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Comments
The mention of wearing the carpet in the area where a left foot rest would be made me wonder- has anyone else worn a hole in the right-heel area of the driver's side floormat? Mine was starting to noticeably wear when the car was barely two months old. By the time it was 1-yr old, a whole (at least 1-inch diameter) had formed all the way through the carpet AND the backing of the floormat! I ignored it until the car was about 18 months old. That's when I realized that the hole wasn't just in the floormat, but the carpeting under the mat, too...all the way down to the metal/insulation underneath!
Anyone else had similar issues with their mats or carpeting? It's the only complaint I have with the interior, which is otherwise made of very high quality materials.
After I discovered how bad the worn spot had become, I ordered the All-Season Rubber Floormats AND the Premium Carpeted Floormats from the Mazda Accessories catalog. The Premium Carpet mats are worlds better than the standard ones- in quality, durability and looks. They come in black with red or blue accents to complement the interior. I just wish they had a heel pad on the driver's mat to take the bulk of the abuse that killed my original one.
If you do any serious performance/track driving you WILL miss the left foot rest as its purpose is to provide a place to brace your left foot. I'm glad that my MS3 has one.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
You're right it has a clean look but.cost too much.
I have a Navi 240C in my RSX and it sits in a beanbag on dash you can't get it to slide . I like better than the in dash one too because it's portable and i can put it in a cup holder w/ mount.,and no one can see it. I don't look at them much .I just listen to it and if I screw up it reroutes me.
I only have 900 miles on my Mazda 3,I doubt I'll have it next year. I think the car is cheaply made. I never saw felt floors and so much plastic. I bet the tires will barely be good for 25K.
However , it's will be a good winter beater. I 'll sell it and go to a TSX. Good luck to you though and I hope you enjoy your'e ride Zoom Zoom :shades:
I think the car is made on the cheap to make it light for better MPG. Man it's all plastic. The floor wells are not deep enough to put cut pile in it or custom rubber floor mats from Auto sport. I've been reading the horror stories on how the tires wear. The car is a head turner to some,thats why it sells and the price is right.
I'm going to buy rubber mats at wall mat and swap them out .
I did put a Shark Fin antenna on itand sideways it looks like a Beamer. ,but it's history next year . I've had it 2 months and have only 900 miles on it 147 are dealer go get miles. You get what you pay for.
You mean it looks like a BMW motorcycle?
Bimmer= BMW Automobile
Beemer= BMW Motorcycle
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I drained her fluid yesterday, and w/only 45K on it, the fluid was as black as any I've ever seen!
I added 3.5 qts of Mobil1 ATF.
However,this is NOT approved fluid for Mazda!-It's up to par,just not approved.
Exxon/Mobil emailed a response to me yesterday stating a NEW re-formulation of Mobil1 Universal Import ATF is due to hit shelves anytime after August 1.
That is approved by Mazda and other mfg.s'
HTH.
Yep, you have to pull the pan. One of the many reasons I'm flipping my Mazdaspeed 3 for an E46 M3.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
http://www.amazon.com/OTC-6903-Filter-Socket-Engines/dp/B000NBYDWW
just be sure to be very easy taking it on and off, that plastic is sensitive...
Good Luck.
I'd recommend using an accurate torque wrench to install the cap. Far too many bozos have cracked the filter cap by cranking it down "good and tight".
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Thanks!
The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight to meet and greet with your fellow CarSpace members!
See you there!
The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight to meet and greet with your fellow CarSpace members!
See you there!
I think that it's 30 nm- it should be stamped on the cap. BMW uses a similar set-up and calls for 25 nm.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
http://robert.aitchison.org/tiki-page.php?pageName=Mazda3+DIY+Oil+Change
I just bought my 04 Maxda 3 2.3 3 months ago. It had roughly 45000 miles on it, now I have 50700. I drive about 100 miles a day. I have noticed over the last couple of days a rattle everytime I accelerate. This moring driving in, the rattle got worse and something blew from the engine. I pulled over and checked my engine; oil was leaking very badly. I had it towed to my dealership where they said (before official diagonstic) looks like a hole in the block.
I have not changed the oil yet, last oil changed at 44500 so i'm under 7500 and I've only had it for three months. After reading through the forum, I am now very worried what Mazda is going to say. Does anyone have any advice with dealing with them? or any thoughts?
It was the lower connecting rod bearing. Four holes in the engine block. Car had oil & the oil was clean.
May look as if I'm getting a new engine
In many cases, it is better to change the oil every 5000 miles or 4 months, so you're likely due. The 7,500 miles is if you drive in ideal circumstances. Check the owner's manual under Maintenance and compare Schedules 1 and 2.
p.s. did the previous owner provide you with the maintenance records of the car?
I agree, but I still don't think it has anything to do with his engine trouble. I don't think you're implying that either, but just to be clear.
Right on both counts. Let us know what happens next and good luck.
My wife bought a new I value Mazda 3 she has an BMW 5 Series and uses the Mazda for parking at the hospital. She has owned it 3 months and has 986 miles on it. Last year the concrete washed on her 5 Series
and the Medical Center detailed her and 52 more docs cars. This Mazda is her anti ding car too.
She goes to dealers on all the cars she owns ,doesn't watch money like me.So does it cost extra for removing the pan to change oil.
My Type S is twice the Mazda. That Mazda has felt carpeting,and built out of recycle plastic,not to mention when she got home she noticed an ash tray and cigarette lighter with a cigarette painted on lighter lit up. I had to run down to the Subie parts and get a cap that had 12v/120 watts on it for her to plug phone charger in it,. The Matts are velcroed to floor . She thought it was carpet.
Well thanksfor the heads up.
.
Rodent damage probably isn't covered under your warranty. You should read the warranty over carefully in your warranty booklet.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
PLEASE HELP!
Scott
It is sometime a bit difficult to upshift into 3rd.
The gear won't always completely engage, and then if I push it in without returning to neutral, it will grind.
Mine has over 37k miles on it right now.
although I have had my thermostat replaced under warranty twice.
So I gather you have no problems with your 3rd gear synchronizer?
My brother has a Ford Focus with the same problem, and I believe it is likely that both the Mazda 3 and Ford Focus have many parts in common.
brand new Mazda 3 manual transmission in May 2004
In other words, you bought the first year of a new model. As Consumer Reports has noted there is a risk in doing so even with reliable brands like Honda and Toyota.
head light issues (replaced each one about 3 times each
There seem to be others who have had this issue. Did you have them replaced or did you do the job yourself.
rear brakes needed to be changed at 35K and 70K
Seems premature, especially for the rear brakes. Did you replace the brake pads or the pads and rotors?
wiper arms needed to be tightened,
First time I heard of this. What was happening with the wipers?
tensioner went 2 months ago- they wanted to charge me $600 to repair
What tensioner do you mean?
light came on for seatbelt/airbag tensioner
Is that related to the previous point?
Tensiorer= surpentine belt (ultimately it snapped which caused me to lose all power to the vehicle- the only clue was a noise when I turned on AC only but when it did happen I was on the highway and all the alerts went on (battery, oil, etc) it was scary but luckily I made it with barely any steering to the dealer as I glided right into their garage..
Seat-belt tensioner- it is a sensor that is supposedly linked up to the seat belt and airbags to go off in case of a crash- they said since it was now malfunctioned I would need to get it repaired or else I could be risking myself in an accident which I definitely did not want to do especially since I have a 12 yr old son that rides with me...There was a previous recall on this but apparently they fixed what needed to be done to my car back in 2004-2005
wiper nut became loose so that the wiper blade couldnt go up and down luckily the dealer didnt charge me to tighten this up...
only changed one headlight (practically impossible to do on your own with these new cars) but over the past 2 years they would go off like clock work had the dealer change them each time and they said it was just a bad bulb, after the 2nd time i complained to headquarters and they covered them all under warranty which saved $30 each time..
Brakes- front ones never been done only back brakes, at 35K did just brakes and at 70K did brakes, pads and rotors (wasn't cheap either time) I keep asking when I should have fronts done and they said when it gets to the "yellow" or "red" indication which is weird because everyone I talk to says they did 2 front brake repairs to 1 back brake repair- when I complained to Mazda they said I must be driving with E-brake on to cause this and that I must drive stop and start because I live in CT...so now my thought is maybe there was a malfunction with the e-brake all along which rode down on the brakes to a point where I replaced them 2 times and now the cable must be snapped now- should know by end of week.... :confuse:
Good that the dealer handled this!
only changed one headlight (practically impossible to do on your own with these new cars) but over the past 2 years they would go off like clock work had the dealer change them each time and they said it was just a bad bulb, after the 2nd time i complained to headquarters and they covered them all under warranty which saved $30 each time..
Good that this was covered also!
Brakes- front ones never been done only back brakes, at 35K did just brakes and at 70K did brakes, pads and rotors (wasn't cheap either time) I keep asking when I should have fronts done and they said when it gets to the "yellow" or "red" indication
Agreed, this sounds odd. As you say, it's usually the front brakes that get worn first. And you're right the whole job (brake pads and rotors) is costly.
The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight to meet and greet with your fellow CarSpace members!
See you there!
I just used Mobil 1 for the first time and noticed going in how much darker it looked than the Valvoline I had used a few weeks earlier on my other car. This may be a dumb question, but have you always used Mobil 1 in all your vehicles, and done the oil changes yourself?
Maybe try a higher quality oil filter. Or a better engine air filter. What do you use now?
Exactly. I've run Mobil1 5W-30 in my Mazdaspeed 3 since the first 5000 mile oil change and I've had the oil analyzed by Blackstone Laboratories at every oil change since. In every case the oil was in good shape; no excessive shearing, a high flashpoint, and a solid TBN. My last oil change interval was 5182 miles, and that included four hours of track time at Putnam Park Road course. Blackstone advised that the oil would have been good for at least another 1000-15000 miles.
That said, I change the oils in my naturally aspirated vehicles at 6000 to 9000 miles intervals-also using Mobil 1-and those vehicles are running great as well.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive