How do you foresee Mazda's rust issues with the 2014 Mazda3?

[weil]

2014 Sedan owners on M3R are reporting rust at weld spots in the groove between the rear window and trunk lid. I do not seem to have that happening on my car yet but I will be keeping an eye on it and will be making sure that water is not collecting there after a wash or a rain.

 

[herBs]

What is a M3R? I'll check those spots too though

 

[Oblithian]

What is a M3R? I'll check those spots too though

Google suggests Weil was talking about this forum thread: http://mazda3revolution.com/forums/2014-mazda-3-skyactiv-appearance-interior/58489-rust.html

 

[weil]

yes

Google suggests Weil was talking about this forum thread: http://mazda3revolution.com/forums/2014-mazda-3-skyactiv-appearance-interior/58489-rust.html

 

[buliwyf]

It's sad if the 2014 still has rust issues.

Mine's on a 36-month lease so I can't worry too much though.

 

[herBs]

Well I carefully checked that part of the car (where the trunk and rear windshield connect so to say), and I can see small, isolated little bubbles/circles of rust. I never was able to notice them until I specifically looked for it today. I'm going to start wiping that part of the car whenever it rains instead of letting it dry on it's own accord and will carefully monitor it to see if it grows/expands. If it does, then it'll be worth mentioning to the dealership. They are really small at this point. Will they expand over time naturally?

 

[Oblithian]

Rust almost always expands.
Telling the dealer to fix it now is your discretion: Often fixing rust sooner is better, but the process of correcting it can just speed it up the rust.

I believe they are obligated to repair it until your warranty runs out (so perhaps get your money's worth and have them correct it as many times as needed within that time?)


P.S. Also, herBs that link I posted above mentions some other problem areas you may want to keep an eye on.

 

[worth_fixing]

Guys, I hate to say this, but fixing rust is nearly impossible. Besides, I believe Mazda's warranty against rust is actually against perforation, in which case you'll have to wait until it goes through and through the sheet metal. That was the case with my Volkswagen GTI; 12 years, but against perforation. My front fenders were peeling and I literally had to wait until it went through. Volkswagen has terrible customer service, at least at the dealership I had to deal with.

I hope Mazda is good on their word and acts fast. I'm also glad to have the hatch at this point.

 

[herBs]

Rust almost always expands.
Telling the dealer to fix it now is your discretion: Often fixing rust sooner is better, but the process of correcting it can just speed it up the rust.

I believe they are obligated to repair it until your warranty runs out (so perhaps get your money's worth and have them correct it as many times as needed within that time?)


P.S. Also, herBs that link I posted above mentions some other problem areas you may want to keep an eye on.

Yeah, thanks man. I checked the front bumper today, and noticed little scratches in the paint near the left fog light, and a deeper scratch near the front grill. I rarely drive on the highway. Maybe 3x over a 2 month period. How would you apply the touch up paint? Is it going to be noticeable? I wanted to get a clear bra on the front grill after seeing that today while waxing the car.

 

[smoothmoose]

Ouch! Really?! That's terrible!

I just got my 2014 Mazda3 GS 2.0L Skyactiv 6MT and went out of my way to have the front end covered with a clear bra to prevent stone chips. The car was rust proofed with parafin wax, and I'll have it redone every year to be sure. Once thing I'm also going to do (which some have told me is overkill) is I'm going to spray the inside of each fender with spray-on clear bra to prevent stone chips and moisture from getting to the most vulnerable parts of the car. That way, the fenders will still look like new 10 years down the road.

Apart from that, the car drives amazingly. I wish it had more power (down about 50hp from my previous GTI) but apart from that, I love it.

Just curious how would you compare and contrast about the Mazda3 vs. the GTI? Which year GTI are you coming from. Why didn't you get the 2.5L to be closer in power to the GTI?

 

[Oblithian]

My 7 month old Mazda 6 has paint bubbling on the trunk, I am more than a little annoyed.

 

[2.0_Mazda]

^ Bring it to the dealer. That is not normal and it should be covered under warranty

 

[concept]

What color?

 

[Oblithian]

What color?

Black

 

[socialcarpet]

The fact that cars dating back to 1996 through present generations have this issue shows a sheer lack of concern by Mazda and its dealerships. This is a systemic issue and with modern metallurgy and coating technology this should not be occurring. If Mazda is not going to support the issues then they will continue to struggle to sustain a customer base let alone a loyal one. How do you tell a car owner who has to deem their car as damaged on a Kelly Blue Book report due to rust, which greatly devalues the car by thousands of dollars, to come and buy another one...? I have washed & waxed & garaged my 2002 Mazda Protege 5 and LOVE this car have 205,711 miles on her and my rust started 2 years ago as bubbles at the back wheel well where the seems meet. Have seen all models of Protege do the same thing 2010, 2011 etc. Keep my cars forever as I get so attached, want a new Mazda 3 5 door but will not purchase another Mazda as it appears they care nothing about the Rust issue and that you also recognize the comprised quality of your product. I'm sure you recall Toyota trucks back in the 90's had rust issues so severe that they gave all customers full retail price reimbursement plus additional damages to their customers for return of their vehicle, they also fixed the problem on future generation trucks. Mazda and design changes must be made and support must be given to current customers if they want to continue to have repeat customers!

I don't know how bad your rust is, but what you describe does not sound out of the ordinary for a 12 year old car with over 200,000 miles on it driven in a state where they salt the roads. Have you owned another care for the same length of time/mileage in the same area that didn't have any rust? Just curious. I'm no expert on rust, I live in Florida now and when I lived in snowy areas i never had a problem with it, but then I don't really keep cars past 100,000 miles. I'm certain the newer Mazda's will have improved in this area. I haven't seen a manufacturer yet that didn't improve their rustproofing, torsional rigidity and other things with every successive generation. You might consider getting undercoating on your next car and/or having cosmoline pumped into the cracks and crevices for an added measure of protection. There's no such thing as a 100% rustproof car though unless you buy an aluminum Range Rover or a stainless steel De Lorean.