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I did it, new car...

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
My Mazda 3/5dr should be here next week. Full GT package, 5 speed, everything but the navigation system and body accessories like spoilers and air dams.

whee!
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
Sweet!

I might have my wife sold on the 5 door. We are looking at it this weekend.
we looked at this car, the toyota matrix, a honda Fit, quick look at a versa and a Prius.

Although you can't ever go wrong with a Toyota, about the only thing other than the Toyota reputation that a Matrix has is the bluetooth option. Toyota told me you can get leather, but I didn't see it in any of the documentation. Plus the toyota would be prolly 2-3 K more. The prius just didn't speak to us, and our mechcani who has been trough lots of hybrid training confirms our suspicions that maystill be issues with some of the technology.

I think the GT trim sold us on the Mazda. Leather, heated seats, a few other cool features.

heh, I ran a spread sheet comparing standard and options on the two ( I am so freaking anal)

The Fit is really cool, but the trim level was just too "first car" for us.

I do have a buddy who is the Mazda saleman. This is nice as it totally elimninates the BS factor. I feel 100% comfortable in giving my business and price he's given us is about $200 over invoice according to Edmunds. The only bummer is that he coudn't find my #1 color choice in a GT. poopies.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
Nice! Leather, HID, Climate control, rain sensing wipers... the works!

It's incredibly equipped. Heated seats, wow, until you've tried those on a cold winters day......oh, and the Bose sound system.:monkeydance:

I'm not looking forward to having to buy snow tires and maybe a seperate set of rims for our winters around here but oh well.

The first test drive we did was when there was tons of slop on the roads here. It was 8" of dense slush. Traction control and stabilization... who needs a subaru. ;-)
 

hooples3

Fuggetaboutit!
Mar 14, 2005
5,245
0
Brooklyn
very nice selection.. congrats...

oo and btw Toyota will redo any of there cars in leather for about $1200
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
Very nice. I too am a BIG fan of heated leather seats. I am probably going to be buying a new set of rims and snow tires for next year too as my sport wheels (17" low profile) aren't good at all in the snow.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
we looked at this car, the toyota matrix, a honda Fit, quick look at a versa and a Prius.

Although you can't ever go wrong with a Toyota, about the only thing other than the Toyota reputation that a Matrix has is the bluetooth option. Toyota told me you can get leather, but I didn't see it in any of the documentation. Plus the toyota would be prolly 2-3 K more. The prius just didn't speak to us, and our mechcani who has been trough lots of hybrid training confirms our suspicions that maystill be issues with some of the technology.
cool car, and congrats. the Prius has been really reliable so far, tho, so i think your buddy is smoking the wrong dope... (plus has an 8 year/100k mile warranty on the hybrid bits 'n pieces)
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,932
13,130
Portland, OR
we looked at this car, the toyota matrix, a honda Fit, quick look at a versa and a Prius.
The heated leather would be a bonus for her for sure. We haven't looked at too many because she was looking at crossovers and smaller SUV's before now.

I wish the 3 got a little better mileage, but I think it's the best overall choice for it's class. I will look for the pics when you get it.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
I would've skipped the leather seats and gone for the Speed3 instead, but congrats, and let us know how you like it!

The speed 3 is pretty cool, but you've got a good drop in mileage. Fairly decent gas mileage was a big part of the equation for us.
Jonny Z, my friend says, "we sell a lot of speed 3's to young guys and they trade them back in after they get a few tickets.".
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
WTF..reminds me of the pen/kryptonite fiasco...D
It happened 11 hours after he officially insured it in BC.

That car is a demon car.

I has so many dings and dents....broken into....stolen at one point and recovered a few days later.....demon car I tells ya....

edit: and yeah......Mazda has a recall to reinforce the door latches because they can pop open
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
Not sure what to tell you. Da Peach got a recall notice in the mail in Montreal. It referred to a "reinforcement" for the door lock/latch. In the time that it took for it to arrive in Montreal, and then his automatic mail forward to send it to him in Vancouver, his car got jacked. Actually....if I recall correctly his bundle of forwarded mail (with the aforementioned recall notice) arrived the day before.

I have to question you on this. I did a search and I found nothing on a recall for door locks. The only thing I could find was an airbag sensor in 2004-5. Plus, when I was shopping for a car last year the 3 was on my list so I got an insurance quote for it. It was one of the lowest of any I was looking at. The Corolla, Civic, Impreza... were all much higher (the highest was Hyundai. I have no idea why.). Theft is a big red flag for insurance companies. If the 3 has a high theft rate it would show up in high premiums. Besides, any thief can open any door in seconds with a screw driver.
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
I just did a google search

http://www.havelaptopwilltravel.com/mazda-3-vehicles-lock-assembly-issue/

A rash of Mazda 3 owners have fell victim to a sneaky method of forced entry to their “zoom zooms”.

When returning to their vehicles the passenger side door has a dent and all of the items once in their cars, are now gone. No glass smashed, no door locks jimmied, just a side blow to the door will grant entry to the thief.

According to a Mazda dealership that wishes to remain anonymous, it works by someone creating a large blow in just the right place on the door panel.

It will leave a dent in the door of course, but this dent goes past the door frame, to the lock assembly mechanism and activates the linkage also tricking the computer into thinking that it was legitimately unlocked by your key or remote.

Mazda hasn’t determined whether they will upgrade vehicles that have not been broken into.

That seems pretty lame to me. They know there is a vulnerability and they don’t know if a recall will be done to correct this?

I think it’s time to get a mass email blast going to the Corporate offices for Mazda.

If you are concerned with your vehicle, a supplemental after market alarm system may be a solution and obviously do not leave any valuables in clear view and plain site.



http://www.connect2edmonton.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=5937
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
Any word on whether the broken into cars were equiped with the factory option anti theft system?

For me bikes on top will be more of an issue than anything inside.
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
Any word on whether the broken into cars were equiped with the factory option anti theft system?

For me bikes on top will be more of an issue than anything inside.
A motion sensor tied into the factory alarm would cover you in both instances. It sounds like the factory system is fooled into thinking the doors were legitimately unlocked by the activation of the lock mechanism. A motion sensor would go off when the door was struck to activate the linkage. Of course, every asshat on a harley will set off your alarm too.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,932
13,130
Portland, OR
Hey GG, did you look at the Civic Hybrid? You said you looked at the Prius and the Honda Fit, but what about the Civic?

I was looking at the stats of 40/45 mpg real world numbers and it looks a little better.
 

SlapheadMofo

Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
412
0
Westminster MA
meep-meep! Congrats. You'll dig it.

If you ever need any info regarding just about anything you could ever want to know, you can find way too much of it on mazda3forums.com. Came in really handy when I upgraded my stereo and did a few minor mods.

What color didja get btw?
 

douglas

Chocolate Milk Doug
May 15, 2002
9,887
6
Shut up and Ride
cool, the more gas goes up the less I like driving my 19mpg 4x4 truck...I'd be interested in your gas mileage and how it runs on snowy days.


edit: 5 payments left on the truck
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
Hey GG, did you look at the Civic Hybrid? You said you looked at the Prius and the Honda Fit, but what about the Civic?

I was looking at the stats of 40/45 mpg real world numbers and it looks a little better.
no kidding, but I just cannot handle a sedan for any number of reasons.
Between the 50 or so cartons I that I take to UPS a week, trail tools, camping gear, an occasional wheel chair and even hubby's job box, a sedan just wasn't on my radar.
 

geargrrl

Turbo Monkey
May 2, 2002
2,379
1
pnw -dry side
meep-meep! Congrats. You'll dig it.

If you ever need any info regarding just about anything you could ever want to know, you can find way too much of it on mazda3forums.com. Came in really handy when I upgraded my stereo and did a few minor mods.

What color didja get btw?
red.
Hey, if mr gg and I want a midlife crisis sporty looking car, it has to be red, right?!!