No offense taken.
You can have a folding rear seat and a hatchback, but you have to take an automatic. Or, take a manual and skip the hatch and folding seat.
I have an '85 GSL-SE. Yes, I fit just fine. I don't have the convertible experience, but I don't like second gens except the T2. 156k miles and fun to drive. Decent shape, but it is at the age where many things are failing at once. I sunk $900 into it a couple weeks ago, plus $200 for the clutch and $400 for a Racing Beat full exhaust system. And there are still many things it would be nice to replace. That is why I cannot rely on it every day like I wanted to.
Last summer's Zaino pictures. If the RX-8 were out when I bought my IS, I'd propbly own one instead.
I think you are on crack if you think the Mazda6 is a better car price withstanding than an IS300. While I agree that the IS300 doesn't fit the $33-35k market any more, transaction prices are down in the invoice price range or less which is mere $3-4k more than similarly eqquiped Mazda6s.
Quote:
I think the overall difference we have different value equations. I place a high value on a car that is more than just a machine. Driving experience, personality, and style count as heavily as features, numbers, and the nuts and bolts. The whole must be greater than the sum of its parts and transcend being just a machine, just an appliance. Then that score is weighed with price to yield the final value-weighted score.
I don't think we are different in that regard. I agree completely. Give me a drivers car with that certain feel over one that has a list of features and/or great numbers behind it.
However, I don't do anything half assed. I get exactly what I want, or I get nothing. I chose nothing this time to save a crapload of money.
Mazda6i with similar equipment to the Stratus SXT is $20.5k MSRP, or I get S-plan which is close to invoice, $18.8k. Maybe it is a better car (I don't know), but it isn't worth an extra $8k worst case assuming I buy this Stratus. No rebates, no special lease. One reason why I took this lease was because it is only for 1 year. I can save some money, then re-evaluate what I want. Do I want a nice car again, or do I want cheap, something in between. Ideally, I would benefit from my wife's manangement lease program. but the specific price needs to be evaluated vs. what I could do otherwise.
Just go test drive one of these, a Stratus SXT, before comparing to others. This class of car is basic transportation with room for 4 or 5 people. People don't pay $8k extra for basic transportation, including me. 
