All New 2017 Mazda 3

[ValHallen]

Latest update from a Mown3r of a 2017 Mazda3 Speed HB. The most glaring issue is with the Motolite replacement EFB acid leakage. Quick tip: always do a weekly checkup on battery leaks!



Overall the Mown3r seems to be happy with the M3's engine performance and fuel efficiency.

The article also mentioned about the "visible" engine hood insulation that can be bought separately:



217 Mazda3 Speed: Long Term Test Update # 4 | Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, and Prices | ************

Best part of the article for me - "Out of Pocket Expense: NONE".
I'm interested in an engine hood insulation for the 2018 Mazda 3 R.

[dr_pido]

Latest update from a Mown3r of a 2017 Mazda3 Speed HB. The most glaring issue is with the Motolite replacement EFB acid leakage. Quick tip: always do a weekly checkup on battery leaks!



Overall the Mown3r seems to be happy with the M3's engine performance and fuel efficiency.

The article also mentioned about the "visible" engine hood insulation that can be bought separately:



217 Mazda3 Speed: Long Term Test Update # 4 | Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, and Prices | ************

Sadly my mazda 3 has 2 major issues.
One is the suspension. Lately been hearing knocking sounds when going through humps or uneven pavement.
Another is the incomplete folding/unfolding of both Left and right side mirror.
As evidenced by the videos...


https://youtu.be/gtR5ExNvtTg

https://youtu.be/XwkSHCjb9Ps

[jojopad]

Sadly my mazda 3 has 2 major issues.
One is the suspension. Lately been hearing knocking sounds when going through humps or uneven pavement.
Another is the incomplete folding/unfolding of both Left and right side mirror.
As evidenced by the videos...

I occasionally hear a slight knock sound when going through some speed bumps especially those steep ones. I'm planning to have this checked on my next 6 month pms. On bumpy and uneven roads, so far I don't hear this noise. I've driven my M3 for about 1500km so far.

As for your M3's folded side mirror, that's indeed an issue. That should be covered by Yojin warranty afaik.

[travajante]

I occasionally hear a slight knock sound when going through some speed bumps especially those steep ones. I'm planning to have this checked on my next 6 month pms. On bumpy and uneven roads, so far I don't hear this noise. I've driven my M3 for about 1500km so far.

As for your M3's folded side mirror, that's indeed an issue. That should be covered by Yojin warranty afaik.

Mazda uses high durometer rigid strutmounts in pursuit of a more direct road feel. Random noises can be its side effect. Good thing, suspension noises aren't difficult to hunt down.[emoji4]

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[timneutron]

Sadly my mazda 3 has 2 major issues.
One is the suspension. Lately been hearing knocking sounds when going through humps or uneven pavement.
Another is the incomplete folding/unfolding of both Left and right side mirror.
As evidenced by the videos...


Mazda 3 2017 suspension issue - YouTube

Mazda 3 side mirror issue - YouTube

For your sidemirrors these should still be under warranty - experienced a warranty claim with our M6 no questions asked


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[E@tpc]

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[Baby Shark]

Noob question, is it safe to wash 2018 m3 engine? I mean do I need to cover something?


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[travajante]

Noob question, is it safe to wash 2018 m3 engine? I mean do I need to cover something?


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The engine can generally tolerate washes, but I never do that. Dust does less harm than water here.[emoji4]
If you really have to, cover the intake, the alternator(it's open. Some internal parts can corrode) & the ECU(though sealed, don't take chances). Dry everything up w/ compressed air after.
Best approach is to regularly detail the engine w/o washing.

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[Walter]

Avoid engine wash ... will cost more if something gets fried ...

[jojopad]

The engine can generally tolerate washes, but I never do that. Dust does less harm than water here.[emoji4]
If you really have to, cover the intake, the alternator(it's open. Some internal parts can corrode) & the ECU(though sealed, don't take chances). Dry everything up w/ compressed air after.
Best approach is to regularly detail the engine w/o washing.

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We just use an air blower to blow out the dusty areas, and just use a used cloth to wipe off the dirty areas.

[travajante]

We just use an air blower to blow out the dusty areas, and just use a used cloth to wipe off the dirty areas.

[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

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[Baby Shark]

Thanks guys... Hmmm do i need a degreaser for the engine or other chemicals? Or maybe damp mf will do


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[travajante]

Thanks guys... Hmmm do i need a degreaser for the engine or other chemicals? Or maybe damp mf will do


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Degreaser? Unless your engine is weeping & leaking, you won't need it, sir.

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[StockEngine]

Thanks guys... Hmmm do i need a degreaser for the engine or other chemicals? Or maybe damp mf will do


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you can dampen your cloth with a degreaser or engine cleaner from megs..

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[roblarg]

Hello good Tsikoteers of the Mazda 3 2017 thread. Ive been lurking on this thread as well the '2014 m3' since the start of Jan 2018 as my family had been planning on buying a brand new car. Well, fast forward to today and we were lucky to get our hands on a snowflake white Mazda 3 in a speedbose trim we picked up the car today and ive been having the biggest smile on my face since they pulled up the car after they gave it a carwash. It's now 11pm and im still the happiest little kid ever but there are just some little things that i noticed that im hoping can be put at ease on this thread:

1) is it normal for the driver side lock, side mirror adjuster and window lock not to be illuminated for mazda 3s? the other cars i have had experience with normally had these light up whenever i activate the headlights

2) what is the recommend fuel for a Mazda 3 with a 2.0L engine? i think ive read in previous posts that 1.5L engines are best suited for 91RON fuel as a higher octane number wont really provide any real world benefits. Is it the same for the 2.0L? looking at the first pages of the manual it mentions something about EURO ratings? still in the process of reading the whole thing... had it filled with 95RON just to be on the safe side as car has been released with only 1 bar of fuel

3) is it normal for the exhaust to have a certain smell if it's a brand new car? ive never driven and brand new car before and having it reversed parked into a wall, the exhaust seems to have a distinctly strong smell? a break in smell perhaps?

4) I noticed that the car doesnt like to be in idle for long? turning i-stop off, the car does thing where it shakes every other time as if it was a slightly less worse version of a 15 year old taxi cab in metro manila :v is this cause the engine is still being broken in? ive mostly driven used cars so please forgive me for being a complete newbie and seeming like a complete askhole

5) are scuff plates not normally installed by the dealer? we noticed a box in the back seat and i only had a chance to open them in the evening revealing them to be the scuff plates, planning to call our SA about it tomorrow but thought of mentioning it here as well. Are they relatively easy to install?

Cheers fellow mown3rs

[roblarg]

Sorry, please ignore points 3 and 4 as having further driven the car, this problem has disappeared. It’s our first official brand new car so I was being a bit apprehensive. Car has been a joy to drive around

Hello good Tsikoteers of the Mazda 3 2017 thread. Ive been lurking on this thread as well the '2014 m3' since the start of Jan 2018 as my family had been planning on buying a brand new car. Well, fast forward to today and we were lucky to get our hands on a snowflake white Mazda 3 in a speedbose trim we picked up the car today and ive been having the biggest smile on my face since they pulled up the car after they gave it a carwash. It's now 11pm and im still the happiest little kid ever but there are just some little things that i noticed that im hoping can be put at ease on this thread:

1) is it normal for the driver side lock, side mirror adjuster and window lock not to be illuminated for mazda 3s? the other cars i have had experience with normally had these light up whenever i activate the headlights

2) what is the recommend fuel for a Mazda 3 with a 2.0L engine? i think ive read in previous posts that 1.5L engines are best suited for 91RON fuel as a higher octane number wont really provide any real world benefits. Is it the same for the 2.0L? looking at the first pages of the manual it mentions something about EURO ratings? still in the process of reading the whole thing... had it filled with 95RON just to be on the safe side as car has been released with only 1 bar of fuel

3) is it normal for the exhaust to have a certain smell if it's a brand new car? ive never driven and brand new car before and having it reversed parked into a wall, the exhaust seems to have a distinctly strong smell? a break in smell perhaps?

4) I noticed that the car doesnt like to be in idle for long? turning i-stop off, the car does thing where it shakes every other time as if it was a slightly less worse version of a 15 year old taxi cab in metro manila :v is this cause the engine is still being broken in? ive mostly driven used cars so please forgive me for being a complete newbie and seeming like a complete askhole

5) are scuff plates not normally installed by the dealer? we noticed a box in the back seat and i only had a chance to open them in the evening revealing them to be the scuff plates, planning to call our SA about it tomorrow but thought of mentioning it here as well. Are they relatively easy to install?

Cheers fellow mown3rs

[jojopad]

Hey congrats to your new M3!

I'll try to answer some of your questions based on my experience with my M3. So far I've driven my M3 for 1700km since last Jan 2018.

#1 There's only one illuminated button at the driver's door panel, that's the automatic driver's window button. That's one of the common complaints for the M3 compared with other sedans. It's a hassle to look for the door lock button when the cabin is dark, but eventually I learned how to locate the buttons by using my fingertips.

#2 The recommended fuel brand is Shell. Using 91 octane or higher should be fine. In fact if you look at the recommended fuel octane chart, 95 octane is used for Thailand. It's true that there's no compelling need for higher octane since the Skyactiv engine is well tuned to handle the regular octane, it will not result to engine knocking. I use Shell V-Power 95 octane not for performance reasons but more on the nitrogen additive that can help keep the engine free from severe gunk/carbon build up.

#3 That's probably the exhaust fumes leaking inside the cabin. That can happen if the rear end of the car is too near to the wall. Even worse if inside a closed area like a garage. I reckon that can be observed with any brand/type of car.

#4 I usually drive my M3 with the i-stop off. On certain situations where I forgot to do this, there's a slight vibration whenever the engine starts after lifting off the brake pedal after a long idle. That's normal.

#5 Some dealers would automatically install the front scuff plates before the car is released. You can ask your dealer to do that. For my case, I insisted with my dealer not to install the scuff plates. I opted for sir travajante's no drill plate relocator.

Cheers to the new Mown3r!

Hello good Tsikoteers of the Mazda 3 2017 thread. Ive been lurking on this thread as well the '2014 m3' since the start of Jan 2018 as my family had been planning on buying a brand new car. Well, fast forward to today and we were lucky to get our hands on a snowflake white Mazda 3 in a speedbose trim we picked up the car today and ive been having the biggest smile on my face since they pulled up the car after they gave it a carwash. It's now 11pm and im still the happiest little kid ever but there are just some little things that i noticed that im hoping can be put at ease on this thread:

1) is it normal for the driver side lock, side mirror adjuster and window lock not to be illuminated for mazda 3s? the other cars i have had experience with normally had these light up whenever i activate the headlights

2) what is the recommend fuel for a Mazda 3 with a 2.0L engine? i think ive read in previous posts that 1.5L engines are best suited for 91RON fuel as a higher octane number wont really provide any real world benefits. Is it the same for the 2.0L? looking at the first pages of the manual it mentions something about EURO ratings? still in the process of reading the whole thing... had it filled with 95RON just to be on the safe side as car has been released with only 1 bar of fuel

3) is it normal for the exhaust to have a certain smell if it's a brand new car? ive never driven and brand new car before and having it reversed parked into a wall, the exhaust seems to have a distinctly strong smell? a break in smell perhaps?

4) I noticed that the car doesnt like to be in idle for long? turning i-stop off, the car does thing where it shakes every other time as if it was a slightly less worse version of a 15 year old taxi cab in metro manila :v is this cause the engine is still being broken in? ive mostly driven used cars so please forgive me for being a complete newbie and seeming like a complete askhole

5) are scuff plates not normally installed by the dealer? we noticed a box in the back seat and i only had a chance to open them in the evening revealing them to be the scuff plates, planning to call our SA about it tomorrow but thought of mentioning it here as well. Are they relatively easy to install?

[travajante]

Hello good Tsikoteers of the Mazda 3 2017 thread. Ive been lurking on this thread as well the '2014 m3' since the start of Jan 2018 as my family had been planning on buying a brand new car. Well, fast forward to today and we were lucky to get our hands on a snowflake white Mazda 3 in a speedbose trim we picked up the car today and ive been having the biggest smile on my face since they pulled up the car after they gave it a carwash. It's now 11pm and im still the happiest little kid ever but there are just some little things that i noticed that im hoping can be put at ease on this thread:

1) is it normal for the driver side lock, side mirror adjuster and window lock not to be illuminated for mazda 3s? the other cars i have had experience with normally had these light up whenever i activate the headlights

2) what is the recommend fuel for a Mazda 3 with a 2.0L engine? i think ive read in previous posts that 1.5L engines are best suited for 91RON fuel as a higher octane number wont really provide any real world benefits. Is it the same for the 2.0L? looking at the first pages of the manual it mentions something about EURO ratings? still in the process of reading the whole thing... had it filled with 95RON just to be on the safe side as car has been released with only 1 bar of fuel

3) is it normal for the exhaust to have a certain smell if it's a brand new car? ive never driven and brand new car before and having it reversed parked into a wall, the exhaust seems to have a distinctly strong smell? a break in smell perhaps?

4) I noticed that the car doesnt like to be in idle for long? turning i-stop off, the car does thing where it shakes every other time as if it was a slightly less worse version of a 15 year old taxi cab in metro manila :v is this cause the engine is still being broken in? ive mostly driven used cars so please forgive me for being a complete newbie and seeming like a complete askhole

5) are scuff plates not normally installed by the dealer? we noticed a box in the back seat and i only had a chance to open them in the evening revealing them to be the scuff plates, planning to call our SA about it tomorrow but thought of mentioning it here as well. Are they relatively easy to install?

Cheers fellow mown3rs

Hey congrats to your new M3!

I'll try to answer some of your questions based on my experience with my M3. So far I've driven my M3 for 1700km since last Jan 2018.

#1 There's only one illuminated button at the driver's door panel, that's the automatic driver's window button. That's one of the common complaints for the M3 compared with other sedans. It's a hassle to look for the door lock button when the cabin is dark, but eventually I learned how to locate the buttons by using my fingertips.

#2 The recommended fuel brand is Shell. Using 91 octane or higher should be fine. In fact if you look at the recommended fuel octane chart, 95 octane is used for Thailand. It's true that there's no compelling need for higher octane since the Skyactiv engine is well tuned to handle the regular octane, it will not result to engine knocking. I use Shell V-Power 95 octane not for performance reasons but more on the nitrogen additive that can help keep the engine free from severe gunk/carbon build up.

#3 That's probably the exhaust fumes leaking inside the cabin. That can happen if the rear end of the car is too near to the wall. Even worse if inside a closed area like a garage. I reckon that can be observed with any brand/type of car.

#4 I usually drive my M3 with the i-stop off. On certain situations where I forgot to do this, there's a slight vibration whenever the engine starts after lifting off the brake pedal after a long idle. That's normal.

#5 Some dealers would automatically install the front scuff plates before the car is released. You can ask your dealer to do that. For my case, I insisted with my dealer not to install the scuff plates. I opted for sir travajante's no drill plate relocator.

Cheers to the new Mown3r!

Grats, roblarg sir! Welcome to the Mown3rship!!!!
Please allow me to add on the on-point reply of our good sir, jojopad...
1. If you wish for window switch illumination, a friend over the NA forum did a thorough how-to to achieve it.

Read thru Chazzy J's illumination mod journey here:
Non-Lit Power Window/Door Lock Switches - Page 6 - 2004 to 2016 Mazda 3 Forum and Mazdaspeed 3 Forums

2. The current Petrol Skyactivs come in 2 compression ratio models. Euro, Thai, Nippon markets got the higher 14:1comp ratio which require premium petrol of 93AKI/97RON. The North American & Ph markets, among others, were given the more octane flexible 13:1 ratio which requires regular 87AKI /91RON only.
Prior to the local introduction of Skyactiv engines, Mazda jp did a thorough quality sampling & testing of all available petrol types/brands from various local pumps. They found Shell FuelSave the most consistent.
Unlike conventional petrol engines we're all familiar w/, Skyactivs, 1.5 & 2.0, will perform no different with 91RON or 100. They won't knock/ping with regular & won't run any better with premium. So, why not stick with reason & their factory recommendation, Shell FuelSave? You get to save a lil on every fill-up & the worry of fuel quality suspicion should your engine behave beyond the usual.
3. Don't smell the fumes. They're unhealthy in any scent.
4. Though Mazda's iStop is a bit different & smoother than other Start/Stop systems (iStop restarts thru combustion rather than the starter), you'd still feel the engine activation, however slight. Read more here:
MAZDA: Idling Stop Technology | Environmental Technology
Remember, Start/Stop systems are here more for the environment, to lessen emissions, than for real ownership savings.
5. The stock plate holder you have will require 4 big holes drilled thru your grille. If you wanna spare your 3 the painful circumcision, you can opt for the No-drill Plate Relocator.



You may PM me here for order details. They're available for the current 2017+ BN3, the previous 2014-16 pre-Facelift BM3 & the Skyactiv 2 models.
Again, grats on grabbing the lovely 3. Should you need anything, don't hesitate....this forum is a rich resource of helpful people, enlightenment, even banter!
Now, please share us pics & plans. Hehe.

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[Seph17]

Hi Tsikot Family,

I am planning to buy a new Mazda 3 R but before I do I just wanted to be sure that I know what I’m getting into. I want to know what are the commons issues/problems you guys encounter with your 2017/2018 Mazda 3?

Please list down your top 3.

Thank you


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[jojopad]

Hi Tsikot Family,

I am planning to buy a new Mazda 3 R but before I do I just wanted to be sure that I know what I’m getting into. I want to know what are the commons issues/problems you guys encounter with your 2017/2018 Mazda 3?

Please list down your top 3.

Thank you


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So far based on my 2 month daily use of my M3 R hatchback:

1. Brake pedal noise:

https://youtu.be/EvN_rbfK7ak

2. Slight noise at the front suspension when driving over steep speed bumps.

3. Front side visibility. Those front pillars are wide, prone to blind spots when making turns.

4. For the R variant with R18 wheels, it can be a bit difficult to find a good tire shop that has the right tools for removing the tire rubber from the mag wheels. I had the recent unfortunate experience of requiring a tire repair due to an impaled screw on my M3's rear tire. Some tire shops told me they don't have the machine that would fit with the R18 mag wheels.