The little Gray Harlot seduced me... (the story of a mazda 3 impulse buy)

[Vibe2M3]

Gotta a question

Have to ask...I'm in ATL too. Did you shop at Jim Ellis by chance. I ask since my test drive there was in a Titanium Gray 5 door with leather and I went ahead and bought that car that day. Got to love the sales folks...test drive a car with leather and somehow you just can't ever see going back to cloth!!!

 

[Chilly]

I bought a 2001 Protege 2.0 LX, the predecessor to your Mazda 3 (though mine is 4-door). I've been very happy with it, but I wish it had a little more power and low-end torque. It's up to about 86K miles and the only problem I've had with it is a power door lock (and it keeps burning out brake light bulbs...).

I was wondering how you like your Mazda 3 now that you've had it for a while, and if you think it's zippy enough? It's got a 2.3L engine, now, right?

I've had my 3 for just over a year now and I still really like it. I've owned 4 Mazdas (626, protege, 6, and now 3) and enjoyed driving all of them. I would recommend Mazda to anyone who asked b/c my cars have been so reliable.

 

[PeteyBoy3K]

Have to ask...I'm in ATL too. Did you shop at Jim Ellis by chance. I ask since my test drive there was in a Titanium Gray 5 door with leather and I went ahead and bought that car that day. Got to love the sales folks...test drive a car with leather and somehow you just can't ever see going back to cloth!!!

No, I got mine at Mazda of Roswell... Ironically, my roomate ended up getting a 2005 4-door-S same color at a Jim Ellis in/near Smyrna. Both shops were great, it's just the Jim Ellis shop had more leftover 2005 stuff and better deals for the config he wanted (auto/6-disc&moonroof/SAB-ABS-EBD)

I was wondering how you like your Mazda 3 now that you've had it for a while, and if you think it's zippy enough? It's got a 2.3L engine, now, right?

I still really love mine (it's got about 38,000 miles on it now). It is still zippy enough, but I was really floored-anew when I got a 30K engine treatment (combo of replacing the air filter and engine de-gunking) and new tires (Kumho Ecsta ASX). I don't really have any complaints except for the few dings and scratches that have come along after a 1.5 years of driving... No alarming new creaks/squeaks/rattles or sudden dropping of parts.

The one thing I don't get is all the complaints about the A/C. Even in ATL I don't think the A/C is all that weak... I have to deal with having an all black interior in a parking lot all day... but when you first get in if you set recirculate and crank up the fan it only takes a minute before I am feeling cool enough. I feel the A/C is adequate, although I have started driving home with the windows down, the sunroof open and the A/C off on pretty days, so I might just be a lot more heat/humidity tolerant than most people...

Sorry for my late reply, hope this helps some people.