Buying a new car...can't decide which one to pick...
 

After weeks of research, It's come down to the Mazda 3 and the Volkswagen Rabbit. Whichever one I decide on, I will be getting the base model. Any thoughts? suggestions? comments? I am completely stuck and just cannot decide which one to get. :confused:

If you've done the normal research on reliability and safety or whatever else is important to you, the only thing left is drive them. Choose the one that puts a bigger grin on your face. They're both great cars anyways.

both are swell....rabbit has "German" feel and the Mazda Has a great reputation....try em both and the one that "fits" you will be clear!

xoxoxoo

I might be wrong, but would it cost more to get the VW serviced? I hear they tend to cost more, even compared to another foreign make like Mazda.

I would go with the mazda 3, its been around for a few years so it has all the little kinks fixed. I love VW, ive owned 2, but the electrical issues after 4,3 even 2 years have negated the chances of me buying another one.

That's my biggest concern with the Rabbit...the reliability factor. I'm a college student and cannot afford to have maintenance issues within a couple of years. Also, I've read that the gas mileage can be lacking in the Rabbit. However, the thing that keeps me from going for the Mazda 3 is the incredible amount of standard features that come with the Rabbit.

i have a Mazda 3s, which I believe just has a slightly (very slightly) bigger engine than the Mazda 3, but it's a very good car. Had it almost 3 years now, I think. Good handling, comfortable, nice interior given the price.

Go for the Mazda.

I've owned a Jetta and now a Passatt for the last 7 years or so. I can't say enough about VW and the solid feel both of those cars give for their price. I personally didn't think the service was that bad, when needed. To be honest, a lot of the routine maintence things were far, far simpler to do myself on the VWs than similiar repairs on lots of domestic cars I've owned.

Consumer Reports rates both of these cars as above average for the '08 models, fwiw.

Neither. Get a base Civic. They are about 120 times as reliable and a lot cheaper to fix. It will last hundreds of thousands of miles and the resale value is through the roof.

I know one person with a Mazda 3, and one person with a VW Passat 2.0t, I know that's not exactly a rabbit.

The guy with the mazda 3 has never complained about it and really likes the gas mileage he gets on long drives to California.

The guy with the Passat has had to bring it in twice to fix problems, and when they gave him a VW loaner car, the sun roof wouldn't close. It seems like whenever he talks about his car it's out of frustration.

Those standard features come at the price of reliability, however.

Frankly as a college student you should be getting a 1-2 year old used car. Much less money, and you can get all the features you want in a more reliable car ;)

Ooo, CHA-CHING!

I've driven a base (crank up windows. stick the key in to unlock it base) Mazda 3 for a year now. I really really like that car.

Its quick, the dash looks cool (unlike the Civic), and it says hello to me when I turn it on.