[azasadny]

Hi all,

I just bought a 2007 Mazdaspeed3 from my local Mazda/Ford dealership and will take delivery on Saturday. I bought the Mica Black with Sport pkg and this will be my "daily driver" since my "summer car" is a 1974 Porsche 911 that I store for the winter. I was looking for a fun car to drive and it was between the Mazdaspeed3 and the 2007 MINI Cooper S and I thought the MS3 was a better value, especially since I got the Ford employee discount (S-Plan) pricing.

This is my first Mazda, although I've driven several Miata's and love them. I need to get a bra for the car and learn about it. I've already read the owner's manual via the Mazda website. I'm looking forward to the 263hp and the handling that I experienced on the test drive. What a great car! I'm looking forward to learning about it and driving it!!

 

[bossboy]

congrats!
you will be able to learn a lot by reading the other experiences of the members of this forum!
Visit the mazdaspeed3 section

Also post pics of the black mica! I am aiming for that color I think!

 

[azasadny]

Bossboy,

Thanks!! I learned everything I needed to know about my 911 on the online forums, so I'll do the same the the MS3. I'm looking forward to driving the car, seems like a fun car at a very fair price!! Her's a pic of the same color I have but not my car, I'll take pics when I pick it up Sat AM.

 

[mndsm]

Yeah, we're an interesting bunch, us speed3 guys. Welcome to the club!

 

[warpspeed]

[quote author=azasadny link=topic=69406.msg1204524#msg1204524 date=1171381186]
Hi all,

I just bought a 2007 Mazdaspeed3 from my local Mazda/Ford dealership and will take delivery on Saturday. I bought the Mica Black with Sport pkg and this will be my "daily driver" since my "summer car" is a 1974 Porsche 911 that I store for the winter. I was looking for a fun car to drive and it was between the Mazdaspeed3 and the 2007 MINI Cooper S and I thought the MS3 was a better value, especially since I got the Ford employee discount (S-Plan) pricing.

This is my first Mazda, although I've driven several Miata's and love them. I need to get a bra for the car and learn about it. I've already read the owner's manual via the Mazda website. I'm looking forward to the 263hp and the handling that I experienced on the test drive. What a great car! I'm looking forward to learning about it and driving it!!
[/quote]

May I suggest you get a set of Winter Tires. I live in Illinois and I was to late in purchasing a set of winter tires that I wanted a couple of weeks ago because there all sold out. Lets just say the Summer Tires make for a very interesting ride in the snow.

 

[mndsm]

Umm if by interesting you mean "life-threatening" then yeah. Interesting.

 

[warpspeed]

[quote author=mndsm link=topic=69406.msg1204674#msg1204674 date=1171385615]
Umm if by interesting you mean "life-threatening" then yeah. Interesting.
[/quote]

In the snow at night its like piloting the Millenium Falcon through a astroid field.

 

[mndsm]

Only without a wookie to guide you.

 

[azasadny]

Well it's kind of late this season to buy snow tires, and I still have my Ford Escape (company car) until the middle of March, so I'll drive the Escape during the crappy weather. The Porsche guys recommend Blizzaks for the winter, any comments about them? I'll research it, but the car currently has Bridgestone RE050's and I've had great experience with the Bridgestone RE950's on my Porsche 911. I only drive the 911 during nice weather (late spring, summer, fall) and it's sleeping in my garage until the snow melts and the salt is washed off the roads... I wanted the MS3 to drive to keep my "Porsche withdrawal" to a minimum. I had never heard of the "Mazdaspeed3" until the other Porsche guys recommended it, the MS3 is very highly regarded by the Porsche guys and they have nothing but positive things to say about it!

 

[mica3speedy]

congrats and welcome to the forums 8) . I had blizzaks on my previous car, and thought they were excellent.

 

[mndsm]

[quote author=azasadny link=topic=69406.msg1206759#msg1206759 date=1171459217]
Well it's kind of late this season to buy snow tires, and I still have my Ford Escape (company car) until the middle of March, so I'll drive the Escape during the crappy weather. The Porsche guys recommend Blizzaks for the winter, any comments about them? I'll research it, but the car currently has Bridgestone RE050's and I've had great experience with the Bridgestone RE950's on my Porsche 911. I only drive the 911 during nice weather (late spring, summer, fall) and it's sleeping in my garage until the snow melts and the salt is washed off the roads... I wanted the MS3 to drive to keep my "Porsche withdrawal" to a minimum. I had never heard of the "Mazdaspeed3" until the other Porsche guys recommended it, the MS3 is very highly regarded by the Porsche guys and they have nothing but positive things to say about it!
[/quote]

Congrats indeed. I just drove another car equipped with the Blizzaks, and they were amazing. I'd say they were a solid purchase.

So the Porsche guys like these huh? Good to know.

 

[azasadny]

[quote author=mndsm link=topic=69406.msg1206807#msg1206807 date=1171461636]
[quote author=azasadny link=topic=69406.msg1206759#msg1206759 date=1171459217]
Well it's kind of late this season to buy snow tires, and I still have my Ford Escape (company car) until the middle of March, so I'll drive the Escape during the crappy weather. The Porsche guys recommend Blizzaks for the winter, any comments about them? I'll research it, but the car currently has Bridgestone RE050's and I've had great experience with the Bridgestone RE950's on my Porsche 911. I only drive the 911 during nice weather (late spring, summer, fall) and it's sleeping in my garage until the snow melts and the salt is washed off the roads... I wanted the MS3 to drive to keep my "Porsche withdrawal" to a minimum. I had never heard of the "Mazdaspeed3" until the other Porsche guys recommended it, the MS3 is very highly regarded by the Porsche guys and they have nothing but positive things to say about it!
[/quote]

Congrats indeed. I just drove another car equipped with the Blizzaks, and they were amazing. I'd say they were a solid purchase.

So the Porsche guys like these huh? Good to know.
[/quote]

Yeah, I was ready to get the 2007 MINI Cooper S and the guys on the Porsche board I'm on (www.pelicanparts.com) all recommended the MS3 and convinced me to test drive the car. Fortunately, there was one left at my local Ford/Mazda dealership (Gorno Mazda in Woodhaven, MI) and they let me drive it last Saturday. Getting the S-Plan pricing sealed it and the comparably equipped Cooper was about $3000 more and the Cooper dealership is 31 miles away from me, so I am picking up the MS3 on Saturday and my wife is leasing the Mazda CX-7, which has the same 2.3L engine as the MS3. She loved the car and is looking forward to driving it.

We've been driving Ford vehicles since I am a Ford employee (at least until 2/28) and we like the Mazda vehicles much more and they are a good value, which always helps!

 

[jflash]

so is this the first report of someone using s-plan on a speed3?

im glad the ford dealerships are merging with mazda. i hate the mazda dealerships.
i live close to you ill keep an eye out.

 

[mndsm]

Funny, i'm the opposite. Every other dealer i've ever been to has been a pirate.

 

[azasadny]

[quote author=jflash link=topic=69406.msg1207294#msg1207294 date=1171476555]
so is this the first report of someone using s-plan on a speed3?

im glad the ford dealerships are merging with mazda. i hate the mazda dealerships.
i live close to you ill keep an eye out.
[/quote]

This is the first time I've ever bought/leased a Mazda and Gorno Ford bought Sterling Mazda and now Gorno has both Ford and Mazda in two separate dealerships about 1/2 block from each other on Allen Road in Woodhaven, MI. Gorno has always treated me well but we wanted the Mazda and since I'm leaving Ford at the end of the month, I needed to get the cars now. We leased my wife's CX-7 and bought my MS3 and I was glad the dealer stepped up and accepted the S-Plan, after all, it was quoted on the Ford employee website as part of S-Plan. Anyway, I got a good deal and we pick up the cars on Saturday. To me, the dealership is just as important as the car because if you have any warranty issues, etc... you need to go to a dealer. If your dealer is bad, you're stuck unless you have other dealers in the area.

 

[glk]

I just picked up my new MS3 this past Tuesday from Crippen in Lansing, MI. I also used s-plan pricing and they had no problem with it at all. I had a '04 Mz3 hatch I bought from the same dealer and used s-plan then as well. I think the dealers in MI are so used to people using employee discounts that it's never a big deal. Seems like everyone who lives here has some connection to a autoworker, so dealers pretty much assume you get a discount when you walk in the door.

Anyway, congrats on the car, and I can attest the fact the winter tires are needed. The day after I picked mine up we got on the of the biggest storms of the year. The first time I really drove the car, and there was 3 inches of snow to deal with. Ugh.

 

[bondo90]

Azasadny,

Who was you're saleman at Gorno and do you recommend him...I looking for a MS3 and I went to the Livonia dealer and they told me no way on S-plan---had to pay MSRP. I'm in the same boat as you, the Boxster is put away for the winter and I need to replace my Explorer lease.

Thanks!

 

[MS3_Mafia]

Congrats on the MS3 and CX7!! Sounds like it all worked out and you got a great deal.

 

[azasadny]

Dwayne Kremko was my salesman and he treated us fairly and respectfully, a 100% positive car-buying/leasing experience. Gorno Mazda is the dealership, his number is 313-530-7535 and I'm not affiliated with him or the dealership in any way, except that I'm a very happy customer!

 

[azasadny]

Bondo90,
I know what you mean, my 911 is stored until warm, dry weather (it's a Targa, after all!) and we turn in 2 Ford Escapes at the end of the month as they are company lease cars and I'm leaving Ford at the end of this month. We were very impressed with the Mazdas and the price is right, especially if you get the S-Plan pricing. Good luck!