Mazda 3 Reliability

[Dj Inphinity]

Alright so I'm in love with the mazda 3 and have been trying to get my hands on it for over a year now. The opportunity might hit now.

I found a 2004 mazda 3 manual with 78k miles. The car is priced at $9.631. I think i am getting an extended warranty for up to 100k but thats it. My question is how is mazda3 reliability? I've never seen statistics with it. You know that camrys and accords are really realiable but how about mazda 3's? I mean they are fully Japanese and ford has nothing to do with the mazda3. I mean other mazdas have problems like the rx-8 and b-series but how about the mazda 3?

[gib]

I own a 2004gt and its pretty reliable, but not has much has toyota. Theres lots of ford parts in it, mostly electronics. You should watch the brakes (caliper a priority), fuel and water pump, transmission and also some motor failure (but rarely), no electric problem on mazda contrary to VW. Thats about it

[antichrysler]

I've had mine for 7 months and the only complaint I have is the "good-for-a-year" tires that come on it. Those are junk and I had to replace them at 12,000kms. The cars at 17500ish right now and nothing has gone wrong yet. Compared to my last car (Olds Alero) it's way better.

[user1234]

CR says reliability is good

[gib]

Mines got 50k miles on it. It has been somewhat reliable except for TSB for the first year and a fuel pump. Even if its not as reliable has Toyota or Honda, i still love the car like the first day i owned it. The hatch is perfect, the style, everything that has to do with driving is way on top on these MZ3.

[Crash11]

[quote author=gib link=topic=89796.msg1733196#msg1733196 date=1190574327]
I own a 2004gt and its pretty reliable, but not has much has toyota. Theres lots of ford parts in it, mostly electronics. You should watch the brakes (caliper a priority), fuel and water pump, transmission and also some motor failure (but rarely), no electric problem on mazda contrary to VW. Thats about it
[/quote]Wow that's some contradiction there. Unless you have multiple personalities. Then I can understand.

[fascin8d1]

I bought this car bc my last one was a '89 probe. First model year for that car and had many mazda internals. I put about 231,000 miles on that car and drove it like I stole it all the time. Eventually the differential could not take the abuse and gave out - after 146,000 miles. I had them change the clutch while they were in there and it still had 50% life left. I got rid of it the 2nd time the diff went out. In retrospect, I should have kept it - the $1500 repair would still be cheaper than the $350 per mo car payment. But, I was seduced by the 3.

Again, being that I bought the first model year again - I expected a couple of problems, which there have been a few, but they are minor. I have over 68,000 miles now and no major issues at all! And again, I still drive it like I stole it! If I encounter problems, I will write them off to the money shift mistake I made a couple of months ago. Not the build quality from the mfg...

[needmazda]

[quote author=fascin8d1 link=topic=89796.msg1901870#msg1901870 date=1196953135]
I bought this car bc my last one was a '89 probe. First model year for that car and had many mazda internals. I put about 231,000 miles on that car and drove it like I stole it all the time. Eventually the differential could not take the abuse and gave out - after 146,000 miles. I had them change the clutch while they were in there and it still had 50% life left. I got rid of it the 2nd time the diff went out. In retrospect, I should have kept it - the $1500 repair would still be cheaper than the $350 per mo car payment. But, I was seduced by the 3.

Again, being that I bought the first model year again - I expected a couple of problems, which there have been a few, but they are minor. I have over 68,000 miles now and no major issues at all! And again, I still drive it like I stole it! If I encounter problems, I will write them off to the money shift mistake I made a couple of months ago. Not the build quality from the mfg...
[/quote]glad to hear the engines holding up to the drive it like you stole it as i keep mine in simulated stick

[gib]

[quote author=Crash11 link=topic=89796.msg1901734#msg1901734 date=1196947572]
[quote author=gib link=topic=89796.msg1733196#msg1733196 date=1190574327]
I own a 2004gt and its pretty reliable, but not has much has toyota. Theres lots of ford parts in it, mostly electronics. You should watch the brakes (caliper a priority), fuel and water pump, transmission and also some motor failure (but rarely), no electric problem on mazda contrary to VW. Thats about it
[/quote]Wow that's some contradiction there. Unless you have multiple personalities. Then I can understand.
[/quote]

On that quote i was referring to the problems i read about on this and other forums. The last quote is about my own experience.

[BIZCOCHITO]

ok i had the new lancer 08 i loved that car when i did the break in i drove it like i was in a race when i had to go to college and was late i drove it like crazy at sometimes i got up to 125 but i didnt like the cvt trany but i still like teh car very much. but like a month ago i had a car accident i was in a traffic jam and some woman just didnt look where she was goign and just crashed into me. but if you look at my car you would be like that car wasent totaled but after like a week my insurance called and said that the chassi twisted and had to be totaled and rightnow i`m looking for another car and my friend told me to get a mazda3 cuz its really good cuz he has the 05 model but i`m still like a small car its goign to probably going not hold an accident but if any one has anything to say about the mazda3 plz tell me if i should get one thanks .