Need some opinions on next car...

[Satyr]

Going to be in the market for a new car come spring time. I've got a few things on my mind and a couple options for financing. Budget is around $20k, including my trade-in. Most of the cars on my list are within that budget, and I would prefer to not get a loan. That being said, if there's enough of a difference, a small loan isn't a huge problem.

Here are the contenders:
2013 Dodge Dart (my favorite in looks department but slow and crap internals)
2013 Focus ST (most expensive but probably the best overall vehicle)
Mazdaspeed 6 (AWD, decent power/handling, expensive to mod and fix)
Mazdaspeed 3 (good power potential, but FWD and hatch)
E46 M3 (best handling/smoothest, but most expensive to mod and fix)
2008+ Audi A4 (AWD, awesome interior but expensive to fix, slow)

So...what do you guys think? Each has their own pros and cons, but I am having trouble deciding. Car will be driven in snow, so the car can't be awful in the snow (only weakens M3, but probably minimally). Fuel economy is also important, but all of these will keep me happy (M3 is the worst, Dart/ST are the best). Safety wise, the newer vehicles have a slight advantage due to technology, but they will all do the job, from what my research shows.

Anyways, ready for opinions/insight.

 

[Jroc]

Focus ST.

Wouldn't surprise me if it best the M3 or Mazdaspeed 3 in handling, but IDK if it does or not.

 

[xXGadfly09Xx]

m3 is one of the best cars ever made. I think its one car every car enthusist should own before they die. a4 with quattro and the 2.0T is a good car

 

[roy_1031]

Save some money and get a E46 330ci with the zhp package. M3 handling with M3 looks as well and it's all factory. And with the money you saved, there's a twin screw setup for that engine too.
M3 on the right. Our stock 330 on the left.

 

[thepizz]

Audi has too many electrical issues. I've had a few.

Dodge Dart is a renamed Neon. Sucks.

M3 is a great car but I wouldn't DD it for winter driving.

Speed3 is nice. My bro in law has one. Sorta fast and handles well.

Focus ST....would be my choice.

 

[SHOdown220]

Focus st would be my choice. I recently picked up a 2012 focus se hatch and love the car. Ford did a good job on the new focus, fit and finish is great. I would love to own an st... I just read earlier that sct tuned one and made 253 hp and over 300 ft lbs of torque at the wheels... At 2400 rpm

 

[04ScSaleen325]

m3 or a4

 

[Satyr]

Had a feeling the consensus would be an ST. Not sure if it's based off bias or reality. I was leaning towards the M3 until I saw the price of general parts.

Anyways, I need to get some time to test drive the new ones. Have a feeling the Dart is out based on the engine alone. It might be a renamed Neon, but it has a damn nice interior and handles well--helluva lot better than my SRT-4 in both departments (unfortunately, not nearly as capable, engine-wise).

Keep the opinions coming.

 

[LogiWorld123]

Had a feeling the consensus would be an ST. Not sure if it's based off bias or reality. I was leaning towards the M3 until I saw the price of general parts.

Anyways, I need to get some time to test drive the new ones. Have a feeling the Dart is out based on the engine alone. It might be a renamed Neon, but it has a damn nice interior and handles well--helluva lot better than my SRT-4 in both departments (unfortunately, not nearly as capable, engine-wise).

Keep the opinions coming.

i dont think an M3 is going to be snow worthy. much like my lincoln LS, the low hanging front fascia is a plastic snow plow. when it plows, your RWD v8 is useless.

 

[VRYALT3R3D]

m3 or ST.

 

[Screw-Rice]

ST or what about a 330XI? AWD, and a TT6 that can be tuned/modded. Not an M3, but pretty close.

 

[SneakyPete]

Here are the contenders:
2013 Dodge Dart (my favorite in looks department but slow and crap internals)
2013 Focus ST (most expensive but probably the best overall vehicle)
Mazdaspeed 6 (AWD, decent power/handling, expensive to mod and fix)
Mazdaspeed 3 (good power potential, but FWD and hatch)
E46 M3 (best handling/smoothest, but most expensive to mod and fix)
2008+ Audi A4 (AWD, awesome interior but expensive to fix, slow)

good God your "options" are shitty. rule out the mazdas, they have catastrophic random engine failures for no apparent reason. Seriously, go look on their forums and you'll be shocked.

The Focus ST is your best bet but it's still an ecobox and it's 27k! Need AWD? If so, look at STis or Evos. With minor mods, they will bitch slap any of the cars listed in a straight line, cornering, braking, driving excitement, etc etc. A bone stock 07 STi can be had for around 22-25k and it is well worth the investment. Still the only car I miss owning out of the 21 I've had. Or for 20k you can pick up a 600whp Evo these days. :beer:

 

[xXGadfly09Xx]

ST or what about a 330XI? AWD, and a TT6 that can be tuned/modded. Not an M3, but pretty close.

this

good God your "options" are shitty. rule out the mazdas, they have catastrophic random engine failures for no apparent reason. Seriously, go look on their forums and you'll be shocked.

The Focus ST is your best bet but it's still an ecobox and it's 27k! Need AWD? If so, look at STis or Evos. With minor mods, they will bitch slap any of the cars listed in a straight line, cornering, braking, driving excitement, etc etc. A bone stock 07 STi can be had for around 22-25k and it is well worth the investment. Still the only car I miss owning out of the 21 I've had. Or for 20k you can pick up a 600whp Evo these days. :beer:

wow I forgot the sti and evo

 

[Satyr]

this



wow I forgot the sti and evo

STI and Evo are already out for me. I like the new ones but they are out of my price range and the only ones have some of the shittiest interiors ever put into a car.

 

[Satyr]

good God your "options" are shitty. rule out the mazdas, they have catastrophic random engine failures for no apparent reason. Seriously, go look on their forums and you'll be shocked.

The Focus ST is your best bet but it's still an ecobox and it's 27k! Need AWD? If so, look at STis or Evos. With minor mods, they will bitch slap any of the cars listed in a straight line, cornering, braking, driving excitement, etc etc. A bone stock 07 STi can be had for around 22-25k and it is well worth the investment. Still the only car I miss owning out of the 21 I've had. Or for 20k you can pick up a 600whp Evo these days. :beer:

I've researched the Mazdas plenty. Their reliability doesn't seem too far off what other, factory FI cars exhibit. I agree with the high price of the ST...which is the biggest reason I don't already have one. AWD isn't needed, and I don't like STI's or Evo's because I hate their interiors. Also, neither of them will out-handle an M3, unless you are talking serious suspension work...and the MS3 can make comparable power with similar handling (with mods).

 

[Viking42]

The ST is still very new, it might be a good idea to wait a year or so and make sure there aren't any big common problems happening with them. Out of the cars listed, I'd pick either the M3 or the Speed3. I have a few friends that have MazdaSpeed3s and they all love them. You can't really go wrong with a good condition performance BMW either. It wasn't listed, but what about a E39 M5? They are coming down into your price range as well.

 

[thomas91169]

Genesis Coupe is right up your alley because that's exactly my budget on my next car. 6spd RWD, decently light, very nimble (Track or Rspec versions especially), very fun to drive.

The 2.0T has the 4b11t basically from the Lancer Ralliart, which is the detuned variant of the EvoX motor. That being said, they have some pretty nice potential already and they havent even scratched the surface, their aftermarket really reminds me of DSM's prior to dsmlink making everything come together and come together easily.

The 3.8L is a pretty decent offering, somewhat like the VQ35 from the G35/350z variants in terms of potential and reliability.

The Dart is currently offered with that measly 1.4L Turbo (which is still probably pretty fun) but rumors are that a bigger motor is in the works for the next years model, so id wait on that so you dont possibly get stuck with a redhead stepchild year.

 

[10splaya22]

Focus ST with the recaros

 

[charba951]

good God your "options" are shitty. rule out the mazdas, they have catastrophic random engine failures for no apparent reason. Seriously, go look on their forums and you'll be shocked.

The Focus ST is your best bet but it's still an ecobox and it's 27k! Need AWD? If so, look at STis or Evos. With minor mods, they will bitch slap any of the cars listed in a straight line, cornering, braking, driving excitement, etc etc. A bone stock 07 STi can be had for around 22-25k and it is well worth the investment. Still the only car I miss owning out of the 21 I've had. Or for 20k you can pick up a 600whp Evo these days. :beer:

This.

 

[black92]

I vote ST with the Dart a close second.

Read and decide:
2013 Ford Focus ST vs. 2012 Volkswagen GTI vs. 2012 Mazdaspeed 3 ? Hot Hatchback Comparison Test ? RoadandTrack.com