What's next - Mazdaspeed 3 replacement - Page 12

John V · 04-10-2017, 08:31 AM

Life is dynamic.

We went out and drove a couple cars this weekend. One that was expected, one that was ... not as expected. First was a 2016 GTI. I liked it better than she did, but her hesitance is mostly around our previous VW reliability (or lack thereof) experience. Back seats are kind of small. It had less usable cargo area than her MS3 (she likes going and buying furnture and stuffing it in her car). Not interested.

The second was a '17 Mazda CX-5. Obviously, kind of a 180 degree turn with this one. It's automatic only, it's a crossover thingie, and it's not fast. We were both kind of shocked by this, but she loved it and I didn't hate it. It's not slow, and it handles well for what it is. It's not huge, but it has more rear seat room than the GTI or the MS3. It is incredibly quiet. The interior quality is great and it seems well screwed together. Nice seats as well. The one we drove has all manner of blind spot warnings and lane departure crap but it can all be disabled permanently, which is nice.

So why the change of heart about the MS3? I don't know really, but it's her car so I'm not sure I care. The MS3 will probably need a clutch in the next 30,000 miles and I've no problem doing that work, but a big motivator is that with her shuttling clients around, something quieter and with more rear seat room is a plus. We should also do the timing chain and tensioners on the MS3. So it's a grand in work and a weekend to do all of that or punt it to an enthusiast and move on. I think the latter is more likely.

We may go drive an X3 to see if she likes it, but at $10k more expensive and the lack of reliability of modern BMWs I don't see us going that way.

bren · 04-10-2017, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

Maybe SUV's aren't so bad.

You are welcome to borrow our x3 for an extended drive if you want.

JST · 04-10-2017, 08:49 AM

I throw this out there for whatever it's worth:

I have a friend who was looking for a replacement for his long-in-tooth 6M E90 335. He's got a pretty substantial commute now, stop and go driving, etc. He tested a Mazda 6 and convinced himself that it was a nice enough drive that he could live with the somewhat...power-challenged engine and the auto.

He was wrong.

One week in he told me it's the car purchase he regrets most. He was already talking about ways to get rid of it.

Now I don't mean to generalize from that experience. Just raising some flags. 180 degree turns are harder than they might seem.

John V · 04-10-2017, 08:49 AM

Not my car, so I don't really care. Would I rather have another hot hatch or sedan around the house than a crossover-wagon-SUV thing? Yeah. But there just aren't that many options. And again... not my car. All it needs to be is not hateful to drive (see Highlander, Prius, etc) and not unreliable or expensive to maintain (see Audi, BMW, Mercedes).

I didn't love the power of the CX-5 but it's sprightly enough for the kind of driving she will do with it. Neither of us have any stop and go traffic anymore where point and squirt speed is really required. Anyway. Could *I* live with this as my daily driver? Nope. Will I be excited to drive it? Nope. Does that really matter if it's what she wants? Nope.

Biggins · 04-10-2017, 09:03 AM

They're not bad for common, everyday transportation. Everyone is buying them (the Rav4, CR-V, Rogue, Escape, CX-5-sized vehicles)!

I think '17 is the restyled CX-5? They must have re-done the front seats vs. the '16 because that was my biggest complaint and my boss' major complaint on her '15. The interior was awesome except the uncomfortable seats compared to the CR-V and Rav4.

Did she look at the Civic hatch? The styling is polarizing for some (I think you mentioned you hate it), but the new Civic's interior is great and I've read nothing but good things about how it drives. The Civic Sport hatch is still on my short-list, and I like the wacky styling.

John V · 04-10-2017, 09:14 AM

The '17 is the new one, yes. The seats are tremendous.

The Civic is not an option. It's just way too ugly.

Josh (PA) · 04-10-2017, 09:17 AM

Just FYI. It's old, but it does have a manual:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=963250

John V · 04-10-2017, 09:31 AM

Not a bad suggestion, but these are on my list of ugliest BMWs ever made, and it's too old, and I don't want another high mile BMW to maintain.

Nick M3 · 04-10-2017, 09:34 AM

Stuffing a couple of investors in the back of the E46 M3 during the monsoon rains last Thursday was entertaining. I really do need to find an acceptable sedan.

John V · 04-10-2017, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick M3

Stuffing a couple of investors in the back of the E46 M3 during the monsoon rains last Thursday was entertaining. I really do need to find an acceptable sedan.

This is off topic for this thread but pickings are slim for that kind of thing these days. Reaonably quick four-doors with a stick are almost nonexistent now. The Chevy SS, Caddy CTS (the ATS back seat is TINY), the current 3er and Audi S4 and that's pretty much it.

04-10-2017, 09:17 AM	#117
Josh (PA) Hello. Join Date: Mar 2004 Carmudgeonly Ride: '09 X3, '11 328xiT, '11 135i C, '17 c2, '19 X5 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 5,537	Just FYI. It's old, but it does have a manual: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=963250 __________________ Josh (PA) - '19 X5 '17 991.2 C2 Cab '11 135i Convertible '11 328xiT '09 X3

04-10-2017, 09:34 AM	#119
Nick M3 Relic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 12,476	Stuffing a couple of investors in the back of the E46 M3 during the monsoon rains last Thursday was entertaining. I really do need to find an acceptable sedan. __________________ 2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo

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04-10-2017, 08:31 AM	#111
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	Life is dynamic. We went out and drove a couple cars this weekend. One that was expected, one that was ... not as expected. First was a 2016 GTI. I liked it better than she did, but her hesitance is mostly around our previous VW reliability (or lack thereof) experience. Back seats are kind of small. It had less usable cargo area than her MS3 (she likes going and buying furnture and stuffing it in her car). Not interested. The second was a '17 Mazda CX-5. Obviously, kind of a 180 degree turn with this one. It's automatic only, it's a crossover thingie, and it's not fast. We were both kind of shocked by this, but she loved it and I didn't hate it. It's not slow, and it handles well for what it is. It's not huge, but it has more rear seat room than the GTI or the MS3. It is incredibly quiet. The interior quality is great and it seems well screwed together. Nice seats as well. The one we drove has all manner of blind spot warnings and lane departure crap but it can all be disabled permanently, which is nice. So why the change of heart about the MS3? I don't know really, but it's her car so I'm not sure I care. The MS3 will probably need a clutch in the next 30,000 miles and I've no problem doing that work, but a big motivator is that with her shuttling clients around, something quieter and with more rear seat room is a plus. We should also do the timing chain and tensioners on the MS3. So it's a grand in work and a weekend to do all of that or punt it to an enthusiast and move on. I think the latter is more likely. We may go drive an X3 to see if she likes it, but at $10k more expensive and the lack of reliability of modern BMWs I don't see us going that way.

04-10-2017, 08:49 AM	#113
JST 195 Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 24,633	I throw this out there for whatever it's worth: I have a friend who was looking for a replacement for his long-in-tooth 6M E90 335. He's got a pretty substantial commute now, stop and go driving, etc. He tested a Mazda 6 and convinced himself that it was a nice enough drive that he could live with the somewhat...power-challenged engine and the auto. He was wrong. One week in he told me it's the car purchase he regrets most. He was already talking about ways to get rid of it. Now I don't mean to generalize from that experience. Just raising some flags. 180 degree turns are harder than they might seem.

04-10-2017, 08:49 AM	#114
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	Not my car, so I don't really care. Would I rather have another hot hatch or sedan around the house than a crossover-wagon-SUV thing? Yeah. But there just aren't that many options. And again... not my car. All it needs to be is not hateful to drive (see Highlander, Prius, etc) and not unreliable or expensive to maintain (see Audi, BMW, Mercedes). I didn't love the power of the CX-5 but it's sprightly enough for the kind of driving she will do with it. Neither of us have any stop and go traffic anymore where point and squirt speed is really required. Anyway. Could I live with this as my daily driver? Nope. Will I be excited to drive it? Nope. Does that really matter if it's what she wants? Nope.

04-10-2017, 09:03 AM	#115
Biggins Crotchety Join Date: Aug 2007 Carmudgeonly Ride: 22 Tiguan, 11 328i Posts: 912	They're not bad for common, everyday transportation. Everyone is buying them (the Rav4, CR-V, Rogue, Escape, CX-5-sized vehicles)! I think '17 is the restyled CX-5? They must have re-done the front seats vs. the '16 because that was my biggest complaint and my boss' major complaint on her '15. The interior was awesome except the uncomfortable seats compared to the CR-V and Rav4. Did she look at the Civic hatch? The styling is polarizing for some (I think you mentioned you hate it), but the new Civic's interior is great and I've read nothing but good things about how it drives. The Civic Sport hatch is still on my short-list, and I like the wacky styling.

04-10-2017, 09:14 AM	#116
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	The '17 is the new one, yes. The seats are tremendous. The Civic is not an option. It's just way too ugly.

04-10-2017, 09:31 AM	#118
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	Not a bad suggestion, but these are on my list of ugliest BMWs ever made, and it's too old, and I don't want another high mile BMW to maintain.