Hey Team Ohio peeps, my girlfriend is buying a new (used) car very soon. She said anything $13k and below and she wants a hatch. So either a P5, Mazda3 or Mazda6 hatch. Of course, I'm biased to the P5 but I'm already told her lifetime free labour charges if it carries a Mazda badge. So if anyone knows of any issues with the Mazda3 or 6 I should be aware of or keep an eye out when inspecting cars, please let me know. Thanks!
Her Audi TT is dying a slow death and I'm tired of ******* with it. Haha.
id say a 3, personally... you can find nice ones with relatively low mileage (35-50k) for 10-13k
the 6 is a good choice if shes cool with a v6 and a little less fuel economy, otherwise the 4banger in the 6 is rather sluggish
the p5 is older and going to be a little more difficult to find in good shape unless you go south...
i would say that getting a P5 would be the best and all around easiest
why is it the easiest and best all around, the 3 is a better motor and more reliable than the protege's, and they dont have the rust issues NEARLY as bad as the proteges..
Evan, find her a nice P5 from the south for around 5k and swap in a KL. Should run you under 10k and she'll have a reliable, zippy car to get her from A to B for along time to come.
after having my car as long as i have, id say finding a 2.3 3 hatch would be good, i mean. the only issues i have had with this car have been self-inflicted (too much flow from exhaust in winter made her very finnicky, the clutch from me beating the hell out of her for many many miles while fully bolted, suspension from me running over 45k while lowered on oem shocks, the cracked valve cover was my dumb luck fault and i have a good feeling i know how that happened but not willing to blame the buddy that helped me work on the car.....) come to think of it, the only real issue that wasnt my own doing was the pass. motor mount, but thats a known weakness in the 3, it can still be driven if it breaks, i drove back from Mid-O a couple years ago with one that blew out and never realized til i got home...
ANYWAY, this little car has been an absolute gem. Shes run like a top the last 3.5-4 years with me putting over 80k on her in time frame.
its got enough pep to be fun (stock 160hp, 150tq crank ratings), it is pretty decent on fuel (im averaging 26-27mpg's combined on the crappy winter blends... 28-29 combined in the summers) and with a set of snow tires this little car is an absolute tank on bad roads