GTI vs. Mini vs. Mazdaspeed3

[pogokat]

So, I have a delightful 91 318is that is on the road about half the time---i'm working my way through the zen of rebuilding, etc---and I desperately want to get rid of my DD - a 2008 Toyota Prius..

so, help me figure out how to spend about 22k on a fun car that will hold two adults and three small kids

surely, some of you guys are passionate about cars that start all the time, right?

[Wschnitz]

Gti or die

[Julien]

gti + apr

[alB5]

Find a clean mk5, but i feel like your kids will outgrow the back seat soon though. Just something to think about.

[z31maniac]

Speed 3 + Corksport and Cobb bits.

Loads of room with the back seats down, handles well and will murder the other two if you like HP.

GRM did a series on a 2008 (same engine/trans as the smiley face models), intake/exhaust/tune is good for something like 300+ whp.

*owned a 2010 for about a year*

[mazdarati]

+1
ms3

[kalib0y]

of the choices, GTI

[Herr Faust Schinken]

gti or die

x2

[pogokat]

also worth noting---wife has a honda odyssey---my car is for emergency pickups only...so a back seat is required, or this thread would have been about which year miata is the best (1999 ftw)

[Wh33lhop]

Drive them all and pick the one you like the best.

[z31maniac]

also worth noting---wife has a honda odyssey---my car is for emergency pickups only...so a back seat is required, or this thread would have been about which year miata is the best (1999 ftw)

The 2001+ models have higher compression and VVT over the '99-00.......squaretop, intake/header/exhaust/tune = 150whp.

2001's will also have the Sport brakes standard.

[Danny]

I love my MINI.

[blefevre]

I own a Golf R and a Mazda 3 skyactiv and my co-worker has owned nearly every mini model offered.

My personal opinion based on my experiences is get a GTI. The Mazdas are nice cars but they just feel HUGE when driving them. You will have more room in the Mazda though. I feel like I am in a minivan when driving my Mazda 3. My co-worker has had every one of his mini's in the shop so many times that he trades in on a new mini....which goes back into the shop..haha. So overall, go GTI.

[evandael]

GTI. 4 door, ideally post-08 with the TFSI engine (fixed a lot of issues with the HPFP as well as switched to timing chain vs. belt)

springs/shocks/rear sway/tires/tune and you'll have a very fun, but still comfortable and practical ride.

[ZoomZoomBoom]

MS3 is best performance per dollar out of the three. The MZR DISI is torquey and the car handles well. Plenty of reasonable priced and quality mods out there from basic to big turbo, and you can get fully custom dyno flash tunes with the Cobb AccessPort, as well as use the Cobb ATR software to tweak tunes yourself. MS3's are very successful in both amateur and professional road racing.