Go from a P5 to a Mazda3?

[tranzformer]

What tires were they each running?

Go drive both cars back to back.

Not sure what tires they were running, but I assume stock.

I currently have the P5 and have driven a 3 (hatch and Speed) over the past couple years a handful of times. So I have a general feeling of what the 3 is like. I'm just really curious the long term satisfaction and fun factor of the 3 cause test drives are only that, a test drive.

 

[cbrcrx]

I wouldn't do it just because a new car is about the worst investment you can make. I don't even buy cars until they have 100k on them. My P5 has 160k and rides, runs and looks like a two year old car. Plus, I don't do car payments.

 

[flash75]

I believe Car & Driver did both test with stock tires. Dunlop for the P5 and Goodyear for the Mazda 3.

I have owned a 2002 P5 automatic from new, it now has about 69800 miles. I also have a 2008 Mazda 2i sedan with the Touring Value Package. It is also a sport automatic transmission. The 3 has around 10800 miles.

I realize the 3 isn't a 5 door. It is only about 62 lbs. heavier than the P5. I agree everything is a little softer on the 3. I didn't like the steering feel at first. I have driven both cars over some very twisty roads, 226A between Little Switzerland and Marion, NC. Also Brushy Mountain Road out of North Wilkesboro , NC. Both roads have turns marked as low as 15 mph and each road has many turns.
The 3 has better turn in in the corners and feels closer to neutral steering than the P5. I have not timed the runs but drive them a brisk pace and to be honest I cannot tell which car actually handles better. They both handle better than any other cars I have owned. I once owned a Isuzu Stylus XS with Lotus tuned suspension that was close. With the P5 on those roads it's more fun to drive, but you have to work a little harder than with the 3. With the 3 you don't feel like it's quick but a quick glance at the speedometer you find yourself going a little faster than you thought. In the Car & Driver test the 3 had 14 ft. shorter braking distance than the P5 from 70-0.

The 3 with TVP does have a leather wheel, both wheels are about 14 1/2" diameter. The steering wheel telescopes on the 3. The 3 has a much bigger glove box. I find the seats in each car are about equally comfortable. I don't like the ride of the P5 on rough Interstates, I-40 through Oklahoma for example. The P5 is noisy for us old people.

I'm an old guy so my thoughts may be different than yours. I prefer the 3 for long distance trips and like the P5 for short trips and local driving.

FWIW, I get about 3-4 mpg better fuel mileage with the 3.

Clifton

 

[br289165]

Double check on that 62 lb difference, it's probably more like 200lbs, unless your auto weighs more than my 2750lb manual P5.i think the 3 is closer to 3000 lbs.

I believe Car & Driver did both test with stock tires. Dunlop for the P5 and Goodyear for the Mazda 3.

I have owned a 2002 P5 automatic from new, it now has about 69800 miles. I also have a 2008 Mazda 2i sedan with the Touring Value Package. It is also a sport automatic transmission. The 3 has around 10800 miles.

I realize the 3 isn't a 5 door. It is only about 62 lbs. heavier than the P5. I agree everything is a little softer on the 3. I didn't like the steering feel at first. I have driven both cars over some very twisty roads, 226A between Little Switzerland and Marion, NC. Also Brushy Mountain Road out of North Wilkesboro , NC. Both roads have turns marked as low as 15 mph and each road has many turns.
The 3 has better turn in in the corners and feels closer to neutral steering than the P5. I have not timed the runs but drive them a brisk pace and to be honest I cannot tell which car actually handles better. They both handle better than any other cars I have owned. I once owned a Isuzu Stylus XS with Lotus tuned suspension that was close. With the P5 on those roads it's more fun to drive, but you have to work a little harder than with the 3. With the 3 you don't feel like it's quick but a quick glance at the speedometer you find yourself going a little faster than you thought. In the Car & Driver test the 3 had 14 ft. shorter braking distance than the P5 from 70-0.

The 3 with TVP does have a leather wheel, both wheels are about 14 1/2" diameter. The steering wheel telescopes on the 3. The 3 has a much bigger glove box. I find the seats in each car are about equally comfortable. I don't like the ride of the P5 on rough Interstates, I-40 through Oklahoma for example. The P5 is noisy for us old people.

I'm an old guy so my thoughts may be different than yours. I prefer the 3 for long distance trips and like the P5 for short trips and local driving.

FWIW, I get about 3-4 mpg better fuel mileage with the 3.

Clifton

 

[flash75]

"Double check on that 62 lb difference, it's probably more like 200lbs, unless your auto weighs more than my 2750lb manual P5.i think the 3 is closer to 3000 lbs."

I have not weighed either car. My 2002 owners manual on page 10-7 shows the P5 automatic curb weight as 2749 lbs. Your manual P5 is listed as 2716 lb.

The Mazda 3 owners manual doesn't show curb weights.
I have a 2008 Mazda 3 brochure, it does have curb weights listed. Note my Mazda is a 2008 3i 4 door sedan with automatic. The standard engine for the 3i is a 2 liter engine. Th 2 liter 3i with automatic is shown as 2811 lb.
unless it's a CA,CT,MA,ME,NY,PA,RI,VT car, they are 2828 lb.

Since I'm in NC I assume I have the 2811 lb car. My math shows it to weigh 62 lb. more than the automatic P5.
A 5 door 3 with 2.3 engine and automatic is 2982 lb. or 2998 lb for those states listed above.

All that said the TVE P adds 17" wheels and tires and some other features that probably increases the weight. Mazda doesn't show how much weight the TVE adds, if any.

Clifton

 

[KptClutch]

i think it depends on the trimline. i have a GT and i think the interior is the nicest in its class (comparing to a civic, corolla, elantra etc)

Wow....that interior is absolute sex, lol. I would love to have one.

Thanks for the image!

 

[tranzformer]

Well went to the Mazda dealership to check out the '09 3 for another time and take probably my 4-5th test drive in a Mazda3. It is still a nice car with a better interior than the P5. However while the 3 has a nicer interior, I guess maybe I'm not completely ready to give up my P5. I am going to have to think about it a few more days before I decide one way or another.

 

[fpmesiIII]

the 3 has a nicer interior

+1

 

[poison]

you joined to post that?^ :lol:

 

[Bret2002]

mazda 3 is a great car. i enjoyed driving my freinds. has more than alittle more kick than our beloved protege5 and the fit and finish of the interior is way ahead of ours ( lets be honest ). with that being said i just dont think i could see myself walking up to it everyday with a big grin on my face. the conection that you have with this car and the road is amazing. i came from a mark IV jetta that i thought had amazing road feel and this trumped it. the mazda3 is a very confident car in the twisties but the extra weight is obvious and the feedback is just not there ( i beleive it has to do with electric power steering pump.) If it isn't yet this car is bound to be a cult classic in the handling and looks department, i mean the thing keeps up with ligenfelter vette's in the twisties ie. car and driver. It has that classic boy racer hot hatch feel on the inside but very classical looks on the outside. I can't help but feel that if you got rid of the pro5 you would regret it. think of all those other 3's out there and then theres the car payment. Hang on to the P5 brother!!

 

[poison]

Damn, What Mazda3's are you guys driving? The interior on my 3 sucked. Materials were crap, hard plastics, uncomfortable seats, cheap feeling. I guess the leather package is much nicer than the base model.

 

[Cellerator]

I jumped from a P5 to a 3 and while the P5 was more fun, the 3 actually holds its own a bit better imo even though the suspension feels softer (I had teins on my p5 and could be the higher profile tires that come with the 3...) I think if you track either car, the 3 is a much better choice.

 

[mmorriso]

I just figure it took 7 years to go 90k, it'll take another 7 to go another 90k. The car should be well capable of doing that on these repairs you mentioned. And in these hard times, taking on a car payment, however good a deal, is crazy, when you have a reliable, relatively low mile car right there.

+1

financially speaking keeping the p5 is a no brainer. invest the cash you have for maintenance and your next car in 2016.

 

[tranzformer]

mazda 3 is a great car. i enjoyed driving my freinds. has more than alittle more kick than our beloved protege5 and the fit and finish of the interior is way ahead of ours ( lets be honest ). with that being said i just dont think i could see myself walking up to it everyday with a big grin on my face. the conection that you have with this car and the road is amazing. i came from a mark IV jetta that i thought had amazing road feel and this trumped it. the mazda3 is a very confident car in the twisties but the extra weight is obvious and the feedback is just not there ( i beleive it has to do with electric power steering pump.) If it isn't yet this car is bound to be a cult classic in the handling and looks department, i mean the thing keeps up with ligenfelter vette's in the twisties ie. car and driver. It has that classic boy racer hot hatch feel on the inside but very classical looks on the outside. I can't help but feel that if you got rid of the pro5 you would regret it. think of all those other 3's out there and then theres the car payment. Hang on to the P5 brother!!

Gotta agree with that.

BTW, where is the article about the P5 keeping up with the Vette in the twisties? I keep hearing that and I'm curious to read about it since the Vette is a good handling car in itself.

 

[tranzformer]

I just wish the P5 had better brakes. Not sure how much of that is not having ABS, or me still having the OEM setup. Maybe it is worthwhile going with something else on my next brake job.

 

[poison]

well, non-abs brakes are capable of stopping harder than abs brakes in ideal conditions. so its not the non-abs brakes. if you look at one of my earlier posts, i linked to an uber-cheap brake setup, brembo oem replacements, and axxis deluxe pads. the axxis deluxe pads are better than oem, but marginally. in other words, you may get a 10% increase in braking power, less dust, no noise, and they'll last longer. not bad, especially as cheap as they are. but more braking power is simply a matter of buying better pads, like hawks, ebc green or reds, or axxis ultimates (iirc). if you want better brake feel, stainless steel lines with accomplish that, for around $100 or so.

my opinion? p5 brakes are pretty damn good for an econobox. but then mine arent oem, they are sears oem replacments, whatever that means. but i will probably do ebc greens or reds on brembo discs, once i kill these.

 

[Bret2002]

heres the link to the article. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...get_rides/mazda_protege5_short_take_road_test