Need some advice1

[GoodnessME]

I'm thinking about getting a new car. The one I have is 10years old with 139k miles. I Want to replace it BEFORE it starts to nickel/dime me. I am looking at the Mazda 3 Hatchback. Anyone familiar with this car. Pros/Cons. Any advice would be Greatly Appreciated. Thanks.....

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

I'm thinking about getting a new car. The one I have is 10years old with 139k miles. I Want to replace it BEFORE it starts to nickel/dime me. I am looking at the Mazda 3 Hatchback. Anyone familiar with this car. Pros/Cons. Any advice would be Greatly Appreciated. Thanks.....

I have neither owned much less driven one of these, but I did find this.
kbb.com
http://www.kbb.com/mazda/mazda3/?vehicleclass=newcar&intent=buy-new&r=249763284595507100

Of course this is but one review; if all you're doing now is reasearch.

 

[phobos512]

The current Mazda 3 hatcback (i.e. 2014 model) was one of the vehicles we tried out when we were looking at cars in the Spring. My girlfriend really liked it though I found it to be somewhat underpowered and the transmission was kind of slow (automatic version). Also, I didn't like the position of the armrest on the door. It was too low for me, and the windowsill was too high, so there was no comfortable place for me to put my arm. However, it has a ton of room for its size and we did find it to be pretty nimble. You can also get them quite loaded up, and the stereo was decent. Waldorf Mazda also was very reticient about haggling. Did not have a good experience with those folks (we were attempting to a do a combo deal with a Subaru from the same Wes Greenway family but they basically refused to negotiate with us).

Instead of a BRZ and the 3 we ended up with a Sonata Hybrid and an FR-S. For less than what the BRZ and 3 would've cost...FAR less.

 

[JenniferCNJR]

I have a Mazda 3 (not a hatchback) but thought I could offer my experience. Negative: If you ever have to replace a headlight, be prepared with youtube to figure out how to access the bulb (involves taking off the tire and the side panel) or be prepared with some extra cash to pay a mechanic. I feel the blind spot when looking to change lanes is annoying. The car doesn't have much ooompf. It is an uncomfortable ride for a larger or tall person. Do NOT get black interior (in any car)....it picks up every speck of dirt, dust, particle. Positive: It gets great gas mileage, about 33 miles per gallon and it's a comfortable commuter car for me (short person). The model is attractive. It is an affordable car.

Best of luck in your search.

 

[nobody really]

are you kidding me, when i saw the "need some advice" title to this thread, i'd thought it would be a little more entertaining than this.

bummer.

 

[Lurk]

are you kidding me, when i saw the "need some advice" title to this thread, i'd thought it would be a little more entertaining than this.

bummer.

Well go ahead and give some advice on whatever topic you were expecting. Seems like a reasonable way to hijack the thread.

 

[BernieP]

I'm thinking about getting a new car. The one I have is 10years old with 139k miles. I Want to replace it BEFORE it starts to nickel/dime me. I am looking at the Mazda 3 Hatchback. Anyone familiar with this car. Pros/Cons. Any advice would be Greatly Appreciated. Thanks.....

never owned a Mazda, but have had them as rentals and have been a passenger. The word that comes to mind is 'cramped". I found they lacked leg room, at least in the front seats.
Was not impressed.
Check Consumer Reports, good source of data on total cost of ownership, reliability etc.

 

[acommondisaster]

I have a Mazda 3 (not a hatchback) but thought I could offer my experience. Negative: If you ever have to replace a headlight, be prepared with youtube to figure out how to access the bulb (involves taking off the tire and the side panel) or be prepared with some extra cash to pay a mechanic. I feel the blind spot when looking to change lanes is annoying. The car doesn't have much ooompf. It is an uncomfortable ride for a larger or tall person. Do NOT get black interior (in any car)....it picks up every speck of dirt, dust, particle. Positive: It gets great gas mileage, about 33 miles per gallon and it's a comfortable commuter car for me (short person). The model is attractive. It is an affordable car.

Best of luck in your search.

She's right about changing the headlight - I've got a miata and it's a total PITA. This is my third mazda - an MX3 that I put 200k on, a 01 Miata I put 250k on and this 08 Miata that just hit 100k. I've never had ANY trouble - my second miata never had any mechanical issues until the very end - I replaced the original battery when the car was TEN years old. The MX3 had a clutch at 125k give or take and a muffler just before I sold her. No issues with this current Miata - except I'm not thrilled with the headlight situation. As far as I'm concerned, Mazda builds a solid car, and it's just going to be a matter of your personal taste. I don't like a squishy luxury ride; I like to feel the road. FWIW my husband has a Hyundai Elantra - 2007 that has just over 350k miles - he's terrible about oil changes and maintenance in general - he's just now starting see that things are wearing out. It's original muffler, transmission - there's been no major expense - he just put in new thermostat recently, but that's the extent of his repairs. Have fun finding a new car.

 

[dgates80]

I would look at low mileage used cars, there are some really good deals relative to new cars on ones with even less than 10k miles on them. The very low mileage used cars are often repos that someone couldn't make the payments on, or demo vehicles.

We bought a 2011 model year GMC Terrain with 4500 miles (yep, 4.5k miles) on it in 2013, top of the line with every bell and whistle imaginable, for about half of the "new" sticker price.

So, look for one or maybe two year old models with very low mileage and save a ton of dough is my advice!

 

[FollowTheMoney]

I'm thinking about getting a new car. The one I have is 10years old with 139k miles. I Want to replace it BEFORE it starts to nickel/dime me. I am looking at the Mazda 3 Hatchback. Anyone familiar with this car. Pros/Cons. Any advice would be Greatly Appreciated. Thanks.....

Really? The one you have is just getting broken in. Keep that puppy for another 10 years, or longer. You most likely have no car payment.
You should have dropped that comprehensive car insurance to liability only by now saving you more. (really not worth it after 5-7 years old)
Regular maintenance is not nickle and dimeing. Regardless, in the long run you are saving more. Save your money for something else.
Do not succumb to Madison Avenue's psychological marketing advertising campaigns. Be happy with your 10 year old, paid for, seat well
formed to your buttocks, car. You'll be happy you did.

 

[blazinlow89]

You most likely have no car payment.
You should have dropped that comprehensive car insurance to liability only by now saving you more. (really not worth it after 5-7 years old)
Regular maintenance is not nickle and dimeing.

This is one of the most irritating things people say. It does not cost much to keep collision and comprehensive with a $500 deductible. Even 10 year old cars are not cheap to repair in an accident. Last one I had to deal with was $3500, plus rental coverage, and that was just hitting a deer with little damage to the actual body. Insurance costs us less than $1000 a year for 3 vehicles all with "full coverage" and $100 deductibles.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Also, I didn't like the position of the armrest on the door. It was too low for me, and the windowsill was too high, so there was no comfortable place for me to put my arm.

This seems to be a problem with me and a lot of new cars, what is with these high window ledges? My head hits the roof on most newer cars with the seat in its lowest position too.

 

[BernieP]

This is one of the most irritating things people say. It does not cost much to keep collision and comprehensive with a $500 deductible. Even 10 year old cars are not cheap to repair in an accident. Last one I had to deal with was $3500, plus rental coverage, and that was just hitting a deer with little damage to the actual body. Insurance costs us less than $1000 a year for 3 vehicles all with "full coverage" and $100 deductibles.

Definitely want to increase the deductable on older cars, the insurance company is only going to pay out the lesser amount of the cost to repair or book value.
The money you spend on the additional premium for the lower deductible isn't going to come back to you if they total the car. Which is often the case with older cars as the cost to repair starts to exceed the book value.