Mazda Problems

The Mazda 3 is a great little car but, with a towing limit of 1300kg, it is not a burly towing brute. Engineers focused on making the car ride nicely and handle well, rather than being able to support large loads off a tow bar, so it would be seriously ill-advised to tow much more than a very small dinghy.

So long as it is serviced regularly and kept clean there is no reason a Mazda 3 won't be a reliable car. Watch for consumables like tyres, brakes and shock absorbers being replaced with high quality parts as it is a sign the car is likely to have been looked after.

In a word, yes! The most popular car in Australia, the Mazda 3, has been on sale since 2003 and offers a wide range of specifications and models to suit almost any needs or wants. With generous specifications, pleasing styling and even a turbocharged high-performance version, there isn't really a bad model in the Mazda 3 line-up.

Of those you list I would go for the Mitsubishi ASX. You could also try the Kia Sorento or Mazda CX-5.

The tyre guys are correct that carmakers set their pressures based on a blend of performance, economy, comfort and wear. Tyre companies generally advise that you run higher tyre pressures for better performance and economy, but that will compromise the ride comfort. I would run a higher pressure for the benefits to handling and fuel consumption. Make sure you rotate your tyres regularly, that will even out the wear over the life of the tyres.

Mazda produce their super-popular compact car, the Mazda3, in several facilities around the world, including Hofu, Japan, Bogota, Colombia, Tehran, Iran, and Taoyuan, Taiwan. It is built by Mazda themselves, who call it the Axela in Japan and China.

An SUV would seem to be the best choice given your concerns about getting in and out of the car. Most carmakers now offer FWD versions as well as all-wheel drive models, and without knowing what your budget limitation is I would think an SUV like a Mitsubishi ASX, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester or Kia Sorento would fit your needs well.

The warning light is telling you there is a problem and that you should have a diagnostic check done on it. The idle speed is probably too low to sustain reliable running. It’s possibly a faulty sensor sending a false message to the computer.

Since their introduction to Australia in 2003 Mazda's compact car, the Mazda3, has used a front-wheel-drive format. This continues a tradition from the prior 323 model, dating back to the early 1980s. Some people have been confused by the Mazda CX-3 and larger CX-5 SUVs, which are based off the Mazda2's sub-compact platform, and Mazda6 family car platform, respectively. The confusion stems from the fact the CX-3 and CX-5 look like tall 4WD off-road vehicles, which are often primarily rear wheel drive with part-time front wheel drive to make them four wheel drive. However, the Mazda3 passenger cars, including the high-performance turbocharged MPS model, have all been front-wheel-drive only.

Thanks to modern security systems gaining access to a Mazda 3 without using the factory keys is pretty tricky. The door and boot (trunk) locks are very good at protecting the car from thieves using screwdrivers to punch the lock out, as they did in the past. Modern immobilisers, computers and wiring systems are also adept at preventing a thief from doing the old Hollywood hotwire like you see in movies. The best bet is to call a locksmith and have them open the car for you.