Need opinions about MAZDA3

I'm looking into buying a Mazda3 (unsure whether it'll be used or new)
and I wanted to get people's opinions on it. I've heard from one
person that it tends to break down a lot and I was wondering if that
was consistently true. I was also wondering how it drives (I haven't
test driven one yet).

Lisa wrote:
> I'm looking into buying a Mazda3 (unsure whether it'll be used or new)
> and I wanted to get people's opinions on it. I've heard from one
> person that it tends to break down a lot and I was wondering if that
> was consistently true. I was also wondering how it drives (I haven't
> test driven one yet).
We've got a 2007 5 door and absolutely love it. We've made trips from
Houston to Rochester, NY, Harrisburg, Pa and Crestview Fl and have
never had a problem with it. The only things that I would like improved
are 1. The dash lighting is hard to see under some conditions (heavy
sun from the back) and
2. The seats could use a little more padding.

The IDEAL car, as far as I'm concerned (I just can't convince my better
half) is the Mazdaspeed 3 (1 more gear and about 60% more HP).

In article
>,
Lisa > wrote:

> I'm looking into buying a Mazda3 (unsure whether it'll be used or new)
> and I wanted to get people's opinions on it. I've heard from one
> person that it tends to break down a lot and I was wondering if that
> was consistently true. I was also wondering how it drives (I haven't
> test driven one yet).

Check the April issue of Consumer Reports, which is on sale now. This
issue reviews cars, and rates them for reliability and other factors. I
am pretty sure the Mazda 3 is one of the models they reviewed or rated.

On Mar 4, 11:33*am, Lisa > wrote:
> I'm looking into buying a Mazda3 (unsure whether it'll be used or new)
> and I wanted to get people's opinions on it. *I've heard from one
> person that it tends to break down a lot and I was wondering if that
> was consistently true. *I was also wondering how it drives (I haven't
> test driven one yet).

It certainly couldn't be worse than other vehicles. When I was in
Kuwait in support of OIF in '03-'04, my unit obtained a Mazda 3 as a
staff car for missions outside our base (military vehicle speed limits
were dangerously slow in the area). The posted SL on the freeways was
120 km/h (74 mph), and the traffic flow ranged between 140 and 200 km/
h. The car handled it adequately, and lasted until the end of my
unit's mission there.

Good luck.