craigatcsi Posted August 11, 2009 Share #1 Posted August 11, 2009 I know this isn't M/C related, but.... A Co-worker is looking at a little Mazda 3 (car) and neither of us know ANYTHING about Mazdas - she just likes the looks. Have any of you had any experiences good or bad, with the newer ones? I know they used to have the Rotary engines, but this one has a 4 cylinder. She is looking at the Mazda or the Toyota Corolla. Any info would be appreciated. craigr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynodon Posted August 11, 2009 Share #2 Posted August 11, 2009 I have several friends who have new Mazda 6's, and they love them. I have heard nothing but good for the smaller version, the 3. Have you checked sites like Edmunds.com to see what if anything they say about tests etc? You can also search sites like Car & Driver, road and track, Motor Trend, Automobile etc and see what tests/comparisons they have that include the 3. For small cars though, the Honda Fit is one of the best. A good friend of ours just got one, and she loves it. It gets top reviews for small cars every time. also, don't overlook the Ford Focus. This car has been updated, and looks much nicer now, they are making great deals on them, and they have great reviews and seem to be very dependable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted August 11, 2009 Share #3 Posted August 11, 2009 IMHO, you generally can't go wrong with either a Mazda or a Toyota product; however, certain Mazdas are/were manufactured by Ford (make your own conclusion from that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted August 11, 2009 Share #4 Posted August 11, 2009 It was a 1990 Mazda 626, my wife's car, we got rid of it 3 years ago with a little over 280,000 miles. Very good car.... but we prefer Honda's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edger Posted August 11, 2009 Share #5 Posted August 11, 2009 We were looking at Toyata camry or honda accord. Through research and driving and price, we ended up getting a Mazda 6. WE LOVE IT. I don't think you could really go wrong with any of the three, but we liked the ride and features for the price much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted August 11, 2009 Share #6 Posted August 11, 2009 It was a 1990 Mazda 626, my wife's car, we got rid of it 3 years ago with a little over 280,000 miles. Very good car.... but we prefer Honda's... We used to have a Masda 626 and it was a good car. I liked the osillating center vent. Did your's have that? RandyA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friesman Posted August 11, 2009 Share #7 Posted August 11, 2009 I had a Mazda3 for a few years before I bought my escape, and I would still have if i didnt need a bit larger car to haul my toy hauler around. It was very reliable, cheap on fuel and roomy for its size. (I am 6 feet and 300lbs) It didnt get around very will on snow and ice until I swapped out the oem tires for kumhos, then it was ok. It was a bit noisy on the hiway as it sits low you get roadnoise. But overall, I would have to say it was the best car for the money Ive ever had. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Oldsalt Posted August 11, 2009 Share #8 Posted August 11, 2009 Great car. My ex is on her 2nd one and really enjoys it. She had a Protege5 and now has a Miyata (sp). My son is the top salesman at Nelson Mazda in Broken Arrow, OK and he says they are selling like hot cakes with lots of repeat customers. I thought they were great on fuel ecconomy and had a lot more zip than I expected. My only concern was that I weigh 270 and have very high 'sitting height' so on long trips, I still prefered my F-150 truck. oldsalt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted August 11, 2009 Share #9 Posted August 11, 2009 I had a 1990 Mazda 929S and bar none it was a great car. Always ran like a top never had any problems with it in the 10 years I owned it. I now have an 2000 Acura and I find it to be a great car too. No problems with it either. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spear Posted August 12, 2009 Share #10 Posted August 12, 2009 What do you call a Mazda driver who puts his car on its roof? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WOOZ WOOZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royal05Steve Posted August 12, 2009 Share #11 Posted August 12, 2009 I have a 2004 Mazda 3 5 door hatch back. It is pretty zippy. I get about 21 mpg with it. I have had the lower belt pully freeze and a motor mount break ( fixed under warranty) at 50k. I have about 62k on it and it runs great. The only other thing is the low profile tires need changing at 20k. I have put Pirellis on it and they handle really good and are quite. The car is tight, no squeaks etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoutman Posted August 12, 2009 Share #12 Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) My wife drives a new Mazda 6 with the V6 and 6 speed automatic. It is faster than her garage queen T-bird with its V8. It also handles better, probably because it isn't a convertable. We have owned 7 mazdas over the years and every one was a good car and a great value. The new Mazda 6 is built in PA with 70% American content. I also like that Mazda 3. Very sporty and roomy for a small car. I think if the Mazda 3 had a Lexus name plate it could sell for $6,000 more. They are a very good value. Edited August 12, 2009 by Stoutman Corrected number owned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctraylor Posted August 12, 2009 Share #13 Posted August 12, 2009 If you are looking for a small car with good gas mileage, the Toyota Yaris is your car. I bought one for my daughter and despite the size this carit, has plenty of room for 5 people. The engine is a 1500 cc and has a chain driven overhead cam engine so no need for replacing the timing belt. I teach automotive and I was facinated by the simplicity of this car. It racks up about 41 mpg and the standards get 42-44 mpg. That kind of mileage ranks right up there with the hybrids which if you factor in the price of the battery is no more practical than a car that gets 30 mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigatcsi Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted August 12, 2009 What do you call a Mazda driver who puts his car on its roof? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | WOOZ WOOZ It's over my head.... What ever happened to Mazdas having the Rotary Engines? craigr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest seuadr Posted August 12, 2009 Share #15 Posted August 12, 2009 It's over my head.... What ever happened to Mazdas having the Rotary Engines? craigr only the RX line have a rotax motor. and wooz wooz is zoom zoom upsidedown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Props Posted August 12, 2009 Share #16 Posted August 12, 2009 Have driven Mazda's... cars, trucks, and mini vans for more than 20 years. They are top notch in quality... and fun to drive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eusa1 Posted August 12, 2009 Share #17 Posted August 12, 2009 before you make your choice, find out where you can get your service and warranty work performed...? many times folks will buy a car with no plans of ever needing service, then pitch a fit when they have to drive many miles to get repairs performed. mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted August 12, 2009 Share #18 Posted August 12, 2009 i have owned many mazdas the 3-5door hatch included, i now have a 2009 mazda 6 and let me tell ya, they are the best bang for the buck cars on the road. i can't believe they don't sell more. you will not be disapointed. this coming from and rsv owner who knows quality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragerman Posted August 12, 2009 Share #19 Posted August 12, 2009 Great little cars but check your insurance rates. A lot of these vehicles are expensive to insure as a result of their high repair costs. On an insurance scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the highest) some Mazda’s rate 1. Improvements have been made on some newer models but even with a clean driving record some rates can be very high. If cost is a consideration it’s worth checking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrejx Posted August 13, 2009 Share #20 Posted August 13, 2009 Great little cars but check your insurance rates. A lot of these vehicles are expensive to insure as a result of their high repair costs. On an insurance scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the highest) some Mazda’s rate 1. Improvements have been made on some newer models but even with a clean driving record some rates can be very high. If cost is a consideration it’s worth checking out. I own a 2004 Mazda 3 hatchback and my daughter owns a 2006 Mazda 6. Both cars are exceptional in quality and handling and my insurance premium on the MZ3 is less than $60.00 per month, for full coverage well in excess of the state's mandatory coverage limits. A good site for information on these vehicles is www.mazdaforums.org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spear Posted August 13, 2009 Share #21 Posted August 13, 2009 It's over my head.... What ever happened to Mazdas having the Rotary Engines? craigr Don't know what Mazda advertising is like in the USA, but 'down-under' they have a catch-phrase of "ZOOM ZOOM." Get it? No? Well, if you turn ZOOM ZOOM upside down, you get WOOZ WOOZ. WOOZ? Wuz! Ah, forget it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigatcsi Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share #22 Posted August 13, 2009 It's over my head.... I originally caught the part that it was 'zoom zoom' upside down, but.... I had read in my mind 'on THE roof' (like on the roof of the house) - not on 'IT's' roof' - which is why I didn't understand the humor. I JUST NOW re-read the joke Oops. craigr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillrider Posted August 13, 2009 Share #23 Posted August 13, 2009 I was the proud owner of a Mazda R-100. I have never owned a more fun car to drive - - - when it would start. It was the first rotary. Understand they have those bugs fixed now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG54172 Posted August 13, 2009 Share #24 Posted August 13, 2009 I loved racing my RX7 at SCCA events. Too much fun! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y191/Ggerg1186/Wankel3.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squidley Posted August 13, 2009 Share #25 Posted August 13, 2009 I had a '90 626 GT turbo, that was a FUN car. Didn't care for the automatic trans as I had it rebuilt once, but the car was a rocket when the turbo kicked in. It was comfortable for me and I'm not on the petite side. I would more than likely own another one if the opportunity came along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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