We be driving!

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland) 09/19/2020 at 14:15 • Filed to: Mazda3

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The kid is considerably better driving now. We drove around for an hour and there were zero stalls and really only two or three times she didn’t let off the gas soon enough  when up shifting from 3-4 and 4-5. Very good in town creeping through slow traffic too.

I think a few more times driving around town and I’ll feel good about her driving on her own. Then I need a newer daily... hmmmm...

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 14:46

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Congrats!

Mazda 3, too. Nice.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 14:48

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Good on you for teaching her clutch-foo. Is the 3 supposed to be hers one day?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 09/19/2020 at 15:00

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Yes this Mazda is designated as the sacrificial teen car. It has ABS lots of air bags and isn’t too fast.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 09/19/2020 at 15:01

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She prefers to drive the 3 says it’s fun or something...

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 15:02

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They are the most fun practical plebeian conveyances I’ve driven, so can’t blame her.

Urambo Tauro > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 15:06

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Looking forward to teaching my little brother soon... h e’s very interested!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 09/19/2020 at 15:07

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I’m seriously considering buying another one. We drove 280 miles last weekend and got 30+ mpg and were not taking it easy. The only thing I’ve ever had to repair is the thermostat, otherwise all I’ve done is tires, oil and brakes.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 15:12

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My brother had an old 6 as his first car and he loved it. The V6's timing issues got the better of it but it was a great car. I wish her many happy trouble-free miles of driving it. It doesn’t have to be that sacrificial. 

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 15:31

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That’s good, everyone should learn, at the very least you understand what is happening mechanically . I learned to drive stick in Montana, in a white 1983 one of these, my dad still has it in Red Lodge. Later at home I got an 85 former utility truck and swapped the bed for stepside, then painted it all silver, it had dual tanks too . He sent me out on the dirt roads when I was thirteen maybe.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 09/19/2020 at 16:06

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I learned in a 1965 ford 3/4 ton getting hay! I don’t think that’s too unusual in rural areas.

Taylor Martin > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 16:47

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Kids are very far in the future for me, but by the time that does come around I’m almost certain stickshifts will be running very dry. That being said, I’m loving the Mazda 3 more with each passing day. It’s cheap, sporty, comes with a manual, safe. It’s all the things a teen car should be.

Glad your daughter is getting the hang of it! I haven’t been able to get my hands on a stick shift for a while and I’m jonesing to (I’d mooch off my pals 2001 BMW M 3, but he’s in the military now and the car is long gone).

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 16:50

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Yeah pretty normal there. That Chevy was pretty new then, it’s the long stepside bed I think, it has a blue interior and dual tanks as well. Mine was a short bed. My dad never sells any of these, I am sure they will be mine someday since they still run and my aunt’ s hubby looks after them all.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 17:14

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My Mazda3 was super easy to drive smooth for sure. 

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 09/19/2020 at 18:20

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Long as we’re singing the praises of Mazda3, here’s my 2006 when it was fairly new. Fun car and cheap as chips (I think I paid about $16k for it new)  although it was a bit of a gas hog (23 at best). Most reliable car I’ve ever had, a damn shame Mazda forgot how to paint cars in the 2000s as it started rusting when it was only 5 years old.

Renescent > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/19/2020 at 20:39

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Heh, taught my son to drive manual in a Mazda 3 as well; such a forgiving process.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 09/19/2020 at 22:02

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Yeah, the fuel consumption was pretty high. I could get it to like 27-28 mpg on a long trip, but that was about it, it usually averaged about 22-23. I also remember that it was really cheap to maintain, since it shared so much with the MkII Focus. Ours never rusted because the environment here is super gentle on cars and we garage our cars when possible, but I’ve heard about and seen it in other places.

The only car I’d describe as more reliable that I’ve ever  owned was my ZX2, which was substantially Mazda where it counted.