Mazda 3 vs VW Beetle..........

[redgtxdi]

Long story short.........

Mom had 1998 Chrysler T&C LXi minivan w/ all the goodies. Loved it.....drove it to death.....it died.

FF to last week. Mom's doin' the cash for clunker's program and tossin' between Corolla, Mazda3 and VW Beetle.

Decides on Mazda3 touring due to ergonomics & price.

FF to this morning. Mom's got buyer's remorse. Won't take delivery of Mazda 'til 8/1/09 anyway, but seriously considering getting the semi-refundable deposit back & goin' for a red VW Beetle. (Costs $1,500 more --- $500 due to lesser mpg on CFC proggy and $1K for overall price diff but gets her into the black leather she really wanted too).

I told her to hold-up & let me check w/ the AT folks who may or may not have been known to even go so far as to have intimate relations w/ some for of a Mazda 3 or another. (Maybe a little biased, but hey)


Opinions??

TIA

 

[exar333]

I like the Beetle (my GF has one) but the Mazda3 will be a lot more reliable.

 

[z1ggy]

Originally posted by: ExarKun333
I like the Beetle (my GF has one) but the Mazda3 will be a lot more reliable.

Agreed. Except...nobody I know even has one.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Shell get $4500 on the Corolla under C for C.

$3,500 on the others you mentioned but no leather option on the Corolla.

The 2010 Mazda is quite sporty looking and is available with leather - why not have the dealer source a Mazda 3 for her with the options she wants. Strange she is shopping coupes & sedans.

2010 Kia Forte might also be a decent choice for her and qualifies for the $4,500.

 

[redgtxdi]

Dayum, AT garage is on their toes this morning! 3 responses in 11 minutes. Ain't no rust on this bus!!!


Ya, I'd love to see her in a forte/Elantra, but ain't no way that's happening and don't ask me why cuz she actually had a loaded Hyundai Excel back in '88 that I used to love to drive. Maybe Flintstonin' off the line, but it was still fun.

So, definitely VW Beetle. I thought about talking her into trying to find the leather now too for the M3 since that was key, but I can already tell, there'll be no swapping her.

Take the best Mazda3 you can think of and it'll look like a soapbox car to her now compared to her "vision" of herself in a red beetle.

Her last words were, it seems like all I see are silver (so I'm assuming that's the one she had picked out in the Mazda) rice-runners. I hate buyer's remorse, I know it all too well, so I don't wanna just shrug her off cuz it's......well.....mom. And being married myself, I know.......IF MOMMA AIN'T HAPPY.......N-O-B-O-D-Y-'S HAPPY!!!

:shocked:

 

[ElFenix]

the current beetle is a little dated, isn't it? still rides on the previous model jetta/golf platform, iirc.

 

[RedRooster]

Women and cars a terrible combination, once they latch on to something they want there's NO persuading them to change their minds.

That said, the Mazda 3 is a fantastic car, everytime I rent one I realize I should've got one of those instead. Can't believe they still make the Beetle really, what a heap.

 

[Arkaign]

Well, if she's happy, I guess that's good enough. I have only known two people with the 'new' (old) Beetle, and they've both had a love/hate thing about them. They love the style (it's their eyes, not mine), the room, and honestly they drive decently, but they hate the weird things that go wrong, the odd noises, and the difficulty/expense with certain service jobs.

The Beetle is being replaced in for 2011, which makes it a very very long-running model for anything recent.

 

[redgtxdi]

Ya, I'd assume it's dated too, but again........matters of the heart. :brokenheart:


Any specifics about reliability???

I know German electrical gets made fun of a lot, but that's kind of general.

(shrug)

 

[Gibson486]

Your mom really picked the 3 over the corolla? 3 is a dam nice car (I have an 07, but I think the newer on looks kind of ugly, but that is another argument), but I would have imagined that the sporty ride may have turned her away.

 

[coldmeat]

Why does she pwn me? I don't get it...

 

[redgtxdi]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Your mom really picked the 3 over the corolla? 3 is a dam nice car (I have an 07, but I think the newer on looks kind of ugly, but that is another argument), but I would have imagined that the sporty ride may have turned her away.

That's interesting that you say that cuz I would've thought the exact same thing & I couldn't believe it when she said......and I quote....

"WENT TO LUNCH TO DISCUSS AND CRUNCH SOME #'S. CALLED YOUR BROTHER TO DO SOME MORE COMPUTER RESEARCH ON INVOICES AND MSRPS, ETC. DECIDED TO TEST DRIVE THE MAZDA 3 BEFORE BUYING TOYOTA YARIS OR COROLLA. IT HAD GOTTEN GREAT REVIEWS BUT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE. WE LOVED IT. MUCH ROOMIER INSIDE AND DRIVES SIMILAR TO A BMW. TOTALLY DIFFERENT LEAGUE THAN TOYOTA."

I was like, WTF??? (But my mom had borrowed my sister's '03 540i last time out & I think the "aura" of that car probably hooked her. Yes, sis married up.)

*I* know that a Corolla would be a more *comfortable* decision for someone her age (and morseo every coming year) but again.......vroom vroom.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Your mom really picked the 3 over the corolla? 3 is a dam nice car (I have an 07, but I think the newer on looks kind of ugly, but that is another argument), but I would have imagined that the sporty ride may have turned her away.

That's interesting that you say that cuz I would've thought the exact same thing & I couldn't believe it when she said......and I quote....

"WENT TO LUNCH TO DISCUSS AND CRUNCH SOME #'S. CALLED YOUR BROTHER TO DO SOME MORE COMPUTER RESEARCH ON INVOICES AND MSRPS, ETC. DECIDED TO TEST DRIVE THE MAZDA 3 BEFORE BUYING TOYOTA YARIS OR COROLLA. IT HAD GOTTEN GREAT REVIEWS BUT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE. WE LOVED IT. MUCH ROOMIER INSIDE AND DRIVES SIMILAR TO A BMW. TOTALLY DIFFERENT LEAGUE THAN TOYOTA."

I was like, WTF??? (But my mom had borrowed my sister's '03 540i last time out & I think the "aura" of that car probably hooked her. Yes, sis married up.)

*I* know that a Corolla would be a more *comfortable* decision for someone her age (and morseo every coming year) but again.......vroom vroom.

Hahahha...i like the way she thinks. I agree, the corrolla would be much more comfy (my gf owns the 09 corolla), but if that is what she wants, that is what she wants.

 

[Matilda]

Ya, I'd love to see her in a forte/Elantra, but ain't no way that's happening and don't ask me why cuz she actually had a loaded Hyundai Excel back in '88 that I used to love to drive. Maybe Flintstonin' off the line, but it was still fun.

i'm actually doing some work with kia on the forte - the car is getting great reviews.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/0...w-compact-sedan-optio/
http://www.motortrend.com/road...orte_review/index.html
http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...rives/articleId=150386

tell her not to sleep on the forte - it's quite competitive with the other cars in its class.

 

[Juddog]

I'm a 3 owner and I'm pretty damn happy with it. I have the 3s hatchback; it has a lot of pickup for such a small engine, very sport feel to it, and I haven't found anything really to complain about it. Gas mileage is great too.

 

[redgtxdi]

Actually, forte looks really cool and I'd be all over it, for sure!! (I dunno, I just think the forte/elantra are really sharp looking car).

Off topic a little, they said that elantra has multi-link rear while forte uses torsion rear & struts. Wonder why they did the 2 differently???

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi
Actually, forte looks really cool and I'd be all over it, for sure!! (I dunno, I just think the forte/elantra are really sharp looking car).

Off topic a little, they said that elantra has multi-link rear while forte uses torsion rear & struts. Wonder why they did the 2 differently???

Hyundai's warranties are also quite good. Kia also applies here, as some of the models are pretty much only different in cosmetic ways. They've both leapt forward dramatically in recent years.

I guess an important question to ask here :

How long will this car be kept and expected to offer reliable transportation?
How much of a factor is safety?
How much of a factor is cost?
How much of a factor is fuel economy?

As much as automobiles produce and almost demand emotional response, it'd be good to focus her on getting the practical bits locked away first, then pick based on intangibles/feel after getting a good smattering of choices aligned.

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi
Ya, I'd assume it's dated too, but again........matters of the heart. :brokenheart:


Any specifics about reliability???

I know Mexican electrical gets made fun of a lot, but that's kind of general.

(shrug)

Fixed.

 

[sdifox]

Just mention the Beetle is made in Mexico.

 

[exar333]

Originally posted by: sdifox
Just mention the Beetle is made in Mexico.

LOL - I beat you to it!

Folks - what we have now is the Mexican-German alliance in the making since WWII! For those who care about history....

 

[senseamp]

Your mom made right initial decision to get a Mazda3. It's made in Hiroshima, and it's the BOMB!

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: ExarKun333

Originally posted by: sdifox
Just mention the Beetle is made in Mexico.

LOL - I beat you to it!

Folks - what we have now is the Mexican-German alliance in the making since WWII! For those who care about history....

Saved by timestamp is what I say... I just went through a painful exercise of convincing my in laws to let my sister in law get a 3... Was pushing for a used 6 (which was 1k cheaper than the 3) but they have this idea stuck in this head about 3 litre engines from the 60s.

My fatehr in law was hell bent on the Matrix... shudder...

 

[Arkaign]

The Matrix isn't really that bad, but overpriced when you can get a Vibe GT for cheap. Hell, choosing between a Mazda3, a Mazda6, and a Matrix/Vibe, hard to really go wrong with that. It's not like having to choose between a 1995 Cavalier and a 1996 Neon.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
The Matrix isn't really that bad, but overpriced when you can get a Vibe GT for cheap. Hell, choosing between a Mazda3, a Mazda6, and a Matrix/Vibe, hard to really go wrong with that. It's not like having to choose between a 1995 Cavalier and a 1996 Neon.

it was 3k more than the 3 and the 6... Talking used here. They decided to pay 13k for a 3s GT as opposed to 12k for a 6 3.0 GT sportsback...They almost bought a Matrix for 15K... Good thing the scum of a dealer backed out saying it was too cheap....Seriously, rear drum brakes?

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: Arkaign
The Matrix isn't really that bad, but overpriced when you can get a Vibe GT for cheap. Hell, choosing between a Mazda3, a Mazda6, and a Matrix/Vibe, hard to really go wrong with that. It's not like having to choose between a 1995 Cavalier and a 1996 Neon.

it was 3k more than the 3 and the 6... Talking used here. They decided to pay 13k for a 3s GT as opposed to 12k for a 6 3.0 GT sportsback...They almost bought a MAtrix for 15K... Good thing the scum of a dealer backed out saying it was too cheap.

Heh, yeah that's overpriced. I've seen low-miles Vibe GTs for under $10k, which is a decent deal, but in no way should it be priced more than a good Mazda3s.