Bartizek

Hey guys i was wondering if in your opinion does the 3 feel as racy as the P5 does because i know that articles in car and driver and road and track say it feels more "smooth and refined." than the P5 and i dont know if i like that. I like my car to feel like it will stay glued to the road and i love hearing the engine real loud like in the protege. so if anyone has driven both and could tell me what they think, that would be great thanks alot.

-Bartizek

Roddimus Prime

the 3S pulls like a MSP power-wise. The p5 had a little harsher handling but more capable handling. The new 3 was made a bit softer. Both are great cars and you can't go wrong with either.

macdaddyslomo

From what I've read there is less "feel" of the road in the 3. You feel more remote and the 3 is deathly quiet inside..but in the slalom from what i understand it runs just as well with a good driver

Bartizek

so teh 3S pulls nicer than the P5?

Redfyre

I test drove the 3 a couple of weeks ago. It is faster then the P5 but there is less "feel" for the road. The 3 is quieter inside and the power is very linear all the way up the power band. Overall I'm sure the 3 is a better handling car, but it lacks the spirit that the P5 has.

Roddimus Prime

160hp vs a highly overrated 130hp....yeah, the 3S pulls harder than a p5!

Bartizek

yeah but does it FEEL like it pulls harder?

Roddimus Prime

hard to say...I thought both felt real good and their times are very similar. I don't see why it matters?

turbo's have a strange pull to them that na motors dont but the 2.3L really has a nice tug on the top end....kinda like v-tec kick.

juddz

The 3 pulls a lot harder on the wallet, that's for sure. Anybody priced one out? A loaded 5 door gets you into the lower to mid twenties. My fiance and I stopped by the dealership to check out what was on-hand this weekend, just for fun. Provided, I could justify spending that much on a compact. After all, I spent into the low twenties on my P5. It makes sense if you see these Mazdas as premium small cars, rather than economy cars. And, I for one don't confuse size with substance. If I did, I wouldn't be as smitten as I am with the upcoming Audi A3, either. Over twenty five grand, and worth every penny I'm sure.

Roddimus Prime

i built and priced one with almost everything but NAV and it was only $19. Nav is $2100 so figure $21.9K.....thats not $25K. I think they are awesome cars but name another car with all of those features for $23K. I can't do it. I think the 3s is an awesome bargain.

juddz

Well, Michigan dealers are known to sometimes put in "regional value adjustments" on hot selling cars, so maybe that's what happened? I don't know - I didn't look that close.

They also had Mazdaspeed Miatas on "close out" for 26,020... hey, isn't that the MSRP? Close-out?! Great cars, iffy dealers - it's an old story.

JohnT

I live in the Detroit are and I ust bought a 3s 5-door for $18,100 with ABS/EBD, Moones and Tunes, and Wheel locks. The 3 is one of the best bargain cars on the road today.

Bartizek

yeah but how can you beat a 2003 P5 with 22K on it for only 12.9K it has a single disc CD player (i'll use my ipod anyways) black cloth seats, moonroof, and he's throwing in a free AEM CAI and radar detector

Bluehatch32

I have a 3 5 door. Now, I have never driven a p5 but I have driven my old 626 with the same motor. Now let me tell you when the radio is on you can't hear a damn thing in the 3. It has auto leveling control so the volume ajusts for near to zero road noise. The car also has a very quiet engine. That car was built to be smooth so yeah, you can't feel as much but with how nice it handles curves and how smooth the ride is you won't care.
Now as far as price. After taxes we got it for 18k at about 300 over invoice with practicly no options. So if price is a big point the p5 is still quite sporty and if your getting it for 12 more power to ya, but that car can't compare with interior, exterior, engine, transmition (if it has the same manual as the 626 it doesn't have a good enough overdrive), or space. The 3 is the newer car and in my opinion the better car. But the p5 is great and for now there are much more upgrades for it.

juddz

Bluehatch32, you'll get no argument from me on this. The P5 is a good car, and still stacks up well against its peers. But it is a mistake for any automaker to keep something in production too long. Just look at GM with its hoary Cavalier. Better to let her go while the old girl still has her charm.