Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Some cars, I see, have something called a "turbo charged" engine. But would a 1.6L turbo charged engine with 240 lb of torque be at least as good as a 2.3L engine with 149 lb of torque? Assume 4 cylinders for both examples.
Also, some cars such as the Chevy Cruze have models that can use diesel fuel. Is this desirable? Is diesel fuel available at virtually every gas station in this country?
Torque is torque. A 1L with a large turbo could feel much "larger" than a 2L engine without one.
Horsepower is a function of torque and rpm. An engine with the same horsepower but lower torque needs to rev higher to make the same power, but can rev much higher. Some people find high revving engines more fun. It's pretty personal.
It's worth noting that a turbo is more moving parts to go wrong. A well-built turbo engine can last just as long as a non-turbo, but not every manufacturer makes a bullet-proof engine.
Diesel fuel contains more energy than gasoline, and diesel engines are generally more efficient too. Europe has historically used a lot of diesels because they get significantly better fuel economy than gasoline engines, but recent emissions regulations have been tough on them - diesels have relatively dirty exhaust and the components needed to make them clean tend to make them a lot more expensive. This is a generalization, of course, and doesn't apply to all diesels.
Not every gas station has diesel fuel but there's almost always a station nearby.
It is a great car, but is there anything better out there that meets my criteria and budget?
WHY are you looking at getting a new car? You've still got one you like, right? Properly taken care of, that Mazda could have another couple of hundred thou miles to go!
So why leave it behind?
Didn't do as good a job on maintenance as you ought to have and it's wearing out? (Alternative here is that you drove the car HARD, and wore it out. Like that auto commercial with the old lady who drives like she's in a rally - but when the guy comes to buy it all he sees is an old lady driver. Hard driving - accelerating, racing, can be hard on a car. Freeway driving, commuting, normal stuff, not so much.)
Or maybe you live in a salt state and have rust?
Or just tired of the same old same old and yearn to spend hard-earned money on something new!?
So, what is it you no longer like about your Mazda3? Tells us what you think you are missing!
Some cars, I see, have something called a "turbo charged" engine. . . .
Unless you are into religious car maintenance, I would avoid a turbocharger on your car. They can improve performance nicely, but they can also be hard on you maintenance wise. I've heard there are exceptions - like some of the truck engines. But my experience with one was on a VW, and I will NEVER say a good word about VW again as a result. Worst car I've ever owned. One of the reasons was that the turbo "scorched" the oil - and the engine went out at 57k as a result. AND, it was EXPENSIVE $$$$ to replace.
Over the past 24 hours I did a ton more research. Remember, I want a compact sedan that has robust acceleration for under $25K and HD radio. The ONLY car on the market that offers all of these things is Mazda3 Touring for around $23K. Seriously?!?! Everything else in this price range is either underpowered or not compact. Being a very small person, I really want a compact car. Having had a Mazda3 for the past 10 years, I would never want anything smaller or larger.
But how can this be? I checked Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Toyota, Subaru and everything and none of them offer any vehicles that meet my desires. Only the Mazda3 Touring does.
The Jetta, however is compact and might have the power I want along with HD radio. But my brother said to stay away from anything Volkswagen.
Park a Mazda3 next to an Elantra. The difference is in interior volume. Also, the Jetta has a far larger interior than the Elantra. Some of today’s compact sedans officially qualify as compact because of interior volume, not exterior size.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
