2005 Mazda 3 S HATCHBACK 2.3 MZR

Summary:

Unique in its class

Faults:

2days after having my 1st oil change at the dealer I blew my engine at 5,000 miles. its the dealers fault. They probably used the wrong tool to take out the oil filter canister. The filter canister is plastic so be careful and use right tool. After replacing my engine everything works great and had no problems at all. Of course I started doing my own oil change after that incident.

General Comments:

This car is a great reliable car. Great car for the price. Not even comparable to any other car in the same class. This car can rip through corners with the help of the Volvo chassis on it. Why settle for a bland, old looking car if you can get one of this and pay just the same.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th June, 2007

14th Jun 2007, 00:13

There is no Volvo chassis on it. The Mazda 3 shares the Ford Focus floorpan (even if the 3 preceded slightly the current generation of Focus), which subsequently was passed on to Volvo for the current S40.

19th Jul 2008, 13:24

Perhaps it wasn't the dealers fault. A friend of mine drove an '05 Mazda 3s and the engine blew after 8k miles, despite regular oil changes.

I don't know if Mazda has a history of this, but unfortunately it has ruined my perception of the company as a whole, especially how the company dealt with the issue, and I will never consider buying one for myself.

24th Sep 2008, 23:53

The Volvo S40, the Mazda3 and certain Focuses use the same chassis.

16th Jan 2009, 13:04

Same chassis on the Mazda 3 and Volvo S40... Just a note to everyone doesn't matter the car. When driving on the highway there is more fuel consumed if your windows are open. Using the A/C for highway speeds will get you better fuel economy. Window open = more drag = more power from your engine needed to fight through the wind... Windows closed = better aerodynamics. I'm a physics teacher... I've tested this with my students on a '04 Accord Sedan.

Sincerely.

Looking for a car to build

2005 Mazda 3 GS 2.0L

Summary:

Very good package for the price

Faults:

Nothing so far.

Last when I changed the oil the dealer replaced an engine splash guard under warranty. He said it was broken, probably I hit a bump or something. Anyways he replaced it under warranty.

General Comments:

Zoom, zoom, zoom.

Fun to drive. Great maneuverability. Lacks some torque at low rev, you need to go over 4500RPMs to get the best of it. Manual transmission is great.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th April, 2006

2005 Mazda 3 S 2.3 liter

Summary:

Fabulous vehicle. Well engineered. Excellent response. Very fun to drive. Zoom-Zoom!

Faults:

Fuel pump needed to be replaced about 10,000 miles. Turns out, it was a factory recall and was replaced without incident by dealership.

General Comments:

I drive over 3,000 miles a month and I LOVE, LOVE this car. She's quick to respond in both acceleration and braking. Oh My Goodness! The braking system is incredible. Brakes can be very touchy when cold or damp, but they are the best brakes I've ever driven. I move a toe and she responds. There are times when I'm doing 85 mph and don't realize it. It's so smooth.

Cruise control works well. Love the stereo system and the sunroof. Seats are comfortable and fit my small frame well.

I get about 32-34 miles per gallon, even with the air conditioning running. Handles like a dream. She handles driving over Donner Summit (7,239 feet) like it was flat, in 5th gear.

She fits all of my gear and runs like a dream.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th January, 2006

24th Mar 2006, 16:15

100% my experience...

About the glove box latch... anyone else?

20th Jun 2006, 13:48

No problems with the glove box, but I do have a question about the mileage. I'm supposed to get 25 mpg city driving, but I find that I actually get 19-22. I've had the 2005 3s for 14 months now and have 4600 miles on it, so it should be past the break-in period. I keep the tires at the correct pressure, so that's not an issue. I live in Northern California, and the only thing I can think of is the new gas formula required to replace the MTBE gas previously required in this state. Any comments/suggestions?

28th Jul 2006, 06:50

There have been many complaints about poor city MPG in the 2.3L 3, especially with the automatic transmission. Many people score in the teens...

There are a couple of good places for info:

www.brianbauer.org has a database of cars and what MPG people are getting.

http://brianbauer.org/viewdata.php?start=0&vehicle=7

www.mazda3forums.com has many threads about gas mileage.

15th Aug 2006, 13:25

Thanks; I'll check it out. I've sort of resigned myself to it by now, as I just passed the 6,000-mile mark with no improvement in mileage. I guess that's the price I have to pay for owning such a pavement panther. Life is short; it's worth it. Those of you who own one know what I mean.

15th Apr 2010, 20:54

I was the one with the below-average gas mileage. I'm posting this because today is the 5-year anniversary of my purchase of this fine car, and so far, the only complaint I have is that the gas mileage was overstated by Mazda. Other than that, I have had '0' problems with it. It is the greatest car to drive, with handling that could rival a Porsche 9/11 (but without the expense). It's comfortable, fast, powerful. I would certainly buy one again. Although it seems as if I won't have to for a very long time.

Repairs/expenses so far: brake replacement, and one set of tires. Just normal wear and tire.