8th Feb 2022, 16:45
I can confirm, these aren't very good cars, I had a petrol one that did not give any engine problems, however everything else was a nightmare, especially for rust, typical of Mazda from this time. Shame really as it is a nice car to drive and look at.
8th Feb 2022, 22:23
Early / mid 2000's Mazda's were bad for rust; I did however have a newer 2008/2009 Mazda 6 that was a huge improvement, no rust at 10 years old. And the current 2013 onwards Mazda 6 is a very nice car that should also hold up well in the long term.
9th Feb 2022, 16:45
The diesel problems are not exclusive to this car to be fair. Mercedes, BMW, whatever manufacturer, does not matter, they will need DMF + clutch, injector work and DPF's replaced at some point as well. I do agree the cost is ridiculous - particularly when you realize people buy diesel in the first place to save money... but then spend those savings on expensive repairs. Maybe petrol would not be such a bad option long term if you do not drive much.
28th Feb 2022, 22:39
The trick with Mazda's from this time period is to find a nice low mileage petrol car with no rust and it should be as reliable as any car.
18th Feb 2016, 22:05
Mate, believe me I did try about 3 different mechanics with this car; a main dealer and a couple of local trusted garages. The rear brakes seizing mystery was never solved - by the 3rd set of rear calipers it was on when I sold it, it was still a bit sticky but getting better. Replaced discs, pads, and handbrake cables - still didn't help much.
Anyway that was the least of this car's worriers; I'm still raging at the bigger repair bills it cost me when I had it. Taking a look at other reviews on here, diesel Mazdas and any modern diesel for that matter seem to have the same expensive problems with regards to filters and fancy high pressure injectors, so I still stand by my comments that the premium you pay for a diesel over a petrol simply is not worth it. Maybe my car was a lemon, but still, I'd never consider a modern diesel again.