My 07 speed3 has 102,000 miles and second gear is no longer there. It's at the dealer right now and they say $4100 to fix it!!!! Without a new clutch. Mazda sells a new transmission for about $3500. So guess what I'm getting? Other than that the car has been a blast to drive. There's nothing on the market that I'd replace it with so a new trans it is. If I get another 100k out of it I'm good.
The0retical wrote: Woo something I'm good at. The first gen MS3 does have a few problems with rust. I see clean ones all the time around us though so I think it's just a matter of actually washing the damn thing in the winter. Second gen cars don't have that problem. The rear motor mount on the car tends to be a bit soft stock. So much so that the engine has a tendency to smash into the firewall as it starts to wear out. It's pretty common to replace it with a unit from one of a couple of different manufacturers. Turbos are an unknown quantity in the cars. First gen cars have a tendency to smoke a and bit there's a TSB to change to 5W-40 to prevent that. Otherwise they last anywhere from 25k miles to 200k miles. I broke the journal shaft in mine at a bit over 24k. A quick way to start an argument is to mention oil. Supposedly Mobil1 doesn't tolerate gas in the oil very well as it's a class III synthetic. It's pretty common to run Rotella T6 5W-40, as it is a class IV, in the cars. It subjectively quiets them down a bit too. Second gen cars have an issue with the dash that has caused their warranty to be extended. If the interior of the car gets really hot it separates right above the info displays on the dashboard. There's also a recall currently on second gen hatch gas struts and the seatback adjustment device. Both generation cars have an issue with fueling above 5500 RPM with the stock CDFP internals. CS or Autotech internals take care of that issue. Any direct injection car suffers from "Super Knock" if you flat foot the throttle at low RPM in 5th or 6th gear. When you're driving one you want to be at 3000 RPM or higher before applying large amounts of boost. Otherwise they have a tendency to install a viewing window in the block. Since you're buying a used one make sure that the Accessport is unmarried from the car if it was modified. You won't be able to change the MAP or reset the ECU back to stock if it was not. Also make sure that all the mods with the exception of the CDFP were removed. The car does not tolerate larger downpipes or intakes very well on the stock map. Other than that the car has an issue with carbon buildup on the back of the valves so a catch can with a check valve is highly recommended. It's pretty simple to make stupid amounts of power out of them with some basic parts. The stock engine is supposedly good to about 400 HP and FT-LBS of torque before it becomes a bomb. I'm about 45 minutes north of you in the Poconos and I work in Easton. If you want to drive my modified example prior to making the decision you're welcome to it.
Mine made it just past 80k. I was running less boost than stock though...so.....
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote:JtspellS wrote: what are you looking at doing with it?Commute 60 miles round trip on choppy PA backroads year round, carry dogs, car parts, vet supplies, sometimes simultaneously. I've been seeing them asking ~$6500 (so $5k after negotiation bullE36 M3) pretty regularly on craigslist and disappearing quickly. Very open to other suggestions- how's the regular 3 hatch? What about the Protege 5? Fit, Yaris, EP Civic, Aerio, Accent any fun or just penalty boxes? I really wish I could just buy a 2005 318ti built by ToyotaThe last of the Celica GTSs would be an easy answer but the hatch isn't tall enough for dogs.
I have owned 2 MS3s, a 2008.5 GT and a 2011 with teh Tech package. Both were purchased new or almost new and both were fantastic. I never had any issues with either aside from a headlight seal on the 2011 that was bad and forced the dealer to replace the headlight under warranty. When I had the 2011 I was commuting 90 miles per day in crappy MD/VA traffic. I typically averaged around 28mpg which wasn't too bad. The hatch was very convenient.
The factory tires made the car completely useless in the snow. Even half an inch and it wouldn't want to go anywhere. If you are planning to drive year round in PA, make sure you get winter tires.
I wish they would make a Mazdaspeed version of the current car. My wife has a 2015 Mazda 3s and it is very nice. It just needs boost.
I wouldn't refer to a Mazdaspeed 3 as a "fun" hatchback. It felt more like a peppy minivan to me.
The GTI - now that's a fun hatchback.
Ricky Spanish wrote: I wouldn't refer to a Mazdaspeed 3 as a "fun" hatchback. It felt more like a peppy minivan to me. The GTI - now that's a fun hatchback.
And see, I differ, in that the gti felt dog slow in comparison. It wasn't until I got all the way to the r32 golf that I felt some soul out of a Volkswagen.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote:JtspellS wrote: what are you looking at doing with it?Commute 60 miles round trip on choppy PA backroads year round, carry dogs, car parts, vet supplies, sometimes simultaneously. I've been seeing them asking ~$6500 (so $5k after negotiation bullE36 M3) pretty regularly on craigslist and disappearing quickly. Very open to other suggestions- how's the regular 3 hatch? What about the Protege 5? Fit, Yaris, EP Civic, Aerio, Accent any fun or just penalty boxes?
Volvo C30. It's the same chassis as the Mazdaspeed 3 but it is the polar opposite in rustability - the Swedish built cars are very well rustproofed/galvanized/whatever while the Hiroshima built cars are not.
You take a small power hit (225? horsepower vs. 263) but the engine is easily turned up a bit, while the MS3 engine is more or less maxed out fuel wise from the factory. It's a very conservative 225.
And the Volvo suspension dynamics, IMO, are LOADS better than Mazda's. They do damping better or something. Even the base 3s seem kinda harsh and chassis-upsetting to me over rough roads.
The V50 is the same chassis in wagon form, can be had with the turbo five and AWD (C30 were turbo/front drive only, V50 can have no turbo, turbo, and turbo with AWD) if that piques your interest, and they don't suffer from the C30 tax. Nobody really bought C30s but now people want them...
jere wrote: The only thing I really know about the fun used late model mazdas is premature RUST. (The ones I've seen all have rear fender rust and more hiding.) That's been enough to scare me away. I would vote saabaru smallish awd wagon "5 door hatch". They come in turbo charged and are under-appreciated/abused. You might forget they have that goofy boxer motor as they are pretty low maintenance too.
Our crew guy Mike Seitz may have a Saabaru for sale soon. Needs a bit of work, but that's right up your alley...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote:JtspellS wrote: what are you looking at doing with it?Commute 60 miles round trip on choppy PA backroads year round, carry dogs, car parts, vet supplies, sometimes simultaneously. I've been seeing them asking ~$6500 (so $5k after negotiation bullE36 M3) pretty regularly on craigslist and disappearing quickly. Very open to other suggestions- how's the regular 3 hatch? What about the Protege 5? Fit, Yaris, EP Civic, Aerio, Accent any fun or just penalty boxes? I really wish I could just buy a 2005 318ti built by Toyota
You should really just pull a Matt Rhoads....get an older Forester (dirt cheap on CL it seems, especially non-turbo manual ones) and put some WRX suspension on it. Matt's car is fast and handles great, but still has the huge utility of the "big box wagon" while driving like a fun car.
What are all these problems you're having with the Ti?
BTW, Carin had a regular Mazda 3S (sedan) and it was a great car overall for the several years we owned it. No issues of any kind, and stock handling and steering is excellent. I didn't much like the (manual) transmission...it was pretty bleh, and the 2.3L engine on that model (the bigger available engine at the time) was pretty gutless and wheezy, but overall t was a good car with great seats and generaly fun to drive as long as you wrung it out good :)
2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback. I've been driving this since 2009, more reliable than the 95 Accord it replaced.
Rare, but not desirable, so can be found cheap. Lots of suspension mods from the factory, handles very well. Good brakes with EBD. Auto only, but it's a robust transmission and well matched to the powerband of the engine.
162 hp/160 torque, but with a long stroke so it's pulling well by 3000 and the valve timing switches over at 3500. Recaro seats, lots of hard plastics but no rattles in my interior at 130k miles.
Including the three panthers I've owned, this is the most reliable car I've owned.
irish44j wrote: What are all these problems you're having with the Ti?
Normal BMW stuff- perpetually disintegrating cooling system (replaced everything when we bought it, replacing it again 30k miles later), everything with an electric motor failing, interior turning to dust, serpentine belt drive components which are on the same schedule as the cooling system, idle control valve has a mind of its' own, air conditioning hates me. To its' credit it hasn't left us stranded, but it has caused more than its' fair share of "dammit I need to order another thing?!" moments. It's not the scale of the work but the frequency.
Interesting. Is that an M42 or M44 car? Granted I'm putting less miles (but harder miles on mine), but having converted to the aluminum rad and M20 expansion tank no cooling problems to date (knock on wood). e36 interior is even lousier than e30 interior IMO. IACV I still have not figured out how to work right even after trying 4 of them, cleaning them, rerouting stuff, etc. But yeah, for a little while I thought about getting a Ti as a daily driver and ruled it out for some of the same reasons. I don't like to have to work on my daily, so I hear you.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote:irish44j wrote: What are all these problems you're having with the Ti?Normal BMW stuff- perpetually disintegrating cooling system (replaced everything when we bought it, replacing it again 30k miles later), everything with an electric motor failing, interior turning to dust, serpentine belt drive components which are on the same schedule as the cooling system, idle control valve has a mind of its' own, air conditioning hates me. To its' credit it hasn't left us stranded, but it has caused more than its' fair share of "dammit I need to order another thing?!" moments. It's not the scale of the work but the frequency.
I can relate. My E36 has sucked me dry more than once. Just today it started over heating as I waited to pull into my garage. Looks like it popped a coolant hose under the intake manifold. Awesome...
My 08.5 speed3 on the other hand has been relatively flawless apart from eating belt tensioners. It has costed me 1/10th per mile what the BMW has. It's a riot too
irish44j wrote: e36 interior is even lousier than e30 interior IMO.
Trooth. E36s have interior quality like 80s GMs. I remember that the Car and Driver long term M3 (of the E36 variety) had the interior start to crack apart in the first year. I remember this because a reader wrote in to ask how they could say the car was great when the dash was sprouting cracks so soon, and "Ed." retorted that the car drove so well that it could have sprouted daffodils and they wouldn't have cared. (You could look it up. I clearly remember the "sprouting daffodils" line)
Also the car ate 5 wheels while they had it. Firggin' giant wheels made out of German peanut-butter metal. (In 1995, 17s were giant)
I have been real happy with my SVT Focus, but it is a bit more complex than the standard Focus in terms of parts. I think mine is going to hit the market soon since bambino number two is on the way.
If you want German, hatch, manual, there is another choice. I am looking at the sedan versions of these. Word on the street is 2002 is the year to skip.
Oh yeah don't forget Mazda6 came in hatch with V6 - Unicorn?
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/mazda6-5-door-hatchback-with-manual/66940/page1/
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