[cityroamer]

My Mazda 3s has 29K miles on it, so I figured it is time to get some real maint. work done on it. I've never had anything really done to it other than visual inspections and oil changes / tire rotations and alignments.

I heard the Mazda dealers charge around $450 for the 30K maint. service, but not too much is done in it. What other places would you recommend I get the service done other than the dealer?

I also have to get my car inspected and a wheel alignment, as much as I'd like to go to the Mazda dealer, I'd like to keep the cost down because of all these things that need to be done.

 

[Mummyman]

Any trusted mechanic will be fine, but if you don't know of one you are really better off at a quality dealership. That being said, why do you figure it's time to get some "real" maintenance done on your ride? Everything up to the warrenty period is pretty much inspections and basic changes.
I personally do my own oil changes, ATX fluid changes, and have a K&N filter. I had my coolant flushed at 35k since I believe in doing it every 2 years rather than 4 year/50k and 2 year after as Mazda suggests. That being said, what else needs to be done? Power steering fluid is a "lifetime" fluid according to the manual. While some may argue that, it will certainly last longer than 30k. Spark plugs are high quality, will last 75k. Battery should be fine (although an upgrade in cold climate wouldnt be a bad idea). There really isen't much else, certainly not at 30k. In recap...

Oil Change
Transmission flush (or drain and fill DIY) -- if you have an ATX this is a must.
Coolant flush
Check the air filter
Tire rotation if needed

Follow that and you should be sitting good. Assuming you can do the ATX drain yourself (it's easier than an oil change), that shouldn't cost you anywhere north of $150 ($100 coolant, $25 oil, $15 rotation, $10 filter). General pricing of course, could be a bit more/less either way. That's my suggestion, and what I personally do to my 3. Car car is currently at 40k and runs like butter laced with silk. Good stuff.

 

[cityroamer]

Here is the reply I got back from my dealership. It is a flyer of their 30K maintenance service. What do you think? Seems real high priced to me...

http://www.geocities.com/cityroamer16/Mazda30K.doc

 

[ak47clown]

"Replace Engine Oil with Filter" Personally, i'd rather have my oil replaced with oil. And I'm pretty even a lobotomy patient is capable of "installing fuel injection cleaner" lol aside from that fuel filter is not replaceable in our car without replacing the pump from my understanding. Mummyman's right. There really isn't anything listed that you couldn't do yourself on a saturday. Certainly not worth $479

 

[maudi3]

[quote author=cityroamer link=topic=69780.msg1217805#msg1217805 date=1171938755]
Here is the reply I got back from my dealership. It is a flyer of their 30K maintenance service. What do you think? Seems real high priced to me...

http://www.geocities.com/cityroamer16/Mazda30K.doc
[/quote]

run like hell! Most of that stuff doesn't even apply to this car.

 

[Mummyman]

My dealership has the same schedule as that document, although they want around $750. While I'm all for maintenance, you really gotta watch yourself with some dealerships. Spark plugs at 30k? Sheesh. Like I said...Oil, Trans, Coolant. Keep fresh fluids in your ride and the components *hopefully* will run like they should for many years to come. Once the dealer changes the conversation from inspections to replacing, you should be concerned. Cars like this aren't meant to have things "replaced" every 2 years, or sooner. Chances are it will cause more problems then it prevents.

 

[*txmica3*]

yea, im at about 36k and i was in there a while back to see what needed to be done (didnt have records, bought the car used) and they tried to tell me i needed to rotate this, inspect that, blah blah blah... for like 80+ bucks if i remember right. i was like psh yea right just give me an oil change and ill be fine, i think i can handle rotating my own tires and checking thread and inspecting my brakes to save me more than 50 dollars...

moral of the story... have them do what you want them to do... otherwise they will want to charge you for a lot of crap work that you can do youself just by using your eyes (brakes, tires, shoot even oil change if you want, not the hardest thing in the world)

just my .02

 

[cityroamer]

Yes, I'm definitely not going to do this 30K service. Actually I'm not even sure if some of them apply. Does anyone have any info about whether these exist in the Mazda 3??

• Replace PCV valve (If equipped) --- Does this exist?
• Replace distributor cap and rotor (If Equipped) --- Does this exist?
• Replace spark plugs (non-platinum models only) --- Does the Mazda3 have platinum spark plugs?

 

[D Bone]

If I had only done oil & filter changes, tire rotations and an alignment, I would do the following for my "30k" service:

1) Oil & filter change
2) Transmission drain and refill
3) Air filter replacement
4) Tire rotation
5) Top off all fluids
6) Inspect brake pad linings, belts, hoses, battery and replace if needed


Do what you can yourself, and what you're not comfortable doing yourself, take to your dealer or your favorite auto repair shop. The dealer isn't really necessary since all of the work is simple that any shop can perform.



Darryl

 

[mz3frs]

[quote author=Seacoast Mazda]
• Inspect cabin filter (if equipped)
[/quote]

Isn't it ~1 hour of labor to even get to the cabin filter? There's no way they're going through all this to 'inspect' the filter.

Yea most of the stuff on that list sounds like BS. I hate dealerships.

[quote author=cityroamer link=topic=69780.msg1231569#msg1231569 date=1172440875]
Yes, I'm definitely not going to do this 30K service. Actually I'm not even sure if some of them apply. Does anyone have any info about whether these exist in the Mazda 3??

• Replace PCV valve (If equipped) --- Does this exist?
• Replace distributor cap and rotor (If Equipped) --- Does this exist?
• Replace spark plugs (non-platinum models only) --- Does the Mazda3 have platinum spark plugs?
[/quote]

PCV vale does exist; I don't know why it should be replaced at 30k unless it's malfunctioning...

I'll eat a shoe if we have a distributor ignition system

Not sure if stock spark plugs are platinums or not.