Test drove an MS3 today, Hol-y Crap!

[3+5]

I really wanted one when I heard they were coming out, but they didn't have one in the area when I went shopping in January. So, doing the prudent thing, I traded my 05 3 Hatch for an MS6 to get the AWD for winter in Minnesota. I've never been disappointed. But then today...

I'm at the dealer today & he's got a black GT with sat & navi and he talks me into a drive (twist my arm!). I love my MS6, but this 3 was just killer. I forgot how light & nimble the 3 was. All that extra motor & the thing's really a rocket, and they really did a nice job with the suspension. Night & day from my old hatch. I don't know how I would have decided between them if they had this car on the lot the day I bought! Like the classy brunette vs the spitfire redhead. So naturally, I have to tell him no, my wife would leave if I traded again (she wouldn't, but BOY would she be pissed!).

Anyway, I won't be throwing in to race an MS3 anytime soon, at least not from a roll. But I know they're in short supply especially in New England, so I thought I'd post a heads-up it's available. I think the sticker was somewhere in in the low 27's. New London Lincoln Mercury, Jay is the Mazdaspeed guy, so ask for him.

 

[jaydrouin]

steve Thank you for the plug.. as always i am a fan of any mazda enthusist such as yourself. Nice see u yesterday, enjoyed the conversation. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. I will send you an email tomorrow/ I have 2 deliveries. Jay

 

[chuyler1]

I'm afraid to test drive it for the same reasons.

It seems like the price is right though. You can get the heavier MS6 with AWD and more refined handling, or you can get the lightweight sporty MS3 if you just want raw power and extreme handling. Right now they are pretty close to the same price.

Personally, I'm not willing to give up the AWD and extra space, especially with winter coming.

 

[3+5]

Yup, if the MS3 had AWD I'd have had one, but I like the refinement of the 6, too.

 

[chuyler1]

....but if it had AWD you'd basically be looking at a MS6 that weights maybe 200lbs lighter...not much...and it would suck the fun out of the drivetrain the same way.

Reference:
Mazda6 s curb weight: 3,368lbs
MS6 GT curb weight: 3,589lbs (+221lbs from 6s)
MS3 GT curb weight: 3,153lbs
MS3 GT w/ proposed AWD: 3,153 + 221 = 3,374lbs

That is a difference of 215lbs between a proposed MS3 AWD and the current MS6. So unless Mazda found a way to build a true AWD platform that weighed significantly less I don't see the Mazda3 platform ever getting AWD here in the US, let alone as a Mazdaspeed edition. If there was a market for it, they wouldn't have had to give away the MS6s at 5K below sticker.

 

[andrew.savage]

that is the same Mazda dealership where i bought my hatch 3.

 

[3+5]

It was the tossable nature of the 3 Hatch that I really liked, it's all there plus power & better handling in the MS3. What I didn't like about the 3 Hatch was: 1)Wheel hop to beat hell with any wheelspin in wet or dry conditions, 2)LOUD popping whenever the suspension was pushed. Those things made me very apprehensive when considering the MS3. No AWD as I'd hoped was the show stopper (what?? volvo s40 T5 AWD??). For me the MS6 made a lot more sense. Of course, Jay was in the car with me for the drive, and I wasn't considering a trade, so I didn't explore the limits at all. So I can't say whether 1) and 2) have been corrected in the MS3. All I can tell you is it goes like snot and handles 100% better than a MZ3 Hatch. The slight, (DSC & torque controlled) wheelspin I did experience in the MS3 would have been horrendous banging wheelhop in a MZ3.

Here's a little food for thought though...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/a...portsawdmazdaspeedmazda3rallyecarconcept.html

 

[chuyler1]

Here's a little food for thought though...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/a...portsawdmazdaspeedmazda3rallyecarconcept.html

Very nice, but without stats its hard to say it is an improvement...but if they did it, I'm guessing we'll see lots of threads in the near future of others attempting to follow suit.

 

[DR. ZOOM ZOOM]

yeah you have to wach out for those salesman