Saying Goodbye (& Eating Crow)

[MikeHTally]

I will say this, Mazda makes a super reliable car. The 3 handles a lot better than one would think. In fact, when I get to drive it it is actually fun. For the life of me, I don't know why.

My Speed 3 was a hoot for the eleven years I had it. The new 3 series is an all-'round fun car to drive from what I've read.

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[Norm Peterson]

If a Mazda is a substitute for a Mustang the guy may as well as ride the bus.

Mazda sedans have usually included an extra helping of "fun to drive". Not the same kind of fun as what a great many people associate with Mustangs, but still fun nonetheless.

If the 1995 Mazda 626 (V6, 5MT) mentioned in post #67 hadn't been fun to drive, we wouldn't have bought it in the first place.


Norm

 

[goldengooner]

In Europe they're worried about cars hurting pedestrians. In America they're worried about pedestrians causing damage to cars. In Soviet Russia, pedestrians run over you!

But now on the 2018, its the same hood on the US and Euro cars, as for the Euro spec cars, there is still no BLIS easy exit / entry, and we now have the Cruise control, i don't think we have the Cross Traffic

 

[edco]

Mazda sedans have usually included an extra helping of "fun to drive". Not the same kind of fun as what a great many people associate with Mustangs, but still fun nonetheless.
If the 1995 Mazda 626 (V6, 5MT) mentioned in post #67 hadn't been fun to drive, we wouldn't have bought it in the first place.
Norm

The older I get the more I don't know. So, I researched Mazada 626. It appears to be a 4 door, front wheel drive, V6, sedan, and in sport trim probably fun.
Ford and Mazada have associated. The Mazada 6 was built at Flat Rock, MI alongside S197 Mustangs 2005 to near 2008?. The Mazada 626 dash in mid 2000s looks to be the 2000s Lincoln LS dash also used on the 2004-2006 Thunderbird. IMO only, the Mazada 626 is not a substitute for the Mustang. Back to the topic, we don't know if the OP was hit, hit a barrier, head to head, head to rear, or other. That front end damage is repairable. From the underhood 626 photos I viewed, with a V6 tucked close transverse behind the radiator, kiss the Mazada good bye. Can't agree with premise statement that Mustang is fragile.
Equating a 4 door front wheel drive sedan with Mustang does not compute. If a driver is indifferent about which car he would rather drive then he may as well take the bus. The Mazada 626 is one more reason I give thanks everyday for the Ford Mustang.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

But now on the 2018, its the same hood on the US and Euro cars, as for the Euro spec cars, there is still no BLIS easy exit / entry, and we now have the Cruise control, i don't think we have the Cross Traffic

I'm guessing a higher percent of UK drivers know how to adjust the mirrors so there is NO blindspot. Cross Traffic alerts would seem a good thing for the UK since the percent of drivers without x-ray vision is virtually the same as in the US.

 

[Norm Peterson]

the Mazada 626 is not a substitute for the Mustang.

Of course it's not a substitute.

What the 626 is (and likely the current 3 and 6 as well), is a car with a different mix of what can make for fun driving. It is certainly possible to appreciate both sporty sedans and ponycars, but not everybody will. Less likely if they're trying to compare them directly.


Norm

 

[MidwayJ]

Mazda sedans have usually included an extra helping of "fun to drive". Not the same kind of fun as what a great many people associate with Mustangs, but still fun nonetheless.

If the 1995 Mazda 626 (V6, 5MT) mentioned in post #67 hadn't been fun to drive, we wouldn't have bought it in the first place.


Norm

I had a 1995 626 V6. It lasted 12 years and about 180k, until I decided not to fix the failed water pump. My son got it when he turned 16 and drove it the last two years. A pretty good car in its day.

 

[PJR202]

The car isn't fragile. All that damage is a representation of the impact it absorbed to protect you. For fun, go back and look for statistics on car accident deaths. The modern era is leaps and bounds better than back in the day when "cars were made of heavy steel and were tanks." That thin metal, crumple zones and plastic saves lives.

 

[Pa-fatboy]

Lion Orion? So you are the hunter that is both sides of the coin? Always awaking and taking over for the other hunter. At least how the Greeks would se it. Odd Dude.

Your goodbye has so many limitations in it. A Mazda 6 is stronger? When I was looking for a car in 2007, I did look at the Mazda 6. Mazda was all about trying to get people to think of the 6 as a cheaper cost BMW 3 series. I drove both. I ended up getting the real deal, not a wanna be. I was right as well. A few people I know picked up Mazda 6’s at the same time. The 6’s were gone and buried for premature rusting before I even thought about changing my BMW out. In one slow fender bender, my fault, I bumped into a truck. The entire front end on that BMW, I was sadly going to learn is plastic.

The cars are made to crumble and come apart as part of the design. Each piece takes an amount of energy out of the crash coming toward your legs. Every bend in sheet metal as well.

Why do you think everyone was okay? Think about your cockpit and what was broken in their to hurt passengers?

My wife was rear ended in our 2014 Ford Fusion. She was hit from her stop, by a car coming to her at 45 mph. She was then pushed into a pickup ahead of her. Airbags did not go off.

She got out of the car, walked to the side of the road and called me with a very calm voice to come to her and sit as all the police and ambulances showed.

Nothing in the cockpit was disturbed. Her drivers seat stayed in position and did not collapse during any hit to hurt her back. The only thing broken inside the car was a plastic hair tie she was wearing in the back.

I did not whine about frailty. I spoke to a ford mechanic who told me there was some logic about when not to deploy the airbags as it may hurt the passenger more than help.

We got an insurance check too. We picked up a new 2019 Fusion with more options than the 2014. Our car was bent and busted past fixing.

Another note: It’s odd that you expect the future of man to be bad if your writing is not clear. I’m sad for you brother.

It does sound like you driving a rice burner is probably the best for all. I think you should shoot higher and go for the leaf or maybe Prius. Did you see the weight to power ratio there? Unbelievable.

 

[Pa-fatboy]

I daily drive in a car with a 148 hp engine -- can you believe it?

I can believe it. I have driven through Georgia, but just that little bit of 95 on the eastern side of the state. We stopped for breakfast and I asked the waitress what grits was. I now now it is creamed corn. She looked at me like I slapped her. We got breakfast else where.

I saw lots of 148 hp cars, trucks, mopeds. This guy is dealing true. All the paint oooked incredible in the front too. I recommend going on a Saturday night, drive to a down town area with streetlights and watch the local 148hp and under parades drive around. Occasionally someone will backfire. They do not allow that in this class and the are sent home to retune. Or, if they can do it on the side of the road in 30 minutes, they get a pass.

Dude, sorry. I don’t know why I wrote this. Must be my meds. You rock having a second car to be your DD. I have a second car too. It would get me to work and home. I would rather save it for Mustang Club Functions and family fun. It has a bit more hp than yours at 225 or so out of its 1967 289 4 barrel v8 with a 4 speed side loader hurst shifter connected to the rest of my 1966 mustang convertible red w/ black interior. No rust. I had all the rust replaced with new steel. Sounds and drives great.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I can believe it. I have driven through Georgia, but just that little bit of 95 on the eastern side of the state. We stopped for breakfast and I asked the waitress what grits was.

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