2011 Mazda3 i Touring, purchased in November 2010.
115,300 miles.
Maintenance:
- Oil changes, oil filters, air filters, cabin air filter
- Spark plugs at 75k
- 2nd set of replacement tires (OEMs lasted 45k, surprisingly. Michelin Premier A/S replaced at 100k.)
- 2nd set of brakes (OEMs lasted 90k), rotors turned
- Headlights replaced three times with halogens, finally went LED (should have done that sooner)
- Wipers, wiper fluid, coolant was low once at 65k so I topped it off with some FL-22. No signs of a coolant leak, and it hasn't dropped since. It is a mystery.
Repairs:
- Some @*%( rear-ended me in stop and go traffic before I had 1000 miles on the car. It wasn't TERRIBLE, but it knocked the license light bulb plastics out. I'm hoping the bump on his insurance to replace my bumper taught him to pay better attention. Jerk.
- Dealer oil change was messed up (overtightened filter?) and resulted in oil draining. Noticed when the oil light flicked on for a half second during a tight turn. Got that fixed quick, replacement oil and filter, cleaned engine bay, no cost of course. Was concerned about longevity but current shop says she's still in great shape.
- Rear caliper got locked for some reason around 20k miles. Warranty replacement of both rear brakes, calipers, and rotors.
- Driver's Seat track didn't feel secure and wobbled slightly. Replaced 3000 miles out of warranty and they wouldn't budge on covering it. Can't win them all.
- 2 motor mounts went bad. Looks like that's not uncommon. Replaced at 90k miles.
And the Big Bad Repair last year:
- Suddenly mushy brake that travels to the floor after going over a pothole. ABS control module went bad. THAT was a costly repair.
Added 11/3/2018: And after I post this, it didn't start yesterday. Was able to get it to start by giving gas while turning the ignition, have it at the shop. Could be a fuel issue.
Added 11/5/2018: Fuel line running 7-10 PSI low, no electrical or other issues, they think the fuel pump is dying. These last 2 years have been pretty expensive...4 new tires, ABS control unit, and now fuel pump. Again, just one person with a 2011.
Added 6/15/2020: 133,600 miles for what will likely be the final entry. AT flush at 120k, coolant exchange at 120k, Once every few months it'll be slow to start, so there's possibly something else going on with the fuel lines but a quick tap on the gas and it turns over. Since its so infrequent I haven't bothered to look into it further. If it happened once a month or more I'd be worried, but once every 4 months? Not worth the cost. Front brakes will need replacing soon, and rotors definitely need turning and probably replacement - vibration braking from high speed, and an inconsistent rubbing noise from front driver side at slightly increasing frequency from 15-20mph leads me to believe something's brushing against an uneven surface.
ANYWAY - brakes + rotors will be a few hundred on a 10 year old vehicle, that fuel issue has potential to get worse over time, and by 150k i'll be due for spark plugs, another AT flush, and probably another set of tires. I have a need for something bigger and was saving for a CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve. With the COVID sales and working from home reducing some expenses for additional savings, the stars may have aligned. The Mazda3 has treated me well overall. The big repairs hurt but that's just car ownership. Not as annoying as my wife's issues with her vehicle (Chevy Cruze: water pump, PCV valve, O2 sensors, hose failures, AC condenser went bad) but still. Carmax offer is 2K and I'll leverage that for my trade in this week. All I've heard is reliability getting better and better throughout the years, so I'm feeling confident in my next Mazda purchase.