I'm looking at buying a Mazda 3. I know that they are new and new cars sometimes have bugs that need to be worked out. What are some of the problems the Mazda 3 has that may be fixed for the 2005? Should I get one now or wait for the 2005? Also, rumors of the MazdaSpeed 3 are crawling. What would you guess is the price and performace differences compared to the 2.3 Mazda3? Would it be better to buy a Mazda 3 s and then do aftermarket mods?
2004 Mazda 3? Or wait for 2005?
- Thread starter Boge
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Macadonious
Member
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- Maxda3
If you go through this forum you will notice that a few ppl have ranted about there problems with there new car. I would wait to 2005 if you can. As far as Mazdaspeed for the 2.3, it does not look good for the US market. Asian counties and maybe the European countries will recieve, but the US market is so much of a tight ass, we might not see it for awhile, if at all.
Traditionally almost any first year run of a car isn't the best idea to get. I know that the 3 had been in Japan for almost a year before coming here but just a word of caution. 2nd year models are almost always the best as all the problems have been fixed but the penny pinchers haven't gone and decontented the car yet. (Though the protege never had a problem adn just kept getting better!) I know that there were few problems with the 6 and I would hope that this would be the same with the 3. Whatever you decide, good luck.
malebastard
Member
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- Mazda3 sp23
I guess it would be how anxious you are to own one!!!!
I couldn't wait and had to have it there and then!!!
Even then i had to wait 2 weeks for it...
I couldn't wait and had to have it there and then!!!
Even then i had to wait 2 weeks for it...
Macadonious
Member
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- Maxda3
I wish the Mazdaspeed would come to the states. To me, the 3 is seriously underpowered. Then again, I was used to a 365HP(300whp) Acura Integra GSR
Not trynig to saying anything bad, in fact I probably would have gotten a 3 instead of the P5 but just from experience and from research into other cars, first year designs are always a bit more trouble prone. In anyway, odds are you're car will be just fine, even the worst lemons have only a small % of problems in the whole modle line. Otherwise the media gets all over it adn the manufacurer loses big time, (look at the 3rd gen RX7, Focus, etc.)
Protege' never had a problem????? jlanger get your facts straight.
I completely disagree with "jlanger". The Protege has had many problems and the many I had on my P5 speak for themselves....Transmission, A/C, Cruise Control, Rattles and more Rattles, and the infamous "cold noise" condition that was never fixed correctly on mine and always sounded like a diesel upon start up. Others have had problems with clutches, syncros and even suspension....All this on a car in its' "fourth" year of production run.
So "first year beware"????.....that is Wac!! As the P5 proved you can have manufacturer problems many years after a model has been out.
I completely disagree with "jlanger". The Protege has had many problems and the many I had on my P5 speak for themselves....Transmission, A/C, Cruise Control, Rattles and more Rattles, and the infamous "cold noise" condition that was never fixed correctly on mine and always sounded like a diesel upon start up. Others have had problems with clutches, syncros and even suspension....All this on a car in its' "fourth" year of production run.
So "first year beware"????.....that is Wac!! As the P5 proved you can have manufacturer problems many years after a model has been out.
The only thing I can think of, in the next year or two, is that they can sqeeze another 20 hp or so out of the 2.3L...
Case in point about 1st year cars: Had a '95 Maxima (1st year of new model), 100K miles. Only regular maintenance, and maybe an oxygen sensor or something.
Case in point about 1st year cars: Had a '95 Maxima (1st year of new model), 100K miles. Only regular maintenance, and maybe an oxygen sensor or something.
Macadonious said:
I've actually been keeping an eye out for posts like these and haven't really found anything substantial (mainly complaints about paint chipping, which is pretty much across the board these days with paint standards and regulations, and lack of certain features/comments on features). I haven't buckled down on my searches yet though, so...
I guess I need to do some reading on the late protege transmission problems I've heard people reference, and to make sure and check that the 3's 5-speed is the same tranny.
But I am watching out to see how the 3 fares. Come summertime I may look into purchasing a 5-speed 3s, and reliability is a big factor, which doesn't sit well with a 1st-year car...but that's how the financial cookie crumbled, so not much choice.
lj123023 said:
The 95's also had starter issues (I believe the 97s and replacements on 95-96s got a different design), as well as the dreaded bearing failure in the manual transmissions due to improperly measured shims...although that was fairly spotty, and ran at least through the 97s. The latter issue you generally didn't see until at least 50k, and no recall/service on it because it was spotty, but expensive for the people who ended up having to deal with it.
My dealer has only had one protege with tranny problems since the last 3 years I've been there. And it was a P5 that was driven by some punk ass kid who thought he was driving a rally car. The s*** this could used to do to his car was a pure sin.
I still think the majority of tranny problems in Protege's are partially the drivers fault. I know there have been some legit problems, and all cars you'll have a few, but i wouldn't call the tranny a pos by any means. It ain't no dodge
I've been trying to watch the Mazda 3 forum for problems as well since I'll probably go to a Mazdaspeed 3 sedan in 2005 if there is one. I can't say I have really found many. Apparantly a small clunking noise from the wheels while going over bumps(few complaints), chipping problems ( hello...every car does this side of a benz), and little stuff so far. But it's almost too early yet to judge.
I still think the majority of tranny problems in Protege's are partially the drivers fault. I know there have been some legit problems, and all cars you'll have a few, but i wouldn't call the tranny a pos by any means. It ain't no dodge
I've been trying to watch the Mazda 3 forum for problems as well since I'll probably go to a Mazdaspeed 3 sedan in 2005 if there is one. I can't say I have really found many. Apparantly a small clunking noise from the wheels while going over bumps(few complaints), chipping problems ( hello...every car does this side of a benz), and little stuff so far. But it's almost too early yet to judge.
Maz3sportGT
Member
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- Mazda 3 Sport GT
Hi!
Really it does depend on how excited you are about getting one. Just do what you feel is best to do. I have had my Mazda 3 Sport GT for about 2 weeks with about 500KM on it and no problems what so ever! Just break dust on the first 2 days and then that went away and its a perfect car now (thumb) It has all the power you are ever going to need unless you really like to race etc. Infact its more powerfull then some V6 3.0L cars out there. Not bad for a 4 cyl. Mazda really did a good job this time and I am very impressed with my 2004 Mazda 3. So really it depends on what you think you really want to do.
Good luck!
Really it does depend on how excited you are about getting one. Just do what you feel is best to do. I have had my Mazda 3 Sport GT for about 2 weeks with about 500KM on it and no problems what so ever! Just break dust on the first 2 days and then that went away and its a perfect car now (thumb) It has all the power you are ever going to need unless you really like to race etc. Infact its more powerfull then some V6 3.0L cars out there. Not bad for a 4 cyl. Mazda really did a good job this time and I am very impressed with my 2004 Mazda 3. So really it depends on what you think you really want to do.
Good luck!
Taylor5, We can certainly get into a peeing match about what exactly a "problem" is. Honestly Almost every car I've driven in had some kind of shakes and rattles no matter how old it really was (Premium luxury cars are a different sort mind you but you do pay for it.) As for the loud noise, many cars are that way, I consider that a quirk of the design, it doesn't hurt anything, the engine works fine w/o issues.
The A/C issue I agree on however I consider that quite small to some of the issues I've had with other cars, ie contours and thier plastic water pump impeler.
I'm just saying that first year cars tend to have more issues no manufacture can predict exactly how the car will hold up in the first year. They certainly try though.
After owning 2 protege's now and having family own other mazda's I think that hte quality is pretty good. There have been some lemons, as every car manufacture has, BMW 750 anyone?
The A/C issue I agree on however I consider that quite small to some of the issues I've had with other cars, ie contours and thier plastic water pump impeler.
I'm just saying that first year cars tend to have more issues no manufacture can predict exactly how the car will hold up in the first year. They certainly try though.
After owning 2 protege's now and having family own other mazda's I think that hte quality is pretty good. There have been some lemons, as every car manufacture has, BMW 750 anyone?
Yeah if you really want a 2004, but can afford to wait, wait until the 05s arrive. The 04s came around November, so the 05s should be here around the same time. Once they do, the dealerships will want to get rid of the 04s. I was first looking at the Mazda3, but decided to get a P5, because they weren't budging from MSRP on the 3, but sold me the P5 for $15.5K (sticker was $18.3K).
SpeedKing109
Member
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- 04 MX3 5 Door ~manual~
Its up to you.
It depends you can wait till MX3 in 05 and get the MX3 04 for a cheaper price I really dont think they made any improve on the MX3 05 I went to the Michigan auto show and all they did to the car is preaty much made 2 exhuast instead of one and probably like 5 more hp there not going to make the MX3 05 to 170hp correct if I am wrong but I bealive I think the there are going to make the mx3 o5 to like 6 more hp more (maybe) so It depends to you I Bought my MX3 04 so I can add the aftermarket parts on it think about it the older it is the more parts.
Boge said:
It depends you can wait till MX3 in 05 and get the MX3 04 for a cheaper price I really dont think they made any improve on the MX3 05 I went to the Michigan auto show and all they did to the car is preaty much made 2 exhuast instead of one and probably like 5 more hp there not going to make the MX3 05 to 170hp correct if I am wrong but I bealive I think the there are going to make the mx3 o5 to like 6 more hp more (maybe) so It depends to you I Bought my MX3 04 so I can add the aftermarket parts on it think about it the older it is the more parts.
Macadonious said:
I saw pictures at my dealer last week of the mazda 3 speed, it will feature a 2.3 liter turbocharged engine, sick body kit, sick mags and all the goodies you'd expect, it's like nothing else, trust me, if you want a modified car, wait for the Mazda 3 speed to come out, shouldnt be more than a year or two, In the mean time, I will try to get my hands on those pictures so I can post them here.
