Mazda 3 MPS

omega man · 17-10-2007 3:02pm

dcGT wrote: »

But the MPS is certainly not as common

DC.

Totally agree DC, thats one of the reasons i changed to the MPS.

pburns · 17-10-2007 3:44pm

omega man wrote: »

Totally agree DC, thats one of the reasons i changed to the MPS.

Horses for courses and all that. A 3 MPS wouldn't be my choice but kudos to someone who buys a car purely for it's driving characteristics rarther than spending €€€€€s on some over-hyped Teutonic masterpiece.

Having said that, in this sector i wouldn't look past the Golf GTi

omega man wrote:

...a 04 320D M-Sport in black! Looked the part but just too slow for me...

O dear, I hope the PC police aren't about! Over 150bhp in a smallish saloon with mid-range diesel torque ain't slow...

whippet · 17-10-2007 3:53pm

omega man wrote: »

Sadly i get bored far too easy! I have promised the wife i will keep the mps for 2 years so unless i want a divorce i will have to stick with it. In saying that i cant imagine wanting to change. To get a similar powered car with a bmw or the likes badge is just out of my budget and out of common sense for me also. I have always loved the golf R32 but even the new 3.2 V6 is only 250BHP!

The r32 is not that great to be honest, I had one for a weekend, apart from the 4WD it's not that much more special than the GTi .. deffo not 18K better .. much the same as the 3.2 TT vs 2L TT

As for the 'common' argument .. on a trip to cork a few months ago .. I spotted 3 GTIs and 5 Bentley Conti GTs !!! so on that trip my motor was more exclusive than a €200K+ Bentley

To be honest, as long as I like the motor under my ass I am happy !!

omega man · 17-10-2007 4:17pm

pburns wrote: »

Horses for courses and all that. A 3 MPS wouldn't be my choice but kudos to someone who buys a car purely for it's driving characteristics rarther than spending €€€€€s on some over-hyped Teutonic masterpiece.

Having said that, in this sector i wouldn't look past the Golf GTi

O dear, I hope the PC police aren't about! Over 150bhp in a smallish saloon with mid-range diesel torque ain't slow...

Believe me it feels slow when you go from a similar sized 200BHP petrol car! It is deffo too slow compared to the MPS. In general the 320D had ample power for day to day driving but wont get your blood flowing!

TCP/IP · 17-10-2007 4:27pm

omega man wrote: »

What’s wrong with Mazda? Do they not have an excellent reliability record and a good build quality history? I went from a Skoda octavia vrs to a BMW 320 to the Mazda so im not about the badge. Anyhow what’s the mps's competition? golf gti?, focus st?, leon cupra?, civic type r? megane RS?, astra opc?. Sorry but your comment was slightly ignorant imo.

Agreed the Mazda has great reliability but the insides are cheap and tacky looking. Before I changed for my new car I looked at the Mazda 6 MPS and while it had lovely performance and a great engine it was just to cheap and plasticy for me. Hope this explains what I ment.

Have to agree with you on one thing though, certainly will not be many of them on the road.

Look forward to meeting you at a set of lights

omega man · 17-10-2007 4:31pm

TCP/IP wrote: »

Agreed the Mazda has great reliability but the insides are cheap and tacky looking. Before I changed for my new car I looked at the Mazda 6 MPS and while it had lovely performance and a great engine it was just to cheap and plasticy for me. Hope this explains what I ment.

Have to agree with you on one thing though, certainly will not be many of them on the road.

Look forward to meeting you at a set of lights

I will be the one with the baby seat in the back

TCP/IP · 17-10-2007 4:37pm

Class mate I like it

Táck · 17-10-2007 4:53pm

yes because if he's lucky he might just catch a glimpse of ur back seat omega man !!

whippet · 17-10-2007 4:56pm

omega man wrote: »

I just can believe that depreciation on the S40! I bought a new skoda octavia vrs (2006 MKII) for 32K and sold it for 27K a year later so im not worried about the mazda tbh.

it was a massive financial ooops from yer man .. I even considered buying it at one stage .. but it just didn't tick any boxes for me. Handled like a pig and was very very thirsty !!

omega man · 18-10-2007 9:50am

whippet wrote: »

it was a massive financial ooops from yer man .. I even considered buying it at one stage .. but it just didn't tick any boxes for me. Handled like a pig and was very very thirsty !!

Must say the S40 T5 was a car that had interested me but that probably explains why there are not many about. Doesnt the new C30 T5 share the same engine? Havent heard much on the volvo hot hatch.

omega man · 18-10-2007 11:21am

Interesting 3 MPS Nurburgring road test.

http://www.carnet.ie/features743.html

" a lap time of 8 minutes and 39.66 seconds. That’s just 4.64 seconds off the lap record. "

druncle · 18-10-2007 4:09pm

I'm not sure if I'm responding to a very old post but the Mazda3 MPS set me back about Euro-36000. It feels like a great deal when I compare it to the price of cars with similar performance but the most notable characteristic is the smile it gives you in so many areas. Usually it's cause the vast majority of road users look at it and all they see is Mazda 3 most notably all those souped up cars out there with their owners revving the crap out of them at the lights. The confused look on their faces when subtle Mazda eases gently past them is priceless!
It's just nice to be in an understated wolf in sheeps clothing.

C_Breeze · 18-10-2007 4:16pm

druncle wrote: »

I'm not sure if I'm responding to a very old post but the Mazda3 MPS set me back about Euro-36000. It feels like a great deal when I compare it to the price of cars with similar performance but the most notable characteristic is the smile it gives you in so many areas. Usually it's cause the vast majority of road users look at it and all they see is Mazda 3 most notably all those souped up cars out there with their owners revving the crap out of them at the lights. The confused look on their faces when subtle Mazda eases gently past them is priceless!
It's just nice to be in an understated wolf in sheeps clothing.

Welcome to the motors forum , and the fact that it is one of the best wolf in sheeps clothing around i'd say is a major novelty to have against boy racers and the car's best attribute

druncle · 18-10-2007 5:36pm

Thanks,
It's good to be here!
Although I'm lookin out at my car and wondering what excuse I can use to go out in it again - it just makes me grin from ear to ear like a 5 year old!

omega man · 22-10-2007 10:42am

druncle wrote: »

Thanks,
It's good to be here!
Although I'm lookin out at my car and wondering what excuse I can use to go out in it again - it just makes me grin from ear to ear like a 5 year old!

Know the feeling druncle. I am yet to see another 3 MPS around, what neck of the land are you in? I see in the UK they have an option called the 'Aero Kit' with gives it a more hot hatch look but as you mentioned the 'wolf in sheeps clothing' is what appealed to me also. Was behind a boxter the other day at the lights and as he was reving so much i decided when he floored it i would too and when he got to 100 and i was right behind him he just slowed down, could see him peeping in his rearview mirror! How are you on fuel? I drive it hard now and then but still average 30mpg which is only 7 less than my old 320D! I filled it with 95ron the other day (no choice) and i am really noticing the difference so need to drain it off asap.

C_Breeze · 22-10-2007 10:58am

Drove a gorgeous black 3 MPS for 2 Laps in Mondello yesterday. I'll take back anything bad i may have said about this car.

Its an absolute beast to drive, and the sheer power of it is excellent ... it does suffer from torque steer being Fornt wheel drive but not nearly as bad as magazines would make out. I was hammering it into corners and oversteer was controlable enough!

Fantastic car ... and the sound of it is amazing!

dcGT · 22-10-2007 11:40am

omega man wrote: »

I filled it with 95ron the other day (no choice) and i am really noticing the difference so need to drain it off asap.

What alternative are you using omega man?

DC.

omega man · 22-10-2007 12:01pm

dcGT wrote: »

What alternative are you using omega man?

DC.

Maxol's E5 (99 Ron). Its been at selected maxol stations for a while and will be rolling out to all very soon (i hope). I use the Mespil road maxol when i can.

Carlmc · 28-02-2008 10:28pm

Just traded "up" from my 06 gti to buy the stonkin Mazda 3 Mps
i cant stress enough how much of a better car the little Mazda is
ive owned 4 gti's and really liked them until i tested the Mps its like
nothing ive ever driven,how they control 260 bhp with very little torque steer is amazing.
So whippet don't knock the Mps till you have tried it,also while i liked my
golf the interior was so bland just like sitting in the 1.4 apart from the seats....ps as for gettin the power down to beat a gti 0-60 ive spun the wheels in 1st and 2nd and still destroyed my mates 07 Golf Gti with Dsg,
go for a drive in the jap box whippet,im waitin for your reply..........

fletch · 29-02-2008 10:24am

Carlmc wrote: »

Just traded "up" from my 06 gti to buy the stonkin Mazda 3 Mps
i cant stress enough how much of a better car the little Mazda is
ive owned 4 gti's and really liked them until i tested the Mps its like
nothing ive ever driven,how they control 260 bhp with very little torque steer is amazing.

It is....I did a few laps around Mondello in one and was convinced it was a 4 wheel drive car.

conneem-TT · 29-02-2008 11:48am

It helps that it comes with a limited slip front differential, which most of the other hatches don't.

It's a bit of a beast alright, but I suspect after July there will be very few new ones on the road with 2,000 tax

It's good you got in early :cool:

omega man · 07-03-2008 11:01pm

Carlmc wrote: »

Just traded "up" from my 06 gti to buy the stonkin Mazda 3 Mps
i cant stress enough how much of a better car the little Mazda is
ive owned 4 gti's and really liked them until i tested the Mps its like
nothing ive ever driven,how they control 260 bhp with very little torque steer is amazing.
So whippet don't knock the Mps till you have tried it,also while i liked my
golf the interior was so bland just like sitting in the 1.4 apart from the seats....ps as for gettin the power down to beat a gti 0-60 ive spun the wheels in 1st and 2nd and still destroyed my mates 07 Golf Gti with Dsg,
go for a drive in the jap box whippet,im waitin for your reply..........

Nice one carlmc. You wont look back. I have my MPS since October and i still aint seen another one on the roads yet! Im still getting a kick out of the stealth of the MPS and the ability to shame so many poor idiots who think they are driving fast cars!

Interesting comparison here to the new WRX.

http://www.hothatchheaven.com/mazda/2008-subaru-wrx-vs-mazdaspeed-3-mps/

cabrwab · 08-03-2008 12:42am

WOW can't believe how much better the MPS seemed to handle in that japanese vid over the wrx.
My only wish now is to have enough money. Have a Mazda 3 already and love it.
So really want to upgrade that to the MPS at some stage.
To those who already own im jealous!!
I do love the joy of catching a glimpse's of them because i know very few people realise what is near by!

JHMEG · 08-03-2008 4:50pm

cabrwab wrote: »

WOW can't believe how much better the MPS seemed to handle in that japanese vid over the wrx.!

Don't forget that the new WRX is only a shadow of its former self. Subaru have mainstreamed it in the hope they'll sell lots and lots.
Evidence is a 2.5 litre turbo that only produces 224bhp in that 1st video.

mickdw · 08-03-2008 5:07pm

I had a drive in one around mondello at mazda zoom zoom challenge. Nice amount of power and lovely car to drive.

omega man · 09-03-2008 9:46pm

JHMEG wrote: »

Don't forget that the new WRX is only a shadow of its former self. Subaru have mainstreamed it in the hope they'll sell lots and lots.
Evidence is a 2.5 litre turbo that only produces 224bhp in that 1st video.

Its got the same engine from the outgoing WRX does it not? AWD and even with only 225BHP it still gets to 60 in 6 seconds. The STI will have 300 or so BHP i believe.

JHMEG · 09-03-2008 11:24pm

omega man wrote: »

Its got the same engine from the outgoing WRX does it not?

Yes, with the same relatively low levels of power, all in a 1-series body. Very disappointing. It could easily do 280bhp with a software upgrade. Honda (rightly) got blasted for putting the same engine in the current Civic-R, which relatively speaking is a better performer (100bhp per litre, no turbo), especially after there were rumours that it was going to get a 2.5 litre (no turbo) 260bhp engine.

Anyway, back on topic. Haven't driven the MPS but drove the 1.6 sport training car at Mondello last weekend. Was quite impressed with the grip levels and it was bucketing rain. Would consider an MPS meself further down the line.

Mazda 3 MPS

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