Mazdaspeed 3 & reliability

[Super Unique]

Looking to trade out of my rock crawling 06 jeep wrangler into a mazdaspeed 3

I will need this car to last me until over 100k miles over 6 years, can I reasonably expect this kind of service life with the turbo powertrain?

I have very good habits concerning engine maintenance, my last 2 cars enjoyed full synthetic fluids, oil changed @ 3 to 5k intervals, and spot check engine oil analysis to ensure things were going well.

These warranty denial threads are worrying me a bit since I do all my own maintenance @ this point.

I will absolutely be keeping the powertrain completely stock, no mods.

ps. What is the current warranty length/miles for the 2008.5 Mazdaspeed 3 models?
The srt4 caliber made me walk away with their measely 3/36 warranty when all the rest of their products get lifetime.

 

[hilmar2k]

If properly maintained, 100k should not be an issue. With the DISI motor, keep your oil change intervals shorter than usual and use synthetic oil. Penzzoil Platinum seems to handle the fuel dilution problem with the DISI motor the best.

As far as warranty denial, I think most of them have to do with significant mods, which it doesn't sound like you will be doing. I wouldn't worry about it.

The warranty is 3/36 basic and 5/60 powertrain.

 

[Super Unique]

I am just looking to have a practical yet spirited performing car, since the vast majority of my driving is on the interstate @ 70 mph for the most part. most 4 cylinders feel vastly underpowered to me, and the mazdaspeed 3 is an absolute joy to drive Test drive blew me away.....

 

[Super Unique]

Here is my current monster which is eating me out of house & home in gas prices...

 

[rosskoss]

I am just looking to have a practical yet spirited performing car, since the vast majority of my driving is on the interstate @ 70 mph for the most part. most 4 cylinders feel vastly underpowered to me, and the mazdaspeed 3 is an absolute joy to drive Test drive blew me away.....

You're in the exact same position that I'm in (except different car)

I want power, style, handling, practicality and reliability. Oh yeah.....the test drive blew me away. Odd considering that the previous car that I testdrove was a 350Z.

 

[MS3077]

I think it's mainly the monstrous amount of torque that the MS3 has that convinces most ppl to buy it after a test drive. It definitely played a factor with me coming from a torque- less wonder 07 civic si.

The mid-range torque makes this car a really fun daily driver.

 

[08cosmic3]

Very nice Jeep. Keep it and buy a Speed 3. Best of both worlds, on and off road.

 

[Super Unique]

Very nice Jeep. Keep it and buy a Speed 3. Best of both worlds, on and off road.

I live in Florida, the few places we had to ride are now closed. Might as well hang a sign where you cross into florida that says "No offroading allowed here"

 

[AeroSquid]

With the DISI motor, keep your oil change intervals shorter than usual and use synthetic oil. Penzzoil Platinum seems to handle the fuel dilution problem with the DISI motor the best.

how did you form this opinion?

 

[Super Unique]

The oil change interval, the only way to be sure is to put in good synthetic and filter, then do analysis on it @ 3k, if thats showing great, stretch it to 4, analyze and keep going with it until you find a comfortable place to run it.

I did this on my previous vehicles without issue, if you analysis shows good up to 7k, just dont forget to test it @ 7k once in a while to keep an eye on it.

oil isn't rocket science. Now as far as warranty coverage, your probaly better off giving the dealer service department your business every 3k on a simple dino service. this keeps them happy, and doesn't kill your pocketbook. I may in fact follow this routine with the car.

 

[Super Unique]

The reason this topic matters so much to me is a previous car of mine. A 2000 toyota avalon XLS which I had the oil changes done @ the dealer service department. @ 38k the engine grenaded and the first word out of their mouth was I didn't change my oil. I said check your records again, since you guys do it. If I hadn't been able to prove it, they wouldn't have fixed it. The avalon grenaded 2 more times, new engine each time. OUCH

Interestingly enough, this was the most expensive car I ever owned, and the only one I ever had an engine just explode on me going down the road. Prior to this toyota, I never had any engine problem ever.

 

[smakdown61]

The reason this topic matters so much to me is a previous car of mine. A 2000 toyota avalon XLS which I had the oil changes done @ the dealer service department. @ 38k the engine grenaded and the first word out of their mouth was I didn't change my oil. I said check your records again, since you guys do it. If I hadn't been able to prove it, they wouldn't have fixed it. The avalon grenaded 2 more times, new engine each time. OUCH

Interestingly enough, this was the most expensive car I ever owned, and the only one I ever had an engine just explode on me going down the road. Prior to this toyota, I never had any engine problem ever.

Changing your own oil will NOT void your warranty. There is no wear in the contract that states you must have the dealer change your oil. If they ever give you BS after an engine died, for $30 you can get a UOA done and shove the results in their face.

 

[Super Unique]

normally I would agree with you. But when your standing in the service bay and they just pulled 10 lbs of coked up sludge from your oil pan and heads, where does the onus lie in regards to the cause of the problem?

I knew I was doing my part to keep the engine healthy. Problem is toyota designed the oil passages in the head too small, and this caused it to cook the oil no matter how often you change it out. There was a large number of these cars doing the same thing, but they used the excuse "failure to properly service oil and filter" as the reason for the problem, when in fact they knew it really was something else.

After the fact later on they admitted their problem and helped more people out. I was one of the unlucky first several hundred victims in the scheme. The fact that the car did it 3 times in a row, every 30k right on the button, has caused to vow "never another toyota, EVER" in my driveway. Call me a liar once it upsets. Do it three times over and I understandably would like to kick your face in.

 

[hilmar2k]

how did you form this opinion?

Well, I form opinions in one of two ways. Some are unfounded and riddled with bias. This one, however, came from reading a bunch of threads in various forums. Some over at BITOG, and some in other Mazda forums.

 

[jred321]

i say if you want reliable go with a civic si

 

[koston33]

all I can say is that on consumer reports it says that it;s above average reliability. Since your not modding it just like they didn't I would say your pretty safe. It got an awesome review on Consumer Reports, I would say to check on their, it got the highest score in its class.

 

[Savate]

Not to mention Ward's 10 best engine again....got to mean something there.

 

[Super Unique]

Well, in the interest of loving the way this car drives, and keeping it operational throughout my intended lengthy ownership of the car, I extended the bumper to bumper warranty out to 100,000 miles. Simple math said it was worth $1,000 to never have to worry about engine failures and turning wrenches, now I don't have to worry so much about wearing the car out before it's paid for.