I'm going to vent here... just for a moment, because I've experienced a possible crossover phenomenon...

Backstory: The year is 2002... I get a smoking deal on a 2003 Mustang GT... I test drive a 2002 WRX shortly after... I supercharge the mustang... A couple years later, I find myself paying too much for gas... Well that... and umm... nothing can really substitute for the feel of a turbo car... Even a Supercharger... its too linear...

Today: I've been loyally following the WRX since 2002... I learned all about its drivetrain, suspension, etc... I knew it bumper to bumper, even helped a lot of people with issues... I fell in love twice as hard this year... the 2.5L... new face, etc.. I loved it... practically ready to buy... Well, I helped my mom purchase a mazda 6 a few months ago and found myself sitting in a Mazda 3 hatch... I'll be honest... it was hard to get out of a car so nicely built... But I leapt out given its lack of power walked past the dealer saying "pfft.. if only they boosted the damned thing..." He came back at me in an almost sales pitch of a response saying.. "Mazdaspeed is working on it... In fact, it should be out by the end of summer" He then sets me up in a speed 6, and well, I test drove it and kinda dug it... In fact, I think I wrote a little review on this forum somewhere... But... it was a tad out of my price range and I'd done some research later and learned about the issues they were having with people getting hammered into limp mode, being tuned for 93 octane (I'm in cali, even our 91 is ****), and other lean engine conditions that led to knock, etc... Finding out that THIS was the engine set to go into the speed3, I was a bit disheartened... but excited... Well, the CX-7 is out now... it too sports the 2.3 disi turbo, however, its detuned and I have yet to hear of any issues... That makes me feel a little more comfortable...

The Problem: my hearts been set on a WRX wagon for quite some time now.. The plan was to enjoy it during break-in... then go the COBB route to create a stage 2... but today... my ideas got cluttered, a flurry of doubt entered my mind as I spent the day driving my moms 4-cyl 6... It's refined, its comfortable, and it carves... I've test driven many WRXs as well as some of my friends' with upgraded suspension etc... but I can already tell you... the Mazdaspeed 3 will most likely best the STI's numbers on the slalom and any other handling test... Consider the current data... according to Road & Track the current mazda 3s posts a 0.84g lat. accel. and a 65.2 mph slalom speed... To those of you who know your numbers.. thats the SAME g's as a WRX, and just over 2 mph quicker through the cones... I guarantee some impressive results are due once mazdaspeed waves its wand over this car... Powerwise, its expected to put out OVER 250 hp... but lets be honest, its mazda, so well say 240 max.. but they also promise under 6 second 0-60... the mazdaspeed6 barely does that... but ok... although it has more power... torque is the same and it has AWD, weighs more, etc... Ill let that one slide... I think I'll be happy if the speed3 lands in 14 second territory... Other things I find impressive about this car are all the things it comes with stock... even if they are little things that may not matter to most.. but yeah... I happen to like knowing its a 6 speed... (i have a cruise gear :-D), gorgeous interior layout, exceptional quality of materials used, exterior design, aggressive layout, standard 18's (yikes)... and maybe the fact that its a ONE OFF car.... i think that appeals a lot to me... the fact that I may never have to modify a thing.... and they will back the damned thing 100% (I know as ive read many testimonials of people having issues with the speed6... mazda worked very hard to resolve these issues at their own expense [the way it should be done])...

I can bag a WRX wagon for just under 24 OTD. Given my amazing experience at mazda, (dealer hooked us up for a mazda 6 for 17800 OTD, nicely optioned out) I can probably bag the new Speed3 GT (that's fully loaded) for about 23 OTD...

My areas of disappointment with the WRX: Let's be honest here, the overall body-style is getting really dated... Factory stereo is not worthy of being called PREMIUM... interior materials and overall look are decent/nice... but nothing special... SUBARU and the way they handle warranties.... Most car companies WILL stand by their products... Subaru, based on LOTS of research, has problems doing so.. It seems if ANYTHING mechanically goes wrong, the blame is automatically issued to the driver... Why is that? Honestly, I have enough decency to realize that if I change a part, that section of my warranty will be void... and THATS FINE... but there are far too many stories of some sketchy things going wrong and the warranty claim has been rejected in the name of "performance driving"

eh... I dunno... Well i've vented enough... Anyone care to share their views or opinions... please, FLAME ON!

 

Why don't you buy an EVO?

(That's a lot of power going to the front wheels, can you say torque steer?)

SRT-4?

 

surprisingly enough, aus. and canadian reviewers have reported almost no torque steer... they have LSD and electronic torque management...

EVO... ehhhh.... id rather have a stage 2 wrx

the sketchy part of the whole situation is... i have yet to drive one... as soon as one hits the lot thought, im getting a call and a test drive....

If it accelerates like an SRT-4, i am SOLD considering all the advantages/quality/options, etc it has over the dodge...

in case anyones interested, theres more info here...

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...er=upcomingMS3

 

The Mazda will be AWD as stated in the first post....

The one thing I would worry about is the fact that the new MazdaSpeed version will be in it's first year of production. Typically not the best year to buy a specific car....usually the second or third years are the best to buy, once the manufacturer has identified (and hopefully fixed) any long term problems that can only be discovered once the car has hit consumers driveways.

 

I am looking at it too. I just need to make sure the dealership will be reliable. I was comparing the GTI, Si and C30 since the Alfa will not be here until maybe 3 years from now. The kicker will be the dealer. They do not have too good a reputation. We currently have the A3 and I love the DSG. I'm hoping the 3 will be supported well.

 

If you're talking about the MazdaSpeed 3, it will be FWD, not AWD. The Mazdaspeed 6 is AWD though.

 

It doesnt specify anywhere if they will change it to AWD. The Mazda6 is FWD, but they made the Mazda6speed AWD.

Also, the one bad thing about MazdaSpeed is they usually only come out for one year, which means its hard to fix any glitches that may arise.
They need to make an AWD MazdaSpeed8 and get some torque in the RX-8

 

Mazdaspeed 3 will be FWD. mazda didnt want to encroach on mazdaspeed6 territory by making the Mazdaspeed3 AWD.

Mazda3's are really nice. my lady has a mazda3 hatch and i love it. they are very well designed.

 

Go WRX or Forester w/ all STi components...much better reliability/product. Mazda is tainted w/ American Car reliability/product.

 

see... hongkongbeef knows what im talking about...

and for those unsure... its a 2.3L Direct Injection Spark Injection with a Hitachi turbo (I believe)

The layout is a FWD, to keep weigh/cost down and to avoid comparisons with the Speed6... Truth is... the speed 3 will be a faster car given its weight advantage and the fact that the standard 3s already are an amazing handling platform...

I really do want a WRX, I want that boxer beat, I want the roughness associated with it... but in all honesty, I can see myself enjoying the little things in the mazda a lot more on a day to day basis, with the sacrafice of having a car thats maybe a second slower to the 1/4 than a stage 2 wrx...

I dunno... more opinions/views would be nice

-j- - my local mazda dealer... actually all 3 of them have pretty good service... but theres one that stands out above the rest as far as sales go...

our local wrx dealer is VERY moody... ive heard they are cool, but my experiences with them havent been... so yeah... guess its just something subjective

 

It isn't going to be a straightline monster, Mazdaspeeds never are, so don't expect mind-blowing acceleration. They're designed to be blindingly quick around a track though.

 

My one reason for not getting the Mazdaspeed6

MAZDA = FORD

 

I'd compare warrenty's...Subaru's arent all that impressive in my opinion unless you get the extended. the performance figures will be pretty close so i'd say consider subaru's superior quality. I think either way you'll be happy but its always worth it to try and save a few bucks.

 

Fords keeping their hands off though, its their only division that made any money last year. If Ford were trying to mettle you wouldn't see the same build quality, if anything, Mazda is bringing Ford's quality up (Euro Focus anyone?).

 

all valid points...

strat, i dont know how much i really care about long-term warranty.. If i get a scooby... its going the COBB stage 2 route with helix dp/borla hush exhaust, pulley, silencer delete, intercooler piping... all within the first year... my concern is the tranny.. its dated... and have been reported to have issues... however, it appears theyve gotten a lot stronger over the years, i dunno.. its still no sti 6-spd... the mazdaspeed has a 6 spd designed to handle all the power it has... i dont see myself modding ANYTHING on the mazdaspeed, unless of course racing beat puts out some irresistable goodies... exhaust, intakes, etc... even then, ehhh.... its enough power...

i just like the fact that mazda has stood by their products... hell, when the rx-8 was overrated... they even offered to BUY BACK the cars... when the speed6's were having detonation issues wth california gas and accidental fill-up of 89 octane at the boats for over half their stock, mazda issued a reflash to help alleviate these issues... (as they should) so far, the cx-7 hasnt had the same issue... i almost suspect the speed3 wont either... so i just like the way they actively stand by their car...

GTI isnt an option, quality control blows... imagine stepping into your leather interior and finding cloth headrests... and where did my side sills go? yeah, its pretty bad... also reports of people not being able to start the car, until they try it a few more times... ehhh... weird stuff...

subarus are tough cars... its still neck and neck.... the designs dated, the interior is far too basic... i dunno, its got some serious ***** though...

i hate decisions