Edmunds web site is messed up - for a few days I could only read - could not post. Thought maybe I had been given the boot!
Now I get constant error messages - post could not be completed because of a log in delay
Auto sign in does not work - so I must type in my E-mail & pass word everytime - what a pain.
Sometimes a thread will show 16 new posts - but it is really only 4 new posts - that repeat 4 times each
The problems and solution thread disappeared for about a week - some of the other threads I read on a normal basis have also left their normal location.
I have also started shopping for a new car - not 100% sure what we want yet - just doing a few test drives -
The Mazda3 needs new tires - so if I put tires on I will want to keep it for at least another year -
I would guess Meade traded his Mazda3 in on a Cobalt - he always seemed like a "closet" GM lover! (if this doesn't get him out of hiding nothing will.
I just purchased a Mazda3 GT and am in the process of waiting for the car to be picked up from the dealer where it was located.
I saw in Mazda literature that they have a 6-disc CD changer with mp3 capability. I asked my salesman (who asked his tech-reps) if the CD-changer with the Bose system in the 3 was the mp3 capable one and he told me that 2 techs said "yes", however, a few older forum entries have led me to believe otherwise.
Can anyone verify for me whether the Bose system in the 2006 Mazda3 5-door GT has the mp3 capable changer or if it is a plain changer?
njerald - thanks for the reply. I guessed as much but wanted to be sure.
I wonder if I can get them to trade out the non-mp3 for the mp3 changer since they told me it was mp3 capable when I asked about it as a point of purchase. I'll talk to the salesman tomorrow.
Apparently Mazda's intention was for the 2006 models to come factory with the mp3 capability, but it wasn't ready in time so they shipped with a standard 6-disc changer.
I found the Mazda part number for the mp3 changer with Bose HU and driver information system (BS0D-79-EGX) and the salesman verified that it was a valid part number but that the part was not actually available yet.
It stinks that the changer is not what was represented to me.
I am putting new treads on my car for the summer, when I take the winter set off. The Goodyear Eagles suck, they will work well on my dock on the lake, that's about it. The selection for 205-50-17 is small. A guy at a tire store told me I could go up "plus zero" to 215-50-17. He said no problems doing this, and there happens to be a much better selection at this size. Can someone explain this to me in terms I can understand, how this works? I know this (the first #) is the distance between the side walls of the tire, but just "don't get it".
From this explanation your the "plus zero" tires will be 10 mm wider and the side wall will be 5 mm taller so from the top to the bottom of the tire will be 10 mm taller.
A true Plus Zero sizing would maintain the same diameter of the tire..
In other words a plus zero alternative for 205/50-17 would be 225/45-17 (which might require wider wheels).. The Minus Zero alternative would be 185/55-17 (which probably doesn't exist).
These sizes would have the same diameter and circumference as your stock tires.. The size your tire dealer is suggesting is a taller tire... which simply put.. is the wrong size.
As far as few choices? 205/50-17 is also the stock size for the BMW 330i.. There are tons of tires made in this size.. They tend to be H-, V-, and Z-rated and fairly expensive... but, believe me, you have plenty to choose from...
Go to tirerack.com and plug in your size... you can see all of the choices.
What the guy at the tire store is really saying? "I don't carry that size in stock, and I'm too lazy to look into it for you."
Too add, there are more all-season tires to chose from in either 215/50-17 and 225/45-17 guise vs. stock 205/50-17. Still, there is a fair selection of the all-season stock tire.
Originally, back in 2004, there were even less to chose from. A couple were added, including Continental (which are oe on BMWs)
The 3 different oe size wheels Mazda uses are within 5mm of each other, height wise . That would allow for not only a cleaner appearance in fitting within the wheel well opening, but also allows Mazda to keep 1 speedo guage for all styles (i, s, sp).
215/50-17 adds an average of 12mm to the overall wheel height. Fills the wheel well better, but scrapping may be an issue (though, I doubt it). Also, the speedo is off a bit (I think with this size tire the speedo would read lower than the actual speed). Also, fitting this tire on the oe rims (6.5") is tight, but will work.
225/45-17 adds 20mm of width. Using the 6.5" oe rims is inexcusable. On the other hand, the speedo would be accurate. But the scrapping issue arises again, not only for scrapping inside the wheel well (especially where the suspension is in a compressed state), but also scrapping while turning the wheels in either direction.
I went with 215 50 17 Kumho ASX - Discount Tire price was $95 plus $2 disposal + $11 install total with tax $462. Which is a drop from a few months ago - they were $119 each VS $95 now.
The Goodyear RSA were over $800. ($177 VS $95)
You need to look at the specs for each tire - not all 205 50 17 are the same size.
For example
The 205 50 17 Goodyears have a diameter of 25.4 Kumho 205 50 17 diameter is 25.1 The 215 50 17 Kumho ASX diameter is 25.5
In my book .1 of an inch is not much of a change.
But I would bet that the stock Goodyear tires have LESS revs per mile (how many times the wheel must turn) than the LARGER diameter Kumho. The sidewall of the Kumho is softer - more flex - this reduces the actual diameter of the tire after it is installed on the car.
I have only driven about 80 miles - so its too early to tell if the Kumho were the right choice - but I do know that the ride quality is MUCH BETTER - I glide over the expansion joints in the road now - before I got a LOUD THUMP THUMP on ever one. When I first left the tire shop I though (for a few seconds) whats that funny noise coming from my engine? Then realized - IT WAS JUST MY ENGINE - that I could now actually HEAR because my tires were not making a HUMMMMING noise. I am pretty sure I will give up some cornering at the limit - but so far they seem to grip as good or better than the Goodyears.
My only concern - because the side wall is so much softer - is what happens when I hit a big nasty pot hole? Do I bend a wheel? Pop a tire?
I am still using 32 PSI - the Kumhos are rated to a MAX of 51 PSI - I may - after a few more miles - change to 35 PSI and see what it does to the ride / handling.
Thanks for all the info and links! I really have had great luck with the Continental Extreme Contacts. I used to run them year around on my VW, and I currently have them on my other vehicle. They just don't make that tire in a 205-50-17. They do make it in a 215-50-17. There also looks to be some serious price differences between 205's and 215's. The guy at the tire store was pushing Falken ZE512's, which were not too bad at $92.00 each. He kept repeating that they were a #1 pick at consumer reports. The online reviews I have read on them have been pretty negative, poor handling, and premature cupping. My problem is my Eagles only have 8,000 miles on them, so they do have a lot of life left in them, but I just don't like the way they handle, sound, and perform. Who are the idiots that are paying $160.00+ for these tires? Is anyone happy with their Goodyear Eagles? Tirerack reviews on them are pretty negative. In any case, thanks again for all of the great information and links!
The "HOST" explanation of tire sizing is accurate and should be followed.
We replaced the OEM goodyear RSA tires,on our 2003 5 door,with Michelin Pilot Sport AS and the performance was radically improved.
We chose to install 225/45/17's which fit the OEM wheels perfectly and maintain the speedometer accuracy perfectly, as verified using a GPS computer in the car.
You will get the same performance gain with OEM sized 205/50/17 Michelins.
You cannot beat Tire Racks prices- But if you do not wish to buy there, you can get the same price-when you factor in shipping,installation, and road hazard warranty at Sams club
Actually the host is off by a little - and you would be better off using a 215 50 17 than a 225 45 17 - at least if you plan to use stock wheels.
If you take a 205 50 17 tire the rim (wheel) width range that is recommended is between 5.5 and 7.5 inches.
But in order to actually end up with the width that is in the spec (8.4 inches) it must be installed on a wheel that is 6.5 inches wide. This is called the measuring wheel width. BTW the Mazda3 uses 6.5 inch wide wheels.
If you install a 205 50 17 on a WIDER wheel the installed tire will be a little wider than spec - install on a wheel less than 6.5 it will make the tire less than spec.
So putting a 215 50 17 tire on the Mazda3's 6.5 inch stock wheel you will NOT end up with a tire that is 8.9 inches wide (as listed in the Tirerack web site) - but something less - The measuring wheel width for a 215 50 17 is 7 inches - I will guess it will end up about 8.65 inches.
So Putting the Kumho ASX 215 50 17 tires on I figure it increased the diameter buy 0.1 of an inch and the width by .25 of an inch which is only 1/8 of an inch wider on each side - Not enough of a change to worry about.
Now putting a 225 45 17 on a 6.5 inch wheel is NOT RECOMMENDED. Not saying you can't do it - you can do just about anything you want to - but the recommended wheel width for a 225 45 17 is between 7 - 8.5 inches. The measuring wheel width for this tire is 7.5 inches.
Strange thing is - the actual width of a 225 45 17 tire on a 7.5 inch wheel is only 8.8 inches - if you put a 215 50 17 on a 7 inch wheel it will actually be wider than a 225 45 17.
The only problem with cramming a 225 45 17 on a 6.5 inch wheel is after 10,000 or so miles (if you run 32+ PSI) you may see that the tread in the center of the tire will be wearing out a little bit faster than the side tread - similar to what you get if you over inflate a tire. All things considered though it will not make that much difference.
I admit I am a little bit of a freak when it comes to tires - but I never understood why so many people get so worried about CHANGING THE SPEEDOMETER because they put on a little larger tire. Really most of the time one size up only changes the reading by 2% - so when the speedometer says 75 MPH you are really going 76.5 - I would guess than many speedometers are off by more than that - even with the stock size tire. As far as changing shift points (auto tranny) the difference is so small you will never even see a change.
I'm looking to do a little personalization on the car and had a couple of questions:
Any recommendation for a good set of 5-speed pedals? It seems to me that the foot well in the 3 is smaller than my last few cars with the pedals much closer together. I'm wanting a nice set of sport pedals that work well in the confined space and aren't scraping each other.
I'm also wanting to put on an interesting pin stripe and am looking for a good source with a good selection. I've checked the regular auto parts stores but don't want the standard patterns (tribal, barb wire....) they have as they have such limited color selections in those patterned pins (not to mention they're just ugly). Any good sources? Any pics of 3s with accent stripes?
Have an opportunity to buy 2004 Mazda3 Hatchback with 19,400 miles or 2002 RAV4 with 36,070, either for about $16,000. We love the drivability & sportiness of the Mazda but are concerned with the reliablity compared to the RAV4. We're expecting to run whichever we buy for at least the next 5 years with the lowest maintenance costs possible. Can anyone set our minds at ease about the Mazda?
z71bill: I also bought Kumhos for my Protegé when needing new tires and had the same funny feeling as I left the tire shop, so MUCH MORE QUIETER than the OE tires, which were dogs. You deffinately appreciate the better ride. And I also went up a size to 205/50/15 without any appreciable difference in speedo readings. I tested it against a DOT electronic speed display sign beside an expressway and the speedo was right on. Made four runs at different speeds.
I also upped the tire pressure from 32psi to 34psi for better handling, similar to what the stiffer tires gave.
Sandstorm, Mazda should be cheaper over the next five years. Toyota service is higher on just about everything the RAV-4, compared to the Hatchback, will require. That's one of the reasons I changed from Honda to Mazda and I don't regret it at all. Mazdas are every bit as reliable as their competitors.
Ah, aren't pin stripes a little last century? Mainly used to perk up a used car? Many aren't using them now. Google Mazda clubs for other sites where buyers have added aluminum pedals with rubber buttons on them.
but I never understood why so many people get so worried about CHANGING THE SPEEDOMETER because they put on a little larger tire
Now, if u r referring to my blog, I would have to say that u read too much into things, really. Maybe u read too much between the lines. Or whatever. I brought up the speedo change because it's a fact. However small, insignificant, etc., it's a fact.
Here are a few definitions (from Merriam) of the word "fact" that may help you out through out these forums (and life for that matter): 1) the quality of being actual 2) something that has actual existence 3) an actual occurrence 4) a piece of information presented as having objective reality
BTW - Is this what you meant by worried (or freak)? Ok, ok, so I went over board. But u c, I brought up the speedo issue without any real emphasis. It may or may not be important (I don't know; I don't care; to each their own), but it remains a fact.
Pin stripes are a little out-of-style now. But I still like them. And I'm not going to do a simple stripe, something a little different. The reason I want to stripe it is that I want to do something that brings out the orange metal flek in the paint (Copper Red Mica).
Also, for the pedals, the primary reason I want to do them is to get a set with a matching dead-pedal to protect the carpet there. It's the one thing I am really disappointed with in the car - the carpet is really crappy. There's several spots with 1 inch deep voids between the carpet and the sheet metal so any weight on it pulls and stretches the carpet (especially in the rear). I'm just waiting for someone to put a foot through it. And they put in no rubber pads in high wear areas like the dead pedal or under the driver's heals.
I was not limiting the speedo off comment to just you - it seems like there are many people that are "totally freaked out" (some definition assistance please!) about changing the speedo by 1-2 MPH. I have seen posts where people spend hundreds of $ to have the speedo corrected - because they change tires. When in reality many speedometers are off the day you drive your new car off the lot.
I plan on checking mine with my hand held GPS system I use in my boat - but can never seem to remember to grab it before I head out on the freeway. I don't much care if its off a few MPH at 30 - but if my speedometer says 78 MPH (which is were I set the cruise while on the freeway) and I am really going 80 that could be a ticket - most LEO's will let you slide at 79 - but will nail you are 80.
fowler3 - I started at 32 PSI then went up to 35 for a few days - but am now back down at 32. When tires are new they have those little nubby pieces of rubber sticking up from the tread - after a few hundred miles at 35 PSI the center nubbies (is this a word - I need a dictionary!) on the rear wheel were gone - but the ones on the outside of the tread were not wearing - I took this to mean I was a little over inflated. The nubby things on the front tire were all gone after only a few hundred miles.
I know with a pick up truck it is normal to run higher PSI in the front (than the rear) - while running empty - I will run 35 PSI in the front and 30 in the rear - but not sure if this is a good idea in a front wheel drive car. Maybe 35 in the front 32 in the rear - would be about right. Anyone ever try this?
fowler3, Thanks very much for replying to my post, it really helped ease the decision - we now own the Mazda3. . . and what a fun car to drive! Looking forward to driving it for years to come. Thanks for the encouragement. Sandstorm
In certain areas, a couple of p's doesn't really matter that much. I say that because, for example, this morning, the temp outside was just about freezing for my drive to work. It should be about 60 on my return this afternoon. That temp change is more significant than a couple of p's. So unless you are checking tire pressure twice a day, I wouldn't sweat it.
As to the rear inner nubbles wearing out faster than the outer, have you ever noticed how the rear end tires squat? I don't recall the correct terminology on the angle of the rear tires, but it certainly would leed one to believe that if left alone, the inner tires would wear quicker than the outer regardless of the pressure. Obviously, to counter that tire wear chassis design/setup is to rotate tires every 8K miles or so.
Every time I see the Dodge Caliber, it reminds me of you. Here you are trying to get decent air quality in your vehicle for those balmy days and there is Dodge installing a mini-fridge near the glove compartment for drinks and what not. You know, life just isn't fair sometimes. By the way, does anyone know how they did that? In other words, does the mini-fridge work off the a/c compressor? And does the a/c need to be on for the fridge to be cold?
I am an admitted maintenance nut - I made the mistake of buying a digital tire gauge - so now if one tire reads 31.5 and the others are 32 I get the air tank out and put in 1/2 pound. Its crazy - and there is no known cure!
Get the job done. And there are some very nice fax machines out there. I know mine doubles as a home computer, game console, dvd player, weather forecaster etc.
"Mine squeal as well in damp conditions, and occasionally I get a clunk when I start backing out in the cold." -dride
"Honda's and Toyota's are fine, if you enjoy riding in fax machines. (hint hint, they are soul-less and boring.) ZOOM ZOOM!" -dride
To tell you the truth, I would rather drive a well built and engineered fax machine. Maybe its just me, I could not enjoy ZOOMING ZOOMING around in a squealing clunker.
Hondas/Toyotas have their share of problems. Recently, Toyota has taken notice to their record breaking recall of 2005. Not only was it record breaking, but the % increase year over year was the highest ever for Toyota.
Now, Toyota plans on doing something about it. Still don't know what that entails. Quite honestly, I don't think they can change much; maybe just take the sting out of the open wound - but the wound remains. There's a correlation between mfg. at capacity and defects/recalls. So while Toyota is increasing their market share, they continue bumping up against their own capacity (until expansion). Also, where the Japanese mfg. would take an already existing technology and improve on it (e.g. minimum - remove defects), now, they are pioneering their own (e.g. hybrids) and finding it's not so easy to get it right the first time.
Finally, Toyota does not take too many great risks (just toddler steps). That is why their vehicles are passionless. Great reliability but ho-hum everything else.
Well, at least the back windows aren't popping out. I've been to the Honda Civic board, and they have their share of problems as well. You omitted the part where I said, the brakes work great, and the car turns like its on rails. The M3 could out drive a Civic (LX ES)fax machine any day. Now, let it go, LT...
Besides, I subscribe to the Civic forum too. I don't see much more noise there than they were making about the M3 at it's introduction. Considering they are selling 25,000 of them a month right now, I think they doing pretty good from a QC standpoint. Let's just hope the factory doesn't burn down or we'll never be able to get one for invoice.
As for the largest recall....You have to be selling a LOT of cars to have a large recall. Mazda could have a recall on every car they sell in a year and barely reach a good Camry recall.
I don't understand what you are saying? A Civic SI three door coupe should out handle a five door wagon, I'll give you that hands down. Honda is a good company, they have good cars, I just don't like the looks of them, and we each have our opinions. Camry's are probably swell, but again, not for me... I do like my M3, and do admit just like any car, it does have its quirks, which is why I rant and rave here on this MAZDA board.
The M3 could out drive a Civic fax machine any day.
I didn't see any caveats in that statement.
And the Camry was mentioned only in that when you sell the most popular care in the U.S. if anything goes wrong you will have a HUGE number of cars to fix. I was refering to Chaco's post.
edmunds is probably updating the incentives page since it is the beginning of the month. I bet they will have in updated in the next day or two. I highly doubt there aren't any incentives on the 6 or Tribute etc. I wish there was a small incentive on the 3, but I doubt that will happen any time soon.
"As to the rear inner nubbles wearing out faster than the outer, have you ever noticed how the rear end tires squat? I don't recall the correct terminology on the angle of the rear tires..."
Camber.
If the tire tilts in to the center of the car at the top, it is negative camber. If it tilts out, it is positive camber. Negative camber helps with cornering (since, in a corner the tire to the outside receives more load and will tend to start tilting out at the top. If it starts with some negative camber, in a corner it will be essentially perfectly vertical with the full tread in contact with the ground).
Of course, too much camber will lead to premature tire wear. So yeah, it makes since if the inner nubbies are wearing off faster than the outers it would be due to camber.
"There's a correlation between mfg. at capacity and defects/recalls. So while Toyota is increasing their market share, they continue bumping up against their own capacity..." by chacobleu
Because you post your opinions, thus it's true? Nah, I need the facts my friend. Here some facts JD Powers rates the 2005 vehicles which provide the best initial quality to consumers. J.D. Power and Associates released its 2005 Initial Quality Study, which lists the top performers in 18 defined car and truck segments within the first 90 days of vehicle ownership.
Rank: 1.)Toyota Prius 2.)Kia Spectra 3.)Honda Civic (tie) 4.)Toyota Corolla
Oh, I'm sorry. U r correct. Toyota has not been increasing market share and they have zero defects.
Is that better?
Let's be real about some things. The Toyota Prius (or any other Toyota) could be the most reliable car out there because Toyota paid extra special attention in getting it right. Meanwhile, Toyota may neglect their other vehicles and/or lines at the expense of keeping the Prius in the number 1 spot. So, it is plausible (read: plausible) that a mfg. could have the most reliable vehicle and, at the same time, the most defects/recalls of any mfg. as well.
All things being equal, should someone shop a Rav 4 and base its reliability on the FACT that the Prius has the best initial quality? Why, for the mere FACT that they are both produced by the same mfg.? JD didn't publish the SUV's segment on that link provided (btw, that's a fact). 5 of 9 listed are Toyotas. So buy a Rav 4???
Oh, if I come across the article about Toyota, the mfg., being concerned about their RECORD BREAKING DEFECTS/RECALLS, I will provide the link. And by "record breaking" I mean Toyota vs. Toyota, year over year.
I read that article too, sometime in the past week. After reading ownersmanual's message, I looked briefly for it, but am not sure where I read it. The article mentioned how Toyota management was upset about the increasing number of recalls/ defects and would be taking steps to correct their slipping reliability, though it did not mention what those steps would be. I remember being surprised when I read that article that Toyota was having problems of the magnitude described, as we typically only hear of their sterling reputation.
This is very misleading... the thread is concerning the Mazda3 - not the entire Mazda line.
It's well documented that the M3 is head and shoulders above the other Mazda vehicles with regard to reliability and quality control - you need look no further than Consumer Reports and compare the history of the M6 and M3. Add to the mix the re-badged Ford's in the Mazda line and it's no surprise they rank where they do.
IMHO - the M3's reliability and quality are primarily due to the M3 being entirely built in Japan with 95% of its parts sourced in Japan.
"And on that note...Anybody see the cover of the April issue? And their vote for "best sedan under $20,000"?"
Of course they picked the Civic as the best sedan under $20k. Their focus has always been heavily in favor of fuel economy and mass appeal over driving performance.
Most American small-sedan buyers are looking for a family friendly commuter that gets great gas-mileage and Consumer Reports knows this.
It's a given that they would favor the Civic since its fuel economy is so fantastic even though it's smoked in the performance arena by the equally reliable Mazda3.
Don't get me wrong - I'm a long time subscriber to Consumer Reports and find their reliability ratings to be one of the most valuable consumer tools around. What they look for as primary factors in car choices from a performance standpoint are quite different from mine though.
I'm more than happy to give up a few MPG in favor of the "thrill to drive" factor the M3 offers while still maintaining an outstanding level of reliability.
That has deemed the Civic the "best car for the money". High performance is such a small part of the decision people make when buying cars like this that the fact the the M3 performs better is almost a moot point.
It's like saying the Mazda3 has an advantage because of the leather and HID and NAV options. Even though very few people actually would actually buy them that way. I mean honestly Honda already has Mazda3 beating material on the shelf for later introduction if they need to. The Acura CSX in Canada already has the NAV and leather and HIDS. They obviously choose not to do that here. I guess from a performance standpoint they, like Toyota went in another direction. I guess you have to remember that these are supposed to be economy cars first.
But hey, this is the hatchback room so when you look at it from that angle, the M3 has no competition since no one really has chosen to do the affordable 5 door thing other than Kia and Hyundai. At least until this year.
Comments
Have z71bill and meade left the country or bought Studebakers?
Now I get constant error messages - post could not be completed because of a log in delay
Auto sign in does not work - so I must type in my E-mail & pass word everytime - what a pain.
Sometimes a thread will show 16 new posts - but it is really only 4 new posts - that repeat 4 times each
The problems and solution thread disappeared for about a week - some of the other threads I read on a normal basis have also left their normal location.
I have also started shopping for a new car - not 100% sure what we want yet - just doing a few test drives -
The Mazda3 needs new tires - so if I put tires on I will want to keep it for at least another year -
I would guess Meade traded his Mazda3 in on a Cobalt - he always seemed like a "closet" GM lover! (if this doesn't get him out of hiding nothing will.
Yes, it's been a while since he's traded barbs with fellow posters over how great the AC on the Mazda3 is ...
Dr. Daffron, calling Dr. Daffron, please report to the local Edmunds forum ...
The 2.3 is the reason which makes the 3 so much fun.
I just purchased a Mazda3 GT and am in the process of waiting for the car to be picked up from the dealer where it was located.
I saw in Mazda literature that they have a 6-disc CD changer with mp3 capability. I asked my salesman (who asked his tech-reps) if the CD-changer with the Bose system in the 3 was the mp3 capable one and he told me that 2 techs said "yes", however, a few older forum entries have led me to believe otherwise.
Can anyone verify for me whether the Bose system in the 2006 Mazda3 5-door GT has the mp3 capable changer or if it is a plain changer?
Thanks!
:confuse:
Salesmen LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder if I can get them to trade out the non-mp3 for the mp3 changer since they told me it was mp3 capable when I asked about it as a point of purchase. I'll talk to the salesman tomorrow.
I found the Mazda part number for the mp3 changer with Bose HU and driver information system (BS0D-79-EGX) and the salesman verified that it was a valid part number but that the part was not actually available yet.
It stinks that the changer is not what was represented to me.
Regardless, I get the car on Saturday.
here is the link to the explanation.
From this explanation your the "plus zero" tires will be 10 mm wider and the side wall will be 5 mm taller so from the top to the bottom of the tire will be 10 mm taller.
Here is the same thing from tire rack
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=7¤tpage=33
In other words a plus zero alternative for 205/50-17 would be 225/45-17 (which might require wider wheels).. The Minus Zero alternative would be 185/55-17 (which probably doesn't exist).
These sizes would have the same diameter and circumference as your stock tires.. The size your tire dealer is suggesting is a taller tire... which simply put.. is the wrong size.
As far as few choices? 205/50-17 is also the stock size for the BMW 330i.. There are tons of tires made in this size.. They tend to be H-, V-, and Z-rated and fairly expensive... but, believe me, you have plenty to choose from...
Go to tirerack.com and plug in your size... you can see all of the choices.
What the guy at the tire store is really saying? "I don't carry that size in stock, and I'm too lazy to look into it for you."
regards,
kyfdx
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Originally, back in 2004, there were even less to chose from. A couple were added, including Continental (which are oe on BMWs)
The 3 different oe size wheels Mazda uses are within 5mm of each other, height wise . That would allow for not only a cleaner appearance in fitting within the wheel well opening, but also allows Mazda to keep 1 speedo guage for all styles (i, s, sp).
215/50-17 adds an average of 12mm to the overall wheel height. Fills the wheel well better, but scrapping may be an issue (though, I doubt it). Also, the speedo is off a bit (I think with this size tire the speedo would read lower than the actual speed). Also, fitting this tire on the oe rims (6.5") is tight, but will work.
225/45-17 adds 20mm of width. Using the 6.5" oe rims is inexcusable. On the other hand, the speedo would be accurate. But the scrapping issue arises again, not only for scrapping inside the wheel well (especially where the suspension is in a compressed state), but also scrapping while turning the wheels in either direction.
The Goodyear RSA were over $800. ($177 VS $95)
You need to look at the specs for each tire - not all 205 50 17 are the same size.
For example
The 205 50 17 Goodyears have a diameter of 25.4
Kumho 205 50 17 diameter is 25.1
The 215 50 17 Kumho ASX diameter is 25.5
In my book .1 of an inch is not much of a change.
But I would bet that the stock Goodyear tires have LESS revs per mile (how many times the wheel must turn) than the LARGER diameter Kumho. The sidewall of the Kumho is softer - more flex - this reduces the actual diameter of the tire after it is installed on the car.
I have only driven about 80 miles - so its too early to tell if the Kumho were the right choice - but I do know that the ride quality is MUCH BETTER - I glide over the expansion joints in the road now - before I got a LOUD THUMP THUMP on ever one. When I first left the tire shop I though (for a few seconds) whats that funny noise coming from my engine? Then realized - IT WAS JUST MY ENGINE - that I could now actually HEAR because my tires were not making a HUMMMMING noise. I am pretty sure I will give up some cornering at the limit - but so far they seem to grip as good or better than the Goodyears.
My only concern - because the side wall is so much softer - is what happens when I hit a big nasty pot hole? Do I bend a wheel? Pop a tire?
I am still using 32 PSI - the Kumhos are rated to a MAX of 51 PSI - I may - after a few more miles - change to 35 PSI and see what it does to the ride / handling.
So far I am very happy.
We replaced the OEM goodyear RSA tires,on our 2003 5 door,with Michelin Pilot Sport AS and the performance was radically improved.
We chose to install 225/45/17's which fit the OEM wheels perfectly and maintain the speedometer accuracy perfectly, as verified using a GPS computer in the car.
You will get the same performance gain with OEM sized 205/50/17 Michelins.
You cannot beat Tire Racks prices- But if you do not wish to buy there, you can get the same price-when you factor in shipping,installation, and road hazard warranty at Sams club
If you take a 205 50 17 tire the rim (wheel) width range that is recommended is between 5.5 and 7.5 inches.
But in order to actually end up with the width that is in the spec (8.4 inches) it must be installed on a wheel that is 6.5 inches wide. This is called the measuring wheel width. BTW the Mazda3 uses 6.5 inch wide wheels.
If you install a 205 50 17 on a WIDER wheel the installed tire will be a little wider than spec - install on a wheel less than 6.5 it will make the tire less than spec.
So putting a 215 50 17 tire on the Mazda3's 6.5 inch stock wheel you will NOT end up with a tire that is 8.9 inches wide (as listed in the Tirerack web site) - but something less - The measuring wheel width for a 215 50 17 is 7 inches - I will guess it will end up about 8.65 inches.
So Putting the Kumho ASX 215 50 17 tires on I figure it increased the diameter buy 0.1 of an inch and the width by .25 of an inch which is only 1/8 of an inch wider on each side - Not enough of a change to worry about.
Now putting a 225 45 17 on a 6.5 inch wheel is NOT RECOMMENDED. Not saying you can't do it - you can do just about anything you want to - but the recommended wheel width for a 225 45 17 is between 7 - 8.5 inches. The measuring wheel width for this tire is 7.5 inches.
Strange thing is - the actual width of a 225 45 17 tire on a 7.5 inch wheel is only 8.8 inches - if you put a 215 50 17 on a 7 inch wheel it will actually be wider than a 225 45 17.
The only problem with cramming a 225 45 17 on a 6.5 inch wheel is after 10,000 or so miles (if you run 32+ PSI) you may see that the tread in the center of the tire will be wearing out a little bit faster than the side tread - similar to what you get if you over inflate a tire. All things considered though it will not make that much difference.
I admit I am a little bit of a freak when it comes to tires - but I never understood why so many people get so worried about CHANGING THE SPEEDOMETER because they put on a little larger tire. Really most of the time one size up only changes the reading by 2% - so when the speedometer says 75 MPH you are really going 76.5 - I would guess than many speedometers are off by more than that - even with the stock size tire. As far as changing shift points (auto tranny) the difference is so small you will never even see a change.
I'm looking to do a little personalization on the car and had a couple of questions:
Any recommendation for a good set of 5-speed pedals? It seems to me that the foot well in the 3 is smaller than my last few cars with the pedals much closer together. I'm wanting a nice set of sport pedals that work well in the confined space and aren't scraping each other.
I'm also wanting to put on an interesting pin stripe and am looking for a good source with a good selection. I've checked the regular auto parts stores but don't want the standard patterns (tribal, barb wire....) they have as they have such limited color selections in those patterned pins (not to mention they're just ugly). Any good sources? Any pics of 3s with accent stripes?
Thanks!
I also upped the tire pressure from 32psi to 34psi for better handling, similar to what the stiffer tires gave.
fowler3
fowler3
fowler3
Now, if u r referring to my blog, I would have to say that u read too much into things, really. Maybe u read too much between the lines. Or whatever. I brought up the speedo change because it's a fact. However small, insignificant, etc., it's a fact.
Here are a few definitions (from Merriam) of the word "fact" that may help you out through out these forums (and life for that matter):
1) the quality of being actual
2) something that has actual existence
3) an actual occurrence
4) a piece of information presented as having objective reality
BTW - Is this what you meant by worried (or freak)? Ok, ok, so I went over board. But u c, I brought up the speedo issue without any real emphasis. It may or may not be important (I don't know; I don't care; to each their own), but it remains a fact.
No harm; no foul.
Also, for the pedals, the primary reason I want to do them is to get a set with a matching dead-pedal to protect the carpet there. It's the one thing I am really disappointed with in the car - the carpet is really crappy. There's several spots with 1 inch deep voids between the carpet and the sheet metal so any weight on it pulls and stretches the carpet (especially in the rear). I'm just waiting for someone to put a foot through it. And they put in no rubber pads in high wear areas like the dead pedal or under the driver's heals.
Other than that...I love it.
I plan on checking mine with my hand held GPS system I use in my boat - but can never seem to remember to grab it before I head out on the freeway. I don't much care if its off a few MPH at 30 - but if my speedometer says 78 MPH (which is were I set the cruise while on the freeway) and I am really going 80 that could be a ticket - most LEO's will let you slide at 79 - but will nail you are 80.
fowler3 - I started at 32 PSI then went up to 35 for a few days - but am now back down at 32. When tires are new they have those little nubby pieces of rubber sticking up from the tread - after a few hundred miles at 35 PSI the center nubbies (is this a word - I need a dictionary!) on the rear wheel were gone - but the ones on the outside of the tread were not wearing - I took this to mean I was a little over inflated. The nubby things on the front tire were all gone after only a few hundred miles.
I know with a pick up truck it is normal to run higher PSI in the front (than the rear) - while running empty - I will run 35 PSI in the front and 30 in the rear - but not sure if this is a good idea in a front wheel drive car. Maybe 35 in the front 32 in the rear - would be about right. Anyone ever try this?
Sandstorm
As to the rear inner nubbles wearing out faster than the outer, have you ever noticed how the rear end tires squat? I don't recall the correct terminology on the angle of the rear tires, but it certainly would leed one to believe that if left alone, the inner tires would wear quicker than the outer regardless of the pressure. Obviously, to counter that tire wear chassis design/setup is to rotate tires every 8K miles or so.
Every time I see the Dodge Caliber, it reminds me of you. Here you are trying to get decent air quality in your vehicle for those balmy days and there is Dodge installing a mini-fridge near the glove compartment for drinks and what not. You know, life just isn't fair sometimes. By the way, does anyone know how they did that? In other words, does the mini-fridge work off the a/c compressor? And does the a/c need to be on for the fridge to be cold?
-dride
"Honda's and Toyota's are fine, if you enjoy riding in fax machines. (hint hint, they are soul-less and boring.) ZOOM ZOOM!"
-dride
To tell you the truth, I would rather drive a well built and engineered fax machine. Maybe its just me, I could not enjoy ZOOMING ZOOMING around in a squealing clunker.
-LT
Now, Toyota plans on doing something about it. Still don't know what that entails. Quite honestly, I don't think they can change much; maybe just take the sting out of the open wound - but the wound remains. There's a correlation between mfg. at capacity and defects/recalls. So while Toyota is increasing their market share, they continue bumping up against their own capacity (until expansion). Also, where the Japanese mfg. would take an already existing technology and improve on it (e.g. minimum - remove defects), now, they are pioneering their own (e.g. hybrids) and finding it's not so easy to get it right the first time.
Finally, Toyota does not take too many great risks (just toddler steps). That is why their vehicles are passionless. Great reliability but ho-hum everything else.
As for the largest recall....You have to be selling a LOT of cars to have a large recall. Mazda could have a recall on every car they sell in a year and barely reach a good Camry recall.
I didn't see any caveats in that statement.
And the Camry was mentioned only in that when you sell the most popular care in the U.S. if anything goes wrong you will have a HUGE number of cars to fix. I was refering to Chaco's post.
Any insiders have the latest info?
Camber.
If the tire tilts in to the center of the car at the top, it is negative camber. If it tilts out, it is positive camber. Negative camber helps with cornering (since, in a corner the tire to the outside receives more load and will tend to start tilting out at the top. If it starts with some negative camber, in a corner it will be essentially perfectly vertical with the full tread in contact with the ground).
Of course, too much camber will lead to premature tire wear. So yeah, it makes since if the inner nubbies are wearing off faster than the outers it would be due to camber.
by chacobleu
Because you post your opinions, thus it's true? Nah, I need the facts my friend. Here some facts JD Powers rates the 2005 vehicles which provide the best initial quality to consumers. J.D. Power and Associates released its 2005 Initial Quality Study, which lists the top performers in 18 defined car and truck segments within the first 90 days of vehicle ownership.
Rank:
1.)Toyota Prius
2.)Kia Spectra
3.)Honda Civic (tie)
4.)Toyota Corolla
link title
BTW, I own neither a Toyota or Honda and if I was going to buy a small car, I would purchase a Mazda3 hatch. The Mazda3 is great car in MY opinion.
-LT
J.D. Power and Associates in its 2005 Initial Quality Study, lists the best brands for initial quality.
Rank:
1.) Lexus
7.) Toyota
12.) Honda
15.) Acura
21.) Ford
35.) Mazda
link title
Is that better?
Let's be real about some things. The Toyota Prius (or any other Toyota) could be the most reliable car out there because Toyota paid extra special attention in getting it right. Meanwhile, Toyota may neglect their other vehicles and/or lines at the expense of keeping the Prius in the number 1 spot. So, it is plausible (read: plausible) that a mfg. could have the most reliable vehicle and, at the same time, the most defects/recalls of any mfg. as well.
All things being equal, should someone shop a Rav 4 and base its reliability on the FACT that the Prius has the best initial quality? Why, for the mere FACT that they are both produced by the same mfg.? JD didn't publish the SUV's segment on that link provided (btw, that's a fact). 5 of 9 listed are Toyotas. So buy a Rav 4???
Oh, if I come across the article about Toyota, the mfg., being concerned about their RECORD BREAKING DEFECTS/RECALLS, I will provide the link. And by "record breaking" I mean Toyota vs. Toyota, year over year.
1.) Lexus
7.) Toyota
12.) Honda
15.) Acura
21.) Ford
35.) Mazda
This is very misleading... the thread is concerning the Mazda3 - not the entire Mazda line.
It's well documented that the M3 is head and shoulders above the other Mazda vehicles with regard to reliability and quality control - you need look no further than Consumer Reports and compare the history of the M6 and M3. Add to the mix the re-badged Ford's in the Mazda line and it's no surprise they rank where they do.
IMHO - the M3's reliability and quality are primarily due to the M3 being entirely built in Japan with 95% of its parts sourced in Japan.
I think the Mazda3 is a very very good car. Consumer Reports rates it highly, too.
-LT
Of course they picked the Civic as the best sedan under $20k. Their focus has always been heavily in favor of fuel economy and mass appeal over driving performance.
Most American small-sedan buyers are looking for a family friendly commuter that gets great gas-mileage and Consumer Reports knows this.
It's a given that they would favor the Civic since its fuel economy is so fantastic even though it's smoked in the performance arena by the equally reliable Mazda3.
Don't get me wrong - I'm a long time subscriber to Consumer Reports and find their reliability ratings to be one of the most valuable consumer tools around. What they look for as primary factors in car choices from a performance standpoint are quite different from mine though.
I'm more than happy to give up a few MPG in favor of the "thrill to drive" factor the M3 offers while still maintaining an outstanding level of reliability.
It's like saying the Mazda3 has an advantage because of the leather and HID and NAV options. Even though very few people actually would actually buy them that way. I mean honestly Honda already has Mazda3 beating material on the shelf for later introduction if they need to. The Acura CSX in Canada already has the NAV and leather and HIDS. They obviously choose not to do that here. I guess from a performance standpoint they, like Toyota went in another direction. I guess you have to remember that these are supposed to be economy cars first.
But hey, this is the hatchback room so when you look at it from that angle, the M3 has no competition since no one really has chosen to do the affordable 5 door thing other than Kia and Hyundai. At least until this year.