Prospective owner in TN
- Thread starter AMW///
- Start date
joshritger
Member
- :
- 2007 Galaxy Grey Mazda 3 S Hatchback (a.k.a. DILLA)
My only suggestion would be to skip the automatic transmission and learn to drive stick if you don't already know how to. The 5 speed automatics that are in the 2.3 liters suck. I should know since I have one.
Other than that they are great cars,
Best of luck
Other than that they are great cars,
Best of luck
Alrighty thanks bud. Well the only reason I would get a auto is so my mom, brother n gf could drive it if they ever needed too. Like are the auto's problematic or just not as good as the manuals?
Just not as good. It tends toward "sluggish" shifting if you're "heavy-footed" from a dead stop, for example.
Make sure you read the manual to understand when it will prefer/allow up-/down-shifting. Then you'll have some idea why it does what it does when it does.
I'm in the same boat as you: gotta have an AT so others that don't drive stick can drive it.
I love mine, tho', now that I'm thoroughly acquainted with its quirks. In fact the only time I ever drive it in Auto mode is when I've set the cruise control on a long trip so that it handles hills properly (if in Manual mode, it'll still down-shift to go up a steep hill as necessary but it'll never up-shift at the top of the hill by itself -- you'll have to).
That being said, the next one'll be a stick (unless they're electric by then...)
Make sure you read the manual to understand when it will prefer/allow up-/down-shifting. Then you'll have some idea why it does what it does when it does.
I'm in the same boat as you: gotta have an AT so others that don't drive stick can drive it.
I love mine, tho', now that I'm thoroughly acquainted with its quirks. In fact the only time I ever drive it in Auto mode is when I've set the cruise control on a long trip so that it handles hills properly (if in Manual mode, it'll still down-shift to go up a steep hill as necessary but it'll never up-shift at the top of the hill by itself -- you'll have to).
That being said, the next one'll be a stick (unless they're electric by then...)
joshritger
Member
- :
- 2007 Galaxy Grey Mazda 3 S Hatchback (a.k.a. DILLA)
I will have to go through the manual again, I just didn't ever feel that the car shifted right when I drove it in manual mode. Then again I don't feel that it shifts right normally either. Oh well, you live and learn.
- :
- 2008.5 MS3
get a speed, do you know how to drive a stick?
Man I wish i could get a speed but thats kinda out of my price range.. I've never touched a stick in a car, but I've grown up riding atv's so same basic concept
Yeah, probably best to stick with the SportAT. It's a bad idea to learn to drive a MT in a car with so much power on tap. Best to learn in an old beater. I learned how with my dad's '85 Honda Accord, which was perfect because it had only 87HP -- almost impossible to get into real trouble with that thing. Almost... (glare) (I once came this close || to smacking it sideways into the street light pole at the end of our culdesac one winter -- saved by the curb.)
