How reliable is mazda?

[tinng321]

I went to test drive the 2010 mazdaspeed3 on Sat and really like it.
For some reason it felt quicker and faster than my stang. It's probably is.
My family has never owned a mazda until recently when my parents and bro bought the mazda 6. How reliable is mazda in general? Is the naturally aspirated engine more reliable than the turbo?
Majority of the reviews I read have been positive.

Thanks,
Tin

[Alex]

Ours have been pretty reliable. I've got a '07 Speed3 that's a whole pile of fun.

[Snake]

Mazda makes very good cars
On onother note I can't believe they are the only manufacturer that uses the rotary engine.

[Sailariel]

Had a Ford Escort that had a Mazda Engine and Trans. We put 230,000 miles on it with just routine stuff--oil changes, and a new exhaust system. Unbelievably reliable.

[ScraitT]

My friend has a 2004 Mazda 3, and that thing has something new break on it every 3 months. I'm not sure if it's because the 04 was a first year run, or because he's just damn unlucky....but he has vowed to never buy a Mazda again.
It's on it's 3rd engine. The first was probably his driving, but the 2nd engine they put a computer on to monitor his driving and it still blew, so now he is on the 3rd. It's had 4, yes 4 engine mounts replaced. The reach hatch mechanism has been replaced 2 times. A window motor once, and I'm not sure what else, but I know there is more. I know his dash is cracked, but that is very common on the 3.
On top of that, it's now 5 years old and his paint it starting to peel. In comparison my car is 3 months newer and I have only ever washed it once...my paint is still perfect.


Now most reviewers and magazines have rated the car as extremely reliable and most owners have no problems. You rarely run into a Mazda owner who doesn't love their car.
I'd say look at the masses over one incident, but it IS a mazda 3.

I'm not sure what is cursed on his car, but it really is a heap.

[Nevrfastenuf]

The speed 3 is a pretty fun little car, I would have one but they were marked up $6,000 here when I was looking to buy one a few years back so I went with the speed 6 instead. Over the last 5 years I have owned a Mazda 6 wagon for the wife, a speed 6 and now I have a Mazda 3 so I can have some extra money for things like the bike ;-) I never had a problem with any of my three Mazdas and both my brothers speed 6 that he had for a couple years and my sisters Mazda 3 that she has had for a little over 4 years have had zero problems.

Over the years I have seen some threads on the speed 6 and 3 forums that showed some rods through the side of the block, but none of them were stock. Speed 3's had engine mount problems for a while and speed 6's had weak rear diff mounts but the engines and transmissions seemed to be pretty reliable.

No car is perfect and you will always find a few people that have had problems, but overall Mazda seems to make a pretty decent car for the money.

I haven't read much about the 2010 speed 3 yet so I can't really comment on that one...the only thing I would warn about is if you want to make any modifications at all this may not be the best car...the main reason I did not buy my speed 6 at the end of my lease was because of all the horror stories I had heard from owners of modified cars that needed warranty work done...a lot of the dealers are very strict about anything being done to the car. I can understand if they don't want to replace your blown motor because there is a huge turbo now bolted to it that wasn't there when they sold it, but they will illegally fight to not replace a faulty throttle position sensor because you put stiffer springs on it and other silly things like that, they really are just about the worst when it comes to things like that.

They are great cars and if you decide to get one become very good friends with you service department or find a good dealer that will work with people that have mods if you plan on doing anything.

Sorry to rant about the warranty stuff, I really liked my speed 6 and wanted to keep it, but after looking at buying an evo 9 and seeing the long list of acceptable aftermarket parts that would not void the warranty if I chose to upgrade, I have never looked at the Mazda warranty problems the same way.

[Lars]

No matter what brand of car you are interested in, its probably easy to find people who have bought lemons.

That being said, I own a 2006 Mazdaspeed 6. The only issue I've had with it was the key-less entry/ignition system sometimes crapping out (its happened only a couple times since I bought it). It's an absolute blast to drive, quite comfortable (I've got mine fully loaded), and very practical for these harsh New England winters (AWD + snow tires).

[tjkamper]

Good vehicles. Reliable and fun, but they are pricey when they do break. But hey all vehicles cost an arm and a leg to fix now-a-days. If you like the car. Go with your heart. There really are very few poorly made cares on the market anymore.

[gizmogamez]

I know many ppl with 07 and 08 mazda 3's, they all love them, and no major problems yet.
I also have 2 friends who just bought the 2010 mazda 3's and really love them as well.

as for engine problems i know that they are aware of an issue with the 2.3L engines prior to 2010, but they released a recall and offered a free fix. (still very few ppl i know actually had an engine problem....only 1 actually)

I used to own an MX-6 and it was reliable (over 300k KM) and a blast to drive. I would buy mazda again, and I intend to when the mazda 2/ford fiesta is released next feb or so....

[tinng321]

Thanks everyone.
I went back to the dealer where my parents and bro bought their cars and offer 22k for the sport, which is about 2k less than msrp. I can't believe they wouldn't sell it to me for that price after we've bought 2 cars from them.
I wanted one with the tech package (+$1800), but non of dealer around here has one. I got a quote from a dealer further north for the mzs3 with tech package for 23500+ destination charge + transportation cost (cuz they don't have one in stock)= $24787. MSRP is $25840. I'm not really saving much here. If I can get it for 24000 I'll buy it.

[coffeecandy]

I usually do internet sales by going through the free price quote feature on MSN. helped friends and family buy several cars that way. http://autos.msn.com/default.aspx

I actually never owned a mazda nor worked on one so YMMV

[tinng321]

It's so hard to bargain on this car.
I think i'm going to offer 24500 for the mzs3 with tech package.
This will be my first turbo car.
How is one supposed to drive a turbo car?
Is there certain things that one shouldn't do to prevent the engine blowing.
I've heard that driving with boost in low rpm will result in a blown engine.
Is that true?

[Alex]

Turbos are much less finicky than they once were. With better cooling now, it's no longer required to keep the engine running for a long while after parking the car. In years past if you did that the oil would coke up and cause premature seal failure. The Mazda engine does run some pretty high boost (almost 16 psi) and has quite a high compression ratio for a turbo. The electronics on it dial things back enough to keep the engine reasonably reliable. For example, at max revs, the ECU actually has already dialed the throttle back almost 50%. The throttle pedal is only an electronic switch wired to the ECU, which then decides the right amount to actually open the throttle plates.

Open up the breathing, including just adding a cold-air intake, and it can cause some overboost issues if you go full throttle at low revs. Causes the engine to stutter as it hits its boost limit, releases it, and comes back on again. For max speed and smoothness, the car responds best to keeping it between 4k and 6k RPM, even when running it hard. Nothing to be gained winding it out to redline, and keeping it much lower than 4k doesn't allow for full power. Very different from the high-revving honda engines I was used to, but the torque and response from this motor is almost unbelievable.

[tinng321]

Thanks for the education Alex.
Like you said, I've heard people mentioned that they have to leave their car idle for 30 sec before turning it off and let it run for at least 30 sec before take off. My bro thinks that cruising at the lowest possible rpm is the safest way. Would you say he's wrong on this?
Another question.
When some one says "stay out of boost". What does he mean by that?
Can you actually drive without boost? Is turbo constant or it only kick in at certain rpm?

Thanks,
Tin

[cifex]

A turbo is always spinning. Its just an impeller connected to the exhaust which forces air into the cylinders via another impeller. When you gun it, you'll feel and hear the turbo kick in (there is a brief delay). Usually you'll have some kinda of pressure gauge on the dash for the turbo. -Saab 9-5 Turbo

[Alex]

Originally Posted by tinng321

When some one says "stay out of boost". What does he mean by that? Can you actually drive without boost? Is turbo constant or it only kick in at certain rpm?

A turbo is basically a well-engineered feedback loop. The faster exhaust gases are forced out of the engine, the faster the impeller turns, which then forces more pressure into the intake side, which causes even faster exhaust gases, which turns the impeller even faster; you get the idea. That's why people talk about turbo lag. The lag on the MZ3 isn't bad at all, and nothing like in past turbos where the lag could be a second or more from flooring the throttle before you felt the boost start to kick in. You can stay out of boost by being very light on the throttle, and keeping the revs somewhat moderate. Once the revs get high enough, even under light throttle the turbo will be spooling up a big, but it won't go to full boost unless there's at least a good amount of throttle. The car, at least the 2007 version, doesn't come with a stock boost gauge but many people add one. I use a ScanGauge which provides an electronic boost gauge as well as a number of other useful features.

[cifex]

I'm reaching here, but I think older turbos used something called a waste gate to bypass the impeller at low pressures and the lag was the time it took it to close. Any insight Alex?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Xorro]

We had an 02 Mazda 636 estate which was indestructible

I currently drive an 07 Speed3 (Or Mazda 3 MPS as it's known here), love the car, quite stealthy as a lot of people don't realise how quick there are The only problem I have had is with corrosion on the alloy wheels after about 10,000 miles, but got all 4 replaced under warranty.

For the guys that own Speed3's you are very welcome to join my forums at http://www.pure-mps.org , we have members from all over the world.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by cifex

I'm reaching here, but I think older turbos used something called a waste gate to bypass the impeller at low pressures and the lag was the time it took it to close. Any insight Alex?
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm not a turbo guru, but I don't think that's the gist of it. The waste-gate (on the exhaust side of the turbo system) or blow-off valve (on the intake side of the turbo system) are only there to allow the excess pressure to bleed out once the turbo has hit maximum boost. The time it takes the turbo to spool up is what causes the lag. Some info here. To combat turbo lag, that why a number of modern cars have gone to twin-turbos, one very small one that spools up very quickly, and a much larger one that can provide more boost once things really get moving. All of the new BMW turbo's are like that.

[tinng321]

Thanks again guys.
I'm pretty set on this car.
One last question before I sign my life away after work today.
The car msrp is $23195 + $750 (Destination) = $23945.
I want the tech package which include navi, push start button, and other goodies for another $1800.
$23945 + $1800 = $25745. The best deal I got is $24787. A saving of about $1k.
What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Tin

[coffeecandy]

I think there are better cars and deals out there for the price.....

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by coffeecandy

I think there are better cars and deals out there for the price.....

Can you give me some examples?
I am very tempted to walk in there and sign the paper work.

Thanks,
Tin

[Apex]

Do you want handling or power?

If you want handling, you really can't beat the predictability of the Miata.

Power, well, I'd say get a slightly used mustang for about 15k, then dump 4k into a blower and you are set with a 450hp beast.

A mix of both? Well it then gets interesting.

I honestly love the WRX. The new ones have 260hp, 5spd manual, and all wheel drive. Great handling, good power, just good all around. I want one, my wife doesn't. I'll live without it.


EDIT: Not to mention Mazda supports racers. If you are a member of NASA (National AutoSport Association), you get discounts on parts for your Mazda. They are huge in the amateur racing series. That is one reason people love Mazda in NASA.

[cifex]

Sport Cooper for the win!

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by Apex

Do you want handling or power?

If you want handling, you really can't beat the predictability of the Miata.

Power, well, I'd say get a slightly used mustang for about 15k, then dump 4k into a blower and you are set with a 450hp beast.

A mix of both? Well it then gets interesting.

I honestly love the WRX. The new ones have 260hp, 5spd manual, and all wheel drive. Great handling, good power, just good all around. I want one, my wife doesn't. I'll live without it.


EDIT: Not to mention Mazda supports racers. If you are a member of NASA (National AutoSport Association), you get discounts on parts for your Mazda. They are huge in the amateur racing series. That is one reason people love Mazda in NASA.

I had a mustang. I need something i can driving during the winter. WRX is nice but I never like the styling + it costs more than the mzs3. Cooper and Miata are nice but not practical. I need room to carry stuff around.
Honesty, I can't think of any other cars with all the goodies and power for that price.

[patw]

Not sure if they're available down there yet, but Mitsu makes a decent hatch now with the Lancer Sportback. I have the toned down 170hp version, and it's still reasonably peppy, but I hear the AWD Raliart version with the 250hp engine is significantly more so.

Can't beat a performance hatch for practicality

[coffeecandy]

I can think of a lot of ways to spend 25k.

buying stocks for example and doubling or even tripling your money

getting a nice beater car such as a 5 speed Honda Accord or 5 speed civic to commute which can be had for 500 dollars to 2k

Another motorcycle for 3-4k

A truck for 4k to 5k then you can go to trackdays.

Do you want luxury and fun? 6 speed Acura TL is a really reliable car and has over 250hp

Honda S2000 are nice and fun and get great gas mileage along with 240 hp and a 6speed manual. I've seen them go for 12k

c5 corvettes are 12k now which can get over 30mpg due to their 6th gear.

You know what...get a mazda and maybe you can report back what you like or dislike. I know people with mazda's that love them and are hard core fans of them. I'm a mitsubishi (evo), subaru (wrx-sti, outlander), 5 speed honda(civic, accord, s2000, CV-V) , toyota(camry, highlander, corolla), Acura (Tl, TSX, RL, MDX), ford (mustang) and chevy (camaro, corvette), Scion (xB) fan. I'm not a big fan of Nissan or Mazda.

I also take into consideration the cost of buying oil filters and oil, and maintenance items such as timing belts, trans fluid and flushes, air filter when purchasing a car. So far Timing belts are bleh to me but timing chains are the way to go. If you do go with the mazda make sure there is a timing chain instead of a timing belt. I know the current Evo's using timing chains instead of belts. They used timing belts before in the past.

Turbo cars require premium gas and the maintenance occurs more often depending on how you drive and turbo's are a maintenance item which may or may not last 100k.

better cars and better deals are out there. Not necessarily new but are really nice cars.

[ScraitT]

Some people just want a new car so there's no worries or problems to think about (usually). You definitely pay a premium for it, but it's worth it to some.

I generally buy new cars. It's my daily driver, and i commute and drive for work, so I don;t want to risk being caught on the side of the road. Sure, the chances of a year old car breaking down are about as slim as a brand new car, but I know the car from day one.

Also, there's virtually no newer cars that require premium (I believer there might be a very select few). You can run regular and the engine will change the timing a bit. Generally you loose some HP and your mpg might drop slightly (making the savings on regular void) but you can run regular if you choose.

[Apex]

I say get what you want. If you don't then you won't be happy with what you do get.

If the mazda fits the bill, then get it. Sounds like you know what you want.

[Sound Wave]

mazdas are great cars. i had an 86 323, a 96 b2300 truck, a 90 miata, and a 04 mazda 3. all of them were great reliable vehicles.

as far as the idling for 30 seconds goes, i just make sure i stay out of boost for about about 3-5 minutes while driving around before i shut down the engine. also, using synthetic oils will help to prevent oil coking.

[gizmogamez]

it's up to each person to say if the car is worth the $$$ they are asking for it, but if sales down there are like here then I understand why they won't budge much on the price....it's cuz they don't have to. Car sales are down every where and yet the mazda 3's are still rolling off the lot just as fast as they can get them in. If you don't want it for what they are willing to take then some other person will be willing to walk in and pay it.

[Sinister]

The MS3 is on my short list of cars to replace my '06 si. I dont dig 4 doors but ilike the ones ive seen in person. My big qualm with it was being FWD but it does at least have a LSD which was a major factor in my si purchase.

As far as turbo care nowadays, use a good synthetic oil (i always used mobile 1 in my turbo cars) and drive the last mile or so gently to cool things off and you'll be fine. Although turbo care is kinda like breaking in an engine. Ask 10 different people how to do it right and you'll get 9 different answers with the last guy saying "whats breaking in mean?"

[Xorro]

The LSD does help a bit but you still have to fight the torque steer.

[istreefitty]

there are tons of cars that are in the mid 20k range that offer as much power and better styling (i am not a fan of the hatchback)

you have the new v6 camero that starts at 25 but no tech package.

a slightly cheaper option with slighly less power is the civic si which is closer to 20k otd with tech package.

I thinkt he new GTI (which is amazing) can be had for arounf 25k

WRX start at 25k

Genisis coupe some what equipped for 25k

then there are a plethra of used slightly used cars for that much that include 350z to mustang gts to bmw M3s.

The Mazda is a great car for that price range definatly. What bothers me is for <5k more you have sooo many better options of cars that are equipped just as well. GL with it and you really cant go wrong with the mazda, just I am not a fan of the wagon look

[Alex]

Originally Posted by istreefitty

there are tons of cars that are in the mid 20k range that offer as much power

I can't think of a single new car that has at least the same amount of power as the MS3 at the same price. The GTI is down 60+ hp and 70+ torque, the WRX is down 40 hp and more expensive, and the STI which does have more motor is 15K more expensive, the Genesis with the 4 is down 50 hp, and with the 6 is more expensive, the Camaro 6 may start at 25, but go try and buy one for that right now, the civic si is down 60+ hp and 140+ torque, the Evo has a little more power (and 4wd), but is 15k+ more expensive. The MS3 has won every single comparison test it's ever entered in every US car mag since it's been released, against any and all of its obvious competitors.

The only way to get more power for the price, better handling for the price, better braking for the price, better utility for the price, better features for the price, is to buy a used car that initially sold for quite a bit more than the MS3. If saving $ by buying used is attractive to folks, than so be it. Heck, you can pick up 5+ year old Boxsters now for < $20K.

[Sound Wave]

i think especially if the 3 is going to be the only car, it is extremely practical. the interior is quite roomy and with the fold down rear seats and hatch, you are able to carry a bunch larger stuff.

i am out of the loop, but the amount of aftermarket parts available were quite extensive at the time.

i only had the base 3 (the ms3 wasn't out yet), but i was really impressed with the handling of it. i can imagine how much more fun that car would have been with the ms3's 100+ increase in hp.

[Sinister]

I test drove the 4T genesis a couple weeks ago. It with the track package was also on my list of Si replacements. I was sorely disappointed. I took it up into the hills a little and while the interior was a nice place to be, the engine felt gutless and had no.... soul.. to it. Dont ask me how an engine with 80-ish more peak torque can feel gutless next to the Si's, but it did. I definately wont be buying one.

I am keeping my eyes on the 2011 model year (I think) mustangs with the direct injected 320-ish hp 6cyl. Depends on if they give the car a real rear suspension. And final pricing of course.

[tinng321]

Originally Posted by Alex

I can't think of a single new car that has at least the same amount of power as the MS3 at the same price. The GTI is down 60+ hp and 70+ torque, the WRX is down 40 hp and more expensive, and the STI which does have more motor is 15K more expensive, the Genesis with the 4 is down 50 hp, and with the 6 is more expensive, the Camaro 6 may start at 25, but go try and buy one for that right now, the civic si is down 60+ hp and 140+ torque, the Evo has a little more power (and 4wd), but is 15k+ more expensive. The MS3 has won every single comparison test it's ever entered in every US car mag since it's been released, against any and all of its obvious competitors.

The only way to get more power for the price, better handling for the price, better braking for the price, better utility for the price, better features for the price, is to buy a used car that initially sold for quite a bit more than the MS3. If saving $ by buying used is attractive to folks, than so be it. Heck, you can pick up 5+ year old Boxsters now for < $20K.

I have to agree with Alex. There isn't a single car that beat the mazdaspeed3 in value for the buck. The power is good. Almost as good as the old evo but at least $10k less. I did look at the wrx hatch too. It has about the sample power but start out at $26k compares to $23k for the 3. Plus mazda tech package is so cheap compares to other manufacturers. The most impressive thing about the speed3 is that it's fun to drive. I had a blast test driving it. I'm not a big fan of fwd but I would rather have fwd than rwd during the winter. One thing I like about mazda is that they make things easy for the buyers. You either get 1 with out the tech package or 1 with the tech package.
Anyhow, I drove 60 miles to the dealer to sign paper work and put a deposite on a 2010 speed 3 with tech package. 60 miles is far but it worth the $700 saving. I'm getting it for $24747 before tax and registration. Now, I have to wait for them to pick up the car from another dealer in NYC. Waiting anxiously for their phone call.

Thanks everyone again....

[edwinmcq]

You can do a lot worse than a Mazda 3. It is a very solid machine. I went for the GTI Autobahn, but would have been perfectly happy the other direction. The main "quality" issues with this genre of car has more to do with owners rather than car. If you buy it and leave it alone it will run forever. If you buy it and decide to re-engineer it at home...well I think we all know how that goes in the bike world.

[Apex]

Honda Civic hatch 92-95 + B16 + Hondata + RevHard Stg 3 Turbo Kit = Lots of FWD smoking goodness (and for cheap)