Thinking of buying a Mazdaspeed3.

Anyone have one? comments? experience?

Other players a Subaru WRX, and Mitsubishi Evo.

Three more payments on my F250 diesel tow vehicle and Im dropping coin on a new daily driver. Since the price of fuel went way up.. the 15-16 mpg diesel isnt the efficient vehicle it used to be...

I've had a WRX for 95,000 miles. The only repairs I've done beyond normal maintenance and normal wear parts like brake pads is 1 rear wheel bearing. I think that Subarus are more reliable than Mitsubishis or Mazdas. I'm biased. I drag raced a Testarossa getting onto the freeway and he couldn't get away from me until I backed off at 120. I had $300.00 worth of crap in the back of my station wagon from Costco and my kid was sleeping in the back seat.

Both my kids had Subies. Oldest had a WRX with over 100,000 insurance was a killer. When he bought it he pulled the dash vents to clean them out an found 12 time slips from Rock Falls Drag Strip. So the car hadn't seen an easy life. He sold it because they cut his hours at work and he couldn't afford the insurance.

Youngest has a Legacy Outback. over 100,000 miles. Did the rear wheel bearing thing. Now has rust on the rear brake drums that is causing a scraping sound. Not bad for the car but really annoying. Youngest kid can't even figure out how to change his oil. Were keeping him in the Subie.

I could be wrong but are the Suburu and the Mitsubishi considerably more expensive than the Mazda? My wife and I were actually going to test drive the Mazda that you mentioned but never got a chance. We test drove the new Subaru Legacy 3.0R and fell in love. Long story short it now lives in our garage.

Have driven the MazdaSpeed 3 and it's a nice car. However, you must be ready to deal with *serious* torque steer. Handling is good to very good. Love the looks, love the utility, like that it's an insider's car, the interior and gauges especially seem a little cheap and nasty.

I bought a 2007 GTI four-door instead.

We thought about another WRX (I had a 2003 four-door, white lowered with dark gray 18-inch Prodrives ). The 2005 WRX wagon was looking VERY good to me (2.5, real brakes, 17s standard, etc) but the wife wanted to do something different.

I've disliked VW/Audi products for a long time (old S8, new R8, and a few other exceptions aside) for their poor steering feel, mediocre (at best) ride/handling compromise (how VW turned out GTIs that rode AND handled badly I could not figure out), joyless (but powerful) 1.8Ts, and potentially atrocious reliability (based on horror stories from a few too many friends and family members).

So when the new GTI came out and got here for testing, I expected another disappointment. Wrong, the car is plain amazing. Piech's revenge kind of good. Great steering, great handling, great refinement, GREAT 2.0T engine, great interior, tons of cool features, great utility, and, so far, flawless reliability (knocking on wood now...). Not perfect, with brakes that can't handle a serious backroad pounding without fading and torque steer that occasionally annoys, but its overall goodness was enough to get me past its looks, which I didn't love.

I can't believe I am driving a modern VW, but there it is. And, three days into the experience, I was MUCH happier with the decision than I was three days into the WRX (a car I loved for its dynamics, but not much else). The GTI is BIG fun, but it's also a refined grownup's car when you're on the daily commute, heading on a long drive to LA, going out to dinner, etc. The interior is VERY nice, the heated, leather, pwer lumbar seats are better than those in test cars I drive costing many times more, the AM/FM/Satellite/6-disc CD changer in dash stereo is pretty darn good and better with the iPod adaptor with steering wheel controls, the steering wheel itself feels great in the hands, etc. Basically, a loaded GTI feels like an Audi A6 or A8 of just a few years ago on the freeway, and nearly as good as a Mini Cooper S JCW on back roads (but not quite as good...).

In the segment you're looking at, there are several good choices. You've got them nailed down, but I'd recommend at least getting a good test drive of a GTI in before making your decision.

Sorry for gushing! Just hope it's helpful info!

pete

I'm driving a 2007 Audi A3, and it's everything Pete says about the GTI (same platform), plus (to me) a nicer interior and better exterior looks. It's been a fun to drive, reliable car so far (15K) and I'd put it on your short list to check out.

I dont have to worry that much about the insurance penalty anymore.. Im 47.. I need a good daily driver, the Subaru wrx prices out above the Mazdaspeed3 with similar options..

Mazda has such a small market share its hard to find real world info. Everything I hear about the Mazdaspeed3 is good....

and regarding torque steer.. I owned an original GTI bought new when they were first released in the US..

I know the Subarus are great cars, just looking for anyone with real world experience with the Mazdaspeed 3

I did test drive both the 6 and 3 speeds before I leased my current Subaru.

I was highly unimpressed with the fit and finish of the car. It was noisy and unrefined. I expected more out of a car with that kinda of price tag.

They were fast and had a ton of torque... but that it where the comparison with the Subbys stop.

I would keep looking if I were you... better cars for the money out there.

Sorry, should have focused more on the Speed3 than the GTI! I only drove the MazdaSpeed3 briefly, but then I didn't have to baby it as most do on dealer test drives. That said, what Todd says is spot on with my experience:

"I was highly unimpressed with the fit and finish of the car. It was noisy and unrefined. I expected more out of a car with that kinda of price tag. They were fast and had a ton of torque... but that it where the comparison with the Subbys stop."

As I recall, the 3 was very quick once it was on boost (and it got there quickly!), but when I say torque steer, I mean TORQUE STEER, like on the freeway at 70 mph torque steer. It handles nicely, without too much understeer and taut responses. IIRC, ride quality was good, too. Seating position, shifting, brake feel, and other details don't stand out in my mind, so they must have been fine. It's been a while. What I do remember is that it definitely came across as a kid's car, as an unrefined car -- like a modern-day Omni GLH. Now, I like unrefined for what it is, but this car didn't charm me enough to offset its lack of refinement in pursuit of 300-hp speed. Again, I like the looks of the car, it's "insider" status, and utility, but the so-so dash, interior, gauges, seat cloth, and other stuff was off-putting.

For the same money, a base GTI 4-door is available, and, for not much more, a loaded one can be had. I'd go with the loaded GTI every time. Most of the speed, but a better and more enjoyable car, more of the time. And that's where the leap to A3 (much as I agree it looks better than the GTI!) doesn't make sense to me. As for the WRX, I loved the old one. The new one is weird, really weird. I do like the new STi, but then we're talking loaded A3 money and a different kind of car...

pete

The Mazdaspeed 3 is an "ok" car.... I wasn't terribly impressed with it when I drove it though.

My wife had a "regular" Mazda3.... great car, nice interior, nice stereo. The MS3 has the same features, no doubt.

But... the MS3 is only front wheel drive. The factory tires are too skinny (205s), and under spirited curves, I heard/felt them squal. My WRX handled much better.. even when it was stock.

The shifter..... is like driving a 1978 Ford pickup truck.... HUGE, sloppy shift throw.. I hated it.

Turbo lag... it was TERRIBLE on the MS3... you has to SERIOUSLY turn the rpms in that car to get it to do anything.

Stock vs stock, the MS3 is a little quicker than the WRX (in a straight line). But, the WRX has FAR more aftermarket resources, and is capable of.... well.... look at my signature.... I'm outrunning corvettes.

The MS3 is also much more $$$. If you like the "wagon-ness" of it... then get a WRX wagon, or the new 08 hatchback model.

EVO = Big money, poor crash test results, cheap interior, factory rice. VERY poor decision. Although it has the most back seat room. Otherwise, waste of $$.

I know everyone says the same thing... but get the WRX or an STI if you have the $$. The 08s are much more luxurious in the interior than previous models, even though I'm not a huge fan of the new body style, you may be, and you still can't deny the fact that they are a great car.

I picked up a 08 WRX last week, fully loaded out the door for 26K.

Have 800 miles on it already and it appears to have been the right choice.