hey, guys
i'm looking for a new car and right now i'm choosing between Mazda3 2006 and VW Jetta 2006
VW price is slightly higher, but it has ABS and some other features + its safe
Mazda3-S looks decent, but i'm worried about safety issues
plus, VW comes with almost 6 years of warranty - 4 ys from VW + 24 months extected from the dealer
so, what do you think?

 

Well you're asking on a mazda site but personally I'd actually take the Jetta.

 

I made a specs page for the 3 if it will help your selection

 

I would wait for the 07 mazda 3 to come out because it will have more safety features like standard side impact airbags and available dynamic stability control and traction. I cant find the website where i found out the info but that's what i read. Also My brother had an 02 jetta 1.8t that was very nice but started giving him problems after 2 1/2 years. After the waranty was done he got rid of it. If you want a reliable car that feels like a german car i would recomend the 07 3. Also the 3 looks a lot better than the jetta. Good luck.

 

if you get a VW, sell it before its problem years. I got rid of my 1994 Jetta VR6 for my 06 Mazda S...all i can say is VWs suck the everloving life out of you....my advice is if ur guna buy the VW sell it before the warranty is up.

Another thing to consider is resale value...everyone knows VWs have strange problems - electrical / mechanical...if your looking for a car to have for a long time and want to stack on the miles, get the Mazda...if you want a more expensive car with a classy interior and is also "german engineered" (all that means is its more complicated, more expensive to fix and breaks more easily)-- get the Jetta.

And yes, im still bitter from my VW experience after spending thousands of dollars out of love for the "german" car and getting nothing in return as i sold it for pennies after the engine blew up, the ac died, the power windows stopped working. check out a consumer reports...VWs track record for reliability has been crap for the past decade and beyond...they wont have any info for this model yet i dont think because its so new but, i can pretty much gaurantee that after 10+ years that this isnt the magic year where they beat out Japanese cars for reliability and cost.

good luck

(stick with the japanese)

 

I also forgot the styling and safety changes that are goint to be made in 2007 forr the Mazda3. go with a Mazda3S and you'll be happy. I only said Jetta at first cause I thought about my friend's which I later found out is a GLi edition and the base is WAY suckier.

 

the Jetta i was looking at - has so-called Package#2 - it has power leather seats and all this stuff (ABS, stability control)
the dealer offers 24 months extended warranty over the standart one, so its close to 6 years of warranty.
Mazda3 - well, its a nice car, the only thing i did not like about it - its kinda look cheap inside. + warranty is only 4 years.
and i can not wait till 2007 model, bc i would need a new car soon
actually, speaking of VW - i was driving Passat 99 - it was a good car, except some minor repairs, which were costly and timing belt replacement - which came to ~$1K
New Jettas have a chain, so you dont have to worry about changing it.

 

yeah, everything besides the chain breaks... my vr6 had a chain too. I think for its class, the Mazda has a great interior...if you wanna see cheap interiors look at other cars in its class that are domestics...mazda did a nice job on the 3...

german cars will always have the upper hand in interiors in my opionion...you just have to weigh out everything else. For what i wanted out of my car, ill take a "cheaper" interior for longevity and peace of mind anyday over the expensive interior in the car that craps out after a few years.

*stabs knife into heart of VW, proceeds to twist*

 

Finally, I made a decision and got Mazda3i 2L with ABS and in-dash 6-CD player
So far, i really like the car, but i have a question - on my Passat i had a trip computer, which displayed fuel consumption and such.
This model has no trip computer - i was wondering, if its possible to ask a dealership to install it, bc I could not find any models in stock with a trip computer.

 

Okey, YOU MADE VERY VERY RIGHT DECISION choosing MAZDA3, why? I bought my 2006 Mazda 3s Basic 8 months ago and had NOT gone to a Dealership for anything not once. Ok, here come my Brother, who owned 2002 VW Passat for 2 years before i got my Mazda, BUT DAMN i think he has been going to VW dealership for some kind of repair at least once a month, and honestlly i loved that car when i saw at first, and 1.5 years after him owning it i TOTALLY changed my mind about VW and Porsche's, well here my Brother comes again, he sold it and told me this "This '02 Passat was Lemon and caused him lots of trouble, well, he bought VW Passat 2006, I was surprised, car looks and drives great, BUT after 4 months owning it his WINDSHIELD wiper motor got broken, well WTF its a brand new car, anyways, maybe its just PASSAT's or VW constructure, but i would never relay on VW from his lesson, as for Porsche, my parents own Cayenne S 2005, its a nice car, drive and looks hot, BUT there is always at least some kind of problem with it. we have had it for alsmot a year already, problem were not that big of a deal, but still, takes your TIME, GAS and EFFORT to deal with, problems such as rear Cup holder panel fell of just for no reason, one time suspension system freaked out and stereo didn't work "happened only once", remote keys "we have 4-5 of them made" have problems too, most of them now work 10 feet max away, right now i Do not know why but Windshield wiper fluid doesn't come out when used, anyways these are little but anoying problems once in a while, oh ya, on the drivers seat controler for seat adjustment fell off no we cannot find it, oops, here comes VW and Porsches. Good luck bud.