Anyone got experience of these?

SWMBO has it in her head she wants one so we're off to look at a couple tomorrow. I know they are focus based and pretty good to drive, but other than that I know nothing at all. Any common issues? What should I be looking for?

We're looking at around 06 plates so mk1 (I think?)

Father in law has a 2007 saloon. Same basic 1.6diesel as the focus of same age, but not so many issues around them - the turbo seals problem for example.. his has been bombproof since he got it ex demo in 2008.

Drives very smooth, good power delivery, comfoetable seats and dash layout etc. His has the funky upholstry with the black cloth and burgundy stitching etc.

I like it a lot..

My father has a 2007 Ts2 1.6 Petrol...bought it at 1 year old in 2008

Its been totally reliable with no faults at all, except needing a new battery

I have had a 2009 2.0 petrol and a 2007 2.0 diesel. Good cars in my opinion just watch for rust on rear arches. I also work at a mazda dealer and dont see many issues at all. Cant fault the 2 I have had.

Not really relevant, but I had a Mk 2 for 18 mths and loved it. Not a rattle or a squeak to be heard. Hopeless sales dept but very good service team at the same dealer....! As a brand (in my limited experience) happy to recommend.

Mazda imo are near as bullet proof as toyota.

I should add to my take above that the FIL is on his 15th+ mazda - Pretty much every permutation of 323/323f etc going back to the late 80s/ early 90s.

He also chopped swmbos mothers a1 in for a 2.2diesel 142 reg mazda3 - the newest shape.. it is crafted beautifully, waaay better finish than the audi imo..

Edited 22 August, 201510 yr by mac11irl

We have a '55 plate 1.6 auto.  Utterly reliable, quite nice to look at and a nice place to be inside.  Won't set the world alight, but I like driving it and I'd certainly have another.

 

The only thing that's happened in the two years we've had it was the knock sensor came on a few times - but it got better before I replaced it, and is tickety boo now.

 

Gaz

Good car only one to avoid is the 2.2 diesel

Thanks a lot for the comments folks! Certainly makes me feel somewhat at ease going into this.

Rumour has it petrol = Timing chain, diesel = cam belt. Can anyone confirm?

Yes.... the 1.6 Petrol is a chain

Good car only one to avoid is the 2.2 diesel

what is the 2.2issue? May mention it to FIL later on to keep an eye..

Our site was originally mazda. as such one of the guys I work with is a mazda tech through and through. He repeatedly tells us that pretty much all the petrol manual mazda vehicle are bullet proof. hes a particular fan of the mazda 2.

He also states that avoiding the later diesel engines is a must particularly anything with the sky active system installed.

what is the 2.2issue? May mention it to FIL later on to keep an eye..

Injectors are known to fail and cause engine failure so 75k service generally costs about £700 for something to do with them,

Timing chain stretches so that's another £800 if caught in time and replace before damage occurs,

And oil pipe can block causing turbo to suffer oil starvation.

You find details of all of this on the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 forums. I had the 6 which had a new turbo at 60k before I bought it then I had to replace the timing chain at 80k

Hhmmm... right. God to know then!

Right thanks all for the reassurance.

Been to see a few today, ended up with a deal done on the first one we saw.

Looked at a silver ts2 1.6 which had rear arches full of rot, considered a red one (1.4 though) which was fairly tidy but asking about £500 more than I thought it was worth with little chance of a deal, and this one. It's not perfect, there's a few marks that might polish out with the old DAS, and the headlights are starting to 'yellow' a little bit nothing that's not easily fixed. FMSH with the most recent service just 1k ago, and what really sold it to me was a newish set of matched Pirrelli's. Sad I know but decent tyres usually tells me someone cares, odd ditch finders makes me wonder what else has been scrimped on.

All in all pretty tidy and drives very well. Pretty chuffed with the deal we got as well!

I initially wanted a new mazda 3 before deciding to go for the new fabia instead. Went for a test drive in a 2015 mazda 3 and there are some refining details that really annoyed me. 

 

-No DAB

-sat nav infotainment unit does not retract and sticks out - could have easily made it a flip down

-bad interior acoustics when above 45/50mph. masssive amount of road noise. Worse than my old mk3 golf

-cannot turn radio off at all, you can only mute it. It has to be on at all times when ignition is on.

 

a few more anal things I found out whilst driving so it really put me off.

 

Good luck though!