Well, in light of recent events, it seems as though the Mazdaspeed3 will be getting traded in and we are thinking about getting a Fit. Before everyone questions why, I will give a little backround.

We've had this car (my girlfriends car) for about 7-8 months now and we have put 11800 miles on it. For starters, we've gotten in 3 accidents since we owned it. She got rear ended at a stop sign (needed new rear bumper and hatch), it got hit in the parking lot where I work by a lady trying to park her monsterous SUV (getting another new rear bumper Dec. 10th), and then Sat. night, we rear ended someone at ~10-12 MPH when I went out of my way to let him over in traffic and THE SECOND he got fully in my lane mashed his brakes. Unfortunately, I hit the brakes (couldn't move left or right due to traffic) and my car slid on one of the traffic directional arrows on the road (In this area of VA they are actually a different painted material then the pavement so they are slippery even when not wet) and we ended up bumping him... not bad, but we were obviously put at fault (me = 2 paint chips Him = small dent/bend in his Chevy S10 bumper). Now prior to this MS3, we had an 06 Civic Si and an 04 Civic Sedan... no accidents in either one with combined total of over 75k miles. So the car it seems is out to get me.

Now thats not all... within the first 5k miles we had to take the car into the dealer twice for suspension related problems, most of which delt with Loose stabilizer bar bolts, multiple other bolts on the undercarriage loose and could be hand turned. Between 5k and 7.5k we had to bring the car in for rear suspension 2 more times, this time because the back end sounded like it was going to fall apart... come to find out we had a bent strut, bad ball joint, and all the rear bushings needed to be replaced. Between 7.5k miles and now (11800), it has gone in for 2 MAJOR recalls, one dealing with motor mount failures. It went in TODAY for front suspension making noise over bumps, ALL 4 rotors are warped already and I VERY rarely use the brakes for rapid stops!! and needed to be replaced (luckily dealer covered since its under 12k), the transmission is super notchy and doesn't want to go into gear very easily sometimes (dealer said there was nothing wrong with it) and EVERYTHING inside squeaks... the glove box, air vents, seat belt clips creak, hatch panels, everything! So in less then 12k miles the car has been into the dealer for more problems then I would have ever imagined.

Now ontop of ALL that, the car is estimated at 20-27 MPG and we are getting probably 18-19 MPG (with the mazdaspeed CAI installed too). Before everyone jumps on me about "drive slower... less boost... etc" I want it to be known I RARELY get on this car. I have taken it for a few spirited drives, but for the most part, its shifting under 3k RPM's, and cruise control the second I hit the highway to work. 18-19MPG is COMBINED city/highway driving. We fill the tank for $40+ and we get less then 300 miles per tank! The dealer we bought it from and bring it too normally are rude and aren't very helpful which makes the experience worse.

Overall I am sure not every MS3 has these kinds of problem, but ours is non stop waiting to go to the dealer for something... something breaks, gets annoying, whatever. It hauls A$$ thats for sure and is fun to drive as long as you turn up the radio and hope it doesn't fall apart. So my g/f is compelled to trade it in before it gets totalled by some idiot and she has 3 cars in mind, an 08 Fit VBP or (Tarfetta White TWP?) 5MT sport, an 05-06 Scion xB, or an 05-06 Toyota Matrix XRS. I am pulling for a Fit as I have been lurking around Honda-tech since my CRX looking at Fits and then I found joined here today and you guys have some awesome looking fits and nothing but praise for the car. We are actually going to go test drive one this weekend, well she is, I was a Honda salesman for a small window of time so I have driven my share of Fits!

 

BTW if you read all that... you are awesome!!!

 

yes, i am awesome

go for the fit!! you guys will love it!!

 

That sucks. I hope whatever you both decide on, works out for you. Why look at used Toyotas when you can get a new Honda. Or does she wear the pants.

 

Hahaha... the only reason she is looking at the toyota's is because I am normally a toyota man, but an older school toyota man, I don't like anything they have out right now, and scion isn't my cup of tea either. She wants to stay only honda or toyota, but she needs something with a hatch, she has a 3 year old and we have a dog, and versitility. I think the xB is going out of the question because.. well its a box and it doesn't have anywhere near the cool factor of the Fit. She likes the Matrix because it's a little bigger and has more room, but I had an 89 crx that she used to drive around and she loved it... so I am am using that to bait her with the fit. I don't mind giving up the speed of the MS3 at all, I have my 330whp beast being built in the garage

 

lol, i just read all that and it sounds like your Mazda is a POS, with bad luck attached. It sounds like a great time for you to get a new ride!

The Fit seems like a great alternative to your MS3. It WILL NOT have the same power ill tell you that up front lol. If your a hardcore power junkie then i wouldnt recommend the Fit. It has 109 HP and it is peppy 1-3rd gear then it kinda starts to get less responsive with the throttle and runs out of steam. It gets the job done though, and merging on to 75 mph California freeways i do with ease(with a AT). It does lack power but not fun to drive factor and thats something a xB will not give. Its a blast to drive, a absolute canyon carver, it handles on rails STOCK! If you are a decent driver you really rarely have to brake before turning.

Over buld quality is awesome aswell, its 100% JDM, completly built in Japan which means quality. When you shut the doors it gives a solid "thud", everything feels Accord worthy. The steering wheel is leather wrapped and feels awesome. Seats are pretty good, could be better but are pretty good. Stereo is great, with CD, iPod or radio it really sounds good. The magic seats are awesome, your Fit can take anything and everything. Rear seat leg room is really good too, ive sat back there for like and hour one time and it never felt small. I HIGHLY recommend the Fit. Its a car that could be worth 21K IMO.

All of this is based off the Fit Sport, the base lacks in a few area but its still a pretty nice car. If you buy a Fit, buy a S!
Good luck man!

 

Definitely bait her with the Fit for sure. The new Toyotas just don't bring that same feeling, with solid craftsmanship and reliability of years old. Least to me. They canned their classic linage in America. Coming from old RWD Celicas. As well as RX-7s,my Mazda love. I haven't driven the Matrix so there isn't much I can say there. The Fit won me over. I traded in my MKV GTI this last week for one. Least you can have practical and your play toy for the side.

 

I wish I didn't have to say it, but the Mazda goes down in my book as a POS. Super fast and gets your heart pumping trying to keep it in a straight line with torque steer but in my case just poor build quality.

I know for sure the Fit lacks power, and I am a speed junkie, but if I ever really need to go fast I have an 06' GSXR 600 and in a couple weeks my 330whp MR2 will be up and running, so we really just want a solid DD that has more of a "fun" factor then anything else. I can't really get on the Mazda to get a thrill because then the MPG goes from like 20 to like.. 5.

Luckily I sold Honda's at a dealership in NC for about 6 months in Summer of 2006... right around the time the first couple 07' Fits were hitting the lot. Everytime we got one it was almost always reserved, but I did get to tool around in them a little and demo/play with the folding seats and everything like that... personally I think the interior is genius and love all the features.

The more I look on here at everyone's fits and how much everyone loves them I get super excited and I am gonna do everything I can to convince her to trade it in for the Fit.

Yea I have a 93 MR2 in the garage, and love that car as I did the mkIII and mkIV supras, but nothing in their lineup now appeals. The Yari's is no comparison to the Fit... and honestly, I personally think they made all the scions uglier... if that is phesible... TC is ok.

I am very familiar with Honda, I love their reliability, I love the build quality, I LOOOOVE the buttery transmissions most models have, most dealerships have great customer service and great technicians... I mean the list goes on... so hopefully I will have pics of a new Fit to post up here soon

 

some cars are like that. i had a 94civic EX 10yrs+ ago which was
just a small accident magnet. rear-ended, things flying into it needing
bodywork, parking lot ding/dents all the time (4-5 major).

i sold the car within 2yrs cause i didnt want to deal with it
any more.

hope you find some peace in your future Fit.

 

good luck with the Fit its a fun car!

 

Yea and that's why I am not trying to trash talk all MS3's because my buddies brother has one and it hasn't had a single problem. I just think I got a bad apple and sure I could keep it and keep getting the dealer to fix everything, but what happens when it gets out of warranty?? then it will break my pockets fixing everything. All 4 rotors went out in under 12k miles... and the dealer only covers it below 12k miles... so does that mean in another year when I am pushing 25k miles I will have to spend $400+ to get new rotors and then if the pads go bad?? Not worth it.

Not to mention the Fit will pay for itself in gas savings alone... and we will be going from 7 years of payments to possibly 4 with the same payment amount... can't wait.

Hopefully with some stiff negotiating, my trade, and previous saleman knowledge, I will be trying to drive off the lot with the Fit at $14.5k out the door

 

yah, from talking to several dealerships in the area, they are stiff on the Fit's price, but they might help you with your trade.

that's the bottom line. it doesn't really matter if they lower the
price of the Fit yet give a shitty trade-in. at the end, it's the same thing.

good luck on your trade. im going to see wat the dealer gives me on my
civic.

 

GO FOR IT! The perfect car IMO.

 

Yea I know they are stiff on the price, when I sold Honda's in summer of 07' when the Fits were first hitting the lots, our dealership wouldn't come off the price of a Fit at all... and I still don't expect them to.

She owes $18k and a few pennies on the Mazda, the equity from the Si she had helped out. Being that the car has an MSRP of $22,875 and ours is still under 12k miles, everything has been fixed so its in excellent shape, hell it even has the Mazdaspeed CAI which retains factory warranty, so we have some positive equity in the car to cut down the price of the Fit some. Plus I will bring my financing check with me which always sweetens the deal for them because that's when they know they don't have to struggle to get you approved or whatever. We'll see how it goes... hopefully by the end of next week (14th or so) I will be rolling around in a nice fit.

 

They may not budge on the price, but you can get them to throw in free stuff. Like floor mats for one thing.

 

Damn, sounds like the Mazdaslow editions are still kickin ass! [/sarcasm]

As much as I love my Mazda and other Mazda's; they should have stopped at the Mazdaslow Protege. Those cars had so many problems, most were similar to yours.

Granted Im sure the Mazdaslow line up gave Mazda a kick in sales but theyre going in and out of the dealer for problems that arent small.

Mazdaspeed line up problems.
Proteges: Suspension noise, rear sub blows, headunit burns up, motors blow easily, differentials explode, and other little odds and ends.

Miatas: No one bought them. Haha!

Mazda6: Not sure if they had the engine mount problem. Trans problems, and transfer case leaks. Not sure about anything else.

Mazda3: All the stuff youve listed.

I know new cars have little draw backs but come on. Mazda should have got the hint with all the Rx-8 problems. <3 Mazda still.

 

Fit handles like a champ. o.O

(info from edmunds.com)

06 Si - 30-0mph - 31.4ft
07 Fit S- 30-0mph - 30.5ft

06 Si - 60-0mph - 122.7ft
07 Fit S - 60-0mph - 123.6ft

06 Si - slalom - 67.8mph
07 Fit S - slalom - 76.5mph

And, according to C&D, the Fit Sport has a better emergency lane change speed than a F430 F1 (Fit got 71.4mph)

 

That story sounds exactly like my ownership of my EVO 8, except for the accidents.

I traded my evo for the fit and I couldn't be happier. The power is something I miss but the fit is just as fun, maybe more fun to drive. I have owned a lot of hondas in my life and they never do me wrong. I can always go FI if I want the pull. Do yourself a favor and buy the Fit, you won't regret it.

 

your slalom numbers are totally off. the si's sound right, but i think that you flipped the 6 and the 7 on the fit...the new sti barely does 70mph, and there are porsches that don't slalom that fast.

but yes, the fit does have a really good slalom, better than the regular mazda 3. the si is no slouch either, and makes up for its lower number with a bit more grip.

 

its funny, because the mazdaspeed 3 is the only sporty compact car i have seen that has already been shown used on dealer lots. your case may not be so isolated. mazda is known for suspension problems, and their dealers are prime examples of rudeness. (my wife used to have a protege 5 and her mom has a 6.)

one thing i wanted to point out though, is that despite TOOL's optimistic review of the fit, its doors don't slam with accord authority. its the nicest subcompact with the nicest materials, but there are aspects of it that under scrutiny, can seem dated. (lack of adjustable height seats, etc.)


its a great car, fun to pilot, very nimble and economical and lots of tuning potential. but an acura it aint.

either way, i think you'll be much happier in the fit. if your GF really liked your old crx, she'll love this car.