Pros and cons for a new (to me) car(s)

[EvoFire]

So I am in the market for a new car. Yes these threads get started every other day but I really want some feedback from more people.

What I am looking at right now is between a 2011 Mazdaspeed3 or 05/06 RSX Type S. Somewhere in the really far off distance is a 04 Civic Sir EP3. These are all being used a daily drivers. I drive around 20,000km a year, probably going to be less now that I am graduating.

Let me write down what I know and the impressions, and some of you guys can perhaps help me fill out a few more things about it that I missed.

MS3:
Pros
- Brand new car
- Big HP
- Hatchback practicality (to an extent... back seats are abysmally small)
- 0% finance or lease (lease is a really good deal)
- I like the interior (subjective)
- Warranty

Cons
- Questionable turbo modding reliability
- turbo motor just isn't a long living as NA motors
- not sure how much insurance is (haven't had time to hit up the autoplan yet)
- Brand new car = big price tag
- Smiley face
- Weird clutch
- No sunroof
- No leather
- No water temp gauge
- Seats not spectacular, hate the stupid fabric

RSX DC5-S
Pros
- Big modding potential
- Easy to drive
- Leather seats
- Decent used market
- K20 is great! (No I am not a VTEC fanboy)
- HUGE trunk
- Used car = much cheaper
- Less potential reliability headaches
- No car payments

Cons
- Insurance
- Despite having good modding potential, it starts with a 60hp deficit
- Horror stories of 2nd and 3rd gear
- Cop magnet Its not too bad so Twitchyzero says
- two doors only
- Crappy stereo
- Hard to find a good one (high mileage, accident history, too many mods to count)
- Wear and tear of at least 80,000km (what I see on the market at least)


Somewhere down there is an EP3. A coworker is selling his to me cheap, has a funny and unfortunate $13,000 accident. The car got ran over by a truck when it was parked on the street. No frame damage, but 160,000km, lots of highway. Just had everything done, such as bushings etc. What applies to the RSX pretty much applies here too, but less 40hp.

Also, going to try and NOT mod them. Yeah right..... LOL

[roastpuff]

I'd get the MS3. The RSX has had it's heyday... but it's a bit old now, and like you said, at least 80k on it, and the insurance...

The new MS3 comes with a lot of stuff stock, has good potential as long as you mod SMART and SAFE. Turbo motors are the wave of the future.

[DiiCii]

i like how you did the majority of the research yourself, rather than just posting here looking for answers that're either obvious or simple to find.

perhaps get a test drive in all cars you are interested in? but personally, if i had the money, i'd go with the mazda 3 as it is boosted and more sportier i think the smiley face will grow on you at one point. it's one of those things where you get so used to it, you don't notice it anymore or it doesn't bother you as much? LOL. same goes for my front end on my car too. i used to hate it but then it grew on me

good luck with your decisions, looking forward to seeing either one of these cars at meets! or all 3

[donjalapeno]

id get MS3

[S1 S2]

Speed3.

[twitchyzero]

wow someone did their homework for once
05/06 RSX-S isn't a cop magnet imo...maybe if you are rocking a mugen spoiler

[mb_]

+1 for MS3! I don't mind the LOL face now, I kinda actually like it

[optiblue]

If I were you, I would just get a type-r.
Posted via RS Mobile

[Ferra]

Fuck mazada3
their zoom zoom commercials used to get on my nerve lol

DC5-S all the way
much more aggressive and sporty looking, and more fun to drive...
MS3 looks like an eco-box in comparison

DC5 is very reliable from my experience as well....I had a RSX-P for 7 years with 180,000km+, and I had literally 0 repair on the car (beside wear items such brake & rotors) I was still on the original clutch at 180k
I didn't have any problem with the 1st/2nd/3rd gear grind some people complain about as well

Crappy Stereo? I thought the bose 6-disc stereo with sub isn't too bad?

Only complain is the leather quality....mine started showing cracks after 150k....but I heard they upgraded the leather quality on the 04/05 models.

[Shorn]

no rwd?

[1exotic]

Originally Posted by Shorn

no rwd?

yeah, rwd or awd.

I never understood why peope mod fwd cars (engine mods).

[Jermyzy]

Originally Posted by Ferra

DC5 is very reliable from my experience as well....I had a RSX-P for 7 years with 180,000km+, and I had literally 0 repair on the car (beside wear items such brake & rotors) I was still on the original clutch at 180k
I didn't have any problem with the 1st/2nd/3rd gear grind some people complain about as well

Crappy Stereo? I thought the bose 6-disc stereo with sub isn't too bad?

Only complain is the leather quality....mine started showing cracks after 150k....but I heard they upgraded the leather quality on the 04/05 models.

I've had opposite experience. I had to replace oxygen sensor, power window on passenger side broke, had to replace driver seatbelt (SRS light), VTEC solenoid CEL. And yes, my leather cracked after first few years.

[FerrariEnzo]

The added useable space from the MazdaSpeed 3 will come in handy, should you need it in the future... fold down the seats and you can fit your Beer Fridge in.. haha... or put down the back seats and get comfy with the a girl with the leg room......

unless you have money to buy the car.. the 0% finance or lease is huge.. save you a few thousand in interest...

[RabidRat]

How cheap can you get the EP3 for? If it's ridiculously cheap, swap in a K20A2 with relatively low kms and it'd be all the advantages of the RSX-S except you have 5 seats instead of 4, and without the crazy insurance rate.

Otherwise, I'd say RSX-S.

Total up the total lease payments over the lease term. Let's say you're leasing 3 years.

Now compare this to the scenario where you buy the RSX-S, then sell it back off 3 years later.

Will you enjoy the MS3 [dollar amount difference] more than the RSX-S? Something to think about.

[EvoFire]

Seems like its overwhelmingly for the MS3. Yes I did my homework, I've been doing it for the last year or so but suddenly its a good time to pull the trigger. I almost bought a MS3 last year but no sunroof and leather options ultimately kept me from buying it. Not to mention financially I wasn't as stable. I bussed a lot last year and suddenly those must-have options doesn't matter as much anymore, but it would be nice to have. Also part of the reason I'm switching is because of gas; I drive a SUV right now and gas is just way too much. I figure I'd come out on top even with a MS3.

There is one thing I forgot to mention, the RSX-S would mean no payments but I have maintenance costs while the MS3 will have payments but also has a warranty. Its a bit of a throw between the two.

DiiCii: I test drove the MS3 twice last year and once this year. I love the power, but the clutch still irks me. Something to get used to. I test drove two RSX-S in the last week. It is VERY easy to drive and has all the options I want except for steering wheel volume controls. Decision will be made in the next 2 weeks or so.

Ferra: I am glad you love you car and happy that it has given you no problems. I don't think the 5sp in the Premium had the 3rd gear problem, but alas I am not too familiar with it so I can't say for sure. And yes I thought the stereo sucked. I think the base stereo in my Toyota does a better job than the Bose in the Type-S did. I do however agree with you in that the Acura is probably more reliable than the MS3, even with more mileage on it.

Shorn & 1exotic: Who doesn't want a a RWD or AWD car? I do myself too but there isn't much on the market that interests me right now. Either I can afford it and I don't want it, or I want it and can't afford it. On top of that, most RWD or AWD cars use a lot more gas.
The cheapest new RWD car right now is the Genesis Coupe, but my dad has one already, I don't want it. Past that it would be 240SX which are crap, or 350Z, which I don't want. Gas on any VQ35/37 engine is ridiculous. No Euros for me. No muscle cars either please.
In the AWD camp, there are Evo's which cost too much. And then there are STi's which cost too much. In between are the Ralliarts and WRX which I am not interested in. I do want a Subaru Legacy Spec B, can't find a decent one and costs way too much anyways. Or a MS6..... Again not interested in Euros.


In a perfect world, I would win next weeks Lotto Max and buy a Jeep Mojave as winter beater, and have a C63/E39 M5/CTS-V as summer car.

Keep them coming guys, I want to hear more. And if anyone knows how much insurance the MS3 is, post please!

[jmanhas]

how about the firstgen mazdaspeed3?
those are actually quite affordable now, and looks better than the second gen
but ya the speed3's are actually very fun to drive, great on gas (averaging 9.5L/100km city driving), tons of torque, and very convenient compared to a 2door coupe.

[jmanhas]

insurance for my first gen speed3 is costs me approximately 240/month taxes in (with 15% discount I believe)
gas i pay approximately 65$ for a full tank, which gives me 430-480 km's depending on how much spirited driving i do

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by jmanhas

how about the firstgen mazdaspeed3?
those are actually quite affordable now, and looks better than the second gen
but ya the speed3's are actually very fun to drive, great on gas (averaging 9.5L/100km city driving), tons of torque, and very convenient compared to a 2door coupe.

I PM'ed you about the trade, no reply

[PuYang]

have you considered a Golf GTI? FWD, turbo, roughly the same cost as MS3. judging from reviews, its supposedly quite reliable and well built. It also has nice interior, with nice materials.

[Volvo-brickster]

MS3: Con:

No water temp guage

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by PuYang

have you considered a Golf GTI? FWD, turbo, roughly the same cost as MS3. judging from reviews, its supposedly quite reliable and well built. It also has nice interior, with nice materials.

Looked into it, will cost a lot more than MS3 because of the interest rate. But yes its nicer.

Originally Posted by Volvo-brickster

MS3: Con:

No water temp guage

That is a con, but then again... new car water temp gauges don't do much other than tell you if its cold, or operating temperature.

[heleu]

In terms of mods, are you talking about engine...or other?

The mazdaspeed3 is going to be way cheaper to mod in terms of $/HP. I vote Mazdaspeed3 - in the long term, you'll want a 4 door.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by FerrariEnzo

The added useable space from the MazdaSpeed 3 will come in handy, should you need it in the future... fold down the seats and you can fit your Beer Fridge in.. haha... or put down the back seats and get comfy with the a girl with the leg room......

unless you have money to buy the car.. the 0% finance or lease is huge.. save you a few thousand in interest...

Rather keep things in bed LOL, but yes the 0% is the big draw right now. 263hp helps too

Originally Posted by RabidRat

How cheap can you get the EP3 for? If it's ridiculously cheap, swap in a K20A2 with relatively low kms and it'd be all the advantages of the RSX-S except you have 5 seats instead of 4, and without the crazy insurance rate.

Otherwise, I'd say RSX-S.

Total up the total lease payments over the lease term. Let's say you're leasing 3 years.

Now compare this to the scenario where you buy the RSX-S, then sell it back off 3 years later.

Will you enjoy the MS3 [dollar amount difference] more than the RSX-S? Something to think about.

Good points, did that already. lease payments are around 13k. If I sell the RSX in 3 years it'd probably be worth around 6-7k, so the RSX would have cost me 5k repairs not withstanding.

The second thing about the MS3 is the total of lease payments and residual is lower than the actual price of the car.

[nns]

Maybe these will help:

[bloodmack]

don't lease a ms3 man... leasing is such a fuckin rip off. I'd rather get the RSX, saving money to spend on the rsx. There's no such thing as an outdated car or we wouldn't be adoring the mid 90's nissans we all know and love.