Topic: impreza 2.5 wagon vs mazda3 sport

[ovr50]

Thanks for the pix, Maku. I like that car in the red, a neighbor has one but not an '06. Call me Pinnochio, but the nose is starting to grow on me.

Enjoy your new car. 

[johngenx]

...the nose is starting to grow on me.

Me too.  I like it even better in person.  I'd be tempted to paint the mirrors on that flashy red wagon.  I like the alloys.  They're very similar to a Mercedes wheel that the C-Class offered a few years back.  If the base Impreza could be had with heated seats and Xenon lights for an extra $1500, I'd be tempted to break my new-car rule and get an 06.

[wing]

I love the new Subaru nose .......... on the impreza only.  Nice car!

[Snowman]

Congratulations Maku…a wise choice and you will not be disappointed in the long run.

[crolly]

It seems the subaru snout has been toned-down a little in comparison to the B9... this snout looks hell a lot better!  Congrats Maku and thanks for sharing the pix

[84im]

Very nice looking car. 
 I like the nose job too (but don't call me Pinnochio )
The Canadian Fuel Consumption Guide (2005) puts the Impreza (sedan) at 27 city and 39 highway.  Hopefully, you will do some fuel consumption tests of your own, and post them on the forum.
Note:  I realize that 27/39 are not 'real world' figures.

[johngenx]

That 27/39 must be Imperial gallons.  Is that realistic?

This long weekend we drove the Forester to Calgary, spent two days fighting Calgary traffic, drove home and then drove in the city here before filling.  (yes, I got gas in the meantime...)

Anyway, the Forester averaged 8.2L/100kms for the trip, including city and highway.  Highway 2 is not a great "mileage" route thanks to the relatively high speed, but at least you can maintain a reasonably constant speed and there are no hills, curves, or anything interesting whatsoever.

In normal city driving, we get 9.5L-10.0L/100kms pretty consistently.

So, in a combination we got 34.5mp-Imperial-g.  Considering the gridlock in Calgary we hit, that's durned good.

In all-city driving, we get 28-29 miles per Imperial Gallon.

So, I don't see those estimates being all that far off.  Sure, drive like a maniac with a lead reight foot, and that 2.5L will eat gas, but other than a Smart, what won't if you mash it all the time?

[tenpenny]

Nice car, Makuribu.  Can I take it for a spin?  My 98 Legacy just crossed 270,000 km as I passed Hampton, so I'll treat it to a service visit, and I imagine the dealer will try to talk me into a new car while I'm there. 

[kavatski]

Congratulations on the new Impreza. I've seen the '06 in several colours at the local dealer but not red--looks sharp. Just passed the two-year mark on my '04 Impreza wagon last week and have been very pleased with it.

Fuel economy has been a strong point, considering the AWD drivetrain. No problem at all meeting and sometimes beating the government mileage numbers. My last tank, all two-lane highway at varying speeds, gave me 7.7 L/100 km or 31 mpg US (sorry, Imperial mpg fans) and I've done in the low 7's a few times. 60-litre tank gives a highway range of around 700 km. Around town I see high 8's to 9 L/100 km or 26-27 mpg. No complaints there.

[ghost]

good choice with the 06 Impy. Great Scott! Those rims are straight out of the 05 Saab 92x Linears!!! 
I saw the same model but in that new grey colour scheme and it looked awesome! It is the fighter-jet grey colour like the Audi TTs. Wish the Legacy GTs would sport that colour... 

[Craig]

I had wondered about that.  Thanks for those numbers, bmorton.  A new or recent Impreza RS sedan is on the to-do list, either when the money starts to roll in faster, or if the EL gives me trouble (I might be waiting a while for that).  I was concerned the fuel economy might get under my skin, but it sounds like it's only 0.5 L/100km worse than the EL, which is very good on gas.

I bought the EL in the spring, when I was self-employed, commuting little, and living in the city.  Now I'm commuting on sideroads in the dead of morning, all year long.  I'd feel a lot better in an AWD Impreza than the EL.

[wing]

My '93 impreza gets around 10-11L/100km city driving.  It isn't horrible.

[tenpenny]

On my weekend trip, with 2 adults, 2 kids, 1 dog, and a CEL ( bad O2 sensor, I think), running a steady 120 km/hr, I got 8.4 l/100 km.....on a 98 Legacy with 270,000 km.

[guillermo]

Congradulations

Time to consider joining the SPDA club (Subaru Performance Drivers Association)
http://spda-online.ca/

[Hyundaiguy]

Then there was the dealer.

The Mazda dealer here is of dubious honesty/competence in the service department, in my opinion. They wanted to replace $1800 worth of fuel system when the Mazda failed to start in January. A private garage replaced the plug wires. For less.

The sales guy was right out of the old days. He had to rush back to the sales manager to check on everything we discussed. Hell, son, it's a $20,000 automobile, if you haven't got the authority to make a decision, then let me talk to someone who does. I could never get a delivery date pinned down. In August, it was somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks for the 2005 Mazda3. Maybe. Sort of. And he kept talking about the low financing and monthly payments after I said several times "I'm paying in full. You want a cheque, a certified cheque, or unmarked fifties?". He didn't quite show the little woman the makeup mirror on the back of the sun visor, but that may have been an oversight. All he needed was a Herb Tarlick plaid jacket.

Subaru dealer was laid back, sometimes to the point of unconciousness. They ran out of 05 wagons in August. I checked around and couldn't find any either. He said back then the first 2006 five speed wagon he was getting in would be sometime in October and it would be red. It was, so I bought it. And I didn't need a certified cheque.

I feel I need to speak up about dealership experience that I had when I purchased Mazda 3 GT.
We walked in, asked simple question. "Can we have the car with final price of $25500?" It took him 2 minutes to calculate his profit to tell me he is happy with the price. He also searched for the availability to tell me that there is 4 remaining in the province, and that he will let us know in two days whether it is still available. (We went in saturday.) Again, on monday afternoon, they called to say that we have the car, and at same time, told when it will be ready to be picked up. All is all, it was the best car buying experience that I've ever had. So I hope you don't think that all Mazda dealers are as bad as you've experienced. I'm not a sales person. I just felt to speak up for them in their behalf. 

[makuribu]

Then there was the dealer. blah blah blah

I feel I need to speak up about dealership experience that I had when I purchased Mazda 3 GT.
We walked in, asked simple question. "Can we have the car with final price of $25500?" It took him 2 minutes to calculate his profit to tell me he is happy with the price. He also searched for the availability to tell me that there is 4 remaining in the province, and that he will let us know in two days whether it is still available. (We went in saturday.) Again, on monday afternoon, they called to say that we have the car, and at same time, told when it will be ready to be picked up. All is all, it was the best car buying experience that I've ever had. So I hope you don't think that all Mazda dealers are as bad as you've experienced. I'm not a sales person. I just felt to speak up for them in their behalf. 

That is refreshing. Skip the song and dance, just sell me the damned car.

[I serviced my Protege with a Mazda dealer in another town where I worked, so I know there are competent ones. But I'm now in this place full time and I couldn't see buying a car and having to deal with people I have zero confidence in.]

[Hyundaiguy]

Then there was the dealer. blah blah blah

I feel I need..... in their behalf. 

That is refreshing. Skip the song and dance, just sell me the damned car.

[I serviced my Protege with a Mazda dealer in another town where I worked, so I know there are competent ones. But I'm now in this place full time and I couldn't see buying a car and having to deal with people I have zero confidence in.]

Of course, we did extensive research before we went in. We got invoice price from internet, and were (at least we thought we were... ) pretty reasonable about dealer profit. I think we gave them $450 or so in the profit. Not bad for 2 minutes of his time...