Concerned Buyer

[ajd116]

I am going to be buying a new car in a couple of weeks so I have been looking around forums trying to find out everything i can. So far I have narrowed my decision down to a mazdaspeed3 or a vw gti. Now when i look at the gti forums they are filled with positive things about how they all love there car, then i look on this site and there are posts about the engines falling out. Basically im wondering if I buy a brand new MS3 is this something i will have to be concerned about cause if so im definitetly going to go with the gti.

[GoFast]

im sure not worried about it. if it happens it happens. that what we have warranties for. and if you are still worried spend a few hundred bucks on aftermarket mounts and call it a day. now you just got a faster car that handles better.

[BURNt SKiN]

to each his own... if you like the vw go for it.. as long as you dont beat yourself up too bad when you get smoked by a stock ms3, jk. I say say drive them both and go for what you like most.

[CWPspeed3]

If you read Car and Driver their long term test of the GTI they loved it, but then again there were a lot of little yet expensive things that needed to be fixed, its not as fast as a MS3 either. The motor falling out issue has been resolved in 08+ models and most of the time your going to find on forums people having problems and wanting help to fix them. That scared me too before I bought mine but I love it and have no issues.

[jazzman]

Both vehicles are great drivers cars. Small repairs on the GTI will cost more, but that may not be a great concern for you. I find them to be very different in feel, so I would go with the one that feels best. Obviously we are Mazda people here, so our decision has been made. I think you just need to get some seat time - go to some dealers.

[SHaW]

You should not find any problems with both cars as of now. However, if you do some stupid modifications, that's a different story. Basically, for those two cars, choose the one you like to drive in as a daily driver.

[coololddude]

Holy Girlyman, what whoosey answers. is this a Mazda site or a Prius site? The MS3 is the best all around hot hatch on the market. (read Jan. 09 car & driver in case you have any doubts!!) I read the GTI sites also. The first thing they have to do is go with Stage 1 mods, just to keep up with a STOCK MS3!! I have an 08. Zero problems. Zero oil burn. Yes I said ZERO! (Mobil 1, 5W-30) I drove an 08 GTI before I bought. If you are married to your grandma, go with the GTI!!

[CWPspeed3]

Yes the MS3 has won all 3 of the comparo tests its been in, its a sweet car for the price and there are quite a few mods around that are cheap and easy to do that make the car even better than all the tests rave about. People have different tastes so if you want some plaid seats and to drive a german 2.0T with the same hp as a honda 2.0L NA then go for it. Like previously mentioned on a mazda forum people are going to tell you to go mazda.

[eg6motion]

try to remember too that forums are generally filled with people who mod their cars, and likely put them through a little more stress than the others. The MS3 has won several rewards and is a great car. Here's a quick list

"What's that you say? You have a serious need for speed but shortage on cash? The MAZDASPEED3 will leave the Volkswagen R32 in the dust – and $10,540 for gas money in your pocket."
— AUTOMOBILE Magazine 08.2008

1st Place MAZDASPEED3
"Simply the best muscle, poise, practicality and price in the segment."
— Edmunds’ Inside Line (2008-'09 Sport Compact Comparison Test: 2008 MAZDASPEED3 vs. 2008 Subaru Imprezza WRX vs. Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart) 08.2008

"Clearly the MAZDASPEED3 has little to fear from the SRT4 Caliber."
Comparison: “Dodge Caliber SRT4 Vs. Mazda MAZDASPEED3. SRT4, where’s the bite?”
— Road & Track 02.2008

10Best Cars 2008
"The MAZDASPEED3, a 10Best repeater, is the current leader of a small but competitive pack."
— CarandDriver 01.2008 (10Best Cars 2008, MAZDASPEED3)

[ajd116]

Thanks for the help and i am planing on test driving both cars before i make a decision good to know that the problem is not as common as i first feared. I just know what its like to get a car and then see it spend alot of time in the shop instead of on the road.

[chrisp]

im sure not worried about it. if it happens it happens. that what we have warranties for. and if you are still worried spend a few hundred bucks on aftermarket mounts and call it a day. now you just got a faster car that handles better for 10 grand less.

gti is the same price stupid. as tested in car and driver it was 25539, the speed3 was 25125. 10 grand.....(huh)

[chrisp]

Thanks for the help and i am planing on test driving both cars before i make a decision good to know that the problem is not as common as i first feared. I just know what its like to get a car and then see it spend alot of time in the shop instead of on the road.

definately decide for yourself by driving them. Edmunds does some really good reviews too. Obviously the opinion is biased on this site, just like it would be on a vw site.

[Kain]

Thought I'd never see the day when a VW would be considered over another car because of reliability.

[CWPspeed3]

Thought I'd never see the day when a VW would be considered over another car because of reliability.

Haha pretty funny isnt it? German engineering in da house ya.

http://mrd.name/resources/_wsb_296x216_VW+commercial+represent.jpg

[Unkillable2]

gti is the same price stupid. as tested in car and driver it was 25539, the speed3 was 25125. 10 grand.....(huh)

THANK YOU!!! i am glad someone say something, when i first read it... i was like WTF (beer) lol i know the R32 is 10 grand more but no one's saying anything about the R32....

[GoFast]

gti is the same price stupid. as tested in car and driver it was 25539, the speed3 was 25125. 10 grand.....(huh)

yep you're right im wrong on that one!

be careful calling people stupid though.

[chrisp]

yep you're right im wrong on that one!

be careful calling people stupid though.

nothing personal

[SubieKiller3]

Haha pretty funny isnt it? German engineering in da house ya.

http://mrd.name/resources/_wsb_296x216_VW+commercial+represent.jpg

wasnt that the dude that was on the first two seasons of prison break? Anybody watch the show? Its great.

[Kain]

He'll always be the man in the wood chipper to me.

[Sphincter]

In my opinion GTIs suck, WTF is up with plaid seats? And if I recall correctly aren't they made in Mexico?! My buddy had a VR6 and it was in the shop every single month with major problems. I think he had to tow his VW to the dealer like 7-8 times so far.

[CWPspeed3]

He'll always be the man in the wood chipper to me.

gotta love Fargo

His name is Peter Stormare, yes he was in prison break as well.

[Sport6]

He'll always be the man in the wood chipper to me.

also every russian character to be in any movie ever created. ever.

[Kain]

Whoops, meant to say, "man and the wood chipper" since it was Steve Buscemi becoming compost.

[Russm]

If you have a freind with a GTI out of warranty ask them how much it is costing them to keep it in good shape! You may be able to buy but can you afford to keep?

[ElGaspo]

1st off, i wouldn't let literally a couple of negative, horror-story type posts unduly influence you. human nature being what it is, most ppl don't post anything when everything is running smoothly, and likewise adopt a 'the sky is falling' attitude when something breaks down.

2nd, i'd do some online reading. Autoweek conculded its long-term wrapup of the MS3 and after ~25k miles, there were only a couple of minor quibbles w/ the car. look up C&D, Edmund's and others.

and after you've read up on it, test drive both cars. you did the right thing by asking Qs on an MS3 board, ppl will tell you their 1st hand experience. mine, for example, is this: car is coming up on 2 yrs anniversary, never a CEL, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and it's a pleasure to drive daily. my biggest headache is identifying/fixing an annoying rattle from under the passenger seat, where the subwoofer is. i'd call that a good deal, reliability-wise.

IMHO it's a no-brainer: 200 hp vs 263. that alone would seal the case for me. (yippy)

[chrisp]

my brother in law has an 07 speed he bought new. already been in the shop a few times for rattles, loose stuff, and funny noises. all cars have issues

[Speed3Rookie]

I am going to be buying a new car in a couple of weeks so I have been looking around forums trying to find out everything i can. So far I have narrowed my decision down to a mazdaspeed3 or a vw gti. Now when i look at the gti forums they are filled with positive things about how they all love there car, then i look on this site and there are posts about the engines falling out. Basically im wondering if I buy a brand new MS3 is this something i will have to be concerned about cause if so im definitetly going to go with the gti.

Read on brotha....
Check all three mazda forums so you have a wealth of knowledge concerning this car.
Make sure you do the same for any/every car you are considering so you have the info to assist you with your decision.

That said....
FWIW..if I had to do this again I would not buy a MS3.

Good luck!

[Sphincter]

I've had my 2008.5 GT for four days now, not a single problem!! I freaking love the car, the only thing is when I drive it I gotta clean those 'protein' stains off my pants every time.

[Young Roids]

I am going to be buying a new car in a couple of weeks so I have been looking around forums trying to find out everything i can. So far I have narrowed my decision down to a mazdaspeed3 or a vw gti. Now when i look at the gti forums they are filled with positive things about how they all love there car, then i look on this site and there are posts about the engines falling out. Basically im wondering if I buy a brand new MS3 is this something i will have to be concerned about cause if so im definitetly going to go with the gti.

The engine falling out is a problem. Here is the way I am looking at it: I am gonna drive my car till the warranty expires and then I am going to buy the $200 aftermarket mount and fix the problem myself. So if my mount fails under warranty then it's mazdas job to fix it and after that I will deal with the problem myself and fix it.

[F430TECH]

Whoops, meant to say, "man and the wood chipper" since it was Steve Buscemi becoming compost.

Fargo Eh?

I used to live in North Dakota, it really is like that....

[///M Compact]

I looked at GTIs but the Louisville dealers acted like they were too good to order a car the way I wanted it, and VW compounded the problem by not offering the heated seats in cloth and requiring that I buy a sunroof(bleah) if I wanted the upgraded sound system. The local Mazda dealers were also hopeless so I bought my MS3 from a great dealer(Kings Mazda in Cincinnati). After 27,000 miles I'm glad I didn't buy the GTI, but I also regret buying the MS3. At 25,000 miles-and just ONE HPDE I started hearing a clunk from the left front of the car. It turned out to be a bad strut, and it failed just in time to force me to cancel a week of instructing at Watkins Glen. At 27,000 miles the turbo seals died which meant a new turbo. The dealer has been great but the MS3 was supposed to serve as my daily driver and track car for the next 3 to 5 years- but at this point I'm less than confident in its long-term reliability. I still drive the car every week or so, but I no longer grin like I used to when I get behind the wheel...

[derspi]

Thought I'd never see the day when a VW would be considered over another car because of reliability.

Yeah, I found that totally ironic as well. VWs and Audis are notoriously expensive to fix and have continually fared worse in terms of reliability compared to other brands. My own experience has cemented this in my head as mere fact. I'm sure VW/Audi has improved but the stench is still in the air and it would be many years away before I even CONSIDER owning one. Great looking cars, awesome interiors but for me, would feel like I'm sitting on a ticking time bomb.

As for the MS3, all I can say is that it offers the best combination of practicality, performance and reliability. It's surely one of the best values IMO. It will also be relatively cheap to repair after the warranty runs out compared to any German marque, the GTI included so keep that in mind. I've had mine for about 9 months now and it's been mechanically sound, zero problems except for a couple of TSBs that were done as preventative maintenance. The colder climate has brought about a couple of interior ticks and rattles which is relatively minor although annoying considering it is a relatively new car.

[chrisp]

Yeah, I found that totally ironic as well. VWs and Audis are notoriously expensive to fix and have continually fared worse in terms of reliability compared to other brands. My own experience has cemented this in my head as mere fact. I'm sure VW/Audi has improved but the stench is still in the air and it would be many years away before I even CONSIDER owning one. Great looking cars, awesome interiors but for me, would feel like I'm sitting on a ticking time bomb.

As for the MS3, all I can say is that it offers the best combination of practicality, performance and reliability. It's surely one of the best values IMO. It will also be relatively cheap to repair after the warranty runs out compared to any German marque, the GTI included so keep that in mind. I've had mine for about 9 months now and it's been mechanically sound, zero problems except for a couple of TSBs that were done as preventative maintenance. The colder climate has brought about a couple of interior ticks and rattles which is relatively minor although annoying considering it is a relatively new car.

seems like alot of speed3 owners have rattles and annoying noises on a car thats not even a year old. If you ask me thats not good. Ive put 2 sets of tires and a set of front brake pads on my wifes 02 civic. thats it! never had a single problem. My 06 sti is 2 years old and has been stage 2 for a year and not a single issue. have to start to wonder....

[coyfish]

seems like alot of speed3 owners have rattles and annoying noises on a car thats not even a year old. If you ask me thats not good. Ive put 2 sets of tires and a set of front brake pads on my wifes 02 civic. thats it! never had a single problem. My 06 sti is 2 years old and has been stage 2 for a year and not a single issue. have to start to wonder....

Most are related to the cold weather. Im yet to see a car in 10 degree weather that doesn't make a few noises

[Wehrmacht]

Aye but a few are apparently occuring in my dash and windshield of an 08.5... they started showing up closer to 60 degrees in TX.

[///M Compact]

Aye but a few are apparently occuring in my dash and windshield of an 08.5... they started showing up closer to 60 degrees in TX.

My driver's door and seat belt retractor now rattle @80% of the time- regardless of the ambient temperature...

[Young Roids]

I woulnd't mod my car if I were you. These are very good stock but modding them has proven unreliable. Many engines are blowing up at around 300hp.

[ajd116]

wow i expected to maybe get a few hits of people helping me out but this respose is great thanks alot everyone. Big reason im considering the vw is that my mom had a 97 jetta that got handed down to me and ended up having like 120000 miles on it and the only thing ever wrong with that was that i killed the clutch driving it like a 16 year old since thats what i was.

Have looked at another forum for this car though and seems like there are alot of people who have racked up miles on their car and have had few problems. If i get the car i would probably do only basic mods if any at all just simple things like exhaust or intake.

My biggest concern is that im buying the car at home in maryland then will have to drive it all the way back down to mississippi to come back to school and would hate to have a problem in the middle of nowhere alabama or tennessee.

[BillTheCat]

Seems like there is another person considering GTI/MS3 purchase on here every week or two. Says a lot for the draw of both cars.

I bought an '09 MS3 Sport in September. I actually nearly bought the GTI without ever having driven the MS3, just because they had great deals on the GTI, but I am glad the deal fell thru.

I am a subscriber to Consumer Reports' web services, and the cars do match evenly in most of their tests, with the MS3 getting better marks for both wet & dry braking & driver seating position/comfort. GTI gets .1 second faster 0-60 in their test, and slightly better rating for cargo area.

Here is my ONE BIG WARNING to you... the reason my GTI deal came to a screeching halt. I was trading in a 2005 MINI Cooper S, on which I was paying about $800/year for full coverage insurance with $250k limits with State Farm. They wanted $1,800 for the same coverage on the GTI. And they only wanted $800 for the MS3.

So yeah... make sure you do your insurance homework, because that was a game-changer for me on 2 similarly priced cars with similar performance.

Oh, and after the GTI deal fell thru & I went MS3 shopping, I was glad I did. The MS3 is just a more enjoyable car to drive, IMHO. That was clear to me after just the test drives of each, and I have no regrets 4k miles later.

[skylar2ups]

seems like alot of speed3 owners have rattles and annoying noises on a car thats not even a year old. If you ask me thats not good. Ive put 2 sets of tires and a set of front brake pads on my wifes 02 civic. thats it! never had a single problem. My 06 sti is 2 years old and has been stage 2 for a year and not a single issue. have to start to wonder....
Yeah but it's still just a Civic.

[skylar2ups]

I bought my Mazda from Kings Mazda too I was very pleased with them! My local dearlership down here is nothing like Kings Mazda, but I love everything about the Kings Automall!

[shadow1077]

Both cars are great its up to you what you choose. But as other said check your insurance too! its very important to check the rate of it between 2 cars.

[pat_smith1969]

My biggest concern is that im buying the car at home in maryland then will have to drive it all the way back down to mississippi to come back to school and would hate to have a problem in the middle of nowhere alabama or tennessee.

I just got a 2008.5 MS3 GT in Maryland (gaithersburg mazda). Got a GREAT deal on it. These cars (and probably the GTI as well) come with road side assistance. If you break down in Mississippi or some such just dial the number from your Cell phone and they will come help you out.

I broke down on a cross country trip once (had a brand new S10 at the time). Chevy towed me to the nearest dealer, fixed me up and got me on my way in about 3 hours. Of course that was business hours.

I wouldn't worry about the car breaking down, you have roughly the same chances of any new car breaking down.

[pat_smith1969]

One thing to think about...
I have a friend with a 1.8t Jetta. He said he has to change the timing belt at 60k miles and since it is a "zero clearance" engine it is extreemly important he does so on time. I THINK the MS3 is your typical 100k miles. That doesn't sound too different but it is a 40% difference in mileage.

[///M Compact]

One thing to think about...
I have a friend with a 1.8t Jetta. He said he has to change the timing belt at 60k miles and since it is a "zero clearance" engine it is extreemly important he does so on time. I THINK the MS3 is your typical 100k miles. That doesn't sound too different but it is a 40% difference in mileage.

The MS3 engine uses a timing chain.

[Young Roids]

chains usally go longer than belts I have heard you can go 120k on chains. ms3 is also zero clearance as are almost all modern engines. It is a rarity to have a non zero clearance engine.

[chrisp]

Yeah but it's still just a Civic.

true, just saying I have had numerous toyotas and hondas and now a subaru and I dont seem to have any problems with these cars. There are a ton of mazdas having issues without even having a year under their belt. True a civic is just a civic(burnout)

[Young Roids]

civics are dope. I like the Si sedan

[Circle9]

Yea, whats with all the comments about "It's just a Civic"? I had an '07 Si, and it was a great little car. My 3 main reasons for getting a MS3 were: the dealer thought they were selling a Sport, not a GT, insurance is $100 less a month on the MS3, and the cops don't pay me any attention now.

[mesarec]

Ive had my speed 3 for almost 2 years now. no problems at all. noisy shocks in the winter when u first start it up then the noise goes away..normal. Interior rattles may come on any car..cant be too picky about slight noises. mechanically my car ahs given me 0 issues. funny..ive riden in an STI JUST like chrisp's(wink)...no differance rattle noise wise...just dif stiffness suspension.

[chrisp]

Ive had my speed 3 for almost 2 years now. no problems at all. noisy shocks in the winter when u first start it up then the noise goes away..normal. Interior rattles may come on any car..cant be too picky about slight noises. mechanically my car ahs given me 0 issues. funny..ive riden in an STI JUST like chrisp's(wink)...no differance rattle noise wise...just dif stiffness suspension.

Ive ridden in a mazda 3 just like mesarecs.........(hi)

[skylar2ups]

I'm pretty sure his Civic wasn't an Si and the base Civic is not a fun car to drive, are they safe? Yes. But it's not fun to drive like the Mazda3 (base) thats all I was saying... calm down.

[chrisp]

I'm pretty sure his Civic wasn't an Si and the base Civic is not a fun car to drive, are they safe? Yes. But it's not fun to drive like the Mazda3 (base) thats all I was saying... calm down.

my wifes car is an 02 civic lx. nothing special at all. My last car was an 07 civic si sedan, and I traded it in for my current scooby. Frankly I would take a reg civic over a reg 3 7 days a week. not too sure whats sooo fun about 150-160 hp

[skylar2ups]

my wifes car is an 02 civic lx. nothing special at all. My last car was an 07 civic si sedan, and I traded it in for my current scooby. Frankly I would take a reg civic over a reg 3 7 days a week. not too sure whats sooo fun about 150-160 hp
It's the way it drives... I'm not going to fight with you on another thread I was just telling everyone what I ment when I said it's just a Civic.
I have a 3 iTouring and my sister has a Civic LX both from the same year... and both of us as well as many friends and family like my 3 better.

[mesarec]

I had an 07 3s touring...its slow....hence i traded in for my 07 speed3. i also have an 08 civic. feels a tick slower than my old 3. and by that i mean it probably runs an 18 and the 3 runs a 17.8 haha. ("these numbers are not accurate only for example purposes...so dont jump on me) i personally as far as body quality think the civic is more sound than the reg 3. the speed3 is a whole dif story(thumb).and dude an lx civic may "just be a civic" which is very true. i have it for point a to b driving and fuel economy, but you know wut? a regular 3.....is just a 3. 140 hp stock or 145 without the pzev. put ur exahaust on, do ur fanciness to the outside....still just a 3.

[skylar2ups]

I had an 07 3s touring...its slow....hence i traded in for my 07 speed3. i also have an 08 civic. feels a tick slower than my old 3. and by that i mean it probably runs an 18 and the 3 runs a 17.8 haha. ("these numbers are not accurate only for example purposes...so dont jump on me) i personally as far as body quality think the civic is more sound than the reg 3. the speed3 is a whole dif story(thumb).and dude an lx civic may "just be a civic" which is very true. i have it for point a to b driving and fuel economy, but you know wut? a regular 3.....is just a 3. 140 hp stock or 145 without the pzev. put ur exahaust on, do ur fanciness to the outside....still just a 3.
True true to each his/her own I personaly don't care about the speed of a car, I dive to much to only look at that.

[MS3Zoom24]

little of topic but i saw a soccer mom in a mugen civic si this morning and it was really weird.

[pdqgp]

I am going to be buying a new car in a couple of weeks so I have been looking around forums trying to find out everything i can. So far I have narrowed my decision down to a mazdaspeed3 or a vw gti. Now when i look at the gti forums they are filled with positive things about how they all love there car, then i look on this site and there are posts about the engines falling out. Basically im wondering if I buy a brand new MS3 is this something i will have to be concerned about cause if so im definitetly going to go with the gti.

Don't read too much into the negative. The ups and downs flow on any message board. BAsically you'll hear more negs on message boards than good and that's typical.

I looked at the VW GTI too. Have a friend who's had several including an R32 now and they do respond well to mods. Downside is the mods are needed to make the car what the MS3 is and with that, you'll dump your warranty. Which believe me, VW's do have tons of issues. Not to mention, the car was fairly pricey when equipped the way I wanted it. The one I spec'd out was close to $30k as I wanted it done up right.

In the end, the MS3 has been tons of fun. It's not the luxery sport sedan I'm used to, but it has plenty of power, handles great, is fairly light on the pocket book cost wise and I kinda like the sleeper effect it has. Besides, everyone has a Civic or GTI. I don't see many MS3's near me at all....but then I do live in Honda Country. Makes for some fun times on the roads though. ;)

[chrisp]

[QUOTE=pdqgp;4248331]Don't read too much into the negative. The ups and downs flow on any message board. BAsically you'll hear more negs on message boards than good and that's typical.


not on a honda or subaru forum(loser). seems to be a mazda thing

[mesarec]

like i said ive had my speed3 for 2 years, no issues at all. honda and mazda both are japanese by the way. its like any car, sum people might get a lemon, u never know. i personally love my speed3 and would never go gti cause its just too dam slow. if i were to go anything other than speed3 and wanted sumthing camparable speed it would be an sti. not gti. and whos havin issues with their speed3? i would really like to know so i can be aware of possible things?

[mesarec]

btw. the engine falling out issue in the 07's was due to a recall on an engine bolt. correct me if im wrong on that. The bolt was faulty and under high torque there was a chance the engine could "rip its self out". obviously they had a recall and fixed it. so no more worries. but like i said, correct me if im wrong

[chrisp]

btw. the engine falling out issue in the 07's was due to a recall on an engine bolt. correct me if im wrong on that. The bolt was faulty and under high torque there was a chance the engine could "rip its self out". obviously they had a recall and fixed it. so no more worries. but like i said, correct me if im wrong

their is a recall on the 07s. has something to do with aweful drivers from MA(cryhard) just kidding

[mesarec]

ha. dont worry, i fixed that already. i drive instead of my wife now.

[pdqgp]

[QUOTE=pdqgp;4248331]Don't read too much into the negative. The ups and downs flow on any message board. BAsically you'll hear more negs on message boards than good and that's typical.


not on a honda or subaru forum(loser). seems to be a mazda thing

I wouldn't say that....when I had my 03 AV6, there was tons of hate out there regarding the 5spd tranny flaw. Then they came out with a rinky-dink fix to better oil second gear....the hate grew. That was just one thing too.

[ajd116]

Just thought that everyone might want to know that today i purchased a white 2009 ms3. Thanks for everones help

[GoFast]

awesome congrats on a good choice!

[Young Roids]

I hope it proves reliable for you. Congrats

[chrisp]

I hope it proves reliable for you. Congrats

The quote mazda should put in their commercials. I HOPE it proves reliable for you. (dunno)

[///M Compact]

The quote mazda should put in their commercials. I HOPE it proves reliable for you. (dunno)

How about: "The Mazdaspeed 3- Maybe You'll Get a Good One"

[chrisp]

How about: "The Mazdaspeed 3- Maybe You'll Get a Good One":

(drinks) haha

[///M Compact]

(drinks) haha

Nice Rally Sport! Those are the best looking Camaros ever built.

[chrisp]

Nice Rally Sport! Those are the best looking Camaros ever built.

It is a beautiful car. The pic isnt actually my car though. I had this exact car but when my wife and I moved I must have thrown out the pictures(dunno). I have pics of my chevelles, but my favorite car(the camaro) I cant find. Its as close a pic as I could find

[nykole0408]

1st off, i wouldn't let literally a couple of negative, horror-story type posts unduly influence you. human nature being what it is, most ppl don't post anything when everything is running smoothly, and likewise adopt a 'the sky is falling' attitude when something breaks down.

2nd, i'd do some online reading. Autoweek conculded its long-term wrapup of the MS3 and after ~25k miles, there were only a couple of minor quibbles w/ the car. look up C&D, Edmund's and others.

and after you've read up on it, test drive both cars. you did the right thing by asking Qs on an MS3 board, ppl will tell you their 1st hand experience. mine, for example, is this: car is coming up on 2 yrs anniversary, never a CEL, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and it's a pleasure to drive daily. my biggest headache is identifying/fixing an annoying rattle from under the passenger seat, where the subwoofer is. i'd call that a good deal, reliability-wise.

IMHO it's a no-brainer: 200 hp vs 263. that alone would seal the case for me. (yippy)


There's a TSB on a rattle inside the car. Something about getting the seatbelt buckle replaced under warranty.

[chrisp]

congrats on your purchase

[LukeP]

*sniff*

I remember prancing about after I just purchased my MS3, and simultaneously, first sub-160,000 km car (zero kilometers...what a notion!). I've never been more excited. Didn't sleep for weeks.

As for all the negative stuff on the board, the engine mount failure was fixed in 08. I remember discussing this with Mazda before I bought the car. It squeeks and rattles when its cold out, so expect that. Also, I'm disappointed with the defroster and heater - but unless you're in an arctic climate like me, you won't notice (-10F and below).

People who blow up their engines typically bypass the car's fuel management system using modifications. Bypassing the ECU's pre-ignition countermeasures and safety parameters, they start increasing boost and induction efficiency, then they wonder why their engine knocks and blows up. These are the same people who are probably responsible for the cold air intake being removed from the market - "I dunno man, all I had on there was the intake I swear!". Bullocks. However, if faced with the same predicament I doubt I would have acted any different! :)

[15min5k]

Traded in a 07 civic sedan SI for my current 08 MS3 GT. No comparison whatsoever, same thing for the GTI. I can't believe ppl in here are actually trying to compare these cars. Not being a fanboy but the MS3 kills these cars no contest. Yes I've driven all of them many times. I kept seeing the same few members posting negative shit about the MS3 because they're having problems and or paranoid. Don't lesson to their crap, they just keep repeating their selves like broken records. If you don’t believe me you’ll see it’s the same handful of ppl 95% of the time complaining. Perhaps the MODs could take note of their asinine behavior and send a warning or something. It's not helping the community

[nykole0408]

I can understand people being upset about the motor mount issues with the 2007 models- but you can't just judge all the speed 3's by what happened to the first one they came out with. They have to work the bugs out first. Geez...

[Skelshy]

So, I am looking at used 07s and 08s (I think I want a GT). What do I look for, what were the early problems you had?

Are there any particular extras you wish you had, or any that were useless and you wish you had not paid for them?

How is the navigation? I tend to take a $100 garmin over a $2k onboard solution, what are the arguments for getting it with nav?

Thanks
Martin

[nykole0408]

So, I am looking at used 07s and 08s (I think I want a GT). What do I look for, what were the early problems you had?

Are there any particular extras you wish you had, or any that were useless and you wish you had not paid for them?

How is the navigation? I tend to take a $100 garmin over a $2k onboard solution, what are the arguments for getting it with nav?

Thanks
Martin

The '07's were the ones with the motor mount problems- so I would go with an '08. I have the sport- and I love it. I liked the cloth seats better than the leather, but that's a personal preferance. I didn't care about the GPS, or the rain sensing wipers, so I just got the sport. I think the GT has different lights? I'm not positive on that one but I am sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong. (lol2)

[15min5k]

The '07's were the ones with the motor mount problems- so I would go with an '08. I have the sport- and I love it. I liked the cloth seats better than the leather, but that's a personal preferance. I didn't care about the GPS, or the rain sensing wipers, so I just got the sport. I think the GT has different lights? I'm not positive on that one but I am sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong. (lol2)

The MS3 GT has over the Sport the following:

HID XENON headlamps with manual adjust feature (No, you aren't going to find better in the aftermarket)
LED tail lights (looks gorgous)
Bose surround sound with 7/speakers & sub(Nice unless you crank it up really loud)
Partial leather seats (Makes interior look 100% better and provide great support)
Trip computer with MPG/AVG/Miles until empty etc (Pretty nifty feature)
Rain sensing wipers (Don't really care for)


Well worth the extra $1750.00 IMO.

[nykole0408]

The MS3 GT has over the Sport the following:

HID XENON headlamps with manual adjust feature (No, you aren't going to find better in the aftermarket)
LED tail lights (looks gorgous)
Bose surround sound with 7/speakers & sub(Nice unless you crank it up really loud)
Partial leather seats (Makes interior look 100% better and provide great support)
Trip computer with MPG/AVG/Miles until empty etc (Pretty nifty feature)
Rain sensing wipers (Don't really care for)


Well worth the extra $1750.00 IMO.

Yeah that's what I said. But... not.

[15min5k]

Yeah that's what I said. But... not.

You're getting a great car for the price no matter if it's the Sport or GT.

[skylar2ups]

Any Mazda3 from 06 on has the trip computer! You just have to unlock it.

[mspeed3420]

Any Mazda3 from 06 on has the trip computer! You just have to unlock it.

nah man, any ms3 or mazda 3 (and even some other mazdas) have the trip computer you can unlock but only from 07 and earlier not 06 on. I don't know bout 07 for all the others but it works in 07 for ms3... I wish I got the gt lol

[15min5k]

nah man, any ms3 or mazda 3 (and even some other mazdas) have the trip computer you can unlock but only from 07 and earlier not 06 on. I don't know bout 07 for all the others but it works in 07 for ms3... I wish I got the gt lol

THe most important thing we got is the 263hp/ 280ft/tq! :)

Yeah unlocking the trip computer thing was only for the 07 MS3's.

How do you like your V1 Radar?

[skylar2ups]

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123660911&highlight=trip+computer

It works on 06-07 and some 08's that have the CD-changer.

[skylar2ups]

Sister has an 06 I have an 07 and mother has an 08.

All have trip computer... none are GT.

[15min5k]

Sister has an 06 I have an 07 and mother has an 08.

All have trip computer... none are GT.

Your mother has an 08 Mazdaspeed Sport that has a trip computer? We're not talking about the regular Mazda 3 here.

[skylar2ups]

If a regular 3 has it or can have it than a SPEED should be able to have it. Any 06 and 07 Mazda3 can have the trip computer... And yes she has a SPEED. I have an iTouring and my sister has an S hatch.

[15min5k]

If a regular 3 has it or can have it than a SPEED should be able to have it. Any 06 and 07 Mazda3 can have the trip computer... And yes she has a SPEED. I have an iTouring and my sister has an S hatch.

I'm calling BS on this one, sorry.

[15min5k]

Um... okay... my older sister also has a Mazda5... I'm not sure why someone would lie about this?

Step-Father (41) - 2008 Ford F150 crew cab.
Mom (43) - 2007 Mitshubishi Outlander
Dad (45) - 2006 Honda Pilot
Step-Mom (33) - 2008 MAZDASPEED3

Sister (23) - 2008 Mazda5
Brother In Law (25) - 2006 Dodge Magnum
I (20) drive a 2007 iTouring
Sister (18) - 2006 Mazda3 s Hatch
Brother In Law (18) - 2003 Acura RSX


My step-grandfather retired from Ford so we got the 'S-Plan' from Mazda or Z? And on the F-150 also.


No, I'm calling BS on your statement about the 08 Mazdaspeed3 Sports having the ability to unlock the trip computer feature that the Grand Touring models come with. I'm pretty sure you could do that only with the 07's.

[MicaSp33d]

20k miles in less than a year and all is well for me. Every car has it issues ... look at the civic si, lot of people couldn't even get 3rd gear in.

My bro has a mk5 and i have a ms3 ... both great cars in their own aspect. And i just hate when the mk5ers say how wonderful their interior looks and the ms3 is crap, when i took my bro to get his GTI the damn VW fanboi salesman saw my sport interior (haha) and liked it. Non leather GTI interior is overrated ...

ms3
-one of the fastest in its class
-one of the best handlers in its class
-lots of torque
-got mines for 23k otd

GTI
-great tight chassis
-like all german cars, it feels solid
-turbo spools at 1800rpm (k03)
-my bro got it for 24-25k otd

[Skelshy]

Drove the MS3, WRX and GTI on the weekend... they're all good, fun cars, people should chill a bit :)

Question wrt the transmission, I was very unimpressed with the stick shift on the Mazda. It required a lot of force getting in and out of gears, it felt as if one was moving a lot of weight around, and the stick did not center very well on its own. Also the spring on the clutch was fairly stiff.

Trying to find out if it was just that test car... or is the stick shift on the heavy, clunky side in general? are there any fixes?

[15min5k]

Why yes, I made up having the trip computer on two cars because I want to look cool for people I will never meet! The radio changed in the '08.5 Mazda3's... for the '08's it just carried over... as it did from '06 to '07.

I have been in these cars... you have not so unless you want to go out and test drive an 06 and try to unlock it and then an 08... not and 08.5 and do the same I would say SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Again dipshit, we're talking about the Mazdaspeed3's not the regular 3's. The 07's were the only ones able to unlock the trip computer on the (sport model)

[15min5k]

Drove the MS3, WRX and GTI on the weekend... they're all good, fun cars, people should chill a bit :)

Question wrt the transmission, I was very unimpressed with the stick shift on the Mazda. It required a lot of force getting in and out of gears, it felt as if one was moving a lot of weight around, and the stick did not center very well on its own. Also the spring on the clutch was fairly stiff.

Trying to find out if it was just that test car... or is the stick shift on the heavy, clunky side in general? are there any fixes?

Must have driven a lemon or something. I had a Civic SI Sedan and drove the GTI and WRX before driving the MS3, granted in the SI the shifting was a bit smoother the MS3 feels more solid/ direct. The Clutch is just something that needs to be getting used to. However, there are a few things one can use to make shifting / clutch engagement sligthly better. After-market shifter bushings help with achieving a more direct / solid feel. Also, It doesn't hurt to switch to a full synthetic transmission fluid like Amsoil or Redline, etc..

Was the car you test drove new?

[fructus]

While Mazda's shift feel is pretty vague it's not as mushy as in 335i for instance. But it's a far cry from the perfection that Acura's or Honda's transmissions are. However, once you get the short shifter, the bushings, the cobb shifter weight and the rear and transmission mounts in, it feels pretty pretty good.

[xtrememps]

Just thought that everyone might want to know that today i purchased a white 2009 ms3. Thanks for everones help

Nice choice on color! I got an 08 in april...love it!

[Skelshy]

Thanks. Yeah the car I drove was new. So do I get this right, it's a little stiff, it can be imroved some with aftermarket parts, but it's not going to be great.

[15min5k]

I like the shifter on the speed3. Feels very solid, direct, and precise and I've had mine for over 25k thus far.

[nykole0408]

I have no complaints at all except for needing the mounts.

[xtrememps]

Thanks. Yeah the car I drove was new. So do I get this right, it's a little stiff, it can be imroved some with aftermarket parts, but it's not going to be great.

No it's great, no......AWESOME. I don't care what little niggles I have when I stomp my right foot :-D

[LukeP]

Drove the MS3, WRX and GTI on the weekend... they're all good, fun cars, people should chill a bit :)

Question wrt the transmission, I was very unimpressed with the stick shift on the Mazda. It required a lot of force getting in and out of gears, it felt as if one was moving a lot of weight around, and the stick did not center very well on its own. Also the spring on the clutch was fairly stiff.

Trying to find out if it was just that test car... or is the stick shift on the heavy, clunky side in general? are there any fixes?

I find the shifter to be kinda volkswagenny in it's clunkyness, but I find the weight assuring. Certainly isn't a Honda shifter, but I don't find I have to force it in or out of any gears!

The clutch pedal is slightly heavier in effort than other cars, but not as heavy as aftermarket ones. The clutch in my friends 300zx TT is a freakin leg press.