The 2.0 liter has plenty of power and torque, as it's about 400 # lighter than our jetta with 236 ft lb of torque and same hp. However, to get the lighter colored interior, we had to go to the sGrandTouring trim. It also gave us the equipment we wanted. Also, my wife was getting sick from the hot air's effect on all the plastic in the lesser models.

Here's a story of our pursuit:

We’ve reserved a Mazda3. Only trouble is it’s up in Butler, Pa north of Pittsburgh. Think we’ll end up renting a car next week and one waying it from here. This is unless a couple friends who go up there frequently decide to change their minds.

I couldn’t believe the numbskulls at Flow Mazda this morning. I had to go back there to retrieve my cell phone I’d left there (first time I’d ever left it anywhere). Guess I had it out checking the time (my watch now) since we had the BMW drive next at a certain time. (The Mazda was better.)

Told him I’d found one on Autotrader in Butler, Pa and wondered whether they do a trade. Went out about how to do it. He said they drive the trade up and the other back. I said I guess I could hire out to do that. Told him about the one in Butler, Pa. He said that doesn’t mean that it’s there.

Well, he frittered and farted about on his computer. Said they could put us in a Mazda6 and retrofit it with heated seats (cannot get factory heated seats on the 6 unless one goes with automatic). Told him I preferred factory built. (Later search revealed no Mazda6s with manual, just as I found on Autotrader; guess he did that to try to sell me on the heated seat retro again.)

Then later he said he was waiting for another guy who could do the search. He ended up just letting me sit while he disappeared. I finally looked around and saw him across the room and went over there. Another guy was doing a search on some site I guess they had to use, not Autotrader. He said there were none in the whole Atlantic coast area.

I left and immediately went onto Autotrader again and then onto the dealer’s site again to verify. Then called the dealer. I got the nicest guy who says he’d call me back after checking inventory. He called back in about a minute and said it was there. Said, yes, they had the Soul Red Mazda3 manual in sGrandTouring trim (that has practically everything you can get except for the collision avoidance package that isn’t available in a manual shift car).

Ralph