hey kinda off topic but, but i have a 600 dollar gps. And i ******* hate it its by pioneer. Does your tom tom take you allover the dam place before you get to your destination. Like if i know where im going it will take me through all these back road and never just take me strait there. So im looking to get a tomtom
 
Andrewsmc said:
hey kinda off topic but, but i have a 600 dollar gps. And i ******* hate it its by pioneer. Does your tom tom take you allover the dam place before you get to your destination. Like if i know where im going it will take me through all these back road and never just take me strait there. So im looking to get a tomtom
Click to expand...

lol, yeah; it'll even ask me if I need to get there at a certain time. it'll re-map its first route if need be... pretty sweet and simple, and its touch screen. very nice. :-)
 
sorry, dont understand your answer? So it does take you all over the place? or it takes you like you would drive there?
 
Another vote for totally loving the car. Oh, and Mazda recently beat out Toyota and Honda which placed them as #1 for reliability. That helped seal the deal for me.
 
Andrewsmc said:
sorry, dont understand your answer? So it does take you all over the place? or it takes you like you would drive there?
Click to expand...

yes, it takes me all over the place, where I want to go in the US.... it's preloaded with maps, and its tracking like 7 different satellites for GPS tracking.... that's what I read from the manual anyways.

And yes, it'll take me down the same routes, that I would take driving from point A to point B. Very accurate, some times it'll route differently sometimes, but if it does, I'll just keep going the route I know, and it'll re-route its nav point to the same road I'm on, and it'll do it turn by turn..... i hope this is more clear for you...
 
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