I Bought It: Mazda 3 Edition

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
10/23/2018 at 14:04 • Filed to: None

2011 Mazda 3 with 132k miles. 2.0L/5sp. Very basic model with A/C and power windows and door locks. No other bells nor whistles, not even a cruise control, not even remote key fobs . Fewer things for me to repair later, which is good. Perfectly straight, perfectly clean. Not sure I like the tint on the back windows, and the guy paid $300+ to have it detailed , which means every surface inside and out is doused with Armor All, which I detest and loath . Will Windex cut that crap? Also, the factory paper cone speakers sound like doo-doo, so I’ll be checking out Crutchfield.com. I bought the car from its original owner and all services were performed by the Mazda dealership. The owner was a fastidious Turkish software engineer. $4,200

(Pixel 2 takes nice pictures, doesn’t it?)

DISCUSSION (39)

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 14:45

Windex works OK. A light degreaser should cut it well.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 14:47

That’s a great buy. I would try some windex or watered down simple green for the armorall.

I am still driving my 2006 Mazda 3 2.0 that I bought in 2009. I was thinking what I might replace it with and a newer Mazda 3 is pretty much all that I can think of.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 14:57

Bought to replace or supplement or give to OC3 ?

vicali > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:00

303 should take off armorall crap as well.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/23/2018 at 15:03

The car is not perfect, but the configuration is. The one I bought has just the right features, including a telescoping adjustable steering wheel. Too much road noise. But precise handling and a smooth ride and I hope, good gas mileage. And the price point is good, even though I did not research the KBB value on the car at all. It was what I wanted and the price-versus-model year calculus worked for me.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
10/23/2018 at 15:07

The Camry is in hospice care. OC3 will drive the Versa.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > vicali
10/23/2018 at 15:08

303? I’ll have to look it up.

MonkeePuzzle > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:08

best way to be rid of armor all is to just wipe it up. it rarely actually soaks in, and it’s the excess thats the real issue. Then just wait until it needs a clean and use your own preferred product

vicali > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:19

Kinja'd!!!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > MonkeePuzzle
10/23/2018 at 15:29

I might try a little Windex. I really hate Armor All.

MonkeePuzzle > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:35

great lilttle car by the way.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:36

Congrats! These are great runabouts if you can get past the clown face.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:43

HA! I beat you on not-having basic - ness! I don’t have power locks, windows OR A/C on my 2009 Accent hatch ! :P

In seriousness, not bad at all! I’ve always liked every generation of 3, even if the first-gens were known to dis ap pear from rust if you looked at them funny...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > MonkeePuzzle
10/23/2018 at 15:46

Thanks. I think it’s about as well as I could have spent my money on a used car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
10/23/2018 at 15:46

Can’t see it from inside.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/23/2018 at 15:49

One of my other cars is a ‘91 Corolla Base and that is a no-frills car that my wife and I both love to drive.

MonkeePuzzle > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:50

for sure. ~$4k for a decent brand, 4 doors, likely good fuel economy, the bare basics of power features, and ~100-150K miles is right on point. very nice choice

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > MonkeePuzzle
10/23/2018 at 15:52

I pounced on it. Some other guy wanted to come buy it at the same time I was. I pretty much had my mind made up already, just looked it over and drove it to make sure, and to size up the owner, who was really fastidious and meticulous.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:54

My car has very loud tire noise, wind noise is tolerable.

The unusual thing about my car is that it is a 2.0 Touring, so it has cruise control, moon roof, 6 disc changer, 6-speekers , etc... but no 2.3L motor. Literally every option except leather seats with the smaller engine.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 15:57

This is an excellent purchase.

MonkeePuzzle > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 16:00

I know white paint hides a lot of sins, but I can tell from the pics it was owned by maybe not a car enthusiast, but certainly someone who respected the vehicle.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > MonkeePuzzle
10/23/2018 at 16:09

Clean specimen. Couldn’t pass it up.

I wish he hadn’t tinted the windows, though. I don’t like having the view through the rear window occluded. But I’m afraid to mess with the tint and mess up the rear defroster.

MonkeePuzzle > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 16:26

oh! I always think tinting windows is a good mod, even for otherwise completely stock cars.

I do wish all the windows were tinted, or all the windows werent. uneven tinting looks funky

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > MonkeePuzzle
10/23/2018 at 16:32

No way I would tint front windows. I used to tint glass in the day when I couldn’t afford an air-conditioned car.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 16:58

I approve! :D

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 17:19

The most basic car I owned had no A/C, manual windows, manual steering, manual locks, manual transmission and manual choke... a 1987 Honda Civic Wagovan.

PG; the scalpel wielder > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 18:03

Nice one. I didn’t know that they came in 5 speed? We have a 2.0 6spd. Very reliable. I’ve just changed the oil and plugs in the past 60k km of driving, sitting at 155 k now . Its light so tyres and brakes last a while. The interior plastics do show scratches easily and our dashboard has become quite sticky. It’s difficult to replace because it just works with minimal budget. Find a set of used wheels from the current shape 3 to really bring the looks up.

Kinja'd!!!

Tristan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/23/2018 at 18:51

NP! Congrats- that should be a great little runabout and should be fun enough to keep a smile on your face.

I also vote for some diluted Simple Green. It works great for interior cleaning. And try 303 Aerospace Protectant if you want some non-greasy protectant.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
10/23/2018 at 22:09

That’s my 91 Corolla except EFI, so no choke.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PG; the scalpel wielder
10/23/2018 at 22:10

I wouldn’t mind swapping out the wheels, but Mrs. won’t be feeling that.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tristan
10/23/2018 at 22:12

My inclination would be to wipe off all the current slime and leave it well enough alone. If they look too nice, then any little ding is a big deal.

Aquila76 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/24/2018 at 00:17

Nice. I have an ‘ 08 Mazda 3 S hatchback. Aside from a s unroof and cruise, mine is ‘minimalist’, too. Just hit 140K on my 400mi trip back from Upstate NY. Still got 33 + MPG! Not bad for a 10y/ o car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Aquila76
10/24/2018 at 11:27

I’m looking forward to measuring the highway mileage in this car. I drove it around a bit today for the first time. Nice driving ride. I drove my friend’s ‘09 awhile back and that’s what got me looking when I found this one.

TysMagic > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/24/2018 at 12:56

nice purchase, looks like a good daily driver if that’s the plan for it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > TysMagic
10/24/2018 at 15:03

It’s a great driver. I was wheeling it around a bit this morning.

Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair) > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/24/2018 at 16:39

Just use soap to remove armor all. Acetone could work too, if it's fussy, but you'd have to be careful not to let any sit. Dish detergent should be your #2 step though. - advice from my chemist friend.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Xazzaphonic (previously known as Vicarious-Chair)
10/24/2018 at 16:47

I tried Windex this morning and it seemed to work pretty well. I think ammonia is the chief ingredient there.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/24/2018 at 18:47

Congrats! Thats a nice little ride. As you may know, I DD the bigger brother to that car, a 2012 Mazda5 6MT. Even though I bought the base model to get the 6MT, it was fairly well equipped for the pittance I p aid for it when new. It came with 6 speakers, including separate tweeters near the A pillar, but even with that they still sucked. I replaced them with a set of Polks that have the separate crossover modules, about $150 for the pair at the time as I recall. Well worth the money - the highs are nice and crisp and they put out surprising bass for their rather small size. I haven’t bothered with the rear speakers since they’re buried way in the back by the third row and are barely audible up front. Maybe someday I’ll add a sub, but it’s not urgently needed with these speakers.

You might check out eBay for a fancier factory head unit of you don’t want to go aftermarket. I paid $10 for the better unit for my car that included the in-dash six-disc changer. I made a bunch of MP3 discs years ago and still have the same discs in there now. I do frequently use an iPod nano through the aux input using a controller I made that uses a fa ctory switch to control play/pause, next track and previous track; it’s much better than the Rostra Bluetooth setup I bought. Even though I went through all the trouble of adding that kit, I find that I like the results from a $15 Anker BT module much more for both audio and phone use.

Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Future Heap Owner > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
10/25/2018 at 01:12

Late to the party on this, but congrats! Looks like a good ride at a great price.