User Panel
Posted: 6/25/2015 10:16:44 AM EDT
The car looks and drives very well for its segment, and the professional reviewers all love it.
What's it like to live with one day to day? |
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[#1]
My wife has one and she loves it. It's roomy, fairly quiet and gets decent gas mileage (34 mpg+). No issues so far except a wiper blade rattling problem that was solved through the dealer.
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[#2]
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My wife has one and she loves it. It's roomy, fairly quiet and gets decent gas mileage (34 mpg+). No issues so far except a wiper blade rattling problem that was solved through the dealer. View Quote Do you drive it much? I know it's wrong wheel drive and it's just a commuter, but what do you think of it? |
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[#3]
Fantastic little car. The GT and up models are pretty fun to drive also. I bought my wife one and we have been very pleased. The car does have some road noise, that would be my only complaint.
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[#4]
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[#5]
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The car looks and drives very well for its segment, and the professional reviewers all love it. What's it like to live with one day to day? View Quote http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-mazda-3-25l-manual-long-term-test-review http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/ http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/wrap-up.html http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/hatchbacks/1504_2014_mazda3_s_gt_review_verdict/viewall.html |
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[#6]
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http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-mazda-3-25l-manual-long-term-test-review http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/ http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/wrap-up.html http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/hatchbacks/1504_2014_mazda3_s_gt_review_verdict/viewall.html View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The car looks and drives very well for its segment, and the professional reviewers all love it. What's it like to live with one day to day? http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-mazda-3-25l-manual-long-term-test-review http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/ http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/wrap-up.html http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/hatchbacks/1504_2014_mazda3_s_gt_review_verdict/viewall.html I know auto-journalists love it. I've read and watched a pile of reviews, and all are pretty much glowing. |
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[#7]
I'm having a hard time choosing between a sedan and a hatch.
I'm not sure which I'd rather have. |
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[#8]
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[#9]
I test drove the 3 last September. The car fit like a glove and drove great. It struck me as a bit small, though; my last car was a 2006 Toyota Matrix, a hatchback Corolla in other words, it had a good deal more cargo space ("hatchback", back seats up OR down), than the 3. I wound up test driving and buying a 6 instead. The Mazda 6 has been a great car.
If I was looking for a commuter, I wouldn't hesitate getting the 3. I do miss having a hatchback. |
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[#10]
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Go sit an both and see if you are fine with the rear visibility of the hatch. That is the main issue between body styles. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I'm having a hard time choosing between a sedan and a hatch. I'm not sure which I'd rather have. Go sit an both and see if you are fine with the rear visibility of the hatch. That is the main issue between body styles. I drove the sedan and then sat in the hatch. Honestly, the rear visibility isn't exactly stellar in either. |
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[#11]
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I test drove the 3 last September. The car fit like a glove and drove great. It struck me as a bit small, though; my last car was a 2006 Toyota Matrix, a hatchback Corolla in other words, it had a good deal more cargo space ("hatchback", back seats up OR down), than the 3. I wound up test driving and buying a 6 instead. The Mazda 6 has been a great car. If I was looking for a commuter, I wouldn't hesitate getting the 3. I do miss having a hatchback. View Quote I think the 3 loses space due to the profile of the car. I think they did that for aerodynamics. |
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[#12]
I went with the sedan and I love it. This car is bigger and more powerful than my last car (a versa) yet it averages 4 mpg more. Acceleration is good, It handles great, the brakes are fantastic. The only niggle is the drivers seat isn't as comfortable as it could be and the dash design is kind of meh. Overall I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
I got the sedan for safety reasons -- there is about 16" of space separating the rear bumper from the back seat in the hatch vs. 3-4 feet in the sedan. We have had several mazdas and they have all been very reliable. My brother has an older model 3 with about 150k miles on it . The only things it has needed are routine maintenance stuff and it's still tight as a drum - no rattles or squeaks, steering still tight, runs great. |
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[#13]
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I went with the sedan and I love it. This car is bigger and more powerful than my last car (a versa) yet it averages 4 mpg more. Acceleration is good, It handles great, the brakes are fantastic. The only niggle is the drivers seat isn't as comfortable as it could be and the dash design is kind of meh. Overall I would buy it again in a heartbeat. I got the sedan for safety reasons -- there is about 16" of space separating the rear bumper from the back seat in the hatch vs. 3-4 feet in the sedan. We have had several mazdas and they have all been very reliable. My brother has an older model 3 with about 150k miles on it . The only things it has needed are routine maintenance stuff and it's still tight as a drum - no rattles or squeaks, steering still tight, runs great. View Quote I took a tape measure to the Mazda dealer. Yeah... I'm that guy. The trunk on the sedan is about 6" deeper than the hatch, and the top of the trunk is about 2" higher than the folding cover thing on the hatch. I put a deposit on a sedan. |
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[#15]
I was shopping them. Too ugly though. Got a Kia Optima instead.
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[#16]
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[#18]
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[#19]
I guy in my office has one. He's gone all over the southeast US with it. Has over 100K on it in three years. He's a complainer and general malcontent so if anything went wrong on it we would know about it. He also is pretty hard on the car. He has two foot positions- gas pedal all the way down and brake pedal all the way down.
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[#20]
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Nope but I do have the 6. Ask away. View Quote How do you like yours? Anything you'd do different? I got the auto trans, it rated a couple mpg better than the stick. I test drove a stick, and found that I couldn't keep my foot out of it. Mine has been faultless. It runs like it's on rails, and does very well in winter conditions. I'm doing 29-31 mpg city, 38 hwy. I think I could get 40 on flat ground; that 38 mpg is mountain driving, and not being easy on it. If I could do anything different, it would be something other than the black interior. |
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[#21]
I have the 2014 Sport i sedan and have 24K on it. No issues at all. I commute 65 miles a day and it avg's 36 mpg, and I got 41 ish on a long trip to Vegas with my son. My coworker bought a 2015 hatch back and it seems louder on the inside than the sedan. His only bitch is road noise, but all these little shit boxes are loud until you get out of town a ways and the roads smooth out.
I was rear ended last month and have been in a Elantra for the last 3 weeks and I don't like it. It has more power but gets around 29- 30 ish mpg, I'm sure it has the bigger motor than mine has. It doesn't drive as well and the tranny seems to hunt for gears, ac doesn't work as well either. I agree the Mazda has kind of a goofy dash but I like the lack of buttons and crap to play with but it has all the bells and whistles the others have. I was hell bent to buy a Focus but I hated that fucked up dual clutch manual auto tranny thing it had(2014) supposedly fixed in the 15, Mazda's transmission is well programmed and doesn't hunt for gears. I bought the car to commute to work and I would buy it again, I miss my car and wish they would hurry up and finish fixing it. Good luck in your decision. I researched the shit out of these cars and this was the best fit for me, I was going to cost of ownership, ie gas mileage, how much are new tires, oil change intervals, other shit that needs to be done. I got mine 18K out the door. |
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[#22]
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How do you like yours? Anything you'd do different? I got the auto trans, it rated a couple mpg better than the stick. I test drove a stick, and found that I couldn't keep my foot out of it. Mine has been faultless. It runs like it's on rails, and does very well in winter conditions. I'm doing 29-31 mpg city, 38 hwy. I think I could get 40 on flat ground; that 38 mpg is mountain driving, and not being easy on it. If I could do anything different, it would be something other than the black interior. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Nope but I do have the 6. Ask away. How do you like yours? Anything you'd do different? I got the auto trans, it rated a couple mpg better than the stick. I test drove a stick, and found that I couldn't keep my foot out of it. Mine has been faultless. It runs like it's on rails, and does very well in winter conditions. I'm doing 29-31 mpg city, 38 hwy. I think I could get 40 on flat ground; that 38 mpg is mountain driving, and not being easy on it. If I could do anything different, it would be something other than the black interior. I am coming from a Jeep Cherokee as my everyday driver. And a Mustang GT before that. So my opinion may be a bit bias. I would be happy with anything than the former in regards to comfort and gas mileage. It also doesn't take to much to please me. Other things people nitpick over I couldn't give a fuck. I'd be happy driving in a go kart probably. With that said the main appeal of the car to me was the gas mileage. Real world driving I get around 400 to the tank and I have a heavy foot. I took a trip from Boston to Burlington, VT. I made it there and back and still had 30 miles to spare. I was right around 515 miles at that point. The interior is nice. I am 5'11 3/4" and its comfortable for nice long road trips. My only complain is the driver side is kind of narrow. My knees hitup against the sides of the interior sometimes which can be a pain. I wish I waited for the 2015 model as it has a better interior and the better infotainment system. But I am happy with it. It's an easy car to do maintenance on. I have around 20,000 miles and only done oil changes so far. They make it very easy to do with the filter and plug right in the exact same place. Still have four years left on the note. Hope they come out with a turbo model sometime in the future. I've had one person tell me they thought it was a BMW when they sat inside not knowing what the car was. And the first day I pulled up into work with it my boss thought it was a Jaguar, then realized it was a Mazda. |
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[#23]
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Do you drive it much? I know it's wrong wheel drive and it's just a commuter, but what do you think of it? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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My wife has one and she loves it. It's roomy, fairly quiet and gets decent gas mileage (34 mpg+). No issues so far except a wiper blade rattling problem that was solved through the dealer. Do you drive it much? I know it's wrong wheel drive and it's just a commuter, but what do you think of it? My GF got her daughter a 2014 Mazda 3. It's a very decent car. Great gas mileage, decent room, quiet, handles well, no maintenance issues. I recently bought a 2015 Mazda 6 and it is easily the best car I've ever owned. Now admittedly, I haven't owned a lot of cars, mostly pickups and SUVs. But I like the Mazda 6 for the same reasons my GF's daughter loves her Mazda 3. I think they make some very good cars. LC |
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[#24]
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My GF got her daughter a 2014 Mazda 3. It's a very decent car. Great gas mileage, decent room, quiet, handles well, no maintenance issues. I recently bought a 2015 Mazda 6 and it is easily the best car I've ever owned. Now admittedly, I haven't owned a lot of cars, mostly pickups and SUVs. But I like the Mazda 6 for the same reasons my GF's daughter loves her Mazda 3. I think they make some very good cars. LC View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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My wife has one and she loves it. It's roomy, fairly quiet and gets decent gas mileage (34 mpg+). No issues so far except a wiper blade rattling problem that was solved through the dealer. Do you drive it much? I know it's wrong wheel drive and it's just a commuter, but what do you think of it? My GF got her daughter a 2014 Mazda 3. It's a very decent car. Great gas mileage, decent room, quiet, handles well, no maintenance issues. I recently bought a 2015 Mazda 6 and it is easily the best car I've ever owned. Now admittedly, I haven't owned a lot of cars, mostly pickups and SUVs. But I like the Mazda 6 for the same reasons my GF's daughter loves her Mazda 3. I think they make some very good cars. LC How's the cabin noise? That's another complaint I have about my 2014. You can literally hear the wind gusting in through the door trim. |
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[#25]
Test drove a 2015 2.0L with the GT trim.
Great car but the throttle response was horrific and the little infotainment display looked like a total afterthought. Prepare to have your windows smashed out every few months with people thinking they're about to smash-and-grab themselves a nice iPad. |
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[#26]
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Test drove a 2015 2.0L with the GT trim. Great car but the throttle response was horrific and the little infotainment display looked like a total afterthought. Prepare to have your windows smashed out every few months with people thinking they're about to smash-and-grab themselves a nice iPad. View Quote You realize other manufacturers (mercedes mostly) have adopted the same setup for their infotainment setup, right? |
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[#28]
The example I'm looking at is a 2014 Touring that doesn't have the infotainment system.
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[#29]
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How's the cabin noise? That's another complaint I have about my 2014. You can literally hear the wind gusting in through the door trim. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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My wife has one and she loves it. It's roomy, fairly quiet and gets decent gas mileage (34 mpg+). No issues so far except a wiper blade rattling problem that was solved through the dealer. Do you drive it much? I know it's wrong wheel drive and it's just a commuter, but what do you think of it? My GF got her daughter a 2014 Mazda 3. It's a very decent car. Great gas mileage, decent room, quiet, handles well, no maintenance issues. I recently bought a 2015 Mazda 6 and it is easily the best car I've ever owned. Now admittedly, I haven't owned a lot of cars, mostly pickups and SUVs. But I like the Mazda 6 for the same reasons my GF's daughter loves her Mazda 3. I think they make some very good cars. LC How's the cabin noise? That's another complaint I have about my 2014. You can literally hear the wind gusting in through the door trim. Cabin noise is not bad, no issue with the sealing around the door trim and windows. It's pretty quiet. Now the only issue I have with my 6 is that the tires sometimes make a decent amount of noise, particularly on certain types of concrete roadway. On asphalt, it's not an issue, and on some types of concrete it isn't an issue. Kind of a strange thing, actually. LC ETA: As far as the infotainment system on the 3, it does look weird, but it doesn't have the screen, just radio, CD and a USB port. |
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[#30]
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Yes I do. I don't like Mazda's implementation. The one I liked best out of all the infotainment centers (and I don't like infotainment in general) was the Ford Fiesta implementation. It's up at eye level but still more sculpted into the dash and not just added on like "OH SHIT WE FORGOT TO ENGINEER A PLACE FOR THE SCREEN". In any event, nobody who is shopping for a Mazda is also cross-shopping for a Mercedes-Benz. http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/gallery/photo/fie15_pg_020_int_med.jpg I ended up buying a Mazda without any infotainment at all. I'll take hard buttons over touchscreen anything, thank you very much. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Test drove a 2015 2.0L with the GT trim. Great car but the throttle response was horrific and the little infotainment display looked like a total afterthought. Prepare to have your windows smashed out every few months with people thinking they're about to smash-and-grab themselves a nice iPad. You realize other manufacturers (mercedes mostly) have adopted the same setup for their infotainment setup, right? Yes I do. I don't like Mazda's implementation. The one I liked best out of all the infotainment centers (and I don't like infotainment in general) was the Ford Fiesta implementation. It's up at eye level but still more sculpted into the dash and not just added on like "OH SHIT WE FORGOT TO ENGINEER A PLACE FOR THE SCREEN". In any event, nobody who is shopping for a Mazda is also cross-shopping for a Mercedes-Benz. http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/gallery/photo/fie15_pg_020_int_med.jpg I ended up buying a Mazda without any infotainment at all. I'll take hard buttons over touchscreen anything, thank you very much. The current system allows for use via touchsceen (I believe it s licked out when the vehicle is moving, at least for navigation) or the control knob/buttons on the console between the front seats/steering wheel. |
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[#31]
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The current system allows for use via touchsceen (I believe it s licked out when the vehicle is moving, at least for navigation) or the control knob/buttons on the console between the front seats/steering wheel. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Test drove a 2015 2.0L with the GT trim. Great car but the throttle response was horrific and the little infotainment display looked like a total afterthought. Prepare to have your windows smashed out every few months with people thinking they're about to smash-and-grab themselves a nice iPad. You realize other manufacturers (mercedes mostly) have adopted the same setup for their infotainment setup, right? Yes I do. I don't like Mazda's implementation. The one I liked best out of all the infotainment centers (and I don't like infotainment in general) was the Ford Fiesta implementation. It's up at eye level but still more sculpted into the dash and not just added on like "OH SHIT WE FORGOT TO ENGINEER A PLACE FOR THE SCREEN". In any event, nobody who is shopping for a Mazda is also cross-shopping for a Mercedes-Benz. http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/gallery/photo/fie15_pg_020_int_med.jpg I ended up buying a Mazda without any infotainment at all. I'll take hard buttons over touchscreen anything, thank you very much. The current system allows for use via touchsceen (I believe it s licked out when the vehicle is moving, at least for navigation) or the control knob/buttons on the console between the front seats/steering wheel. So I get the hard buttons but I still get to pay $1000+ rolled into the cost of the car for a touchscreen system I'm not going to use? Not to mention, at the rate technology advances, a touchscreen that will be completely obsolete and slow in 3 years? That's a fantastic fucking deal. Sign me right the fuck up. |
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[#32]
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So I get the hard buttons but I still get to pay $1000+ rolled into the cost of the car for a touchscreen system I'm not going to use? Not to mention, at the rate technology advances, a touchscreen that will be completely obsolete and slow in 3 years? That's a fantastic fucking deal. Sign me right the fuck up. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Test drove a 2015 2.0L with the GT trim. Great car but the throttle response was horrific and the little infotainment display looked like a total afterthought. Prepare to have your windows smashed out every few months with people thinking they're about to smash-and-grab themselves a nice iPad. You realize other manufacturers (mercedes mostly) have adopted the same setup for their infotainment setup, right? Yes I do. I don't like Mazda's implementation. The one I liked best out of all the infotainment centers (and I don't like infotainment in general) was the Ford Fiesta implementation. It's up at eye level but still more sculpted into the dash and not just added on like "OH SHIT WE FORGOT TO ENGINEER A PLACE FOR THE SCREEN". In any event, nobody who is shopping for a Mazda is also cross-shopping for a Mercedes-Benz. http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/gallery/photo/fie15_pg_020_int_med.jpg I ended up buying a Mazda without any infotainment at all. I'll take hard buttons over touchscreen anything, thank you very much. The current system allows for use via touchsceen (I believe it s licked out when the vehicle is moving, at least for navigation) or the control knob/buttons on the console between the front seats/steering wheel. So I get the hard buttons but I still get to pay $1000+ rolled into the cost of the car for a touchscreen system I'm not going to use? Not to mention, at the rate technology advances, a touchscreen that will be completely obsolete and slow in 3 years? That's a fantastic fucking deal. Sign me right the fuck up. In what world is this: comparable to this: Also you aren't just paying for a touchscreen, the higher trim levels bring various additional features. You only get the basic system on the base model, which almost nobody buys. Finally, how do you know that the infotainment system will become obsolete in 3 years? I guess every car manufacturer didn't get that memo and is pissing away money into R/D for such systems for their vehicles? |
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[#33]
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In what world is this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a2.jpg comparable to this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a3.jpg Also you aren't just paying for a touchscreen, the higher trim levels bring various additional features. You only get the basic system on the base model, which almost nobody buys. Finally, how do you know that the infotainment system will become obsolete in 3 years? I guess every car manufacturer didn't get that memo and is pissing away money into R/D for such systems for their vehicles? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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So I get the hard buttons but I still get to pay $1000+ rolled into the cost of the car for a touchscreen system I'm not going to use? Not to mention, at the rate technology advances, a touchscreen that will be completely obsolete and slow in 3 years? That's a fantastic fucking deal. Sign me right the fuck up. In what world is this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a2.jpg comparable to this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a3.jpg Also you aren't just paying for a touchscreen, the higher trim levels bring various additional features. You only get the basic system on the base model, which almost nobody buys. Finally, how do you know that the infotainment system will become obsolete in 3 years? I guess every car manufacturer didn't get that memo and is pissing away money into R/D for such systems for their vehicles? The Mazda3 I'm getting has that first one. After having an aftermarket touchscreen stereo in my DD for the last five years, I kinda appreciate the simplicity of an interface with physical buttons. I'm sure any of the current stuff will be light years ahead of what I had, though. I also think there's truth behind the criticism that infotainment systems are outdated within a short time. But what's the alternative? Not having one at all and having just a standard stereo? I don't think that's going to fly with most consumers. Technology is relatively cheap these days, and we're getting to a point where the only vehicles that don't have infotainment systems are work trucks and entry level cars. |
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[#34]
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I guy in my office has one. He's gone all over the southeast US with it. Has over 100K on it in three years. He's a complainer and general malcontent so if anything went wrong on it we would know about it. He also is pretty hard on the car. He has two foot positions- gas pedal all the way down and brake pedal all the way down. View Quote Ask him a general question about the car and see if he starts bitching. |
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[#35]
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The Mazda3 I'm getting has that first one. After having an aftermarket touchscreen stereo in my DD for the last five years, I kinda appreciate the simplicity of an interface with physical buttons. I'm sure any of the current stuff will be light years ahead of what I had, though. I also think there's truth behind the criticism that infotainment systems are outdated within a short time. But what's the alternative? Not having one at all and having just a standard stereo? I don't think that's going to fly with most consumers. Technology is relatively cheap these days, and we're getting to a point where the only vehicles that don't have infotainment systems are work trucks and entry level cars. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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So I get the hard buttons but I still get to pay $1000+ rolled into the cost of the car for a touchscreen system I'm not going to use? Not to mention, at the rate technology advances, a touchscreen that will be completely obsolete and slow in 3 years? That's a fantastic fucking deal. Sign me right the fuck up. In what world is this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a2.jpg comparable to this: http://preview.netcarshow.com/Mazda-3-2014-800-a3.jpg Also you aren't just paying for a touchscreen, the higher trim levels bring various additional features. You only get the basic system on the base model, which almost nobody buys. Finally, how do you know that the infotainment system will become obsolete in 3 years? I guess every car manufacturer didn't get that memo and is pissing away money into R/D for such systems for their vehicles? The Mazda3 I'm getting has that first one. After having an aftermarket touchscreen stereo in my DD for the last five years, I kinda appreciate the simplicity of an interface with physical buttons. I'm sure any of the current stuff will be light years ahead of what I had, though. I also think there's truth behind the criticism that infotainment systems are outdated within a short time. But what's the alternative? Not having one at all and having just a standard stereo? I don't think that's going to fly with most consumers. Technology is relatively cheap these days, and we're getting to a point where the only vehicles that don't have infotainment systems are work trucks and entry level cars. A self contained unit that is user replaceable with upgraded models/hardware as time goes by for those that want more than just an audio system. |
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[#36]
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