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Started burning oil after 150,000 miles :(
emMaz23, 07/02/2022
2005 Mazda 3 s 4dr Sedan (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My 2.3 L sedan started burning oil after 135000. Dealer mechanic and one outside mechanic just shrugged and said, "it's old." Blamed it on the piston rings and suggested the engine would have to be rebuilt to correct. This apparently is a problem in especially the 2.3L engines. The air conditioning compressor is also giving out after 160,000 miles. Blows hot air after a few minutes on hot days. There is also a known rust defect that affects the rear wheel wells. Mine was not immune. Mazda is aware of it for the early model years, but won't reimburse the driver for the defect. Overall, I loved this car. I've had it for more than 17 years. Up until the last couple years, it was very reliable. I now have more than 170,000 miles on it.
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My first car
MikeS., 05/29/2008
2005 Mazda 3 s 4dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I got my Mazda3 hatchback about one month ago, and so far this car has been amazing. I have not yet tried it on the highway so I can't comment on the MPG there, however the MPG I am averaging in the city is about 19-20. This car is easy to wash, fun to drive, and has tons of get-up-and-go. I would have given it a 10.0 rating had it not been for the false advertising of the MPG city. There is a ton of room in the back, in fact just the other day I fit my entire drum set packed up in boxes in the back of this car.
2005 Mazda 3 for sale near you
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- s SedanMSRP: $3,950126 mi away
- s 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $3,999166 mi away
- s SedanMSRP: $6,980240 mi away
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Good
DB, 05/31/2005
2005 Mazda 3 s 4dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
With neither the proper (last-gen) Golf nor Focus available, there's not much competition so I'm happy with what I get! The 3 drives well although the handling can be described as 'great' only by comparison to something quite wobbly. The shift is tops but the steering isn't too precise. We couldn't get traction ctrl and/or ABS on our model. This is a top-spec (S) yet the power window has no one-touch up. Having just paid the toll you either hold the window-up button with a line of angry Boston drivers behind you or pull away into the Boston winter with the window open. Plus the buttons are placed too far ahead and aren't illuminated. Please, a few LEDs for 17K!
Inconsistent build, very underwhelming
Thaddeus Mack, 11/23/2017
2005 Mazda 3 s 4dr Hatchback (2.3L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 6 people found this review helpful
Bought this car used with around 91K miles on it. Based on reviews, I thought it would be a good commuter vehicle and get good gas mileage. The bad: I mostly drive on highways, but haven't been able to break 23mpg. Apparently people can get upwards of 30, however driving like an old grandpa still gets me a whopping 23mpg. I even threw in an OBDII scanner connected to my phone and what the sensors gather for outputs on mileage is not what the odometer and tank show. The brakes are odd in that I slid once and the ABS activated and now they're spongy and very unresponsive (no leaks from the pump or lines though). The engine compartment looks like a 3 year old tried to go fishing and you get to untangle the mess of cables and wires (try changing the air filter in this car and you'll understand). The factory radio is AWFUL so if you're planning to buy this, set aside a few hundred dollars to replace the deck and speakers. The windshield wipers have one intermittent speed, which I am shocked by. The good: It's a fun car to drive when it's working right. The engine is responsive and passing cars is a breeze. The handling is superb and because the wheels are placed at the corners, parking in tight spaces is easy. The drivers seat is comfortable and has a good amount of headroom. The car is fairly quiet, even when blasting down the highway at 80mph. The trunk in the hatchback has several dividers and below deck storage compartments. The layout is all straight forward and easy to use. All in all, I would not buy this car again. The performance and handling perks can be found in many other cars which are better built and get better mileage. The stereo sounds so awful in this car, the engineer who developed it should be banished from earth. I was hopeful for more from Mazda but apparently was sadly mistaken.
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Has everything for little money
zoomer, 08/02/2008
2005 Mazda 3 i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
This car had everything I was looking for: wonderful manual transmission that is extremely fun to drive, enough oomph, horsepower, great gas mileage, cool looks, plenty of space for the family of four, great value for the dollar. I still love it.