Yes I own a Mazda 3 ts2 That's the one with the traction control dsc 6 disc
cd player 16" wheels It may be a bit different in the states but over here
in the uk they do turn heads. And is fun to drive..and Mazda's seem to last
forever over here..
...
"Tom" > wrote in message
m...
>I had a 99 Civic EX and loved it but it was time for a new one. Last month
>I
> was ready to buy an 05 Civic to replace it, but I was not impressed with
> the
> body style or the cheap looking interior. My old one was much better
> looking. The ride of the new one was about the same as the old. Then I
> checked out the Mazda 3 and took a test drive. It blew me away and I
> bought
> it on the spot. FAR SUPERIOR in my opinion. I got the 4 door S version.
> LOTS
> of power compared to the Civic (160 hp) and great handling--fun to drive.
> It cost a little more (with all the sports package that I got on it) but
> was
> worth it. Drive them both before you choose.
> "nash123" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am an extremely happy owner of a 1999 Civic EX 2dr @70K miles. I am
>> thinking about getting a four door car since we just had a son. I know
>> that I want to get a new 2005 4 door Civic EX to replace the old one,
>> but I also looked at Mazda3 S and liked the specs and the looks (have
>> not test driven either the Civic or the Mazda3 yet).
>>
>> I have come across some posts comparing the two, but most go back to
>> 2004/early 2005. I am wondering if any Mazda3 owners have come across
>> any problems since then (I have noticed that some owners had some
>> issues with rattles etc, and some said that they did not think the
>> quality of the car was not as good as a Civic and did not think it
>> would last as long). In my mind, my top 2 picks would be Honda and
>> Toyota, and right now I cannot decide if I should add Mazda to my list.
>>
>> I saw that both Civic and Mazda 3 with side air bags are "Recommended"
>> picks in the Consumer Reports mag (both got poor without the side air
>> bags) but Civic received "Excellent 5/5" for crash ratings whereas
>> Mazda 3 got "Good 4/5". I guess this is the most important factor for
>> me when it comes to decide on which car to buy. The second factor is
>> reliability (the car should not break down and leave me stranded in
>> the middle of nowhere - never had this problem with any of the Civics I
>> have owned to date).
>>
>> Also, does anybody know anything about the new (2006) Civic line? What
>> are your recommendations? Any comments appreciated.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>
>