On a scale of Fiat to Toyota, how reliable is a 1st gen mazda3?

>>15283779
my last experience with mazda was my dads 2001 626. everything that could go wrong with that car, did go wrong. ended up selling it to the guy who replaced the tranny.

>>15283779
>mazda3
rust issues
hope you dont live in salty places

>>15283801
Las Vegas, so I'm not really worried about rust at all. Hundreds of miles from the ocean and no rain or snow

>>15283779
get a WRX wagon instead, AWD and tarbo

>>15283779
First gen 3s are the best 3. S grand touring manual or gtfo.

>>15283818
>basically none on sale
>way more expensive than the mazda
>friend thinks bugeye subarus are ugly, probably would hate the wagon even more
>doesn't snow here, don't need AWD

>>15283801
Have an 06 Mazda 3. Only issue right now is there's surface rust on the hood and roof an rust is starting to peel the paint.

>>15283779
As long as you can see all the maintenance has been performed on time it will go for 100k easy (which is when you'll have to replace the timing belt). I took mine to 109k (my friend owned it up to ~80k then i bought it) before I sold it and the only thing I needed to replace was the timing belt. There absurdly reliable cars as long as you don't do anything stupid to them.

>>15283779
Any car will last to 120k or so with scheduled maintenance before you ever have to really worry about a costly repair.

excluding high strung sports cars.

>>15283801
07 mazda 3 here in upstate ny which is a salty area. I have no rust yet, and the only repairs I've needed are the rear strut mounts, clutch, and butt tons of headlights. I'm at 145k so far but with the 2 liter model.

>>15283779
05 mazda 3. 2.3 hatch here.
160k miles and all ive had to do is an alternator and rear motor mount.
No rust on mine at all.
Love that car.

>>15283801
I'm going to test drive a 2007 Mazda3 on Sunday. Is the rust issue that bad? What if I hose it down everyday in the winter? I live in the New England so there'll be a lot of salt on the road. Also, the care has 80k miles on it. Dealer's asking for $7k. Does that sound fair?