2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 - Page 3

ploney · 04-10-2008, 02:47 PM

Visual comparo, shot at work.
In summary, left side needs to go to the Gym.

215's lookin damn skinny....

solovus · 04-10-2008, 02:53 PM

When you say "pushed closer to the centerline," what does that mean? Pushed closer with respect to/from what?

Imagine this line:

-x<-------------0-------------->+x

If zero is the reference (drivers seat) then it makes absolute sense to say
"Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline."

In contrast it does not make sense to say
"pushed x centimeters closer to the centerline of the driver's seat"
because this is dependent on a start point and you can't establish a standard in this manner unless every single vehicle tested has its B-pillar the exact same distance from the centerline.

I hope this helped...

GilMikalian · 04-10-2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ploney

Visual comparo, shot at work.
In summary, left side needs to go to the Gym.

215's lookin damn skinny....

Wow, the taillights look right at home on a white STI...not so much with my DGM...BUT I'm having a real hard time justifying spending $60-$65 for less than 2 sq. ft. of film.

And I still say the MS3 is a great car, for what it is...BUT is not in the same league as the STI...cross-shopping notwithstanding.

upncummr · 04-10-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solovus

When you say "pushed closer to the centerline," what does that mean? Pushed closer with respect to/from what?

Imagine this line:

-x<-------------0-------------->+x

If zero is the reference (drivers seat) then it makes absolute sense to say
"Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline."

In contrast it does not make sense to say
"pushed x centimeters closer to the centerline of the driver's seat"
because this is dependent on a start point and you can't establish a standard in this manner unless every single vehicle tested has its B-pillar the exact same distance from the centerline.

I hope this helped...

solovus:

Sorry to be dense, but it seems to me that your graphic is backwards. (Unless your graphic shows the seatback from the rear.)

If you were looking at the driver's seat from the front of the car, the negative numbers would be near the door and the positive numbers would be near the center console.

Thus a -8.5 would mean the B pillar moved from right to left but stopped along that line at -8.5.

In your graphic a -8.5 would cross the centerline of the seat and proceed to -8.5. Unless of course, I'm confused.

Gary

pbm317 · 04-10-2008, 03:45 PM

I believe solovus's graphic would be as you said, showing the seatback from the rear of the car. and the -8.5 is a better score than the -5.5 of the Mazda 3, and that also agrees with Gil. If it goes with your understanding, pushed in 5.5 centimeters for the Mazda 3 and 8.5 for the Impreza, how do you account for the cars with a positive value? Does the B-pillar bow outward on contact?

GilMikalian · 04-10-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbm317

how do you account for the cars with a positive value? Does the B-pillar bow outward on contact?

Positive number means the B pillar goes PAST the centerline of the seat toward the center console. So a +2 cm would be a point between the centerline of the seat and center console 2 cm from the centerline.

GotSTI? · 04-10-2008, 07:01 PM

I too drove the MS3. I friggin loved it. I considered trading my 06' in for it this summer. They were going to give me a ton for my car. It drove great. It felt nearly as powerful on the road as my stock STI. I liked the looks, the interior and had no problems with the price! However, I too could not get over the lack of AWD. I am not going to launch every day, but when I want to do it... I want my STI every day of the week. I live in the Northeast too and couldn't imagine life without AWD now.

For a daily driver the MS3 is fabulous and a great car if you don't have the money for a STI. Two big thumbs up your butt!

STIVendetta · 04-10-2008, 07:14 PM

"I want my STI every day of the week."

~ Sure do ~

06WRCBlueStI · 04-10-2008, 07:20 PM

why would they make the ms3 without an awd system? I thought this was supposed to be mazda's answer to the wrx/evo/sti. Having a higher hp fwd car isn't that great imo. From personal exp., you usually get loads of torque steer.

From an aesthetics point of view too, the sti wins.

paikman · 04-10-2008, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 06WRCBlueStI

why would they make the ms3 without an awd system?

If that happened...
1. Kills Mazdaspeed 6 sales
2. Kills RX-8 sales (like that needed help)

It's always about the $

jmswinger · 04-10-2008, 07:39 PM

Well Stedenko,

As a fellow Canadian I can see what you are talking about. Is the STi really $15K more??

I don't know...

All I know is that you should consider an STi from the US.

The price difference of a base STi vs. a MS3 is alot smaller then 15K which might be easier to justify.

I know that I just ordered one from the US. That is how I made my pick.

Best of luck on your choice. If you are from the TO area I could give you the name of my dealer in buffalo who got me a good deal on the STi if you want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stedenko

A few of us kind of hijacked another thread with this topic so here's a new thread.

It turns out that I'm not the only one that is cross-shopping the STI with the MS3. It's not because the MS3 is necessarily comparable, but up here in Canada it's around $15K cheaper to get the MS3.

So if anyone has any thoughts, here's the place. I couldn't find much on this topic because the MS3 is usually compared to the WRX. I'm about to buy one or the other, and I'm leaning hard towards the STI.

Stedanko.

GotSTI? · 04-10-2008, 07:47 PM

^^^ Is it really that easy to buy a car in the US from Canada. I thought I heard otherwise...

***jnprn2003*** · 04-10-2008, 08:08 PM

I actually own an 07 Speed 3...it is a great lil car for the $$$. They can be made to haul a$$ with some small mods.

Joe

Stedenko · 04-10-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GotSTI?

^^^ Is it really that easy to buy a car in the US from Canada. I thought I heard otherwise...

It's easy. Check out Registrar of Imported Vehicles RIV: How to import a U.S made vehicle into Canada. Just make sure you're careful with the list of allowed vehicles that the government publishes. You can find a link to it off the riv site. Also remember that you'll have to pay the
5% GST and a roughly 6% duty at the border. I forgot about that and I had a bit of a surprise at the border.

jmswinger · 04-10-2008, 08:28 PM

Well this will be my 2nd imported car this year as we imported a new Toyota Highlander for my mom. That will be more work then this one is going to be.

Most dealers in near the border know what to do to export the car. And it really is not that hard. Just some paper work and one garage visit and you are done.

And the usual canadian taxes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GotSTI?

^^^ Is it really that easy to buy a car in the US from Canada. I thought I heard otherwise...

04-10-2008, 02:47 PM	#31
ploney STI Driver Car: White 08 STI Fav Mod: Volk RE30's and 255-35 Dunlop Z1's Location: Redondo Beach Posts: 255 Join Date: Sep 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 Visual comparo, shot at work. In summary, left side needs to go to the Gym. 215's lookin damn skinny.... This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

04-10-2008, 02:53 PM	#32
solovus The Next Petter Solberg Car: STIzzle Fav Mod: Tint Location: Toledo, OH Posts: 954 Join Date: Mar 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 When you say "pushed closer to the centerline," what does that mean? Pushed closer with respect to/from what? Imagine this line: -x<-------------0-------------->+x If zero is the reference (drivers seat) then it makes absolute sense to say "Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline." In contrast it does not make sense to say "pushed x centimeters closer to the centerline of the driver's seat" because this is dependent on a start point and you can't establish a standard in this manner unless every single vehicle tested has its B-pillar the exact same distance from the centerline. I hope this helped...

04-10-2008, 03:45 PM	#35
pbm317 Amateur STI Driver Car: White 07 Acura MDX Fav Mod: Coming Soon Posts: 39 Join Date: Jan 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 I believe solovus's graphic would be as you said, showing the seatback from the rear of the car. and the -8.5 is a better score than the -5.5 of the Mazda 3, and that also agrees with Gil. If it goes with your understanding, pushed in 5.5 centimeters for the Mazda 3 and 8.5 for the Impreza, how do you account for the cars with a positive value? Does the B-pillar bow outward on contact?

04-10-2008, 07:01 PM	#37
GotSTI? Silver Member Car: 08 White STI Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,456 Join Date: Jan 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 I too drove the MS3. I friggin loved it. I considered trading my 06' in for it this summer. They were going to give me a ton for my car. It drove great. It felt nearly as powerful on the road as my stock STI. I liked the looks, the interior and had no problems with the price! However, I too could not get over the lack of AWD. I am not going to launch every day, but when I want to do it... I want my STI every day of the week. I live in the Northeast too and couldn't imagine life without AWD now. For a daily driver the MS3 is fabulous and a great car if you don't have the money for a STI. Two big thumbs up your butt!

04-10-2008, 07:14 PM	#38
STIVendetta Spec C Club Car: << 07-STi >> Fav Mod: A Good Wax Job Location: NC- Kingdom of AWD Posts: 1,234 Join Date: May 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 "I want my STI every day of the week." ~ Sure do ~

04-10-2008, 07:20 PM	#39
06WRCBlueStI Junior STI Driver Car: 06 wrb sti Fav Mod: XX Tuning Protune!!! Location: Ct. Posts: 91 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 why would they make the ms3 without an awd system? I thought this was supposed to be mazda's answer to the wrx/evo/sti. Having a higher hp fwd car isn't that great imo. From personal exp., you usually get loads of torque steer. From an aesthetics point of view too, the sti wins.

04-10-2008, 07:47 PM	#42
GotSTI? Silver Member Car: 08 White STI Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,456 Join Date: Jan 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 ^^^ Is it really that easy to buy a car in the US from Canada. I thought I heard otherwise...

04-10-2008, 08:08 PM	#43
*jnprn2003* The Stig II Car: 07 STi, 07 Speed 3.. Fav Mod: Meth protune 323+/380+ Location: The Ocean State Posts: 1,681 Join Date: Feb 2007 Trader Rating: (7)	Re: 2008 STI vs. 2008 Mazdaspeed3 I actually own an 07 Speed 3...it is a great lil car for the $$$. They can be made to haul a$$ with some small mods. Joe