You can read my first thread here:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...81#post2406681
Well I started by test driving the si, which you can read about in the above link.
Today I test drove the mazdaspeed3 and the si again. All I have to say is damn, that's one tough choice.
The speed3 I test drove was in the blue color which on the website looks very baby blue but in person it's a blue/green, very glossy and changes color. I give it a thumbs up! I also liked the black. Well, right off the bat there was a lot more too look at than the si. I found the si's appearance really good in some angles and poor in others, although the ones with lip kits look sick. I really liked the look of the speed 3, not so much the rear end but I can get over that. LOVE the hoodscoop. It gets made fun of a lot for it's smiling front but I liked it, i felt like it was tempting me to drive it. The interio of the speed3 wins hands down, no questions asked. You also get dual climate control, cool seats, (leather/suede) system screen, blue tooth and a couple other things standard which you have to pay more for on the si. The only part lacking was the moonroof, which I don't have now so whatever. The clutch was very hard, much harder than the civics. This made launches grab like crazy but I also found with the added torque the speed3 has, it loses traction easily. I kept in mind the tires probably aren't great, shitty roads and 20 degrees F outside. The speed3 feels faster because the instant torque. It really slams you back, it kept reminding me of my brothers sti, expecaily when it pulled like a beast on the highway in 6th gear at 60mph, PULLED LIKE A BEAST. The braking was also slightly better than the si. The speed3 has a nice rumble to it as well unlike the typical whiney honda rev. The handling was pretty stiff but not uncomfortable and it felt like it cornered harder than the si.
This is were it gets to be a fun nite.
So I talk to them for awhile and let them know I'm going down the street to test the si again. The salesman I had was really cool and told me to take it to mazda and compare side by side. Keep in mind they had no new si's on the lot, only an 07 si coupe w/ 60k miles, which is what we drove to mazda. We got to mazda and had them pull up the speed3. I drove the speed3 and the honda salesman drove the si..... time to have fun. I also had the mazda salesman in the speed3 and my friend in the si w/ the honda salesman.
So first we do a roll from about 20mph and launch, the si kept with me but as I shifted I slowly took over by about a car. I was suprised I didn't wreck the si... Then we hit a light and started from a stop. The si got a great launch, keep in mind this kid knows how to drive the si and I don't know how to drive the speed3. He jumps a car on me and I slowly creep up and slowly start to pass and we stop at about 100. Then we did a roll from 60 and I pulled about a car and a half on him all the way to 120. (keep in mind this is a highway at night with no one around) Then we hit a rotary, first time through i took it pretty quick all the way around and the si kept right with me. The second time through I took it sliding sideways and the si was still gripping and right on my ass. (I attribute this to not giving enough gas in the turn and not knowing what I'm doing)
Then I got some balls. I had a solid launch out of the rotary, whipped the on ramp which corquscrews, like a champ, took it up to 130 and the si was FINALY not on my damn ass.
I loved both cars. They both have great qualities but most likely I'll get the speed3 unless the price difference is big, which I doubt.
So long story short, an 07 si w/ 60k and a good driver can almost keep up with a brand new speed3 and a shitty driver. Once I get the hang of the speed3 I won't consider an si a threat. Fun nite.
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...81#post2406681
Well I started by test driving the si, which you can read about in the above link.
Today I test drove the mazdaspeed3 and the si again. All I have to say is damn, that's one tough choice.
The speed3 I test drove was in the blue color which on the website looks very baby blue but in person it's a blue/green, very glossy and changes color. I give it a thumbs up! I also liked the black. Well, right off the bat there was a lot more too look at than the si. I found the si's appearance really good in some angles and poor in others, although the ones with lip kits look sick. I really liked the look of the speed 3, not so much the rear end but I can get over that. LOVE the hoodscoop. It gets made fun of a lot for it's smiling front but I liked it, i felt like it was tempting me to drive it. The interio of the speed3 wins hands down, no questions asked. You also get dual climate control, cool seats, (leather/suede) system screen, blue tooth and a couple other things standard which you have to pay more for on the si. The only part lacking was the moonroof, which I don't have now so whatever. The clutch was very hard, much harder than the civics. This made launches grab like crazy but I also found with the added torque the speed3 has, it loses traction easily. I kept in mind the tires probably aren't great, shitty roads and 20 degrees F outside. The speed3 feels faster because the instant torque. It really slams you back, it kept reminding me of my brothers sti, expecaily when it pulled like a beast on the highway in 6th gear at 60mph, PULLED LIKE A BEAST. The braking was also slightly better than the si. The speed3 has a nice rumble to it as well unlike the typical whiney honda rev. The handling was pretty stiff but not uncomfortable and it felt like it cornered harder than the si.
This is were it gets to be a fun nite.
So I talk to them for awhile and let them know I'm going down the street to test the si again. The salesman I had was really cool and told me to take it to mazda and compare side by side. Keep in mind they had no new si's on the lot, only an 07 si coupe w/ 60k miles, which is what we drove to mazda. We got to mazda and had them pull up the speed3. I drove the speed3 and the honda salesman drove the si..... time to have fun. I also had the mazda salesman in the speed3 and my friend in the si w/ the honda salesman.
So first we do a roll from about 20mph and launch, the si kept with me but as I shifted I slowly took over by about a car. I was suprised I didn't wreck the si... Then we hit a light and started from a stop. The si got a great launch, keep in mind this kid knows how to drive the si and I don't know how to drive the speed3. He jumps a car on me and I slowly creep up and slowly start to pass and we stop at about 100. Then we did a roll from 60 and I pulled about a car and a half on him all the way to 120. (keep in mind this is a highway at night with no one around) Then we hit a rotary, first time through i took it pretty quick all the way around and the si kept right with me. The second time through I took it sliding sideways and the si was still gripping and right on my ass. (I attribute this to not giving enough gas in the turn and not knowing what I'm doing)
Then I got some balls. I had a solid launch out of the rotary, whipped the on ramp which corquscrews, like a champ, took it up to 130 and the si was FINALY not on my damn ass.
I loved both cars. They both have great qualities but most likely I'll get the speed3 unless the price difference is big, which I doubt.
So long story short, an 07 si w/ 60k and a good driver can almost keep up with a brand new speed3 and a shitty driver. Once I get the hang of the speed3 I won't consider an si a threat. Fun nite.
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