Discussion
Currently driving a Grand Picasso but the kids are growing up and I'm starting to wonder if I need so much space. So I've been looking around at a few hot hatches.
Seen a Mazda 3 MPS for sale and it looks seriously tempting but although I know of them, I don't know much about them.
I remember when they came out that the motoring press praised how quick they were but that's it. Looking at the specifications online, they have some very impressive figures.
What are they like to live with and are they reliable?
My mum had a 2004 Mazda 6 that had to go back to the dealer every 2 years to sort the wheel arch rust out. Would a 2008 Mazda 3 suffer from the same problems or did Mazda sort the rusting issues out by that time.
Any general advice, experience, would be much appreciated.
Seen a Mazda 3 MPS for sale and it looks seriously tempting but although I know of them, I don't know much about them.
I remember when they came out that the motoring press praised how quick they were but that's it. Looking at the specifications online, they have some very impressive figures.
What are they like to live with and are they reliable?
My mum had a 2004 Mazda 6 that had to go back to the dealer every 2 years to sort the wheel arch rust out. Would a 2008 Mazda 3 suffer from the same problems or did Mazda sort the rusting issues out by that time.
Any general advice, experience, would be much appreciated.
Yep, first thing I thought was "tax!" when I read the title.
If I'm paying through the nose for the privlege of having something interesting on the drive, I'd at least be making sure it's something more interesting than a 4 door saloon - regardless how fast and capable.
No offense intended btw OP - just my view on these things
If I'm paying through the nose for the privlege of having something interesting on the drive, I'd at least be making sure it's something more interesting than a 4 door saloon - regardless how fast and capable.
No offense intended btw OP - just my view on these things
If you can stretch to a later one they fall under the lower tax bracket.
A very easy car to live with and all the useful gadgets you might want, specially this time of year with heated front screen and seats!
I've had several Mazdas over the years and never had rust issues.
The ride quality in the rears a bit harsh though.
A very easy car to live with and all the useful gadgets you might want, specially this time of year with heated front screen and seats!
I've had several Mazdas over the years and never had rust issues.
The ride quality in the rears a bit harsh though.
GAjon said:
If you can stretch to a later one they fall under the lower tax bracket.
A very easy car to live with and all the useful gadgets you might want, specially this time of year with heated front screen and seats!
I've had several Mazdas over the years and never had rust issues.
The ride quality in the rears a bit harsh though.
Ive been looking at these aswel and I'm trying to find a later model. think its 09 and after gets the £285 tax bracket.A very easy car to live with and all the useful gadgets you might want, specially this time of year with heated front screen and seats!
I've had several Mazdas over the years and never had rust issues.
The ride quality in the rears a bit harsh though.
I just hate the fact that my current car has way more torque and pulls so well for only £30 tax but I don't want diesel anymore.
I bought mine as a Hoonmobile while my TVR was being restored .Took mine on Holiday last year to the West country, quite surprised it returned 35mpg fully laden.
Pro's
Down sarf it's a rare car. I fancied something different from the ST's and GTI's. Super looks, a real 'Q' car, and know one really knew what it was. A lot of kit for the money, Part leather Heated seats/ Climate control/ as mentioned Heated Front screen.Bi Zenons a bonus, ( Expensive option on a German car). Summary .... A well made car for little money.
Con's
Torque steer ( To be fair mines Mapped at 290 Bhp): Not a great launch from the lights, if that is your scene.
Handling and Suspension : What car isn't a little Harsh in the ride department ,225/ 40 profile Tyres don't help. Mine has a Koni FSD Upgrade, much smoother IMO.
Fuel: Don't get sucked into the 98 Ron label on the Filler Cap. Mine runs well with normal 97 Ron super Octane.
Interior:
The rear doors don't open very wide on the Mark 2's. Allegedly Fit and Finish is not up to German standards ( Strangely better than a Merc 'A' class i road tested recently )
Exterior:
I found the Paint work to be Thinly applied. My car has some Stone chips on the front.
If you want something different, mine maybe For-sale as i need an Oil Burner. PM me.
Pro's
Down sarf it's a rare car. I fancied something different from the ST's and GTI's. Super looks, a real 'Q' car, and know one really knew what it was. A lot of kit for the money, Part leather Heated seats/ Climate control/ as mentioned Heated Front screen.Bi Zenons a bonus, ( Expensive option on a German car). Summary .... A well made car for little money.
Con's
Torque steer ( To be fair mines Mapped at 290 Bhp): Not a great launch from the lights, if that is your scene.
Handling and Suspension : What car isn't a little Harsh in the ride department ,225/ 40 profile Tyres don't help. Mine has a Koni FSD Upgrade, much smoother IMO.
Fuel: Don't get sucked into the 98 Ron label on the Filler Cap. Mine runs well with normal 97 Ron super Octane.
Interior:
The rear doors don't open very wide on the Mark 2's. Allegedly Fit and Finish is not up to German standards ( Strangely better than a Merc 'A' class i road tested recently )
Exterior:
I found the Paint work to be Thinly applied. My car has some Stone chips on the front.
If you want something different, mine maybe For-sale as i need an Oil Burner. PM me.
Edited by ThePrisoner on Saturday 24th January 17:31
Edited by ThePrisoner on Sunday 25th January 03:15
I had a Mk1 for 2yrs before trading in for a Mk2 demo with only 120mls on the clock and £4k off list.
Unless the 'sleeper' looks of the Mk1 appeal, I'd go for the Mk2 although there are few for sale. I'm certainly not selling mine any time soon.
The standard Hitachi K04 turbo can be prone to failure if not treated to the proper oil change schedule and warm up / cool down - Evo blew their press demo.
Otherwise it's rock solid although the dash is 'plasticky' but it's very well kitted out. Yes it'll torque steer if you're a flat footed billy who just stands on the throttle, but feed it in smoothly and it's not an issue.
The engine is rife for tuning. BBR do a 290 upgrade including remap and induction (standard rubber induction hose and filter are crap)that delivers a much more linear power delivery. They also supply softer springs which are much better on B-roads, as the standard suspension is slightly over sprung and under damped. Traction is very good with the standard LSD. There's a BBR test drive on here if you search.
I had both the 290 and 320 upgrades before going the whole hog and currently run 350 with Garrett GTX turbo, Corksport intercooler/ TBE and HTP intake. I've also got the softer springs and lightweight OZ rims. BBR have a rolling road for tuning and my tune was beautifully smooth and progressive. I've run this for 18months now, thrashing around Wales and it's been a riot.
I'd disagree about super RON, I only put V-power in but I'd agree about the paint - it's crap and seems to chip very easily. The clutch take up can be tricky, it seems to bite very quickly which can make it a pain in town traffic. I've got a £500 banger I use for work and the MPS is a weekend / holiday toy. Keeps the fuel costs down when only doing 6k a year.
Overall I love being in something different from two a penny ST's, GTIs or tractor juice repmobiles and the fact I rarely see another.
Unless the 'sleeper' looks of the Mk1 appeal, I'd go for the Mk2 although there are few for sale. I'm certainly not selling mine any time soon.
The standard Hitachi K04 turbo can be prone to failure if not treated to the proper oil change schedule and warm up / cool down - Evo blew their press demo.
Otherwise it's rock solid although the dash is 'plasticky' but it's very well kitted out. Yes it'll torque steer if you're a flat footed billy who just stands on the throttle, but feed it in smoothly and it's not an issue.
The engine is rife for tuning. BBR do a 290 upgrade including remap and induction (standard rubber induction hose and filter are crap)that delivers a much more linear power delivery. They also supply softer springs which are much better on B-roads, as the standard suspension is slightly over sprung and under damped. Traction is very good with the standard LSD. There's a BBR test drive on here if you search.
I had both the 290 and 320 upgrades before going the whole hog and currently run 350 with Garrett GTX turbo, Corksport intercooler/ TBE and HTP intake. I've also got the softer springs and lightweight OZ rims. BBR have a rolling road for tuning and my tune was beautifully smooth and progressive. I've run this for 18months now, thrashing around Wales and it's been a riot.
I'd disagree about super RON, I only put V-power in but I'd agree about the paint - it's crap and seems to chip very easily. The clutch take up can be tricky, it seems to bite very quickly which can make it a pain in town traffic. I've got a £500 banger I use for work and the MPS is a weekend / holiday toy. Keeps the fuel costs down when only doing 6k a year.
Overall I love being in something different from two a penny ST's, GTIs or tractor juice repmobiles and the fact I rarely see another.
Edited by Brummie Lad on Wednesday 28th January 18:55
Brummie Lad said:
I had a Mk1 for 2yrs before trading in for a Mk2 demo with only 120mls on the clock and £4k off list.
Unless the 'sleeper' looks of the Mk1 appeal, I'd go for the Mk2 although there are few for sale. I'm certainly not selling mine any time soon.
The standard Hitachi K04 turbo can be prone to failure if not treated to the proper oil change schedule and warm up / cool down - Evo blew their press demo.
Otherwise it's rock solid although the dash is 'plasticky' but it's very well kitted out. Yes it'll torque steer if you're a flat footed billy who just stands on the throttle, but feed it in smoothly and it's not an issue.
The engine is rife for tuning. BBR do a 290 upgrade including remap and induction (standard rubber induction hose and filter are crap)that delivers a much more linear power delivery. They also supply softer springs which are much better on B-roads, as the standard suspension is slightly over sprung and under damped. Traction is very good with the standard LSD. There's a BBR test drive on here if you search.
I had both the 290 and 320 upgrades before going the whole hog and currently run 350 with Garrett GTX turbo, Corksport intercooler/ TBE and HTP intake. I've also got the softer springs and lightweight OZ rims. BBR have a rolling road for tuning and my tune was beautifully smooth and progressive. I've run this for 18months now, thrashing around Wales and it's been a riot.
I'd disagree about super RON, I only put V-power in but I'd agree about the paint - it's crap and seems to chip very easily. The clutch take up can be tricky, it seems to bite very quickly which can make it a pain in town traffic. I've got a £500 banger I use for work and the MPS is a weekend / holiday toy. Keeps the fuel costs down when only doing 6k a year.
Overall I love being in something different from two a penny ST's, GTIs or tractor juice repmobiles and the fact I rarely see another.
Thanks very much. The sleeper looks of the Mk1 do appeal to me.Unless the 'sleeper' looks of the Mk1 appeal, I'd go for the Mk2 although there are few for sale. I'm certainly not selling mine any time soon.
The standard Hitachi K04 turbo can be prone to failure if not treated to the proper oil change schedule and warm up / cool down - Evo blew their press demo.
Otherwise it's rock solid although the dash is 'plasticky' but it's very well kitted out. Yes it'll torque steer if you're a flat footed billy who just stands on the throttle, but feed it in smoothly and it's not an issue.
The engine is rife for tuning. BBR do a 290 upgrade including remap and induction (standard rubber induction hose and filter are crap)that delivers a much more linear power delivery. They also supply softer springs which are much better on B-roads, as the standard suspension is slightly over sprung and under damped. Traction is very good with the standard LSD. There's a BBR test drive on here if you search.
I had both the 290 and 320 upgrades before going the whole hog and currently run 350 with Garrett GTX turbo, Corksport intercooler/ TBE and HTP intake. I've also got the softer springs and lightweight OZ rims. BBR have a rolling road for tuning and my tune was beautifully smooth and progressive. I've run this for 18months now, thrashing around Wales and it's been a riot.
I'd disagree about super RON, I only put V-power in but I'd agree about the paint - it's crap and seems to chip very easily. The clutch take up can be tricky, it seems to bite very quickly which can make it a pain in town traffic. I've got a £500 banger I use for work and the MPS is a weekend / holiday toy. Keeps the fuel costs down when only doing 6k a year.
Overall I love being in something different from two a penny ST's, GTIs or tractor juice repmobiles and the fact I rarely see another.
Edited by Brummie Lad on Wednesday 28th January 18:55
I had a brief look at engine remapping and was pleasantly surprised of the power gains for such little cost. I will definitely look into the tuning aspect, if I get one.
What are the real life MPG figures like? It's official MPG is 29 but I imagine it will be a lot less than that.
And if the turbo does go, what's the cost of replacing it?
Not sure about the 3, I have an 07 6 MPS. I know that the VVTI chain is an issue and it's worth looking at, it would be worth doing some research on that.
Generally I think its cheaper to import parts from the state. 310-320 bhp should be quite easy and fairly cheap to get to (atleast is on a 6)
Generally I think its cheaper to import parts from the state. 310-320 bhp should be quite easy and fairly cheap to get to (atleast is on a 6)
I have a Mk2 running approx 530-550bhp, and have done a lot of work on other cars in the owners club.
It's a great car, but by no means fault free. The worse case apart from a blown engine (What car hasn't melted a piston or bent a rod) is failure of the Variable Valve Timing actuator and chain stretch. Most child bikes have a better chain. The turbo's are fairly weak. A Mk1 2006-2009 turbo tends to smoke badly but run forever. The Mk2 2009-2013 turbo is supposedly a revised part, but rather than running and smoking, it seems to fail without warning when it happens. We aren't talking massive numbers, I'm just giving you worst case.
I, and several other owners and former owners feel they are best around 320-330bhp. Couple of handling mods, intake, fuel pump internals, downpipe and intercooler and you will be around that power figure and 350-370lbft. They will take a lot of cars by surprise when mapped up.
Personally, and opinion of the owners club, is that rolling road tuners in the UK aren't capable of properly mapping these cars. The best option is a Cobb Accessport (used on Subaru, Mistubishi, Nissan, BMW, Ford Ecoboost) or Versatune (Mazda only) and use an e-tuner.
One gripe I have with most reviews is the issue of torque steer. It's FWD, and has more torque than a Honda - It's gonna rip your arms off when accelerating at full power on dodgy road surfaces.
It's a great car, but by no means fault free. The worse case apart from a blown engine (What car hasn't melted a piston or bent a rod) is failure of the Variable Valve Timing actuator and chain stretch. Most child bikes have a better chain. The turbo's are fairly weak. A Mk1 2006-2009 turbo tends to smoke badly but run forever. The Mk2 2009-2013 turbo is supposedly a revised part, but rather than running and smoking, it seems to fail without warning when it happens. We aren't talking massive numbers, I'm just giving you worst case.
I, and several other owners and former owners feel they are best around 320-330bhp. Couple of handling mods, intake, fuel pump internals, downpipe and intercooler and you will be around that power figure and 350-370lbft. They will take a lot of cars by surprise when mapped up.
Personally, and opinion of the owners club, is that rolling road tuners in the UK aren't capable of properly mapping these cars. The best option is a Cobb Accessport (used on Subaru, Mistubishi, Nissan, BMW, Ford Ecoboost) or Versatune (Mazda only) and use an e-tuner.
One gripe I have with most reviews is the issue of torque steer. It's FWD, and has more torque than a Honda - It's gonna rip your arms off when accelerating at full power on dodgy road surfaces.
You can't say that and not show us! 
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