Mazda3 Replacement

[kevm14]

It is a little open because it just has to be:
Reliable
Probably 5-10 grand (guessing ballpark, less is better)
Something I like because I will be driving it every day - trying to not get an "appliance" if I don't have to. Which is why I am starting to decide now.
More than 2 seats

I don't want a crossover, truck, van, minivan, and most likely not an SUV.

So, a car, 2 or 4 door, preferably not a hatch (exception for the Mazdaspeed3), some performance would be nice. Probably under 100K miles. Probably not much more than 10 years old. I could go a little older if the miles are low and it isn't a rust bucket.

Performance + under 100k + reliable + 10 years old max is not going to be anywhere near $5k but closer to $10k, and really over $10k if that 10 years old thing is a hard requirement. There is actually plenty of stuff in the 2000s in your price range. 10 years old is now 2010 or newer obviously....

Of course I'd probably be looking for my unicorn Cobalt SS turbo sedan. A true sleeper.

[bill25]

caranddriver stats of the Mazdaspeed3 and V6 Camaro

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a1 ... road-test/
Camaro:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.5 sec @ 99 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 173 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a ... ical-data/
Lightning Lap - No Gen 5 V6 Camaro from what I could find.
2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE, 3:01.5
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 3:09.5
2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, 3:13.0
2007 Mazdaspeed 3, 3:16.0
2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan, 3:16.5
2006 Mazda RX-8, 3:19.0
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Supercharged, 3:20.6
2013 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, 3:23.0

MotorTrend
https://www.motortrend.com/news/sport-c ... omparison/
Mazdaspeed3:
5.6 seconds to hit 60 and 14.1 at 100.6 mph to nab the quarter mile, lateral grip 0.87 g

GTI was #1:
0 to 60 (6.0 seconds), quarter mile (14.6 at 94.9 mph), lateral acceleration (0.87 g), lap time (1 minute, 3.1 seconds),
Cobalt SS was #2:

Here are the lap times (0.96-mile road-course lap) for
Cobalt, Mazdaspeed2, WRX, GTI
1 min, 1.7 sec, 1 min, 2.7 sec, 1 min, 2.1 sec, 1 min, 3.1 sec

0-60
5.5, 5.6 4.8 6

60-0
116 ft 112 ft 113 ft 113 ft

1/4 mile
14.0 sec @ 102.5 mph, 14.1 sec @ 100.6 mph, 13.5 sec @ 101.1 mph, 14.6 sec @ 94.9 mph

[kevm14]

2012 I think got suspension improvements so the V6 is now FE3 and the V6 is the LFX. 323 hp. Cannot for the life of me find any tests for the updated V6. But I will see if I can find some CTS comparisons which you can use to determine relative improvement, if any.

[kevm14]

The gen 2 CTS V6 was available in stick, and AWD, but not at the same time. I thought that would be an interesting option though.

[kevm14]

Oh, I know what you've forgotten. Infiniti G35/G37.

They are faster than you think. Just one blink faster than the Cobalt SS in that R&T review. These cars are pretty legit.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a1 ... road-test/

Nissan calls this effect, and the car's all-around acceleration characteristics, "swell," in the sense of a wave gathering power as it moves along. Uh-huh. We took our test car to the track, where it hunkered down and dashed to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, covering the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 103. Hmm, that is swell, and considerably quicker than the last G35 we tested (0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds and the quarter in 14.6 at 98 mph) as well as just a blink behind the IS350. More impressive still, our G35 tester went to the track with fewer than 250 miles on the odo. That's like putting an Olympic sprinter in the starting blocks in his street clothes. What'll it do with a proper break-in? We look forward to finding out.

The power feeds through a six-speed manual gearbox that's the personification of precise engagement - it makes BMW's 3-series manual transmissions seem rubbery - to a limited-slip rear end and thence to the pavement via a set of 245/45-18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.

Lots of various model year differences and options to figure out (plus coupe or sedan). Probably fun to shop for and find the one you want. And they are most likely smack in your price range.

[kevm14]

Some warts but only comparable to other long term tests if you can find them. I doubt you'll find a Camaro V6 long term test...

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a1 ... road-test/

If I read that correctly, it ran a 13.7 in the 1/4 after 40k. Damn.

[bill25]

More Lightning Laps
2011 Lexus IS F, 3:05.4
2014 Lexus IS350 F sport, 3:13.4
2008 Infiniti G37S, 3:17.5

[bill25]

2013 ATS 3.6 Specs


https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a1 ... st-review/

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.3 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 25.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.7 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.1 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (gov ltd): 152 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g

[kevm14]

Duplicating the Sloppy G35 with LSA supercharged 4.8 is tempting, with the manual. The conversion wasn't cheap but the resulting integration is what you'd want. And at least there are plentiful resources/kits/parts for LS swapping the G35/37. But yeah, the manual can handle the power, and it drives like a heads/cam LS7. Just a monster with torque all over the place, instant throttle response and so on, wrapped in a daily driver shell.

He got his with a blown engine but I guess I'd advocate just finding a nice one in your price range and leaving the swap option open down the road, not buying one for the specific intent of swapping immediately.

[kevm14]

I think the appeal of the 4.8 LSA is that it is well suited to a manual trans. Of course it would work fine with an auto, too.