Basically, I like small cars that you can drive aggressively and give you NO headaches. My Mazda 6 gave me no serious issues in 14 years and my Mazda 3 has been bulletproof too. No dual-clutch, but a drama-less traditional transmission rather than a horrid CVT. - ThreadSky

dszymborski.fangraphs.com • 80 days ago

Basically, I like small cars that you can drive aggressively and give you NO headaches. My Mazda 6 gave me no serious issues in 14 years and my Mazda 3 has been bulletproof too. No dual-clutch, but a drama-less traditional transmission rather than a horrid CVT.

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iampatrickc.bsky.social•80 days ago

My first car was a 1988 Mazda RX-7 SE with oxidized blue paint and red front fenders from an 1986 RX-7.

I later had a 1998 Miata.

One of these was less bulletproof.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

I'm guessing the RX-7? My guess would be that the 1998 Miata is still running if it isn't totaled, and the RX-7, if it still exists, is on its third engine rebuild.

iampatrickc.bsky.social•80 days ago

Yep. When I sold it, I was 99% sure it was somehow burning antifreeze. That car was likely responsible for burning a new hole in the ozone layer.

Color me surprised when I saw they were selling for $10-15000, not even modified or anything.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

My first car was a 1988 too. A Ford Tempo. That was only bulletproof in the sense that nobody would care if you shot it with a gun.

srbrown70.bsky.social•80 days ago

CVTs have gotten a lot better! they're not the enthusiast pick by any means, but most folks have addressed the annoying rubber band feeling of the older ones

evanlang27.bsky.social•80 days ago

Just switched from a car with CVT to one without. Night and day difference.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

Yeah, I had a Subaru Crosstrek for three years and while I made do with the complete lack of power, the transmission made me FURIOUS all the time.

evanlang27.bsky.social•80 days ago

Impreza for me. Loved the car but man, my new one is better.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

The only issue with a Mazda 3 is that it's not a car for carting people around. But someone's actually been in the backseat for maybe 50 of 18,000 miles in three years. I believe Jack at Savage Geese said that it was a car for "two adults and two adults you don't like."

drummerwrites.bsky.social•80 days ago

I love my 2017 Mazda3. Such a nice fit for me. Six-speed. Very safe. Good features.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

I've driven that thing through pretty gnarly conditions. It's not remotely an off-roader or anything, but the AWD works really well and you can power slide on snowy turns predictably, with or without traction control.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

I did have a repair that cost me $1600, but that was the result of a REALLY awful pothole on Overlook near Cold Spring Lane near Stony Run Park and Loyola in Baltimore that blew a tire and required a new wheel too (I replaced all four tires).

noahafrank.bsky.social•80 days ago

I moved myself and everything I owned from the Bay Area to Chicago, then Chicago to San Antonio in my Mazda 3 back in my 20s. Great car, punches way above its weight

jacobkuna.bsky.social•80 days ago

'10 3 s sport hatch 6 spd manual. Nearing 180k mi and no signs of slowing down. I've had it on three wheels on forest roads and across the country to Vermont and back (go Lake Monsters!). A good thrashing up the on-ramp a day keeps the doctor away.

chrispapa.bsky.social•80 days ago

Also, curious: When I was researching buying a new car in 2016, what scared me off Mazda was all the rust problems people reported (but mostly that Mazdas are generally tighter with legroom/headroom). Living in Chicago with these damn winters, I noped Mazda right off the list.

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•79 days ago

It hasn't been a problem for me at least - I had my Mazda 6 mostly outside for 14 years and didn't have any rust problems (in Ohio).

john4john.bsky.social•80 days ago

Exact reason I had to get rid of my 2012 Mazda. It sucked because I knew the engine was incredible. It was a manual and i actually miss driving it.

chrispapa.bsky.social•80 days ago

My Honda Civic Hybrid 2025 has an e-CVT. Pop it into sport mode and it’s a ton of fun to drive. Also awesome that I’ve been averaging 50 mpg. 😂 I could never go back.

topherj.bsky.social•80 days ago

Mazda fam! Had a used 05 6 from 08-14 that my wife drove til 2020 and is now in a 3. Got a new 6 end of 14 that I got out of at 180k miles in Sept that my brother is driving now. Hate the 3 is only car now so got CX-50. Only thing beyond oil, brakes & tires is a gas pump in that 05 car 10 years ago

johannes356.bsky.social•80 days ago

Golf R?

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

If the Mazda 3 Turbo wasn't an option, a Golf R would probably have been my next serious option.

johannes356.bsky.social•80 days ago

Does it still have a 6 speed? And, yeah the guys at Savage are fantastic

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

You can still get the manual, but they never made it available WITH the turbo. Which is kind of weird to have the 191 hp one have the manual and not the 250 hp one. I'm only really interested in a manual if it's a weekend car, honestly, like if I did ever get a Miata or a Toyota 86

dszymborski.fangraphs.com•80 days ago

A dear friend of mine is a nearly VIOLENT advocate for manual transmissions. She'll smart-alecky assure mansplaining shops that she doesn't know how to drive an automatic. I think she's secretly annoyed that she enjoys driving my car.

sethw.bsky.social•80 days ago

I drive a Chevy Spark. Tiny car (somehow 4-door) with such little horsepower, but it sounds like it's trying to be a missile while being very fun and easy to drive in the city.

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