Buying USED 2010--HELP WANTED

[Oliverms3]

Originally Posted by 90210 Great to hear of some high mileage ones! Debadged it. TOok about one hour. The mazdaspeed was easy, the "3" was difficult. My Mazda5 and MSM were so easy, then again they were new, this has been outside a while, used. Car looks stock everywhere, no mods that I could find. Looked around a good bit Only on the outer plastic of the intercooler where the trim of the hood meets, seems like there is some "scratches/rubbing" not sure if this is normal? Wonder if the thread title can be changed? Some pics

that's normal... our stock rear motor mounts are very soft and the engine moves a lot. so you definitely need to replace that RMM asap.

[90210]

Originally Posted by Oliverms3 so you definitely need to replace that RMM asap.

OH MAN..wasn't thinking of doing anything for a while...but looks like I need to get to that

[Alexander]

even if you dont want to do any mods, rmm and shifter bushings will make the car 10 times better. look into them

[90210]

^^

Definitely will look into it, now that you guys mention it. I value the experience you guys have .

When I base line all the fluids in a few weeks, will do it then.

[Chuthor]

Shifting was waaaaaaaaaaay better after swapping out the RMM. Plus its cheap and will take you about 20 mins to swap.

[90210]

^^ You guys are funny.

I would spend some time this weekend, reading and familiarizing myself with the info you guys provided.

I thank you

INSURANCE just got my full coverage insurance. $500 deductible. 63$/month. Went up 20$/month from the Miata.

They listed it as "Mazda Protege Mazdaspeed 2010 model"

[Neverlift]

I don't know why insurance companies aren't hip to the products Mazda puts out but I am ok with that.

Going from my MSM to the MS6 my insurance went up $12.

They wanted $130 more a month for an AP2.

[90210]

I have to see waht the rates on my 07 AP2 was, can't remember. I bought my AP1 new, put 163K miles on. Spa Yellow. Traded it for a 07 Rio Yellow AP2, loved the car.
The Elise replaced the AP2. Miss the quality of the AP2, though not all the people who want to steal it.

Almost bought a 2013 Civic Si this time, was lusting after the quality. Got swayed by the MS3 color, my first non red/non yellow car

Velocity red MSM gone to a good home.

[snOhio]

Originally Posted by 90210 Only on the outer plastic of the intercooler where the trim of the hood meets, seems like there is some "scratches/rubbing" not sure if this is normal?

yeah man, the foam on the inside of the hood is supposed to make contact with it. idea being that the air coming in gets channeled right into the intercooler.

[VulgarKyle]

i just replace the battery in my fob and it was 2025 i think all you need is a small screwdriver and you split the 2 halves(it took me a bit to figure this out lol)

[Neverlift]

Originally Posted by 90210 Got swayed by the MS3 color, my first non red/non yellow car

What about the CB NB or the white NA?

Originally Posted by 90210 Almost bought a 2013 Civic Si this time

Oh yeah, FYHN...

TheForumWars.tv Ep. 5 Honda Civic SI VS Mazda Speed 3 - YouTube

TheForumWars.tv Ep. 5 Honda Civic SI VS Mazda Speed 3 - YouTube

[90210]

Originally Posted by snOhio yeah man, the foam on the inside of the hood is supposed to make contact with it. idea being that the air coming in gets channeled right into the intercooler.

yah just didn't realize that the foam can scratch the ic plastic .

Originally Posted by kylehagins i just replace the battery in my fob and it was 2025 i think all you need is a small screwdriver and you split the 2 halves(it took me a bit to figure this out lol)

dealer said to stop by Sat they will so it for free. Also they forgot my 30$ free Starbucks card lol.

Originally Posted by Neverlift What about the CB NB or the white NA? Oh yeah, FYHN... TheForumWars.tv Ep. 5 Honda Civic SI VS Mazda Speed 3 - YouTube

I don't consider either of those really cars in the stable. Too short term ownership

So just did the commute home. Car drove great. I make sure not to lug the engine so the car is not boosting under 3 k. Thus requires more shifting than a na car.

It is quite a big/wide car. Gotta get used to that.

The handbrake in up position seems to contact the armrest in front position, need to check it tomorrow.

Other than that drove great, kid loves the blue, all in all good day.

I will keep track of two tanks of gas and report what I am finding.

[VulgarKyle]

that is even better.
dont even bother tracking fuel milage i had my average up at 23mpg for about 100 miles but im unable to contol my foot i guess i cant seen to get back out of 18mpg

[90210]

Originally Posted by kylehagins that is even better. dont even bother tracking fuel milage i had my average up at 23mpg for about 100 miles but im unable to contol my foot i guess i cant seen to get back out of 18mpg

More for recording purpose, rather than to hypermill the car .

[stuntz89]

Greatt deal.. congrats on the purchase... warning tho




you will not escape the bug for very long

[90210]

LOVING THE CAR SO FAR

Two quick issues:

1) When I am making a left turn (only noticed in my office garage) there is a kinda of a whine noise. Not a rubbing noise. It isn’t like the electronic steering noise, which our mazda5 has. It isn’t making the noise making a left turn (need to pin down this weekend). Noise is very faint.
2) At 85 steering wheel has a good amount of shake to it. Car has all 4 new tires. Passenger front wheel seems like it has NO weight on it (will double check again in a bit), and drivers side does. Wonder if fronts need to be rebalanced

[nindoja]

@90210; definitely get the wheels rebalanced. The car steering wheel shouldn't shake at 85mph.

[90210]

Will take it in this weekend and have it done

[90210]

Front driver wheel weight has two weights marked "1/2" each

Passenger front wheel has only one "1/2" weight.


Don't know enough about wheel weights .

[CorkSport]

Originally Posted by 90210 Front driver wheel weight has two weights marked "1/2" each Passenger front wheel has only one "1/2" weight. Don't know enough about wheel weights .

Could just be a careless wheel mounting tech who balanced it or worst case a bent wheel.

-Derrick

[Code Monkey]

Originally Posted by 90210 They listed it as "Mazda Protege Mazdaspeed 2010 model"

Mine is listed as a "2006 Mazda Mazdaspeed Protege", go figure.

[90210]

Originally Posted by CorkSport Could just be a careless wheel mounting tech who balanced it or worst case a bent wheel. -Derrick

derrick
You think I should swap the wheels front to back and see or get all re balanced ? I will go to dealer sat for new remote battery, I may ask if they will check it, if not no big deal I will take to tire place.

Originally Posted by Code Monkey Mine is listed as a "2006 Mazda Mazdaspeed Protege", go figure.

I guess protege better than 323 or 929 lol

P.s

Found ex owner. He is willing to ship th e cargo cover and the maintenance records

[CorkSport]

Originally Posted by 90210 derrick You think I should swap the wheels front to back and see or get all re balanced ? I will go to dealer sat for new remote battery, I may ask if they will check it, if not no big deal I will take to tire place.

That would be an easy way to narrow it down.

-Derrick

[ms3rick]

2nd blue in the socal nator crew...

[90210]

Originally Posted by ms3rick 2nd blue in the socal nator crew...

Where are most of the so cal people? I keep saying things far inland. Any people in West La area?

[Neverlift]

There are quite a few people in West LA, but when the monthly NATOR gatherings/install days are held, they are done so inland.

[90210]

^^^
Thanks. I will see if I can find some WEST LA people.

Yeah still trying to figure out what this NATOR thing is and then there all these other So Cal separate forums. Going to take some time to figure out to navigate, I suppose.

Looking forward to meeting you sometime

[The Nut]

I paid $22,000 for my 2012. $26,000 OTD (tax, title, reg., dest. charge, etc. took 4 months to get a dealer to agree to my price. But if a dealer has plenty in stock, they eventually cave. Besides, it's not like they didn't make a couple $$ off the sale.
Anyway, be sure everything checks out on her. Ask to see the spark plugs. If everything looks cool, $16,500 is a good deal. It's funny, I looked up my car on Kelley Blue Book, and with the miles I have on it, it's still worth more than I paid for it almost a year ago. Viva la resale value!

[90210]

Originally Posted by The Nut I paid $22,000 for my 2012. $26,000 OTD (tax, title, reg., dest. charge, etc. took 4 months to get a dealer to agree to my price. But if a dealer has plenty in stock, they eventually cave. Besides, it's not like they didn't make a couple $$ off the sale. Anyway, be sure everything checks out on her. Ask to see the spark plugs. If everything looks cool, $16,500 is a good deal. It's funny, I looked up my car on Kelley Blue Book, and with the miles I have on it, it's still worth more than I paid for it almost a year ago. Viva la resale value!

Already bought it and have been driving it. Your 2012 sounds like a good deal

I am on Mazda #9 , all I know is, resale value have never been their strong suit Only time they have been good deals (FOR ME), is when I bought my new MSM for 18250$ cuz the dealers were blowing them out.

[90210]

Dealer took care of remote battery and proper wheel balancing.


Spent 4.5 hours of claying and waxing, and it looks exactly like a few nights ago when I brought it home

Lol

[90210]

UPDATE:

Loving the car. It is driving great, and servicing my purpose. Been debating a rear seat cover, due to kid.

Balanced the wheels/tires. Ordered new floormats, and installed new wipers.

Looking at suspension mods (learning about it on the forum), before pulling the trigger on some parts.


ONLY ISSUE: I am having is it is incredibly hard to get it into reverse. Gear 1-6 perfect. I will do the FOrd gear oil soon, but reverse is almost impossible. Clutch out, try again, still almost impossible.

[Quickbluems3]

@90210 Just so you know, you got a great deal @$16,500 if the car was clean. I just got offered $18,000 for my car at a reputable location for my 2010 Celestial Blue Mica with 24,000 miles.

[90210]

Originally Posted by Quickbluems3 @90210 Just so you know, you got a great deal @$16,500 if the car was clean. I just got offered $18,000 for my car at a reputable location for my 2010 Celestial Blue Mica with 24,000 miles.

Thank you kindly. I ended up paying 16250$ due to it missing floormats and the rear cargo cover . It is one owner all stock.

I located the original owner, who is in his 50 s and ended up mailing me all the maintenance record along with the cargo cover he had at home.

Why are you selling yours ?

[Quickbluems3]

I really liked the car a lot-but I came from an Evo 8 and I really miss the all wheel drive. I'm at a point where the MS3 was just a weekend car and the used car market is pretty hot right now, so I figured I would get what I can for it and eventually go with an Evo X or see what comes out next year. I really babied my car too-24,000 miles on the Original Dunlop tires and they were listed as "good condition" in my appraisal . Enjoy your car, I'll really miss the color and driving it!

[90210]

^^ Sounds like you babied it.

For me, it is my commuter car. My weekend cars are too harsh, and all 2 seaters, so I needed something for the family. I considered the WRX/STi route, but having owned Subaru before, I wanted to try something a little different, since around here STi/WRX seem to be a dime a dozen. Also I don't need the AWD at all, so that wasn't a consideration for me.

I absolutely love the color, and my commute has been a joy. I am used a 2 seater commute, so was really hating the 4 door/backseat commute, but it has been great so far.

My only wish is it was lighter (given my normal mode of transport is 1800-2400lbs), but it is something I can live with, for the moment.

Also when I go to Cotstco, now people don't stare me, watching me take all the papertowels out of the packaging and stuff them in my car one at a time.

[Shad]

Originally Posted by 90210 Thanks. I will look at th VIP thing you mentioned. Package tray around 230$ is what I expected, so the $250 dealer gave me will get used for that, unless I can find a used one. Says 180$ here, but I don't even know how many speakers I got. During test drive, and driving this morning, forgot to turn on stereo. Not sure if it even works LOL 2012 Mazda3 Package tray Parts Fully Bolted -hey don't give me any ideas. I am trying to play a grown up in real life *must not mod* *must not mod* *must not mod* Its commuter car, for the kiddies, *must not mod*

I've got front mats from 2012 MS3- had them in about 4 months they still look fresh- PM me if interested. Mod- is this okay to post, or should they've on Classifieds? Very lazy right now...

[Southernace76]

Something sounds fishy man. Check under the hood, do the bolts to your fender or hood have marks like someone took a wrench to them? Did you verify autocheck/carfax history by matching the vin on paper to the car?

I'm not saying its impossible to get a great deal but being one that works in the industry, usually a good deal comes at a price of the car having significant prior repairs or a bad title history.

Based on Manheim (largest auction system in country) these cars are easily doing 16g with those miles. It wouldnt make sense for a dealer to let it go that cheap unless he paid less for one with an announcement such as rollback or frame damage.

Seriously, do your homework fast, take it to a reputable place that wouldn't sell a car with frame damage or knows how to find aftermarket welds and damage. You generally have a short amount of time to get out of the car if its not disclosed.

[90210]

Originally Posted by Shad I've got front mats from 2012 MS3- had them in about 4 months they still look fresh- PM me if interested. Mod- is this okay to post, or should they've on Classifieds? Very lazy right now...

Sorry mate, already bought new set

[90210]

Originally Posted by Southernace76 Something sounds fishy man. Check under the hood, do the bolts to your fender or hood have marks like someone took a wrench to them? Did you verify autocheck/carfax history by matching the vin on paper to the car? I'm not saying its impossible to get a great deal but being one that works in the industry, usually a good deal comes at a price of the car having significant prior repairs or a bad title history. Based on Manheim (largest auction system in country) these cars are easily doing 16g with those miles. It wouldnt make sense for a dealer to let it go that cheap unless he paid less for one with an announcement such as rollback or frame damage. Seriously, do your homework fast, take it to a reputable place that wouldn't sell a car with frame damage or knows how to find aftermarket welds and damage. You generally have a short amount of time to get out of the car if its not disclosed.

Morning,

I am sure the deal can sound fishy, but at the end of the day you don't know if the dealer gave the guy 10K on a trade in, or overcharged him 5K on the new car he bought, so they might have had some room.

Couple of other forum members here helped checked the car out for me. You have to understand the location of the dealer, and the inventory they carry, to put into context. Also the car started at 24K. It was 20K in Dec, and didn't sell, as they weren't negotiating.

Sometimes cash money helps

Car is completely stock. It hasn't been painted. I tracked the original owner down, who is a older man at a pretty prestigious job, who was nice enough to mail me all records of the car, some pictures of him and his wife with it, and even sent me the rear parcel shelf free of charge.

As we found out more about the story, chatting with him (since I thought the dealer was BSing me initially), he was out in CA on a 3 month project. Dealer had a used R8, and the guy traded it in on that. I asked him how does he go from MS3 to R8, and the story I got was, this was his daily (makes sense on the miles accumulation in a short time), and he now CFO, and not commuting with his personal car anymore. She he got a R8 to complement his Spyker and 911 Turbo. Prior to the MS3, his daily was a STI from 07-10.


PPI was done on the car. it came back clean. ALl original, no frame damage, no repaint, no issues.


I am happy with it. Given this is car #43 for me, I have had some experience buying and selling some cars