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Mazda3 Hatchback

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Comments

  • rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    "I am really torn on the MTX vs ATX issue. I need to test drive a manual before I make a final decision. My biggest gripe about manual transmissions (or at least the one I drive now) is that it turns 3000rpm at 70."

    I'll second (third?) a few other posters: DRIVE a manual equipped Mazda3 before you make up your mind. The noise level (quality) in a Cavalier at 3000rpm may be COMPLETELY different from a Mazda3 at 3000rpm. In other words, not all cars sound the same at 3000rpm.

    For the record, I looked up the specs on the Mazda3 transmissions (the 5 MT and the 5 AT). Top gear for the MT is 0.755 with a final drive ratio of 4.105 for an overall gear ratio (in 5th) of 3.10:1. Top gear for the AT is 0.692 with a final drive ratio of 3.863 for an overall gear ratio (in 5th) of 2.67:1.

    Meaning the Mazda3 MT will be turning about 16% higher rpms at any given speed in 5th gear than the AT.

    I dunno if this helps or not. Buy the car for YOUR needs/desires. Whatever you do, test drive both. If others want to drive it, let THEM figure it out (learning a MT is not exactly rocket science; do you REALLY want someone driving your car who simply CAN'T learn how to drive a MT? I wouldn't.....)
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    Yes, 3,000 rpm on the cavalier was different than 3,000rpm on the 3. Yet I still went with the 5AT over the 5MT.

    The ease of use, relaxed cruising, and still being able to select my own gear when I need to is what made me go for the 5AT. No, it's not the same as a true 5MT, but it still will let me select a gear and hold it if I want to have some fun in the twisties.

    Now, in a few years, if this 3 gives me great service and exceptional reliability (I have already found out that it is great fun) then I will consider perhaps a Mazdaspeed 3 which is only available in 6MT, such as a performance car SHOULD only be available in MT or some sequential system such as DSG.

    The only downside to this vehicle is that basically no one can sit behind me in my preferred driving position. Of course, I rarely carry passengers and if I do, it's one other. On the occasion some one needs to sit behind me, I can adjust up so they could squeeze it there.

    Loving my 3 so far anyway, I'm at 425 miles so far, only a few left until it's broken in enough to be able to let the revs soar a little bit more :)
  • dridedride Member Posts: 139
    I'd like to paint my brake calipers this spring. Does anyone have any insight on how to do this efficiently?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    Very easy to do in a few hours. The time-consuming part was sanding them. You'll need to repaint them yearly to keep them looking fine.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    This is a little bit off topic, but I thought I'd share...

    My 3 is at the dealer for service to see if they can figure out a reason for my sub 20 mpg hwy mileage. I got a free loaner car because of the protection package I have...

    The car they gave me is a recent model Toyota Corolla, ~1700 miles. Either something is severely wrong with the loaner, or the car buying public must be the most naive group of people around to make it one of the best selling cars.

    The Corolla is, without a doubt, the WORST car I have ever driven. Though the power is surprisingly adequate, the engine feels like it came from a piece of agricultural machinery (I read that in a review, and it is an accurate description). Loud and hollow sounding under pressure, and very unrefined. Steering is numb and way too slow to react to input for me. The 1995 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 I used to drive was more refined and better steering. The gas mileage seems to be pretty high, but a Honda Civic has a much more refined feel.

    Point of the story, I would rather drive my Mazda at 19 mpg than get 100 mpg in a Corolla.
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    I agree with your view of the Corolla.

    My wife and I took a test drive in a Corolla - the sales guy pulled the car up we got in - only drove 10 feet and knew - THIS WAS NOT A CAR we wanted. The sound of the exhaust note is a horrible low pitched drone.

    I also had some of the same feelings when we drove the Scion TC.

    I read some of the posts about the Corolla (on Edmunds) before we took the test drive. Several people said - it was like a mini Lexus! I just don't get it!
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    My 3 is at the dealer for service to see if they can figure out a reason for my sub 20 mpg hwy mileage. I got a free loaner ... a recent model Toyota Corolla, ~1700 miles ... I would rather drive my Mazda at 19 mpg than get 100 mpg in a Corolla

    Interesting. I had a similar experience when my Mazda Protege5 was being repaired and the dealership offered a luxury Kia which I found to be an ungainly vehicle. Perhaps this is a strategy by dealerships to make one appreciate one's vehicle: offer them the competition.
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    I think most dealers just use some of the cars that were traded in.

    You need to ask - why a Mazda dealer would even have a Corolla with only 1,700 on the odometer? That is a sure sign that someone either had major problems with the car (not that likely) - or after a few weeks figured out they just did not like the vehicle (pretty likely).

    I bet they took a major hit when they traded it in.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    sure sign that someone either had major problems with the car (not that likely) - or after a few weeks figured out they just did not like the vehicle (pretty likely

    We see this happen once or twice a month...last week a lady traded her 2006 Volvo XC-90 with only 4000 miles...nothing wrong with the car, she just didn't like it. She also took a big hit...She purchased a new town car. Go figure.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    The dealer found nothing wrong with my "economy" car. No explanation of the 19 mpg.

    They did work up a deal where I could get the exact same car but with a manual transmission. For the same payments, it would cost me about an extra $1,000 (basically taxes and fees) or alternatively I would have to pay an extra $16 a month.

    They are also going to contact Mazda and see if they would have a solution to the problem or if they would subsidize some of the cost associated with getting a manual.

    What would you do? I do kind of miss driving a manual and it would clear up the mileage issue. I would be taking a $2000 hit though (extra down plus manual costs less than the auto I paid for). If Mazda has no solution but are willing to kick back some cash to equalize the prices, I think I should get the manual. Ideas?
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Run the numbers -

    Lets say the manual will get 29 MPG - where the auto is only getting 19. Not sure it would be this much of an improvement - but just as an example - hoping for the best.

    To drive 50,000 miles takes 2,632 gallons with the auto - 1,724 gallons with the manual.

    You save 908 gallons - at about $2.20 a gallon about = to the $2,000 you spent trading. SO --

    You need to drive about 50,000 miles just to be even.

    IMO its not a great pay back - unless you drive a lot of miles - the real question is - do you want a manual?

    Another good question (one I am asking myself) would be - do you want to buy another new car from a company that did very little to solve the problems you had with the first car?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    I would be taking a $2000 hit though (extra down plus manual costs less than the auto I paid for).

    How old is your car? Is it a 2007 or 2006? Will the car that you are getting be new, i.e. 2007?

    I do kind of miss driving a manual
    Could you elaborate why you picked the automatic? Lots of city driving is cited often as a reason for switching to automatic transmission.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    My car was a 2007 MZ3s. The car I got today is new, another 2007 MZ3s but in the manual.

    I wanted an auto because other people would occasionally need to drive the car and I did sometimes dislike having to shift in the Cavalier I had. Now with the manual in the 3, I see that not all shifters are created equally. The 3 in an auto was nice, very nice, but the 3 in the manual is sheer joy. I also opted not to get leather in my new one, I like the cloth better, and instead got a few other options for the ~$600 saved by not getting leather.

    Had I driven the manual 3 before choosing the automatic, I would have never bought the automatic. If people need to use my car, they can either learn manual or drive something else.

    I don't think I'll ever buy another car with a conventional automatic. Maybe if I ever need a truck to tow things or a sequential manual like DSG, but no car with a torque converter again.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Please let us know how the mpg of the manual compares to the automatic. I am considering a manual 3s, but do not want to have mileage issues.
  • mazdazoommazdazoom Member Posts: 43
    Well I have a 2004 2.3 Mazda 3, I drive pretty hard usually and I see an average of 26-28 MPG (80% highway). If I baby it I can get an average of 29-30 MPG. I like the manual, just more fun to drive. A manual should always be more efficient vs. an automatic.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    I have been logging my mpg on the Mazda 3 mpg thread, I haven't used a tank of gas yet in the manual but it looks like it may be around 22 mpg so far with just over 100 miles total on the car, 80% city 10% highway and 10% up and down the mountain with a little fun through the corners.

    I should be able to easily average my goal of 25 mpg in my normal split of driving, I just happen to not be logging as many hwy miles as usual this week. I shudder to think of what the auto would have given me in these conditions.

    I am also using http://www.brianbauer.org to log my mileage.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    07 3SGT just under 5000 miles. I have yet to get under 25mpg even with spinning tires in snow and a bit of lead footing it down the entrance ramps to the freeway. I calculate mine mileage on my cell phone before i leave the pumps, the computer seems to be very pessimistic.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    5AT or 5MT?

    I too use the cell phone before I drive off, I calculate and write the miles / mpg on the receipt and reset the trip for the next tank. I am a bit anal about mpg, I calculate nearly every tank, and usually stay at a constant range. Cavalier was lowest at 22 mpg with very aggressive driving and highest around 26.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    oh yeah sorry 5MT.
  • marscatmarscat Member Posts: 7
    I think it depends on what you are currently driving. Before my 06 M3HB I was driving a 92 Honda Si HB. I was getting 35/48 in my 92, and seldom saw a gas station. Boy those were the days. The Mazda is as fun and zoomy, and the cargo space is just as great, but the gas mileage leaves a lot to be desired. And I'm very mpg sensitive. I love my car, but my next one is going to be a hybrid. I've had automatics (98 malibu) that have had better mileage than my 06.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Your 92 was a quite a bit lighter and had less power. As consumers we demanded safer and more powerful vehicles...not accepting the fact that we can't have our cake and eat it, too.
  • marscatmarscat Member Posts: 7
    You're right maltb. I hadn't thought of that. My lighter car seemed just as fast, but speed doesn't equal power. I think that I'll be looking for a less powerful car next time. Thanks.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    More power with more weight = same speed.

    I honestly don't think consumers demand more power it is just kind of forced on us. Cars are advertised by their power (ie: the 250 hp RX-8, instead of just the RX-8) The power actually gets top billing. This leads consumers to the mistaken conclusion that more power makes a car faster. The consumer then asks for the power. Of course we all know that a 250 hp Suburban is slower than a 150 hp Mazda3, and much slower than a 250 hp RX-8 (or whatever other example is relevant).
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I understand the power to weight relationship, but cars have gotten faster.

    Forced on us huh? Would you buy a 110hp Mazda3? If Mazda sold such a thing in the US it would make headlines as the slowest vehicle ever sold. Even Consumer Reports would say it's too slow in the guise of poor passing performance. Yes, consumers have demanded it, directly or indirectly.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    I would love a 110 hp Mazda3 - I would buy one tomorrow if they had it in the hatchback. With a stick shift it would probably be about as fast as the current 2.0 automatic, and would get near hybrid mpg. The 1.5 liter Protege only had 92 hp.

    I used to have a 76 hp VW Scirocco. It was plenty fast - how much over 100 mph do you really need to go? :confuse:

    52 hp in a VW bus is slow (the only vehicle CR rated not acceptable because of speed). 110hp in a small economy car is not even close to slow. Mazda RX-7 had 105 hp when it came out. The original VW GTI had about the same. Those were two of the most fun to drive cars ever made.

    I know cars weigh more now so sure a litte more hp is fine, but when people start saying you need to have 200 hp to get out of your own way that is just misinformed. Too many people just focus on the hp number which does not mean much by itself. Kinda like saying an offensive lineman is faster than a wide reciever because he has stronger legs (superbowl is coming up - forgive me).

    Ironically as much as people are overconcerned about power they seem to forget that adding an automatic saps so much of that power. Consumer Reports got the 2.0 Mazda3 at 8.6 seconds to 60 mph nearly 2 seconds faster than the automatic. How come nobody says why buy an automatic because it would be the "slowest vehicle ever sold"? ;)

    I guess as long as we can buy oil oversees we can keep turning up the power. :(

    off soapbox
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I'm not admonishing your viewpoint; it's very european. I'm just saying that the North American consumer has asked for and gotten much of what they wanted.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    know cars weigh more now so sure a litte more hp is fine, but when people start saying you need to have 200 hp to get out of your own way that is just misinformed. Too many people just focus on the hp number which does not mean much by itself. Kinda like saying an offensive lineman is faster than a wide reciever because he has stronger legs (superbowl is coming up - forgive me).

    Power and low weight = the good fun. The Mazda3 with the 2.3 is fun but it's not a grin-inducing blast. Add the turbo and it gets more entertaining but then you have the inherent limits of FWD. 200+ with a sub 3000 lbs car is fun. 300 with a sub 3000 lbs car and RWD = heaven.

    How come nobody says why buy an automatic because it would be the "slowest vehicle ever sold"?

    Autos mated to 4s tend to sap power much more so than current 6 speed autos in 6 and 8 cylinder cars. That said, I'll take a manual anyday over a slushie.
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Can anybody that has a 3 with traction control tell me if it can be turned off?

    Thanks.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Yes you can...hold down the button next to the headlight adjustment numbers. i dont recall what the letters are on the exact button
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    Yes, it can be turned off. The button is says "DSC Off," next to the illumination control and "DSC OFF" will illuminate in your IP.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    THATS the button i was trying to think of. Thank you.
  • franbofranbo Member Posts: 2
    Hi all,

    I am planning a car pretty soon and I do not have much time to go to dearlers and try cars. I like the Mazda 3 hatchback line a lot. Do you guys think that it would be roomy enough for a 6 feet person like me?

    Thanks in advance,

    Fran
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    I have an 07 M3 sedan, im 6ft 5in and i have no problems.
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    The best way to find out would be to sit in one.

    I'm 6'0" and I fit fine, though I adjust the seat height all of the way down. I also have the moonroof which takes away about an inch of head room. When I first got the car the seat was adjusted up some and I was really close to the roof. I also started getting pains in my legs and back. Finally, I realized that I could adjust the seat height and lumbar, and now it is the most comfortable car I have eve had.

    One heads up though, if you plan on anyone to be able to sit behind you, forget about it. At my comfortable adjustment, the seat is nearly the whole way back, and there is maybe 4 inches between the back of my seat and the end of the rear seat. If you drive alone or with one other person you would be fine, even 2 passengers would be fine if they sat behind the passenger seat.

    My hope for the next ('09) Mz3 is to have the rear seats able to be adjusted back like in the '06 CR-V and Chevy Equinox. The rear seats could go back at least 4 inches or so in the Mz3, with less cargo space, or adjust them forward when you need the space...
  • jc22jc22 Member Posts: 17
    Thanks for Andreas of Mazda3Forums I was able to unlock my trip computer on my 07 Mazda 3. It works for 06 too! Sorry, but this hack does not work for earlier models.

    1. Press and hold down CD and AM/FM buttons
    2. Start your car while still pressing down on those buttons
    3. The display will read, "DIS ON" which means Driver Information System On.
    4. Release the CD and AM/FM buttons
    5. Turn off and restart the car
    6. Now press the Set button and cycle through your avg. mpg, miles until empty, current mpg, and avg mph!

    Now you can truly know your Real MPG numbers! Which is a mixed blessing!

    Please pass this info to others!

    JC
  • drinkduff77drinkduff77 Member Posts: 8
    FYI:
    this only works on 2006+ models, all trim levels
  • rgerstlrgerstl Member Posts: 1
    mazda 3 automatic wagon, sport with 16 inch or touring with 17 inch wheel. i know the standard difference but am concerned with low profile of touring ? any feedback on this model
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    I'm 6'2" and have found that many cars, especially ones with a sunroof, were uncomfortable for me. Nothing is worse than your head hitting the roof or having to lean down a bit to see traffic signals above you.

    All the Honda vehicles I have owned were well suited to my height, although my last Accord (EX, so it had the sunroof) was a little tight on headroom unless I left the sunshade open. I prefer to sit with my back more upright than most drivers I know and that doesn't help matters.

    Anyway, my '06 Mazda3 5-door has plenty of headroom although I specifically chose one WITHOUT the sunroof. I am unsure how much headroom you lose with that option.

    I'd suggest at least sitting in one with a sunroof if you are interested in that feature. If you aren't, the car is a great size for us taller guys.

    Another great feature for the taller guys is the adjustable steering column that both tilts and telescopes. It allows you to position it perfectly in relation to the seatback angle and to accomodate your arm length. I love the feature.

    Also, the seat has a height adjustment but I just leave it at its lowest setting.

    Good luck.
  • chiefjojochiefjojo Member Posts: 39
    Anyone have any experience with the new system (skid/traction control) on 2007 models? I'm thinking about buying a 3, but if I want DSC/TSC, then it's going to have to be a 2007 model.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    I live in minnesota and have used DSC/TSC quite a bit since oct. It has gotten me thru everything so far, but i also dont go out in the foot or more snowfall!
  • claudius753claudius753 Member Posts: 138
    I have an '07 3s 5MT, so I have the TCS/DSC

    It comes on a lot in the snow. The tires on this car are absolutely worthless in the snow. Even feathering the clutch to let the car idle to start out it will still often spin. Without the DSC, I can only imagine how bad it would be. The el-cheapo walmart tires I had on my old Cavi tore through snow like nothing. I don't know what's up with these tires mazda uses.

    If you live in an area that gets decent snowfall in the winter, the DSC will help a little, but you really need better tires, preferably snow tires.

    I have also had the DSC kick in on dry pavement during spirited driving. Going around some right angle turns at a fairly rapid speed, it kicked in to keep the car from sliding, which is good from a safety stand point for accidental slippage, but I was anticipating the loss, at least it can be turned off.
  • calvinccalvinc Member Posts: 11
    Any chance Mazda will put the 6 speed auto on the 08 model? Any other notable changes?
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    $215 will buy a new Garmin i5 StreetPilot with preloaded maps of the US.
    No one has to spend $1700 for a NAV system.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    ;) Right about that. I bought myself a sweet Garmin street pilot for $299.99 with lifetime upgrades on software and firm ware. I can take this from car to car. ;)
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    I have an '07 model and I don't need to do this with my car. It already works.

    Don't you see this on the LCD info panel? Why use the trip for the same info that the LCD car info uses.
  • drinkduff77drinkduff77 Member Posts: 8
    You have the Grand Touring trim. Other trims just have the clock there. If you unlock it using the steps posted above you can cycle between the clock and fuel computer on the LCD display. It does not display on the instrument cluster.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Oh I see. I tried this and it alredy was unlocked for me. I will play with it more.
  • zzoomp09zzoomp09 Member Posts: 32
    I've got a MZ3 GT 5dr, getting 29-31 on 100% highway driving. If I mix in driving in New York City traffic, I'll average 24-26. But if I mix highway and city, I'll average 27-30. One thing too, I always fill it up with premium. It doesn't have that much difference with a regular grade gas but the sound of the engine is better, so does the engine's pull. And here in the New York City Area, standard premium is rated 93 octane. You can find 91 octane which is a standard premium grade on most parts of the country, but 93 most the time, is the standard premium grade gasoline in the area.

    Also, I find that if you stop filling up the tank as soon as the pump stops, you're missing around 1.8 to 2.5 gallons of space in your gas tank. I've had this same issue with my Corolla which stops at 10 gallons (It has 13.2 gallons of gas tank space) and I always top it off. Next time I fill it up and topped the tank, I would get really close numbers (difference only in the hundredths of a decimal) when I compute it directly from a calculator. I still have my Corolla for the 7th year and still running fine and no problems resulting from topping the gas tank off (I've heard some people saying topping it off is bad for your vehicle, didn't investigate the reason why though).
  • wilkich84wilkich84 Member Posts: 34
    Our car died and am looking at a late model (04/05) used 3 for limited commuting (to public transportation and back) and kid school drop off. General question about reliability and room for 2 small kids.

    Quick safety question: Anyone know what year Mazda started offering the side curtain airbags that protect the rear passengers? The listings generally say side air bags without noting whether it's for front and/or rear.

    Thanks
  • lmp180psulmp180psu Member Posts: 399
    The room in the back for 2 smaller kids should be fine...of course larger adults would be not as comfy.

    I had an 04 sedan (now an 06 hatch) with the side airbags, and they include both the front and rear pillars, along with the front seats.
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