Mazda 3 hatch

It's an 18 year old Accord with check engine and maintenance required lights on, but it's got two new tires and could last a while longer. Just weighing my options

Fix the Accord. The maintenance required light just means it been 10k miles since it was reset.

The maintenance required light is to remind you to change your oil. You reset it each time you change your oil. It's not a check engine light.

Also that year of Accord is prone to EGR carbon buildup. Chances are that check engine light means next to nothing (you wouldn't pass environmental inspections).

Thanks lads. I just did that (along with the tires) so I should be good. Although the motor mounts need replacing as when I put it in reverse it jolts.

Mine did that, the transmission mount was completely shredded up

Should be good for awhile eh? It's been doing it for at least a year 15k miles

excess vibration is a bad thing. i'd do it as soon as possible. some of the mounts are easier to diy than others.

It wasn't that expensive for the mount, something like $50. I think it's the easiest mount to replace too since i don't think you need to lift the engine to get at it? Not sure though i didn't do the work. Was like $200 to get every mount replaced including labor and tax

It's highly recommend by consumer reports at least, but so is the Impreza. Not so much for WRX lol. I think Mazda is really upping their game, I say go for it. But if you have patrician taste... Buy a Golf/GTI gets the second highest "road test" score in compact category

>t. just read consumer reports magazine for the first time while I was shitting

For real?

memes.

I have a 2016, so same car but pre-facelift.

I'll start with the bad: the road noise is pretty bad and swapping tires doesn't help as much as some people claim. Maybe a little. Odd complaint, but the pedals are kinda loud, too. There's no dead pedal for your left foot, just a carpeted area. The back seat is pretty tight for rear-facing child seats, and the hatch area isn't huge either. Throttle response is glacial and messes with my heel-and-toe action. The shifting feel is just okay. It's also becoming obvious that the infotainment system isn't going to get the apps or constant improvements that they said it would. It's a little slow on startup.

But...
Staying on the infotainment topic, I think it's one of the better ones for use while driving. You don't have to take your eyes off the road as much. I like the layout a lot. The interior's very nice, sound quality's pretty good. The car feels nimble and I like its steering and handling more than I like the GTI's. The controls are too damped and the suspension too soft to call it truly sporty, but it's close.

For the same money you can get a car that's sportier but not as nice inside. Try one in case you prefer that. Try the Civic hatch, too. It wasn't out when I bought my 3. The extra room might've been nice, though the infotainment sounds like a dealbreaker in that car.

google frand

you can hack the infotainment in mazdas and add android auto

Gen 3's are really nice but I still prefer my gen 2 speed. It's so fun to drive, the 3rd gen's feel more computer controlled than the previous gens. But any gen mazda 3 is a great automobile to own.

it's a great hatch by all means, but i'd feel guilty buying that before mazda comes out with their new skyactiv x shit