Mazda 3 life expectancy

pwestlink

Member
How many miles does a Mazda 3 lst before having serious problems? 225,000? What is the most mileage out there of current users? Just bought a Mazda 3 sedan and drive 1,000 miles per week. Got the 3 year no interest deal, so I am sure to have 150K on it by the time I paid it off. Hoping to have it for awhile. Thoughts welcomed!
 
well i cant say anything about 225k. right now i have a 2004 mazda 3i, right now i have exactly 90k, the only serious problems was the fuel pump went out. But my extended warranty covered all the expenses. seems like a good quality car, should last at least 180k, 225 is a lot
 
the 3 is a solid car. if daily driven and not abused, you should get many happy years from the car.
 
have 70k on my 04 3s and haven't had any major issues. just keep up with normal maintenance and i would imagine you will have many happy trouble free miles.
 
I have a 2005 Mazda3s 4-door with 156,000 miles. It's been fantastically reliable. However, it has *serious* rust issues. I already paid $900 to address rust-through on the B-pillar of the rear passenger side door (before I discovered that the car has unlimited mile coverage for rust-through for five years--oops). Now, that same rust through is happening on the other side rear door in the exact same spot, and there is rust starting where the rear fenders meet the rear bumper right at the wheel well, there's rust all along the edge of the rear fenders (facing the tire, on the bottom/edge), and when I gave it its first hand wash and wax for this year Saturday, I noticed little spots of rust along the bottom quarter or so of the doors.

So, on one hand, the car has been insanely reliable, mechanically, for 4.5 years and 156,000 miles, but on the other, none of the other cars I've owned (1991 Escort GT, 1997 Ford Contour SE, 2001 Focus ZX3, 2005 Honda Odyssey with even more miles on it than the Mazd3) ever had even close to this much rust. All of them were very high mileage cars (the 1991 Escort not so much with 106,000 miles at 6 years when I sold it). The Escort was just starting to show a little rust on the front edge of the hood in the center and some on the hatch (not visible on the outside), the Contour, at 206,000 miles had just a hint of a bubble under the weather stripping on the rear passenger side window, and the Focus, at about 4.5 years and just a bit less miles than the 3 has now had not even a hint of rust starting anywhere.
 
I have a 2005 Mazda3s 4-door with 156,000 miles. It's been fantastically reliable. However, it has *serious* rust issues. I already paid $900 to address rust-through on the B-pillar of the rear passenger side door (before I discovered that the car has unlimited mile coverage for rust-through for five years--oops). Now, that same rust through is happening on the other side rear door in the exact same spot, and there is rust starting where the rear fenders meet the rear bumper right at the wheel well, there's rust all along the edge of the rear fenders (facing the tire, on the bottom/edge), and when I gave it its first hand wash and wax for this year Saturday, I noticed little spots of rust along the bottom quarter or so of the doors.

So, on one hand, the car has been insanely reliable, mechanically, for 4.5 years and 156,000 miles, but on the other, none of the other cars I've owned (1991 Escort GT, 1997 Ford Contour SE, 2001 Focus ZX3, 2005 Honda Odyssey with even more miles on it than the Mazd3) ever had even close to this much rust. All of them were very high mileage cars (the 1991 Escort not so much with 106,000 miles at 6 years when I sold it). The Escort was just starting to show a little rust on the front edge of the hood in the center and some on the hatch (not visible on the outside), the Contour, at 206,000 miles had just a hint of a bubble under the weather stripping on the rear passenger side window, and the Focus, at about 4.5 years and just a bit less miles than the 3 has now had not even a hint of rust starting anywhere.

Have you posted pic of your rust bucket yet? At least it haven't given you any problems.
 
I haven't posted good pictures since I got my black and blue Rotas on, but I did post pictures of the hole in the door from rust a while back:

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123724800&highlight=rust

I am still very pleased with this car. It's been a great commuter car, practical, very fuel efficient (I can get 38 mpg in warm weather in pure expressway driving), lots of fun to drive, and the most reliable car I've ever owned. All that just makes it that much sadder that it's going to look like crap after another winter, and with this many miles it's not worth spending any more big money to fix rust.
 
i have a 2004 wirh 190,000 miles .No problems ,just replaced ball bearings,shock absorbers,and engine mounts.
Runs as new.
 
I had rust issues with mine too (also in Michigan). It went in for some body work due to an insurance claim and I noticed the inside of the back passenger wheel well was rusted. I complained to the dealership and they cut it out and replaced that piece of the sheet metal under the rust through warranty. I haven't seen any other signs of rust, but most of my sheet metal panels have been replaced, or at the very least completely refinished and repainted. The only remaining original metal panel is my deck lid.
 
At 51K mine is running perfectly with no problems whatsoever. still have about 50% of my Factory brake pads and everything else is running just as well. The only complaints i have is paint chipping on my hood and front bumper. that will be fixed with an new coat of paint in about a year or so.
 
I'm at 126k on a 2008.5 Mazda 3 GT. Just replaced the first set of brakes. Has only required normal maintenance and tires so far. I got 40k out of the factory tires, and 60k out of the 2nd set. Looks like I should do around the same on the 3rd set.
 
08.5 with 53k miles.. replaced engine mount, wheel hub/ bearing, throttle body some belts, break pads. fortunetly no rust yet :)
 
I saw a post where a guy just hit 270,000 miles and he said he hasnt had serious problems.

As for me im coming up on 70k :( they only problem i had was i blew a fuel injector.
 
Have you guys not read the information on the internet sites - the 2.3 engine in the mazda 3 sucks , I have 153,000 kilometres - not miles and last week the engine was dry - no oil ,no leaks, no grasy deposits on the tailpipe , no blue smoke , no explanation from local mazda dealer . Apparently it was my fault for not checking my oil every 1000 kms . Also a note on the service order suggests that mazda is saying that this engine could burn up to 1 litre of oil per 1000 kms - news to me . My service has been regular at the mazda dealership since day 1 - only synthetic and only serviced by mazda , my last service was 3000 kms ago , and now no oil in the crankcase . Mazda is not taking any ownership to this issue . Search - problems with mazda 3 engines on line and you will find lots of reports but no reasons why the crankcase suddenly was empty - as far as I am concerned mazda should enter the entertainment business as the oil in their engines do a great disappearing trick . I knew I should have stayed with a TOYOTA product . From never a Mazda owner again.
 
I have a Mazda 3. Year 2004. It currently has 227,000 miles in it and my first real issue just came up. The wheel bearing/Hub is going bad. Plan on fixing and keeping for my daughter who will be driving soon. It is a great car!!!
 
My Mazda 3 currently has 227,00o miles on it. It's a 2004. Wheelbearing/Hub just needing replaced, but this is the first real "issue" I've had with the car. It's a fabulous car! Plan on keeping it. Getting it fixed for my daughter that will be driving soon.
 
'04 hatch with 268,000+ miles, bought new in Feb 2004.

Rear wheel arches completely rusted out
Replaced intake manifold at around 60k (right after the warranty expired)
Third set of front brakes, 5th? set of rear brakes
Shocks and struts at 120k
Front wheel bearings on both sides
Both front lower control arms
Rear lower control arm forward bushings
Transmission mount
No idea how many sets of tires (5? 6?)
Changed spark plugs once at 75k
Replaced both driveshafts
Probably a dozen headlights (silverstars are complete crap)
Extended MAP harness for CAI

Current issues:
Need to replace t-stat
P0446 emission code
Defective HVAC fan switch that causes A/C to cut out intermittently
Tailpipe hanger rusted through so the pipe bangs on the rear subframe sometimes
Right side e-brake is sticking

All in all, it's been a great car. With the exception of the intake manifold, everything that has been done is just maintenance. I haven't had any failures of any kind and the car has never left me stranded. I even have a trailer hitch on it and have hauled up to a ton behind it. She just keeps on truckin.
 
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I have a 2006 Mazda 3s, bought it in October of 05.
176,000 miles and counting.

By far the best car I have ever owned! I've kept up on all the service, nothing major to report so far.
~Replaced tires, headlamps and battery whenever they've needed it.
~Replaced original Struts/Shocks at 170k
~Amazingly still on my original set of brakes, and windshield (I ask about the brakes every year and the service people just say wait till next year)
~The CD changer/head unit had some problems 6 months into the car that the dealership replaced under warranty.
So other than routine oil and fluids...this car has had no problems and has never leaked a drop. The lowest maintenance expenses ever. I have been holding on to it because it's been paid off for years and just can't bring myself to part with it. I guess I'll just keep it for my commuter car and go by a new 6 to cruise on the weekends (naughty)
 
I hope mine will last well into the 200,000 miles. I have a 2015 3s with 6-speed manual. The car that my Mazda replaced was a Honda Accord and it had 274,000 miles when I sold it last year. Had it since new. Before that I have a 1994 Toyota 3.0L V6 4x4 with a 5-speed manual and I sold it with 283,000 miles. Had that since new. So anything under 200,000 miles from my M3 would be a disappointment.
 
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