Was anyone gonna buy a 3, not ms3?

[shockdoctor]

I guess what I am trying to ask is if the ms3 never came out would they have still gotten the 3. Or if the performance of the car wasn't as good would they have still bought it? I personally would have still got a 3 regardless of how fast it is, but I had my eye on the ms3 since i first saw it at mazfest in 06. I for one don't have much to prove to anybody or get "street cred" and "respect" (as one of my friends put it), I just wanted a nice car with some power. If someone buys this car cause they want to be faster than other cars, did they buy it for the wrong reason.

Oh and if this is a worthless topic sorry for wasting your time...

I'll make this quick: NO (outie)

 

[kingpinMS3]

if the MS3 didn't exist i'd be driving a WRX right now

 

[naddie]

I came from a turboed Sentra which I absolutely loved. But now I need a factory stock ride that has a warranty. I also knew I wouldn't like driving anything else since my Sentra had 250whp, and there's nothing else like it out there for a reasonable price.

I thought I had to settle for cars like the Si and the GTI. Both very nice cars, actually, but GTI lacks LSD. Si was near perfect - I just didn't like the interior (very plastic looking/feeling). I was set on the Si until I checked out the MS3. way more power, and it's a proper hatch. The wagon-like hatch is what sold me along with the 263 hp. That is a car that would be a great replacement for a 250whp Sentra. And since it's stock, I won't have to worry about it breaking down on me out of warranty.

I'm ready to grow up now (stop modding cars, place more worth on reliability), but not completely yet (gotta have power still!).

About the only thing I might change about the MS3 is intake (free-er breathing) and suspension (autoX). But I want to stay in D-stock for a while so I'm going to leave it stock - maybe get some better tires.

Would I buy the regular 3? Nope. Since my original choices were cars that has north of 180 hp, the 3 wouldn't have cut it (though I must admit, it's a damn good looking compact sedan). If I was looking at cars in the Corolla and Civic class, then yes, I might get the 3 over those other 2 choices. Except that the new Civic looks pretty damn good too (at least the coupes) so I'd be on the fence again.

 

[evo2ms3]

Yes actually. I had already almost completed a deal on a standard 3 GT hatch. One of the main reasons we got rid of the Evo was because it "consumed my life". We were going for the 3 strictly on looks. At the last moment a couple pulled up in the Speed3 demo car. Took a test drive, and was sold immediately. Still the looks that we wanted, and the performance I wanted. I had to "swear" I wouldn't go crazy with mods, or even mod at all. Well, here I am obsessed about my car again with non-stop mod planning. To all my family and friends that encouraged me to get rid of my Evo....suckers!..lol

 

[ericrapp]

Yes actually. I had already almost completed a deal on a standard 3 GT hatch. One of the main reasons we got rid of the Evo was because it "consumed my life". We were going for the 3 strictly on looks. At the last moment a couple pulled up in the Speed3 demo car. Took a test drive, and was sold immediately. Still the looks that we wanted, and the performance I wanted. I had to "swear" I wouldn't go crazy with mods, or even mod at all. Well, here I am obsessed about my car again with non-stop mod planning. To all my family and friends that encouraged me to get rid of my Evo....suckers!..lol

ha!

 

[///M Compact]

I was cross-shopping all over the place and the regular Mazda 3 was never on the radar. The articles on the MS3 in Automobile, CD, and R&T convinced me to give it a look. I'm pretty happy overall; I'm having fun learning how to drive a fairly powerful FWD(it's the first FWD sled I've ever purchased). I'll probably keep it for another year or two.

 

[Rainforests]

No. I'd still be driving my Protege5. Absolutely loved it!! And still miss it.

 

[kneedragger241]

I wanted one when it was the Protege5, but I needed something that could tow 5,000 pounds of trailer so a zippy compact wagon was out.
This year I decided I wanted a 3 wagon and when I found out there was a Mazdaspeed version, I never even made it to the Subaru dealer.