Need some new car advice

Well, the wife and I were bored today and went driving around. We passed by the Mazda dealership and decided to stop in "just to look around" and, of course, left with a Mazda3 a few hours later. The salesfolk basically made an offer I couldn't turn down by paying off my old car note. I was upside-down on it by about $2,500.
Seems like the board was pretty split on the three cars, so I think it was a good move. Plus, the wife loves the color so that's a bonus. Thanks for all the help and input.

 

Good call. You'll enjoy it.

 

Good job. In this class, nothing can touch the Honda Civic, but the Mazda3 is the next best thing. It's a better car than the Sentra and the Corolla. The Corolla is not what some of its other Toyota siblings are, and neither is the Yaris. Nissan does put punch in its vehicles, but it's usually at the cost of a slightly larger engine, which typically means slightly worse gas mileage.

Like I said, the Civic owns this category, but the Mazda3 will not disappoint you. Consumer Reports, Car and Driver, Cars.com, etc. would likely applaud your choice of the three.

 

Ha! I was cleaning out my pockets and just found out I still have the key to my trade-in. They gave it back to me to clean stuff out of the car, but it was unlocked so I must've stuck it in my pocket and then ... well, just forgot about it. Maybe I can sneak back onto the lot and take the old car for one last joyride ;D

 

Let me know how you like that Mazda. Is there enough room for suitcases in the trunk and a couple of kids in the back seat?

By the way, since there's been a mention of Honda Accords...

Can somebody explain why all the teenagers around here are tricking these things out with spoilers and whatnot? It looks absolutely ridiculous. Do they actually prefer these things to actual muscle cars?

 

They're the new muscle cars --- budget-priced used cars with plentiful aftermarket parts.

 

My Cavalier has as much pickup, maybe even more, than the cars the kids are driving past me at nearly 100 mph. And I don't even have a spoiler on my trunk.

I was playing a video game last night and I became aware that the small trucks, which were once quite fashionable among young wahoos, have lost their luster. I recall the Chevy S-10 and the Ford Ranger and the Mazda B series. Do they still make those little trucks?

 

The S-10 has been supplanted by the Colorado, the B-series by a badge-engineered Ranger and the Ranger has been supplanted by ... well, damn near everything. Ford's allowing it to die slowly due to lack of attention, kind of like my mom's flower garden. On the other hand, it doesn't get recalled as much as the F-150 so it's got that going for it, anyway.

And some of the cars kids are driving past you at 100mph have been getting the Fast & Furious treatment, inspired by the SoCali car culture that inspired that movie. Pick up an issue of Sport Compact Car sometime.



Have to admire VW for playing hardball with the competition on the issue of value for the buck.

http://vw.com/showroom/compareotron/en/us/

 

Thanks. I feel edumacated. I'd still rather buy this: http://www.78ta.com/limitededition.htm

 

Pass. That car ... I mean, seriously, a 400-cubic-inch V8 that topped out at a whopping 180 horsepower?!? Or the optional 455 that pumped out a fear-inducing 200 horsepower?

 

I'm taking you with me the next time I buy a car.

 

It's roomier than it looks. In the trunk, there's room for the wife's wheelchair, a blanket, a shirt, a small gym bag and a folding chair. After all that, I couldn't fit in a carload of groceries but could cram some more "flexible" stuff along the sides if needed. Plus, the back seats fold down if you need the extra room. The trunk looks smaller than the one on the Saturn I traded in, but seems bigger vertically.
As for getting the kids in, you could put two in there for sure (in the back seat, not the trunk). Not sure if you'd want to take them on a cross-country drive in this car, but they won't be on top of each other while driving around town.