Jetta Vs. Mazda 3

[r6kid]

Hey guys, i am a 16 yr old boy looking to get a stick shift car. Now all my buddies are car nuts and i currently have a honda accord but its not stick. So, with the money i get from the accord, i can easily purchase a yr 2000+ Jetta or a yr 2004+ Mazda 3. (so around $13-14K used)... Anyways my question is... which is the better car, which one has the best comfort/interior, and which is faster.... I was looking for a 1.8T jetta and the Mazda 3 GX or GS i believe.

Any help/review would be great. Thanks,

Chris

[Euro_Trash]

I vote Jetta but I am biased. It's always nice to have a newer car though for the piece of mind that it wont be as likely to break down on you

[403Gemini]

16 Years old? Keep the accord.

[r6kid]

if your talking about insurance, its already been checked out, both cars are only 100$ more than the accord.

[jdm_jspec]

i say jetta, my buddy has a 1.8T jetta, and shittt that little thing rips, put a intake and exhaust and trust me you will have a good fast little car that will kill a mazda 3. interior i say jetta, i like their clean simple look.

[A790]

Originally posted by r6kid
if your talking about insurance, its already been checked out, both cars are only 100$ more than the accord.

Nah, he's saying that because you're 16 and you'll kill yourself with that much power. Plus, you've only got your G2 so I'd wait anyways. You need a slower car to learn how to drive.

And trust me, you don't have the experience yet. You think you do, but you don't.

[RaptorGJC]

^^^:werd:

Just drive that accord for a bit longer. I had a junker to start and I'm happy that I did. Buddy's first car, Mazda Protege5, had it for 1 month, and ran it into a ditch. ToTaLeD

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by jdm_jspec
i say jetta, my buddy has a 1.8T jetta, and shittt that little thing rips, put a intake and exhaust and trust me you will have a good fast little car that will kill a mazda 3. interior i say jetta, i like their clean simple look.

:werd: And lots of good mods for that motor, can make some serous power

[hjr]

Originally posted by A790


Nah, he's saying that because you're 16 and you'll kill yourself with that much power. haha, HA! are you even serious? POWER!?!?! hahahaha.

ahhhhh, good laugh. jetta's and mazda3's... power.....

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by hjr
haha, HA! are you even serious? POWER!?!?! hahahaha.

ahhhhh, good laugh. jetta's and mazda3's... power.....

for a 16 year old? yeah, anything with over 150 hp is almost too much.

I drove a 89 integra back when i got my liscence and that thing had like what, 118 hp and i drove that thing like a retard and i thought i was the worlds best driver.

Everybody goes through it.

And even still, the Accord will offer the reliability for the OP so he wont need to worry about anything. Not saying VW's or Mazda's are bad, but i dunno, there is better things to spend money on at 16 than ricing up a ride that you might crash , and if you dont you'll just end up getting rid of when you turn 20-22ish.

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by hjr
haha, HA! are you even serious? POWER!?!?! hahahaha.

ahhhhh, good laugh. jetta's and mazda3's... power.....

What oh-so-powerful car were you driving when you were 16?

[smontyLS1]

if you go jetta the 2002 + offer more horsepower. I would pick the 1.8t engine its easy to get a boost controller and bump it up a bit, intake exhaust and your in the 210-220 hp range. which is more than you need.

If I had to re do my high school years I would have rather had an automatic corolla. I had a 1.8t gti and got myself into a bit of trouble.

dont be stupid with your car

[hjr]

you guys are fucked in the head. the cars weigh in a tonne over huge, so 150hp doesnt do shit. its not like we are talking about actually fast cars here guys. get your shit together. these are economy cars (not even the performance variants)- they are meant for 16 yo's and trashy girls, and old ladies.



Originally posted by 403Gemini


for a 16 year old? yeah, anything with over 150 hp is almost too much.

I drove a 89 integra back when i got my liscence and that thing had like what, 118 hp and i drove that thing like a retard and i thought i was the worlds best driver.

Everybody goes through it.

And even still, the Accord will offer the reliability for the OP so he wont need to worry about anything. Not saying VW's or Mazda's are bad, but i dunno, there is better things to spend money on at 16 than ricing up a ride that you might crash , and if you dont you'll just end up getting rid of when you turn 20-22ish. integra's are much lighter. power to weight is probably the same, annnnnddddd, the new cars are probably safer in a crash anyhow



Originally posted by Euro_Trash


What oh-so-powerful car were you driving when you were 16? wow, dont get pissy mang, jetta's are fine vehicle, im not insulting your masculinity here

[Nissanaddict]

To answer the original question, I prefer a Mazda 3. I just bought one.

[legacyturbo]

too much power for a 16 y/o cmon guys like 200hp max in a front wheel drive car is nothing....anyhow jetta for shure although i like the mazda 3's for what they are...(a cheap entry level car) the jetta is a mid level vehicle whith much better quality and the 1.8t engine is a very nice engine with a tonne of potential...plus ask any girl out there and the all love jetta's....bonus!!!!

[Millzner]

13-14kl and you choose those cars? my suggestion is keep looking

[94boosted]

No I agree 150hp is more than enough for a grade 11 16 year old kid. My first car was a 94 Talon ES (130hp) and I drove pretty stupid. Later converted it to a turbo at over 300hp but thats besides the point.

Stick with the accord ;)

[asp integra]

Originally posted by smontyLS1
if you go jetta the 2002 + offer more horsepower. I would pick the 1.8t engine its easy to get a boost controller and bump it up a bit, intake exhaust and your in the 210-220 hp range. which is more than you need.

If I had to re do my high school years I would have rather had an automatic corolla. I had a 1.8t gti and got myself into a bit of trouble.

dont be stupid with your car

i vote for the jetta 1.8t, amazing engines, i love my gti, very fast and fun
and dont bother with a boost controler, all you need is a chip(pushes psi to about 14), and they dont cost very much and make the car quite a bit faster, increases hp by about 35 and trq by about 50 or so. i would choose jetta over mazda 3 any day!!!!!!!

[jay42w8]

since when are Mazda3's going for 13-14K...that's news to me:dunno:

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by hjr


integra's are much lighter. power to weight is probably the same, annnnnddddd, the new cars are probably safer in a crash anyhow



Oh dont get me wrong, if he gets into an accident no matter what car he drives thats his fault, but its WHO he hits. I wouldnt be happy if a 16 drove into my car because he thought he was Toretto

[CalgaryB5]

Newer Mk4 VW is reliable? That must be a joke. Every time people mentioned how a VW is reliable I only remember my horror experiences with my 00 Jetta.

VW. & Turbo motor. No thangs. They're expensive to maintain, and once they start having problems it all goes downhill, but they've generally been well put together.

Reliability > hp + mod + torque

[Mangina]

Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

[r6kid]

can we all pls stop talkin about how much power a 16 yr old kid should have and actually answer the question (thank you to those who have).... No matter what you say i am getting either car, and by the way, i ride a 2003 Yamaha R6 so i know a think or two about power. So pls, just answer my question.

[euro_racer]

the earlier mk4's were known for problems (1999, 2000, maybe 2001), but the 2002 and up seem to have everything worked out with. how do i know/figure?...

-2002 gti vr6, no problems
-2003 wolf jetta 1.8t, check engine problem but was due to aftermarket alarm and was fixed as soon as we ook the alarm off
-2003 gti 337 1.8t, no broblems yet here neither
-2005 jetta tdi, nope, no problems again

we had 4 2002+ mk4's so far and they all treated us pretty good with no problems. my friend though does have a 1999 jetta 2.0 and he does have an un-known CEL but the car runs just fine

anyways that's my comparison, may not be professional but it it just out of personal experience. i would get the vw simply because the looks alone to me are more superior than the looks of the mazda3 and because it is turbo already, its easy to get power out of it and you seem to know how to handle power since you do ride a bike and havent killed yourself (j/k, knock on wood)...my first car was a vr6 mk3 jetta and i managed without getting in shit with it and i doubt you will too, good luck :thumbsup:

[r6kid]

thanks alot man. thats exactly what i was asking for. I have thought about it and i think i will be going with a jetta. Anyways thanks all for the help.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by r6kid
can we all pls stop talkin about how much power a 16 yr old kid should have and actually answer the question (thank you to those who have).... No matter what you say i am getting either car, and by the way, i ride a 2003 Yamaha R6 so i know a think or two about power. So pls, just answer my question.

If you have a bike, why do you want a car to go fast?

I still stand by my statement keep the accord as its the most reliable of the lot. Forget the whole "power" issue, like you said, you have a bike for that :rolleyes:

[ScottysZ]

Originally posted by hjr
haha, HA! are you even serious? POWER!?!?! hahahaha.

ahhhhh, good laugh. jetta's and mazda3's... power.....


Hahahahaha i cant believe it took that long for someone to point that out.:rofl: Theyre both slooooooow.

Get the mazda though... anything goes on that 1.8t engine and youre right fucked, theyre expensive as all hell and hard to work on.

[natejj]

http://www.autodirectsave.com//productImages/750cc7d9_0895.jpeg

Stick this on your accord, and you will have WAY MORE then enough power!

[euro_racer]

Originally posted by ScottysZ


theyre expensive as all hell and hard to work on.


...i took my engine apart within 3 hours and put it back together in 4-5 hours. parts are actually very cheap so i dont know how you come up with that comment :dunno: ony problems i would be worried about would be electrical but that is usually some sort of a faulty sensor

for a street car they have enaugh power, well the jetta does. and with a few basic modds (maybe 1 grand worth) you can make it into a respectable street car...you dont need to have a car that would do faster than mid 14 sec 1/4mile anyway i think

keep in mind i might be biased but i just don't see why there is soo little respect for the vee dubs from some of you people :confused:

[thanatos1111]

I own an '03 Jetta Wolfsburg as a daily driver... The fun of zipping thru the gears fast wears off after a while, and numerous speeding tickets later I've learned to ease up on the throttle.... especially down here in Med Hat where there's cops on every corner. Seriously though, 180 HP is ok for a 16 year old. When I was 16 I raced a street stock at Race City for a season. Driving that car on the ragged edge got the speed bug out of my daily driving. The motor in the stock car was well over 300 hp and the spec tires they gave us were really inadequate for the speeds of the cars. I could've thrown my car into a drift thru the corners because of lack of grip.

Anyways, I'd give props to the Jetta just cause I have one, but I'd actually recommend just driving the car you have now and saving your pennies for something you could rip around on the weekend with.

[essential.mix]

lol 1.8t slow? gfys i have 2002 GTI and i will tell you its anything but slow... still think so? Lets race.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by essential.mix
lol 1.8t slow? gfys i have 2002 GTI and i will tell you its anything but slow... still think so? Lets race.

TO DA BIKE RACKS!

[Mitsu3000gt]

Where can you find a 2004+ mazda 3 for 13-14k?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by essential.mix
lol 1.8t slow? gfys i have 2002 GTI and i will tell you its anything but slow... still think so? Lets race.

Haha I'm sure alot of people would be happy to :D

[teggypimp95]

German cars are the way to go.
I just sold my 2002 gti 1.8t and loved it.

Things to remember about both.

Mazda
feels alot cheeper, not as fun to drive, limited for mods and such if your into that sort of thing. Very reliable (more than vw) cheeper to fix than vw. BUT mazda uses the worst paint and clear coat on there cars. Even there new ones, its way to then and it chips very very easy!

Jetta

Love the feel of the built quality, solid and feels great. Gas milage is awesome with the 1.8t. I got around 500 in the city (45-50 to fill it) and around 950 on the highway. 99.5-2001 the 1.8ts had 150 hp. Then in 2002 they used a differnt turbo giving the car 180 hp. Dont use a boost controller if you deside to mod this car, its not a honda. There are plenty of chips avalible providing around 50 hp and 50tq with just holding down your cruise controll button for a minute. The paint on vw is awesome. German cars use the hardest clear coat. PLus its thick. Does not rock chip easy and does not squirl as easy. How ever, parts and labor on vws are very expensive, like all german cars. So you need to think long run too and not just the price tag. They are solid and reliable, but little things tend to go wrong or break that will drive you nuts. But it would still be my #1 choice by far. Stock my GTI ran 15.1 @93 mph which is not bad to start with!

[jdmXSI]

I would keep looking if your spending 13-14k. The Mazda is a better choice though. I haven't heard the best things about the reliability of VW's. I am biased, but i would stick with Japanese Manufacturers.

G/L with the new car:thumbsup:

[teggypimp95]

There are also some GTI's or jettas in the 13-14k range with the VR6 motors. They are bullet proof. Not much to mod them other than adding a turbo, but there hella fun to drive stock.

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by jdmXSI
I would keep looking if your spending 13-14k. The Mazda is a better choice though. I haven't heard the best things about the reliability of VW's. I am biased, but i would stick with Japanese Manufacturers.

G/L with the new car:thumbsup:

I was all into japanese for most of my driving days. Then i went out on a limb and got a german car. I dont think i could ever go back, what a differnce!

[adidas]

Originally posted by ScottysZ

... anything goes on that 1.8t engine and youre right fucked, theyre expensive as all hell and hard to work on.

Source?

Id really like to know where you got this from.

[jdmXSI]

I do agree that they do have a totally differnt feel to them. They are a very "solid" feeling to the car and are fun to drive.

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by adidas


Source?

Id really like to know where you got this from.

Its kinda a well known fact. There not that hard to work on because the engine bay has decent space. But parts and such are crazy expensive.

But there are some ways around it. Order your parts of the net saves alot of money. Www.ecstuning.com is an awesome site for vw and audi parts, plus performace parts. Iv been nothin but happy with them. PLus do as much labor yourself as you can, and dont go to a dealership! there are some great smaller shops in town that do just as good as a job for cheeper.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by teggypimp95
German cars are the way to go.
I just sold my 2002 gti 1.8t and loved it.

Things to remember about both.

Mazda
feels alot cheeper, not as fun to drive, limited for mods and such if your into that sort of thing. Very reliable (more than vw) cheeper to fix than vw. BUT mazda uses the worst paint and clear coat on there cars. Even there new ones, its way to then and it chips very very easy!

Jetta

Love the feel of the built quality, solid and feels great. Gas milage is awesome with the 1.8t. I got around 500 in the city (45-50 to fill it) and around 950 on the highway. 99.5-2001 the 1.8ts had 150 hp. Then in 2002 they used a differnt turbo giving the car 180 hp. Dont use a boost controller if you deside to mod this car, its not a honda. There are plenty of chips avalible providing around 50 hp and 50tq with just holding down your cruise controll button for a minute. The paint on vw is awesome. German cars use the hardest clear coat. PLus its thick. Does not rock chip easy and does not squirl as easy. How ever, parts and labor on vws are very expensive, like all german cars. So you need to think long run too and not just the price tag. They are solid and reliable, but little things tend to go wrong or break that will drive you nuts. But it would still be my #1 choice by far. Stock my GTI ran 15.1 @93 mph which is not bad to start with!

I have never seen a stock 1.8t run anywhere near that time in Calgary before that one night. Most stock ones run 16s in the mid to hi 80s.


Originally posted by essential.mix
lol 1.8t slow? gfys i have 2002 GTI and i will tell you its anything but slow... still think so? Lets race.

This one time when i had my integra that made 175whp I raced a stock Gti and beat it by like 10 car lenghts to 120kmh. :rofl:

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by Aleks


I have never seen a stock 1.8t run anywhere near that time in Calgary before that one night. Most stock ones run 16s in the mid to hi 80s.



This one time when i had my integra that made 175whp I raced a stock Gti and beat it by like 10 car lenghts to 120kmh. :rofl:

You saw me that night run that?

[spyce]

Doesnt the issue with new cars paint chipping easier have to due with it being more environmentally safe to not have lead in the paint?

So is it really that German car paint is that much thicker, or that there are new standards to manufacture from? :dunno:

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by spyce
Doesnt the issue with new cars paint chipping easier have to due with it being more environmentally safe to not have lead in the paint?

So is it really that German car paint is that much thicker, or that there are new standards to manufacture from? :dunno:

Im not sure on the enviromental issues or rules. I detail on the side and its quite amazing the driffernce. Hondas seem to be ok, but alot of american cars, and mazda is probably the worst for it. If i go to power polish a german car. I have to work 10x harder becuase the clear coat is so hard, its takes alot more effort to remove the swirls. My buds gf has a mazda and she has had her front end painted 3 times already becuase of thin paint. Im not sure there reasoning for it? I asked some one at a mazda dealership and he agreed it was thinner than most cars but he wasent sure why....

[Aleks]

Originally posted by teggypimp95


You saw me that night run that?

didn't see the run but i saw you in the lines that night.

[zoik]

is the mazda 3 have a ford engine? i know the mazda 6 runs a ford engine.

i don't know if anyone knows about the break in problem with the mazda 3 right now. you can't steal the car b/c of the immobilizer but you can steal everything inside.

for that piece of mind i'd take the jetta.

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by Aleks


didn't see the run but i saw you in the lines that night.

Oh ok. Yeah 2002+ gti's i think are rated at doing mid 15s? and then guys with 99.5-2001 usually run 16s. Not to many people believed my car was stock lol

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by zoik
is the mazda 3 have a ford engine? i know the mazda 6 runs a ford engine.

i don't know if anyone knows about the break in problem with the mazda 3 right now. you can't steal the car b/c of the immobilizer but you can steal everything inside.

for that piece of mind i'd take the jetta.

I dunno man, my buddies 3 was just stolen a week ago :(

[gpomp]

Originally posted by Aleks

This one time when i had my integra that made 175whp I raced a stock Gti and beat it by like 10 car lenghts to 120kmh. :rofl:
many years ago when my car had the 1.5L motor, i would walk all over gti's as well.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by gpomp

many years ago when my car had the 1.5L motor, i would walk all over gti's as well.

Ya sucks having a slow german car now :(

[lilmira]

Originally posted by zoik
is the mazda 3 have a ford engine? i know the mazda 6 runs a ford engine.

i don't know if anyone knows about the break in problem with the mazda 3 right now. you can't steal the car b/c of the immobilizer but you can steal everything inside.

for that piece of mind i'd take the jetta.

Only the V6s have Ford engine. Mazda3 is all designed by Mazda. It probably does share some parts with Ford. I know I have fomoco dipstick and fomoco rear brakes.

The whole doorlock mechanism flaw is kinda a bummer. Even thought Mazda will reinforce the door, it wouldn't stop people from kicking the door.

[teggypimp95]

Originally posted by Aleks


Ya sucks having a slow german car now :(

06 bmw 330i is a slow german car? lol

[gpomp]

mazda 3 is based on the 2nd gen focus platform (a great car that we will never see in north america). on the same note, the ne volvo s40 is based on the same platform as well.

[euro_racer]

+1 on the 1.8 t not being that fast...i mean its quick for what it is but teggypimp i think your car was not completely stock...just last week at RC there were 2 modded 1.8t's one ran 16.1@89 and the other ran 15.7 (i think he is a member here and was wondering why his car is that slow on one of the threads)

dont get me wrong i do love vw's and currently own a 1.8t gti and other dubs myself...but it is just nothing really special when it hits the track :thumbsdow

edit: there was a 1.8t jetta tonight at RC and he ran low 15's and he is chipped

[barbarian]

Originally posted by lilmira

The whole doorlock mechanism flaw is kinda a bummer. Even thought Mazda will reinforce the door, it wouldn't stop people from kicking the door.

Mazda should have recalled all the affected models, if they had, by now people wouldn't be kicking in the door.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by Euro_Trash


What oh-so-powerful car were you driving when you were 16? That guy actually owns a Jetta...:rofl:

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
That guy actually owns a Jetta...:rofl:

Thats what my sig says, good sleuthing, I bet no one else noticed!

[eb0i]

I think you should look into getting the new Mazda Pi, it is .14159265... better than the mazda 3:D

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by Euro_Trash


Thats what my sig says, good sleuthing, I bet no one else noticed! Sorry, you misunderstand, I'm saying that the guy you're yelling at, the guy that was making you pissy in the post I quoted...HE drives a Jetta. He has several VWs as far as I know.

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
Sorry, you misunderstand, I'm saying that the guy you're yelling at, the guy that was making you pissy in the post I quoted...HE drives a Jetta. He has several VWs as far as I know.

Oh sorry lol, good to know!

[teggypimp95]

My car was stock. After that night i had it checked for chips etc. Nothin. Were these other dubs under 2002? because they are quite a bit slower from 99.5-2001, but look the same.

[crazy_mofo]

too be honest
i think you should just stick to your accord
but if you really want to get another car then
jetta is a good reliable car

[euro_racer]

Originally posted by teggypimp95
My car was stock. After that night i had it checked for chips etc. Nothin. Were these other dubs under 2002? because they are quite a bit slower from 99.5-2001, but look the same.

yep the jetta at RC was a newer one with the AWP engine and with only his EIP chip he ran 15.1 consistant and once managed a 14.9 i think...i really don't understand how it would be possible for a stock 1.8t to run those times :dunno: