MS3 Highway Ride

[kbrennan]

Hello all,

I'm seriously considering an 09 WRX or an 09 Speed3. I was able to test drive the WRX (awesome launches!) but unfortunately the local dealer doesn't carry the speed3 for some odd reason. Nearest speed3 is 70 miles away. My driving consists of mostly highway driving.. of that a good portion (15 miles) is older poorly maintained concrete (Highway 99 in Kern county between Bakersfield and hwy 46 for the locals).

So my question is this: Am I going to dread the stiff suspension of the MS3 or does it handle small imperfections in the road well?

Thanks for any input,

Keith

[mo08ms3]

My Ms3 isn't the smoothest ride but honestly, my old '02 WRX and my wife's '07 wrx aren't much better. I do mostly highway driving, too and feeling the imperfections in the road can be annoying, but its a small price to pay for the awesome power and handling on the highway. Good luck!

[79_Limited]

Comfort/speed.

It is difficult to find a vehicle that will do both very well. However, the killer gas mileage/performance I get with my Speed3 would cause me to immediately replace my Speed with another one if something was to happen to it.

[PCspeed3]

A CL 65 AMG does speed and comfort very well. I mean come on its only $175,000 more than a speed 3 and you get 600hp and massage seats up front =)

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii158/FullTimeNERD/cl65_v1_1280x1024.jpg

But seriously, the speed 3 wont be the most comfortable ride on the road, but it makes up for comfort in speedyness. Good luck with your choice.

[CWPspeed3]

I've got eibach springs on mine and drive some of the shittiest michigan roads there are, its not too horrible. I'm not much to complain about the ride quality, I know its not a luxury car but its really not that bad and any other car ive been in on similar roads arent any better.

[badmotorfinger]

I live in Pennsylvania, which has won it's fair share of annual awards from truckers as having the worst roads in the US. I do mostly highway driving too and am approaching 4k on the odo. The ride is better than I expected, considering the handling capabilities. The biggest complaint I have is on the rebound control, which I see in other posts is attributed to the flaccid stock dampers. Awesome highway car though. It's just sick to have a passenger in the car, point to a car 50 yards ahead, and do the now-you-see-it-now-you-don't trick. Good luck with your choice.

[jon619]

I test drove the 09 WRX and was just amazed at how smooth it was and how well I fit in the car compared to the Speed3. If I was looking for a car right now, it'd probably be the WRX. If you can wait, you might see what the 2010 Speed3 will be. Probably 300 hp or so and possibly AWD.

[mattj3636]

they already said no awd, jesus people need to read threads/articles.

[MikeHTally]

Not the best ride for highway (even a relatively new interstate). A thousand-mile weekend trip was a bit bothersome and it was all interstate. The next road trip will be either my Ram or the 300C.

[///M Compact]

I don't think the ride is all that bad; in fact, it's one of the things I still like about my MS3...

[niz55]

ms3 ride quality is the worst car i have ever owned. Cheap suspension parts on the car. Plus the value of the car. Mazda has a really bad resale value. If i were you i would buy the wrx. Don't make a mistake and buy a ms3. Wrx is faster and much more after market support. Coming from a 2006 wrx, It rides 10 times better than speed3. It is horrible driving the speed3 on uneven roads. The car looses control when you go over a bump.Plus the wrx got AWD and much much better resale value than a ms3.

[mattj3636]

my 08 with 9000 miles, i was offered 14 from a dealer when i payed 25 about 1 year ago.. haha

[niz55]

my 08 with 9000 miles, i was offered 14 from a dealer when i payed 25 about 1 year ago.. haha

their you go man. Just the real facts. This is bs. You worked hard for the 25k and you can only get 15k.


If you go on cars.com
Their are ms3 selling for low as $13,979 from a dealership. It is 2007 with 36,000 miles for $13,979.

[biggin55]

^^^not exactly sure what he's(Niz55) talking about w/ the bad resale value, because I've been to a dealers auto action recently and seen an 07 go for 19,000. And I know you could street sale it for more, but whatever. As far as the highway goes, I don't think its bad. Of course my last car was an RX8 w/ springs/shocks. Like they said the rebound could be better, but thats very fixable w/ just some shocks, and those aren't to terribly expensive. Plus the speed3 is faster than the WRX...that and the WRX has the worst transmission.

[niz55]

^^^not exactly sure what he's(Niz55) talking about w/ the bad resale value, because I've been to a dealers auto action recently and seen an 07 go for 19,000. And I know you could street sale it for more, but whatever. As far as the highway goes, I don't think its bad. Of course my last car was an RX8 w/ springs/shocks. Like they said the rebound could be better, but thats very fixable w/ just some shocks, and those aren't to terribly expensive. Plus the speed3 is faster than the WRX...that and the WRX has the worst transmission.

sure keep lying to yourself. Have you ever owned a wrx? Let me tell you that i have. stg3 vf39 protuned with 274whp and 312tq. I had the car for 48,000 miles and never ever had problem with the tranny. It is the people who don't know how to drive the car that have problems.

You have 4 total Posts here. ....

You have seen the car go for 19,000, But have you seen the car sell for more than 19,000 at their dealership? Get your facts right before you come up here and make a fool out of yourself.

[CHICO2003]

Oh man... the irony of that last line. haha too much!!

[ZyrehT]

ms3 ride quality is the worst car i have ever owned. Cheap suspension parts on the car. Plus the value of the car. Mazda has a really bad resale value. If i were you i would buy the wrx. Don't make a mistake and buy a ms3. Wrx is faster and much more after market support. Coming from a 2006 wrx, It rides 10 times better than speed3. It is horrible driving the speed3 on uneven roads. The car looses control when you go over a bump.Plus the wrx got AWD and much much better resale value than a ms3.

Hello troll.

[niz55]

Hello troll.

sup super troller?

[PCspeed3]

Hello troll.

agreed, lol. Go post else where ya downer haha.

[niz55]

agreed, lol. Go post else where ya downer haha.

No downer budd. Just real facts. He wanted to know about the speeds suspension and i gave him what he wanted.

[///M Compact]

Hello troll.

Agreed; too bad opposable thumbs aren't a requirement for forum membership.

[CHICO2003]

Hello all,

I'm seriously considering an 09 WRX or an 09 Speed3. I was able to test drive the WRX (awesome launches!) but unfortunately the local dealer doesn't carry the speed3 for some odd reason. Nearest speed3 is 70 miles away. My driving consists of mostly highway driving.. of that a good portion (15 miles) is older poorly maintained concrete (Highway 99 in Kern county between Bakersfield and hwy 46 for the locals).

So my question is this: Am I going to dread the stiff suspension of the MS3 or does it handle small imperfections in the road well?

Thanks for any input,

Keith

Obviously both are great cars so you can't go wrong with either choice. The base WRX costs roughly what the MS3 GT does while the WRX Premium will clock in around $28k. So... pricewise, the WRX is a bit more expensive. That said, you obviously get something the speed simply doesn't offer for your extra coin. AWD Now before you just assume AWD is better than FWD just... because. Ask yourself how often you'd actually NEED awd. Not knowing where you live, I can't infer one way or the other. But if you're in an area that doesn't get hit with too much bad weather, the AWD's benefits will be mostly wasted.

You mentioned the WRX launched well when you testdrove it. That make sme think launches are important to you. While I personally could care less about how a car launches (namely because I'm not a red-light kind of guy) if you are indeed one who likes the race everyone you can from a standstill... the WRX is probably going to be a better choice for you.

In short, you definitely need to testdrive an MS3 before shelling out $25k+ for a WRX. Things that are subjective (how confortable the seats are... placement of HVAC controls... shit like that) might make a big difference. And as I said, the pricing difference CAN be dramatic. I mean... let's say you were like me and didn't see the value in the extra bells and whistles the MS3 GT has. Suddenly now you're talkin about a $22.5k car Since you're also considering the WRX (which, again, starts at $25k) you'd essentially have $2.5k leftover... assuming that's your budget. That can buy a pretty sick aftermarket audio system... not to mention a few performance mods that'll get your speed into sti territory.

Either way... good luck with the decision. As for Cpt JA with his comments about ride quality. lol I'm not sure what's exactly going on with his ride but it rides about as well as you could hope for in a car like this. Obviously it aint no Benz... or Buick lol but then again, that's not what you're looking for anyway. Since none of the seemingly hundreds of (professional) reviews out there state anything of the kind... I think it's safe to say that his suspsension is either shot or... well, who knows? But like I said, don't take my word for it. Find a dealership that has one and testdrive it for yourself. I think you'll be pretty damn impressed.

[niz55]

Obviously both are great cars so you can't go wrong with either choice. The base WRX costs roughly what the MS3 GT does while the WRX Premium will clock in around $28k. So... pricewise, the WRX is a bit more expensive. That said, you obviously get something the speed simply doesn't offer for your extra coin. AWD Now before you just assume AWD is better than FWD just... because. Ask yourself how often you'd actually NEED awd. Not knowing where you live, I can't infer one way or the other. But if you're in an area that doesn't get hit with too much bad weather, the AWD's benefits will be mostly wasted.

You mentioned the WRX launched well when you testdrove it. That make sme think launches are important to you. While I personally could care less about how a car launches (namely because I'm not a red-light kind of guy) if you are indeed one who likes the race everyone you can from a standstill... the WRX is probably going to be a better choice for you.

In short, you definitely need to testdrive an MS3 before shelling out $25k+ for a WRX. Things that are subjective (how confortable the seats are... placement of HVAC controls... shit like that) might make a big difference. And as I said, the pricing difference CAN be dramatic. I mean... let's say you were like me and didn't see the value in the extra bells and whistles the MS3 GT has. Suddenly now you're talkin about a $22.5k car Since you're also considering the WRX (which, again, starts at $25k) you'd essentially have $2.5k leftover... assuming that's your budget. That can buy a pretty sick aftermarket audio system... not to mention a few performance mods that'll get your speed into sti territory.

Either way... good luck with the decision. As for Cpt JA with his comments about ride quality. lol I'm not sure what's exactly going on with his ride but it rides about as well as you could hope for in a car like this. Obviously it aint no Benz... or Buick lol but then again, that's not what you're looking for anyway. Since none of the seemingly hundreds of (professional) reviews out there state anything of the kind... I think it's safe to say that his suspsension is either shot or... well, who knows? But like I said, don't take my word for it. Find a dealership that has one and testdrive it for yourself. I think you'll be pretty damn impressed.

Excellent comment. But base price wrx is selling for 23,500 Little bit less than invoice. I was offered $23,700 for brand new 2009 Red with fogs.

[Cue]

MS3's are the biggest sleepers too! More people will take you for granted in a speed3 than a WRX. My brother raced and beat a mustang and when we stopped at a light, he thought is was chipped 3.... Had no idea

[UHATEIT]

Excellent comment. But base price wrx is selling for 23,500 Little bit less than invoice. I was offered $23,700 for brand new 2009 Red with fogs.

WOW with fogs... you're ballin. Since we all know fogs are the most important thing to look for when buying a car...they really add to the resale value

http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50002564/Auto_Lamps___Fog_Lamps.jpg
Fogs er kewl

[niz55]

WOW with fogs... you're ballin. Since we all know fogs are the most important thing to look for when buying a car...they really add to the resale value

http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50002564/Auto_Lamps___Fog_Lamps.jpg
Fogs er kewl

It is a option that cost more. The wrx has more resale value than ms3 with or with out the fogs. Where have you been?

[biggin55]

Niz I'm not here to get in a war w/ you, and yes I have very few posts here, I tend to not be on the boards very often, but yes, I have seen one go for that at a dealer auction, not their lot. I know the difference, and I'm not knocking the older WRX's, I like them, I like the new ones as well, but the new ones due have a very weak tranny compared to other WRX's. IMHO if you're going to get a Subby, you might as well wait till you can afford an STi, for the amount of money it takes to mod a WRX, you can have a very nice used STi.

[kbrennan]

Thanks for the replies all. I think I'm going to have to make that 70 mile drive and testdrive one next week to get my own true opinion.

Launching isn't the most important thing in my life. It was just a kick to do it with a WRX. With that said, I drove the Cobalt SS yesterday, and I couldn't get the SoB to grab the pavement from a 3k rpm Launch. :-/

Gas mileage is also a minor concern, hence why the speed 3 is getting my consideration. I do almost 2k miles a month, 3 or 4 MPG does start to add up over time. Hence why the MS3 is getting strong consideration.

[pdqgp]

Thanks for the replies all. I think I'm going to have to make that 70 mile drive and testdrive one next week to get my own true opinion.

Launching isn't the most important thing in my life. It was just a kick to do it with a WRX. With that said, I drove the Cobalt SS yesterday, and I couldn't get the SoB to grab the pavement from a 3k rpm Launch. :-/

Gas mileage is also a minor concern, hence why the speed 3 is getting my consideration. I do almost 2k miles a month, 3 or 4 MPG does start to add up over time. Hence why the MS3 is getting strong consideration.

Sounds like you'll enjoy the MS3. The new 09 WRX's are nice cars and I can appreciate AWD now and then, but for me, they are priced a bit higher and the AWD for me isn' necessary. I would look at them if I wasn't in a speed though. My only complaints are the MS3 is a little loud inside...more road noise than it should have. Will be dynomatting my car next spring as I didn't get around to it this year. The seats are a little narrow for me too. I like to "just feel" the bolsters where these are a little tight after a long drive..more in the thighs than in the back.

The other advantage is every around seems to have a WRX, expecially kids. Me, I kinda like having something that has a sleeper effect and isn't just another of what all the kids are driving.

Let us know what you think.

[MS3Zoom24]

hey man, i go from fresno to bako to L.A. all the time and im not dissappointed at all going over the grapevine is easy as hell, and i dont notice the bumps really. Im getting 31 on the highway.
And if you are going to get a MS3 i would recommend going to Neftin Mazda in westlake its worth the extra 30 minutes, instead of going to Galpin, I had A horrible experience with them and they tried to screw me over at every chance they had.

Good luck with your decision!!!

[CHICO2003]

Excellent comment. But base price wrx is selling for 23,500 Little bit less than invoice. I was offered $23,700 for brand new 2009 Red with fogs.


That's awesome. I have a friend that works at a local Subaru dealership and he told me the '08s... they couldn't give away. But with the '09's it's like everyone wants one. Said the lowest they're selling them for is $500 over invoice. Still a good deal IMO. I mean hell... they have to make money too! But yeah... obviously buying a car UNDER invoice is pretty damn sweet!

I don't think any Mazda dealerships are doing that so... if you can get an '09 WRX for that price I say go for it.

[FrequentFlyer]

I live in Jersey (some of the worst roads) and drive 30 miles each way on the highway to work and back, M-F and I don't have any complaints. The car is a bit overspringed and underdampened, but it's not bad. Of course I recently came out of an '04 Honda S2000 and before that, a '99 Miata with an aftermarket adjustable coilover suspension, so I'm used to firm rides.

[ZyrehT]

No downer budd. Just real facts. He wanted to know about the speeds suspension and i gave him what he wanted.


Real "facts" from you are opinions. Half the suspension complaints are from people who expect 60k ride out of a 25k vehicle, the rest don't know what they're talking about.

[squidmotion]

Real "facts" from you are opinions. Half the suspension complaints are from people who expect 60k ride out of a 25k vehicle, the rest don't know what they're talking about.


so true... the ride is firm.. but if you like a sporty ride, it isn't bad at all... my wife thinks it rides a bit rough, but even she is getting used to it...

it isn't the firmness of the ride as much as the way it behaves over up and down concrete freeways like we have here in houston... it can get a bit bucky... now run on up to about 80 or so, and she starts riding a lot better... :)

if your used to a camry, this probably isn't the car for you :)

[Kain]

I have a novel idea: take one out for a test drive. If you like it, buy it. If not, don't. If you buy it and you don't like how it drives after the fact, then you're SOL.

[6262MS3]

Just had to throw in my 2. For my tastes the ms3 is an amazing highway car. Many of my highways have curves though and I prefer to do about 140kms/hr. I find the suspension to be stiff enough to stay controlled on high-speed corners, but compliant enough that bumps on high-speed corners don't upset the car. Rebound damping is a bit weak, but now that I've put some kms on the car it doesn't seem nearly as bouncy. Took a 10+ hour drive to the west coast, the car is stable and comfortable, I wasn't sore or tired at the end of that trip. Despite going through several mountain passes and overtaking alot of traffic I still averaged around 27mpg. Plenty of power to make passing safer and less stressful. Most cars I've driven on twisty highways don't feel comfortable at speed, which is way more annoying than a harsher ride. Plus, the HID low beams stay on when the high beams are on, that makes a huge difference on dark backroads. No this car's not perfect but for me the pros far outweigh the cons. I don't think you'd go wrong with a subie, either.

[Peter B]

kbrennan
Read the reviews. Most of the ones I read rated the MS3 a little bit better then the WRX. Don't get me wrong, I have wanted a WRX since they first hit the States. It was my dream car for almost 6 years. But when I test drove the 08, I was saddened by the changes Subaru had made. Longer wheel base, cushier suspension. I had more then one dealer tell me Subaru was trying to appeal to a slightly older, wealthier crowd with the new changes. Subaru sort of turned their back on their loyal fans is you ask me. Christ look at the STI, can't get in a new one for less than 36k.
Anyhow the WRX is still a nice fast car. It does beat the MS3 0-60 time by about 0.1-0.2 seconds from what I have read. (Without a stop watch the human body can't tell the difference between 5.9 and 5.8 or 5.7 seconds.) But the MS3 beats the WRX in the quarter mile, slalom, and on the skid pad. On top of that I felt you got more vaule from the MS3 GT, then from a base line WRX, and the baseline WRX was about 2K more when I looked.

Personally, when I got into the WRX I didn't think it lived up to its name. The MS3 blew my F$%$ing mind though.
As for the ride, its not bad at all. I drive 84 miles a day, 80 of which are highway. Its great, not bad at all and the handling and peformance are exceptional in my opinion. Im usually to busy giggling like a school child as I punch the gas to get around people to notice any discomfort in the ride. Most of the reviews say the ride is decent considering how stiff the suspension is.

The AWD factor of the WRX is nice, but I live in Worcester MA. We just got a 3 day snow storm, and my MS3 with no name snow tires was fine. I was going up and down giant hills, through snow banks and down streets where the snow was higher then the bottom of the car. I didnt get stuck once. For most weather and daily driving, AWD is not needed. If you do a lot of highway driving, the AWD is going to kill you on gas millage. On flat ground at 65mph in my MS3 I average 33.4 miles per gallon. My over all average is 27.6 mpg, and thats calculated out buy hand, as well as by the trip computer. And I can use whatever gas I want, 87,89, 91, 93 octane with not issues. I have run 87 in it several times and never seen a noticable dip in performance or millage.

Subaru is rated as a better car company by consummer reports, but Mazda isn't bad. Don't worry about the resale value of the car, both are an enthusiasts car, both hold value pretty well. I know this from talking a bit with my insurance company. I totaled my first one in a flood with 5k miles on it. The insurance company paid out the value of the car which was enough to clear my $19k loan, and leave me with some extra $$, and that was on the sport model, not the GT. I have also seen a few used ones sell for as high as $19-20k. And they actually sold for those prices.

Either car will be a good choice, but the MS3 is kinda the bad-boy of sport compacts at the moment. I would avoid the cobalt and SRT4 (or whatever its called).

Clearly I favor the MS3 for the reasons above. I did A TON of research on both cars. It was hard for me to say no to my dream of owning a WRX, but it just didn't move or impress me like I wanted it to. My MS3 is my new dream car!

Your are doing your research, that is good. My parting advice; Don't buy the WRX without test driving the MS3, cause in the end it will be what YOU like the most!

[leadf00t]

That's awesome. I have a friend that works at a local Subaru dealership and he told me the '08s... they couldn't give away. But with the '09's it's like everyone wants one. Said the lowest they're selling them for is $500 over invoice. Still a good deal IMO. I mean hell... they have to make money too! But yeah... obviously buying a car UNDER invoice is pretty damn sweet!

I don't think any Mazda dealerships are doing that so... if you can get an '09 WRX for that price I say go for it.

I got my 08 Speed3(sport) for $500 under invoice. I paid $21,300 for it. I was looking at an 09 cobalt SS a few months ago when GM had their employee pricing, and almost got one, but even with that pricing it was $22,800. I had looked at a Speed3, and the sticker was almost 24k. I decided to test drive one, and I'm glad I did. When I got back to the dealer we were talking, and I told him I was looking at the cobalt SS. He asked me what the price was, and smoothly said I can do better then that. I think the Speed3 rides pretty good for the performance it has. I have never driven a wrx, but I had always heard that they were expensive. Ultimately you'll have to drive both, and decide which one you like better. Everyone has their own opinion. I love setting at a light, and looking over at the putz in his lexus, and then stomping his ass when the light turns green, and knowing I paid $10,000 less for my car then he did. priceless !!

[essejkcamraw]

sucks that the new wrx's are so ugly. and honestly. the only thing they have over the speed is awd. from a launch its quick. else where.....uhhh no. 09 wrx same hp as the speed and 40lbs less torque than the speed not the mention heavier....hmm...(jerkit)

[Huligan]

I take 500 mile trips once a month or so and honestly, even with cruise control, I'm not a happy camper after the ride. The suspension and the seat (yeah, i know) are not the best for comfy road tripping.

Even my old 5 speed Jetta without cruise control used to be more comfy while doing the exact same trip.

[Fenrir]

Went from a slammed 240SX to my MS3. Best. Ride. Ever. :)

[Hank3]

Coming from a heavily-modded '02 WRX, my Speed3 feels like a Lexus (rlaugh)

[CHICO2003]

I got my 08 Speed3(sport) for $500 under invoice. I paid $21,300 for it.


how the hell did u pull that off???

[GoFast]

i think mine is quite comfy on the highway. I am on stock suspension

[GoFast]

how the hell did u pull that off???

(boobs2) or (moon)

[Betelgeuse]

Go test drive the ms3 and be done with it. There's nothing like sitting in it and taking it out for a drive yourself. If you like launching your car often, I wouldn't recommend a wrx anyway. You will eventually break something expensive. Yeah you'll get a an awesome 0 to 60 but when you have to spend mucho $ on a new tranny or broken diff /axle, it just doesn't pay (unless you plan to upgrade it). That is not to say you can't break something on the ms3, but I can vouch for the durability of the drive train considering how many launches I and others (with lots more mods) have done with it already.

As for ride quality, it's firm as it should be considering the suspension set up. So you'll feel the road and bumps. Personally, I love it.

[Peter B]

I think it should me mentioned that if ride quality is a big concern, get out of the compact sport market. Lincon Town cars, BMWs and Mercedes..es(?) are built for ride comfort. Most people don't buy a WRX/MS3 because they are comfy cars, we buy em cause they are wicked fun to drive!

[FrequentFlyer]

how the hell did u pull that off???

Back when I was shopping, I had gotten internet quotes of under $21k for '08 Sports, so that's not too unbelievable.

[ZyrehT]

I take 500 mile trips once a month or so and honestly, even with cruise control, I'm not a happy camper after the ride. The suspension and the seat (yeah, i know) are not the best for comfy road tripping.

Even my old 5 speed Jetta without cruise control used to be more comfy while doing the exact same trip.

I've done several 2k plus trips and have noted that after 8-9 hundred miles I still feel fine, try sticking marshmallows under your ass.

[GoFast]

I take 500 mile trips once a month or so and honestly, even with cruise control, I'm not a happy camper after the ride. The suspension and the seat (yeah, i know) are not the best for comfy road tripping.

Even my old 5 speed Jetta without cruise control used to be more comfy while doing the exact same trip.


interesting. i drove from vegas to chicago and was actually quite happy with mine.

[Flightmedic]

wrx crappy tranny vs mazda engines that blow up(nana)

[kneedragger241]

This past summer, I did a non-stop from Harrisburg, PA to Hollywood, FL.
That's about 16 straight hours of seat time on highways.
I thought the ride was fine, and the seats are pretty good for a car in this price range.