An Adventure to the Mazda Dealership

"touring the brook - now with ZHP!" (touringthebrook) 02/20/2016 at 20:50 • Filed to: AN ADVENTURE TO:

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Source: Car & Driver

After months of looking at cars on the internet as a means of choosing my first car, my mom and I decided to go check out some of the cars I’m looking for at local dealerships. Also it gives me driving practice because I have my permit (I’ve actually had it for about a month but never bothered to tell Oppo). Today we went to a local Mazda dealer to check out the 3 and 6.

(Side note: when you pull up to a Mazda dealer in a BMW, nearly all of the sales people dive after you)

Once we got it though the Mazda salesman’s head that we were just looking (I’m kidding, he was super nice), he showed us the 3 hatchback. It was much nicer than I thought it would be, and I liked the driving position. Next up was a 2014 Mazda 6 in Blue Reflex Metallic (which is a really pretty color for that car). I was really impressed with the interior of the 6, all of the materials were comparable to the ones in my mom’s X5. Plus the exterior of the 6 is amazing, no family sedan should look that good.

(Stay tuned for the next edition of An Adventure to the (dealer)! Next time: VW)

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 20:54

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So what's winning as of now in the car search? Are you gonna go for a $15k manual car or a more expensive one with an auto box?

mazda616 > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:00

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I have a ‘16 Mazda6 and I LOVE it. :-)

C62030 > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:06

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I’m also looking. Unfortunately can’t get a brand new car, but I’m currently looking at a very nice ‘91 Grand Prix coupe with 113k and a V6 for $1400. Also, totally agree with you on the styling of the 6. Looks absolutely lovely.

hike > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:12

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I’ve recommended the Mazda6 3 times, and all 3 times it was purchased. It’s just such a well rounded car, there isn’t a single thing it’s bad at. Great looks, steering, handling, interior (especially on the ‘16), big trunk, big enough back seat, and well priced. Oh, and low to mid 30s combined MPG. Can’t go wrong with a new Mazda!

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:18

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Wow I just got my permit aiming to get a Fiesta St by the time I get 16

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:26

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Any new Mazda is going to get better mileage than me

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:26

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I hope you can go for a standard (if you want to!)! I had to drive my parents auto trans. rides until I got my own first car and got my friends to teach me.

Made sure my first car (and my second, current ride too!) was a standard because I would never want to go back now...all the usual cliches about fun, driving involvement and control are completely true in my books!

Are your parents limiting you to 4-door hatchbacks? Have you looked into Hyundai at all? The Veloster is an odd car, but it’s really grown on me from seeing it in person while my Accent was in for Service...

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 21:33

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Hah. But a 4Runner has that cool factor that can’t be matched by any car really.

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > C62030 02/20/2016 at 21:35

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I am limited to CPO or used due to my budget, but nice find on the GP! Not many cars of that era of GM with that many miles left!

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/20/2016 at 21:41

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As far as the transmission goes, my parents are indecisive on whether they’ll get me a manual or not, but I’m pushing for a stick because I don’t live in the city, plus there are some phenomenal roads around me. I don’t mind the auto in my mom’s BMW X5, but not every automatic is an 8-speed ZF box.

As for the body styles, I’m not limited to anything. I have dabbled into Hyundai a little bit, but I didn’t really find anything that interested me besides the Elantra GT. I haven’t been close up with a Veloster ever, but whenever I do see a non-turbo Veloster I think “what a nice looking car”. I’ve been looking at all body styles, it’s just I really like hatchbacks/wagons.

C62030 > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:42

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Yep. Tested a ‘90 Olds 98 the other day and it was fantastic. That had 151k I believe.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:44

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It has a cool factor until you realize your friends only care because you can drive them to waffle house and your gas mileage is terrible

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:49

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Same here - I’m a small wagon/hatchback guy. My first car was a 2002 Subaru Impreza 2.5T and my current ride is a 2009 Hyundai Accent.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:50

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A used GTI is probably out of your budget and would be lethal on insurance. The base Golf TSI is still quite fun though. Some cheapish mods and you’d have very nearly a GTI for a lot less. One of my fellow cow-orkers has a TSI that he has put Golf R spings on and a tuning chip and that little thing hauls. If you’re brave you can even get the GTI steering wheel to work which would add cruise and radio controls. The Fiesta 1L is also a neat car and I bet you can find some good springs for it as well.

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 21:53

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Hey I don't blame them, Waffle House is pretty good. But I guess the gas mileage can't be made up for. I guess no one realizes that here at Mountain Brook, the 4 Runner is THE car to have among all the freshman and sophomores.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 21:57

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There are so many clean 4Runners around here. Also, i saw one that was rolled and im suddenly not feeling so good about that whole roof strength deal

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > C62030 02/20/2016 at 21:57

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Wow! How does one find old GM in this kind of condition? I'd love to have one just to cruise around the town eventually.

pjhusa > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:06

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*freshmen

pjhusa > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 22:06

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Wait. New 4Runner?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > pjhusa 02/20/2016 at 22:08

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Nope. 1999

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 02/20/2016 at 22:09

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A MK7 is definitely out of budget, but a MK6 with around 40,000 miles is within my budget, in fact there a a few for sale locally. I’ve never thought about the base TSI Golf, but I’ll look into parts for it because if I do light mods, it seems like the way to go. Aw darn, now I have dreams of a MK7 Golf S AutoX build!

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 22:13

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Ah you’ll be fine! Just avoid curvy roads, so basically you can go on 280, I-459, and downtown! JK you'll actually be fine, just don't get cocky.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:15

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Everywhere I go involves curvy roads

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 22:19

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Well yeah, you live in the Birmingham Metro, it’s impossible to avoid curvy roads. One time I saw an early 2000's Acura MDX off the side of a twisty road in a tree on a rainy day, needless to say, I make sure to drive extra cautious on that road.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:24

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I also have no traction control

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 22:28

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And 2wd. Do you ever drive it in the rain?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:30

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Yeah. I drive it in the rain. 2wd only

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/20/2016 at 22:42

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Was traction control an option?

Liam Farrell > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:48

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I just got my permit a month ago as well. I got a Land Rover 109 as my first car, partially because I live in the suburbs and school is only two miles away and my family has five cars so there is always another available.

You should get a car you would be comfortable driving, it doesn’t have to be fast. Remember you are learning.

Also my parents liked that my car had a top speed of 50.

Liam Farrell > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:50

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The Jeep JK is the official high school car in my town.

twochevrons > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/20/2016 at 22:51

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Either of those would be a great buy – I just bought a used Mk7 GTI, and my wife has had a regular Mk6 for a couple of years now. They’re definitely a cut above the rest of the hatchback market in terms of fit and finish, and even the regular Golf is a great drive.

If you’re wanting to make it go faster, hold out for the Mk7 – while the 2.5 in the Mk6 makes a great sound, it’s a bit of a boat anchor, and there aren’t that many tuning options. The 1.8T, on the other hand, is very easy to get more power out of, and much more economical to boot.

As a bit of first-car advice, though, don’t go for the go-faster bits to begin with. Anything stock will be more than enough car for you to grapple with in your first few years of driving.

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Liam Farrell 02/20/2016 at 22:55

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Oh that’s so cool! I’m really jealous of your car! I agree with you on the speed, a car that goes from 0-60 in 8 seconds feels pretty fast for me, even though the car I'm driving currently does it in about 5.8.

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > twochevrons 02/20/2016 at 23:01

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Oh the modifications would be farther down the road once I get money to buy said modifications, so the only modification when I get the car would be a roof rack.

Which would you recommend going for, a used MK6 2.5 with all the options, or a lightly used (or even new) base model 1.8T with little options? My parents have explicitly said NO diesels, so I’d like a little bit of advice with the gasoline models.

Liam Farrell > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/21/2016 at 00:39

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Yeah my first time going on the highway in the drivers ed car was scary as hell, I thought I was flying going only 65. Even in the student drivers 05 Camry.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/21/2016 at 06:57

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Nope

C62030 > touring the brook - now with ZHP! 02/21/2016 at 10:05

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I would too. And yesterday I decided I wanted to get it, texted the guy to tell him, then a while later he replied saying he sold it 20 minutes before I texted him. Pretty disappointing.