Newbie- Seriously considering the SX4 Sport
I've owned nine cars in the 19 years or so that I've been driving- eight were Hondas and my current car is an '06 Mazda3. When Honda rolled out the current Civic (which on auto mag described its styling as suppository-like), I knew it was time to finally jump ship. I've enjoyed my Mazda, which I bought new in December 2005, and it was rock solid for the first 49k miles...didn't require a single trip back to the dealer in all that time. But at 49,200 miles, just 800 miles away from the warranty expiration, it started making a very odd ticking noise. I dropped it off the next morning at the dealer- an hour later got a call that it needed a new engine and they'd order it as soon as I provided my oil change receipts. I sent them over, they got the engine and two weeks later I got my car back. Note- they impressed me by giving me a loaner while my car was out of commission.
Now, it's four months later and I have 57,500 miles on it and start hearing a whining noise when I'm slowing to a stop (it's a manual transmission). The verdict- bad bearing in the tranny, needs to be replaced and I'm out of warranty. Fortunately, my 'Beelzebubba' alter-ego was successful in persuading Mazda to pay for it anyway! =)
The bummer for me, though- I loved this car as much or more than any of my Hondas until this fiasco. I just wonder what will go wrong next and I don't like that feeling...time for Zoom-Zoom to go Bye-Bye!
Enter the SX4. I fell in love with it when I first saw in C/D or Motor Trend and it's just as sharp/cool looking in person. It's a helluva value and has some reallly cool features- automatic climate control and a removable NAV system are my two faves. I also love that it's a REAL Suzuki- not an abysmal Daewoo with a Suzuki badge (Reno and Forenza). The 100k warranty is mighty appealing to me as well, especially given my recent powertrain misfortunes!!!
I'm definitely thinking the 'Touring Road TRIP Edition' is what I want. Even with all the goodies, it'll still be less than I paid 2.5 years ago for my Mazda3 s 5-door with no extras.
Only two other decisions left to make- transmission and exterior color. I love the Vivid Red and Azure Grey (although my Mazda is Titanium Gray, so a change wouldn't hurt). The Deep Sea Blue has potential, but I'll have to see it on the car to decide. I wish they offered a flashier, more 'Electric' Blue hue- I seem to remember the Aerio was offered in something like that and it was actually the color I wanted for my Mazda3 but they were impossible to find at the time. What about the Whitewater Metallic? I can't tell much from the website, but is is true, pure white or a dirty pearl white? If it is a clean white, that's probably the winner!
I really could use some input on deciding which transmission to choose. Of the nine cars I've owned, only one has been automatic (a '96 Accord) and the other eight manuals. Especially in some of the older, lower-end Civics the manual transmission made a HUGE difference in fuel economy and performance, so it was a no-brainer. The reason I'm even considering an automatic now is because I have a long daily commute and gridlock/stop-and-go traffic account for at least 30 miles of it each of it daily.
So, how much does the 4-speed automatic dull performance compared to the 5-speed manual SX4? Note to Suzuki- try to get ahold of a sweet 5-speed automatic or, even better, a CVT automatic to improve both fuel economy and performance.
Thoughts or suggestions....I'd really appreciate any input!
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