Help with replacement car for son
- Thread starter Finz
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Somewhat... Local Hyundai dealer will have a 2010 Mazda 3 and an 09 Elantra in tomorrow.
My friend at Ford will get me numbers on the Fiesta tomorrow. Very curious to see what can be done to the $14k MSRP. He's also going to talk to the used car manager about a Fusion... I do like the way they look
My son put a cost to own together today using info from edmunds and such and I was surprised that the honda came in as high as it did... My guess is that the bulk of this is from the coolant problems you guys turned me on to
The biggest PITA about this is no matter how much research you put into it... Crunch the numbers nine ways til Sunday... You just can't be sure. Heck... I'll bet there's a guy or 2 out there that still love their Yugo
Thanks for asking
My friend at Ford will get me numbers on the Fiesta tomorrow. Very curious to see what can be done to the $14k MSRP. He's also going to talk to the used car manager about a Fusion... I do like the way they look
My son put a cost to own together today using info from edmunds and such and I was surprised that the honda came in as high as it did... My guess is that the bulk of this is from the coolant problems you guys turned me on to
The biggest PITA about this is no matter how much research you put into it... Crunch the numbers nine ways til Sunday... You just can't be sure. Heck... I'll bet there's a guy or 2 out there that still love their Yugo
Thanks for asking
Just a quick update.... 2011 Mazda 3 S grand Touring with AT being dropped off at dealer tomorrow.
26,000 miles
$11,990 sticker price
I don't know beans about Mazdas, but my son really likes this car, and the research I've done this weekend shows it to be reliable car except for complaints of tire wear (stock tires) and, with MT, clutch issues
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Any red flags to watch for in this car?
26,000 miles
$11,990 sticker price
I don't know beans about Mazdas, but my son really likes this car, and the research I've done this weekend shows it to be reliable car except for complaints of tire wear (stock tires) and, with MT, clutch issues
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Any red flags to watch for in this car?
Originally Posted By: Finz
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Yeah, I'd certainly go with 205/55/16 for winter - much better winter tire selection in this size.
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Yeah, I'd certainly go with 205/55/16 for winter - much better winter tire selection in this size.
Originally Posted By: Finz
Just a quick update.... 2011 Mazda 3 S grand Touring with AT being dropped off at dealer tomorrow.
26,000 miles
$11,990 sticker price
I don't know beans about Mazdas, but my son really likes this car, and the research I've done this weekend shows it to be reliable car except for complaints of tire wear (stock tires) and, with MT, clutch issues
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Any red flags to watch for in this car?
205/50R17 used to be very hard to find. Only the Mazda3S and PT Cruiser GT spec'd that size and we had a choice between the OE Goodyear Eagle RS-As (worst tire I have ever owned) and Riken Raptors (not a particularly good tire but exponentially better than the Eagle RS-A)
We've gone +0 sized on the PT with no real speedo issues. Little turbo wagon runs just fine with them. But it does look like there are more 205/50R17s availiable now. They do tend to be more expensive than the more common 215s.
Paint has been an issue on some Mazda3s. I occasionally see the paint peeling on mirrors and trim on older 3s.
The engine is fine. 2.5 liter engine in the 3 is the same basic block and head as the Fusion you mentioned. Fuel economy is not that great....it's not bad. Expect about the same as you would get from a 2.5 Jetta or 2.4 Kia Forte'.
It's pretty much the driver's car in the segment. There will be some back and forth about whether the "German engineered" Jetta is better or not but you will definitely know mid corner that you are not driving a Corolla.
The only thing that really bugs me is that goofy grin:
Just a quick update.... 2011 Mazda 3 S grand Touring with AT being dropped off at dealer tomorrow.
26,000 miles
$11,990 sticker price
I don't know beans about Mazdas, but my son really likes this car, and the research I've done this weekend shows it to be reliable car except for complaints of tire wear (stock tires) and, with MT, clutch issues
Speaking of tires, this thing has huge tires as far as I'm concerned... 205/50/17. Having problems finding snow tires... Looked at Tire Rack, DT, Sears... So far, only found Pirelli Run Flats. Might try to see if I can get skinny 16" and just get some steel wheels for seasonal switch
Any red flags to watch for in this car?
205/50R17 used to be very hard to find. Only the Mazda3S and PT Cruiser GT spec'd that size and we had a choice between the OE Goodyear Eagle RS-As (worst tire I have ever owned) and Riken Raptors (not a particularly good tire but exponentially better than the Eagle RS-A)
We've gone +0 sized on the PT with no real speedo issues. Little turbo wagon runs just fine with them. But it does look like there are more 205/50R17s availiable now. They do tend to be more expensive than the more common 215s.
Paint has been an issue on some Mazda3s. I occasionally see the paint peeling on mirrors and trim on older 3s.
The engine is fine. 2.5 liter engine in the 3 is the same basic block and head as the Fusion you mentioned. Fuel economy is not that great....it's not bad. Expect about the same as you would get from a 2.5 Jetta or 2.4 Kia Forte'.
It's pretty much the driver's car in the segment. There will be some back and forth about whether the "German engineered" Jetta is better or not but you will definitely know mid corner that you are not driving a Corolla.
The only thing that really bugs me is that goofy grin:
FWIW my wife's car is a 2008 Mazda3s (2.3 liter) with manual transmission we bought new. This is a generation earlier than the one you're looking at. It has almost 60k miles on it and has never been to a shop for anything other than tires. Oil changes are not the easiest ever but not too bad. Paint is fine, no better or worse than any other car in the segment AFAICT. It's been a great car and it drives very well for the segment.
It did wear through its original tires very quickly but with regular 5-6k mile rotations the new set (from 2010, 35k miles on them) is wearing just fine.
The rear wheel bearings are making a weird clicking noise when spun with the wheels up (nothing audible while driving) which may mean they're starting to age prematurely. That's disappointing but it's not a difficult job to replace them I don't think.
For reference my previous car was a 2007 Civic coupe with manual transmission and I ended up having replaced under warranty due to noises:
- Both front struts.
- Power steering pump.
- Steering wheel clock spring.
None of these were actual failures and I may be more exacting than my wife when it comes to noises but the Mazda has been a more solid car and more fun to drive to boot. I would buy another and personally I'd vote that way over a Civic.
It did wear through its original tires very quickly but with regular 5-6k mile rotations the new set (from 2010, 35k miles on them) is wearing just fine.
The rear wheel bearings are making a weird clicking noise when spun with the wheels up (nothing audible while driving) which may mean they're starting to age prematurely. That's disappointing but it's not a difficult job to replace them I don't think.
For reference my previous car was a 2007 Civic coupe with manual transmission and I ended up having replaced under warranty due to noises:
- Both front struts.
- Power steering pump.
- Steering wheel clock spring.
None of these were actual failures and I may be more exacting than my wife when it comes to noises but the Mazda has been a more solid car and more fun to drive to boot. I would buy another and personally I'd vote that way over a Civic.
Thanks for the feedback ... Heading in to the dealer in a couple hours
Not sure yet of the color... Being traded in today.
The car is an auto trans... I'd have preferred a stick but with these newer Mazdas, some real issues with their clutch
I read about the paint, too... That would bug me but at least it's cosmetic and easily fixed... Albeit pricey.
With regard to the tires, I'll want to throw snows on this car and have to do a lot more looking/research. Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car? Don't care too much about MPH offsets, but will the calipers and hardware surrounding the rotors accept a smaller diameter? I looked around yesterday for a bit and found nothing that helped me determine this. Fine with OEM wheels during milder months, but snows are a necessity where we live (hills and poor snow removal) and run flats (all I could find on Tire Rack) are out of the question
Tougher the "usual" oil changes? Can you elaborate please? Not a deal killer but I'd like to know to expect when I crawl under there
Again, this car is supposed to come in with 26k miles... Other cars I've bought rec'd complete fluid changes when I brought them home: Oil, tranny, brake, PS, coolant,... Would I be throwing money away doing that on car with this kind of mileage? Oddly enough, nothing I found provided a mazda service spec for A/T fluid change
Thanks again for the input
Not sure yet of the color... Being traded in today.
The car is an auto trans... I'd have preferred a stick but with these newer Mazdas, some real issues with their clutch
I read about the paint, too... That would bug me but at least it's cosmetic and easily fixed... Albeit pricey.
With regard to the tires, I'll want to throw snows on this car and have to do a lot more looking/research. Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car? Don't care too much about MPH offsets, but will the calipers and hardware surrounding the rotors accept a smaller diameter? I looked around yesterday for a bit and found nothing that helped me determine this. Fine with OEM wheels during milder months, but snows are a necessity where we live (hills and poor snow removal) and run flats (all I could find on Tire Rack) are out of the question
Tougher the "usual" oil changes? Can you elaborate please? Not a deal killer but I'd like to know to expect when I crawl under there
Again, this car is supposed to come in with 26k miles... Other cars I've bought rec'd complete fluid changes when I brought them home: Oil, tranny, brake, PS, coolant,... Would I be throwing money away doing that on car with this kind of mileage? Oddly enough, nothing I found provided a mazda service spec for A/T fluid change
Thanks again for the input
Originally Posted By: Finz
Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car?
Yes, TireRack is showing 16" steelies as an available option for this car.
Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car?
Yes, TireRack is showing 16" steelies as an available option for this car.
Originally Posted By: Finz
Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car? Don't care too much about MPH offsets, but will the calipers and hardware surrounding the rotors accept a smaller diameter?
...
Tougher the "usual" oil changes? Can you elaborate please? Not a deal killer but I'd like to know to expect when I crawl under there
Re. the wheels: The OEM wheels on my wife's care are 16" (which is an S trim), running 205/55R16 tires. Not the same year or exact same trim but I would guess you could run 16" wheels with no problem. I don't know that there were ever any brake size differences between minor trim levels (there were brake size differences between major trim levels, e.g. S to Speed3).
Re. the oil changes: They're not bad at all, it just depends on how spoiled you are by cars where they're even simpler. Three things:
- Even with a relatively low profile jack, have to roll it onto some wood first to raise it enough to get to jacking point which is pretty far back on the crossmember behind the engine. It does not have a "wraparound" subframe with jack point near the radiator like some cars do.
- It has an underbody splash shield -- although now that I think about it it's possible on the year you're looking at it doesn't need to be removed. You can get to the drain plug with it on, but on earlier years there was no hole that lined up with the filter so the cover had to either come off or be modified. A co-worker has a 2010 Speed3 though and on that car the filter can come off with the cover on. Not sure where the 2nd gen S fits in.
- It's got a cartridge filter. Not bad when you get used to it (and when you have the right wrench) but a little more trouble than a spin-on.
To be fair, none of these re unique to the 3 by a long shot.
Is it possible to put 16" steel wheels on this car? Don't care too much about MPH offsets, but will the calipers and hardware surrounding the rotors accept a smaller diameter?
...
Tougher the "usual" oil changes? Can you elaborate please? Not a deal killer but I'd like to know to expect when I crawl under there
Re. the wheels: The OEM wheels on my wife's care are 16" (which is an S trim), running 205/55R16 tires. Not the same year or exact same trim but I would guess you could run 16" wheels with no problem. I don't know that there were ever any brake size differences between minor trim levels (there were brake size differences between major trim levels, e.g. S to Speed3).
Re. the oil changes: They're not bad at all, it just depends on how spoiled you are by cars where they're even simpler. Three things:
- Even with a relatively low profile jack, have to roll it onto some wood first to raise it enough to get to jacking point which is pretty far back on the crossmember behind the engine. It does not have a "wraparound" subframe with jack point near the radiator like some cars do.
- It has an underbody splash shield -- although now that I think about it it's possible on the year you're looking at it doesn't need to be removed. You can get to the drain plug with it on, but on earlier years there was no hole that lined up with the filter so the cover had to either come off or be modified. A co-worker has a 2010 Speed3 though and on that car the filter can come off with the cover on. Not sure where the 2nd gen S fits in.
- It's got a cartridge filter. Not bad when you get used to it (and when you have the right wrench) but a little more trouble than a spin-on.
To be fair, none of these re unique to the 3 by a long shot.
About 3 hours ago...!
Picked up a 2011 Civic LX sedan. Auto trans with 36k miles. They call the color Urban Grey.... Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
Spent a little more than originally budgeted... but I'm familiar with the car, it's very clean and Certified Pre Owned which gives us 12 months/12,000 miles bumper to bumper along with the remainder of the 7 year/100k mile power train
I didn't like the Fords at all...Fiesta or Focus - just didn't feel solid enough to me. I'll bet the Fusions are nice but their pricing was in another neighborhood
The Elantra, although priced well, just didn't have a good feel to it. Can't be specific as to why, but it just didn't move me and the DI engine worries me a bit from the bits and pieces I've read here. Too bad - that's a really sharp looking car
The Mazda 3 was very close but the dealer tried to pull a fast one at the 11th hour so I/we walked. Not sure who was more surprised... My son or the salesman? It was, I hope, a GREAT learning experience for my son, however, to see, first hand, the way some of the dealers operate and show him how easy it is to walk when that [censored] takes place
My son is very happy with the Honda and I'm glad to get my car back - empty gas tank notwithstanding
I greatly appreciate all of the input and help and look forward to many years, God willing, of NOT shopping for a car
Thanks again
Picked up a 2011 Civic LX sedan. Auto trans with 36k miles. They call the color Urban Grey.... Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
Spent a little more than originally budgeted... but I'm familiar with the car, it's very clean and Certified Pre Owned which gives us 12 months/12,000 miles bumper to bumper along with the remainder of the 7 year/100k mile power train
I didn't like the Fords at all...Fiesta or Focus - just didn't feel solid enough to me. I'll bet the Fusions are nice but their pricing was in another neighborhood
The Elantra, although priced well, just didn't have a good feel to it. Can't be specific as to why, but it just didn't move me and the DI engine worries me a bit from the bits and pieces I've read here. Too bad - that's a really sharp looking car
The Mazda 3 was very close but the dealer tried to pull a fast one at the 11th hour so I/we walked. Not sure who was more surprised... My son or the salesman? It was, I hope, a GREAT learning experience for my son, however, to see, first hand, the way some of the dealers operate and show him how easy it is to walk when that [censored] takes place
My son is very happy with the Honda and I'm glad to get my car back - empty gas tank notwithstanding
I greatly appreciate all of the input and help and look forward to many years, God willing, of NOT shopping for a car
Thanks again
FWIW, you sound like a great father.
Very nice. Last of the nice Civics (not a fan of the current model).
I would go ahead and change the ATF and let your son do it.
I would go ahead and change the ATF and let your son do it.
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Congrats on the purchase. I have zero doubt it will give you many years of safe, trouble-free miles. And as you may already know Hondas are designed to be friendly to maintain yourself so if he's into it that could be a good experience for him, too.
Thank you very much... That's nice of you to say
I'm thinking about the fluid changes but have paperwork from the dealer outlining what they did to the car when they received it... Oil and filter, atf, alignment, wipers and then some. The dip stick looks clean for both oil and atf but they didn't reset the mileage minder which shows 40%. Oversight on their part (odd for a dealer?) Or should I comsider fluid changes?
He has a perfect commute so, if nothing else, I can wait for this cold snap to be over
He's been a part of the 04 civic maintenance from day 1... Funny, but he has absolutely ZERO interest in this which is so foreign to me... The only one who has expressed any interest is my 20 year old daughter... And they say parents can't have favorites...!
I'm thinking about the fluid changes but have paperwork from the dealer outlining what they did to the car when they received it... Oil and filter, atf, alignment, wipers and then some. The dip stick looks clean for both oil and atf but they didn't reset the mileage minder which shows 40%. Oversight on their part (odd for a dealer?) Or should I comsider fluid changes?
He has a perfect commute so, if nothing else, I can wait for this cold snap to be over
He's been a part of the 04 civic maintenance from day 1... Funny, but he has absolutely ZERO interest in this which is so foreign to me... The only one who has expressed any interest is my 20 year old daughter... And they say parents can't have favorites...!
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