WTF is wrong with mazda??

[Digitalfiend]

Originally posted by dukmahsik
I'd rather buy the 3 than a civic anyday.

When we were looking for a daily driver for the wife, we test drove a Protege and while it was fun we really disliked the leg room. I kept catching my shoe on the brake pedal while trying to use the clutch. I got to think about safety and, sure enough, the Protege had average ratings for leg/feet safety. The Civic was just an all around better car, at the time (Oct 2003.)

Still, when I saw the adds for the 3s I was like "aww damn" should have waited. The 3 certainly looks nicer than a Civic.

So which car do you think has better handling and overall performance: a S2000 or a MS Miata?

[stevebennett]

Hey DTR Maxima, Nissan isn't gonna do turbo. They said the next Spec V will have 250+ hp and torque

[ounkny]

I was thinking $25K for the MS Miata was a pretty good deal, not a rip-off. The base MSRP for the Miata is right at $22,000, so the premium for the MS is only about $3000. I know some people will think they could buy the base, get an aftermarket turbo and have a little more power for their $25,000 than they get from MS. But the MS also comes with a sport suspension and a 6-speed instead of the base 5-speed. I don't think you can upgrade your suspension, get a turbo kit, and do a 6-speed swap on a base Miata for just $3000, and if you did you wouldn't have that nice warranty anymore when you blow out the headgasket on the otherwise stock base motor. Heck, the last couple years LS model has cost over $25K and hasn't had anymore HP than the base Miata.

I agree, and I think this is the general consensus from the automotive press. The Mazdaspeed Miata is a great value even when compared to what that extra money can buy in the aftermarket (e.g. a flyinmiata turbo kit). The real question is whether the car will be reliable. Although the Mazdaspeed Protege did not have any major problems, it had a whole slew of minor problems that have left many owners pissed off. Two examples are the ever-famous "hesitation" and the "clunk" from bad rear swaybar bushings.

Another problem with the MS Miata is that it's supposed to have a pretty harsh ride. A short wheelbase with a stiff suspension does not result in a smooth ride. While the base miata's ride is supposed to be okay, the MS one is supposedly bad across highway expansion joints, according to some magazine reviews.

Will that deter buyers? Nope.

[iup200]

Originally posted by subineer
Yeah but the 3's are kinda cool for the money.
No they arent fast, so what?? who cares! They are pretty cool.

yea, the 3's are kida cool...thats what my second car is...I got a red sedan, with the sports package...(cheep body kit, 17's, and fog lights).

that handle pretty well...and from 25 to 60 kinda quick....and for $19867.06 out the door...not a bad deal.

and they are WAYYYYYYYYY better than a Civic.

[tela_pan]

Originally posted by BobbyD
that must have been a curvy track for you to beat a 600hp viper cause if there are any straights...its game over.

yeah AutoX = almost no straights and yes i know on a track my arse would have been handed too me.

[Zen S14]

Originally posted by Jerm95gt04WRX
i agree with you but it is odd that those cars that declined in sales are now much more sought after, like the supra tt, rx7 tt, 300zx

That's because they have dropped in value since when they are new. People still would not want to pay $60K for a Supra or $40K for a Rx7. But $20K-30K I think people are still willing to own one of those cars.

This just confirms that the prices of these cars got too high. If they were selling them at the prices we see the Rx8 at, then they would never have gone out.

[RayfieldsWRX]

Originally posted by Zen S14
That's because they have dropped in value since when they are new. People still would not want to pay $60K for a Supra or $40K for a Rx7. But $20K-30K I think people are still willing to own one of those cars.

Err, I'm just working from memory here, but I don't recall the Supra ever getting to $60K. I test drove a 300Z TwinTurbo in '91, and the salesman was trying for $34,000. The Supra was a little more, maybe a tick over $40K if I remember correctly. I'm no Supra expert; I could be wrong...

At the end of the day, you're right. The prices got higher than the market would bear for those cars at that time.

[WRXreX]

I own both Miata and WRX...

If I were to pick a car to take to autoX, Miata would be my choice. Sure, WRX is more powerful and fast, but Miata is so much more fun to drive. RWD and super light weight... what more can you ask?

[PPMotorsports]

Mazda is doing just fine, the turbo is coming. You want to see bad, take a look at Mitsubishi! That's a bad way to go.

-Jim

[ounkny]

I agree that Mazda is doing fine and I feel they're better off today than before they introduced the 3, 6, and RX-8.

One good thing about the Mazdaspeed cars is that they do come with the factory warranty on the tuner parts. Some people don't have time, or a garage, to be constantly updating their car, and it's nice to have a package that's ready to go from the factory and that mechanics will know how to fix because there are factory specs.

However, i also feel they kind of bumbled the Mazdaspeed Protege. I don't own one, but I've read the forum at www.msprotege.com for a while now and there are too many issues with that car, considering how few problems the regular NA Protege had.

I hope the Mazdaspeed Miata does not have the same problem, but only time will tell. It takes a few months, sometimes a year to realize what known issues there are.

[PPMotorsports]

Originally posted by ounkny
I hope the Mazdaspeed Miata does not have the same problem, but only time will tell. It takes a few months, sometimes a year to realize what known issues there are.

Isn't the Mazdaspeed Miata going to feature the Renesis engine? If so, I don't forsee any issues with it.

-Jim

[DTR rex]

Originally posted by stevebennett
Hey DTR Maxima, Nissan isn't gonna do turbo. They said the next Spec V will have 250+ hp and torque

thats interesting. 250 from that car would be nuts. thats got to be low 14's if its running some type of lsd. i still think the turbo would be better... i really want to nissan to come out with a turbo 4door for cheap... i really love nissan it just seems they are falling away from sporty roots. the maxima and altima are huge and the 350z is quite expensive..
SE-R is nice, but kinda slow, and needs sleaker looks. if nissan introduced an awd turbo car, i would more than likely forsure buy it.
that 250hp SE-R is interesting, but when i am buying a new car i still think i would take wrx as top choice over it. its awd and ser interior sucks and doesnt get much traction.

Originally posted by Digitalfiend


So which car do you think has better handling and overall performance: a S2000 or a MS Miata?

the MS miata will def. handle better. but for the money, I think the s2000 is a much better car. the new 04's are running high 13's with impecable handling and are probably the sexiest car on the road for under 35k with a hard top
s2000 gets my vote for sure

[Ponm]

I think mazda has some of the best stock chassis set up of any manufacture. The new ms miata will be a great car and an even better auto-x car. Unforantely, the car is overpriced by about 5 grand. Sell it for 20K-22K and I bet they couldn't keep it on the showroom.

[snowcat]

Originally posted by stevebennett
Hey DTR Maxima, Nissan isn't gonna do turbo. They said the next Spec V will have 250+ hp and torque

They didn't do turbo. Lol, 250 hp from NA 4-banger from Nissan? Try 175 hp and check out their web site.

-snowcat

[DTR rex]

Originally posted by snowcat
They didn't do turbo. Lol, 250 hp from NA 4-banger from Nissan? Try 175 hp and check out their web site.

-snowcat

he said the NEXT spec V is supposed to produce those numbers..
but i am very scepticle about that. the car is running mid 15's as is with 175hp. if you bump that to 250 that an extra 75hp
the car will easily be running lower 14's and i dont see nissan doing that, especially from an N/A 4 cylinder. it would be cool though. but without boost... i dont see it happening. maybe a bump to 200hp