Should I buy a Speed3??????

[lunchbox16]

so i'm looking to trade in my chevy silverado for a speed3.
i've been reading a lot about them but have not driven one yet. im planning on going to the dealership this weekend.
is there anything i should now going into the ms3??
i hear the torque steer is kinda bad as well as the stiff ride.
i'm just looking for any info that you can give me.
thank you
chris

 

[Young Roids]

The torque steer isn't bad at all. The wheel hop is the problem. Don't expect oget great MPG either you will probly average around 21mpg. Testdrive it and you will get an idea of the power it has.

 

[numbnuts22715]

The torque steer isn't bad at all. The wheel hop is the problem. Don't expect oget great MPG either you will probly average around 21mpg. Testdrive it and you will get an idea of the power it has.

It really all depends on how you drive
With quite a few miles of spirited city driving, about 20 miles of REALLY spirited driving, then a 180 mile trip, I got an average of about 29 mpg. Not too bad at all.

 

[builthatch]

best bet is to search the board with key terms you are curious about. you'll find everything you need already here

there really isn't anything to not like about the ms3 itself, other than the learning curve for driving a fwd with such power, and the fact that a few key mods are 100% necessary IMO.

 

[lunchbox16]

thanks.
i now have an ext. cab short bed silverado, 2wd. i had it lowered at one point plus i have 20" wheels so i know all bout wheel hop.
when i bought my truck the sticker said it got 17/20 but i think i'm more around 15/19. so mpg in the 20's is great for me. i do a lot of highway driving too.
i was loooking at the speed as well as the wrx and the rav 4 (i like having a truck).
i just like nowing a lot of info before i make large purchases.


anyone drive it in the snow???? i live in ma. and the winter here is horrible.

 

[Old]

I've had mine since 2-19-08, got 2400 miles now and I'm still happy with the total package. Had a warranty issue with misfire/stalling, and factory changed sparkplugs, and no more problem, check engine light never came on again. Put on Mazda CAI, got a substantial boost in torque/hp. Changed to BFG 225/40/18 sticky tires, and that made a big difference in handling, braking, and it still spins tires in first three gears. At 300 miles, I changed to Mobil 1 0-40 full synthetic, and that helped performance too. FWD turbo cars are a little quirky, but easy to drive with the MS3, it's got lots of torque, and almost no turbo lag. I don't even use 1st gear, unless stopped on an incline. And did I mention it's FAST. Mileage has averaged 21mpg, with a low of 14mpg, and a best of 31mpg. It's a 5-door wagon with fold down seats, so it's very utilitarian, and it's a sleeper-rocket, a fun car.

 

[udontknowjack]

prem gas vs reg gas price.....about .40 per gallon different here in california

 

[stephani3]

OEM tires suck in the snow. I put my speed in a ditch a week after I bought it because of surprise snowy conditions (no damage though )... I'm definitely going to get some chubby snow tires for next winter.

 

[PeterC]

If you can live with a stiff ride and a pretty horrible clutch, this car is the best you can get for the money. The ride quality will probably drive your girlfriend or wife crazy, as it does mine. It doesn't bother me after owning several sport compact cars in my time. The clutch, however, is another story. In a word...it's crap. Out of all the cars I have owned it is the worst...it is basically an on/off switch and it never gets better. It is almost impossible to drive smoothly. When I am by myself this doesn't bother me, but with others in the car when you are trying to give them a smooth ride forget about it. I think a motor mount helps, but I don't want to have additional vibrations in the car.

Aside from those two gripes, this car is awesome. It's my favorite of the cars I have owned, from a GTI to a WRX to an RSX Type S. You will only get wheel hop if you are putting the throttle to the floor in 1st gear, which I almost never do anymore since I don't really race. I utilize the power in daily driving and it is explosive...it feels very similar to an STI from a roll.

If you are going to be in snow conditions regularly you might want to wait for the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart or go for a WRX since they both have AWD. They will probably be a couple grand more than an MS3 Grand Touring, and a few grand more than an MS3 Sport.

 

[DM33MS3]

If you can live with a stiff ride and a pretty horrible clutch, this car is the best you can get for the money. The ride quality will probably drive your girlfriend or wife crazy, as it does mine. It doesn't bother me after owning several sport compact cars in my time. The clutch, however, is another story. In a word...it's crap. Out of all the cars I have owned it is the worst...it is basically an on/off switch and it never gets better. It is almost impossible to drive smoothly. When I am by myself this doesn't bother me, but with others in the car when you are trying to give them a smooth ride forget about it. I think a motor mount helps, but I don't want to have additional vibrations in the car.

Aside from those two gripes, this car is awesome. It's my favorite of the cars I have owned, from a GTI to a WRX to an RSX Type S. You will only get wheel hop if you are putting the throttle to the floor in 1st gear, which I almost never do anymore since I don't really race. I utilize the power in daily driving and it is explosive...it feels very similar to an STI from a roll.

If you are going to be in snow conditions regularly you might want to wait for the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart or go for a WRX since they both have AWD. They will probably be a couple grand more than an MS3 Grand Touring, and a few grand more than an MS3 Sport.

ya the clutch... cant say that it ever feels the same anytime i drive, every once in a while i can get a smooth ride but thats only when it wants to but i also get wheel hop in first as well as 2nd though too, but again only if the pedal is to the floor... suspension is def stiff as hell so a bumpy ride but it sticks to the road almost as if its AWD... the bridgestones they come stock with def help this though, motor mounts known to break on this car so if you plan on launching then plan on buying an aftermarket mount, but thats bout all i can think of right now

 

[Hyun]

Yeah, i get told learn to drive stick many times when i give people ride. Im kind of used to it though, tell them stfu or get out

 

[stephani3]

LOL I feel like a dumbass but I stalled out yesterday. It definitely is a hard clutch to get used to.

 

[speed858]

I'm right there with ya! I can't believe how many people don't know how to drive stick. It should be a part a getting your drivers license.

 

[ericm]

I've got 1500 miles on a 2008.5. The car before that was a 1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and before that a GMC C3 pickup. The small turbo cars are a lot more fun on back roads than the giant pickup was. The MS3' clutch isn't that bad, its just that the engagement point is narrow and high up in the pedal travel. It is a noisy car, there is a lot of booming from the exhaust at 3k rpms especially with trailing throttle, and the tires transmit a lot of noise from rough pavement. If you take a lot of long trips with your wife/girlfriend it may not be the best car... unless you're on back roads.

I haven't driven mine in the snow but it ought to be a lot better in the snow than a 2wd pickup with 20" wheels.

EDIT: I've had a bunch of fwd cars and the MS3's by far the best for torque steer. It's really not bad at all.

 

[Sacrilicious]

seriously, don't listen to any of us on what the car is like until you have gone and taken a nice, long test drive yourself. we are obviously going to be heavily biased for the car, so get yourself some first-hand experience in the car before you let us brainwash you! (eek2)

 

[camrycev6]

seriously, don't listen to any of us on what the car is like until you have gone and taken a nice, long test drive yourself. we are obviously going to be heavily biased for the car, so get yourself some first-hand experience in the car before you let us brainwash you! (eek2)

Amen! Get out there and drive it yourself. IMHO, I think you will really like the car, if not love it. It really depends on what you are looking for. As a total package for the money (fun to drive, practical, decent styling, etc.) I think you would extremely hard pressed to find a car that matches it.

Test drive it... heck, do it twice. Spending $25K should never be a casual decision. (Unless you are grotesquely rich...and in that case.... PM me, I want to be your new best friend.)

 

[chacon101]

Before I test drove mine, I was on the fence. One test drive and seven days later, I drove home in my new car. And I am the kind of guy that normally researches the living hell out of something before I buy.

It was just that much fun to drive....

 

[speed858]

I think that if you're anyway shape or form interested in the speed3 you should go out and buy it. It's such a unique car that you won't find another one like it.

 

[lunchbox16]

thank everyone for the info.
my wife hates my truck now because of the ride. when i had it lowered it was a smooth ride until you hit a small rock or god forbid railroad tracks. it felt like a ton of bricks were dropped in the bed. so my wife will be pleased to see it go.
she actually test drove an 08 mazda 3 hatch sport a week ago and feel in love with it.

about 8 years back i owned a 91 323 5-speed. when i bought it there was over 160,000 on it, and that clutch was either in or out. but that was the car i larned to drive stick in. anyone else that drove it stalled out constantly because of the clutch.

sunday i'm going to the dealer to test drive.

 

[Young Roids]

Clutch is no problem for me personally, the car has so much low end torque that I can shift very smoothly from a stop.

Snow tires are a must for winter driving since it comes with summer tires not allseasons. I have some snow tires on mine and it performed flawlessly in the snow, didn't get stuck once this winter.

And I don't know how you get 31mpg in this car unless it is 100% highway miles with cruise on. When I really race it the mpg can easily drop below 15.