MS3 vs Caliber SRT-4 [Archive]

ZlyMichal

08-10-2008, 04:51 PM

I'm new to this forum so please i don't want to start a war here or anything like that.
Last night me and my wife are coming back from dinner and we are on a Capital Blvd in Raleigh N.C. For those who may not know it's a street that many of times kids hang out on on Friday and Saturday and race. I think every city has a few of those. ( I know i did that when i was in H.S. we did it on DeerPark Ave, and St. Francis Blvd in NY). well any ways the story is that this kid pulls up to me in one of them and stats reving his engine. If i was by myself i would love to see what those cars can do as well as mine. I didn't because of my wife in the car ( she is pregnant as well ). So does any1 have any idea on how they perform. I personally liked how it looked. a bit more agresive then the regular Caliber.
What you guys think?

-Mike-

MSLou

08-10-2008, 05:12 PM

i think its a drivers race stock for stock

Super Unique

08-10-2008, 05:46 PM

I would have to agree, it could go either way, although technically the speed 3 beats it on paper. The recorded times are so close to begin with, it can go either way depending on a lot of variables. Once you get into curves all bets are off due to the much higher center of gravity.

There were a lot of reasons I didn't choose it, one of them being their lack of faith in the mechanicals when it comes to warranty. All their other cars carry a nice and long warranty, but on their SRT products their faith in them stops @ 36,000 or 3 years. Not good in my opinion. Also the caliber just didn't do it for me, it's a small car trying to look like a big suv, and the fit & finish was somewhat lacking. Too many gimmicks on the dash as well.

JimmiV

08-10-2008, 05:54 PM

AFcadet

08-10-2008, 11:09 PM

its so close to say it wouldnt really matter.

Id leave it down to looks and handling performance.

I doubt a caliber would out handle a speed 3 :)

And just look at the 2 cars...we can easily see which one is better lookin ;)

bjjer

08-11-2008, 02:14 AM

Even if the Speed was a little slower I still would have passed on the Csrt. Its just an ugly vehicle IMO.

Bonafide_Spd3

08-11-2008, 09:46 AM

True that, I looked up some videos last night on them and I don't think they look good at all. MS3 by far is a better looking car

Mazda3X2

08-11-2008, 10:03 AM

Road & Track did a comparison months back on these two as well. The Caliber was marginally quicker but lacked the handliing and braking of the MS3. I found the link here. happy reading.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=31&article_id=6293

FrequentFlyer

08-11-2008, 10:35 AM

I'm not crazy about the way the Caliber looks. It looks to much like a pickup truck from the front to me. My neighbor has one and always talks to me about our cars and I try to humor him. lol The MS3 has much smoother, Euro lines. The Caliber looks abit more ricey, if that's possible for an American car. The 19" wheels are just too much.

mazdaspeedster3

08-11-2008, 11:11 AM

Those 19" wheels have got to wiegh a ton!

SwampAss

08-11-2008, 11:44 AM

Car & Driver pissed all over that thing, saying that no amout af polish will make the Caliber shine. Its got more hp @285 but no torque @ 265 lb/ft plus its 48 lb heaver. 0-60 5.9, 1/4 mile 14.4 @ 103mph. Car & Driver also said that Dodge was shooting to compete with the speed and that a comparison should be coming... I would much rather Zoom Zoom then Grab Life by the Horns...

lol. I specifically like the "no torque" @ 265 ftlbs.

Different strokes. I don't care for the idea behind the brake torque diff. To think that I'm not only using brakes when decelerating, but also when I'm laying into it seems like odd technology. The previous SRT4 had an LSD, why skimp out and not put one in this car? There's a lot of stuff I like about the Caliber though. Factory FMIC, interior looks pretty cool, I like the flashiness of the scoops and body kit.
I like the subdued look of the MS3 but really dig the ass kicking look of the Csrt4. It's not making apologies.

justanothermp5

08-11-2008, 11:51 AM

Those 19" wheels have got to wiegh a ton!

+1 i was just about to say that lol

buildabong

08-11-2008, 11:54 AM

those cars suck. I was at the drag and some kid in one ran a 14.9 stock no wheel spin no nothing.. They are a piece of shit!

jaydubz

08-11-2008, 12:25 PM

lol. I specifically like the "no torque" @ 265 ftlbs.

Different strokes. I don't care for the idea behind the brake torque diff. To think that I'm not only using brakes when decelerating, but also when I'm laying into it seems like odd technology. The previous SRT4 had an LSD, why skimp out and not put one in this car? There's a lot of stuff I like about the Caliber though. Factory FMIC, interior looks pretty cool, I like the flashiness of the scoops and body kit.
I like the subdued look of the MS3 but really dig the ass kicking look of the Csrt4. It's not making apologies.

I agree with Swamp, they tried to go a little more up market on the caliber in order to give people some of the interior features that the Neon did. The lack of a true LSD was a bad mistake in my opinion, but I am sure it was due to the bean counters deciding on power windows and seating comfort. SRT did a great job with what they were given.

Does anyone know if they offer Mopar stage kits anymore?

mckraut

08-11-2008, 04:17 PM

those cars suck. I was at the drag and some kid in one ran a 14.9 stock no wheel spin no nothing.. They are a piece of shit!

Or maybe the kid couldn't drive...

daonly1around

08-11-2008, 04:21 PM

so much for this not being a war...

i've got a friend back home in lynchburg i could see how it stacks up with his

joeylow

08-11-2008, 06:56 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oL0GXubQCk

happy and angry

08-11-2008, 07:01 PM

That was a MS3 with an intake and a cat delete against a stock SRT-4. Yeash.

In a straight line the SRT-4 looks like it pulls on us by a hair, just looking at numbers and comparisons. Driver's race at a track. Can't hang with us at a circuit. More aggressive looking. It has its upsides and its downsides like any other car.

SPEEDYHANS

08-11-2008, 08:06 PM

check this out
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=122412#2

"That kind of number takes front-drive sport compacts to a new level of absurd power. Even the mighty Mazdaspeed 3, winner of two Inside Line comparison tests, makes 263. After that, nothing comes close for the same amount of coin. Not the Honda Civic Si (197 hp), not the Subaru WRX (224) and not the VW GTI (200)."

lol thats funny lol

pdqgp

08-11-2008, 11:24 PM

It's all personal opinion, but I ran away....

SRT...like the looks, but don't love it. Trying to make more out nothing than about any car on the road. It's in your face and that's Dodge but not me.

Handling and braking...no where near on par with the MS3.

Power was good but again, not quite up to the MS3 day to day...not in my book and butt feel.

Interior....Dodge.....'nuff said.
Quality....'nuff said

Overall, love the front looks, wheels and SRT image, but overall.....once I got back into the MS3, I never looked back.

Kaidao

08-12-2008, 02:12 AM

The MS3 outright destroys the Caliber look-wise, handling-wise, and car-wise.

buildabong

08-12-2008, 02:54 AM

Or maybe the kid couldn't drive...

or just the car is a piece of dog shit.. thats like saying you ran a 13.7 in a 2.4L turbo PT cruiser....

Betelgeuse

08-12-2008, 03:34 AM

Well I saw one Caliber SRT-4 on the highway a couple weeks ago. I almost mistook it for the regular caliber till I came up upon it and gave it a closer look. To be blunt, it was a huge disappointment. I expected more esp after reading the comments of others with regard to its aggressive looks. The thing looked EXACTLY like a regular caliber save for the bigger wheels. Since its debut that was the first I had seen in the sea of neon srts and ms3s around here. It's no surprise. Cars tend to grow on me after a while but the Caliber is the one exception. Every time I see one I cringe. It's the one car that looks bad from every angle.

Looks is obviously my biggest hangup with the car. I could forgive the slightly subpar brakes and lack of true lsd but just can't see myself in one. Performance wise, its a driver's race in a straight line with the ms3 having the edge in the corners (imo). But of course the driver mod is still the biggest factor in terms of who ultimately comes out on top.

IMO, other than the ms3, the best bang for the buck in terms of the overall package is the Cobalt SS.

Super Unique

08-12-2008, 04:59 AM

Cobalt SS is a good overall package, but unfortunately, it's a bit too cramped inside that 2 door coupe for many taller folks.

happy and angry

08-12-2008, 09:14 AM

or just the car is a piece of dog shit.. thats like saying you ran a 13.7 in a 2.4L turbo PT cruiser....Man don't be stupid. The Caliber SRT-4 runs the same times the Mazdaspeed3 does and traps slightly higher. It's a fast car by any measure, unless you want to start calling our ride "slow" ?

mckraut

08-12-2008, 10:11 AM

or just the car is a piece of dog shit.. thats like saying you ran a 13.7 in a 2.4L turbo PT cruiser....

Even a fast car in the hands of a bad driver will be a "piece of shit" at the track. Surely you understand simple concepts like that.

buildabong

08-12-2008, 11:03 AM

Man don't be stupid. The Caliber SRT-4 runs the same times the Mazdaspeed3 does and traps slightly higher. It's a fast car by any measure, unless you want to start calling our ride "slow" ?

car is still slow as shit, ugly and fucking a piece of shit american car trying to be a tuner... trying to be a n "neon srt4" and a "Pt cruiser 2.4" and yes the speed is slow!!! SLOW SLOW SLOW

SwampAss

08-12-2008, 11:54 AM

insightful.

mazdaspeedster3

08-12-2008, 12:18 PM

Or maybe the kid couldn't drive...

Quote the quotes on that one. I had some freinds at the highschool drags a couple weeks ago in Milan Mi and he was sending up clips of guys in MS3's running mid 14's. Embarrassing but he said everyone of them was either missing 3rd or would get a horrible launch. A lot between these cars is going to be the driver. NOt to go on and on but I have been seeing one on my way to and from work lately, a silver one drivin by an older gentlemen. I tried to get him to play one day and he wouldnt even look at me. Then yesterday on my way home I came up next to him. He waved at me and took off. We were in pretty heavy traffic so I didnt bother trying to catch up but we will see next time. Maybe he just got caught up on the last 6 months of C&D.

martispeed

08-12-2008, 12:29 PM

mazdaspeedster3

08-12-2008, 12:32 PM

Someones bitter....

VermZ06

08-12-2008, 01:04 PM

car is still slow as shit, ugly and fucking a piece of shit american car trying to be a tuner... trying to be a n "neon srt4" and a "Pt cruiser 2.4" and yes the speed is slow!!! SLOW SLOW SLOW

The MS3 might technically be 'made in Japan', but my god Ford is stamped all over the thing. At least i feel good about myself that 22% of my purchase finds its way back to good ol' american manufacturing (cool)

mckraut

08-12-2008, 01:21 PM

insightful.

Really Swampass, we shouldn't expect any more from someone who has the word "bong" in their username.

martispeed

08-12-2008, 01:32 PM

The MS3 might technically be 'made in Japan', but my god Ford is stamped all over the thing. At least i feel good about myself that 22% of my purchase finds its way back to good ol' american manufacturing (cool)

whats funny is my 1993 ford ranger had more stuff built in japan then my uncles toyota tundra...