Driving off into the unknown

[Rocket]

Well, my warranty will be up in about 2 weeks due to mileage. I have had all of the common problems: crunchy front suspension, remotes that don't work, door recall, etc. But overall it is a good car.

I am a bit nervous about the warranty ending, but when I checked into the price of extended warranties I decided that it was not worth it. So I'll be driving without a net so to speak.

Anyone else close to being out of warranty?

 

[kyoshiro]

time to swap in for a 08?

 

[slvrsleeper]

I'm at 12,000 miles and roughly 4 months of ownership so I'll be joining you in about six months. I haven't been this confident in a car in years, I am absolutely certain this thing will go 100K without costing me a nickel (except for PM and other obvious stuff)

 

[raspykart]

well there are warranties out there that offer a full refund after so many miles if you didn't use it.

 

[antlind]

well there are warranties out there that offer a full refund after so many miles if you didn't use it.

This is correct. I purchased one from my Mazda dealership for my wife's 2003 MPV. 3-yr/60K bumper to bumper for $1800CD. Full refund if no claims are made. Not bad.
Anthony

 

[peterbuilt]

I have been driving without since 6 months after i got it. The dealership i got it gave me a life time warranty on all lubricated parts as long as i got my oil changed there. The only prob is it was an hour away for an oil change. So i stoped and of course a few months after that ZOOM ZOOM BOOM. God i was so dumb.

 

[slvrsleeper]

That shouldn't have killed the Mazda factory warranty of 3/36K on the powertrain though. As long as you DID change the oil somewhere and had receipts to prove it. Unless of course the car was used when you bought it, that sort of changes things.

 

[Rocket]

Warranty expired today due to mileage. I got a new key fob before it was up. Otherwise it is just me and my checkbook at this point!

 

[Benfolio]

See some higher mileage 3's and 5's in here, nothing spectacular. Brakes seem to go out in the rear prematurely, calipers too if you don't use the e-brake enough, keep em moving.
Purge solenoids a plenty on 3's, not that common on 5's but they are the same part. Gas caps. Really that's it.

 

[slvrsleeper]

By brakes do you mean rotors? I would kind of like to go to some slotted and or drilled rotors and if the OEs are gonna go, I might go aftermarket. Its encouraging to know that you don't have a shop full of wracked up 5s and 3s waiting on expensive repairs though.

 

[olddaddy]

See some higher mileage 3's and 5's in here, nothing spectacular. Brakes seem to go out in the rear prematurely, calipers too if you don't use the e-brake enough, keep em moving.
Purge solenoids a plenty on 3's, not that common on 5's but they are the same part. Gas caps. Really that's it.

What does using the ebrake have to do with the calipers?


Purge solenoids? Whats that?

 

[Benfolio]

Pads seem to wear out in the back first.
The e-brake (or parking brake) uses the rear caliper to apply force to the rotor in a mechanical action as opposed to the hydraulic action the 'normal' brakes use. Since rear brakes ON AVERAGE only supply 20% of stopping power, they don't get used and don't get to move around alot. Couple that with lack of maintainence and usage of the parking brake seems to lead to rear calipers freezing up. Seen a ton of them on Proteges and starting to see it on higher mileage 3's as well.

Purge solenoid is part of the EVAP system. Causes a CEL to come on when they fail. Nothing MAJOR, but it's a normal problem on 3's and we have seen a few 5's with the same problem. The solenoid itself is the same, but the hose and bracket assemblies are different, and that's how they are sold, one complete unit.

 

[olddaddy]

Great inside information again, Thanks Benfolio.