COLT or MPS??

[GucciPiggy]

Hey guys,
I am in the process of searching for a new car. I have narrowed down my options to either a Mazda3 MPS or Colt Ralliart.

I have driven both and find that they both have strengths and weaknesses. The colt feels like it communicates better whereas the MPS seems a bit too clinical, allbeit much faster in a straight line. I don't particularly like the look of the colt but for a saving of almost 15k I am expecting some compromises. I can't get over how good the seats are for a car costing just 30k. Just wanting to know if any of you have driven both?? What were your reasons for choosing the colt? I plan to commute in this car about 45min each way everyday, have you found fuel consumption to be as good as advertised.

Thanks for your help guys.

[lovecolt]

First of all, welcome to the site.

ok, here is my impression of the MPS (no real life driving experience that is, but i did inspect it real life when its out)

If its based on the Mazda 3 Sedan, i will 100% love it. Hatchback simply looks very unsporty. The seats are rather ugly, but no doubt its still supportive (although no way near our evo Recaro). Interior is as per base mazda 3, which is a ace design. Since the brakes on the normal SP23 is already oversized, i would expect the MPS be bigger and oversized again which is good.

Although the official fuel consumption figure is 10L/100km, but i would say 13L++/100km is more like it. My previous 2L Turbo Silvia drink around 11.xxL, hence i don't believe a extra 0.3L will actually reduce the consumption. Hence if you have to drive 1.5hrs return everyday, it will lighten your wallet pretty quickly. Even faster if you are going through peak traffic. Other than that, i like how Mazda outputs the 2.3L Turbo's power. Restrict it in 1st/2nd gear to ensure enough traction and fully release it higher up gear for speed. But if you must get a MPS, get a black one. Seem one on the road before and it definitely looks much better than other color.

For why i choose my RColt, its pretty easy.
1) It has a stronger chassis than all evo
2) decent power (can upper it easily)
3) mini-evo / tuner's car looks with a lot of purposeful design like rear diffuser, engine bonnet vent.
4) equiped with all high end stuff like Getrag gearbox, Advan AD07 tyres, Recaros, Evo's gearstick/foot pedal and etc...
5) very easy on fuel drinking (Got around 7.5L on my first tank)
6) big in interior space (only lost out to MPS's boot space)
7) Cheap on insurance

Hopefully this will be of help to you. MPS is definitely a very good car, so is RColt. Hence its really up to how much you are willing to spend at the end of the day. For me, i would to get a MPS, i might as well stick with my S14a silvia which has a cheaper running cost and yet faster than a MPS.

[Sili]

Yes pretty much what Lovecolt said. The Mazda3 MPS although an excellent car, at that price is a bit steep in my opinion. Because around that price bracket you would probably start looking also at a WRX as well (or maybe you already have?)

[GucciPiggy]

Thanks for your input guys.
I am going to take them both for another drive today. I think I am leaning towards the colt though. Seems to offer 90% of the fun for a lot less cash. The wrx was one of the cars that I considered but insurance and the number of them about has put me off. I just got some quotes for insurance. $990 is damn cheap for the colt. Wonder if this will go up as more of them are crashed into power poles?

[lovecolt]

i seriously doubt the insurance will go any higher even if a few Rcolt crashed into power pole.........because..........there's just so little around :P But never knows. I think it will go up when people starts to steal our Recaros.......*touch wood* *touch wood*

[lovecolt]

Yes pretty much what Lovecolt said. The Mazda3 MPS although an excellent car, at that price is a bit steep in my opinion. Because around that price bracket you would probably start looking also at a WRX as well (or maybe you already have?)

maybe even consider a Ford Focus XR5. At 35k, you get severely undertuned 2.5L Turbo (meaning more fun easily later), a fun & proven chassis, nice recaro like ours and looks good too.

[GucciPiggy]

Yes the XR5 is nice but still a waiting list. I am on holidays and want some fun now:)

[GucciPiggy]

Well I have just put my deposit down on a red one that was traded with 5000kms on the clock. By tomorrow afternoon it should be in my hands!!! I did notice that the brochure shows the ralliart as having a double din 6 disc stacker. Mine seems to only have aa single din stereo???

[|2colt]

umm.. ive got a red one and it came with a 6 stacker double din. I purcharsed my car a few days after it came out so i think yours should have the same stereo.

[GucciPiggy]

Yes. I think the previous owner pulled a sneaky and swapped it with one from a normal colt..... I have a decent stereo waiting to go in anyway.

[Pete]

they are a double din with single slot if that helps, where did you get it from?

[lovecolt]

oh! congz! That's quick of you. Pls tell me u will be interested in our Jan RColt meet up ;)

[GucciPiggy]

I would definitely be interested in meeting some colt owners... Unfortunately I am in brisbane. Are there many rcolts getting around up here?

[lovecolt]

You are in luck. You have "Sili" in brissy too.

[Sili]

Yep. I'm in Brissie.

[GucciPiggy]

Well I picked it up today and have already taken it down the coast. I am pretty happy with it. The suspension/ride is not as hard to live with as I expected which is good. Interior space is amazing for its size although if I was 5kg heavier I couldn't fit in the seats. nicely quick as well. Overall I am pretty happy with it... look forward to seeing what can be done to make it quicker.

[ColtArt]

i actually went to a mazda speed day where i got to drive a MPS 3 and 6, mx5 and rx 8.... let me tell you if you want to do more then accelerate in stright line (which fwd's are not good for anyway so both are a bad choce in that case) the MPS is usuless on a track.... i went for a 'hot lap' with dick johnson who was paid to be there... and yeah i probibly cant say exactly but nuff said i know the colt is a much better balanced car and i would find it hard to argue 10k more for a car thats frankly only modertly faster in the stright (rcolt could easily beat it with 10k of work by a decent mech)

[GucciPiggy]

Yeah. The dealer I went to in Brisbane is selling even the base model MPS for 44k which is a pretty massive price difference. I love the colt now that I have spent some time with it. Great alround car particularly considering it has such a small displacement. I have also found it to be a bit of a sleeper. People always underestimate what it is packing :)

[lovecolt]

Yeah. The dealer I went to in Brisbane is selling even the base model MPS for 44k which is a pretty massive price difference. I love the colt now that I have spent some time with it. Great alround car particularly considering it has such a small displacement. I have also found it to be a bit of a sleeper. People always underestimate what it is packing :)

That is correct. Alot of people thought RColt is just a visual upgrade from the base model and they are rather surprised to know its a turbo and can do 7.4 secs 0-100kmph (CZT in euro can do 7.2 sec stock)

[rukboy11]

wouldnt worry too much about getting the single dinn....the double dinn isn't that hot to look at =) atleast u don't need to go about getting brackets and a new pocket.......

congrazs on the colt too...