Mazda 3...thoughts?

[BadMojo]

So, who's seen the new Mazda 3? Something about the styling on the hatchback really appeals to me. Something I read compared the styling to that of the Peugeot 307, which is one of my favorite cars as far as exterior goes.

Performance seems fairly decent, if not extraordinary. A MazdaSpeed 3 may further increase my interest in the car, but I suppose it's a bit early for that.

Has anyone actually seen one of these in person yet? I'm tempted to see if I can take one for a test spin if my local Mazda dealer has a 5 speed on the lot.

Best part is that I get a discount on Ford vehicles through the company I work for...maybe I should just screw the Mazda 3 and get a Mustang Mach 1!

Anyway...errr...discuss.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/mazda3/main.jsp

[TachyonS14]

Actually, I was with a friend at the Mazda dealer because he was test driving an RX8 (He really wants to buy one), and I saw a funky car. I went up to it, and it was a Mazda 3. I thought it looked pretty good inside, and felt nice. I really like how they designed the back bumper, but the front one is kind of ehh. All in all, it looked like a pretty nice car.

[spitz7985]

i liked the protege better.

[BB Turbo]

160hp...alright styling, nothing to do a double take on. If I had the money, I'd spend it elsewhere.

[nametakennow]

I'd rather spend 16k on a down payment on a G35 , or a crazy Disco Potato turbo setup and a bunch of other mods for my current car. I think it looks nice, and in the right circumstances I'd get one, but I don't plan on having small children, or children at all.

[Mr1der]

not two door?! LAME!!

they need to make a two door and bring in a new GTX damnit! it was a neat little car, shame it never made it over here in full awd glory, we did get some older 323 turbos though...

they need to make a 2 door hatch Turbo awd version...that'd be the smart thing with the current market, hell, I bet they're already planning it...

[krazy skwerel]

I like them. I ave also been wanting to go test drive one of the bastards.

[BadMojo]

they need to make a 2 door hatch Turbo awd version...that'd be the smart thing with the current market, hell, I bet they're already planning it...

Hey, Mr1der...have you been digging through Bill Ford's trash again?

I just read this, which was linked over at the VWVortex forums.

For those of you who don't like clicking, here's the relevant part...

"By early 2005, performance junkies can expect a turbocharged Mazdaspeed 3 sports compact that should pump out at least 200 horsepower (or up to 240, if Mazda decides to offer an all-wheel-drive version)."

If the Mazdaspeed 3 has 240hp and AWD, AND *if* they can keep that thing priced around a WRX, Mazda will have a serious contender on their hands.

Personally, I vastly prefer the styling of the 3 hatch to that of either the WRX sedan or wagon.

So, in 2005 I can either buy the last model year of the SRT-4 (and hopefully get a corporate discount on it) or buy a 240hp AWD Mazdaspeed 3. Now *that* is the kind of tough decision I like.

[TrunkMonkey]

i'm not a fan of mazda. i think it's from having to suffer through the experience of owning a 626 for a year. the mazda 3 does look nice, but i'd buy an srt-4.

-demetrius

[BadMojo]

i'm not a fan of mazda. i think it's from having to suffer through the experience of owning a 626 for a year. the mazda 3 does look nice, but i'd buy an srt-4.

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. I hadn't really heard of major reliability issues with recent Mazda vehicles. What kind of problems did you have with your 626?

[TrunkMonkey]

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. I hadn't really heard of major reliability issues with recent Mazda vehicles. What kind of problems did you have with your 626?

everything that could go wrong with the engine and transmission did go wrong. the samllest thing was replacing the starter less than a month after i bought it. the biggest thing being replacing the transmssion twice. maybe i just had a lemon, but along with the problems i also had to deal with bad customer service. needless to say, that was the first and last time i've ever owned a mazda.

-demetrius

[EricZ103]

I likes the new mazda3. Personally I think its reliability would be better then an SRT-4, Look at the how reliable previous dodge turbo cars have been. It may not be quiet at fast either but I bet Ithandles better and looks better. Thats why I like mazda. I personally think they ddevelop some awesome handling (and looking) cars. The rx's, miata, mp3/protege, mazda 6 all supposedly have real good handling. I remember driving my friends second gen mx6, It was about the most fun stock fwd car i have ever driven. NOw if they turboed 3, then it would have the awesome speed too:ylsuper

[Rex]

not two door?! LAME!!

they need to make a two door and bring in a new GTX damnit! it was a neat little car, shame it never made it over here in full awd glory, we did get some older 323 turbos though...

they need to make a 2 door hatch Turbo awd version...that'd be the smart thing with the current market, hell, I bet they're already planning it...

My brother has one of the 323 AWD GTX things?? And loves it, I also, don't understand why they don't bring something like that back.

[MaineExport]

From my experience, I would put Mazda reliability above Nissan. I've owned two Mazda trucks that I put through hell and they NEVER had a single maintenance issue beyond oil changes and brakes. I did blow out a CV joint on one of them... but it was after several years of spinning 31" mud tires over terrain that should have destroyed the entire truck long before the CV went.

That's not to say that I've had reliability issues with my Nissan, but it seems like little things have always gone wrong with it. For instance... right now my window washer fluid doesn't squirt, my moon/sun roof weather stripping has fallen off in teh center, and my horn doesn't work! These are all easy fixes that I can correct myself... once we get out of this sub-zero New England weather. But, these things never happened with the Mazdas.

[krazy skwerel]

everything that could go wrong with the engine and transmission did go wrong. the samllest thing was replacing the starter less than a month after i bought it. the biggest thing being replacing the transmssion twice. maybe i just had a lemon, but along with the problems i also had to deal with bad customer service. needless to say, that was the first and last time i've ever owned a mazda.

-demetrius

Man I feel your pain on the 626 except I owned a probe. Same drivetrain though. 3 trannies in 111,000 miles. Though I am sure the manual trannies are much better.

[Rex]

From about '89 to '92, my Dad was a Service Department Manager for a Mazda dealership. When I was looking for a new car in 91-92, he said that the only Mazda's he'd buy would be an MX3 or an RX7. And he said that you'd have to drive the RX7 hard to not have troubles. He said they replaced 2 motors in some of the pick-ups and even bought 1 back. Now that was a few years ago, but a co-worker had a 97 or 98 Protoge and she was dropping money in it ALL the time, it was sad.

[krazy skwerel]

I find the 91.5 and up miata to be a very reliable car. The MX3 though is a wretched piece of **** and should be banned from existance. Though I hate them for personal reasons more so than mechanical.

[Mr1der]

mazdas are kinda hit and miss, the Mazda Speed Protege is a mean handling little car though, from the flogging I did in the 5's and the 6 and what little I got in on the Protege, the new Mazdas have some good handling, though the 6 has a bit of understeer and sucks with the auto...

The Protege5 isn't too bad with an auto, but who wants that when a manual can be had?

It needs boost like Don't Fear The Reaper needs cowbell...

[MaineExport]

From about '89 to '92, my Dad was a Service Department Manager for a Mazda dealership. When I was looking for a new car in 91-92, he said that the only Mazda's he'd buy would be an MX3 or an RX7. And he said that you'd have to drive the RX7 hard to not have troubles. He said they replaced 2 motors in some of the pick-ups and even bought 1 back. Now that was a few years ago, but a co-worker had a 97 or 98 Protoge and she was dropping money in it ALL the time, it was sad.

Well....

Isn't that the funny thing about a service job at a dealership. You are really only gonna see the bad s***. People without problems are not going to be in for much service.

[skydragoness]

Mazda 626's have always been the least reliable cars of Mazda's lineup.

I like the Mazda 3' styling a lot, Mazda is just changing things up a bit since they've had the Protege name for a long time.

As far as the rumors of Mazda planning to release an awd turbo version, that's the same i heard about the Mazda 6 when it first came out. Probably wouldn't count on it. I'd really like to see them offer awd on the Protege5 wagon, they'd be an alternative to the more expensive Impreza wagons.

[Rex]

Well....

Isn't that the funny thing about a service job at a dealership. You are really only gonna see the bad s***. People without problems are not going to be in for much service.

Sorry for not expounding further before, but this was his opinion after 30+ years in the Dealer Service business and he was as much referring to the magnitude of issues as well as the mix of service to repairs to major repairs, and those things that are a sign of wear versus parts that just "gave out" or broke.

He worked as the Service Manager at dealership that carried the following lines:ChevroletPontiacVolvoMercedes BenzMazdaOldsmobileSubaruFiatBuick& currently GMC/Peterbuilt

I'm sure there were more...

[MaineExport]

Sorry for not expounding further before, but this was his opinion after 30+ years in the Dealer Service business

I wasn't doubting his experience.

[Rex]

No problem, just after your post I realized, if I was going to make a second hand commentary on the quality of Mazda's (which I kind of like, really dug the mid 80's B-series trucks), I should offer a little more info.

All about good discussions

[spitz7985]

my g/f's dad had a 626 that he ran to over 300,000 miles before it died.

also, SCC ran the mazdaspeed protege faster in the slalom than the 350z. they loved it, said it had perfectly neutral handling.

[AREITU]

My friends and I test drove one last night.

The center console radio thing is kinda cheesy, but fun to mess with. The gauges (on the hatchback) are gorgeous. We test drove a 2.3 manual. It's not blazing fast, but the car's ride isn't harsh and it turns in well. It's screaming for an exhaust upgrade, too.

[cory2081]

there are a ton of them on the Mazda lot already. I've seen them by just driving by, but, havn't stopped to take a closer look. Looks like a nice car, I'm sure that it is. I hope that if they make a Mazda Speed version that it doesn't have cheap plastic intercooler piping like the Protege did.

[ZenKid_S14]

mazda 3's are nice, but my friend just got one of the 6's and put some 5zigens on it, man does it look nice in person. the 6's styling looks real real nice in person.

[UncleBen]

My buddy had a scrotege, err, protege and had no probs. Was a 2001. He drove the hell out of it. It was an ES, the nicest one you could get, auto, etc. It ran good, handled good (small car, what do you expect). He sold it and got an xterra though

[Mr1der]

there are a ton of them on the Mazda lot already. I've seen them by just driving by, but, havn't stopped to take a closer look. Looks like a nice car, I'm sure that it is. I hope that if they make a Mazda Speed version that it doesn't have cheap plastic intercooler piping like the Protege did.

don't think I'd call the plastic cheap personally, if you think about it, the plastic isn't gonna transfer heat anywhere near as bad and lead to a cooler charge, it might not as last as long or be as pretty, but hey, so long as nothing gets hot enough to melt it:D

did you know the Focus SVT uses a high heat plastic intake manifold?

Mazda apparently did a lot of R and D on the chasis of the protege when they built them, it's supposed to be very rigid and provide great handling. They tend to be quite a threat in SCCA racing...

[skydragoness]

I read a good article in Grassroots Motorsports last year about a 1st gen Protege and the equivalent Escort GT, they actually have had a lot of autocross success, and corksport.com has a lot of suspension upgrades for the two cars.

I was always a fan of the 1st gen turbo Familia:evilhaha