CD Article: Mazdaspeed3, 2007-2009

[CD_Editor]

         
Used Vehicle Review:


The Mazdaspeed3 is a great performer and a decent value, but comes with some reliability issues, warns Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.  The left-side motor/transmission mount is prone to breaking and was the subject of a Transport Canada recall, he notes.
 More: View the photos | All the Used Vehicles

[toolatecrew]

Persoanlly I'd shy away from most cars in this class (WRX etc) as a used buy except for under the best circumstances. Very low milage due to moving away or divorce or something. Buyers of these cars tend to be young men who buy these cars to drive them hard. Why buy a 260hp S3 over a 160hp GT if you are not going to drive it hard. People don't putter around in these. In my opinion its not different enough from a regular 3 that someone would buy it as a "poser" where they buy it for looks but never drive it hard . Add to that the numerous issues with the motor they had in the M6 and other issues. Add the relativley small number sold and the chaces of finding a very good used one don't look good.

[tortoise]

The flip side of that point is the people who buy these cars love cars.  They're mostly enthusiasts who take the time to do all of the maintenance and genuinely take care of it. 

I'd rather buy a car that was maintained well and driven hard than a car that was babied but had no maintenance done. 

[wing]

I always wonder why people have an aversion to cars that were driven hard?  As long as maintenance was performed and for the most part you can tell with a few checks everything will be fine if you keep the maintenance up.

I drive my car pretty much as hard as anyone could drive a car, on the track and it just keeps on ticking no problem.  But I do regular maintenance on it to make sure it is in good shape.

Oh and driving a car hard on the street isn't driving it hard anyways, they are built for much more abuse than that.

[Erik]

I always wonder why people have an aversion to cars that were driven hard?  As long as maintenance was performed and for the most part you can tell with a few checks everything will be fine if you keep the maintenance up.

I drive my car pretty much as hard as anyone could drive a car, on the track and it just keeps on ticking no problem.  But I do regular maintenance on it to make sure it is in good shape.

Oh and driving a car hard on the street isn't driving it hard anyways, they are built for much more abuse than that.

Agreed.
Good post.

[initial_D]

Rental fleet returns are the ones to avoid. Driven hard, and no maintenance.

People who love their cars, usually take care of them very well, won't even eat or allow others to eat inside the car.

[The Mighty Duck]

Persoanlly I'd shy away from most cars in this class (WRX etc) as a used buy except for under the best circumstances. Very low milage due to moving away or divorce or something. Buyers of these cars tend to be young men who buy these cars to drive them hard. Why buy a 260hp S3 over a 160hp GT if you are not going to drive it hard. People don't putter around in these. In my opinion its not different enough from a regular 3 that someone would buy it as a "poser" where they buy it for looks but never drive it hard . Add to that the numerous issues with the motor they had in the M6 and other issues. Add the relativley small number sold and the chaces of finding a very good used one don't look good.

On a ten or fifteen year old used Speed3, you might be right. But I think a one-owner Speed3 or WRX would be a fine purchase. It's when these cars get cheap enough on the used market that every Tom, Dick, and Harry can buy one and drive it hard that it becomes a concern... but I'll wager anyone spending $30 000+ to buy one of these new will take decent care of it.

[toolatecrew]

Persoanlly I'd shy away from most cars in this class (WRX etc) as a used buy except for under the best circumstances. Very low milage due to moving away or divorce or something. Buyers of these cars tend to be young men who buy these cars to drive them hard. Why buy a 260hp S3 over a 160hp GT if you are not going to drive it hard. People don't putter around in these. In my opinion its not different enough from a regular 3 that someone would buy it as a "poser" where they buy it for looks but never drive it hard . Add to that the numerous issues with the motor they had in the M6 and other issues. Add the relativley small number sold and the chaces of finding a very good used one don't look good.

On a ten or fifteen year old used Speed3, you might be right. But I think a one-owner Speed3 or WRX would be a fine purchase. It's when these cars get cheap enough on the used market that every Tom, Dick, and Harry can buy one and drive it hard that it becomes a concern... but I'll wager anyone spending $30 000+ to buy one of these new will take decent care of it.

WRXs are why I think this. So many of the WRXs I know were thrashed and or modded.

Its just my opinion but some vehicles attract a younger harder on vehicle crowd. Are there many 40 years olds buying CObalt SS> What about MS3? Compare that to maybe an A3 or even a GTI? Just my opinion.

[rrocket]

Every guy I know with a WRX is over 30.  $35K isn't cheap.  How do those young kids afford those?  Mommy and Daddy?

[Black Hatch]

I always wonder why people have an aversion to cars that were driven hard?  As long as maintenance was performed and for the most part you can tell with a few checks everything will be fine if you keep the maintenance up.

I drive my car pretty much as hard as anyone could drive a car, on the track and it just keeps on ticking no problem.  But I do regular maintenance on it to make sure it is in good shape.

Oh and driving a car hard on the street isn't driving it hard anyways, they are built for much more abuse than that.

For the RX-8, "a redline a day keeps the carbon away"
In reference to the carbon buildup and hence flooded engines/blown engines (especially the early 2004 autos) for NOT driving the RX-8 hard.
Honest.

[rrocket]

A few members here have driven my Supra.  It was driven as hard as any car I've known.  100+ dyno runs. 500+ 1/4 mile runs (at least), and countless run-it-until-redline acceleration runs.  I told everyone who drove it to "Beat on it!  It can take it no problem".  And they did..and they car didn't miss a beat.

As long as the car is maintained properly and the fluid are kept fresh there shouldn't be much to worry about.

It's one thing to beat on a car.  It's another to have a car in beat condition.

[Turbo Bob]

And they did..and they car didn't miss a beat.

They certainly did! 

What's that, 200 Leptons?!? Certainly not Officer...

[The Mighty Duck]

WRXs are why I think this. So many of the WRXs I know were thrashed and or modded.

Its just my opinion but some vehicles attract a younger harder on vehicle crowd. Are there many 40 years olds buying CObalt SS> What about MS3? Compare that to maybe an A3 or even a GTI? Just my opinion.

Really? Most WRXs and even STIs I see are stock. Yes, there are a few modded ones now and then, but mostly they seem stock (though to be fair I'm going by outward appearance... who knows what they've done under the hood). Like any used car, I think it comes down to exercising caution and having it looked at. What's worse: a Speed3 driven hard but meticulously maintained, or a Toyota Camry driven sedately but which has never had an oil change? There can be problems with any used car.

[initial_D]

I didn't realize the MSP3 had a few mechanical defects, until I read the article in detail. Kinda scary with drive shaft breaking and engine mounts failing.

[Jaeger]

The flip side of that point is the people who buy these cars love cars.  They're mostly enthusiasts who take the time to do all of the maintenance and genuinely take care of it. 

I'd rather buy a car that was maintained well and driven hard than a car that was babied but had no maintenance done.  

I'd rather buy a used car that was babied AND regularly maintained.

Jaeger

[Mitlov]

I always wonder why people have an aversion to cars that were driven hard?  As long as maintenance was performed and for the most part you can tell with a few checks everything will be fine if you keep the maintenance up.

I drive my car pretty much as hard as anyone could drive a car, on the track and it just keeps on ticking no problem.  But I do regular maintenance on it to make sure it is in good shape.

Oh and driving a car hard on the street isn't driving it hard anyways, they are built for much more abuse than that.

For the RX-8, "a redline a day keeps the carbon away"
In reference to the carbon buildup and hence flooded engines/blown engines (especially the early 2004 autos) for NOT driving the RX-8 hard.
Honest.

Yeah, but that's a rotary engine for ya.  Piston engines don't require regular redlining to avoid carbon build-up, so that example doesn't really apply to the MS3.

[tortoise]

I'd rather buy a used car that was babied AND regularly maintained.

Jaeger

[Giant Dwarf]

Every guy I know with a WRX is over 30.  $35K isn't cheap.  How do those young kids afford those?  Mommy and Daddy?

My brother is under 30.  I assure you, our parents didn't pay for a cent of it.

[wing]

good jobs?  I bought my S2000 at 25 -- new. 

[Turbo Bob]

Exactly. I got the exige at 30.