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Sedans Honda Civic Honda Civic vs Mazda3
1333 messages, Last post on Jun 06, 2008 at 5:37 PM
You are in the Honda Civic Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: eldaino (Jun 15, 2007 6:46 am) Why do you think you'd take a hit on the trade? The resale value is very strong. As an example, my 2006 3s Touring (stick) with 28K miles has a Kbb trade in value of $13,235 for good and $14,175 for Excellent (mine is probably in between). Edmunds is a little lower. I paid $16,700 in October of 05. I think that's very good I understand the prepaid maintenance being an issue, though |
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Considering both the Civic EX manual coupe and the Mazda 3s GT hatch manual. I drive about 25,000 miles/year and I am looking for a fun car that is economical. I expect to own the one I buy about 5 years. Here's my feedback after test driving both on several occassions. Civic EX coupe manual -handling is fun -acceleration is good -reliability is likely better than M3 -resale will probably be better -interior is nice for the money except seats look cheap but comfortable -better tires based on forum discussion -better trunk configuration (can easily drop to golf bags in) Mazda3s GT manual -handling is more fun -did not feel a big difference in acceleration -interior is much nicer than civic (leather, Bose, etc) -did not find the pedals too close although they are close enough that I know what everyone is talking about -exterior is better looking -stability and traction control is a big plus (NH resident) -two sets of clubs requires the back seat in down position Other things I am wondering about: interior noise in the M3 hatch vs sedan do not like reading some of the things in the Mazda discussion like tranny problems, lousy tires, etc. Maybe someone can put me at ease. I would appreciate any feedback since I am very close to puchasing. Thx. |
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Replying to: ecofun (Jun 25, 2007 8:18 am) The biggest upside for the Honda is that it's a Honda, so you have a bit of an edge with reliability. Gas mileage is also going to be a bit better in the Civic. The upside for the Mazda3 is the features that come with the GT. There are definitely more toys (especially for the money compared to the Civic EX) on the GT like the leather and Bose that you stated, but also the auto xenon headlights, foglights, rain-sensing wipers, auto climate control, and sportier 17" wheels (just my opinion, though). The only complaint we have is that the A/C isn't all that strong, which is more noticeable since we're in FL. I would imagine that downside weighs very little on your decision since you're not battling 90 degree weather on a regular basis in NH. I know how hard this decision is because there isn't a clear-cut winner. My wife has an '06 Mazda3 GT automatic with the sunroof/bose package and I have an Accord, so I'm a fan of both Honda and Mazda. We looked at the same two cars for my wife that you're looking at, and we made the choice for the Mazda3 based on the reasons I mentioned. The reliability has been excellent so far after 20K miles (knock on wood). We also had a friend who hooked us up with the employee pricing so the deal we got on it made a difference; although, I think we could have received the same deal without the employee plan. As you may have already assumed, my vote is slightly in favor of the Mazda3, but either car would have made us happy.
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Replying to: dairyshick (Jun 25, 2007 12:40 pm)
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Replying to: ecofun (Jun 25, 2007 1:19 pm) So far, there really has not been any major problems with the Mazda3, small stuff, sure, like every vehicle. Even the new Civic has had a bunch of little issues. Just look at the 2006-present Civic problem board... As for resale, I seem to laugh every time I see that mentioned. It is very hard to sell one privately!! Even if you own the vehicle out right. If you have a lien on it, forget it! Who is going to pay you thousands for a car if you don't even own it! If you own it long enough to buy it out right, and sell it when you have 70-80K on the clock, you are talking maybe a dollar difference in the 100's. Not thousands. So, would the extra hundreds in savings over 5,6,7 years of ownership be enough to sway your decision? Maybe. Maybe not. That;s for you to decide. Every publication recommends the Mazda3, as well as the Civic. You will be fine, reliability wise, with either. From a dealer's prospective, both are worth about the same from 2004-present, if you were to trade. One cannot go by KBB or Edmunds. No dealer in my neck of the woods (North East) uses them. |
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Go with the Civic! The Sandman 
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Replying to: sandman46 (Jun 25, 2007 4:32 pm) |
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Replying to: ecofun (Jun 25, 2007 1:19 pm) Not sure why you are under the impression tha tthere will be a major problem. Most issues have been ironed out. Teh A/C is not the strongest, but it gets the job done for me and it can get very hot here in NJ. The reason I have Mazda 3 is that my Saab 9-3 was brought in roughly a dozen times in 2 1/2 years, the final straw being a completely blown auto tranny at 37K miles. Thank God it was warrantied until 50, but I had to sell before I was out of warranty. I bought the Mazda and have had zero issues besides oil changes with it in 30K miles (aside from getting rear ended). My tires have held up, too and only now are looking at replacement One other thing I noticed in your comparison. If fitting golf bags with the seat up is an issue, why wouldn't you consider the sedan for both? |
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you've owned hondas in the past,ecofun, and i think that that feeling of 'change the oil and forget it' will def carry over into your civic. (remember, just like the 3, most of the problems have been ironed out too and the civic JUST came out, whereas the 3 has been around longer.) one thing that dairyshick seemed to play down a bit in his post; your mileage will not be 'a bit better' in the civic. its going to be amazingly better, especially if the mazda you are comparing it to is the 2.3. |
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Good input all. So good that I went with the M3. Made my deal last night and signed the paperwork today. Good news for those in the market...financing dropped to 0.0% for 3 yrs effective today. That's right, free money. Bought the car at invoice: Invoice $20,609 (inc/regional adjustment for the Boston district-advertising, etc.) Only option was moonroof/Bose. Documentation fees were $169. Out the door for $20,778. I don't know if there was money left on the table but thought it was a good price. The regional adj was $249 (probably goes back to the dealer. Nevertheless, it was the only S GT manual in galaxy gray within 100 miles and didn't want to lose it for a few extra bucks. There is restricted allocation of manuals as many of you may know and sticks are much harder to come across. I went with the Hatch out of personal preference. You are right- the clubs do go into the sedan trunk without getting into the back seat but I'm sure there will be a day when the hatch comes in handy. I found the appearance unique and fewer on the road, perception anyway. Will pick up the car by the weekend and will report back on first impression. Feel pretty good about the decision anyway. Regarding mileage, that was one of the trade offs compared to the civic coupe. Assuming 5 mpg difference based on EPA ratings, 25,000 miles/year, it's about $400 in gas cost annually. I figured that $7.69 a week was worth the extra "entertainment value" that the Mazda3 offered over the Civic. Heck, a movie is $9.00 now! By the way, I mentioned the reliability issue I had in my decision to the sales mgr and he showed me a new survey put out by Cars Direct just today indicating that Mazda nosed out Honda in fewest mechanical problems among 3-9 year old vehicles. I was a little surprised but pleased to hear. Hope the data is credible.
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