Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

  1. #1
    Noob pbizzle222's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    6
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Hey all, my name's Pat, and as you've probably guessed, I'm new here. I picked up a 2006 2.0 Mazda 3 GX in 5sp with 93k on the clock in the middle of May, and I found that this site was a great source of info both during my purchase and in the first month of ownership. There seems to be a lot of knowledge floating around in these pages, and unlike info from the rest of the Internetz, it is all relevant to my location (I live in Fergus, near Guelph).

    So far, things I like about my new ride are:

    -The ride and handling are pretty killer for an economy car. It practically begs to be thrown into the corners, and body roll isn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. 'Tis a fun car to drive, thats for sure.

    -I opted for the 2.0l engine, partially due to time constraints (I needed to get my butt to work everyday and therefore needed wheels pretty quick) and partially due to some of the less than stellar gas mileage results with the 2.3. I must say, I havn't regretted the choice yet. It pulls damn good, especially higher in the rev range, and fuel economy, so far, seems to be stellar. I manage just about 650km from a top up until the gas light goes on, which is more than enough for my commute.

    -Even with the sedan, I can seem to pack a lot of crap in the back. My first camping trip with the missus is coming up soon, so I'll reserve a bit of judgement until then, but so far so good.

    All in all, I'm pretty happy with my choice, albeit there are a few things that annoy me. Most of it is tiny stuff and I have been known to be a bit OCD, so a lot of it is just being a nitpick:

    -First off would be the Drive-by-wire throttle. This is the first car I've driven with one, and man its taken a lot of getting used to. The lag when you hit the pedal to when the gas actually kicks in is quite noticiable and is downright annoying. It seems that when I start off, I'm either bogging down or squealing the tires. I'm sure a bit more wheel time will cure that.

    -Second would be the exhaust. It sounds chinsy, weak, and loud. Its really noticeable when starting, or when you're near a wall (aka drive thru). I drove a 2-stroke go-kart once that sounded similar.

    -Next would be the air conditioning. It sucks. It feels like an asthmatic breathing on me through a straw. The internet tells me this is pretty common.

    -I find it impossible to find a comfortable driving position. If I put the seat back to where my legs are comfortable, it feels like I'm reaching across the ocean to the steering wheel. And conversely, If I adjust the seat to where I can reach the wheel fine, my leg are jammed up against the console/dash. The telescoping wheel doesn't help much. Maybe my body is just weird.

    -And finally, we have the rust. Its already started to bubble the paint on the rear wheel wells, and the underbody is far from immaculate. This winter should be fun.

    That does sound like a lot now that I've written it down, but I really do like my car. And wow, my first post appears to have turned into my first novel. I look forward to learning more about this car as the time goes by and sharing my experiences with my fellow 3'ers. Drive easy.

  2. #2
    Noob tylah's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    11
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome!
    ...I read all that in MC Hammer's voice

  3. #3
    Member sarujo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    GTA
    Posts
    1,296
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 79 Times in 60 Posts
    Mentioned
    24 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.



    Re the A/C, you may want to see if your car has a cabin air filter, and if so, when it was changed. I believe they're supposed to be changed every couple of years or ~50k.

    It took me a a few weeks to get used to the DBW in my 2010 Sport GX 5 speed as well. Given your mileage, you may want to look into changing your tranny fluid. Many member here have had excellent results with Redline MT-90 synthetic. Just something to consider.

    I love driving mine too!


    2010 Sport 2.0L 5MT

  4. #4
    Member DualSoul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Ride
    2010 Mazda 3 GT
    Posts
    1,825
    Thanks
    180
    Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome to the boards, congrats on your purchase!

  5. #5
    Sr Member Takumi616's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Toronto
    Posts
    2,495
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome to the club buddy.........
    2007 Crystal White Pearl Mazda 3 GT Sedan
    - 6K HID Headlights - 3K HID Fog Lights With Yellow Vinyl - KYB GR-2 - Eibach Pro-Kit - Eibach Camber Kit - K&N Typhoon SRI - Progress RSB - 35% Tinted Windows - RX-8 Rims with 18' Hankook EVO V12 - Vinyl Gloss Black Roof - GV Front Lip Kit - OEM Door Visors - Smoked LED Side & Rear Reflector - Blackout Emblems - Stubby Atenna - Hella Horn Supertones - PIAA Super Forza - Interior & Exterior LED Lighting - WeatherTech DigitalFit - Winter Tires Package -

  6. #6
    Jr Member Pokey's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    536
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    I'll be posting up something about the A/C improvements once I finish what I'm doing stay tuned.

    Do 2005's come with cabin air filters?
    Wes (ウェスリー) - Kitchener
    05 Sedan - Stock, Stock, Stock

  7. #7
    Newbie dhlwtu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    the big smoke
    Posts
    205
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome!!

  8. #8
    Jr Member poke65's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neguac NB
    Age
    58
    Posts
    455
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome aboard

  9. #9
    Noob
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Age
    38
    Posts
    49
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Hey man, welcome! I also just recently purchased a 2006 Mazda 3! I am having a hard time finding that perfect driving condition but I think it just will take some time to get used to.

    Cheers!

  10. #10
    Jr Member Broxn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    327
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Default Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Welcome to the group...

  11. #11
    Newbie J_man's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    147
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Smile Re: New Owner/ New User: 1 month in.

    Wow you wrote an essay Welcome to TM3!

Similar Threads

  1. Car Of The Month?
    By Kappa in forum Mazda3 General Discussion
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 08-16-2010, 11:24 PM
  2. The Maz taken away for a month :(
    By BiG-ED in forum General Lounge
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 08-05-2008, 09:27 AM
  3. CEL..another in less than a month !!
    By yearoftherat in forum Problems with the Mazda3
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 05-09-2007, 02:46 PM
  4. 3rd of Every month!
    By Snickers in forum Official Meets & Events
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 04-21-2004, 10:24 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •