Thinking about a MP5...please help

[flashforward99]

Hey guys, i'm new to the board, and i'm looking at getting a new car within the next year. Right now i own a 1996 Pontiac Bonneville, yeah, i know, pretty bad, but it works ya know? Well, i'm looking at getting rid of it soon cuz it's almost gone and looking at getting a Sport Wagon. The MP5 is at the top of my list, w/ the Mazda3 5-Door behind it and the Matrix and Vibe somewhere in the distance. I can only spend about $15,000 unless i wait a little bit, then maybe $20,000. Am I right to think about getting a used MP5 either 2002 or 2003 or should i just wait and continue to save my money for a M3? Right now i kinda like the body of the MP5 much better, but are there other things i should know about the car before i think about it?

Thanks
Matt

 

[Dexter]

hey welcome to the board fellow illinoisian

a) check out the IL section
b) everyone who owns a P5 loves it. there aren't too many issues with it, so if it fits you, i say go for it

 

[mp5jeff]

its slow stock, don't buy an automatic even if its the "sport" auto. Not really much else you can say bad about the car. Turns like a champ...

 

[Dexter]

oh yeah word to that, figured it was a given, not to drive auto

 

[anarchistchiken]

P5p5p5p5!!! Wooo Hoooo!

 

[protegeV]

try to find a new 03 at a local dealer. I got mine for $13.9 two weeks ago and its loaded. Dealers are practically giving them away.

 

[PTO_Rico7]

Yea I LOVE mine! And Mp5jeff is right, the thing really does take turns like a champ!

 

[msubullyfan]

try to find a new 03 at a local dealer. I got mine for $13.9 two weeks ago and its loaded. Dealers are practically giving them away.

(mswerd)

Remember that if a dealer doesn't have one like you want on the lot, they can find one.

Have you considered a Mazdaspeed Proteg?

 

[Katya4me]

Sounds like he's looking at wagons though.....

 

[bazooka joe]

great car for the money. no real big problems and i have over 54K hard miles. it handles like a dream!!
i luv mine even though it's slow and an auto (if i wanted fast i would have gone with something else) go for it!!

 

[msubullyfan]

Definitely get the P5 over a Matrix/Vibe.

Personally, my P5 is the best AND most fun car to drive that I've ever owned. I love it!

 

[MazdaDriverChic]

Definitely get the P5 over the Vibe or Matrix. Personally, I think those are fugly ugly lol, but that could just be me. (crazy)
All I know is I love my P5 and everytime I see a Vibe or Matrix on the road I go "Yup, definitely got the cooler car of the bunch, thats for sure!" (thumb)

 

[Mad Hatter]

Absolutley the funnest car I've ever driven!! Bring on the corners!! Have you test driven one yet? If a test drive doesn't sell you, keep your pontiac!

 

[lasermp5]

You should be able to get a pretty good deal on one right now... I got mine for 14.5 out the door. That was back in november !!! If your into the real zoom zoom their are pretty good turbo kits available for the P5. You will be one of the fastest hatches on the road, after the RS6 But 4real the P5 is an awesome car. It's really fun to drive even stock. Once you start modding it, it keeps getting better. Welcome to the board!

 

[Mercure]

Yeah, nix the Matrix/Vibe. Wouldn't you get kind of uncomfortable telling people like your grandparents about how your new vibe purrs? Never mind.

Get the P5. If you like the body better now you will like it even better after you have paid 20k for a car which will depreciate many thousands in the first year. The cup holders suck, I don't know if they fixed that in the newer ones.
Also remember that getting the older one saves you $5k which you can use for other things, like rent for a year, tropical fish, or $5k of bizarre aftermarket s*** to confound the neighbors with.

My personal recommendation is neon and at least $300 in giant stickers in the 'Olde English' font promoting your ethnic background and the letters of the alphabet. Hey, here's an idea - why not emblazon the name of your favorite food across the rear windshield?

IT'S GOOD TO BE WHITE! / R, S, WRX, PBS, DOD / SMOKED SAUSAGE

 

[Bijou-MP5]

http://www.jacobstwin.com/vshowroom.asp?newused=N
try here

 

[Poseur]

P5 vs. 3. The only thing I can really ask is are you also considering a Focus? because that's what the 3 is... Yes this could be a good thing. Ford dumped HUGE money into developing the thing, and it's a very good solid car, but umm, it's a ford... (I mean that in the least-redneck calving pissing on ford sticker way possible) But from a reliability standpoint, Sort of iffy compared to teh ROCK solid Protege's Which are really one of the last cars in this class to be really made in Japan. Everyone seems to look at them as though they are more or less interchangeable, but really they're not. VERY different kind of animal. And agian, I have nothing against Fords. I actually considered getting a focus when I got my 5, but in the end I'm VERY confident that I got the better car.

As far as the cupholder bit, yes they were changed for the 03/03.5 models. ONe thing I've been finding in trying to track one down for my girlfriend is that the $2000 cashback incentives that mazda was offering are now prettymuch gone, making them not as much of a deal as they were. I picked mine up for a smudge over 14g last June, and anymore you'd be LUCKY to find that kind of pricing.

 

[pr5owner]

save money go for RX8

 

[Togan]

hey welcome!.... i believe m3 is right for u...it has everything u need!