Mazda 3 MPS

[The Turbonator]

Currently driving a Grand Picasso but the kids are growing up and I'm starting to wonder if I need so much space. So I've been looking around at a few hot hatches.

Seen a Mazda 3 MPS for sale and it looks seriously tempting but although I know of them, I don't know much about them.

I remember when they came out that the motoring press praised how quick they were but that's it. Looking at the specifications online, they have some very impressive figures.

What are they like to live with and are they reliable?

My mum had a 2004 Mazda 6 that had to go back to the dealer every 2 years to sort the wheel arch rust out. Would a 2008 Mazda 3 suffer from the same problems or did Mazda sort the rusting issues out by that time.

Any general advice, experience, would be much appreciated.

[philmots]

If you don't have any joy here there is an MPS owners club that will most probably help.

[forzaminardi]

I don't have ownership experience but I've always quite liked them firstly because the look pretty good, secondly because the standard Mazda 3 was so dull and thirdly because they're unusual. They are apparently by any objective measure not quite as good as the more usual subjects but are fast and have a bit of character as well as being fairly unusual. If the deal made sense I'd be happy with one; good car in my opinion.

[The Turbonator]

The fact that they're not well known and how they look no different to a standard model, is a real plus point for me. I love wolves in sheeps clothing, I'd probably debadge it, if I did get one.