Topic: Test Drives: Civic, Mazda3,Sentra, Matrix - Final Decision!

[99 Silver]

Actually...I'd buy the Corolla for it's better gas mileage and bullet proof reliability over the Mazda..though the Mazda is quite reliable too.....(and no, I'm not numb from the neck up).


I don't imagine your Kia is much of an entertaining or involving ride either.....

I've driven a Corolla recently and it is a numb, non-engaging type of car.  Your perfect reliable appliance type of vehicle.  If you enjoy driving, then you need to consider the others.

[vdk]

you can get pretty good gas mileage with the 2.0 Mazda3 and still have loads of fun...

[SkiBunny]

i love my money and i hate ploughing my hard earned cash into a sink hole.  yes all cars are sink holes, but some sink much faster than the others.  

 

[gosteelerz]

As good as the Mazda3 is, its resale value still trails the Civic and Corolla though. Of course, the Sentra is little better, but I am not sure how the two (Mazda3 vs Sentra) compares.

-Lik

It appears that the resale value of a 4 year old Mazda3 is holding up as well as the Civic.  The Corolla seems to do better but they are more scarce. The 3 and the Civic have an average value of 12K and the Corolla is running just at under 13K over 4 years.

[Mitlov]

While depreciation is one thing to consider, for me, it's only a tie-breaker.  I'd rather spend five years enjoying the car I drive and eat another, say, $2000 in depreciation during those five years.  Come on, that's $33 per month!  I'd gladly pay that if it made a substantial difference in the driving experience.  Only if I liked two cars about equally would depreciation be the deciding factor for me.

[Iso Octane]

It appears that the resale value of a 4 year old Mazda3 is holding up as well as the Civic.  The Corolla seems to do better but they are more scarce. The 3 and the Civic have an average value of 12K and the Corolla is running just at under 13K over 4 years.

But that was the old Civic.  Would the revolutionarily-better-than-the-last current gen Civic hold up better than the Mazda3 in 4 years? 

[gosteelerz]

It appears that the resale value of a 4 year old Mazda3 is holding up as well as the Civic.  The Corolla seems to do better but they are more scarce. The 3 and the Civic have an average value of 12K and the Corolla is running just at under 13K over 4 years.

But that was the old Civic.  Would the revolutionarily-better-than-the-last current gen Civic hold up better than the Mazda3 in 4 years? 

It only seems revolutionary now but by the time it's 4 years old it's still just a used Civic.  The Corolla is the least revolutionary of the bunch yet it has the highest resale value. 

[Mitlov]

i agree mitlov but usually it is more.  when i have narrowed my choice down to two cars, i quite like them both.  i bought a civic and a buddy bought a gm product the same year and we sold our cars the same year.  they cost the same but i sold mine for 4k more.   in the end i had 4k more, no break downs or major expenses and he had 4k less and several major repairs to pay for.  make sure you buy a popular car that is durable and you will see a solid resale.

Resale is not tied to reliability.  Instead, it's tied to demand for the vehicle (and reliability is just one possible thing that could cause high demand for a vehicle).  German cars (from VW to Mercedes) depreciate very slowly, but have subpar reliability.  On the other hand, Hyundais are extremely reliable nowadays but still depreciate quickly.  Buy a popular vehicle, and it depreciate slowly, regardless of reliability.  Buy an unpopular vehicle, and it will depreciate quickly.

[silver]

Well it certainly seems the Mazda 3 is more popular, but I did find the Sentra the most comfortable

Can anyone tell me what the advantages would be between the SE-R and the S versions. I am thinking SE-R may be a bit better in terms of winter driving and general zippiness. I know the S would get better mileage

[Traum]

Silver, despite the overwhelming endorsement on the 3, remember that ultimately you're the one driving the car day in, day out. So it's what *YOU* like better, not what everyone else likes better. Both are good cars, and in terms of reliability, you aren't gonna have very many problems with either one. If you find the Sentra more comfy, by all means, go for that.

The SE-R sports a 2.5L 4-banger, while the S sports a 2.0L 4-banger. You'll have to check Nissan's website for fuel economy figures. The SE-R also comes with a lot of other sporty goodies as well. But check Nissan's website for details on the differences between the two.

-Lik

[vdk]

The difference between an SE-R and an S is huge. Just drive both and see for yourself.
Personally, the SE-R feels more stable on the road, it's faster and looks better IMO, plus real world fuel economy is about the same. I think my friend averages about 8L/100km with mostly rush hour highway. The CVT works pretty well to keep those numbers down.

As for winter driving, if you don't live in Florida, get winter tires, those performance all-seasons are crap when it gets cold. Plus there's no ESP, ASR to keep you on track somewhat.

[Mitlov]

Silver, despite the overwhelming endorsement on the 3, remember that ultimately you're the one driving the car day in, day out. So it's what *YOU* like better, not what everyone else likes better. Both are good cars, and in terms of reliability, you aren't gonna have very many problems with either one. If you find the Sentra more comfy, by all means, go for that.

  It doesn't matter if nine people out of ten would rather have a Mazda3 instead of a Sentra.  If you prefer the Sentra, drive it.  There's nothing fun about owning a car that everyone tells you you should like, but you don't.

[silver]

Thanks all

I didn't test drive the SE-R just the S, but I will try it asap. I am leaning towards the Sentra, but could go either way!

[wing]

Well I drove the Sentra this weekend.  I thought it was pretty nice on the inside and very comfortable for a highway cruiser.  Not as sporty as the Mazda3 for sure and a softer suspension.  Depends on what you like, like the others said.