"Jay Lauer" (thefaultinourcars)
05/06/2015 at 16:52 • Filed to: None
2
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"Jay Lauer" (thefaultinourcars)
05/06/2015 at 16:52 • Filed to: None | 2
| 16 |
I need experiences and opinions from owners please. I’m looking at a bone stock one with 110k miles. Anything I should be aware of or look out for on these?
Please and thanks.
Just wear your damn mask...
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 16:59 |
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Former owner here. I had a 2010 CPO MS3 for about a year. I loved the car and regret trading it in on something bigger and with more airbags for the wife and kid. I still have the plate frame and billet oil cap, which I look at in my toolbox and sigh mournfully at.
thebigbossyboss
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 17:02 |
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I was going to say my friend had one, but his was a mazda speed protege.
Ash78, voting early and often
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 17:02 |
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That’s a lot of miles for an MS3...check the current owner for lower back problems or hemhorroids!
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Jay Lauer
> Ash78, voting early and often
05/06/2015 at 20:08 |
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for a 2009 it’s not too bad. 18k miles a year.
Is the ride pretty bad on them? I used to have a normal Mazda 3 3 years ago. It was on the stiff side, but I wouldn’t call it bad riding.
dogisbadob
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 20:22 |
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One word: rust!
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dogisbadob
> Just wear your damn mask...
05/06/2015 at 20:23 |
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How was the rust?
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Just wear your damn mask...
> dogisbadob
05/06/2015 at 20:31 |
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Didn't have any.
Alex Zapata
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 20:34 |
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I don’t know how you plan to upkeep it, but I had one a couple of years ago, and I’m the kind of original parts kind of guy, if you are too there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
The car is a bit stiff for American Highways but not too too bad, so is the clutch and so is the gearbox.
It is not an easy car to drive fast, if you are expecting a bargain Focus RS, you are well mistaken, these cars are a bit raw, all the basic stuff is there (LSD, good chasis/suspension, solid gearbox and clutch) but there are no electronic or overly sophisticated stuff to help you out at all, so expect a bit of a beast, if you get to know it though, it is extremely rewarding to know you can handle it. (eg. It can be awesome at AutoX or small tracks, but only if you are a very capable FF driver, even then it takes getting used to, if not you will either be much slower than everyone else or bin it trying to make it go faster)
All of the specific Mazdaspeed parts (clutch, gearbox, the volvo brakes, etc.) are expensive, well expensive, so make sure those are in very well working order or you’ll get a big bill.
Also if it’s not bone stock (and maybe if it is) they are prone to blowing the turbo, it’s not a cheap thing to fix.
Disclaimer: I’m Mexican, prices and so on are what I know from my experience, the ride and drive of the car are subject to my point of view, your overall experience may vary from market to market and how shitty/slow/fast/amazing your previous car is... (lol) (but for real tho)
EDIT: Also, even if it’s not this one, you should totally buy one, it’s a really amazing car, though BEWARE: This car WILL ruin every other car you drive from the moment you own it, forever. It is a very very special car and few cars if any at all feel quite the same way, if you like it, nothing ever is going to compare. (Trust me I’m a cursed ex-owner)
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Jay Lauer
> Alex Zapata
05/06/2015 at 20:39 |
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Haha fair enough. Years ago I had a normal Mazda 3 hatch manual. Great little car.
As far as being stiff and raw, I know what I’m getting in to. I’ve had plenty of performance cars (WRX, STi, C5 Vette, GTO, S2000) so I’m pretty aware of the Mazdaspeed characteristics.
The parts price is something I didn’t know before, but not too surprising really. The car needs struts, so I’ll price that out. Turbo, I’ll have to look at. A lot will depend on the previous owner. The guy is the 2nd owner.
I haven’t driven a speed before, so I’m curious
Nerd-Vol
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 20:41 |
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I have a 07 with 103,000mi. Check to see if there is excessive valve/vvt noise. That’s the main thing to go wrong on the car, vvt. If your hear a lot of valve noise, set aside $1,400 for a fresh timing chain.
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Jay Lauer
> Nerd-Vol
05/06/2015 at 20:45 |
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Is that a speed3 specific issue? I had a 05 normal Mazda3 I drove from 120k to 140k that didn’t tick or have issue.
Also, sweet Vol logo. My sister’s getting her doctorate there.
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Nerd-Vol
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 20:49 |
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It is a speed specific issue.
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Jay Lauer
> dogisbadob
05/06/2015 at 21:40 |
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Further north, I imagine.
I had a regular 05 Mazda 3 for two years. 0 rust.
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dogisbadob
> Jay Lauer
05/06/2015 at 21:46 |
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which two years, 05 and 06? :p (sorry, I had to!)
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Jay Lauer
> dogisbadob
05/07/2015 at 00:01 |
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2011-2012
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Alex Zapata
> Jay Lauer
05/07/2015 at 13:26 |
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Struts for me were really hard to get because Mazda doesn’t have a parts warehouse for much of it’s Japanese imports, so beware of that, because I don’t think they do in the States either, I bought some more expensive KYB struts at the front when those went and the original Mazdaspeed ones when the back ones went.
Also I do remember I bought the front logo in the States on a trip and they charged me 20 bucks for it and they wanted almost 200 for it in Mexico...