speed3 opinions for a prospective buyer
 

Hey guys, I'm new and id like to know what your experiences are.
I currently own a scion tc and I'm in the need for a 4 door.

I'm thinking about a civic si sedan or a speed3 or a cobalt turbo 4dr.

Wife and I might have kid in a year or two so the extra doors will come in handy.


My concerns:

Cobalt ss
Pros: Awesome engine and handling. Cheap price. Buying American.
Cons: crap interior. Resale might suck.

Civic SI
Pros: awesome engine. Nice interior. Good resale.
Cons: 3rd gear pop (still an issue?) Likely to get stolen. Weakest engine in the 3.

Speed3
Pros: power house engine. Handling. Wagon perfect for family.
Cons: engine concerns. I've read reports of many owners with turbo and seal issues, I've seen many with black soot out the tailpipe.


So far I'm torn between the sp3 and the si.

What do you guys think?

I personally would avoid the Civic Si, that is, if you don't want to be mistaken for a 17 year old high school kid. No offense to Honda (they have built great cars), but the Si can't compete with the other cars in its category. 197HP is a bit weak, but it's the nonexistent TQ that kills the Si for me.

Now, for me, it would boil down to the Cobalt SS and the Mazdaspeed3. Here's how that goes:

The Speed3 needs a computer to limit TQ in its first two gears. To me, that says that it's too powerful for FWD. However, the Speed3 has been picked as the best cheap sports car by nearly everyone since it was born. The Speed3 is beautiful, and has the functionality of a hatchback in addition to all the joyful driving characteristics.

The Cobalt SS: Well, this comes down to which you're buying, S/C or T/C. However, you said a 4door version...which, IIRC, is just being made now. So turbo it is. Now, I've read a lot about the Cobalt SS. It's just about the best handling FWD car out there, as evident in its Nurburgring lap time (again, IIRC, it was better than the Speed3's). You do get the benefit, albeit maybe only sentimental, of buying American. I don't think the resale would kill you; even the original S/C Cobalt SS had a good resale value. Combine that with how good Chevy's been doing the past two years, and I see the SS keeping up with the Speed3 in resale. Aesthetics? I personally really like all of Chevy's new interiors...they felt much more well made than mine (I have an '04 Chevy). I also like the look of the Cobalt...even though people tell me it looks like an old-fashioned Cavalier.

Really though, you gotta drive all of these cars for yourself. I don't think you'll be going with the Honda though...between the race-boy looks, price (higher than either the SS or Speed3), and the power...once you drive one of the turbo cars, the Si will just feel lethargic.

Good luck in whatever you pick. :-)

Thanks for the response vb.

Yeah I don't think the si is all that.

They're not that quick. I raced a couple in my tc and I'm pretty much even with them until we hit around 50mph where my engine runs out of breathe and I get passed.


My real concern about the speed3 is the oil burning issue. I had a dsm years ago that had heavy soot and 20,000 miles later the turbo was shot.

I'm really leaning towards the cobalt. Chevy has a 2,500 rebate going on right now. If they have a killed apr deal and they give me a decent price for my trade in I might get that. But you are right I should test drive it first.

As for the cobalt turbo, I've seen nothing about oil burning. So far that engine has been stellar.

Well, I know more about the Cobalt's Ecotech than I do about the Speed3's power plant...

All I can say is that the 2.0T in the Cobalt has proven itself in the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline/Astra VXR(UK).

I called my local mazda dealer and they have 9 speed3 in stock and from the sound of the dealer's voice they're willing to negotiate... big time.

I called 5 chevy dealers and only one had a cobalt ss 4dr. I asked the guy if they're negotiable and he was honest enough to tell me, no. The 4d ss are hard to find and that they have a $2,000 mark up on top of msrp. He says they don't last more than 2 days on the lot despite the economy. He did mention they had 4 of the 2dr ss but I need a 4dr. I guess I'll be visiting a mazda dealer to test drive.

However I won't buy it until I get to test drive the cobalt ss atleast.

I thought about the caliber srt. Anyone drove one of those?

They're a nightmare to drive. Way too much power, high ride height, crap suspension. Ugly as sin as well. Pass that one up.

I have a little over 9k on my Speed3 with no turbo or seal issues. I believe the black soot is not oil burning but from what I have read is that the enginge burns rich which causes the black soot. Note that the soot easily comes off.

I would pass on the Si as it is far down the power and performance scale than the other two.

That being said, I've owned both a 2009 cobalt ss (coupe) and (now) a 2009 MS3 GT.

The cobalt is great. The 4 door has a good amount of room, is very quick and handles like a beast! The interior leaves a little something to be craved but the seats are very bolstered. A little more than the MS3's seats.

The MS3 is great also! The 4 door hatchback has it's definite advantages and can easily fit a lot of stuff. It is quicker, but definitely doesn't have the finesse in the corners as much as the cobalt does. The DSC is better at controlling wheel spin compared to the cobalt's TC system. And my cobalt even had LSD which still didn't help much.

It just depends on what you're wanting and how much you want to spend. I like the MS3's exhaust tone more also, but that's just one of the reasons I switched.

If you want a good blend, you can't go wrong with a GTI. I always think of the Speed 3 as a GTI with more power.

I think this is the last year for the Cobalt, you might want to wait for the Cruze...that said, it might not be as good mechanical wise or as fast.

Civic Si will probably never break on you, no turbo to replace...then again, there is that whole teenager feel to it. Edgy, good tranny.

What about the WRX 265? Did you check that out? AWD is always nice in a pinch, you can go to the beach, or the north pole... ;P

Si, good tranny. Um, nope lol. Go read up about their great 3rd gear. You'll have second thoughts.

The MS3's turbo won't crap on you either if you're not running around like a street racer all the time. Drive it responsibly, take care of it, and it'll take care of you. Or buy a tuner and get it tuned well so it doesn't run rich from the factory.

WRX also has major transmission issues. Other than that, not bad.