Mazda 3 5 Door and Snow ?????

[bud168]

Hello,

Im a newbie to the site and I am looking to purchase a new car, I like the Mazda 3 5 Door in Lava Orange. Right now I have a 2000 Explorer 4x4 that I like but its black and hard to keep clean plus my warrenty is out and my trans seems to be acting up, plus the gas milage is horrible.. So I went car shopping this past weekend and out of all the cars I looked at the Mazdas were the best and being a ford guy at least mazda is owned by them (outie) My question is due to my work not seeing snow as an excuse to miss I need a car that is good in the snow, where I live we only get a few inches at a time but need something that is going to go through it.. Has anyone heard or could throw some feedback my way on how they handle....

Thanks Kurt

 

[Roywhitep5]

mazda3 + snow = death


jk i dunno

 

[cbcbd]

It's kind of unfair to compare a 4x4 to a fwd, but I think the car would be great with decent snow tires.

I know my P5's stock tires are kind of bad in the snow, but the handling, feel, control, and confidence the car gives you is great for the snow. The more you can feel the road and the better the handling, the more you'll be able to correct your car in the snow before it's to late to realize that you went into a spin. Basically, the more predictable the handling, the easier it will be to know what to do to control the car.
I'm guessing the Mazda3 would also be similar to this. Any 3 owners?

 

[lj123023]

Was a little concerned at first. Yeah, those 17s look cool when it's nice out, but how will they do in the winter?

Haven't had any spin-outs or anything, and tires gripped alright initially in the snow. I'm familiar w/ the Eagle RS-As, since I had them in my previous car. Not a great tire, but ok when new (though traction deteriorates with more mileage, naturally). Managed to get 65K.

Get the ABS if you are doing winter driving.

 

[goldwing2000]

I'll tell you tomorrow. We're supposed to get 1-3".

 

[dugrant153]

Have you considered the Subaru Impreza?

 

[Fstgrl5050]

mazda3 + snow = death


jk i dunno

hahaha! That just made me laugh out loud for some reason..

 

[goldwing2000]

It actually seems to be doing quite well. I mean, it's no 4x4 but it gets the job done.

 

[mazdaowner]

Don't do it.

I have a 2004 Mazda 3 5-door and live in New Hampshire. This is absolutely-by-far the worst car in the snow I have ever driven. This year we've gotten 2 or 3 snow falls and each have been about 1-3 inches. When taking off from a stop the car pulls very hard to the right and takes me about half a minute to get through the intersection- even when barely touching the gas. Just last week my wife and I got stuck on a plowed hill which was barely at an incline. I had to push the dang thing up the hill. It's just so light the car cannot get any traction. I looked into buying winter tires for it and the cost is astounding because it's a 17 inch rim and the size of the tire is rare. It'll run me between $150 and $190 per tire at the local Town Fair tire for the Toyo brand. I've called Sears and National Tire and Battery- both don't carry the size because it's too new. I have no idea how we're going to make it through the rest of the winter. I would never buy this car again. Get something heavier if you have to drive in the snow- especially if you are a commuter.

 

[fam]

its average for a fwd car. Initial takeoff in snow is a little slower than the bigger fwd cars because its so light. Once above 20mph this car is as good as any in the snow and has no spinning out tendencies under breaking or acceleration. The electric steering is a little different as it doesnt give u any feeling so u have to watch the wheel and its orientation to know when you start slipping (at slow speeds) its not bad. We have had 20+ " of snow already this year. This car will do you fine, even better when you get better tires.

 

[tarmac and beer]

rather than buy 17" snow tires, a cheaper and grippier combo would be 15" steel wheels and snow tires. the 15" wheel/tire will give you more side wall to protect the wheel from winter potholes. go to www.tirerack.com and you can find 15" snow tires for around $75. i believe they also have steel wheels which should be inexpensive.

any front wheel drive car with a bit of torque and an open differential will experience wheel spin in slippery conditions. you can fight this issue by getting good rubber! i recommend selling those bad stock 17" tires (to another 3 owner) and getting something good.

ps: a winter tire should get you through 3 seasons easily assuming you aren't driving them hard in warm dry weather.

pps: a 4x4 explorer with bad/bald tires will do far worse in snow than the 3 with new stock tires.

 

[fam]

you wont be able to buy 15s if u ge the s model as the calipers are too big. Smallest you can go is 16" and thats pushing it. Look at the spare tire if you dont believe me, its a huge yellow ufo.

 

[Loose]

From the land of snow...

I traded my full-size Ford Bronco for the 3s 5dr and while it's not the Bronco, it's not too bad. If you get 1-3 inches from time to time you will be just fine.
I get about 350 inches a year (yea, 350") and I have no problem. I do recommend if you get alot of snow that you get some 16" wheels and snow tires.
I opted NOT to get the ABS (more fun) and I have no problem w/ stopping either. There is of course an occasional slide but that's the fun part, and on purpose.
I agree w/ the statement that the tires (Goodyear RS-A's) wear fast and the more mileage on the tire the worse the traction.

Buy the damn car. You'll love it!


Wow, I just realized this post is like 10 months old, oh well.

 

[Mazda3ofKent]

mazda3 + snow = death


jk i dunno

no your right its bad the its not as heavey as it looks, snow tiers are way to epensive for it and the stock goodyears suck something awfull in the snow. Its not a good car for a NEO winter

 

[lumlum83]

mazda3 + snow = death
jk i dunno

yes yes, I agree...........unless you get the winter tires as well. I bought my mazda 3 (with 17" alloy wheels) in January 2004. This winter, I got 4 winter tires. Even I drove on thick snow with my 16" tires (changed to 16" due to snow performance), I can drive without any fear or problems as these winter tires give deeper tracksion in snow. But the winter tires for 16" are quite expensive.

4 x 16" Michelin winter tires PLUS alloy rims= $1600

 

[Mazda3ofKent]

yes yes, I agree...........unless you get the winter tires as well. I bought my mazda 3 (with 17" alloy wheels) in January 2004. This winter, I got 4 winter tires. Even I drove on thick snow with my 16" tires (changed to 16" due to snow performance), I can drive without any fear or problems as these winter tires give deeper tracksion in snow. But the winter tires for 16" are quite expensive.

4 x 16" Michelin winter tires PLUS alloy rims= $1600

$1600!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (smash) but I am a student

 

[goldwing2000]

It's just so light the car cannot get any traction. ...Get something heavier if you have to drive in the snow- especially if you are a commuter.

Light?! You think this car is LIGHT?? It weighs 2,800 lbs! That's 50 lbs more than a Civic hatch (with the same hp, I might add).

Trust me, it's not the car that sucks in the snow, it's the stock tires. I put Kumho Ecsta ASXs on mine and it's as good or better than any (non-AWD) car I've ever driven in the snow. The only thing I've experienced that's better is a 4x4 or a minivan with 195-series tires.

You wanna drive something that sucks in the snow? Try a 2wd pickup. That'll pucker your brownhole. (nervous)

 

[BlueMonsta]

Don't know how some of you ppl can say the Mazda 3 sucks in snow.

Driving a bone stock gen 1 with snow tires.
Note: My snow tires, I can peel out in the rain with them (I drive auto, I just floor it at a fullstop and it peels).

I manage FINE in the snow, as long as the snow isn't too deep the Mazda 3 should fair well, even a corolla should.

Learn to use to the handbrake if ur car understeers in the snow.

 

[curacer1]

your best option.........be a redneck, go buy the biggest, ugliest, cheapest 4x4 you can. i went out and got a 2002 dakota 4x4 so my mazda can curl up with it blanky when it snows

 

[goldwing2000]

your best option.........be a redneck, go buy the biggest, ugliest, cheapest 4x4 you can. i went out and got a 2002 dakota 4x4 so my mazda can curl up with it blanky when it snows

Would my 1989 Full-size Blazer with 35s count?