Thed

46k miles later... It has a full exhaust, a tuned engine, a set of coilovers, and is on its third (or fourth? I can't remember) set of tires. 

 

The top has been replaced twice under warranty

The transmission blew at 30k miles and was replaced under warranty

The touch screen was replaced under warranty... but that was an odd one where it seemed like the screen was peeling away from the panel

LOL I sold this POS

On 1/22/2019 at 11:17 AM, Drew Dowdell said:

My first choice is still the BMW R9T scrambler. The Kawa is a good starter bike at less than half the price of the BMW.

The R9T is an underwhelming bike. Nothing really wrong with it, it just doesn't stir any emotions and it just feels....... German. 

This place looks a lot different...

Had an awesome weekend doing nothing but riding the Ducati. 

 

Too bad it'll be too cold the whole week until Saturday. 

It's been a while since I've been on here. 

I brought a new CX-3 Touring AWD Premium Package home for the night from work.  For a miniature CUV it really skews far toward the car side of the scale.  Starting from like 6 MPG (3 miles on odo), I made it up to 29.9 avg MPG (per the DIC) so far.  Interested in seeing how high the MPG average goes before I return it tomorrow.  Seems zippy enough.  Throttle is a little jumpy on it, and the ride is somewhat busy.  Very good NVH management in the Mazda.  TINY cargo hold turned me off.  Non-intuitive controls... who can get used to the multi-function controller down on the console?  Plus the radio touch screen is immobilized when the vehicle is in gear.  At least a redundant volume control is on the steering wheel.

 

Then I stopped at a local Jeep dealer, parked the CX-3, and took out a Renegade Trailhawk.  As far as CUVs go, it was night and day different.  A much more solid and substantial vehicle to drive, while also seeming quieter, even with the bluff front end and windshield.  Less road noise than the Mazda.  I detected no problem with the 9 speed auto, and the visibility is great... it even has comparable MPG ratings (I understand that some rigs do better or worse than the ratings) to the much tinier Mazda.  One thing on the Jeep, the anodized red interior trim bezels are a little garish, I would have done with a regular silver aluminum finish there.

 

I would definitely go with the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk over the Mazda CX-3 Touring, but of course I'm more of a country boy, so that might skew my perception.  About $2k higher in price than the Mazda, but worth it based on the initial drive.  I take back every comment I made about the Renegade being too cheeky.  It drives like a big boy Jeep to me. 

 

You do get used to the controller on the center console. Also, the touch screen can be re-enabled in about two minutes. I did it the third day I had the Miata. 

It's mainly the interior. For f@#ks sake did people really think that the 17" tablet was really going to stay? The whole dash needs to be scrapped and re-done. 

They're a bitch to maintain, but RX-8 all day every day. Literally the only thing that the Camaro has going for it is the sound of the V8. However, a Wankel can sound AMAZING with the proper setup. It's one of the best-handling cars ever made, that alone is enough of a reason for me. Plus, who doesn't love to rev to 10,000 RPM?!

 

That sucks. Make them eat their own crap. 

 

The only reason to go to a dealer is for better service and trained technicians, that's why they can have higher prices. If they aren't delivering on their end of the deal then you need to find another dealer. 

One of my best friends just bought a 2015 Fiesta ST. I'm pretty freakin stoked to get to drive it! 

 

I still maintain that it's the most fun FWD car on the market. It's an amazing package. 

10k miles on mine as of today. Not a single regret. I have the Club, which comes with extra bracing, a LSD, and Bilstein shocks. Note: the springs are the same on every USDM Miata. The cloth seats are perfect to me, I never had an ache when I was driving around all day or went on road trips. Factory summer tires wear very rapidly, with the grip only being so-so. I put on a new muffler for a more balanced sound between the intake and exhaust, as well as tuned the engine for quite a bit more power. Next thing on the list are firmer sway bars. I liked the body sway when I bought it, as it was just one more way the car was telling me what it was doing, but it got old. On highway trips I average around 37 MPG while staying around 80 w/o cruise control. Everywhere else I get around 32 average. I only use 93 octane. Wind noise kind of sucks, but it's a soft top, so it's forgivable (I play my music on the loud side anyways). The touch screen is disabled any time the car is moving, but that is easily changed via a hacked USB stick (super easy to do, did it the first week I had it). I was actually impressed with the HVAC system, as previous Mazdas HVAC systems were notoriously lacking in cooling and fan output. The traction control gives you a very fair bit of play, letting you get the tail out a little and play a bit before softly intervening. Hard launches do require it to be turned off, though. 

 

It's probably the closest car to automotive nirvana one can buy. It's absolutely the most fun car I've ever driven, bar none. And that's why I bought it. 

The Tundra looked pretty bad as well. Neither would i choose to sit in for an accident. 

 

Sadly, I still won't consider these crash tests when looking for a new vehicle. Until I have a child, I honestly..just don't care..

It was a very important factor when I bought my Volvo, because the wreck I was in with the Ranger made me think safety first and foremost.

Didn't care about it over bit when I bought the Miata. It was too much fun! But in the real world Miatas have been holding up VERY well in accidents.

GT350R - Track Car

Last-gen Crew Cab 6.2L Raptor - Daily

'69 Boss 429 - Show Car

Carrera GT - Weekend Exotic

'65 F-100 352 FE - I've always wanted one.

supposedly the CX-4 and new ('17s) mazda3 and 6 will debut in china later this month.

With the CX-9 not quite on the lots, this model would take a heavy hit.

The mazda 5 really needs to be updated or discontinued.

Is this pretty much the only MPV left, or does the ford connect/transit count?

i think the worst thing about owning a mazda is the dealer network is sparse.

I'd say that the Transit Connect is a competitor, though a superior one. I'm pretty sure the Mazda5 has already been discontinued, they're just selling what little they had left. It's a shame, as it was the only modern van that could be had with a manual transmission.

F-100 is for sale. 

Por que?

Free up some money for a house. A roof over my head is more important than an expensive project truck.

Focus RS

Ford RS200 Evolution

'07 Volvo V50 T5 AWD 6M R-Design

'17 Ford GT

Rossion Q1

C'mon Mazda, you can rally back! They're selling the best cars that nobody buys, I swear. The recent C&D comparo win will hopefully boost some sales for the Mazda6. 

1969 Mustang Boss 429

 

 

Shelby Cobra 427

 

 

Viper T/A 2.0

 

 

Excursion 7.3L Diesel

 

 

'16 Kenworth W900 Glider with a MXS CAT C-15

 

F-100 is for sale. 

It was five bucks. The dealer I bought the car from filled it with N2, so I said screw it and had it filled with it so there won't be any confusion next time I go to the dealer for a service. 

 

Next set of tires is absolutely getting straight air, N2 is a waste unless you're tracking. 

Neither the Viper, nor the Shelby Cobra fit within the rules.

 

The Cobra is over by 14 cc's, damn. For some reason I brain-farted hard and thought the Viper had a 6.8L, not a 8.4L. f@#kity balls. 

It was about an inch and a half from the sidewall, got it fixed this morning. $37 with nitrogen. 

 

Also got a quote for the set of tires I wanted, $660 installed plus tax. Didn't even bother to ask if it included road hazard protection, it was hundreds more than Tire Rack for BFG Sport Comp-II's. 

Nail in a tire... f@#king perfect.

VERY strong pricing, Volvo is on a roll.

Let's see if the Continental can undercut this.