I've narrowed my car search down to Mazda 3 2004 Corolla

mazda3 will be the new civic hatch after all of those get wrecked by teenagers
>corolla is gay but you cant go wrong with a toyota when youre poor
>sentra nissannothankyou.jpg
dealers are out to scalp you so take the time to browse private sellers. poor people get desperate so you can cut a sweet deal if you search well enough and dont mind waiting

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>>14197128
I own a mazda3
Excellent car

>>14197103

COROLLA
O
R
O
L
L
A

Mazda

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>>14197103
Also doesn't have to be those exact years just in that generation.

>>14197128
Out of the three I think I like the 3 the best.
:*( I am poor m8

>>14197150
How's the aftermarket? Don't plan on ricing it or stancing it but just improving on anything interior wise.

>>14197163
L O N D O N

O

N

D

O

N

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>>14197103

Mazda 3.

Not even a competition.

But you won't listen to us and that's fine since you point out "weird looking guages" you ass.

Do us a favor and buy the Corolla. Mazda 3 is a decent car and leagues better than the toyota or the nissan and you don't deserve to drive it. It's handling nuances and gearbox will be completely lost on you.

>>14197185
One post up says I like the 3 the best.

Senpai don't be a cuck.

>>14197128
>>14197150

I owned a Mazda3 as well, awesome little car.

How's the rust treating you?

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>>14197103
Consider a Focus from '08-'11, the best being the '09 and '10 coupe w/ manual as they got the exhaust resonator deleted from the factory and they got a RSB. You also get stuff like bluetooth and USB that these cars won't have.

>can knock down 30+ mpg easy and it has the same hwy mpg of the 3 at 35mpg
>13.8cu ft of trunk space compared to 11.4 in the 3, 13.6 of the Corolla and 11.6 of the Sentra
>it's the older brother of the 3 and uses the same suspension layout, SVT spec stuff bolts right in for -$400
>the Duratec 2.0L is basically the same engine in the 3 without VVT
>MTX-75>3 transaxle

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>>14197185

Gauges don't look weird at all 2bh m8, they're great. This car is phenomenal for driving at night, too. The cluster stays really crisp and clear, it doesn't get that foggy/haze kind of look that some clusters get from shitty backlighting.

Not to mention you can selectively dim shit, so if you want ONLY the gauges lit up and everything else (stereo, HVAC knobs, etc.) blacked out, you can.

>>14197310

You like the 3 best but not enough. You should like the 3 so much you don't even consider asking about the others. Over time you will feel like the 3 is "too rough" "twitchy" and you won't get over the "weird gauges"

Get a corolla and never think about cars again. Get a corolla and you won't have to think about cars again.

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>>14197325

Suspension layout is a weak point, the stupid e-link design is prone to cracking/breaking shock mounts. Not to mention they're made of a cast aluminum, and bolted right up into steel wheel wells. Galvanic corrosion nigga, all day long.

Not to mention the 2.0L engine is mediocre at best. OP should be looking for a Madza3 GT, it came with the quicker 2.3L @ 160hp. With proper tires and the bigger 17" alloys that come on the GT, it is a noticeable difference. I owned a 2006 GT, and drove my friend's 2007 GX with flabby 15" wheels and basic all-seasons. Compared to my car, with Michelin Pilot Exaltos, it was definitely a less fun car.

Not to mention the interior sucks on the Focus, it's cheap as fuck. The Mazda3's have great interiors, both in design and build quality.

>>14197354
>Get a corolla and you won't have to think about cars again.

Because you'll be dead inside, and have absolutely no reason to ever want to drive again. Your car will become a utility, nothing more. Like a washing machine you ride to work.

Mazda3 handles like a go-kart, and after 5 minutes of driving one you'll never want a fucking Corolla, ever.

>>14197331

Don't try to reason with OP, they're more concerned with gauge shape than transmission and steering feel. I mean, look at those weird as fuck circle gauges amirite?

OP: Buy whatever you get the best deal on. For your purposes, for your criteria, they will all perform 99% the same. So focus on the final price.

>>14197368

They won't perform the same. Corolla will be more reliable and probably cost less in maintenance, but it'll be bland as fuck and horribly boring to drive. Mazda3 will be a bit less reliable, but you'll actually want to drive it for no reason at all.

Nissan isn't even worth mentioning, everything that company has produced in the last decade is nigger-tier dogshit.

>>14197366

This is what OP wants, secretly. For the rest of us, it's what OP needs. If he buys the 3 (and I completely agree, he should) then 6 months later he'll make a new thread about how we screwed him and he shoulda picked a gud car cause "it's too noisy on the highway" and "the red gauges trigger me"

>>14197316
No rust here

>>14197383
I'm at 150k miles and only had to replace an alternator on my mazda3

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>>14197368
>>14197354
>>14197390
Image

>>Everyone Else

So if i'm looking for the mazda 3 under 150k miles any specific areas or things I need to check before buying?

I live in a zero snow area so rust isn't going to be a thing.

>>14197426

Most 3's have weird as fuck gauges, make sure you look for that.

Other than that, rust. It's not a huge issue but it's been seen. Under the wheel wells, frame rails.

Check the VIN number. it's worth the $10 bucks. Get a $35 unlimited month to check any car. Dealers can and will lie to you and a VIN check will tell you where it's from, fender benders, and other red flags. Post them here if you don't understand and we can decipher it for you.

You goddamn guage-ist

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>>14197426

2004 and 2005 models had an issue with paint chipping on the very edge of the rear wheel well, right where it meets the rear quarter panel. Stones would fly up from the tire and hit this edge, eating away at the paint. Then you'd get rust. They fixed it on the 2006+ models with an inner guard on the wheel well.

2007+ models got a few improvements over the 2004-06 models, like an aesthetic facelift at the front. Fog lights were changed from the classic round style to a more rectangular look, and the trunk lid was given an indent underneath it so you can grab the edge easier. 2006 and earlier didn't have this indent, and there wasn't a trunk popper per se, so you kinda have to use the tips of your fingers to open the trunk lid. Do it enough and paint will start to wear on that edge, leading to surface rust.

Also, rear trunk lid (on non-hatch models) has a third brake light in it. There's a foam rubber gasket in behind the lens for this light, and in some vehicles it traps water. This rusts the trunk lid from the inside, and it's fucked to fix it.

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>>14197461

pic related, you can see the indent they made for your hand to grab the trunk/hatch lid.

Makes a huge difference. I owned a 2006 and it was always fuckery trying to get the trunk open, especially if you had gloves on.

Trunk uses outboard struts to support it though, not the stupid framed arms that cut into your trunk space. Trunk is very roomy.

>>14197482
Um.... My 2005 has that indent

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>>14197359
>Suspension layout is a weak point, the stupid e-link design is prone to cracking/breaking shock mounts.
That's only a problem with the 3. Google Ford Focus broken shock mount then do the same with the 3, the only thing that comes up is stuff for the Escape and Ranger/Explorer due to rust.

>Not to mention they're made of a cast aluminum, and bolted right up into steel wheel wells. Galvanic corrosion nigga, all day long.
I haven't seen any Foci rusting away like 1st gen 3s do.


>Not to mention the 2.0L engine is mediocre at best. OP should be looking for a Madza3 GT, it came with the quicker 2.3L @ 160hp.
It's only a couple 10ths quicker than a manual Focus in testing.

>The Mazda3's have great interiors, both in design and build quality.
From what I've seen first gen 3s interiors seem to show their wear a lot. Not really an indicator of "great build quality". I will concede the 3 uses nicer materials, but I don't fondle my dash. The Focus has a leather wrapped wheel and soft touch points where your elbows rest. So what you actually touch 95% of the time isn't much different.

>>14197487

Where do you live? I'm in Canada, and pre-2007 models didn't have that. I looked at everything from 2004 to 2008 when I was buying.

Unless someone got in a collision with your vehicle, and replaced that rear facia with a newer version that has the indent. They're the exact same as far as fitment, they just molded the top differently to give it that groove.

>>14197498
Shut up Ford shill. You're trying too hard to push a worse version of the same car.
Also my interior doesn't show wear at 150k miles

>>14197502
USA.
They all have that indent and a grabber to open the hatch.
Never seen one without

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>>14197498

They use the exact same part, half of every Mazda3 is Ford guts. Half of every Focus is Mazda guts.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/mk3-focus/565274-2012-left-me-stranded-highway-week-rear-shock-mount-broken-pics-damage-included.html

>This week the car left me stranded on the highway. Crossing a set of train tracks on the highway the upper shock mount on the left rear broke leaving the shock bouncing around the wheel well at the top. there was no advance warning, no symptoms until it broke.. Once broken it needed a tow truck.

I understand parts break but the amount of corrosion on the part was unbelievable. the metal that is left crumbles apart in your hands. before this I would have said the car was rust free.This week the car left me stranded on the highway. Crossing a set of train tracks on the highway the upper shock mount on the left rear broke leaving the shock bouncing around the wheel well at the top. there was no advance warning, no symptoms until it broke.. Once broken it needed a tow truck.

>I understand parts break but the amount of corrosion on the part was unbelievable. the metal that is left crumbles apart in your hands. before this I would have said the car was rust free.

Exactly what happened to mine, except I hit a sinkhole.

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>>14197512

Maybe it was a regional thing, Canada usually gets the shit end of the stick for most options. Mazda3's in America came with climate control illuminated buttons, we just got cheap plastic dials.

>>14197498

2/10 trolling. You're like the Fiat poster slinging mud in miata threads. Focus will always be interior to the 3. It's been that way for multiple generations all the way from 10 years ago. And will continue for another 10 years.

Get the 3 OP.

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>>14197498

Mazda3 also came with leather wrapped wheel and soft touch points on the arm rest.

And the 2.3L is noticeably peppier than the 2.0L, especially when it's paired with the 5 speed manual.

Oh and let's not forget the god-tier crispness of the Mazda's transmission, I've driven the manual Focus ZX4 and it felt like it was made of mashed potatoes. Sorry m8, but you're clearly shilling.

>>14197508
>>14197508
Shut up Mazda shill. You're trying too hard to push a worse version of the same car.
>suspension breaks
>rusts into oblivion
>is hardly faster with the larger engine option that gets much worse fuel economy

>Also my interior doesn't show wear at 150k miles
Probably because you're a foreveralone that has autistic fits over dust gathering in your car. Normies 3s show their wear, not to mention old 3s and 6s having problems with their radio displays too.

>>14197548
yeah but the automatic in the ford is of a better build quality.

>>14197563

>the automatic

If you buy an automatic 4 cylinder econobox you deserve to die, or at least be miserable.

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>>14197560
Ha-ha he's so mad

>>14197563
>automatic
>Ford
Hahahahahahahahahshahs
They are known to be shit m8

>>14197521
>'12
Cool? Show me a 1st gen C170 chassis Focus with that problem.

>>14197548
>Mazda3 also came with leather wrapped wheel and soft touch points on the arm rest.
Try reading.
>The Focus has a leather wrapped wheel and soft touch points where your elbows rest. So what you actually touch 95% of the time isn't much different.
>So what you actually touch 95% of the time isn't much different.

>And the 2.3L is noticeably peppier than the 2.0L, especially when it's paired with the 5 speed manual.
>.1s faster 0-45 which is what most people drive
I'm sure you have a lot of experience with both.

>Oh and let's not forget the god-tier crispness of the Mazda's transmission, I've driven the manual Focus ZX4 and it felt like it was made of mashed potatoes.
Your friend probably needed shifter bushings, the MTX-75 is a better trans than the G35M-R and is stronger too. Perhaps you should lay off the Mazda kool-aid.

>>14197608

>implying anything prior to 2012 would be any better

You're trying way too hard to be a shitposter.

>>14197626
>i can't find any
You're not trying hard enough shitposter.

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>>14197608
My god you're dumb

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>>14197652

hahahahahaha oh fuck

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>>14197608

Hijacking OPs thread since it turned to shit anyway.

05 Camry vs 05 Mazda 6? I've driven the Camry, seemed okay, roomy but slow and boring, yes. Haven't driven the Mazda yet. What issues should I look for on the 6?

>>14197713
Don't get the V6 and you'll be fine

Forget all those, buy an S60

>>14197713

Mazda6. It was a class killer when it came out and still is.

We should update the sticky to say Mazda is always the answer.

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I have an 07 Mazda 3 hatch. Numbers speak for themselves. I'm over 200k miles and no major things needed to be replaced besides engine mount and basic maintenance

>>14197103

The Mazda 3 is a better car then the corolla of the same years. And that's saying something because the corolla is a near perfect reliable dd shitbox.

Nissan sentra is a shit heap.

>>14197722
>>14197732
Alrighty, 4cyl Mazda 6 it is. I'll check it out.

>>14197741

Engine mount is almost a blessing in disguise, because you can replace it with that poly one made by Corksport, which really tightens up engine response.

>>14197821
Worth every penny

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>>14197652
>quoting the '12+ DCT when we're comparing manual transmissions from '04-'11
Literally retarded or just have no clue what's being discussed?

>>14197713
The only thing that turned it to shit was Mazda fangirls implying the 1st gen Focus has the same problems the 3 does with rust and suspension, which they still haven't proved. Also moving goalposts from MTX-75 Vs G35M-R to PowerShift Vs G35M-R was full on retarded.

>>14197857
>which they still haven't proved.

No one set out to prove that. You made a claim that Fords were immune from common problems shared by every vehicle on that platform (including a Volvo), then failed to support this claim. Your job to back up ridiculous claims faggot, no one else's job to refute them.

I can't believe what an irritating faggot you are.

Will an '04 Mazda 3 feel much different than my '02 Protege with the 2.0?

>>14198337
Yes

OP is a retard

the rest of you are fucking retarded too for spoonfeeding OP

>>14197741
woah those gauges are weird and also circles

>>14198337

Objectively yes.

Will feel quicker and handling will be tighter. Only exception might be the Protege Speed, they were basically on par with a Mazda3 GT.

>>14197103
>Mazda 3
Fun choice medium to high reliability
>corolla
Boring, but more reliable by a bit
>sentra
Piece of shit don't buy

>>14197150
No rust on mine, live in salty upstate NY. If you take care of it its fine

>>14197908
>You made a claim that Fords were immune from common problems shared by every vehicle on that platform
No I didn't, they are on different platforms which I stated the links below. Perhaps you should learn how to read and research the subject matter.
>>14197498
>state haven't seen any Foci rusting like you do earlier 3s
>>14197521
>quotes a Focus that's on a completely different chassis trying to prove his point
>>14197608
>ask for him to show me one like the car I suggested or any 1st gen/C170 Focus
>>14197652
>tries to join the party with '12 and newer DCT problems which the '08-'11 didn't have either
>then failed to support this claim. Your job to back up ridiculous claims faggot, no one else's job to refute them.
No, I simply pointed out that this is a problem that only affects C1 and newer platform cars. Up until '11 the Focus was still on the C170 platform. The only thing Mazda fangirls have been able to cite is shit that's wrong with the '12 and newer.

I can't believe you're trying to argue for them when you don't even know what the fuck you're talking about.

>mazdafags gave up on the transmission argument
>still can't show me problems of first gen foci strut towers rusting away like 3s

GG retards.

>>14197103
My family have had a mazda 3 sedan and hatchback.
both very reliable cars.

My older brother has a mazda 3. He is an astronaut.

My younger brother has a ford focus. He sucks cock for quarters.