Hello,

Don't flame me too hard but I drive an 03 GTI 20th Anniversary at the moment, this is my third GTI. I love the car but I think it's time to try something else. German cars seem to have way to many quirks and moodswings for me latelyand the price of fixing it is getting pretty steep. WellI was at our local Mazda dealership the other dayand the Mazda Speed 3 caught my eye. I didn't get a chance to drive one but I will definitely go back to. I looked up a few numbers and the hp and torque numbers really impressed me. Does anyone on here have one that can tell me things to look for. This one was a black certified preowned 2007 with 8,000 miles on it. Their asking 21,000. I really liked the look of the interior but I didn't get a chance to check out the Mazda Speed 6 either. Would it be better to pay the extra 2-3k for the Speed6? Have there been many recalls on them yet? Do they have decent aftermarket parts for them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Does both the Speed 3 and 6 both hasve lsd?


Thanks,

Jason

 

Speed3 has lsd, not sure on the Speed6, but the Speed6 is AWD.

Both are very cool....Not sure how much need there really is to tune them up much either. Both are in the 5-6 sec 0-60 range stock.

 

I drove my brother's 07 GTI and it was very nice. The car was quick, agile, and solid. Felt like my 3 but turbo'd up. I test drove a speed3, and it felt very much the same, exceptit wasmuch faster,and the clutch was a lot different.I'd go with the speed3 not only because it's faster, but the 3 comes with more features for less than what a GTI costs. Also, the repair costs will be significantly cheaper, and the trips to the mechanic will be lower too. They stopped making the speed6, and if a dealer hasone on their lot, they will gladly accept an offer to get rid of it. You might end up with a better deal and a new car, or finance a used car. It depends on what you get the dealer down to. So if you choose between a speed6 or 3, you definitley wont regret your selection. Hope I've helped and Good luck.

 

Icompletely agree w/Lev... and SST too. Good advice. German cars have gone up in price and cost of ownership while their performance, ammenities and reliability have all gone down... And I used to work on/with BMW's!!
I hate to say it, but the Japanese have the auto industry down for today's standards, and while Mazda dealers may be lacking, their cars are not.
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