2010 Mazda3

aviboy97 · August 2010

Hey everyone,

My store has just received our first Mazda2!!! We are completing the PDI, and I will test drive it and post my thoughts.

Note to host: Now we need a thread dedicated to the Mazda2! They are now in dealerships!!

PF_Flyer · August 2010

New group in town

The Mazda2 group is now active. Follow the breadcrumbs :P

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f212e0d/

andmoon2 · August 2010

Today I traded in my 06 jetta tdi for a 10 3i Touring manual.

I hate giving up my 42~49 mpg and ~250lb ft (or is it ft lbs?) of torque but I had a feeling the tdi was getting ready to get expensive so I jumped ship.

My last Mazda was a 92(?) protege. I hope the 3 proves to be as reliable as the protege was.

Don

whobodym · August 2010

torque is a product of two measurements, not a quotient (like miles per gallon) so it is equally correct in terms of physics to say pound-feet or foot-pounds. I can't remember myself which is the convention, either.

phoenixvan · September 2010

We have a one year old 2010 Mazda 3. For the third time in the past two months (and the second time in the past two weeks), the battery is totally dead. First time, the dealership thought it was the battery. Second time, they checked and said there was nothing draining the battery that they could find. Tonight was the third, so we'll be jump-starting it in the morning to bring it to the dealership...again.

Has anybody had a similar problem with their Mazda 3? Any ideas?

Katy

whobodym · September 2010

My loaded '10 3 has not had any electrical issues in 8 months, and I have every electronic gadget available, save auto trans. So no help there. But do remember one key alternative is, try another dealer. I was appalled at the response of the first one I tried about the "personalization" process. Of 3 non-default requests I made, they did one, ignored the 2nd, and incorrectly told me I couldn't have the 3rd.

blueguydotcom · October 2010

10 months with mine and no issues really. Annoying things like bad gas mileage and a screwy transmission but nothing so awful I can't just stomach it for another 2 years.

Kirstie_H · October 2010

A reporter is interested in talking with owners of the Mazda 3 who are also parents. If you are interested in commenting on your experience, please reply to pr@edmunds.com no later than Saturday, November 20, 2010 and include your city and state of residence, the model year of your vehicle and the age of your child/ren.

Thanks for your consideration,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds Inc.

aviboy97 · October 2010

I wonder why you purchased on in the first place. I can't recall you saying anything positive about Mazda's in the past few years.

blueguydotcom · February 2011

Avi, I loved my 2003 Protege ES. I bought one for a commuter car and it was a rock solid little machine. Great fun to get sideways, 30 MPG, no problems with it ever.

When it came time to replace my lemoned 335i, I felt I needed to get away from Germany for a few years. That left only Japan. Not much that's fun to drive from Japan and compact. A tumor on my thigh was causing me so much pain driving a manual had become excruciating. So I opted for a car that was fun to turn and had some decent features and had an automatic for a good lease price. My leg's better now (I know what to do to keep the pain at bay as surgery is not medically possible) but I still have an automatic. In the end, it's a wholly decent car and to most people it's probably a very good car. I just want more from my driver. I knew it when I leased it and it's serving its purpose. But I will not be sad when it leaves...

Sandman6472 · February 2011

This car has been one of the best cars we've ever owned...though I would've gone for the 2.0 engine. Wifey loves the pick up & short turning radius which makes any parking space a piece of cake for her. And it still scoots quickly & smoothly with just a touch on the accelerator...just a great all around car! When the time comes next year, I wouldn't be surprised if she wants another one, but with the smaller engine.

This would be a shame since the competition is so good right now...I will encourage her to shop around. Personally think she'll love the smaller Hyundai's, but we'll see what happens come 2012. It's really all good...a win/win for us.

But as I said earlier, our Mazda has been a great dd & we'll hate to see it go. I still love the aggressive stance of it, though the rugs are a bit on the cheap side, always a sticky point with me.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

creakid1 · February 2011

As a '90 Protege owner, I test drove an E46 coupe & could imagine how painful to operate this heavy clutch during traffic jam. The most effortless clutch is found in the '05-07 Focus ST 2.3, which has German-engineered & tuned suspension/steering but w/ Mazda-developed engine for reliability. The '05 also has a slicker-than-Honda shifter, but the power steering doesn't seem to provide enough resistance for very confident-inspiring cornering at high speeds. The (lowered price) '07 has good steering resistance at high speeds, but the cheaper shifter (which has no working reverse lock ring) also got too much resistance for effortless quick shifts. Maybe an used '06 is the best sample. Like the E46, the '05-07 Focus ST has fully hydraulic pwr steering for a more solid feel. The only thing I don't like about this car is the interior plastic smell when exposed to sun light.

The beauty of this 2700lb Focus ST 2.3 sedan is how controllable it is to oversteer. The '05 has stiffer suspension, but actually oversteers less. The Mazda3 2.3 oversteers a little too much, as an abrupt twist on the steering wheel when cruising on the fwy can loosen the tail. That's why it needs the optional stability control.

By the way, my '90 Protege twin-cam, which has rather uncontrollable oversteer, still has more steering feel than any E46, Mazda3 or Focus, but not relaxing enough for fwy cruising.

smallcar1 · February 2011

Make sure to test the 2.0 on the highway with A/C on. I have rented 3S hatches and 3i sedans. With two people in the car and A/C on the passing power of the car is in Corolla territory. It hesitates a lot. The 2.5 and the 2.0 are very different cars. The 2.5 is less refined than the 2.3 but like the 2.3 is very powerful. I found the ride on the 10s to be much stiffer than the '07 I rented if you have bumps. In NYC the 3 rides horribly but in Florida with no bumps the ride was good.

shipo · February 2011

What you say might well be true if the car is equipped with an automatic transmission. The flip side is that even with the A/C running full-tilt-boogie, driving a Mazda3 with the 2.0 engine mated to a manual transmission hardly exhibits any reduction in throttle response at all. In fact, the only time I've ever really been aware of the extra drag from the compressor (even with four adults in the car) is when starting out from a standing stop.

Sandman6472 · February 2011

We talked about the "power issue" the other night & she agreed that the smaller engine might be a problem for her in whatever she buys next. But will push for another car besides the M3 again just for the boredom factor...something different is needed here. Also, just don't like the alloys on the i version now, not as nice as our '05 S alloys.

But she already knows which ones I'd like her to test drive but again, she gave me a slight hint that she might get a new ride with more "bells & whistles" this time. She's as frugal as I am, but methinks she wants to treat herself by getting something totally out of the box...translation, an intro luxury ride. Should be fun to see how it all plays out.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

smallcar1 · February 2011

Does your wife just care about bells and whistles or does also care about refinement and material quality. The Mazda3 GT has many of the bells and whistles of an entry level luxury car and does seem to be a reasonable approximation of a BMW 3 series for people who do not take advantage of the 3 series handling at extremes. At normal highway speeds and on the street I thought the ride on the Mazsa3GT was better than the BMW 328 and although the brakes and acceleration on the 328 were better though the Mazda was quite good. The Mazda3 is not as refined as most luxury cars as its engine vibrates more, it is noisy and the ride is rough.

The 2.3 your wife has is much smoother than the 2.5 although the 2.5 is more powerful. Even with leather I throught the Lexus IS250 and HS250 and the TSX had much nicer interiors than the 3 GT.

whobodym · February 2011

I currently own, and have been the only owner, of both a 2.3 (in a 2006 MZ5) and a 2.5 (in a 2010 MZ3). 67k mi on the former, 21k on the latter. To me the engines feel very different, but it's not their smoothness that is different. The dual exhaust on the 3 is a little noisier. But the main difference is torque. Even though the 3 is only 300 lb lighter and only has about 10hp more, it feels much much more powerful. Our 5 also has considerably more hesitation in response to throttle transients -- quick dabs on the gas produce a stumbly feeling. I tried repeatedly under warrantee to improve it with only partial success. The new 3 has much better more linear feeling response to the pedal. (both cars are manuals)

maximafan · June 2011

Hi, guys. I've been researching the 2011 Mazda 3 GT and must say that I'm totally surprised at the feature content that this little car has. Believe me, coming from a Lexus vehicle, this car has almost as much luxury content as my Lexus does. I do have a question though.

When I read the specs on the 2011 Mazda 3 GT, it mentions the 8-way power driver's seat, but says nothing about memory seats. I saw a very detailed YouTube video of a 2010 Mazda 3 GT, and I was surprised to find the car had memory seats. Did Mazda remove the memory seat option for the 2011 models? I hope someone here on these forums can answer that question for me. Even if the 2011 doesn't have that feature, which I really do like, I could probably still live with it as the GT does have rain-sensing wipers which is one of my must-haves. Again, I'm very impressed with the feature content on the GT version of the Mazda 3 and may strongly consider this vehicle when my lease is up!

whobodym · June 2011

I have a 2010 MZ3S GT and it definitely does have memory for 3 driver's seat positions. It works very well (except when your wife uses her smart key button to unlock the hatch while you are still sitting in the driver's seat and it moves to her position!) I geekily read all the model year changes and the 2011 lists definitely mentioned nothing about this being deleted, that I recall.

The rain-sensing wipers, on the other hand, are a disappointment, and it's been difficult to figure out why. They do not wipe often enough, and the "sensitivity adjustment" ring on the wiper stalk does not significantly change their behavior. I live in Pac NW where light mists / drizzle are very common. My latest theory is that the optical sensor for the wipers is in a position that's aerodynamically different than the section of windshield that the driver looks through. The sensor's glass section is much more horizontal, and may just not get as wet as the rest of the windshield. I'm very leery of trying to get a dealer shop to monkey with them, based on their poor understanding of other much more basic electronics issues I've had (the personalization features, primarily)

whobodym · June 2011

in other words, I too was very excited about the wiper feature before I bought the car, and now that I have it, I realize I would rather just have conventional intermittent wipers.

maximafan · June 2011

I have the rain-sensing wipers on my current Lexus and I had them on the previous one. It is true though that in a misty-type condition, the rain-sensing wipers need a little help by me flicking down on the stalk and then back into auto mode. But in Florida, I don't think we have as much mist-type rain conditions compared to what you may have. Otherwise, I think they work great, great enough to where I'm spoiled by them. Whenever I've driven a rental car in the rain that doesn't have them, I really miss them.

Back to the memory seats on the 2011 Mazda 3. When I built one on the website and printed the window sticker for a Grand Touring model, it just mentions that it has the 8-way power driver's seat, but nothing about memory seats, which is kind of strange to me since the 2010 has the memory seats. I may have to go take a look on a Sunday before the dealership opens up and see if I can see if a 2011 GT has the memory seats.

hbund216 · June 2011

I recently totaled my car and in the market for a Mazda 3 touring i (2.0 liter) with a manual. I might go for the s since my dealer has a few 2010s in stock. I wanted to know if any owners of the 2.0 feel like the car is now powerful enough. Also, while pressing the clutch I noticed it was very spongy. Anyone else notice this? Any premature clutch wear?

Thanks

whobodym · June 2011

I have a 2010 2.5L manual. I'd assume the clutches are not that different but I've never driven a 2.0L. Anyway, my clutch at 18 months and 26000 miles has always felt firm, good, normal.

ahightower · June 2011

I have an '08 2.0 manual. Also no clutch problems. Can't say that it feels underpowered. The manual lets you get the most out of it. The old 4-speed auto with the 2.0 was disappointing. Tested the 2.3 as well, but I wanted best possible fuel economy and lowest price of entry. But if the economics worked out, I'd certainly enjoy the bigger engine and some of the extra kit that comes with the S and GT models. Your call. Keep us posted.

diehard080 · October 2011

samallcar -1 I must not only disagree with your assesment of the Mazda 2.3 vs the new 2.5 but I also am positive that you have owned neither . Reason-

We owned a 2008 Mazda3 GT-HB 2.3 and the ride was ridiculously rough , the engine needed to have the gas pegged to the floor in agressive freeway situations and that made for a unpleasently noisy engine whine .

The car handled very well but when I sold it with 58K on it and slipped into a 2010 Mazda3 GT HB 2.5 it was like night & day .

The 2.5 has much better bottom end pull and very even power delivery throughout the powerband unlike the 2.3 that dogged if you didnt hit the power-band right and had to pounce on it suddenly at 30mph - it took full throttle to recover and still never did 100% . I have yet to feel as though the 2.5 Is underpowered like the 2.3, in fact they got it spot on perfect for it's weight . The counterbalanced 2.5 is a dream and the facts support my opinion that its much quieter not only from the tires but mainly from the engine. We all know that its difficult to make a large displacement 4-cyl run smoothly but Mazda did it here and at times Im unaware its even running when stopped - 2.5 liters is as big a 4 as you will see in a production car for this reason -but again Mazdas techs have blueprinted and balanced this 2.5 to perfection and if broken in properly its silk .Interior noise is also lower according to the specs. Mazda miracously retooled the suspension making it smoother, lower and less jarring when you encounter potholes while retaining its world class sports car handling . I used to squint my eyes and pray in the old 2008 when hitting bad roads . Not anymore, in fact I was concerned that they had over-refined the new car , but alas they didnt as its handling specs in the slalom are identical . But between 30 -100 its a totally different animal that responds like a half-back headed for a touchdown weaving through traffic effortlessly while instilling utter confidence in the driver through ergonomics,low noise,excellent steering response, A1 suspension tuning and plenty of power on tap... , its faster , quiteter , has better mileage and handles like a dream. I wouldnt change a thing and I sure wouldnt go back to my 2.3 for any amount of money or coershing . The BIGGEST change to the 2010 Mazda3 is not just the body. They reduced drag and therby wind-noise & better mileage , then re-tuning the suspension and putting far better tires all came together to make this one solid refined awe inspiring car for the money . I test drove it thoroughly and then back into the 2008 for comparison and it was like trading in a car that had yet to be completley finished and the 2010- Is that finished product !

Also the 2.5 runs on 5w-20 synthetic from the factory instead of dino oil !
Yeah theres a bunch out there that love the older body style and I think thats got them blinded to the great changes that have been made . Its a huge Bias that I see in every Mazda blog -- The pity is that if those die hard 2.3 drivers could have just a few days driving the new 2.5 they would be trading in thier cars as fast as they could sell them . BTW I have 20K on my 2010 2.5 and its been great - in parting though the fact that I have not yet one time" had to" floor the gas tells me quite a bit about how that 2.5 performs ,because of the refinment of the new 2010 I often find myself looking down at the speedometer and Im between 90-100 in a effortless and firm glide down the freeway . I rarely felt that happen in the old Maz and I also feel now that every other car on the road is driving to slowly. Its a no brainer and if you talk to anybody that has one Im sure they will agree.

benjaminh · October 2011

Great post. Enjoyed your thorough comparison of the 2.3 and 2.5 engines.

I have a Mazda5 with the 2.3, and now I'm kinda yearning for that slight extra power of the 2.5...

diehard080 · October 2011

I dont know if you have this answer but I was a mazda salesman for years and have the 2010 Mazda 3 GT HB - This particular 1st year Mazda 3 GT was the ONLY Mazda-3 that had the Memory seats as a STANDARD FEATURE on the GT trim levels ONLY not a part of any package as there were only two offered - #1 Bose/Moon roof - w/6disc CD and Mp3 retail 1395$ and the tech package which was I believe about 1295$ and had the( Navi - Remote keyless and touch opening doors and trunk opening remote + Sat Radio -- ) The first year was weird as you got Dual Climate Control , Leather , Xenon-steering activated + rear Leds ,8-way- Power drivers seat , Memory seat -drivers only, Rain sensing wipers, Auto headlights, Bluetooth, ABS, DSC,TCS , heated
side mirrors with turn signal indicators integrated , anti-theft engine
immobilizer - Lastly one item that dissapeared in the second shippment of 2010 was a dedicated transmission cooler that you can only see if you look at the front of the car and on the drivers side to the right of the main grill just above the fog light you will see the black plastic small grill but that side is ventilated and leads to a small transmission radiator as you can see if you open the hood . The first year Gt was so chocked full of goodies that it was off the hook , they slowly eliminated , the transmission cooler , the integrated turn signals , heated side mirrors and the profit margin was so narrow --so if you got hold of an early Mazda3 GT dont sell it there arent many like em that made it here before they changed some things . BUT you got the answer about the memory seats ---GONE after 2010 on GTS only

benjaminh · October 2011

Interesting....Sometimes the first year of a new model is quite impressive, then the bean counters start to take out content to save money. Which I understand is needed if a car is losing money....But still, it sounds like you have something special. A Mazda that has the equipment of almost a BMW!

shipo · November 2011

"A Mazda that has the equipment of almost a BMW!"

Well, as much as I love my Mazda, and as much of a smoking bargain they are compared to virtually all of their direct competition, I would never go so far as to say that even a fully tarted up Mazda3 s GT was "almost a BMW." The thing is, I am a former BMW driver (and hope to be again sometime soon), and as nice as a brand spankin' new Mazda3 s GT might well be, it is absolutely no match for even my old 1999 328i in any metric except purchase price. I mean geez, to think a thirteen year old 328i could smoke a new "s GT" on the road, on the track, in the creature comfort department, and even at the gas pump speaks to just how well engineered the BMWs are.

I guess that's why I cringe when someone says that Mazdas are "a poor man's BMW."

diehard080 · November 2011

whobodym- YOU DO HAVE REGULAR INTERMITTENT WIPERS- if you did get the rain sensing wipers which I doubt based on your comment you would know that all you need to do to deactivate them and turn them into normal intermittent wipers is to pull the stalk down one notch and its deactivated- then you can set them at any speed or at a specific intermittent time sweep - . do you people just post things about cars you A- wish you had and dont or B just dont know one thing about cars to begin with ? Im confused

diehard080 · November 2011

Trust me I am NOT an Idealist and if it were anything but what I said I wouldnt have said it and I would just as happily have blasted the new 2.5 if it were garbage but its not ! These cars are only similar in one way they have similar body styles ---thats it --all these people that say their 2.3 will never be sold and its the best looking body --OK thats fine but as I said if they had just a few days with the 2.5 they would quietly clam up and trade the old 2.3 in and I mean fast --- I did it because in 2008 the best loan was 5.9% and I got the 2.5 in 2010 for 60 months at 0% apr/ so I took a chance and traded it in now I feel like I drive a car far better than a lexus or BMW because my first three services so far - not one has exceeded $45 total parts labor everything! + I have --ZERO INTEREST ! They still run great aprs on the 3 today .

diehard080 · November 2011

The 2.5 has much better bottom end pull and very even power delivery throughout the powerband unlike the 2.3 that dogged if you didnt hit the power-band right or have it pegged from go. If you have to pounce on it suddenly at 20- 30mph -you need full throttle to recover and still-it never will 100% .
I have yet to feel as though the 2.5 Is underpowered like the 2.3, in fact they got it spot on perfect for it's weight . The counterbalanced 2.5 is a dream and the facts support my opinion that its much quieter not only from the tires but mainly from the engine. We all know that its difficult to make a large displacement 4-cyl run smoothly but Mazda did it here and at times Im unaware its even running when stopped - 2.5 liters is as big a 4-cyl as you will see in a production car for this reason -but again Mazdas techs have blueprinted and balanced this 2.5 to perfection and if broken in properly its silk .Interior noise is also lower according to the specs. Mazda miracously retooled the suspension making it smoother, lower and less jarring when you encounter potholes & road imperfections, while retaining its world class sports car handling . I used to squint my eyes and pray in the old 2008 when hitting bad roads . Not anymore, in fact I was concerned that they had over-refined the new car , but alas they didnt as its handling specs in the slalom are identical . But between 30 -100 its a totally different animal that responds like a half-back headed for a touchdown weaving through traffic effortlessly while instilling utter confidence in the driver through ergonomics, low noise, excellent steering response, A1 suspension tuning and plenty of power on tap... , its faster , quiteter , has better mileage and handles like a dream. I wouldnt change a thing and I sure wouldnt go back to my 2.3 for any amount of money or coershing .

The BIGGEST change to the 2010 Mazda3 is not just the body but what that body does ! Mazda didnt put one single crease , curve or angle into the new body that didnt have a direct effect on performance thru lower drag and areodynamics & what that does for handling.
They reduced drag and therby wind-noise & better mileage , then re-tuning the suspension and putting far better tires on that were specifically designed for this car ONLY = all came together to make this one solid refined awe inspiring car for the money . I test drove it thoroughly and then back into the 2008 for comparison and it was like trading in a car that had yet to be completley finished and the 2010- Is that finished product !

Also the 2.5 runs on 5w-20 synthetic from the factory instead of dino oil !

shipo · November 2011

"...now I feel like I drive a car far better than a lexus or BMW because my first three services so far - not one has exceeded $45 total parts labor everything!"

Compared to my BMWs you got hosed; eight years of BMWs, not one dime to the dealership for a service visit (free rental cars and/or rides to mass transit too).

diehard080 · November 2011

Well if you are going to compare your 1999 328i BMW against the Mazda 3 which didnt exist in `99 buy the way ......you should go buy yourself a new 328i and I will spend about $20K less and get a Mazdaspeed=3 or an RX-8 give me a week to break it in then go find your thirteen year old and I will be pprepared to take your pink slip and sell the BMW so I can make a down payment on a new condo . You will be eating my dust [ Thats a 100% guarantee. - Not being rude just comparing a car that is still far far less and in pure sports tests its a no brainer , and the service of the BMW is gastly == I used to rebuild 2002's when in college and an occasional Bavaria or 3.0csi back when BMWS were BMWS ! Now there just over yupified status symbols of the p[eople that want to make a statment but have littel or nil driving skills as evidenced by the insurance underwriters statistics in the US . BMWs arent anythng but a luxury car when they were once real sports cars . The Tii was a bad mamba-jamba Will never forget when they fuel injected that long stroke t2.0 and how it just launched like a rocket --ventilation was poor but the ride had many passengars saying they would never drive with me again walking away shaking . That sucker with Biltstiens was unbeatable in the twistys == so I liked BMWs not anymore -- I would rather have the most popular sports car in the world ! a Mazda MX-5 aka Miata thats a real ride. Not many people know either that MAZDA won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1991 with the 4 rotor wankel engine denoted the 787B ! Mazda is a contender !

shipo · November 2011

"Not being rude..."

Seriously? From what I've seen of the rhetoric in your posts you've been nothing but rude; not a good way to gain many friends in this forum.

whobodym · November 2011

?? my '10 3SGT's (built mid-2009) wiper stalk has 5 positions -- Nudge-up one wipe, Off, Auto, On continuously slow, and On continuously fast. I've had the car now for 21 months and driven it 33,500 miles. One other odd thing about the rain-sensing wipers is that they seem to behave a little differently now that the windshield surface has aged a little -- film gone, microscopic dirt added, scrape marks added, I don't know. But the wipers when set on Auto now do wipe more frequently than they did last year, for a given state of weather.

diehard080 · November 2011

SHIPO- I guess you can dish it up but you cant take it eh? You stated that your old 99 BMW 328 would blow away the new 2011 Mazda-3 2.5 with a thirteenyear old driving . I called you on that BOGUS comparison so thicken up your skin . IF you want a FAIR comparison take the new 328i 2011 for a Base price of $37,000 stripped 200lb-ft of torque at 2750 rpms and max HP is 230 - curb weight 3300 roughly , Then the correct comparison would be the Mazdaspeed 3 2011 for $24,000 stripped with 280 lb-ft of torque at 3000 rpms and 273 HP with a curb weight of 3200lbs - also the Mazda is a 4 cylinder - so just looking at those specs and the vast savings buying a Mazda the speed with its 0-60 and slalom time makes it a no brainer which car would blow which away -- in fact get your old 328 and it will be even uglier --the Mazda-3 2.5 is not the correct comparison and for that matter the speed because of price is in a lower class but BMW is just not going to touch that speed anywhere anytime even on 87 octane - dont be offended but if yoiu make dumb statments best do your homework first

shipo · November 2011

"SHIPO- I guess you can dish it up but you cant take it eh? You stated that your old 99 BMW 328 would blow away the new 2011 Mazda-3 2.5 with a thirteenyear old driving . I called you on that BOGUS comparison so thicken up your skin."

I think you need to learn how to read (and spell), what I said was "a thirteen year old BMW 328i would blow away a brand new Mazda3 2.5"; a slight difference.

"dont be offended but if yoiu make dumb statments best do your homework first"

Offended? How can I be offended by someone who is arrogant, rude, and unable to comprehend what he or she reads?

Please come back when you grow up; maybe then we can have an intelligent discussion.

PF_Flyer · November 2011

I THOUGHT I could let this one settle down, but apparently I was mistaken. Please drop the personal edge that this has taken on NOW, please

It's OK to disagree about things, but let's do it without the barbs

Thanks

diehard080 · November 2011

Yeah Shipo I have been in the car biz for 25 years and you did pay for those visits -- you think the service fairy paid for them ? But you got hosed -- I bought a Japanese Car That is MADE 100% in Japan by the Japanese and its hands down the most reliable car on the road , But I seem to recall that the 328-( like most 3 series BMws) , is made from a plethora of parts from numerous places and its made where ...? Oh South Africa ---Yeah great german engineering ! Yeah I pay for oil changes so what I got a fully loaded great sports car that does everything and has more accessories than your BMW and I know that I paid over 15$k less at the minimum I wouldnt be caught in BMW because they represent something that I am not and I find in todays world your dollar can go very very far if you arent just looking for a status symbol- and you can still get the performance you wantl . but hey if its your thing enjoy -

diehard080 · November 2011

WEll you know precisely what I mean and if you wish to be my secretary and check my grammar and spelling , please I have a position open . Your continual shifting of the debate of :FACTS" to a personal attack is pretty much a sign that you have conceded . regardless enjoy your south african car --but why are you in the Mazda forum ? YOu completley ignored the comparison of the BMW vs the Mazda which was your statment that started the whole thing --I guess you saw the light ----good luck there bub - OUT

diehard080 · November 2011

Yeah Benjamhin It seems that way . I was on the lot considering the trade in of my 2008 Gt and thats when I noticed the transmission cooler , of course only the very 1st shippment had integrated turn signals in the side mirrors and that was the first thing to go which was a pity and my window sticker even says that it has the side turn signal indicators and heated mirrors and it dosent ! NOthing abot the tran cooler , but its there ! I think that is far more important than those turn signals as keeping trans fluid at a correct temp is very important particularly on long hauls with lots if weight . I was considering ordering the side mirrors with the signals but it was to expensive - than I was going to call Mazda and tell the my stick misrepresented its accessories and get them for free ---I dont know what I will do .

benjaminh · November 2011

That is weird and unfair that it says you have something on the window sticker that's not there....bizarre!

Still, a great car for the money...

diehard080 · November 2011

Im sorry shipo -- but as you can see I restrain my commentary to the vehicles and make no person assumptions about you . Therefore if your feelings get hurt because of my views on a car or cars...well ? Thats just my opinion as an American and if you dont like it tell me why you thing Im wrong ? I told you why I think you were wrong . You diefied the 328 of years ago against a current Mazda which actually had me laughing so I got a good belly laugh ---but if you think Im going to change my opinions because you wont be my friend ---well we would never be real friends anyway .

PF_Flyer · November 2011

Agree to disagree and move on without the personal commentary please.

Thank you!

m310spt · November 2011

I had an issue start the other day. I have a '10 m3 sport 5 door with a 6 spd man trans. I was exiting the hwy downshiting from 5th to 4th and I could not get it into gear. It felt almost as though there was a piece of rubber blocking the gear lever from allowing it to slot into gear. I had to pull over and wrestle with it before I could get it into first to get rolling again. The action felt very "rubbery" for a few minutes before it again would slot into gear with the normal positive action. I've noticed similar symptoms over the past few days and again today. I was in 3rd and dropped it into neutral at a stop sign. I could not get it to shift into first (or 2nd). The gear lever again felt very rubbery and it took a couple of minutes before I could force it into first. The car only has 12K miles and I've been driving manual transmissions for over 20 years. Any ideas on what might be at fault here? It makes no noises and does not otherwise complain.

diehard080 · November 2011

I will meet you anywhere you like and take that challenge that your "thirteen year old 328i will blow away my 2010 Mazda3 2.5 " I will not race for pink slips as the BMW is worthless if it even needs a transmission service so we can figure out something viable - car must be stock of course but Its no contest and thats a money up front guarantee ==but regardless of 0-60 The Mazda3 is an all around better car dollar for dollar even agaisnt the 2010 328--I dont care what year

shipo · November 2011

Listen moron, the host has asked us to stop and you've seen fit to continue taunting, so here goes.

Even with more than a decade of continued development, your 2010 Mazda3 2.5 cannot match a 1999 328i in acceleration, handling, braking, interior usable space, creature comforts, or even fuel economy for crying out loud.

Of course you're to freakin' stupid to understand any of that so I'm just going to end it hear and sign off; no sense in beating a dead horse.

whobodym · November 2011

I have the same car as you (except it's a GT not a Sport), same transmission, but have passed 34k miles now. And I have even more "manual seniority" than you do, 10 cars or so over almost 40 years. My 2.5L 6MT has never done anything that sounds like your problem, so I think you have something wrong. You're under warrantee so the dealer is the place I would think. It shouldn't be too difficult to tell what's up from underneath the car.

Sandman6472 · November 2011

I have to agree with ya here...I've stopped reading his posts...just skip right over...not worth the read!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

2010 Mazda3

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