9314 messages,
Last post on Nov 15, 2012 at 5:26 AM
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Mazda3 Forum.
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Mazda MAZDA3, Hatchback, Sedan
#9234 of 9314 Re: Considering Purchase of an 05 3s [dollarbill457]
by scwmcan
Apr 08, 2009 (4:38 am)
just be careful there have been a lot of scams this way recently. At least one where the soldier had been killed and their car put on the net by someone as for sale at a really cheap price and the family finding out about it, the cars were always somewhere else and they would ask for the cash up front, so just be wary, most of the time if it is too good to be true it is.
Scott
#9235 of 9314 Re: Considering Purchase of an 05 3s [dollarbill457]
by qddave
Apr 08, 2009 (7:02 am)
So weird, I was just looking for a used 17" wheel on craigslist and saw a Mazda3 with the words FRAUD! in the title. The explanation was that this is a scam, and a pretty common one at that. Steer clear my friend.
Dave
#9236 of 9314 Seat Cover Solution - Re: fowler3 [bluong1]
by dartmouth5
Mar 21, 2012 (2:51 pm)
Love the 2-tone remark. Grey colored seat covers would be an ideal solution. They should be machine wash and dry. proseatcovers.com is where we got ours.
Easy to install and maintain, we wash them once a month and the truck doesn't smell like wet dog any more!
Jan 23, 2012 (4:04 pm)
I'm currently in the market for a 2012 Mazda3 i Sport Auto. However, I am aware that the 2013 Mazda3 is expected to have much better fuel economy and SkyActiv engines in even the base models. Do you think it's worth the wait for a 2013?
#9239 of 9314 If the 3i Touring is out of your budget range, then definitely wait
by woochifer
Jan 23, 2012 (7:46 pm)
Mazda's drivetrain options for the Mazda3 are too complicated, and I doubt they will continue like this for much longer. If I were to take a guess, I think the Skyactiv drivetrain will be deployed across the entire lineup next year (except the Mazdaspeed3) and at least one (or perhaps both) of the current MZR engines will be pulled.
The MZR 2.0 found in the Mazda 3i Sport seems like the likeliest candidate, since it shares an identical displacement with the Skyactiv 2.0, and in North America, the Mazda3 is the only car that uses that engine. Meanwhile, the MZR 2.5 is also used in the Mazda5 and Mazda6. I don't think that the Skyactiv 2.0 has enough torque for those heavier models, so it would seem that the MZR 2.5 won't disappear until a more powerful Skyactiv engine comes out.
Currently, the price of stepping up from the 3i Sport to the 3i Touring is about $1,600. In addition to the Skyactive drivetrain, the Touring models add alloy wheels, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls, trip computer, cruise control, and six-speaker audio. If the Skyactiv drivetrain indeed trickles down to the 3i Sport models, then I would guess that either the list price goes up, or equipment currently standard on the 3i Sport becomes optional or thrown into a package.
Jan 23, 2012 (9:32 pm)
Where I'm living right now, the difference between the i Sport and i Touring trims is about $3600, before even mentioning tax. The i Sport is about $16000 while the cheapest Touring is pushing $20000. Which makes me wonder if the additional MPG I might get from the Skyactiv engine is going to be spent on the initial purchase anyway.
My biggest concern is that the worst-case scenario occurs: 2013 Mazda Mazda3 base model has the Skyactiv engine, priced the same as the 2012, with almost the exact same features. Then the 2012 Mazda3 which I hypothetically purchase would be a really bad deal, in that light. But is that likely to happen?
Also, the i Sport gets about 24/33 MPG, which is not too shabby, but certainly not close to many of its rivals in the compact car segment - Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, etc. In the foreseeable future, I would think the value of the 2012 Mazda3 would be primed for a freefall. Unless someone thinks otherwise?
#9241 of 9314 Re: 2013 Mazda3? [wzxchange]
by autonomous
Jan 24, 2012 (10:23 am)
Do you think it's worth the wait for a 2013?
Yes. If there is no compelling need to buy now, I would wait until the fall for two reasons:
1- Let the kinks work out of the first year of the Skyactiv implementation;
2- Compare the new 2013 to the original 2012 models to see which offers the best deal.
In the meantime, you can always collect information and get a "preview" of the negotiation by visiting showrooms. You might even find a sales person that you can work with for the eventual purchase.
#9242 of 9314 Re: More Questions [wzxchange]
by aviboy97
Jan 24, 2012 (11:58 am)
The i Sport is about $16000 while the cheapest Touring is pushing $20000
MSRP of a 2012 Mazda3 i Sport automatic is roughly $18,350 and the Mazda3 i Touring (Skyactiv) is about $20,095. Where do you get $3,000 from?
Mazda does have a $2,000 dealer cash incentive on "R" code Mazda3s, which there are very few, if any left. There is also a $750 delaer cash rebate on the Mazda3 i Sport and $250 dealer cash on the Skyactiv models. Of course, you cannot get any of these rebates if you lease or take the special finance rates.
#9243 of 9314 Re: More Questions [wzxchange]
by woochifer
Jan 24, 2012 (1:16 pm)
That price sounds like you're looking at the 3i SV model, which is a strippo price leader that only comes with a manual. It's on Mazda's website, but I've never seen one and my local dealer hasn't either. I think the 3i SV exists so that Mazda can quote a lower base price, but that doesn't mean that they will be easy to find.
If you opt for the Skyactiv, you're getting a more refined drivetrain. So, it's not just the fuel economy.
For the 2012 model year, Mazda lowered the MSRP on the base model Mazda3. But, they also shifted around the option packages and standard equipment.
If Mazda moves the Skyactiv drivetrain into the 3i Sport models for 2013, then I would expect the MSRP to jump as well. As I mentioned, right now the Touring model adds $1,600 to the MSRP, and if you disregard the Skyactiv drivetrain, the added features on the Touring model IMO are not worth $1,600. Last year, the difference was $1,400 -- same equipment upgrades, except with no change in the drivetrain.