kirkhilles
Senior Member
Yeah big difference between starting to fail gracefully and failing causing unburnt fuel to head into your cats ruining them. Also big diff between failing at 200k+ and at 100k
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Again, it can happen to all cars. My parents used to have a 1st gen Toyota Sienna and the ignition coils failed on the way to a funeral with just over 100,000 miles on the OD. They still kept that vehicle for over 200,000 miles. I guess Toyota must suck, lol. It is not a Protege, Miata or Mazda specific issue.Yeah big difference between starting to fail gracefully and failing causing unburnt fuel to head into your cats ruining them. Also big diff between failing at 200k+ and at 100k
Agreed. My 16 year old Miata has been great. That's one of only a handful of critical issues (lots of small stuff) its had and I believe CR has the Mazda 3 reliability has very good... in fact the 2016 Civic is only rated currently at "Average" (probably due to the entertainment system issues plus recalls and TSB on surging).Again, it can happen to all cars. My parents used to have a 1st gen Toyota Sienna and the ignition coils failed on the way to a funeral with just over 100,000 miles on the OD. They still kept that vehicle for over 200,000 miles. I guess Toyota must suck, lol. It is not a Protege, Miata or Mazda specific issue.
The family has a 2011 Odyssey that needed a short block replacement at 16,000 miles due to a manufactures defect. They had a 2nd gen Odyssey that had transmission problems. Honda has a warranty extension out for 10 years unlimited miles on 8th gen Civics for cracked engine blocks. 8th gen Accord 4 cylinders sometimes suffer oil consumption (there is a warranty extension) and the V6 VCM models often suffer the same along with fouled spark plugs.
I could go on.... no car manufacture is perfect. In my household we have 2 Mazdas and 3 Hondas. A new Mazda 3 will easily be as reliable as a new Civic.
Here's my opinion at least (although I have driven neither, LOL)Any thoughts on a comparison of the base models (LX vs Sport) for in the U.S.? A lot of these "versus" articles and videos are comparing the top trim models. Which is a better value at the base model end?
Agreed. It's alot of personal preference. It has alot to do with how honda and mazda package their lower trims. One may have more standard features that matter to one person, but the other might have better packaging for another persons taste. It's best to compare them both side by side and see which has more standard features you care about and whether or not the driving dynamics effect those pros and cons in packaging differences. Price is negotiable, i think the mazda might start a bit lower, but not by much. You also take into account those who would choose the coupe over the sedan, which mazda doesn't offer at all.Here's my opinion at least (although I have driven neither, LOL)
It depends on what you value I think. The Mazda3 wins in the Manual Transmission factor with someone that values highly "fun" and lower in terms of rear seat utility. Mazda3 wins in terms of reliability (currently) since the Civic is dramatically new and Honda is still working through a number of issues. As you move from Manual to Automatic/CVT and value practicality more, I think the Civic starts pulling away. The $1,000 Sensing package turns the Civic into something that the Mazda can't come close to matching, especially at that level, although the Mazda3 does have the Rear Blind Spot monitoring when you move up.
To me, personally, once you start moving up the models in the Civic is where it starts pulling ahead. The EX adds SO SO much (alloys, moonroof, AA/Car Play, etc) and the EX-T polishes it off with the Turbo engine.
Of course, price may be the deciding factor at the base level. I'd say that you'll probably want to drive both and see which you value more.
Exactly, honda's packaging of it's trim levels and very very few additional options are what keep their production costs down and make it easier to find the model you're looking for on the lots. The Mazda3 might start out cheaper but from what i found, to get the same features on the 3 as what the comparable civic trim has on it ends up sending the price way over that of the civic, especially because certain packages only exist on certain trims, unlike the civic which has pretty much all available options on all trims across the board (i.e. sensing suite). I can get an EXT civic that literally has everything i want and nothing i don't for 22-23k, but to get a mazda3 with the same features that are important to me, i jump into the 25-26k or more area.Also, Mazda is better or worse in that they have more package options. This can work to your advantage or disadvantage depending on what you want (or don't want) and what the dealers have. Personally, I like fewer options and more inventory (although the Sensing package kills that for me). For instance, for $1k you can add the "Preferred" package and get the Alloy Wheels, Rain Sensing Wipers (blah!) and those rear alerts. BUT, of course, if you want those "sensing" technologies, it's only available as an option on the Touring and adds an extra $2,600 (!) on top of that (Standard on Civic Touring). Want remote start, no problem, add an extra $550 (standard on EX+). Want the Soul Red color, extra $300. At the high end, you're at over $30k MSRP.