ok i’m a lil slow bloggin this, but last night i went to test drive cars. ford and i went to a mazda dealership and planned to visit the VW dealer nearby afterwards. we didn’t get time for the VW dealer, but the mazda dealership experience was rather interesting.

when we first get on the lot, they had very few used mazdas, as it seemed they specialized in new cars. this was ok, because they had 2 used mazda 6’s that i wanted to drive. they had a ‘04 acura TSX that ford was interested in driving. so we went inside to ask about test driving it, and the guy they sent out to deal with us was a complete trip.

he couldn’t locate the keys to one the 6’s that i wanted to drive. he kinda wanted to push a new car on me, asked how much i wanted to spend and why i hadn’t considered a new car. eventually we agreed to just drive the other 6 after ford drove the TSX.

this man was large, i mean _large_. he had problems fitting in the acura. the drivers seat had to be back all the way when he drove it off the lot, and he had to sit VERY awkwardly in the backseat. ford seemed to feel comfortable in the driver seat of the TSX, punching it as soon as we left the parking lot. it was drove very smooth, and from what i get from it, he enjoyed driving it (even though it apparently didn’t live up to the hype).

when we got back, i got in the 6 and headed off the lot. mind you, i’ve driven an ‘85 olds (Le Tank) for over 3 years now, so as soon as i hit the gas, it was a lil more responsive than i had expected. unfortunately it was still disappointing. transmission was decent, but it didn’t drive much better than Le Tank. it was still sluggish, and the brakes were far too sensitive for my liking.

next, i decided to drive a mazda 3 just for s&g. i had no intentions of buying one, just wanted to drive it. it was a lot more sporty than the 6. the transmission was smoother, and the acceleration was better. if i were to even go with a mazda (which i wont) i’d be a 3. the salesman said that they were selling like hot cakes, but i don’t really care (i’d wait till the ‘05). ford drove the 3 next, cause i wanted to see him punch it better. it handled alright and he thought it wasn’t too far from how the TSX handled.

one thing i did like was the triptronic shifter. that is the most amazing thing i’ve seen in cars since OnStar. you can drive an automatic if you dont feel like being annoyed by the manual. or if you feel like driving the manual for the added performance, you can. it’s smart enough not to let you fuck it up, and easy enough anyone can do it. i really like that and if i get a more recent car, i really want the triptronic shifter.

the car salesman, what a hoot. he started with the verbal handjob, telling us he was an EE grad from georgia tech and that he drove a new ‘vette. EVERY drive we went on, the clown fell asleep in the backseat. i don’t mean dozed off, i mean “snoring loud and falling over into the seat next to you” kinda sleep. when we went in to exchange info, he pointed to a ‘vette in the service drive and said it was his. that was funny cause a mechanic had the keys and was moving the car. he then had the balls to say that he spent enough time driving with us that he felt he deserved my business!! what nerve!! if i decide to get a mazda (which i wont), i will make sure to buy from someone else.

all in all, i wasnt impressed with mazda. they weren’t worth the asking price in my opinion. next on the list is Civic and Jetta.