Agent XY

iTrader: (1)

And here I thought I was the only one.

WinningRX8Chick

Me too.... I find that if I move quick enough, I don't have to worry about shutting the door. Sometimes I don't move quick enough and end up with a bruise lol.

Congrats on the purchase!! I used to have an MS6. Torque is a wonderful thing.

Lit

Thanks for posting this. I've been thinking about moving to a 2011 speed3 myself and this info helps. Still need to go for a test drive though; and I'm sure that will be the clincher.

I have a 2004 RX-8 GT.

Reasons are (in order):

-Overall winter issues without a garage/block-heater. It seems that no matter how careful I am, at least once every year the car will not start in cold temperatures; and therefore flood; and therefore require a tow to the garage and maintenance work to deflood.
-Maintenance. The car is just in the shop way too much these days with problems (even now, I'm without it for a week waiting on parts).
-Overall space for stuff. Like someone else said, I'm afraid of wrecking the back seats so I try to put everything in the small trunk.

The counter argument is that I'm really not going to get much $ for this vehicle (althouth it has only 50k on it!) so I might as well drive it into the ground.

kokakolakid

Traded in my 2004 rx-8 (78000)(1 engine replacement)for a 2012 mazdaspeed 3....
things i miss is the seats.....the rx8 was really a comfortable car to drive... best cockpit design i had ever sat in.... the ms3 seats are fabric only option no leather. you sit so high up in them, it gives you an econobox feel.. other rx8 option i miss is the sunroof.....not available in the ms3...enjoyed cracking the top and not having the noise so close to my ears....
things i wont miss....
the ability to move my car 10 feet....or the fear of someone else moving it 10 feet....every oil change i had to explain to the technician how to properly shut the car off....or just tell them to leave it running....
i also wont miss the rx8 low torque/speed/pick up....the ms3 is so freaking fast...i dont evan bother racing people no more.. i know i will win... the ms3 is big sleeper.....others have no idea how fast my ms3 is...

ps the wife is happier with the ms3 just because she doesn't have to worry about the proper way to shut it off...

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure? cuz the last Mazdaspeed3 I tried has leather seat in them ...

and ur other non-sense, what u mean u can't move it 10 feet. I do it all the time, sometimes less, don't complain when ur car has a problem and/or you don't keep up with the maintenance.

fair thee well friend, you will NOt be missed

Orthonormal

According to MazdaUSA, the only interior option on the 2012 Mazdaspeed 3 is "black MPS leather".

Funny though, I chose not to get the leather seats or sunroof on the RX-8 because I didn't want them...

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I generally like to move up a class, not down when I get a new car. I test drove a speed 3 with my GF. Horrible, just horrible. Everything about it just felt wrong to me.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

9k, u don't get it? He got this special no leather seat ms3 that can move 10 feet and be able to torque steer all the time

I hate driving failed wheel drive cars.

kokakolakid

Maybee you my friend live in a warm stable climate, Im in Illinois we have about 2 winter months temps below freezing and 3 summer months above 86 degrees, to be more precise about 10 feet issue i mentioned ... if you start the rx8 and move it 10 feet and shut it off before the engine has reached operating temperature you will foul out your plugs (22$ a peice or 40$ at the dealership)... also you will have mixed so much gas in your oil that you loose compression.. call the tow truck time... i think this issue is more pronounced in the winter.... i not hear to trash on the RX8's i just stateing problems i had with mine.. i truley was a uniquely designed car and a comfort to drive... but it had issues....

kokakolakid

i admitt the MazdaSpeed3 has considerable torque steer.... for the life of me i cant find a MazdaSpeed3 with ALL LEATHER SEATS, they have a leather / upholstery mix.... the Mazda 3 has all leather and a sunroof option as well....speed3 has no sunroof option....

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

Thread is old but at least he stayed within the Mazda family.

Ms3 isn't really a sports car, just an overall more practical car with sport features, If it was AWD, I would have bought one when I sold my first 8.

monchie

If I would buy another Mazda, it would be a MazdaSpeed3.

Mr_Pieper

I had a choice between the 2 and my wife still yells at me for not getting the hatchback 2 years later. The torque steer shooting out of a slow corner drove me nuts and put a little bit of panic into the back of my head. The main purpose of my car is to occasionally pick the kid up from daycare and flog the nice windy hills present in the backroads around here. The 8 made me more confident.

jtspells

iTrader: (1)

Coming from an 08 MS3 to a 10 RX8 my best advise is these 4 things....


1) Rear motor mount (StreetUnit.com - Premier MAZDASPEED Performance Specialists is the best mazdaspeed 3/6/protege source out there)

2) TWM STS W/solid bushings

3) COBB access port

4) Intake

This makes the car wake up in so many ways its insane, still miss it at times but i had to move on to something that was more at home on the track.

Stobor

For anyone who has seen the movie Christine, that is how I feel every time the door slams back in my face.

Its like she doesn't want me to leave her.