Mazda3

fowler3

add this to their posts. Mazda's paints are either Metallic or Mica and need special care. Metallic paint has the metal particles in the paint; Mica is a simulated metallic with mica powder applied over a base color. Both then have Clear Coat on top.

 

Look under your truck lid for areas of car color, if there is no metallic finish, just blue, it's Mica. Mazda paints only the exterior metallic when using the mica finish.

 

Never run a mica-painted car through a car wash that uses brushes. The brushes can damage the mica finish. Somewhat true for true metallic paints. Brushes can also strip a Clear Coat finish. Always wash by hand or take it to a place that has that service.

 

Most of the Mazda Protegé owners say to wax first and then polish. Normally, a finish can be waxed/polished after 30 days of buying the car. Since the Mazda3 is built in Japan it has probably been more than 30 days, considering shipping time.

 

The reason for the wait is because paint needs time to dry down to the base coat and to do this it needs exposure to the air.

 

If the wax is sprayed on during the wash cycle I doubt you will be getting a true waxing. To wax and polish correctly it needs to be applied by hand. Don't use a wax that has a "cleaning agent" in it. Cleaning is an abrasive which can damage the Clear coat and the metallic paint.

 

That kind of wax is for old cars which have faded.

 

Look in the Mazda Protegé forum on edmunds.com under *Maintenance* for posts by buyers about waxing. Also check Edmunds' recommendations.

 

dso: Ask a friend who has a garage if you can wax your car in it after washing it.

 

If you are going to ScotchGuard your seats you will need to garage your car for most of a day or at least over night. The seats will be wet and you need a place where you can leave the windows open. If you leave the doors open be sure to turn off the dome light so the battery will not run down.

 

fowler3

fowler3

Don't fall for those "Paint Protection" scams. I did a brochure for a company that makes those kits for dealers and they admitted they are a ripoff. The so-called "finish" is so thin it is impossible to measure the thickness. Dealers pay about $29.95 for the kits and charge up to $500; even at cost it's worthless.

 

fowler3

fowler3

Clean your wheels real good and put a coat of wax on them to protect the alloy finish. That will make it easier to clean disc brake dust off.

 

fowler3

pat

There are several links on this page that have to do with car care:

 

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/maintenance/articles/index.html?- tid=edmunds.a.landing.advice.maintenance.0.*

 

Also, there are several discussions on our Maintenance and Repair board that go into greeeaaaat detail about car care.

 

Have fun!

fowler3

I was hoping you would post links.

 

fowler3

pat

Heh, anytime ...

saintirish

I am a proud owner of a Mazda 3 with a Nav system. I enjoy having it, and I don't have much at all to say bad about it. I wish that I could put latitude/longitude coordinates in it, but I can live without being able to do that. I also wish the system would play DVDs, but it won't. Oh well. The actual system is really great in getting you to your destination.

billherrmann

Thanks for the feedback. About two years ago, I bought an aftermarket Nav system & had it installed. What a waste! It took about 20 minutes of painstaking effort to key in the destination you wanted. I could have WALKED there in less time. I dont want to repeat that mistake.

mazda33

"Most of the Mazda Protegé owners say to wax first and then polish."

 

I don't know much, but I know that is backwards. Polishing takes off oxidation and waxing leaves a protective coating on the finish.

 

Anyone know the average wait time for an order to be filled? I placed an order in late October. I have been told the build date is early Feb.. Seems long to me. Hope I see it by late March.

autonomous

According to audia8q (a Mazda dealer and one of our resident forum members) a fire in the Mazda Hiroshima production facility has caused major delays:

"It appears the fire at the mazda factory is going to have a bigger impact that earlier reported...I got a letter from Mazda today announcing that there will be no more Miata production for the 2005 model year, RX-8 won't start up again until end of Feb and MPV is on hold until late March....all unbuilt miata and miataSpeed orders have been deleted...other carline orders have been pushed back accordingly."

 

You may want to confirm the status of your order with your dealer.

mdaffron

Got it.

 

Heh.

 

Meade

 

P.S. Just to keep it on-topic, I will say that I'm starting to have second thoughts about buying a 3. Blame it on the Mazda5!!!

billherrmann

What exactly is the Mazda5 ?

robr2

Search the forums for Mazda 5 or MX-Flexa. It is a Mazda3 based people mover currently sold in Europe and Asia. It is a mini mini-van. 6 passenger seating, stick shift, 2 sliding doors.

mdaffron

http://www.triplezoom.com/news/publish/article_284.shtml

 

It'll show up here in North America as a 2006 model. Hard to tell from the photos, but it's smaller than the MPV. In fact, it's sitting on the 3's chassis and will have the same 2.3-liter, sequential-valve-timing 4-cylinder engine as the 3. Think "Mini MPV" with sporty handling. And made in Japan -- no Duratec nothin' in this little baby!

 

Meade

audia8q

its a couple inches longer than the Focus wagon...that might help give you an idea of the size.

mdaffron

Oh -- I know all about that. Same width as the 3 wagon, but about 3 inches longer overall. Same chassis = very similar dimensions.

 

Meade

creakid1

No Duratec? You meant no Ford-developed Duratec, or no Zetec. We're all wearing Duratec around here. ;-)

mdaffron

You're all wearing Duratec? How? The engine in the Mazda3 is a Japanese engine built by Mazda, from what I've read. I thought "Duratec" referred to the 6-cylinder engine Ford makes that's found in the Mazda6s. Did I miss something?

 

Meade

npaladin2000

"Duratec" is now also the name of Ford's new 4 cylinder line of engines...the new 2.0L and 2.3L engines.

 

The Mazda 4 cyl engines are based on them, and use the same block, but Mazda uses a different setup on the 2L that gives it more power, and went completely wild on the 2.3L block...basically, the block is all that left that's Ford designed.

 

So while they're based on the Duratec line of 4 cyl engines, they're basically Mazda-modified, almost to the point of being re-designed. Same deal with the 6 cyl in the 6s...started off as the Ford Duratec V6 and then Mazda did some tweaking and tuning.

 

Consider them upgraded Duratecs. And yeah, I think the engines are (re?)designed in Japan, and many are built there (All, in the case of the 3, I think)

carguy58

"The Mazda 4 cyl engines are based on them, and use the same block, but Mazda uses a different setup on the 2L that gives it more power, and went completely wild on the 2.3L block...basically, the block is all that left that's Ford designed."

 

The latest big issue of Consumer Reports said the new engines in the Ford Focus(2.0) and (2.3) liter engines are from Mazda.

  

"Same deal with the 6 cyl in the 6s...started off as the Ford Duratec V6 and then Mazda did some tweaking and tuning."

 

I agree with you there however Consumer Reports said that the V-6 in the Tribute and MZ6 are Ford supplied. Yes, Mazda did its tweaking on the Dura-tecs.

npaladin2000

"The latest big issue of Consumer Reports said the new engines in the Ford Focus(2.0) and (2.3) liter engines are from Mazda."

 

I think Mazda did a lot of design work on them for Ford, but the Duratec line of 4 cyl engines are Ford branded and a Ford property.

creakid1

"...basically, the block is all that left that's Ford designed."

 

I said Duratec, but didn't mean Ford designed. I thought the Duratec block was Porsche designed.

PF_Flyer

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z71bill

When I first bought my Mazda3 back in January 2004 I could drive for days and not see another one. Yesterday at 4-way stop I saw 5 Mazda3's (including mine) - they all got to the intersection at the same time. Kind of strange - for a second we all just sat there and - I assume - all said (or thought) the same thing - WOW - look at all the Mazda3's.

ikeedum

What a dork-mobile.

backy

Less so than a traditional minivan, however.

protegextwo

You are way too handsome to be seen driving a mini minivan.

  

-lovetrain

dudleyr

It may be a dorkmobile for those who bother to concern themselves with other peoples opinions of how their cars look. I think it looks pretty good, and way better than some "hip" cars like the Scion XB. It is tough to beat for practicality though.

mdaffron

"Dork-mobile," huh?

 

Well, thanks for your opinion.

 

I dunno, after buying two new 1992 Protege LXs, a 2000 Protege ES and a 2002 Protege5, which is now outfitted with Motegi Racing wheels and plus-sized BFG Traction T/A VR4s, I guess I just want a dork-mobile.

 

Dork

autonomous

Small car recommendations as noted in Consumer Reports Aug. 2004. For more information, go to www.consumerReports.org

 

RECOMMENDED (in order)

Manuals : Mazda3 i; Toyota Echo; Scion XB

Automatics : Mazda3 i; Ford Focus ZX4; Honda Civic EX; Toyota Prius ; Honda Civic Hybrid; Toyota Corolla LE; Subaru Impreza ; Scion XB

 

NOT RECOMMENDED

 

Reliability is below average : MiniCooper, VW Jetta GLS TDI, VW Golf GLS TDI; Nissan Sentra 1.8S

 

Offset-crash results are poor : Hyundai Elantra GLS

 

Test scores are fair or poor : Mitsubushi Lancer; Scion XA ; Suzuki Forenza S ; Honda Insight; Chevrolet Aveo LS; Saturn Ion 3; Dodge Neon SXT; Chevrolet Cavalier LS

backy

Update: the Elantra is now rated "Good" on crash tests, so CR will recommend it the next time they publish their ratings (April Auto issue?).

pw_eastside

Quick question.

 

Can you fit two sets of golf clubs in the trunk of the sedan?

theman123

Hello people.

I have a really stupid and quick question. Has anybody or can you get the Moonroof With the MP3 player in the Mazda 3? From what I've heard you only get one or the other. I'd like to get both the Moonroof and MP3 player in the car.

 

When I go to the Mazda 3 website and build my ideal 3, it let's me get the Moonroof with a 6-disc CD changer but no MP3 player. Or I get the MP3 player and NO Moonroof. Wassup with that ?

billherrmann

A good question. I,also, am hopefull that someone will answer.

npaladin2000

You can get the moonroof/6-CD package and then order the MP3 player and have the dealer install it in place of the 6 CD changer (it's a DIO). Unfortunately, you still have to pay for the 6-CD unless you work out something with the dealer. Not likely, since he had to "pay" for a car with the 6 CD changer.

 

I did it though...I prefer to have the MP3 player. At first I tried to get a car without the roof so I wouldn't HAVE to yank the changer, but they coudln't dig up one with ABS but without the moonroof.

theman123

what's a DIO ?

But still that's stupid, I know you all don't want to hear this. On the 05 Focus you can get the Moonroof and a 6-disc CD/MP3 installed straight from the factory without having to go through all those funny changes. That's kind of stupid to pay for something to only have it replaced. If I want an MP3 player from the beginning why are they charging me for something that's going to be taken out or something that I didn't want in the first place. 1 MP3 formatted disc can hold almost as many songs as 6 regularly formatted cds. Oh well, Thanks npaladin2000 that's all I wanted to know. Mazda you are tripping I think you should be able to get both without having to go through all that

kyfdx

Dealer Installed Option

theman123

Thanks

modock

Two sets of clubs do not fit in the trunk of the M3 Sedan very well. I have gotten them to fit but it is much easier to put half the rear seat down and then put them in.

Corey

creakid1

"On the 05 Focus you can get the Moonroof and a 6-disc CD/MP3 installed straight from the factory without having to go through all those funny changes."

 

My '05 Focus ST has the std 6-disc CD/MP3 w/ optional Sony speakers/subwoofer, but the sound quality, especially FM, sounds muffled, as if it needs tweeters & some solid bass (not subwoofer boom).

 

The std Bose stereo in the loaded Mazda3 SP23, which comes either w/ or w/o moonroof, should sound good, but I'm not sure if it's got MP3.

triacs

I have a 2004 Mazda 3s with 17 inch tires. It is terrible in the snow. (live in the Boston area). I am thinking of getting snow tires. Anyone in the same position or have gotten snow tires for this car? Thanks.

triacs

You are getting 35 mpg with the Mazda 3S? I get 25. Sounds strange.

waygrabow

The worst mileage I have experienced on my 3S MT sedan was 30mpg; that was the first tankfull. On the most recent fillup, the car went 365 miles on 11.1 gallons; and that was in crappy winter conditions.

 

When I bought the 3S, I noted that the same engine in the Mazda6 was rated at 32 mpg highway (if I remember correctly). I figured that I could easily improve on that in the smaller 3, and I guessed right. The 3 doesn't have enough power to be any kind of a stoplight racer, so I don't even try. Instead, I anticipate traffic and stoplights to avoid switching between gas and brake pedals. but I doubt if that is any different than most drivers. The new Mazdaspeed M6 coming out sounds tempting, but I know I would be a worse driver and get more tickets.

bluem6i

This has been heavily discussed before. Try doing a search to locate previous posts.

creakid1

"You are getting 35 mpg with the Mazda 3S? I get 25. Sounds strange."

 

Someone posted that after the dealer took care of the "CHECK ENGINE" light, the mpg goes down. So if your engine has the newer software...

riopelle

The SP23 seems like a great 3. Packages such as it are often a preview of mid-cycle refreshes. Anyone know if the 2006 3 have the bose, the heated seats, the brown leather, and maybe traction control as options? My P5 will ready to be replaced come fall.

everfeb

"if your engine has the newest software."

Does anyone know the newest software number?

And what are the technical words/phrases I would use when I ask my dealer to have the newest software put into my car? Thanks.

everfeb

PF_Flyer

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dd123

HI Guys,

Thinking of buying of Maxda3 I as first MY brand new.

But I am just thinking about reliability of this car as no long term tests have been done on these cars.

My other options are accord/altime?

 

Thanks

DD

backy

You can get an idea of issues some Mazda3 owners are having by looking at the Mazda3 Problems and Solutions discussion here at Edmunds.com. But bear in mind that the number people mentioning problems there is a very small percentage of all Mazda3 owners. Consumer Reports should have some reliability data for the '04 Mazda3 in their Annual Auto Issue, which should hit newsstands in a little over a month.

 

FWIW, since you are looking at the Accord and Altima, which are mid-sized cars, if I were you I'd also look at the Mazda6. Some dealers still have some '04s left and there are GREAT deals on them right now, such that they don't cost that much more (in 4 cylinder trim) than a '05 Mazda3.