MazdaSpeed3 reliability

P5w3kids

Member
:
2003 P5
Because existing sources of auto reliability information left much to be desired, in late 2005 I started conducting my own reliability research at TrueDelta.com. TrueDelta reports absolute stats like "trips to the shop" that make the differences between cars much clearer. Results are updated four times a year, so any significant changes in a model's reliability become apparent quickly.

Thanks to the support of this forum, we've been able to provide six sets of results for the Mazda3 so far, the most recent a few days ago (see results thread in the regular Mazda3 forum).

Up to this point it hasn't been necessary to report results separately for the MazdaSpeed3, since the very small number of repairs that have been reported have not been powertrain-related. But in case such repairs creep up, it will be good to have a sufficient sample of both the regular Mazda3 and the MS3.

Participants simply report repairs the month after they occur on a one-page survey. When there are no repairs, they simply report an approximate odometer reading four times a year, at the end of each quarter.

To encourage participation, panel members receive full access to the results for free.

For the details, and to sign up to help out:

Vehicle reliability research
 
Much too much personal information requested!! (killit) License plate #? WTF
2 Emails? I guess I'll read Consumer reports and folllow the forums!
 
Much too much personal information requested!! (killit) License plate #? WTF
2 Emails? I guess I'll read Consumer reports and folllow the forums!

Hate to break it to you, but every day hundreds of people see your license plate. It's about the most public "personal information" there is. And that's the only personal information I currently ask for--but don't even require it. This information is not displayed anywhere on the site, nor will it be.

Some people just like to complain.

Consumer Reports is sloppy and slow. Until next October their results will be based on a survey conducted in April of 2007. My results are currently based on surveys as recent as January 2008. When buying a car, do you want to know how reliable it was a year ago, when it was a year newer, or how reliable it has been recently?
 
CR is for people who prefer idiot lights to instruments.

Their ratings are currently based on a survey that was conducted nearly a year ago. My results average over nine months "fresher."

Think about it this way: do you want to know how reliable a car was a year ago, when it was a year younger, or how reliable it has been recently?

And do you want an actual repair rate, or just a dot?

If you want actual numbers and recent info, here's where to go:

Vehicle reliability research
 
Hate to break it to you, but every day hundreds of people see your license plate. It's about the most public "personal information" there is. And that's the only personal information I currently ask for--but don't even require it. This information is not displayed anywhere on the site, nor will it be.

Some people just like to complain.

Consumer Reports is sloppy and slow. Until next October their results will be based on a survey conducted in April of 2007. My results are currently based on surveys as recent as January 2008. When buying a car, do you want to know how reliable it was a year ago, when it was a year newer, or how reliable it has been recently?

yea so a thousand ppl see a license plate everyday...and they all get remembered too, right? so putting it into a website is different?
 
Hate to break it to you, but every day hundreds of people see your license plate. It's about the most public "personal information" there is.
But when you're driving down the road and someone sees your car and your plate, they know nothing else about you. You're just a dude in a car on the road behind the wheel of a car. It's public, yes, but nobody can really do anything with that one piece of information on their own.
 
I totally agree, this is an odd request. Can you tell us why this is important?
 
I totally agree, this is an odd request. Can you tell us why this is important?

It's not that important, so I don't even require it. I initially asked for it because other people looking to complain about something said there needed to be a way to verify that people weren't making cars up. You know, because people love filling out surveys so much that they'll fake a car just to have the privilege. And I knew that no one knows their VIN by heart.

The other purpose it serves is in those cases where one family has two otherwise identical cars. But in this case engine, bodystyle, trim level, or color can also do the trick.

Now, for anyone actually interested in generating better reliability info, and to check out the latest results (all good for the Mazda3), the place to go is here:

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results
 
Consumer Reports is sloppy and slow. Until next October their results will be based on a survey conducted in April of 2007. My results are currently based on surveys as recent as January 2008. When buying a car, do you want to know how reliable it was a year ago, when it was a year newer, or how reliable it has been recently?

before claiming that CR is sloppy, maybe you could tell us about your methodology? for example, how do you collect surveys to avoid confounding factors and biases? if you come to an enthusiast's forum like this one to recuit responses, you're getting some hard core drivers with mods on their cars, which would probably increase the rate of repairs. also, what kind of statistcal analysis are you doing?

consumer reports happens to be very scientifically rigorous and trusted by millions of people over many years. to get a good sample size and to do proper analysis takes time.
 
My car recently burst into flames and then was quickly put out by a passing flood from a beaver dam that broke a few miles up the road. The airbags did not deploy and 8 pound, 6 ounce baby Jesus was killed in the passenger seat when a washed away beaver hit us head on. Put that in your report.
 
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My car recently burst into flames and then was quickly put out by a passing flood from a beaver dam that broke a few miles up the road. The airbags did not deploy and 8 pound, 6 ounce baby Jesus was killed in the passenger seat when a washed away beaver hit us head on. Put that in your report.

Any pics?
 
before claiming that CR is sloppy, maybe you could tell us about your methodology? for example, how do you collect surveys to avoid confounding factors and biases? if you come to an enthusiast's forum like this one to recuit responses, you're getting some hard core drivers with mods on their cars, which would probably increase the rate of repairs. also, what kind of statistcal analysis are you doing?

consumer reports happens to be very scientifically rigorous and trusted by millions of people over many years. to get a good sample size and to do proper analysis takes time.

And you're basing this on?

They have a good sample size. But rigorous they are not. A few articles I've written on the topic:

Consumer Reports' new rating system

Anomalies within Consumer Reports' results

Consumer Reports survey critique

One thing I do differently than them is have people report repairs the month after they happen, while CR asks about repairs that happened up to a year ago. I also collect data going forward in a continuous series of surveys, while each of their surveys is a one-time event. My way prevents people who've had a lot of past repairs from distorting the results. I ask respondents about their mods. CR does not. Not a major factor: very few participants have them.

For more details, try various links on this page:

Vehicle reliability research
 
Updated results recently posted.

I don't post MS3 results separately because neither they nor the regular Mazda3 have required much attention--repair rates are generally low, though we do have a blip for the 2006 Mazda3 (making it about average) this time around.

If the time does come when a separate result for the MS3 is necessary, it'll come down to whether enough owners have been participating.

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results
 
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