pbizzle222
06-21-2010, 08:22 PM
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.
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.