gazzelle..are the marks about 1/4-1/2" and sort of crescent shaped like a sliver of the moon-browny-orangy??
mason12-re your post 186. Thanks for the suggestions. My dealer now has his first 3 with airbag light on coming in for service next week. They are going to look at that car then order parts for it and mine. When the parts arrive I'll make my roadtrip into Wnpg.
waiting4thebus-re your post 188-thanks very much for the info...I've passed it on.
Obviously thee are some glitches with this car and some legitimate complaints.
In the long run the numbers will tell the truth; afterall those with good experiences or no issues are not running to look for boards the express their glee.
The only reason I am here is because I was here before I purchaed the car and read the reviews and the message boards and have now come back.
However I am so absolutely perplexed about the cramping issues. I am 6'4 and not a stringbean and one of the reasons I chose this car was because of the overall room the car gives me.
I have driven the car to Ottawa and back from Toronto (330+ miles) and it never entered my mind that there were intrusions and cramping that have been expressed by several posters - on this thread and others.
I understand we all have different body dimensions, however, I'm confused how after test driving the car people who felt seating discomfort decided to purchase something that may be with them for the next 5000+ hours of there lives.
We test drove, civic, matrix, the protege 5, and a 2002 Subaru Outback, and the M3 gave us equal or more room than all of them. What did the cramping/intrusive panels etc people think they were buying a Towncar???
440,000 Civics and Insights are being recalled for the headlight wiring failure problem. That's serious. The Mazda3 stalling problem was only reported by one owner that I have seen.
I reported the excessive brake dust on my strato blue M3 Sedan to my dealer twice. The first time it was shrugged off, the second time they contacted Mazda directly and new brake pads were shipped to correct a known problem. I guess I should be happy, though the rotors still don't look great. Except I noticed the chipping paint today and came to this forum to find that I am, again, not alone.
The hood of the car is peppered with paint chips, way beyond what a car this young should be showing. I don't doubt that my Mazda dealer will say that it is not covered by warranty, but what choice do I have but to take it in and ask them for help? Has anyone gotten any useful response from Mazda or a dealer?
I agree that some of the people on here have been dealing with some unhelpful dealers, which does not help to smooth out consumer concerns...but first year cars always present a challenge for dealers. Engineers who design the car try to come up with every possible aspect that may go wrong but sometimes they don't see everything until the cars get out in the real world with real world drivers. The other angle is the techs train on new models but they often are seeing new car issues for the first time, just like mazda.
I'm not making excuses, just trying to explain the challenges that everyone has with a brand new model. Luckily the issues we have seen with the MZ3 are not super major problems but they often require a few tries to resolve the problems.
Just want to say audio8q how much I appreciate you being part of this discussion. It is good to know there is someone actually in the business reading these posts and hopefully passing them on to MAZDA. I am wanting to buy a 2005 M3 in the fall, but until I see these problems--small or not cleared up, I will be holding off. I am too particular and do not want to be going back and forth to my dealer with these problems. Thanks,
What's the best cleaner to use on the rims??? I was out washing my car and it already seems like the alloy is staining. Any tips would be much appreciated!!! Its better to stay on top of it then let it go unmaintained thats for sure, even if its difficult in the colder weather, I just need the right product.
I know this is a little out of place ... but I value all of your opinions and views on everything, and as a new Mazda 3 owner I need some help on returning my former vehicle.
I had my lease end inspection today, fortunately the vehicle passed with flying colours. However the KM's are over, as I expected. This is where I have the problem!
When I signed the paperwork for the lease, the KM's were listed as 55, however the amount was really 3,000 (it was a Demo). The dealer initialed off on the agreement that it was an error and there was 3,000 KM's. When the assessor gave me the evaluation he listed that I was 6,000 over in KM's (I had 66,000 on the dial, my agreement says I could have 63,000) The leasing companies records did not show the adjustment and there telling me I owe the 6,000 KM's even though my agreement says different, they only care about the agreement that was sent to them. WHAT DO I DO????????? Am I screwed as the Dealer did not change the agreement that was sent to the Leasing company? Or is the Dealer responsible for the 3,000 KM's, and will cut me a cheque?
I know what you're trying to say, but just because they are recalling 400,000 cars doesn't mean there are 400,000 cases of headlight failures. They are just recalling all cars within a certain production range. And if you're talking about REPORTED cases of problems, I haven't heard/read of one case of the headlight problem. A recall in and by itself is not an indication of the magnitude of a problem. It could be than a manufacturer is just more resistant to issue a recall.
I'm not saying Mazda3's will starting stalling left right and centre, but it sure brings to mind the case upon case upon case of similar problem that the Tribute/Escape twins had.
Yes, the marks are as you describe them, almost exactly--some longer than an inch. Audio8q seems to be saying that there will be a painless fix, however. On another note, I have almost 3000 miles on this hatch and have had NONE of the problems frequently referenced here. Maybe I'm due soon, but for now it's just the good tunes, windy road, and open moonroof thing going on. Okay, my paint job ain't what it should be...
To the guy whose 2001 Protege was a creampuff: The car was in its third model year since a major redesign. Likewise, my mid-year 2000 Protege has 70,800 miles on it. It's in the shop today for its much-belated 60,000-mile service. Even so, I have not had ONE problem with the car in almost four years of ownership.
I don't care whether whether you're talking Mazda, Mercedes or Maybach -- you bought a car not only in its first year, but literally in its first WEEKS (or months) of production. A totally new car, with new sheet metal, new interior, new ENGINE, etc. If you're going to take that kind of gamble, you should expect to pay the price. Ask owners of 1999 Proteges about automatic transmission problems, coil packs and other things that can and do happen to new-design cars. Or go over to the Mazda6 discussion and read all about Check Engine Lights and rust. It happens.
I'm not saying it's fair, it's just the way car makers do things. It is unfortunately very commonplace for auto makers to release new vehicles to the public before all the bugs have been worked out. That's why there are things called recall campaigns and technical service bulletins.
You probably had a choice between a proven car (a 2003 Protege) and the latest, just-off-the-docks toy (a 2004 Mazda3) when you made your purchase. If you didn't know you were taking a chance with such a new car, then I don't know how you managed to find your way to Edmunds. At the very least you did not do any research on automobile reliability and first-year risks before making your purchase.
Me? My next car will be a Mazda3S wagon. In 2005 or 2006. That'll give Mazda time to iron out the bugs (with my sincere appreciation to you beta testers), and give me time to enjoy my reliable-as-heck, problem-free 2000 Protege ES 5-speed.
That's me honking out on the road as I pass by your dealership's service department waiting area!
I have been going over the same speed bumps everyday to get through a school zone by my house - today I got a strange noise coming from the front end. Hard to explain a noise - but it sounds like something rubbing in the front suspension. Kind of like something needs some oil. I drove about 20 miles today and the only time I hear the noise is while going over these speed bumps. If I slow down to under 10MPH the noise goes away.
It's always humorous for us veteran Protege owners (me, three since 1992) to read first-timers' first experiences with their cars in cold weather. Proteges, and most likely the 3's, have a cold-weather idiosyncracy of noisy rubber bushings in the front. I have one of those not-really-a-curb curbs in front of my house (you know, the whole thing is kinda sloped and there's no difference between the part in front of my driveway and the rest of the curb), and every morning that's below, oh, about 40, my front end does a rubbery-groaning noise as it bounces off the driveway. It disappears after a mile or so of travel, but I'll concede that it's a scary sound until you get used to it!
Within a week, we had a Honda recall and a Nissan recall. Now, a Subaru recall! 2000-2002 Legacy and Outback w/2.5L PLUS 1999-2002 Impreza and Forester w/2.5L or about 400,000 vehicles (give or take). Something about a coolant leak at the engine cylinder head gaskets due to expanding and contracting engine components (gee, a newly discovered phenomenon of applying heat to metal components)
Hey ZoomZoom, how long do you think these cars will last? Didn't Subaru have a reputation of holding the endurance record over any other mfg., including Volvo and Mercedes? Or was that a one time deal? Or maybe, since Subaru is about 10% owned by GM, that must be the root cause of the problem underlying the recall! I give up, ALL CARS ARE JUNK. Not one car out there will last longer than its warranty.
Sorry for the sarcasm. But that is what this forum reads like, at times. Buying a vehicle is a crap shoot, especially the first year of a re-engineered vehicle.
But I, for one, thank all those that did buy the first year so that when the rest of us buy the 2nd+ years, we will drive a more reliable (though more expensive) vehicle.
Does having an after-market Alarm installed possibly void any parts under the warranty? The dealer tried to get me to buy their expensive equipment (I think it was $500 or more) which didn't seem to be as good as the great $300 alarm I had on a previous car, so I passed on it. I have previously had an A-M alarm that didn't cause any problem with warranty repairs, but I know things change and I've dealt with my another former dealer employee who wasn't always truthful or forthcoming with info, so it's hard trusting those guys. Thanks for any help.
PS - No Problems so far. LOVE my Mazda3 Hatchback.
I doubt they make this anymore, but the aladdin 2000 was a serious car alarm, 2 way LCD pager, 1/4 mile range, silent mode so the thief wouldn't get tipped off.
I'd look on asianwolf.com or something like that for something comparable.
The Civic/Insight recall is NHTSA Campaign ID 04V086000. NHTSA does not force a recall unless there is a significant number of reported safety-related problems. The Mazda3 has not been out long enough to know if the stalling problem is significant, but it will take more than one Mazda3 stalling incident reported on Edmunds Town Hall for a safety recall to happen.
Does anyone out there know if the dealers can install the Cruise Control option on a Mazda 3 Sport GS? I recently picked mine up and am now wishing I had purchased the GT with Cruise Control. Does this have to be done at the factory?
Cruise control was the only reason I bought the GT. I remember telling the dealer that not offering it as an option on the GS was pretty sneaky marketing, forcing me to the higher end vehicle.
I know my wife's old Echo was not offered with cruise, but you could have it installed, with no warranty from Toyota.
Maybe someone else in Town Hall has explored this option for the 3?
Back in Dec. 03 I was told by the Mazda dealer in Steinbach Manitoba they could install cruise on S-GS for $450CDN. It would go somewhere on the right side of the steering column, certainly not on the steering wheel itself. I demoed an MVP with this type of steering column mounted cruise and didn't like it. Adding $450 cruise to the price of the S-GS made the difference between the S-GS and S-GT $750 for which you get 17" tires, rear spoiler, power heated mirrors, 2 tweeters, steering wheel mounted cruise, anti-theft alarm, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, plus probably a few other things the S-GT has that the S-GS doesn't. So I bot the S-GT.
That WAS way back in December when the 3's were just coming into Manitoba. I'm just passing on info given to me by that dealer at that time. I do not know if that info was correct and still applies or not.
My 3 GS stalled the other day coming into an underground parking garage. No warning, no explanantion, just someone behind me PO'd because I was stopping to re-start the car.
Rear rotor grooving is still a hot topic on a number of other Mazda 3 forums - not so many posts here lately. Just wondering if anyone is still monitoring their vehicle in this regard here?
With only 300 miles, my GT Hatch with ABS is showing some modest grooving already on rear rotors, front as smooth as a baby's butt. Not as severe as other pics I have seen, but will monitor - because if it continues, Mazda has to look into a final fix. A dealer turning rotors and installing new pads under warranty is not a fix.
Also puzzles me why rear (in most cases), because brake wear distribution is normally to front.
Thank you for your input on the paint problem on my black Mz3. I took it to my dealer yesterday and it was totally fixed in 10 minutes. I was really happy about that, because I really did not want to have the hood re-painted....it would never have been right!! thanks again!!!
I would ignore the recommendation to wait a long time before oil changes (I did)
I would also ignore the suggestion ot run dino oil for many thousands of oil before switching to synth. (I did)
I would also ignore the suggestion to flush before switching oil brands (I did)
My 6i went from the stock Motorcraft semisynthetic 5W20 that is factory filled, to Mobil 1 0W20 at 1250 miles, and 5000 miles ever since. Better mileage, better wear (as proved by Used Oil Analyses performed each oil change since), better cold starts and iling, quicker smooth warmups, smoother revving in the high rev band.
Of course, all these improvements could be just an effect of the engine running in nicely, but I like to attribute it to the oil. Experts (those who analyzed the oil) and also people in the oil business (at vrious oil discussions) have (attributed it to the oil). Very, very impressive wear-in numbers for a small block, aluminium 4-cylinder, apparently.
I'd love to see some of you 3i and 3s folks analyze the used oil (Blackstone Laboratories do a great job, for $20 a pop) and compare the wear and running-in numbers from the North American built 4-cyl (in the 6i) tot he Japanese built 4 cylinders (3i and 3s) - especially the 2.3l - since its an "identical" engine with minor differences in the torque curve.
PS: Yeah - the lab folks don't ever sound TOO enthusiastic about good numbers - its a legal thing I guess. Other oil discussion fora, on the other hand, have been very impressed. Especially considering the fact that I do NOT baby my car and it sees redline and quick shifts quite often.
I have been researching the Mazda3 for awhile now. I have some decent offers. People seem to gripe a lot in this chat. Consumer reports isn't going to do the Mazda3 review until May (I think). When all is said and done would you buy the car again when given other options in the same class/price range? This will be my first new car purchase and I don't want to regret this decision! I would appreciate any suggestions/advice
Been reading about this product aka Clear Bra, XPel, etc. - basically it's a clear film (like window tint/film) that's applied to vulnerable areas of a car like the front of a hood, fenders, mirrors and bumper.
Has anyone put this on their 3 yet? If so, can you post a photo of what it looks like? Sounds like a really great idea to help protect from rock chips and such esp. on the hood of such a low-slung car.
I was on here before talking about a hollow popping/rattling noise in the rear of my 3s Hatch. I need help on this.....
Especially in the cold mornings or evenings, whenever I go over a sharp or medium bump there is a hollow, popping noise coming from the rear cargo area. I have tried everything to find it. I removed every cargo tray including the one you have to unscrew by the base of the rear seats. Removed jack and cargo covers....everything down to bare metal and it still does it. After a while it will disappear or not do it at all when it is warm outside.
The service manager rode(in the cargo area) with me driving yesterday and we both heard it once(typical problem, wont do it at the dealer). He thinks it is something plastic inside the rear hatch that gets to cold or loose and warmth or heat helps quiet it down. We even greased the rear lock with silicone and the hatch supports could be suspect cause they are a tad, tiny bit wiggly when the hatch is up and make a similar noise but not quite the same......Although I would imagine they are tight when the door is closed. Also, when you close my hatch in the cold, it is not quite the solid thunk as it is when it is warm outside. Is it the locks?, is it the hatch supports? or is it something inside the hatch panel?.....They even checked the rear suspension and all is well.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It is driving me crazy on what is otherwise an excellent vehicle.
I have the 4 door sedan - and noticed a similar noise coming from the rear.
I think what you are hearing is the plastic bumper cover moving up and down - it has several rub points with the metal bumper as well as the fender area behind the rear wheels. It is more noticeable when cold - I guess the plastic gets harder or shrinks - I hit the rub points with some silicone spray and the noise went away - I do expect it will come back within a few months - but at least I know what was causing the noise.
If you grab the rear bumper and move it up and down - you may hear the same noise. It only moves about 1/2 of an inch -
I had the same problem with a 1981 Pontiac T/A (that I still own -BTW). The plastic bumper cover would rub and make a loud noise - I fixed it by taking some pipe insulation - the foam stuff that you can buy at Home Depot for a couple of bucks and jammed it between the metal bumper and the plastic bumper cover. That was 20 years ago - when my noise comes back I may use the same fix.
It works great. Too bad it doesn't cover the ENTIRE front end of the car. One rock actually stretched part of the film. You could tell it was a big one, judging by the size of the mark it left in the film. But the paint underneath is just fine!
We both use the headlamp protection film too. It's about 3-4X as thick as the paint protection film. You can cut out the shapes yourself or find places that pre-cut them for specific vehicles.
It does take patience to apply it. And it's best applied when it's above 60 degrees F. If you're not comfortable putting it on yourself (took us about 3 hours for the "complete" kit from Stongard), you may be able to find a local auto detailer that applies that stuff.
"This will be my first new car purchase and I don't want to regret this decision!"
Yes, I would definitely buy it again because it had the best handling characteristics of any car in its price range - and great style. If you like driving, go for it. If this is not that important to you, certainly a boring Civic or Corolla will be very reliable.
As to reliabilility, most of the complaints posted here are pretty minor, and to be expected for a new issue. Engine, drive train, suspension are proven. My GT Hatch built in December has 1500 miles on it now, and not a single problem has come up! Zip Zero. Rear rotors have a little more wear than the front, but nothing to worry about. Mileage is running 8.7 litre per 100 km for combined highway and city, right in Mazda's claimed range (you guys do the conversion to mpg!). This is excellent for a new tight engine, especially since some of this was in slush. It will improve.
Last note - with 55 yrs driving (some commercial, some field salesman - please go ABS. Like one of the other posts has said, it may only save your life once or twice, but beats the alternative. I have a '92 Camry with ABS, and twice in twelve years it saved me an accident, and maybe worse. Of course, we see a bit of snow here in Niagara!
Don't you think that for the rotor to even have detectable wear at only 1500 miles is kind of abnormal? (And others have actually reported noticeable wear at even lower mileage).
"Don't you think that for the rotor to even have detectable wear at only 1500 miles is kind of abnormal? (And others have actually reported noticeable wear at even lower mileage)."
Yep, I agree - when I said nothing to worry about, I should have said that I don't think it will be a major problem to correct - if it develops into same.
What puzzles me is this rear rotor thing - one would expect the front, if any, right? And any association with ABS? Which I would doubt? Or 17 vs 16? Sedan vs hatch?
Anyhow, with me, no grooving yet - just a hint of wear - but I'm pretty easy on brakes. If even 10% gone by first oil change, though, then we gotta get serious!
I just got my M3i sedan in late Januuary. No real big complaints as of yet, although I do notice much more brake dust in the rear than in the front. I've been checking the rotors routinely for grooves and such, and they seem okay for now...
The biggest problem (well, actually not that big but you know what i mean) I have so far with the M3 is the gas mileage. Highway seems alright, I get anywhere from 30-33mpg. But for local driving, I end up averaging around 23mpg. I called the dealership and spoke with the maintenance crew...they told me that it's typical and that it wont reach its peak performance until after 3-4 oil changes. So another 10k-12k miles before the gas mileage actual matches up to what it says on the sticker? Seems kind of much...what do you guys thinks? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Comments
mason12-re your post 186. Thanks for the suggestions. My dealer now has his first 3 with airbag light on coming in for service next week.
They are going to look at that car then order parts for it and mine. When the parts arrive I'll make my roadtrip into Wnpg.
waiting4thebus-re your post 188-thanks very much for the info...I've passed it on.
gandrigo..your post 240..WELL SAID..I agree.
everfeb
In the long run the numbers will tell the truth; afterall those with good experiences or no issues are not running to look for boards the express their glee.
The only reason I am here is because I was here before I purchaed the car and read the reviews and the message boards and have now come back.
However I am so absolutely perplexed about the cramping issues. I am 6'4 and not a stringbean and one of the reasons I chose this car was because of the overall room the car gives me.
I have driven the car to Ottawa and back from Toronto (330+ miles) and it never entered my mind that there were intrusions and cramping that have been expressed by several posters - on this thread and others.
I understand we all have different body dimensions, however, I'm confused how after test driving the car people who felt seating discomfort decided to purchase something that may be with them for the next 5000+ hours of there lives.
We test drove, civic, matrix, the protege 5, and a 2002 Subaru Outback, and the M3 gave us equal or more room than all of them. What did the cramping/intrusive panels etc people think they were buying a Towncar???
The Mazda3 stalling problem was only reported by one owner that I have seen.
The hood of the car is peppered with paint chips, way beyond what a car this young should be showing. I don't doubt that my Mazda dealer will say that it is not covered by warranty, but what choice do I have but to take it in and ask them for help? Has anyone gotten any useful response from Mazda or a dealer?
Did they also "turn" the rear rotors?
Do you still have a brake dust problem on the rear wheels?
Do your rear brakes still make the scraping sound?
I'm not making excuses, just trying to explain the challenges that everyone has with a brand new model. Luckily the issues we have seen with the MZ3 are not super major problems but they often require a few tries to resolve the problems.
Thanks,
Barlo
I was out washing my car and it already seems like the alloy is staining. Any tips would be much appreciated!!! Its better to stay on top of it then let it go unmaintained thats for sure, even if its difficult in the colder weather, I just need the right product.
I know this is a little out of place ... but I value all of your opinions and views on everything, and as a new Mazda 3 owner I need some help on returning my former vehicle.
I had my lease end inspection today, fortunately the vehicle passed with flying colours. However the KM's are over, as I expected.
This is where I have the problem!
When I signed the paperwork for the lease, the KM's were listed as 55, however the amount was really 3,000 (it was a Demo). The dealer initialed off on the agreement that it was an error and there was 3,000 KM's. When the assessor gave me the evaluation he listed that I was 6,000 over in KM's (I had 66,000 on the dial, my agreement says I could have 63,000) The leasing companies records did not show the adjustment and there telling me I owe the 6,000 KM's even though my agreement says different, they only care about the agreement that was sent to them. WHAT DO I DO????????? Am I screwed as the Dealer did not change the agreement that was sent to the Leasing company? Or is the Dealer responsible for the 3,000 KM's, and will cut me a cheque?
Thanks Mazda 3 owners!
I'm not saying Mazda3's will starting stalling left right and centre, but it sure brings to mind the case upon case upon case of similar problem that the Tribute/Escape twins had.
On another note, I have almost 3000 miles on this hatch and have had NONE of the problems frequently referenced here. Maybe I'm due soon, but for now it's just the good tunes, windy road, and open moonroof thing going on. Okay, my paint job ain't what it should be...
I don't care whether whether you're talking Mazda, Mercedes or Maybach -- you bought a car not only in its first year, but literally in its first WEEKS (or months) of production. A totally new car, with new sheet metal, new interior, new ENGINE, etc. If you're going to take that kind of gamble, you should expect to pay the price. Ask owners of 1999 Proteges about automatic transmission problems, coil packs and other things that can and do happen to new-design cars. Or go over to the Mazda6 discussion and read all about Check Engine Lights and rust. It happens.
I'm not saying it's fair, it's just the way car makers do things. It is unfortunately very commonplace for auto makers to release new vehicles to the public before all the bugs have been worked out. That's why there are things called recall campaigns and technical service bulletins.
You probably had a choice between a proven car (a 2003 Protege) and the latest, just-off-the-docks toy (a 2004 Mazda3) when you made your purchase. If you didn't know you were taking a chance with such a new car, then I don't know how you managed to find your way to Edmunds. At the very least you did not do any research on automobile reliability and first-year risks before making your purchase.
Me? My next car will be a Mazda3S wagon. In 2005 or 2006. That'll give Mazda time to iron out the bugs (with my sincere appreciation to you beta testers), and give me time to enjoy my reliable-as-heck, problem-free 2000 Protege ES 5-speed.
That's me honking out on the road as I pass by your dealership's service department waiting area!
Meade
Anyone else having this kind of issue?
Meade
Meade
Hey ZoomZoom, how long do you think these cars will last? Didn't Subaru have a reputation of holding the endurance record over any other mfg., including Volvo and Mercedes? Or was that a one time deal? Or maybe, since Subaru is about 10% owned by GM, that must be the root cause of the problem underlying the recall! I give up, ALL CARS ARE JUNK. Not one car out there will last longer than its warranty.
Sorry for the sarcasm. But that is what this forum reads like, at times. Buying a vehicle is a crap shoot, especially the first year of a re-engineered vehicle.
But I, for one, thank all those that did buy the first year so that when the rest of us buy the 2nd+ years, we will drive a more reliable (though more expensive) vehicle.
PS - No Problems so far. LOVE my Mazda3 Hatchback.
I'd look on asianwolf.com or something like that for something comparable.
Cheers!
I know my wife's old Echo was not offered with cruise, but you could have it installed, with no warranty from Toyota.
Maybe someone else in Town Hall has explored this option for the 3?
Adding $450 cruise to the price of the S-GS made the difference between the S-GS and S-GT $750 for which you get 17" tires, rear spoiler, power heated mirrors, 2 tweeters, steering wheel mounted cruise, anti-theft alarm, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, plus probably a few other things the S-GT has that the S-GS doesn't. So I bot the S-GT.
That WAS way back in December when the 3's were just coming into Manitoba. I'm just passing on info given to me by that dealer at that time. I do not know if that info was correct and still applies or not.
everfeb
You have the sedan, right? Not on the hatch, to my knowledge.
You can say that again - gotta love "Zippy", or as you call it "Zoomster"
Dinu
Meade
With only 300 miles, my GT Hatch with ABS is showing some modest grooving already on rear rotors, front as smooth as a baby's butt. Not as severe as other pics I have seen, but will monitor - because if it continues, Mazda has to look into a final fix. A dealer turning rotors and installing new pads under warranty is not a fix.
Also puzzles me why rear (in most cases), because brake wear distribution is normally to front.
Comments, anyone?
The 3's starting to sound like a Jetta!
Meade
thanks again!!!
Rich
I would also ignore the suggestion ot run dino oil for many thousands of oil before switching to synth. (I did)
I would also ignore the suggestion to flush before switching oil brands (I did)
My 6i went from the stock Motorcraft semisynthetic 5W20 that is factory filled, to Mobil 1 0W20 at 1250 miles, and 5000 miles ever since. Better mileage, better wear (as proved by Used Oil Analyses performed each oil change since), better cold starts and iling, quicker smooth warmups, smoother revving in the high rev band.
Of course, all these improvements could be just an effect of the engine running in nicely, but I like to attribute it to the oil. Experts (those who analyzed the oil) and also people in the oil business (at vrious oil discussions) have (attributed it to the oil). Very, very impressive wear-in numbers for a small block, aluminium 4-cylinder, apparently.
First UOA: http://www.therealashu.com/auto/mazda6/UOA/uoa_11_4_03.pdf
Second UOA: http://www.therealashu.com/auto/mazda6/UOA/uoa_2nd_2_23_04.pdf
I'd love to see some of you 3i and 3s folks analyze the used oil (Blackstone Laboratories do a great job, for $20 a pop) and compare the wear and running-in numbers from the North American built 4-cyl (in the 6i) tot he Japanese built 4 cylinders (3i and 3s) - especially the 2.3l - since its an "identical" engine with minor differences in the torque curve.
PS: Yeah - the lab folks don't ever sound TOO enthusiastic about good numbers - its a legal thing I guess. Other oil discussion fora, on the other hand, have been very impressed. Especially considering the fact that I do NOT baby my car and it sees redline and quick shifts quite often.
ZUMNMOM
Have fun!
Meade
Has anyone put this on their 3 yet? If so, can you post a photo of what it looks like? Sounds like a really great idea to help protect from rock chips and such esp. on the hood of such a low-slung car.
Thanks.
I was oooh-so-close to buying Corolla S, but I'm glad I waited for the 3.
The drive is phenomenal. It's really like a little go-kart that you can whip around. Like lavaorange3 said, it's definitely a hoot to drive.
Makes me wish sometimes that cops didn't exist
I was on here before talking about a hollow popping/rattling noise in the rear of my 3s Hatch.
I need help on this.....
Especially in the cold mornings or evenings, whenever I go over a sharp or medium bump there is a hollow, popping noise coming from the rear cargo area. I have tried everything to find it. I removed every cargo tray including the one you have to unscrew by the base of the rear seats. Removed jack and cargo covers....everything down to bare metal and it still does it. After a while it will disappear or not do it at all when it is warm outside.
The service manager rode(in the cargo area) with me driving yesterday and we both heard it once(typical problem, wont do it at the dealer). He thinks it is something plastic inside the rear hatch that gets to cold or loose and warmth or heat helps quiet it down. We even greased the rear lock with silicone and the hatch supports could be suspect cause they are a tad, tiny bit wiggly when the hatch is up and make a similar noise but not quite the same......Although I would imagine they are tight when the door is closed. Also, when you close my hatch in the cold, it is not quite the solid thunk as it is when it is warm outside. Is it the locks?, is it the hatch supports? or is it something inside the hatch panel?.....They even checked the rear suspension and all is well.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It is driving me crazy on what is otherwise an excellent vehicle.
Help anyone......
I think what you are hearing is the plastic bumper cover moving up and down - it has several rub points with the metal bumper as well as the fender area behind the rear wheels. It is more noticeable when cold - I guess the plastic gets harder or shrinks - I hit the rub points with some silicone spray and the noise went away - I do expect it will come back within a few months - but at least I know what was causing the noise.
If you grab the rear bumper and move it up and down - you may hear the same noise. It only moves about 1/2 of an inch -
I had the same problem with a 1981 Pontiac T/A (that I still own -BTW). The plastic bumper cover would rub and make a loud noise - I fixed it by taking some pipe insulation - the foam stuff that you can buy at Home Depot for a couple of bucks and jammed it between the metal bumper and the plastic bumper cover. That was 20 years ago - when my noise comes back I may use the same fix.
Any other theories out there?????
We both use the headlamp protection film too. It's about 3-4X as thick as the paint protection film. You can cut out the shapes yourself or find places that pre-cut them for specific vehicles.
It does take patience to apply it. And it's best applied when it's above 60 degrees F. If you're not comfortable putting it on yourself (took us about 3 hours for the "complete" kit from Stongard), you may be able to find a local auto detailer that applies that stuff.
Yes, I would definitely buy it again because it had the best handling characteristics of any car in its price range - and great style. If you like driving, go for it. If this is not that important to you, certainly a boring Civic or Corolla will be very reliable.
As to reliabilility, most of the complaints posted here are pretty minor, and to be expected for a new issue. Engine, drive train, suspension are proven. My GT Hatch built in December has 1500 miles on it now, and not a single problem has come up! Zip Zero. Rear rotors have a little more wear than the front, but nothing to worry about. Mileage is running 8.7 litre per 100 km for combined highway and city, right in Mazda's claimed range (you guys do the conversion to mpg!). This is excellent for a new tight engine, especially since some of this was in slush. It will improve.
Last note - with 55 yrs driving (some commercial, some field salesman - please go ABS. Like one of the other posts has said, it may only save your life once or twice, but beats the alternative. I have a '92 Camry with ABS, and twice in twelve years it saved me an accident, and maybe worse. Of course, we see a bit of snow here in Niagara!
Hope this helps.
Stitch
Yep, I agree - when I said nothing to worry about, I should have said that I don't think it will be a major problem to correct - if it develops into same.
What puzzles me is this rear rotor thing - one would expect the front, if any, right? And any association with ABS? Which I would doubt? Or 17 vs 16? Sedan vs hatch?
Anyhow, with me, no grooving yet - just a hint of wear - but I'm pretty easy on brakes. If even 10% gone by first oil change, though, then we gotta get serious!
Thru the 3M site, I found some installers in my area.
Have you had any issues with the film since you've put it on?
Thanks.
The biggest problem (well, actually not that big but you know what i mean) I have so far with the M3 is the gas mileage. Highway seems alright, I get anywhere from 30-33mpg. But for local driving, I end up averaging around 23mpg. I called the dealership and spoke with the maintenance crew...they told me that it's typical and that it wont reach its peak performance until after 3-4 oil changes. So another 10k-12k miles before the gas mileage actual matches up to what it says on the sticker? Seems kind of much...what do you guys thinks? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks!
aric