Hi all, This Mazda has been in my family since new. I have acquired it 3 months ago after my dad upgraded to a 2023 Camry.
As the title suggests, the car has over 284,000KM on it, maybe 60% city driving. The car has an extensive maintenance history. The only thing which hasn't been done yet according to maintenance schedule would be the fuel filter.
Oil changes every 5-7500KM with only oil filter change at 3-4000KM (I use 5w30/5w40 in winter and 5w40/10w30 in summer)
Three full transmission services (filter and fluid change, car will be going in for its fourth transmission service at the end of this month)
Front control arms and one of the tie rods needed to be replaced earlier this year. The suspension is in fair condition for the mileage
The serpentine belt was badly worn and required urgent replacement one year ago. You can check for sounds of worn belts during a cold start idle. Rest of the belts appear to be in good condition
Full coolant flush. Turns out the mechanic shop used some sort of Prestone Asian car blend. It was also green in colour. No issues...
Original brakes lasted until 160,000KM.
Spark plugs have been replaced twice
The only real issue to note would have been a seized parking brake. No points against Mazda. These cars were never designed to be used in regions with extensive salt use in winter.
Now.. I know that the ECU in these engines apparently are not designed to be used with premium "91 octane" fuel. Ever since 277,000KM, I have only used ethanol-free 91 octane fuel in this car. The more I drive this this fuel, the more I notice my fuel economy and overall engine performance continues to improve. Power output has improved subjectively speaking. I can confirm this because the transmission now shifts at a hair under 6000RPM when going full throttle (without kickdown). Before, the transmission shifted at 5500RPM in first gear and no more than 5700RPM in second or third.
I have managed to achieve an amazing 5.8 or 5.9L/100KM (Better than even the EPA estimate) in highway driving, with no wind on a flat surface. I average 6.2L/100KM in a mix of highway, county one lane roads and some city driving in busy Greater Toronto Area. The increase in fuel economy as compared to before has easily paid itself off in contrast to using regular ethanol blended fuels.
Overall, I am exceedingly happy with this car. The car is quite responsive and very engaging around turns. The chassis balance for FWD is phenomenal. The only real complaint I can think of would be the seating position. I am 6'4. Getting the seat a bit lower would be nice. The seat feels tight around the bolsters, but it is very comfortable and supportive. Head room is lacking when sitting passenger. Leg room is excellent in the back seat, even sitting behind myself.
As the title suggests, the car has over 284,000KM on it, maybe 60% city driving. The car has an extensive maintenance history. The only thing which hasn't been done yet according to maintenance schedule would be the fuel filter.
Oil changes every 5-7500KM with only oil filter change at 3-4000KM (I use 5w30/5w40 in winter and 5w40/10w30 in summer)
Three full transmission services (filter and fluid change, car will be going in for its fourth transmission service at the end of this month)
Front control arms and one of the tie rods needed to be replaced earlier this year. The suspension is in fair condition for the mileage
The serpentine belt was badly worn and required urgent replacement one year ago. You can check for sounds of worn belts during a cold start idle. Rest of the belts appear to be in good condition
Full coolant flush. Turns out the mechanic shop used some sort of Prestone Asian car blend. It was also green in colour. No issues...
Original brakes lasted until 160,000KM.
Spark plugs have been replaced twice
The only real issue to note would have been a seized parking brake. No points against Mazda. These cars were never designed to be used in regions with extensive salt use in winter.
Now.. I know that the ECU in these engines apparently are not designed to be used with premium "91 octane" fuel. Ever since 277,000KM, I have only used ethanol-free 91 octane fuel in this car. The more I drive this this fuel, the more I notice my fuel economy and overall engine performance continues to improve. Power output has improved subjectively speaking. I can confirm this because the transmission now shifts at a hair under 6000RPM when going full throttle (without kickdown). Before, the transmission shifted at 5500RPM in first gear and no more than 5700RPM in second or third.
I have managed to achieve an amazing 5.8 or 5.9L/100KM (Better than even the EPA estimate) in highway driving, with no wind on a flat surface. I average 6.2L/100KM in a mix of highway, county one lane roads and some city driving in busy Greater Toronto Area. The increase in fuel economy as compared to before has easily paid itself off in contrast to using regular ethanol blended fuels.
Overall, I am exceedingly happy with this car. The car is quite responsive and very engaging around turns. The chassis balance for FWD is phenomenal. The only real complaint I can think of would be the seating position. I am 6'4. Getting the seat a bit lower would be nice. The seat feels tight around the bolsters, but it is very comfortable and supportive. Head room is lacking when sitting passenger. Leg room is excellent in the back seat, even sitting behind myself.
