5th Feb 2007, 16:26
The Mazda 3 and 6 are great (and very sporty) cars. The new 3 Turbo model is faster than anything on the road almost, and definitely faster than anything from Honda, Toyota or Nissan. It's 0-60 times is faster than the Nissan 350Z, as it's top speed would be if it weren't governor-limited to 150mph. Being a Ford now, Mazda has far better reliability than it did before Ford took over (we owned a pre-Ford Mazda and it was absolute JUNK). My only gripe with the Mazdas, however, is that (as has been pointed out) they ride like they have steel tires and no suspension. After test driving a 3, I knew my back couldn't handle the bone-jarring ride, so I opted for a smoother riding GM car.
5th Feb 2007, 18:54
<<The Accord is anything but floaty...>.
HMMMM, well I've driven the Accord and it was floaty compared to the Mazda 6 which I also drove.
6th Feb 2007, 14:29
The Camry or Accord sedan is anything, but sporty, and is not the kind of car one would expect sporty handling from. It is a basic, bread-and-butter transportation appliance. As such the softer suspension is far more appropriate to the people who buy them.
6th Feb 2007, 19:08
Yes, other than "niche" cars like BMWs, mass market cars in American need to be "floaty" and non-sporting. This is the opposite in Europe/Great Britain. This isn't an insult to the Accord, as Honda is merely delivering what the market wants and the Accord's sales confirm it.
6th Feb 2007, 19:36
If by floaty you mean feeling every bump I cannot imagine what a Mazda six would feel...
6th Feb 2007, 21:52
<<If by floaty you mean feeling every bump I cannot imagine what a Mazda six would feel...>>
Um, that definition would be the opposite of floaty.
7th Feb 2007, 16:23
Having owned and driven a number of those "great handling" and "sporty" cars that the car magazines drool over, I GREATLY PREFER the softer ride of a Buick or Lincoln now. It saves a lot of money not having to have the fillings put back in my teeth every other week.
7th Feb 2007, 17:53
I was saying that the Accords ride is full of bumps and jitters--more of a sport feeling than floaty.. in my opinion the Ford Taurus has a much more floaty ride... sorry I took the time you needed to sell your brand 06 new remaining Mazda Six's...my dealer in my area still has a few left of the 06's.
7th Feb 2007, 18:03
And that's you. I would never drive a car that would put me to sleep and wallow in the corners.
14th Feb 2007, 15:18
Both my wife and I have been looking at new cars lately and, trying to decide what to buy. The car will be a replacement for her 1997 Audi A4 Quattro, so it's not been an easy task. She's retired now and we don't need another dark hole to throw money at.
The new style Camry, Accord, Fusion, Impala and the like are basically all the same to me. Nothing other than the Fusion with AWD has been a consideration and I'm not too fussy about it ether.
Years ago I owned a 1985 4 cyl Camry automatic. It was a very good car, one of the best I've owned. To me, the new Camry doesn't seem as well built as my old one and is really lethargic and sedate. My 1985 version performed much better. I was disappointed with it's performance as well as it's price. I understand it's no match for the Audi, but it really didn't come up to my expectations.
I was hoping the Camry would be the one, but even my wife was disappointed with it. It seems more like a Ford Taurus than a Toyota and it's interior is bland and unattractive.
A friend of mine bought a Buick Lacrosse, it's interior is nice and it performs better, but I'm not sold on it. It's about the same price as the Camry and has a better warranty. We may take a ride in a Subaru and see what they're like.
I personally drive an Audi A6 Quattro and I love it. I'm still employed and can still afford to indulge myself however, I will be looking for an alternative in a year or so.
Maybe I'll buy a Buick, the Camry isn't what I thought it would be. My wife, well who knows, she might like the Subaru.
15th Feb 2007, 09:06
Is anyone else annoyed by these ads placed in our posts? It's as bad as watching TV and having things zoom by during the program.
What a turn off. There are better ways to make money than annoy your target market.
15th Feb 2007, 12:10
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steven@carsurvey.org
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Your feedback over the in-text ads is noted. This is a trial, and whether they stay depends on the feedback I receive and the revenue.
There's a post at my blog where comments can be left about the ad trial. The more detail people can give me, the better: http://www.distantparts.com/2007/02/15/127/
15th Feb 2007, 14:01
9:12...a company car is the very best as you do care. A lot more than if you own the vehicle. I typically have 3 choices on what new vehicle I can pick. I always do extensive research, test drive each a few times. I earn commissions and cannot afford to be in shops, downtime with repairs etc. Over 15 years I can tell you anything about a vehicle with total unbiased evaluations. If you had one you would realize this.
16th Feb 2007, 11:40
So 14:01's theory is that people who do not own company cars can afford to own unreliable vehicles? Don't think so. I have a friend who has a long commute and has something like 60 people reporting to him. He owns his own car and is never reimbursed for any mileage or anything else. Do you really think he can afford to have an unreliable car?
Sorry, but when you're making a large monthly payment out of your OWN paycheck AND you have to pay for your own gas, insurance, and maintenance, you have a much greater vested interest than someone who drives a company car that will easily be replaced if it's unreliable.
I'm not saying you don't review your cars and take care of them, but your choices are limited and you don't have to worry about the tab.
18th Feb 2007, 13:28
To comment 15:18: I'd recommend either the Fusion or the Buick LaCrosse. Having owned German, Japanese and domestics, I've found the domestics much more reliable, cheaper to repair (IF they require any, which none of mine did until way beyond 100,000 miles) and better riding. I currently own a Pontiac, but have been looking at the new offerings. Camry doesn't impress me, and our past experience with Japanese cars has not been good at all. Toyota is currently experiencing a lot of very major problems in areas of safety, and an overall decline in quality. The distinctive styling and great reliability of the Fusion is very enticing, but our experience has shown that GM dealers are far more attentive to their owner's needs than Ford. That makes the Buick more appealing to me. All-in-all, I'd probably opt for a Buick based on dealer service, safety, ride and overall feel. I am a little afraid of German cars, as our experience with them has been pretty bleak too.
5th Feb 2007, 09:12
What are you talking about? A company car may give you some indication of how a car operates, but since you are NOT paying for gas, maintenance, and so on you really don't care either way what the costs are or whether you're "getting screwed" or not at the dealer.
It is the same with car magazines. They really don't care whether a car gets 10 mpg or 40 mpg since they aren't paying for it, and that holds true for costs as well.