Used 2006 Mazda 3 for Sale
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Consumer Reviews for the Mazda 3
Read recent reviews for the Mazda 3
Ray Guarino,04/02/2016
i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
I'm leaving my original review below (followed by the stars) as I still believe and stand by everything I've written about this car in the past. Now, in 2020 with 101,000 miles on the clock I've changed the upper motor mount and had the rusted exhaust hanger rods replaced and the car has been trouble free as always. I'm a little remiss in saying that I recently committed to buying a Toyota FJ and will be selling the Mazda. Finding a buyer who wants a car with a 5 speed transmission is getting harder these days, but whoever scoops it up is going to get themselves one hellova great used car.
The source of the PO171 lean code was found to be one of the plastic EVAP lines that's at the front of the engine. A new replacement couldn't be found, so a judicious application of sealant was applied to the outer sealing edge to prevent air from being ingested and the code hasn't returned in over a year.
The engine is still running like new, with no oil consumption or other issues causing a loss of confidence in this fine powerplant. Two years ago I changed all of the cooling hoses and thermostat as a matter of routine maintenance, but to get at the PCV valve the plastic intake manifold needed to be removed since the valve is mounted to the engine block and can't be accessed any other way-I think that's a pretty poor design that came from the Ford camp.
***I'm not quite sure if I would have been as happy with a lower level of trim, but since my concern was having a dedicated onboard GPS system as opposed to an add-on unit I found myself having to purchase my Mazda 3 with the Grand Touring option package. I thought leather seats (heated) were a waste of money until I used them for a while, then i found the material quality and heat feature to be worth the cost.
The upgraded Bose audio system is superb, out performing sound systems in many costlier cars I've been in. The four cylinder engine performs flawlessly and although it isn't the most powerful plant on the market it is adequate for the size of the Mazda 3, only being taxed when climbing long inclines. My car is equipped with the standard 5 speed manual transmission so I can't speak to how the 2.3L engine performs when backed by an automatic transmission. My only complaint about the powertrain is that the hydraulic clutch is too soft for my taste. Having other manual transmission cars with conventional and cable actuated clutches presents no problems for me, but after having owned my 3 since new in 2006 I STILL occasionally stall the car when coming off the clutch from a dead stop, making me feel like a newbie (which I certainly am not).
Above all, the BEST feature of this car, and another one I thought would be insignificant, are the rain sensing windshield wipers. A friend had told me that this feature on his BMW seems to think faster than he does, actuating the wipers when a truck splashed him in traffic. I didn't quite believe this until it happened to me, and I'll be damned, those wipers really DO come on at high speed just as your brain tells you to hit the switch. Having this feature in an economy classed car is fantastic, and needless to say I've been spoiled now and want these wipers in every car I own from here on.
I've driven 85,000 event free miles in my Mazda 3 with only oil changes, front struts and tire replacements in those miles. The front struts needed replacement around 50k along with the lower control arms, which I thought were worn out way too early. Shortly following those repairs the car needed rear brakes, and I changed the fine wire spark plugs at that time also because I feel weird letting them go to 100,000 miles.
Recently the car needed lower control arms again, and something in the rear of the car is making a clunking noise over bumps that was traced to a worn sway bar mount. The car has developed a nasty habit of randomly setting a P0171 (lean fuel trim) code that I haven't been able to track down, but the car drives and performs well otherwise.
Overall this car is a solid performer, handling and braking very nicely, and returning great gas mileage when driven on the highway. As with the other Asian cars in my household I'm dismayed to find the rubber products like engine mounts and suspension components wearing too quickly, but guess this is how money is saved in the long run by car companies.
Buy a Mazda 3 and enjoy ease of parking, a decent hauling capacity, and the Zoom Zoom thrill of driving excitement while your money stays in your pocket as you avoid expensive repair costs.
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