Mazda 3 Control Panel

[biigs]

Hello everyone. I am looking to buy a Mazda 3. However, I truely do not like the quality of controls for the air etc. On the Mazda Canada website they have a picture of a control panel in their Mazda 3 section that I would like to get. (http://www.mazda.ca/eng/Vehicles/Mazda3/800x600/m3_022.jpg) I brought it to the dealer and they said they do not have that available in Canada.

First, I thought I might ask the Mazda community if they know anything about it.

-Is this true that it is not available in Canada?
-Is this something that may become available and therefore I should wait?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Badger Biker]

Sadly, the dealership is right.

Those are the climate controls for the Mazda3. The right third of the radio LCD display is also used with them, as well as the ambient temperature sensor.

North American cars do not have the CC available to them, but cars in South America, Australia, Europe, Asia and I assume Africa (read: anywhere but us) can get this feature.

Don't think about adding it later on either. Our ECU isn't programmed for it, and it's something like a $1000 wiring harness that you have to buy and install yourself to get it to work - which no one has yet.

Sucks to be us :( No word on whether or not it will be available in '06 though.

[biigs]

Thanks for the information....although that blows! :( Why do they put the picture on the website?? It's like saying here's something better, but you can't get it.

Thanks again, I will start praying for the 06 to have that feature!

[nvoetfiv]

Thanks for the information....although that blows! :( Why do they put the picture on the website?? It's like saying here's something better, but you can't get it.

Thanks again, I will start praying for the 06 to have that feature!

I can understand you..I'm from Norway, driving the Eurospec Mazda3 1.6mzr hatchback, and naturally I have the panel you want.. I've seen the other panels on various pictures on this site, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't have bought my car if it looked like that.

The cabin is where you spend all of the time with the car, and if it isn't estethically pleasing and functional, it's no good. The eurospec looks awesome(especially in the dark), and is also insanely easy to understand and functional. I have no idea what so ever concerning the fact that you guys overseas haven't got it, but you have my sympathy!

[mobomelter]

1.6? so europe and other places got climate control but got the shaft on engine size?

[tsunami]

^^^ yup

[mobomelter]

thats wierd. usually europe gets the faster cars than we do.

[tsunami]

after thinking about this for a bit i would think if its just a wiring harness if some one has one or could tell me what it is and how many plugs the connectors have on each end i could probably make one....??... i mean its just a wire harness, its the ecu re-flash or re-program that would cost the $$$$??? (i work in an industry where i have access to anything i can imagine the harness would have....wire, plugs, fuses, resistors...or what have you)

[nvoetfiv]

1.6? so europe and other places got climate control but got the shaft on engine size?


Nah, we have engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.3 on the m3, but I live in Norway, and the prices are sky high..The 1.6i with auto climate and not much more is approx. $40000.. If you move to 2.3 it's a huge rise, which makes it sheer stupidity to buy one if you're 25 years old :)

[nvoetfiv]

after thinking about this for a bit i would think if its just a wiring harness if some one has one or could tell me what it is and how many plugs the connectors have on each end i could probably make one....??... i mean its just a wire harness, its the ecu re-flash or re-program that would cost the $$$$??? (i work in an industry where i have access to anything i can imagine the harness would have....wire, plugs, fuses, resistors...or what have you)
It would have to be a pretty complex switchover..Either change the whole control panel, or add a nifty device/remote to control it.. Then it's the carputer, the harness etc etc..
But I'm not familiar with the 3's intestines, so I'ts no qualified guess from my side ;)

[mobomelter]

Nah, we have engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.3 on the m3, but I live in Norway, and the prices are sky high..The 1.6i with auto climate and not much more is approx. $40000.. If you move to 2.3 it's a huge rise, which makes it sheer stupidity to buy one if you're 25 years old :)
40k us dollars? wtf that doesn't sound right. or is that price in euros?

[tsunami]

could work though... would need to almost have the two cars side by side to compare the wiring and see whats diff and what goes where.... i am sure there are some sensors as well on each side..(climate control) but all that is is a thermal couple probe and thats not to hard to wire in i use them all the time at work... but you need the comp to recognize the voltage from the t.c. and then be able to turn on or off the heat/ac.... mmmmm.... like i said the wiring doesn't seem like it would be to imposing to me just need the comp to recognize the signal and i would need to know what type of t.c the euro cars have so the comp would recognize the vlt correctly for the temp change...

[nvoetfiv]

40k us dollars? wtf that doesn't sound right. or is that price in euros?
That's US dollars.. If it was euros it would be even more! (You can fit more than 1 dollar in 1 euro)

[Screamin'3]

The $40K price is about right. A lot of that is taxes and fees, etc. Correct nvoetfiv?

When it comes to car prices the US has it pretty good. We have no or very small import duties, 0-10% sales tax (depending on state), $100-$1000 licensing fee (again depending on state), and that's about it. So in the US its MSRP +10-20% in TTL. In other countries those costs could be as much as 50% or more. Also, getting a DL in the US is easier and cheaper than most countries in Europe.

Non-US members, please correct me if I am way off base. THis is from conversations with locals when I have been overseas.

[Screamin'3]

Remember, the average US car buyer (we are not average) would rather spend thier $22K on a larger car with fewer features than a smaller car with lots of features. Size=Value in some mindes. Also, the same person who would not pay $25K for a fully loaded 3 would drop $40K on a Tahoe without thinking. Also, Auto CC is something the average US car buyer associates with a luxury car not small economy car. In Europe and Asia they don't have this hangup.

[mobomelter]

for 40k i could have a totally hooked up 2.3l

[NorwegianMX-5]

thats wierd. usually europe gets the faster cars than we do.
That's the other way round, dude... (headshake

[OnlyMe]

The $40K price is about right. A lot of that is taxes and fees, etc. Correct nvoetfiv?

When it comes to car prices the US has it pretty good. We have no or very small import duties, 0-10% sales tax (depending on state), $100-$1000 licensing fee (again depending on state), and that's about it. So in the US its MSRP +10-20% in TTL. In other countries those costs could be as much as 50% or more. Also, getting a DL in the US is easier and cheaper than most countries in Europe.

Non-US members, please correct me if I am way off base. THis is from conversations with locals when I have been overseas.

You are quite correct. Our top model in South Africa is the 2.0 Individual. Features include climate control, electric windows and mirrors, automatic wipers, automatic lights, height adjustable headlights and the front loader can swallow 6 CDs at a time.

BUT, it costs R207000 which is about $32700 at today's exchange rate of R6.33 to the $. We pay roughly $3 per gallon for fuel (it is 5 rand per liter @ 3.8 liter to the gallon) and our prime interest rate is currently 11% pa.

Given that you normally earn around R2000 per month if you start working means that most South Africans cannot afford a new car - the cheapest new car here is around R65000. So the Mazda 3, starting at R160000 for the 1.6, is by no means a "starter" car. I suppose that is why they pack it with features.

So even without climate control, you can still count your lucky stars. (wink)

[ahb11m]

nice looking control panel - would have to be american though... its in farenheit!!! and has a left hadn drive car....


oooh we have a 2.0 and a 2.3 down here...
good fuel is currently AU$1.149 per litre or $3.50 per gallon
mazda 3 sp23 (sports 2.3l) is AU$31980 plus about AU$1000 of on roads
this included the BOSE sounds system, and leather pack

so thats US$25,480

[mobomelter]

That's the other way round, dude... (headshake
we certainly do not get the faster model cars. lets take the evolution for example. it took 7 models until the 8th one hit us soil.

[ahb11m]

mazdaspeed protege ??

evo was always RHD

skylines rock... actually RHD cars rock!!

[mobomelter]

sorry to disappoint but there are ALOT of faster cars in europe. the mazdaspeed protege is nice but its not one of the USA faster cars.

[ahb11m]

sorry to disappoint but there are ALOT of faster cars in europe. the mazdaspeed protege is nice but its not one of the USA faster cars.
yeah i'm making a comparison esp. since only 3 countries seem to have that car

you could import a lot of those LHD cars from europe...

[mobomelter]

importing is a huge pain. for the time and money spent on importing i could make a us spec car as good/better than a euro-spec car.

[ahb11m]

hell, we import all our good stuff... import lancers 1 through to 8, skylines, seras, crowns, familias, capellas, etc....

from japan, but we get jacked on euro stuff... and american stuff

[mobomelter]

crap i wasn't paying attention to where you actually are. yeah australia does get screwed on alot of stuff. for some reason i thought you were in europe. my mistake.

[ahb11m]

hehe, i must be typing with an english accent again.....

[Screamin'3]

But, you Aussies seem to love your V8s and rear wheel drive. Last time I was in Melbourne, there were several Holden models that had super hot V8s available. Pontiac even imported one and slapped a GTO badge on it. Though we didn't get the hottest version of that car.

[ahb11m]

yeah, we love family cars, that can go sideways in the mark with not much effort, we also love being on the wrong side of the road (mmm power)

and the GTO you got has a much better engine in it, even though the thing is completely assembled here... its all a load of crap

[Mazda3ofKent]

importing is a huge pain. for the time and money spent on importing i could make a us spec car as good/better than a euro-spec car.
I would still import a Skyline GTR if I had the money to

[NorwegianMX-5]

No Skyline's, Supra, 200SX, 300ZX, MR2 Turbo, Mazdaspeed Protege and Miata, NSX,RX-7, 3000GT VR4, Silvia, Viper and other great cars was never in the european markets..correct me if I am wrong though.... (yupnope)

[ahb11m]

NSX is as rare as hens teeth.... world wide as far as i knew.....
hmm that list we miss the MSP, and the viper

[NorwegianMX-5]

My friend visited Perth for a couple of weeks, and he just (omg) , alot of Supras and Skylines and u name it....lol..he was in car heaven...now I wanna go down under (cool)

[ahb11m]

My friend visited Perth for a couple of weeks, and he just, alot of Supras and Skylines and u name it....lol..he was in car heaven...now I wanna go down under (cool) try going to queensland, loads of good cars, due to their laws being relaxed on imports... unfotunently that came to an end, but they still have hot cars around!