Mazda Advice

Convertibles have a short shelf-life, pick your summer outfit from these drop-tops.

Japanese makes have to close the books on their financial year — get in for these deals before the end of the month.March is the second-biggest month of the year for new-car sales — as Japanese brands have one last sales push to close off their books for the end of the Japanese financial year.Almost every other brand in the Top 10 must also have a crack if they don't want to be left behind, which is why Holden and Hyundai and others are out there with sharp deals to lure buyers away from Japanese showrooms.A lot of the deals will seem similar to the January offers, as dealers are still trying to clear 2015-built stock. But prices and/or other bonuses have been sharpened even further on a few models.Here are the best deals as we see them.Small carsAmong the tiny tots, the Suzuki Celerio is still the cheapest in the business at $12,990 drive-away with automatic transmission, while the Mitsubishi Mirage is also sharp buying for $1000 more, at $13,990 drive-away with auto, including a standard five-year factory warranty.Need the next size up? The Suzuki Swift hatchback is still at an incredibly low $15,990 drive-away with auto. That's about $4000 off retail and $2000 less than the sharply discounted Toyota Yaris, which continues at an appealing $17,990 drive-away with auto ($3000 off RRP).With the popular Hyundai i20 all but sold out, Hyundai has now taken the knife to the Accent to help drive sales. It is $15,990 drive-away with auto (this offer isn't clear on the website, but that's the deal if you ask before the end of the month, a saving of $4500).Need something a little roomier? As anticipated, Hyundai is back with a super sharp price on the i30 hatch at $19,990 drive-away including automatic transmission, rear-view camera and five-year warranty. It's unbeatable at this price.Deals are usually rare on top-sellers. But Toyota has shifted its discount from the dearer Corolla Ascent Sport to the regular Ascent, which is $21,990 drive-away with CVT auto this month. That's $2000 less than the previous Corolla offer.SUVsOur eyes popped when we saw this deal. The updated Holden Captiva5 (with the new look and Apple CarPlay) is an astonishingly low $25,990 drive-away. The seven-seater Captiva7 is $29,990 drive-away. The Captiva may be overdue for replacement but this is the most metal for the money in the class.Need something smaller? The city-sized Holden Trax SUV is $23,990 drive-away with auto and free servicing until 2020. At that price, who cares what it looks like?The Mitsubishi ASX remains at $25,000 drive-away with auto, rear camera and five-year factory warranty. No wonder it's one of Mitsubishi's top sellers. This is $5000 off the original RRP but it's been this price for so long it's worth pointing out it's still $3000 less than its direct rivals.UtesNeed a cheap work ute? The Isuzu D-Max with dropside tray is still the sharpest tradies' diesel at $25,990 drive-away.Pay $1000 more ($26,990 drive-away) if you want a Mazda BT-50 diesel with a dropside tray or pay $2000 more ($27,990 drive-away) if you want the new Toyota HiLux with black wheels and a smaller tray but that bulletproof Toyota badge.Need a new four-door 4WD ute but don't want to wait three months for a top-of-the-range Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux? Get the Toyota HiLux Workmate dual-cab 4WD at $43,990 drive-away. Dead set bargain. And with the money you save, you can afford to replace the ugly black wheels.Don't mind the gangly looks of the new Mitsubishi Triton? That $36,990 drive-away deal on the GLX four-door 4WD just got better for March. It includes free auto (as well as the camera and alloys), which is about $5000 off full freight. Decent.Honourable mentionIt's not a small car, an SUV or a ute (our biggest categories) but if you want a sedan, Toyota is trying to clear the 5300 Camrys it declared as sold in December 2015: it is still $27,990 drive-away, with zero interest. Red hot price on a solid car.

Owning a car comes with a sense of pride, so people don’t generally deliberately go out and buy ugly vehicles.

Everyone wants their new car to look factory-fresh for as long as possible, but this can be a challenge. Tree sap, road tar, bird poo and even industrial fallout can take their toll on your ride, which is why car paint protection is so important.New car paint protection is generally a chemical spray put on by the dealer or a qualified detailer, providing a barrier between the painted surface and the outside world. This can be a chemical layer, like a super-strong wax film, or even a ceramic layer and there are several ways to obtain the paint protection.The big question most people face is: is paint protection worth it? The cost to respray a car’s paint work or fix small imperfections is very high, running into the tens of thousands of dollars in some cases, so for a minimal outlay of up to $2000 it seems prevention is a far better option than cure.Most paint protection products will spray on as a liquid and dry clear, although some products in the past featured a clear plastic film applied to at-risk parts of the car to prevent stone chips or scratches from road grime. Companies like 3M still sell these wraps, which will do a good job of preventing light damage and are fairly cheap.Paint protection can also be applied to second-hand used cars, though often these vehicles will need to have a professional detailer to a full paint correction detail first, adding to the expense. The benefit of this is that it gets your paint locked in looking as good as possible before the protective layer is then applied, sealing the car’s duco.This doesn’t mean you can then abuse your car, or leave it filthy dirty, but it just means your car is better protected. Some paint protection products will need to be reapplied as often as once-a-year if the car is left outside in harsh conditions. Unfortunately, in Australia harsh conditions is just about anywhere the sun shines as the high levels of UV light does huge damage to modern paint products.You can purchase a paint protection kit from websites that sell professional-grade detailing equipment. For the car enthusiast used to polishing and waxing their car at home, some of these products will be easy to apply themselves, but novices should seek out professional detailers.If your car came with a pearl or candy-style paint job, like the type offered by Mazda, you should definitely seek out this service. Mazda paint protection is a good option, and adding a high-quality European ceramic aftermarket sealant on top will ensure your car looks its best for years to come.Similarly, Toyota paint protection would be a good starting point for anyone with a HiLux, LandCruiser, Kluger, HiAce, or any vehicle that is going to get dirty or be used for work.There are many options for car paint protection in Sydney with some businesses able to come to you if you have somewhere undercover and clean to apply the product. The same is true for paint protection in both Melbourne and Brisbane.When it comes to applying paint protection in Adelaide and Perth the harsh summer sun means you’re likely better off with a high-quality ceramic sealant, and booking your car in for a full detail annually to keep your paint fresh.

Complaints are on the rise about the harsh ride and tyre noise in cars.

Purchase price is only half the battle in ownership — these are the champions come trade-in time. Buying the right new car can save you thousands of dollars. With depreciation tearing the largest chunk out of any motoring budget, easily beating the costs of fuel or servicing or insurance, it pays to go with a

Does the Mazda6 have a timing belt or a timing chain and does it really matter?  The current Mazda6 has a timing chain and yes, it certainly matters. Got two minutes? Let me explain.First up, the current Mazda6 has a choice of two engines: a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol. Both use a chain and so does the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel which used to be offered on this model.Now, a timing chain or belt has the important job in an engine of connecting the crankshaft to the camshaft(s) and controls the opening and closing of the valves which let the air-fuel mixture into the cylinder and the exhaust gas out.Timing chains have been used in engines longer than belts, and they're considered to be better because of their strength and durability. Rubber belts are cheaper than chains to make, but they stretch and deteriorate over time, and need to be replaced.In the case of the latest Mazda6 the chain is designed to be used for the lifetime of the engine – there is no periodic maintenance or replacement needed.So, there you have it: the Mazda6 has a timing chain and that’s something to be pleased about.

Change is good for you, they say, and possibly even as good as a holiday, but no one can know for sure if your car feels that strongly about it.

Discontinued in 2016, the Mazda Premacy was also known outside its Japanese home market as the Mazda5.

If not for Allan Moffat, the Falcon GT-HO would not command the same reverence that it does today. Moffat was ‘the man’ when it came to racing and winning in GT-HOs.