Hey guys, I know you all must be sick of these but I need some feedback fast. I almost came home in a 3 today, but thought I'd sleep on it before making the final call.

Here's the choice, I can choose between a TiGrey 3i with A/C Power package,

or a Sunlight Silver 3s base.

All I really
need is power everything and a/c, thats why I only have two choices. It's just those two cars and I need to make my choice by tommorow pretty much, I can't wait so its out of the question...

Some pro's and con's, with all honesty if they had a 3S TIGREY theN I'M SOLD! But they don't. so....
both are stick by the way.

3i tigrey= better gas mileage, the color of my choice, easier to change the oil myself.

but...i don't like the front grill and tail lights, small things.. whereas if I pay alittle more...
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3s sun silver= nicer engine, nicer interior details, fog lights, worse gas mileage.

but... i reallyn don't like the color on the 3S, it may look ok on the 3i, but somehow it just looks too femminish for me, nothing wrong with it, just not me...

so which one?!?!!??!? Any in put you guys can share?? I also put into consideration about resale value, but still i'd probably be driving it for years anyways, btw, only a $700 more on the 3S... so its really tough for me to weigh out... more car for a little more money... then again, i wouldn't mind paying a little less and having a the color of my choice with better gas mileage.... someone help me break the tie!!

thanks my fellow community, I have come close a few times, but this is it, and then i can finally brag that i have a mz3 and talk about the issues with you guys first hand

 

if color is your thing then stick with the 3i. you dont want to spend 15k$+ on a car you dont like looking at.

 

besides you can always change out the grill and tail lights i believe.

 

Since I wanted a 5 door, I didn't really have the same choice you do. If I were you, I'd opt for the 3s, the extra hp the motor makes over the 2.0 is worth the small penalty in mpg. I also like the way the foglights on the s model make it look more complete. And, I really don't like the i's taillights, they look too much like the blandly styled ones on the new Chevy Cobalt, but that's just my opinion.

Color really never was a dealbreaker for me, unless you're talking about those gaudy yellow or orange colors that seem to have a small cult following.

 

yeah, still thinking every time I'm about to lean more towards one, I get back to the other.
3S, thats a sexy car, nice body and all, but I'm not too much into the color, and thats the choice I have.

I did consider however, for the 3i, I could find an aftermarket one to convert it when they come out to fit one day... or I could paint the 3S with a coat, lol, but it would look bad because of the other details being unpainted(inside the doors, trunk, engine bay).

I'm trying to ask myself which car would I feel better with each time I get out of the car and looking back at it.... and ofcourse its the long run as well, thats why I'm torn a part, I love the 3S's body and I love titanium grey, unfortunately they split me between the two... already did the dealer search and what not and called around and had them look into their systems so thats out of the question,,, geting the tigrey with base options only because I really don't want to break 17k by much

 

The S is an all around nicer car...base model or not. I say, get the S

 

I debends on how much you decide you want to spend after words. I got mine at the base model, so what. I am getting all the stuff I want to get aftermarket and that is better then most factory stuff. Like the suspension, wheels and tires, 6 disc changer(found one on ebay for $100) spoilers *** unpainted for $70 paint is cheap if you are experiance enough to do it your self.

Just my thought when i bought mine, just looked for the color I wanted. peace

 

I just came back from a night drive, infact i drove past the dealership where i'm going to by the car, didn't stop by because i didn't want to hassel with security even though i'd just be looking at it, lol...... but after thinking it over, if i can find the kit conversion for the bumper and some other cosemetics, not ricy cosmetics, just ones to make it look more like an S with tigrey, i'd be happy with the 3i....... that classy look...... but it does go back to the 3s, just buy it right the first time,, with the wrong color..

 

i guess i'll sleep tonight, get up in the morning and go from there...

 

ok here's the deal... doubt anyone will see this in time and i'll have to decide without this being answered..... but does anyone know of any easy way I can get a front grill and bumper conversion for the mazda 3i to convert into a 3s????

 

I feel like Homer Simpson at a candy shop pouting his feet-not able to make a decision over what to buy.

 

Thanks everyone, I'm a proud new owner of a Mazda 3i Titanium Grey, manual, power +a/c. I'm completely happy, except that I am a beginner with manual transmission, but its my choice, I always wanted to buy a stick shift car.

 

good job my friend, sorry i ahvent been here in a bit. enjoy the car? i'll keep a look out for the conversion for you!

 

look there is several things you could do, buy a grill, a better one than the one that the 3s has, you could even custom make it in a performance shop or something, you could buy the fog lights and adapt them, they sell the lip body kit of the 3s, so also you could buy that one, or you could buy a better one, about the tail lights, i never seem to find them, so i guess we are together in this one.
Hope its usefull for more detail info just email me or pm me, ok.

 

Hey guys, I'm loving the 3, its just great overall, although it does seem the 2.0 can sound a little rough when it gets up in there in the rpms(or it just mine?) I've never owned a manual transmission before so I can't say much, but it does seem rather nice overall, still learning to master it. Although a friend did tell me he feels like my 2nd gear has some resistant(he's been driving nothing but stick for years, his last 3 cars were all stick) I wouldn't know, I just rough it in. But yeah, overall I very pleased the car inside and out.

I am looking into hard wiring foglights in the future, ones that will turn on when i flip the lights automatically or when I turn on the engine and shut off when the car is off.

Also hoping to one day add a Carputer or an aftermarket HU eventually(the sound system could certainly use a little more power) I love the steering wheel controls, its definately a "cool" factor, but we'll see what can be done, I'm already informed about the swix cable, heard "ok" first hand reviews.

Since i've done nothing but city driving so far, and this is my first tank, my mileage has not been very good, but I'm excited to see whats to come.