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Comments
http://www.chevrolet.com/cobalt/images/gallery/wall2_1024x768.jpg
http://www.detnews.com/pix/2003/12/28/asec/A028-cobalt1-1203n-2.j- pg
http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0312/28/a01-20140.htm
I don't like GM very much but this seems to be a decent effort on their part. From the small interior picture I still like the Mazda3 interior better and the Mazda3 probably is higher quality but the Cobalt doesn't look too bad for the most part. If the price is reasonable and they offer big rebates then this will definetly hurt the Mazda3.
Engines will be 2.2 140hp/150lb-ft, 2.4 VVT 170hp/170lb-ft, 2.0 supercharged with estimated 200hp.
Available 15, 16, 17, and 18-inch wheels, ABS standard on all trims except base model, traction control available, heated leather seats, XM satellite radio, MP3 playback and Onstar. Also side curtain airbags are available.
The one bad thing is 4-wheel disc brakes aren't available except on the SS trim and above, which I think is the 170hp version.
What do you think about Acura RSX? It's my next choice (other than Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic Coupe). I think it has the sexiest look among the four! I guess I'd turn more heads with that one (ha!), and the premium trim is only 3000 CAD more.
You might want to set up a specific comparo amongst your short list. We have a Comparisons board where a discussion of that nature would be a welcome addition. We don't want this discussion to turn into a comparo since the subject is a single vehicle.
And of course the search features on the left side of the page are a great way to find other discussions that would be helpful to you.
Good luck - feel free to drop me an email if I can help you find anything in the Town Hall.
:-)
("Axela" over here). I'm wondering about the ease/pain
of bringing this model back to the US with me in a
few years. My research so far suggests that this is
in fact a rather painful&expensive experience -- 2 weeks
of emission+??? testing, at a cost of more than $6500,
plus $1500 to petition to add the model to a list
of "approved cars". The shipping costs are apparently
the least of worries. Naturally, if this is picture is
accurate, it's barely worth one's while to ship rather
than buy new in the US. I was wondering if anyone
has insight into this process. Though I've seen these
figures quoted in several web sites, I find them a bit
hard to believe. Can anyone confirm or refute
these findings? What is it like bringing a car from
the US to Canada? I suppose a question is, how
different is the Mazda3 sold in the US from an
Axela sold in Japan? If I could show that the cars
were identical in every respect, perhaps that
would obviate the necessity for such thorough
testing... Any info would be appreciated.
Couple other impressions I thought of since I wrote my initial impressions.
Handling: Pretty awesome for what this car is. It plants well and stays on line...I haven't had the chance to really take it thru a lot of curves, etc. but initial impressions are very good. This car can take the off-ramps and roads near where I live and drive everyday arguably as well as a BMW I owned for a few years.
Suspension: Firm but very reasonable and exactly what I like in a car. The car feels very sturdy...haven't driven a Protege but my guess is the 40% more stiffness in the frame is responsible here and well worth it to me. You feel the expansion joints and cracks in the freeway but the car takes them well with a solid and damped "thunk", not a whack that feels like it will loosen the fillings in your teeth.
Wind noise....a bit of this but then at 80 mph, I expect it...nothing objectionable.
Heater: does take a bit to warm up totally and then it is hot but not enough to really bother me.
Power windows. Fastest power windows I've ever had in a car, up or down...I barely touch the button and the window is 1/4 way down. Also, I always seem to hit the rear window buttons first...need to train my hand to feel around a bit...it always seems to land naturally on the rear window buttons.
Dash: I like it. People have said switchgear is cheap...I dunno, seems fine to me...all buttons and controls within easy reach, like the red backlighting, etc. Radio presets took me a sec to get used to...the top 3 you push on the top portion of the button, the bottom 3 you push on the bottm part of the button...pushing on the middle does nothing...the little Hello! message you get when you start the car is kinda funny but I guess the Japanese are being polite, ey?
Have had no rear seat passengers yet so can't comment on how tight or how comfortable it is back there...
Throw out the fact that you can get this car like I have it optioned in the mid $18K range and it feels to me like you are getting a lot for your money...
That's about it fellas...
My suggestion to you would be to immediately contact Mazda Consumer Affairs. I'm certain they have a staff member who specializes in this type of operation and who is familiar with the latest legalities, and possibly knows some key shortcuts. Maybe Mazda can even assist you with documentation. Good luck.
There have been discussions on the Smart Shopper board about relocating vehicles into the US from Canada and from Europe. That's the best place I know of to get expert information on the subject in the Town Hall. It's worth a look.
Military people in Europe do not buy the European model Mercedes and BMWs, they buy the export models for the USA market, drive them while there and then ship them home. The government pays for shipping officers' cars, GIs pay their own shipping costs.
It's another matter when buying a German car here and taking delivery in Germany so one car tour Europe and then have it shipped home. That kind of arrangement is made through American dealers and their European manufacturers with few, if any, problems.
What it comes down to is which MZ3 model you buy, Japanese or American; who you buy it from, a dealer or direct from Mazda; and who handles the shipping, you or Mazda. BMW contracts with shippers to prep cars for export and to deliver them to the port.
fowler3
I doubt it, my N/A P5 is out of warranty as soon as it leaves N/A shore.
I know someone who imported a right-hand drive Aston Martin from the UK to Canada, but it was for display purposes (and it was still tons of hassles).
PS. The Cobalt looks great - the concept pics I've seen looked great and I'm glad the production version has kept the great looks (unlike the production '05 Mustang).
Some impressions after 980 km (600 mi) on my Sport GT Auto/Air/Sunroof
I don't hear the high pitched sound mentioned by others. Heater is excellent. Winning Blue colour doesn't get real dirty looking (had dealer install mudguards front and back) Don't like the automatic rain sensing wiper feature-it's a very unimportant gadget to me-I prefer to decide when I want wipers to come on and how frequently. In fact am going to contact Mazda Canada about how useless this feature is...get rid of it..and give us traction control in Canada. The wipers themselves however are excellent. All in all the M3 rides and handles great. Still no word on block heater. Any other Canadians get block heater with their Sport.
Am a little upset with CEL light...it was one of my concerns before buying that I might have to drive 3-4 hours one way to get a warning light turned off-however..the car will be broken in for the trip home-and I'm kind of looking forward to driving a 100 mile stretch of hilly curvy bumpy highway at maximum speeds instead of as on my first trip when had to take it easy due to break in period.
Happy New Year everyone.
everfeb
I testdrove the 4 cars I mentioned, and in fact Mazda gave me the best feeling. I dunno much about cars but I know how I felt. I didn't even realize that the engine was running when I got into the car. And you could feel the power the car had when you drove. That's why I wanted to go with Mazda3 first. Other than that, I am not a fan of any car brand like you guys. I didn't even know what cars were out there until I wanted to get one. I just never looked at cars before no matter how nicethey looked, but I am checking out every single car that passes by me these days.
everfeb
Still waiting on my 3 GT, dealer says late January. For those unable to get the price down from MSRP, try cars4u.com. They are an online auto sales company listed on the TSX and provide quotes at +/- 600 under MSRP. I got roughly the same deal through an actual dealer and am a leery of internet sales, but maybe someone out there is a little more adventurous. apparently all you have to do is provide a deposit ($350) and they do the rest.
Well, Mazda3 rides very nice but the looks of Honda Civic Coupe are better. I find myself more attached to Mazda3 after the ride though. I could go either way at this point though, so it all boils down to the dealer's acceptance of my offer.
If I end up buying Mazda3, should I buy both sets of tires (16" and 17") from the dealer or somewhere else? I heard that some people made mp3player part of the negoatiation, but I don't see any mp3 players as part of accessories. If the CD player would play mp3's burnt on a CD, that'd work just as fine.
The cobalt looks like a cavalier to me!!! How could they ever call this a new car!! In fact it looks like a neon slash cavalier, EVEN WORSE!!!
Pound for pound, the 3 is still the best value in its class, INTERIOR, POWER, HANDLING and definately not VANILLA.
Yes, the mp3 is an accessory, costs 565.25 CAD. It plays mp3 files stored burnt on a CD.
If the look is important for you, then you should be aware about the GFX package on the Mazda3 GT. This package changes drastically the look of the car. Which one looks better depends entirely your opinion. Also there are two types of spoiler available as accessories.
I wanted to share my new purchase with you all. I too have bought a 5 Speed Silver Mazda3 GT Sport with Moonrooof. I will pickup the car tomorrow.
Hopefully there won't be any problems. But I am fully aware of the risks of buying a first year model. At least I have a winter car to use until the spring.
In a few days, I will report on the car.
I called my salesman and he got my 3 into the service department immediately. They scanned the computer, discovered that the thermostat was stuck open, and replaced it. I found this odd because the temp gauge always rose fairly quickly to the hot-cold midpoint and stayed there.
I can't remember if I felt the same on the GS.
Does anybody else have similar observation ? Or is it just a tuning problem on my test vehicle ?
Also I found the GT requiring greater action to get it going and I am wondering if it is because of the adaptive automatic and the previous drivers on the GT have heavier foot than those driving the GS ?
Anybody else noticed any difference in the driving dynamics between an automatic 2.0 and 2.3, other than better power when pressed hard ? I like the better gas mileage of the 2.0, and I find its power adequate for my use, but I like the fabric of the GT and the look of the GFX...
Rich, I heard CEL reported from three Mazda3 owners, two from Canada, one from US.
I thought someone had posted a while back that the CD was available in Canada??? or was it available in the States?
Anyway..called Mazda Canada and they said they are working on this CD but it wouldn't be available for a while. Meanwhile, Mazda head office said if the local Ford dealer has a WDS computer/machine they could check my engine with it and see what it says. Mazda said if CODE 128 is showing then there is nothing wrong. My nickel to get the engine scanned at the Ford dealer, Mazda won't pay them for this work.
Sorry, I am not a technical guy at all...just put it in "D" and go. At this time the car still runs great, no strange sounds, temp. gauge is normal, wasn't a gas cap issue that I could tell. Anyone have any thoughts on my driving with the CEL on??? Regards
everfeb
I heard a rumor that the Mazda3 CEL would come on when the ambient temperature is very cold and the car hasn't warm up yet. It seems to me Mazda needs to recalibrate the coolant thermostat.
There are few hundred codes for hundred reasons. Without the code we can't tell you what is going on. It's very easy to get your car scanned.
Now, if the thermostat got stuck closed, then you might have a problem. Less of a problem in the winter time, but still a problem, especially with aluminum block engines. They don't take so kindly to overheating.
Let me tell you my experience !!
I am a Canadian born --but, now a citizen of the Ol' USA [ for the last 44 years ].
In 01 I bought a Toyota Yaris [ in Canada and the USA it is called an ECHO.
I then made the decision to move back to the Ol' USA and checked with a local dealer in Florida, The Customs and DOT. All of them said don't try it unless you want to pay more then the original price of the car to change it to USA specs !!
I think it is just best to wait 'till you get to NA. Good Luck .
Model: Mazda3 S - Titanium Gray
Options: Sport package, Automatic, ABS/SAB/EBD
Paid: $17400 US
Power train: lacks low-end torque, but has lots of power in the mid range. The automatic mode is very conservative, but its a lot of fun to drive in manual mode. The engine is *very* smooth and quiet, almost too quiet for those of us who enjoy hearing an engine rev....
Interior: Very stylish interior. Everything is of high quality, except the vanity mirrors, which feel very cheap and flimsy. It has a huge glove box, large trunk, independently folding rear seats....and a politically incorrect lighter & ashtray are included!
Handling: It has a rigid suspension and hangs tight into curves. You get a lot of feedback from the road, but the ride isn't harsh at all.
It's colder up there, maybe that's a contributing factor.
Are there any incentives on the Mazda3?
If exteriors are deemed equal, if handling is deemed equal, if torque is deemed equal, take the 3. You are going to spend most of your time INSIDE the car anyway.
Plus: If you were to buy the 3 in Canada, you'd get a free X Box.
They aren't giving anything out for the 6 I don't think...How about the Baren*ked Ladies greatest hits??
Don't know about the liberal hypocracy in Canada, but we have plenty of those types here.
It's funny you say that because the Mazda3 uses cheaper dash materials than the Mazda6. The only advantage of the 3 interior IMO is that it doesn't have the silver center stack. The dash covering and the main LCD display on the Mazda6 are better than the 3's. Mags have compared the dash covering in the Mazda6 to BMW. BMW and Mazda6 dash material do look similiar, they are both soft touch, and have similiar textures. The Mazda3 has the less desireable and cheaper hard plastic. Besides that, I don't see a huge difference in interior materials quality between the 6 and 3.
I'm more concerned that they will sell the one that's there, meaning I'll have to hunt for one with the equippment I want if they sell it. Then again, the one they have has a really low VIN (#08500), so maybe it's not such a bad thing if I get a later built unit.
Then there's the Winning Blue vs Strato Blue issue to make it even more confusing.
one Mazda3,
two Mazda3,
three Mazda3,
...
Dear Mazda,
I would like to ask whereas Mazda3 owners could change the factory oil earlier than the recommended by the manual, i.e., around 1000 miles. I wonder whereas the factory oil is a special formulated break-in oil or just a normal oil (5W-20), and whereas it's would be harmful to make the first oil change too early. Could you please provide the information about the factory oil.
Mazda responses
Dear Bruno,
Thank you for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.
We recommend changing the oil as listed in the Owners Manual. In regards to your question, please understand I'm not technically trained and therefore not in a position to instruct on the effects of changing the oil early. For this I would recommend that you contact the factory-trained technicians at authorized Mazda dealerships.
The vehicle comes with 5W-20 oil from the factory.
I drove today on the first cold day in about 2 weeks (-16c, which feels cold after 2 weeks of -5). The heater definitely is a let down for me. It gets plenty warm enough, but takes forever to warm up. I'm actually really surprised how long it takes. My Paseo heats up before I leave my subdivision. The 3 takes me halfway to my destination before even becoming vaguely warm. That's my one beef with the car. Everything else so far is great.
Jarrett
newcar31's right, the interior materials are of higher quality on the Mazda6. It's just that the silver stack on the Mazda6 may give the impression it's cheaper (that silver stack is not for everyone). I used to know the supplier for the Flat Rock assembled Mazda6 silver stack (don't remember it anymore), and I'm very sure it actually costs Mazda more to make than the black Mazda3 center stack.
Mazda3 engine oil from factory:
I'm 90% sure the factory fill is just regular 5W-20 (i.e. no break-in oil). As such, there's no issues doing the first oil change early.
Mazda3 CEL:
I'm very, very interested to see how this goes. The N. American-spec Mazda6 2.3l had the same issues. Interestingly all the CEL's appear to be from 2.3l's (but again, most early adoptors are probably 2.3l customers).