Mazda 3 MPS (07-09)

Barks · 29 Jan 2010 at 14:39

mjt said:
I agree, the UK should use a system based on power output and engine size. Much fairer

The tax is peanuts anyway, stop whinging.

£450 for 12 months isn't peanuts by any means.

I appreciate cars like the Mazda MPS emit large amounts of CO2 relative to the average car, but it is still nothing like the 300+g/km units of CO2 released by cars like the 599/Range Rover.

I guess you pay for what you get though. It certainly isn't the most efficient engine in the world and to think the similarily-performing unit in the S3 produces only 198 g/km, shows the difference in innovation and price tag.

To think that owning this for 3 years would cost you over £1k in tax, coupled with the high depreciation, that seemingly attractive bang-for-your-buck price tag seems to be less attractive.

Monster · 29 Jan 2010 at 15:25

I've driven one of these before I got my Leon Cupra R, lovely car inside, you get quite a lot for the money due to massive depreciation if you buy a 2yr old one etc. Driving experience was really nice, spacious inside, but decided not to buy it for 3 reasons:

1. The one I was looking at was snapped up before I could decide.
2. Its REALLY long, and I wanted something a little more compact.
3. I got an unbelievable deal on my LCR which I couldnt have said no to really!

I would recommend the Aero kit if you do buy one though, or you will never sell it.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jan 2010 at 15:54

Monster said:
2. Its REALLY long, and I wanted something a little more compact.

Seriously are you taking the mick? On what planet is a Mazda3 'REALLY long'?

I suspect what really happened is your budget was constrained - a 2002-2005 Leon Cupra R isn't a natural alternative choice to the much newer, more powerful 2007-2009 MPS is it? Are they even the same price?

MikeHiow · 29 Jan 2010 at 16:39

[TW]Fox;15850068 said:
Seriously are you taking the mick? On what planet is a Mazda3 'REALLY long'?

I suspect what really happened is your budget was constrained - a 2002-2005 Leon Cupra R isn't a natural alternative choice to the much newer, more powerful 2007-2009 MPS is it? Are they even the same price?

It is actually, its 10CM longer than a 5Dr MK2 Focus, which is hardly a short car for its class.

Also, I'm not sure about the old one, but the 09 was in Band K when I looked, which is about £240 a year iirc.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jan 2010 at 16:50

4400mm is not 'really long' unless you are a woman who drives a Kia Picanto.

Hold two of your fingers 10cm apart. It's nothing really, is it?

peterattheboro · 29 Jan 2010 at 16:53

If you are worried about it being long because you can't park i'm going to cry laughing.

It's got a very flat rear end!

MikeHiow · 29 Jan 2010 at 16:55

*shrug*

Most consider a MK2 Focus to be quite long in terms of hatchbacks, and the MPS is longer. Given that he was clearly looking inside the hatchback market, he could be forgiven for thinking the MPS was really long.

Of course, to all you big boys that drive saloons that are about 30cm bigger, that MPS is tiny, right?

peterattheboro · 29 Jan 2010 at 16:58

MikeHiow said:
*shrug*

Most consider a MK2 Focus to be quite long in terms of hatchbacks, and the MPS is longer. Given that he was clearly looking inside the hatchback market, he could be forgiven for thinking the MPS was really long.

Of course, to all you big boys that drive saloons that are about 30cm bigger, that MPS is tiny, right?

I wouldn't call it tiny. My Mondeo isn't that much wider. Though the smallest car that I would drive daily is a MK2 Focus/Mazda3 sized car.

Barks · 29 Jan 2010 at 18:27

MikeHiow said:
It is actually, its 10CM longer than a 5Dr MK2 Focus, which is hardly a short car for its class.

Also, I'm not sure about the old one, but the 09 was in Band K when I looked, which is about £240 a year iirc.

The old one is definitely Band L and bloody expensive to tax, something like £450/year.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jan 2010 at 18:28

If £450 a year is 'bloody expensive' to you then you have no business running a 256bhp car capable of 0-60 in 5.9 seconds.

It isnt a Yaris city car.

MikeHiow · 29 Jan 2010 at 19:27

Both the Focus and the Astra manage to stay and band K though - and lets be honest, the only reason you'd choose a MPS over either of those, was the low second hand cost - which ends up nearly being offset by the extra tax.

They are also reported to be exceptionally bad on fuel, worse than the ST.

[TW]Fox · 29 Jan 2010 at 19:28

It is more powerful and faster than both the Focus ST and the VXR, though.

MikeHiow · 29 Jan 2010 at 19:40

I consider £450 more than I'm willing to pay when I can get the same/better performance out of a Focus ST, and have a better car overall and only pay £200 odd a year.

peterattheboro · 29 Jan 2010 at 19:45

MikeHiow said:
I consider £450 more than I'm willing to pay when I can get the same/better performance out of a Focus ST, and have a better car overall and only pay £200 odd a year.

True. A few hundred quid remap and you've got a faster car than an MPS.

But what if you get an MPS and remap that

Fr0dders · 29 Jan 2010 at 19:51

tuning options are so poor for the mazda

For the ST / VXR theres a whol host of tuners gagging to get your money spent on their latest and greatest products. They can both be tuned to well over 350bhp if your daft enough.

You wont find that level of tuning available for the mazda though.

MikeHiow · 29 Jan 2010 at 20:00

peterattheboro said:
True. A few hundred quid remap and you've got a faster car than an MPS.

But what if you get an MPS and remap that

MrLOL said:
tuning options are so poor for the mazda For the ST / VXR theres a whol host of tuners gagging to get your money spent on their latest and greatest products. They can both be tuned to well over 350bhp if your daft enough.

You wont find that level of tuning available for the mazda though.

This. There simply is no simple tuning method for the MPS.

Not like a Focus where you can hit upwards of 260BHP and as much as 280BHP for between £200-600 (Similar costs and figures apply to the Astra, too)

[TW]Fox · 29 Jan 2010 at 20:03

MikeHiow said:
I consider £450 more than I'm willing to pay when I can get the same/better performance out of a Focus ST, and have a better car overall and only pay £200 odd a year.

It's a 200 quid a year saving, its absolutely nothing, is it? You cant even buy a couple of tyres with the saving!

Defcon5 · 29 Jan 2010 at 20:07

MikeHiow said:
This. There simply is no simple tuning method for the MPS.

Not like a Focus where you can hit upwards of 260BHP and as much as 280BHP for between £200-600 (Similar costs and figures apply to the Astra, too)

yeah but its 260bhp to begin with, and Im sure any reputable place could remap it

Firestar_3x · 29 Jan 2010 at 20:08

MikeHiow said:
This. There simply is no simple tuning method for the MPS.

Really?

Fr0dders · 29 Jan 2010 at 20:12

Defcon5 said:
yeah but its 260bhp to begin with, and Im sure any reputable place could remap it

you'd be surprised

theres no mazda tuning scene in this country and not even superchips have a map for them. Quick check of the usual suspects for remaps shows none of them do remaps for the MPS. Diesel ? yes ? mps ? no

I'm sure there will be one places somewhere in the uK that does, but beyond that there wont be anything else. The limit with the VAG cars, Ford, Vauxhalls etc.. is only your wallet.