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Hatchbacks Mazda3 Mazdaspeed3 vs. VW V GTI vs. Civic Si
1379 messages, Last post on Oct 01, 2009 at 10:54 AM
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Replying to: blueguydotcom (May 12, 2005 7:54 am) WOW......now thats a devoted VW enthusiest. I used to drive fords. Growing up I had a mustang, bronco, and a pickup. At about 40k miles the small block v8's started either burning or leaking something (usually oil). That got old fast! Granted they were strong running engines and the mustang was fast but that kind of agrivation is not what I want in a vehicle. I then had a Nissan pick up with the SE V6. 160K miles and didnt burn or leak a drop of anything. I was sold from there. Now I got an 04 Mz3 and I probubly wont go back to american cars even though Ford has a hand in the Mz3. The engine and drive train is all Mazda and what a job they did on the gear box too. The truth is American cars blow. Even the new caddies are cheaply made (I know I used to detail them for a limosine company). Its actually pretty pathetic. Though maybe one day I will have a classic American muscle car or street rod to call my own. |
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Replying to: mz3b (May 12, 2005 3:34 pm)  For the record, I got rid of my Golf long ago (after I left the military - fortunately in one piece given some of the hotspots I had to serve in). I decided to grow up and now own two Jettas (2003 Wolfsburg, 1997 Trek), and a 2003 Passat. I'll leave the "live fast, die young make a pretty corpse" type driving to you and others like you... 
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let's knock off the personal blows. Posts with personal knocks on each other will be deleted. They derail the discussion. Thanks. |
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I have been to 3 different Mazda dealers - Mazda corporate is the problem. Has any MAZDA3 owner with a defective AC system had their problem fixed? I have seen a few posts that claim the diffusser helped some cars - but what about the owners who had the diffusser installed and still have a problem - maybe they just have bad dealers. What about the hard shifting tranny problem - anyone had that solved? I started to look for a replacement for my lemon Mazda3 - which is a real shame - the car has so many good things - but the company just will not stand behind their product. I even considered trading the 2004 (manufactured 10/2003) in on a 2005 - because I don't see very many cars (under $30K) that I really want.
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Now I understand why you've had problems. With that build date, you probably got the first or second Mazda3 that rolled off the line!!!  Not that that should be a concern, I know, I know. But good grief, talk about asking for trouble! Listen, man. My 2005 Mazda3s wagon has a build date of 2/25/05. My car has been rock-solid and the a/c is just fine. I have 1,600 miles on the car (took delivery April 7) and I used the a/c yesterday and the day before when it hit 90 here in Richmond. My "well-insulated" body (6-1, 280 lbs.) stayed comfortable even in a long-sleeved shirt and tie. Since your dealer obviously knows what you've been going through, they may be more than willing -- for their sanity as well as yours -- to give you one heck of a trade toward a new Mazda3. Try it and see what they'll do. Meade |
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Replying to: 600kgolfgt (May 12, 2005 7:21 pm) Growing old is overrated dying young is demonstated by those who live life inflated with fearless and fast behavior... 
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Replying to: z71bill (May 13, 2005 5:09 am) Didn't you test drive it before you bought it? How does a gearbox all of a sudden start 'hard shifting'? Is it an auto or one of those in-between auto/manuals (which I wouldnt trust no matter who builds it). Give me the straight up manual gearbox and I'm happy. No auto manufacturer is perfect (especially VW ). Thats the bare bones truth.
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Replying to: mz3b (May 13, 2005 8:24 am) Looks like the designers at Mazda made the 3 its neglected red-haired stepchild - the 3's bulbous, Jabba-the-Hut type body has Ringling Brothers written all over it. I was waiting for the clowns to come out of the car. With its bulging hoodline, if the 3 were a pro athlete, it would be banned from the league for steroids. At least the 6 and the 5 exhibit the smooth, flowing, European automobile-like shape. The designers beat the 3 with the ugly stick. If my old military unit saw the 3 driving out on the road, our A-10 aircraft tank killer (equipped with a 30mm gatling gun with armor-piercing shells) would use the 3 for target practice. The 3 may go fast or handle great, but that's because the car is so homely that it has to run away from its own looks. Other than that, the 3 is a decent ride. But remember, clown car or not - The GTI is the originator, the definition of the hot hatch (as much as people are in denial) - the facts are there. And according to most auto magazines and automotive experts around the world - The GTI still defines the hot hatch - Ford 3/Mazda Focus or not. No matter how reliable the 3 is, it will always play second-fiddle to the GTI in the hearts and minds around the world... Like it or not...
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So if I would have waited until 2006 to buy a Mazda3 - and got one that had all kinds of problems would anyone say - gee you should have waited until the 4th model year! If anyone thinks that because I bought a new model that this somehow makes all of these problems my fault - or I should have known better - I just don't agree. I have purchased new (first year) models many times - all had a few bugs - but all were fixed under warranty without any complaint. Although I do understand that buying a new model as a certain risk (maybe an extra trip or 2 to the dealer) - the company selling the car should still stand behind the vehicle. To just accept NO SERVICE - NO WARRANTY because this is a new model is (IMO anyway) pure BS I test drove the car 3 times before buying it. The tranny (automatic) started shifting harsh (1-2 gear) 3 months or so after I bought it. At first it was a few times each morning - like it was cold and after a mile or so it would be so smooth you could not even tell it was changing gears. So I did not see it as that big of a deal. But now it is obviously harsh - like a clunk about 1/2 the time - always in the morning - but also after the car has warmed up. I also get a very large CLUNK every few days - I called Mazda customer service and ask them if they have a TSB on this problem - they told me that they can not give any information to customers about TSB's. Which seems strange because they gave me a TSB on both the AC diffusser and also on the grinding rear brake defect. I was given a case number - that a service tech can use when the call the tech support line. |
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