Encouragement

[mckraut]

Very often we see threads about smoking turbos and blown engines, but I think we rarely hear from the other camp. People whose cars are running like champs years after purchase with many thousands of miles on the odometer. With that in mind, I wanted to share some positive words.

I just recently rolled over 40,000 miles on my '07 MS3 and couldn't be happier with the car. Haven't had any problems other than one of the coolant hoses coming loose from the front of the vehicle and melting against the engine. Mazda repaired this under warranty with no hassles. In addition, I am certain it was my own fault because I was installing new hose clamps on the intercooler pipes about 10 minutes prior and I'm sure I knocked it loose.

Nearly two years later I am still as in love with the car as the first day I bought it. Driving it on a daily basis is still pure joy. In fact, I've been so impressed with the vehicle that I just recently purchased an '09 Mazda6 for my wife. The ZoomZoom is strong in our house.

 

[jam_asian85]

Same here

 

[byau]

what mods do you have?

 

[mckraut]

what mods do you have?

Good question. Forge BPV, Cobb SRI w/ Fujita dryflow filter, Corksport motor mount inserts and TWM shifter bushings.

 

[stageup]

19k miles so far, no issues
2 yrs now

cobb sri + inlet, trz rear motor mount

 

[Stotrupp]

2yrs - 35,000 miles

~20,000 Miles - Entire transmission rebuilt (Under warranty)

~34,000 Miles - Passenger side engine mount exploded (Repaired/ replaced under warranty)

I've gone through three (3) sets of tires and get oil changes with Amsoil synthetic 5w/30 every 3,000 miles along with tire rotation.

Other then those issues its been a decent ride but at 60k when the power train warranty is gone its getting traded in. Probably getting a 370z, STI, or Caymen

 

[jnr5005]

Nice, did you get the 4cyl or V6 Mazda 6? I love my ZOOM~ZOOM...but...I have had a lot of problems (Keep in mind I drive a lot, and occasionally race, but never abuse, and always maintain my car):


~Overheating/ Coolant Hose Problem
~Transmission Shift Fork Sleve
~New Slave Master Cylinder- drove to the dealer with no clutch lol.
~Trans taken out again to replace tons of things bearings, bushings, gears etc.
~No clutch yet after 40k+ YAY (I just destroy my trans instead of riding the clutch- give me a break though this was my first stick car)
~New Tires at 20k miles
~New Front Brake Pads $250 just for the pads!!! Must buy oem Hawks SUCK
~New Rotors $$$ - Do not cut these rotors they will warp!!
~New Passenger side speaker
~Probably new shocks/struts soon

And by the way the new Mazda Rental Car Policy is: if you give every tech and service writer head, and swallow, then you still don't get a rental car.


But I still LOVE MY ZOOM~ZOOM!

 

[oaklandopen]

2008.5 ms3 gt here....i think i juuuuust passed my 1 year anniversary and im at 25,000 miles. after about 10k i got a K&N drop-in air filter, then at about 23k i got the MSCAI. as for everything else "not from the factory"...window tints, repositioned xenons so that level 1 is now what level 0 used to be, homemade rear mudflaps, front wipers, and penzoil platinum motor oil.

still have stock/original everything else (tires, fluids, lightbulbs, rear wiper, etc)

only problem so far....bad accellerometer replaced under warranty. other than getting the tires rotated the same day i had the accellerometer replaced (it was already there and needed it) i have not been back to the dealer for anything else since i bought the car.

that's not to say that my ms3 doesn't have it's share of squeeks and rattles from the interior (cuz it does), but i look past all that. no smoking turbo, no dropped motor from mounts, and no blown motor.

after having said that, i am now looking for the worlds biggest single piece of wood so i can knock on the motherfucker till my knuckles are bloody

 

[eg6motion]

2yrs - 35,000 miles

~20,000 Miles - Entire transmission rebuilt (Under warranty)

~34,000 Miles - Passenger side engine mount exploded (Repaired/ replaced under warranty)

I've gone through three (3) sets of tires and get oil changes with Amsoil synthetic 5w/30 every 3,000 miles along with tire rotation.

Other then those issues its been a decent ride but at 60k when the power train warranty is gone its getting traded in. Probably getting a 370z, STI, or Caymen

wow, entire tranny and 3 sets of tires at only 35K...you don't abuse it at all.

 

[Stotrupp]

wow, entire tranny and 3 sets of tires at only 35K...you don't abuse it at all.

No, actually I DON'T "abuse it at all". If you DON'T pussy foot around all time and you drive on ultra high summer performance tires getting 10-12k is actually pretty good for normal/ simi aggressive driving (High powered FWD). So lets do the math 35/3 = ~12k per tire set. If you’re getting much more than this I feel sorry for you because there’s no way in hell you’re having fun unless your like 60+. Should've bought a Camry if you can't afford rubber.

The transmission going to s*** was not my fault, some time these things happen. The Mazdaspeed3 transmission is not indestructible

 

[GoFast]

No, actually I DON'T "abuse it at all". If you DON'T pussy foot around all time and you drive on ultra high summer performance tires getting 10-12k is actually pretty good for normal/ simi aggressive driving. So lets do the math 35/3 = ~12k per tire set. If youre getting much more than this I feel sorry for you because theres no way in hell youre having fun unless your like 60+.

The transmission going to s*** was not my fault, some time these things happen. The Mazdaspeed3 transmission is not indestructible

I have to disagree with you here. I got approximately 25k out of mine and I enjoy my car every day. I don't drive like a douche but I don't drive like a grandma either.

 

[Stotrupp]

I have to disagree with you here. I got approximately 25k out of mine and I enjoy my car every day. I don't drive like a douche but I don't drive like a grandma either.

I would probably die of boredom and or fall asleep behind the wheel if I drove in a way that got me more than 15k out of a set of ultra high performance summer tires on this car. I guess it takes less to excite some people.

 

[mckraut]

I'd really prefer if this thread didn't get locked.

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Back to the orignal OP thread...just turned 20,000.

Very often we see threads about smoking turbos and blown engines, but I think we rarely hear from the other camp. People whose cars are running like champs years after purchase with many thousands of miles on the odometer. With that in mind, I wanted to share some positive words.

I just recently rolled over 40,000 miles on my '07 MS3 and couldn't be happier with the car. Haven't had any problems other than one of the coolant hoses coming loose from the front of the vehicle and melting against the engine. Mazda repaired this under warranty with no hassles. In addition, I am certain it was my own fault because I was installing new hose clamps on the intercooler pipes about 10 minutes prior and I'm sure I knocked it loose.

Nearly two years later I am still as in love with the car as the first day I bought it. Driving it on a daily basis is still pure joy. In fact, I've been so impressed with the vehicle that I just recently purchased an '09 Mazda6 for my wife. The ZoomZoom is strong in our house.

Only issues that were fixed under warranty were a blown rear strut and a bad aux connector block. I do periodically experience the start-up stumble that others have cited, but hte car continues to be reliable and fun.

On my second set of tires. Had Pirelli Pzero Neros that lasted about 15,000 miles and now I have Eagle GT's. Like the eagles a helluva lot better.

I do a mixture of normal driving (cuz it's a great daily driver) and bat outta hell driving to remind me that it's got some balls.

FYI I consider our cars to be exotic. They need some care and feeding but they certainly give you a lotta love- as long as you love them back.

I do have a couple of squeaks/rattles that come and go- especially around the B-pillars. Not sure if they are due to the adjustable seatbelt anchors or not.

 

[60181]

I would probably die of boredom and or fall asleep behind the wheel if I drove in a way that got me more than 15k out of a set of ultra high performance summer tires on this car. I guess it takes less to excite some people.

I've the same stock rubber on both my MS3 and my previous Grand Prix GXP and in both cases the stock fronts will only bring about 12k miles to me. I'm about 3/12 or so on my fronts, but am running them until the snow shoes go on in November. Haven't decided if I'll buy two more and just replace the fronts or will do all four come spring. If I do they will likely be something other than the stock rubber.

 

[GoFast]

there was a thread about this not too long ago. I just cant seem to remember where....

Someone post up the link if they know where it was.....

 

[essejkcamraw]

only way these motors pop is when heavily modded, when left relatively stock, im sure they'd last a long while. that being said.

09 19k miles on it. and no issues as of yet

mods: injen cai. rmpc turbo inlet. trz mm. denso step colder plugs. hks bpv (run on vta cause of bad hose kinking issues) turboxs tbe. (and pg fmic on its way) and for the most part the car runs well minus some fuel cut issues its having sometimes. i dont go beating on my car much so im on stock rubber still. other than that, with an order of fuel pump internals and an AP ill be getting tuned very shortly an she should run nice an smooth again.

 

[tiagotiago]

there was a thread about this not too long ago. I just cant seem to remember where....

Someone post up the link if they know where it was.....

This one?

 

[imac]

I've had my 08 for about 15 months now, 11k miles, putting new tires on it as we speak, no other replacements or fixes. Problem free.

I'm starting to wonder if the reason I'm not getting nearly as many miles out of my stock tires as pretty much everyone else is because of the roads around here. Most of the ones near my house are tar and chip, so perhaps they wear the rubber quicker. Other than that, I'm clueless, because everyone else seems to get closer to 20k+ on theirs, and I'm pretty damn sure that while I do drive it somewhat aggressively, I don't drive it nearly as hard on the tires as some of the people getting twice that mileage.

 

[Sp33dFr33k]

The stock tires suck. That actually is fairly average mileage for them imo. I'm at 8k on mine and once I switch to winter tires they will probably never go back on because they don't have much left in them.