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Mazdaspeed3 vs. VW V GTI vs. Civic Si - READ ONLY

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA3, Volkswagen GTI, Honda Civic, Car Comparisons, Coupe, Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 64 of 138

#630 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [fasterthanyou] by thegraduate

Jan 29, 2007 (5:57 pm)

Replying to: fasterthanyou (Jan 29, 2007 2:02 pm)
2 Gas mileage is WAY better than the 4 cylinder Accord which gives EPA ratings of 23(city) and 34(highway) but gets way under (18-19 city).
 
Not really sure where you pulled those numbers from.
 
A manual Accord has EPA numbers of 26/34, an Automatic has 24/34. I've never achieved under 26 MPG in my Accord (I4 Automatic), and I don't drive only freeway (usually on a suburban commute into Birmingham, Alabama - a city of about 1/2 million people, so traffic is dense enough. Usually, Im around 29 MPG, with upper 30s on trips.
 
3 Turbo engines need synthetic oil for best performance but everybody knows that you don't need to change as often as you would change a regular one. VW recommends every 10,000 miles.
 
Interesting, but not something to write home about. our 2005 Accord needed oil changes every 10,000 miles on regular Dino Juice, not synthetic (Just saying it since you keep referencing Accord 4-cylinder's for some odd reason). $20 every 10k for oil changes.
 
Anyway, don't settle for some garbage like Civic or Accord. I had cars from Subaru STI to Cadillac. I can tell there is nothing worse than owning a Honda or Toyota. Have you ever seen a happy person driving one of these. Reserve owning Hondas for when life feels meaningless to you.
 
geez, I'm a happy Honda owner (of a 1996 with 170k miles and a 2006 that I'm just getting started in with 16k miles). You make it sound like I should be contemplating suicide with comments like "drive a Honda when life feels meaningless..."
 
Kill the dramatics and worthless comments like this. They knock your own credibility, and make finding the actual good points in your posts hard. "That GTI is complete garbage." See how smart I sounded by saying such a thing?

#631 of 1379 Gas Mileage/Insurance by turbotorque

Jan 29, 2007 (8:16 pm)

While I don't (yet) own a GTI, I do drive a Passat which basically has the same engine/mileage ratings as the GTI.
 
In my 8+ years experience as a Passat owner, I'd say I get under the EPA city estimate, and well over the highway estimate. If there's no traffic, and I can hit the cruise control to 70 to 75 mph, I easily get 35 mpg on the highway.
 
In bumper to bumper city driving, mileage is usually around 17 to 18 mpg... but that's with fairly aggressive low gear stick shift driving...
 
As for insurance, I KNOW the GTI is expensive to insure, because my auto insurer allows you to do online quotes... I basically input same driver, same policy, but switch around the insured car. GTI is $410 more a year than my current car... the jump might be even much higher than that for a teen.
 
The Audi A3, which is more expensive, is actually cheaper to insured... gives you an idea what kids wrecking their cars will do to insurance prices!

#632 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [fasterthanyou] by gogiboy

Jan 30, 2007 (11:17 am)

Replying to: fasterthanyou (Jan 29, 2007 2:02 pm)
"1 Hondas have higher insurance rates than VW. I own a GTI and the insurance rate is not higher than for a regular Accord. That's probably because you have a lot more safety features in the VW."
 
You really shouldn't make such blanket statements. I just got quotes on the VW GTI 4 door, Mazdaspeed3, Civic SI sedan and Acura TSX. My insurer ( a mainstream company) put the GTI at the tope. It was $20/year more than the Mazdaspeed $70/year more than the Civic SI and $170/year more than the TSX. Now, you may not find that significant, but it does--in my case--make the VW the most to insure. My insurer significantly bumps up anything with a turbo and that trumps any safety features included on the VW.
 
"I had cars from Subaru STI to Cadillac. I can tell there is nothing worse than owning a Honda or Toyota. Have you ever seen a happy person driving one of these. Reserve owning Hondas for when life feels meaningless to you."
 
So that makes you some kind of expert? I owned a VW and enjoyed driving it when it wasn't in the shop. This forum and others are replete with consumer complaints about their VWs--try checking out carreview.com I have nothing against VW, I think their cars are exciting to drive, but for me the biggest excitement was always whether I was going to have problems that day or the next. Also, everything, in the admittedly nice interior, eventually broke--knobs, handles, mirror, headliner, wiper stalk, etc. Conversely, I have never had a bit of trouble with my Honda or Toyotas. You can say it's anecdotal, but, then so are your experiences. I have also enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of my 1992 Toyota MR2 and friend's 1985 Toyota Supra so your generalization about who's happy driving what is just that, a generalization.
 
Finally, no adult with any sense should be advising a 17 year old to get a car like the GTI--especially a 17 year old who has stated that he has a lead foot-- even if he's getting it for free and/or someone is paying all the insurance and other fees. It's just plain irresponsible.
 
Gogiboy

#633 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [gogiboy] by thegraduate

Jan 30, 2007 (1:42 pm)

Replying to: gogiboy (Jan 30, 2007 11:17 am)
Very well said, respectful, and all-around good post.

#634 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [fasterthanyou] by aviboy97

Jan 31, 2007 (9:46 am)

Replying to: fasterthanyou (Jan 29, 2007 2:02 pm)
Reliability for VW is better than for newer American built Honda's(known as rattle traps and needing new transmissions at 50000 miles.).
 
Honda has had to deal with tranny issues, mainly in their V6 models. However, the engine's and trannys are still built in Japan, and shipped over here to be placed in the vehicles.
 
So, you would say the Mexican built VW's are more reliable then the American built Honda's?
 
We should keep in mind here, we are comparing the GTI, Mazdaspeed3 and Civic Si, not Honda, VW, and Mazda.

#635 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [aviboy97] by blueguydotcom

Jan 31, 2007 (10:10 am)

Replying to: aviboy97 (Jan 31, 2007 9:46 am)
This started with a 17 year old kid asking if he should get a GTI. We suggested alternatives that are cheaper, more reliable and far better suited to an inexperienced driver.

#636 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [aviboy97] by fasterthanyou

Jan 31, 2007 (10:41 am)

Replying to: aviboy97 (Jan 29, 2007 2:45 pm)
I don't have anything against Mazda. I owned Mazda before and contrary to what most of the people think here, that Mazda means Ford quality(another prove of lack of education when it comes to cars), I actually believe is a great car. But, not when you compare it with a VW. Even if VW has a bad reputation in America doesn't mean that is still not the best seller in its segment, in Europe. There, the Honda SI and Mazdaspeed 3 are still not considered interesting even if they cost several thousands dollars less.
Mazdaspeed 3 is a fast car but only when you smash the pedal. It is not responsive in normal driving and it feels downright slow. The power comes suddenly (after the huge turbo lag) between 3000 and 4500 and then it feels like the turbo gave up on you. It is a weird car. It feels like is put together by a group of enthusiast in a garage. They dropped a turbo and some bigger brakes, and some "aftermarket" suspension. This car just doesn't come together as a whole. If you want a track car like I said you get a Subaru but if you want a hatchback born in the top of its class, GTI is the only way to go. This is what the entire international auto industry believes and some editor from Eadmund's is not going to change that.
Honda SI the American version is downright pathetic. That is a choice only if you fall for the words "It's a Honda".

#637 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [blueguydotcom] by fasterthanyou

Jan 31, 2007 (10:59 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Jan 29, 2007 2:49 pm)
" Fun? If he wants fun get a j-o-b."
 
This is what I was talking about. I mean how predictable is for a guy that bashes VW and recommends a Honda to say something like that? 100%.
 Loosen up..get a VW GTI, maybe you will learn how to smile.
 
A VW poorly made? You probably never sat foot in a VW your entire life.
After a comment like that is hard for anybody to take what you say seriously.

#638 of 1379 Re: should i buy this car [blueguydotcom] by fasterthanyou

Jan 31, 2007 (11:10 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Jan 31, 2007 10:10 am)
"This started with a 17 year old kid asking if he should get a GTI. We suggested alternatives that are cheaper, more reliable and far better suited to an inexperienced driver. "
 
You didn't suggested alternatives. You want him to join a crowd of zombies that think Consumer Reports is the Bible.
The only better alternative for a 17 year old that thinks driving is more than having a phone in the left hand and a hamburger in the other hand is a car like VW Rabbit. Hondas, Toyotas are never a good start. Let's give him hope, not brake his spirit.

#639 of 1379 Re: daily driver [thegraduate] by eldaino

Jan 31, 2007 (11:26 am)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jan 26, 2007 9:19 pm)
probably alot. I remember that a while back i was in the market for a tc and considered this option. It was pretty dang expensive. To the point where the value in the tc was lost in favor of a more expensive vehicle if i was going to pay that much!

Messages Page 64 of 138

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