anything good to say?

[jsradema]

i just bought my mp3 with 13,500 miles. it sounds like everyone is having all kinds of problems with theirs. why? these cars are brand new in my book. i have already been to the shop with mine (the sway bar noise). i thought that mazda was suppose to make good cars. did i just make a mistake by getting this? i love the car. it is fun to drive but is it worth the hassel?

did they do testing on these cars before they went into production? is there any recalls for defective parts?

just looking for some reassurance that i made the right decision in buying this car.

 

[BlueMP5Dave]

I really hope for the MP3 crowd that somebody in the Mazda community meaning Factory wise, can solve the infamous clunking noise, permanently. I have had my P3 ES for almost 2 years now. The only thing it has been in the shop for was the power steering blew a seal because my system froze in -40f weather. Other than that one thing, my ownership experience has been flawless. I have taken apart and put back together many Honda ,Volkswagons, and other imports. None of them in my opinion have been constructed as well as my Mazda. I would never compare it to a Mercedes quality build but it is good in the middle and well above American car makers. The suspension on these cars is second to none, this car well out does any of the cars in its class. The MP3 and MPS out do some Exotics. I think Mazda is on the right track with there cars. All cars have recalls, NTSB on the web always has new recalls almost daily for cars in the US. I have not recieved a reacll yet for my vechicle and I am very pleased with that fact. I have owned two Honda one 98 Civic hatch(Wifes) and (mine) was a Accord LX, despite loving both of these cars. I had several complaints about the build quality. Especially in the Civic not so much in the Accord but the seat fabric was terrible in the Accord. Bottom Line: these are great cars one or two defects does not make them bad cars.

 

[70]

i just bought my mp3 with 13,500 miles. it sounds like everyone is having all kinds of problems with theirs. why? these cars are brand new in my book. i have already been to the shop with mine (the sway bar noise). i thought that mazda was suppose to make good cars. did i just make a mistake by getting this? i love the car. it is fun to drive but is it worth the hassel?

did they do testing on these cars before they went into production? is there any recalls for defective parts?

just looking for some reassurance that i made the right decision in buying this car.

Which noise was it, the clunk or a squeak?

As an MP3 owner I am very happy with the car. I haven't had any problems with this car. The suspension noises I have heard don't bother me. I knew what I was getting into with this car.

Remember, this is a performance car that is based on a $12,000 car's platform. There are going to be noises and such.

You should be confident in the purchase, Proteges have an excellent track record for reliability. As for the clunk, get used to it. The squeak, probably the shocks, get new ones if it bothers you to much.

 

[DooMer_MP3]

However, the big problem with the clunk is that it signifies that the bushing isn't doing its job. I know when the clunk gets bad enough I can definitely feel a change in the handling. The rear end feels sluggish. If it were just a noise, I wouldn't care as much, but its also a change in performance!

Chris

 

[DooMer_MP3]

Oh, and I have something good to say. The MP3 is the shizanmo-bam-s*** ... This car is one of the best deals I've ever seen. It looks awesome, handles incredibly, and is overall just a blast to drive. I love driving around in the summer with the windows down around my old campus and having the hot college chicks staring at my ride . You will not regret your purchase.

Chris

 

[jsradema]

it is really bad that these new cars are having the problems they are. it might be alright now because everyone is covered under warranty for some time. but as soon as the warranty ends and i will have to start paying for bushings, other parts and labor i will be pissed as hell. if anyone wants something done by mazda we must voice our opinions and do it in mass. they would never make major changes if only a few people are complaining.

we need a petition and signatures. they will not be able to ignore a mob of their customers. we need all the people we can get, since there are only a limited # of us. what do you guys think?

 

[Newf]

I love my car, and I wouldn't go back to a Honda ever. This thing handles better then anything else I've ever driven, nuff said. I just wish I had a litte something called a .....turbo. But, I'm about the fix that.

As for the clunk. It's a pain in the ass, and it does effect handling some. But, it's not a big problem, just an annoying one. It's only a big problem because Mazda refuses to fix it properly. Otherwise, it's a small cheap part. It's not like I can't start my car everyy 2nd day or something, that would be serious.

It's a well built car. But, Mazda is ignoring us, and has admitted it doesn't care

 

[jsradema]

what is the horsepower increase for adding a turbo? this car is lacking in the power dept. it will void your warranty wouldnt it? how much does that normally run and who are you getting it from?

i'm just intrested in learning more about my new ride. i'm 22 and this is my first real car ('88 ford tempo, '84 buick skylark that lasted 2weeks, well i also drove my brothers '89 300zx turbo for a year) i am amped about this car and want to learn more.