Where do you get Mazda repair parts?

[buddywh]

Where do you get common repair parts for your 4th gen Mazda 3? In particular I'm talking about struts and brake calipers. The platform is like 5 years on the market and there are very few to be found, and even fewer if keeping to a quality brand.

I'm not talking about performance upgrade parts from places like Corksport. I'm talking about OEM equivalent.

And why are they so hard to find? It just doesn't make sense.

 

[N7turbo]

Have you checked NAPA, Tirerack, Rockauto?

 

[buddywh]

Have you checked NAPA, Tirerack, Rockauto?

Yes I have...none of them have brake calipers or struts.

 

[negusm]

I go to the Mazda dealer for OEM parts.

I did get KYB struts for my 2008 and those are very similar to OEM. But if you want OEM you've always had to go to the dealer (or use a discount online Mazda dealer).

 

[buddywh]

I go to the Mazda dealer for OEM parts.

I did get KYB struts for my 2008 and those are very similar to OEM. But if you want OEM you've always had to go to the dealer (or use a discount online Mazda dealer).

Thanks but I'm trying to find sources for quality parts aside from OEM from dealerships. I think KYB, for instance, are at least OEM equivalent struts but I can't find any for a 2021 Mazda 3.

If I have to pay the price for OEM at a dealership I think I'd much prefer to pay it for decent performance coilovers like Corksport's.

 

[negusm]

Well, as you've found out the "mid-class" parts industry has basically been dead for 5-10 years now.
You get to pick from:
OEM
trash Chinese garbage
niche performance parts.

There was a time I could go to NAPA and get better than average quality but all the parts suppliers raced to the bottom and here we are.

Obligatory:

MOOG Sucks

As you can probably tell in this video, I’m pretty mad at MOOG. Normally I wouldn’t call out a company like this, but enough is enough. If it was one part th...

www.youtube.com

 

[buddywh]

Well, as you've found out the "mid-class" parts industry has basically been dead for 5-10 years now.
You get to pick from:
OEM
trash Chinese garbage
niche performance parts.

There was a time I could go to NAPA and get better than average quality but all the parts suppliers raced to the bottom and here we are.

Obligatory:

MOOG Sucks

As you can probably tell in this video, I’m pretty mad at MOOG. Normally I wouldn’t call out a company like this, but enough is enough. If it was one part th...

www.youtube.com

The thing is: I can't even find cheap Chinese junk replacement struts or rear calipers.

Luckily, my '21 Mz3 is not in need of anything, I'm just worrying about the future. I do wonder what's happened that this has come to be though.

 

[negusm]

2021 is a tad too new for aftermarket parts. Most of that stuff is still under warranty and won't break yet.

 

[buddywh]

2021 is a tad too new for aftermarket parts. Most of that stuff is still under warranty and won't break yet.

That's what I'm hoping to be the case, but this is the 4th gen platform that's been out since 2019 so it's going on 6 years now. And these parts are (or should be) fairly common across the platform, probably common even across the company.

Many parts are common even to other car brands, often with sometimes slight changes. It's just a matter of matching up specs and dimensions but suppliers can't do that if the company (Mazda) doesn't make them available.