mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

Hi i plan to buy mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp but i wonder are there any very serious or serious issues, and what are the most common issues?

I plan to keep the car around 10 years if it survive that much....

i will buy used car in less than 100,000 miles year will be 2014 or 2015 depends what i will manage to find, are these reliable like honda civic and toyota auris or not please tell me thanks in advance.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Diogob

Based on my experience with Mazda, i suggest another car/brand.

I have a CX-5 2.2D and it broke down after 3 months, a co worker told me he had the same issue as me also with a Mazda

Go for that one you saying(Honda) or go for example for Audi,Bmw or Volkswagen

Edited by Diogob on 09/08/2020 at 01:01

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Oli rag

That's not fair to mazda, they make really good cars providing you avoid the diesels. If you had done your own research and asked the question on here about buying a cx5 diesel, you would have been undoubtedly told not to do it and to buy a petrol version instead.

To the OP, I haven't heard much bad news at all about 120 G mazda 3, it's generally seen as reliable, well built and economical. Some people who have driven it have complained of a lack of torque and more tyre noise than expected, while others like the fact that it needs revving to get the best out of it. Try one yourself as these things are very subjective.

Edited by Oli rag on 09/08/2020 at 07:14

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

Hi what was wrong with your car keep in mind all diesel cars have issues i will be using petrol engine with manual gearbox so i hope for less issues can you write me exact issues with your car?

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - ZP

A lot of info missing here from what you need from the car (although small hatch/saloon is what I've based this reply on) but you can have a look at the reported issues here - https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mazda/3-2014/good

You also don't say how much money you have to play with, or what annual mileage you do, but based on a quick survey of car sales sites I'm guessing ~£8000. At this price point I wouldn't be looking for a 5 year old Mazda 3 to last me another 10 years. Not that there's anything egregiously wrong with them, but I think there's better value with lower overall running costs out there.

You could, for example, buy a brand new Dacia Sandero with 3 years warranty (extend to 5 years for a few hundred pounds) for less than a 5 year old Mazda 3. Yes, it's a bit of a penalty box, but it's based on Renault underpinnings which have been around since the last Ice Age and can be fixed with a hammer and a socket wrench. Cheap to run and fix when it inevitably breaks. If you go down this route, you're only running it for five years out of warranty and you can do plenty of things yourself to quieten the cabin down, raise the tech. level etc for not much cash.

You could get a 3 or 4 year old Kia Ceed (with the balance of the 7 year warranty) for this money. They're pretty cheap to fix too and it tends to be annoyances like minor electrics or cheap, rusty brake discs / seized calipers that need doing rather than anything terminal.

If you want something virtually unbreakable, you do have to go Japanese. I'd be looking at Toyota first - the Auris is indestructable, as is the Avensis (and both are also the automotive equivalent of lignocaine) but they just do their job, day in, day out. If they do go wrong, they're generally more expensive to put right than a European car but it happens so rarely. A Honda Civic is also a great choice.

Do not buy a diesel at this price point, regardless of your mileage, especially anything with a DPF or dual mass flywheel. Older ones (say around 2005 and earlier) are unburstable but will inevitably hit you with an expensive injector failure at some point or some esoteric computer module fault. Equally, *do not* buy anything premium - Audi, BMW, VW, Mercedes etc. They can be reasonably reliable, depending on the model/year/age etc., but if something does go wrong it's going to be a hefty bill unless you can fix it yourself. Skoda seems to fare much better despite sharing the same underpinnings.

Don't fixate on a single make and model. Ask yourself what you 100% need from a car and if, by the sounds of it, you need something to last you 10 years at minimum expense, there are better options than the previous generation Mazda 3.

Lastly, I'm not some expert with decades of trade knowledge - there are people far better placed than me to reply from that point of view - but I am used to getting value out of my vehicles. I'm a farmer, so if someone placed me in your position, with your (estimated) budget, that's what I'd do.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

Based on my experience with Mazda, i suggest another car/brand.

I have a CX-5 2.2D and it broke down after 3 months, a co worker told me he had the same issue as me also with a Mazda

Go for that one you saying(Honda) or go for example for Audi,Bmw or Volkswagen

That isn't a fair comment at all, the OP is looking at the Skyactive petrol, which is extremely reliable, more so than any Audi, BMW, or VW.

Your recommendation BMW suggests you have not actually learned anything out of your Mazda experience (to do the research before buying), otherwise you'd know BMW's (other than 6 cyl petrols) are not particularly reliable. Audi and VW too (along with the rest of the VAG stable) continue to have problems with the 1.5TSI engine, not to mention the DSG gearbox.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Falkirk Bairn

The OP is looking to buy a 5 year old car to last 10 years.

Buying a car to run 15 years "fault free" He will be lucky to do that buying any new car.

On average Toyotas, Honda, Mazdas + Korean Hyundai/Kia provide a good start - the problem is that the OP MIGHT be a careful owner, show mechanical sympathy, get it fettled regularly BUT buying a car with up to 100K on the clock is the big unknown.

I would suggest the Far East petrol of his choice, buy the best he can in terms of condition, condition, condition & run it - if it becomes unreliable you buy another. Hoping to buy a 100K 2nd hand car and hope it lasts 15 years you would be lucky.

I bought a Mazda Xedos in 1999 with 2,058 miles on the clock - Mazda, Petrol, Manual - effectively 2 drivers in 15 years & next to no repairs (say £1,000 repairs for perished suspension rubbers, calipers x3) + servicing, tyres etc etc)

THE difference was I bought an almost new car. I sold it for £500 and the buyer killed it within 12 months - never serviced it in 20K - it ran like a quality Swiss watch for my 14.5 years.

My Omega Constellation is almost 53 years old & still runs - a bit worse of the wear but then again so am I.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Engineer Andy

Hi i plan to buy mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp but i wonder are there any very serious or serious issues, and what are the most common issues?

I plan to keep the car around 10 years if it survive that much....

i will buy used car in less than 100,000 miles year will be 2014 or 2015 depends what i will manage to find, are these reliable like honda civic and toyota auris or not please tell me thanks in advance.

As other informed Backroomers have said, Mazda petrol engined cars (rotary-engined ones aside) are not a problem. Like most modern cars, some will, from time to time, have minor gripes on the electrical / gadgets front, but this is nothing much in the grand scheme.

The petrol engines are very hardy (my 14yo 1.6 petrol is still going nicely) and if you buy a car shod on sensible wheels and tyres (i.e. not a Sport model, a SE-L [Nav] on 60 profile 16in tyres) you should be fine on the noice and confort. The SE-L is well-equipped for the price as well.

Unless already done so, please go for one or more extended test drives on a range of road types and speeds (after adjusting the driving seat / steering wheel position to get as comfortable as possible) to see what the car would be like in rael life - a jaunt round the block at 30 - 40 mph max is not sufficient for a test drive.

Don't be hung up on buying X or Y car (or not) because of styling etc - it's the overall experience that matters - the drive, reliability, safety, mpg / running /lifetime cost, comfort, practicality, dealership experience, etc. Another car (from another make) may suit your needs better.

As a long-time Mazda car owner, I would also make sure that:

a) if you buy one (presumably a patrol-engined car - I'd steer clear of diesels because of reliability woes, especially when buying second hand, even from a main dealer), make sure it has a 100% proven full service history (the chain cam engines MUST have seen fresh oil of the correct grade / type on the mileage / annual schedule) and doesn't show any obvious signs of neglect by an owner;

b) before you commit, if you are wanting to have it maintained (service and replacement of wear and tear parts) at a main dealership, make sure it is a well-regarded one. Mazda dealers, especially on the post-sales side, can be VERY variable in quality. It's often pure luck if your local dealers are any good (mine is reasonable).

IMHO, reviews on Google cannot always be relied upon for thruthfulness (on both sides), so search elsewhere and on forums for Mazda car owners (I'm a mamber of one for owners of Mazda3s) for more review - obviously more people are likely to post negative reviews because that's the nature of reviews on businesses.

Don't let what I've said put you off, especially if your local main dealer or indie is a decent garage. I wouldn't have kept my car (from new) for as long as I have if I thought it was rubbish or even average.

Note that the factory-spec car will normally NOT come with a (space-saver) spare wheel / tyre and they aren't shod on runflats. The spare wheel & tyre kit can be specified - Mazda charges an extortionate £395 for the 'kit' to fit them in the underboot area (it isn't a 'generic fitment' and requires a specific 'cut-out'), but you might be lucky and a previous owner has had one fitted.

Note that fitting it does raise the boot level up a bit, which it doesn't in my gen-1 car, nor the gen-2, both which have space-saver spares fitted as standard. I certainly would NOT rely on the OEM 'tube of goo' sealant.

It might be worth you telling us what annual mileage you're going to be doing, what type of driving and your budget. Note that some makes / cars can be far more expensive to run than others over their life - some may seem so becaue their purchase cost is higher, but usage of better quality / reliable and long-lived parts mean that offsets it.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 09/08/2020 at 10:43

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - pd

Driven well I would thought a lot of cars will do 10 years if you do not do hard miles. The notion that everything which isn't a Mazda or Toyota explodes at 8 years old which tends to develop in this forum is not the reality.

The Mazda Skyactive is a decent car - I'm not a huge fan of the way they drive personally but it is a nice enough car. Jury is still out on the engines - they seem OK but I have seen more than one at auction with a knocking engine at 120k ish.

I wouldn't have any qualms about buying one if I was looking to keep it for a while though, they're as good as anything else out there.

I do think Mazda deserve the criticism overall for their diesel disaster - it says something about a company which may produce some reliable cars but are still prepared to land badly designed rubbish onto customers and then usually give them no backup whatsoever or admit the problem for year after year after year. I'm disinclined to recommend anyone gives them business or that they deserve it frankly.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

I do think Mazda deserve the criticism overall for their diesel disaster - it says something about a company which may produce some reliable cars but are still prepared to land badly designed rubbish onto customers and then usually give them no backup whatsoever or admit the problem for year after year after year. I'm disinclined to recommend anyone gives them business or that they deserve it frankly.

That is a fair comment, but i'm not sure they have handled it any worse than VAG with dieselgate or indeed the 1.5TSI issues (given the vast wealth of VAG compared to Mazda). Plenty of others too no doubt.

The OP hasn't given any budget, but given what that budget is likely to be (looking at Mazda 3 prices on Autotrader, i'd guess £6-7k), while i like the 3 well enough, i'd probably be looking at the Honda Civic 1.8 petrol instead.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

Hi again people my budget will be around 10K Gbp,

car will be top of the range with all the options and extras, car will be around around 30-40k miles the lower miles the better of course i will be watching for correct oil,

my main concern is RUST, do they fixed the rust with these cars or not?

Also in what miles timing chain needs to be replaced and is it expensive can someone give me approximate price or something , i am very concerned about rust i use to own 2 japanese cars hondas both rusted a lot,

my other car options will be - honda civic i hate the rear spoiler it looses you visibility so its a no,

honda accord from year 2007 till 2014 i think hard to find not so popular and very expensive i am talking about less than 30k, miles manual gearbox petrol engine top of the line in very good condition same price as mazda less gadgets to play,

other option toyota auris i think it have less gadgets than mazda and also auris hybrid i am talking about - i know that they are much slower than honda accord and mazda 3, so this car will be probably last option , car will be used mostly to be driven highways with min speed 140km per hour, also , since i have issues in the paste with rust and since i know people with previous mazdas from 2012 with tons of rust etcs i am afraid i dont know to get a rust bucket....

i know that honda accord rust their sunroof, and auris have some issues as well so no rust proof car unless volvo or audi or other... which i dont like. because of engine and other problems all of the cars will be either petrol manual gearbox or auris hybrid... my other option was lexus ct200h but for auris and lexus cats are stolen a lot.

and its hard to find in low miles for my budget

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - SLO76
Timing chains should never need replacing. Make sure you buy a car with a full service history and have it serviced every year using the correct oil and a Mazda 3 petrol should offer excellent longterm reliability.

The only real fear is rust but from what I’m seeing on the previous ten Mazda 6 and post facelift previous gen 3 rust protection is much improved. Polish it every so often and it’ll still be in good order at 12yrs plus.

It’s probably the number one recommendation I’d make to you from the budget you’ve suggested. The Mazda is as reliable as a Honda Civic or Toyota Auris yet offers much better driver enjoyment.
mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

that never chain timing chain sounds to me like bmw auto gearbox oil sealed for life not such things as never : )

and mazda 3 i think have worse corrosion protection compared to mazda 6, of course full history and changing oil in time is absolute must for every new car :)

any other issues or concerns like power steering which is electronic or something else which fails on these mazda 3?

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - SLO76

that never chain timing chain sounds to me like bmw auto gearbox oil sealed for life not such things as never : )

and mazda 3 i think have worse corrosion protection compared to mazda 6, of course full history and changing oil in time is absolute must for every new car :)

any other issues or concerns like power steering which is electronic or something else which fails on these mazda 3?

Different issue, a timing chain isn’t under the pressure of a gearbox. I’ve seen ex taxis with half a million miles on original timing chains. It’s not something that should require replacing on one of these, it’s not a common issue at all so no need to worry. The electric steering racks are a common failure on some cars but not common on Mazda’s other than the RX8.
mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - SLO76
A great option, both reliable (in petrol form) and very pleasant to drive. It’s a car I highly recommend.
mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

my main concern is RUST, do they fixed the rust with these cars or not?

In my experience, you are only going to get rust problems on a 2014 (or younger) car if it has had paintwork done. If it is all original, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

my other car options will be - honda civic i hate the rear spoiler it looses you visibility so its a no,

I drive a small van (with solid rear doors) for my job and used to drive a bus (father and brother are ex and current truck drivers too, so both of them are also quite able to drive without needing to see through the rear screen), so i really don't get it when folk go on about poor visibility through the rear screen in cars. You should be able to see all you need to with the side mirrors. Not everybody likes the looks of the Civic though, which is fair enough, each to their own etc. But ruling out one of the most reliable cars available for your budget simply because of the poor visibility through the rear screen seems daft to me.

and its hard to find in low miles for my budget

Also a bit baffled by this comment?. But looking through the post again, you say your budget is around 10k Gbp, does this mean you are not in the UK?. Because looking on (UK) Autotrader i can see plenty lower miles Mazda 3's, Honda civic's and Toyota Auris's for £10k.

Having said that, low mileage is not the be all and end all some folk seem to think!.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

yes i am not in the uk and car whenever will it be it will be manual and top of the range with options and low mileage a lot of option if car is auto or with less specs and equipment but i need all options so its not easy to find in good condition with history hondas are slower than mazda as well ,also u think less options on that civic and they keep prices

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Engineer Andy

yes i am not in the uk and car whenever will it be it will be manual and top of the range with options and low mileage a lot of option if car is auto or with less specs and equipment but i need all options so its not easy to find in good condition with history hondas are slower than mazda as well ,also u think less options on that civic and they keep prices

I hope your roads are nice and smooth, because the top spec Mazda3s shod on 18in tyres give quite a firm ride compared to the mid spec (still lots of kit for the money) ones, which have the same engine for the most part but come on sensible 60 profile 16in tyres.

PS - UK cars in top spec (Sport 165 [uprated 2.0 engine, same torque as the 120PS version, just more power) do not come in as an auto -but may well do in markets like North America and Down Under where they sell far more cars and have more options available to buyers.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - pd

Some older Mazda models have been rust buckets (Mk 1 6, MX-5 etc.) but more recent models seem much better. Too early to tell on latest 3/6 but no real reason to think they won't be fine.

I see the 2008-2014 Accord was mentioned. Exceptionally average car in my opinion - so average it flopped in Europe totally and killed the Accord off. Nasty and cheap in places as well. No where near as good as the prior model. OK for a cheap banger but I wouldn't bother for serious money.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

it will be manual and top of the range with options

If you plan to keep this car for a while, and presumably reliability is an important factor. From what you are saying it seems you don't have a lot of choice where you are, so concentrate only on what you really need/want (for me, that would be cruise control and a/c), and consider anything else as a bonus.

hondas are slower than mazda as well

Again, not sure exactly what you mean here, it is a bizarre statement to make. How fast one car is in relation to another has nothing whatsoever to do with which make it is, but how much power it has in relation to its weight compared to the other car. Do you really think a 138bhp Civic would be slower than the 120bhp 3 simply because it is a Honda?.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - misar

The OP appears to have numerous odd ideas about cars and driving.

I was particularly impressed by his claim that "car will be used mostly to be driven highways with min speed 140km per hour". As the owner of a Skyactiv 120-G Mazda 3 I can assure him that if he really means that he will not be happy with his intended purchase.

Would be interesting to know which cars he has owned up to now.

Edited by misar on 09/08/2020 at 19:16

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

Yesterday i tried auris 2018 , and i dont like it i find it too slow i have driven it in POWER mode........... so i really hope when i try mazda 3 or accord it will be better , so guys your opinion is that accord is not good compared to mazda 3 or ?

Is there a reliabitlity issues or?

i know they lack lots of options,

and about bus driver - i am not a bus driver so i preffer to have rear visibility when i drive : )

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - mcb100

If performance is such an important consideration, why not go for the 165PS version? You'd be more likely to find one in Sport Nav specification, which has all the toys.

Edited by mcb100 on 10/08/2020 at 09:03

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - Engineer Andy

If performance is such an important consideration, why not go for the 165PS version? You'd be more likely to find one in Sport Nav specification, which has all the toys.

Depending upon which country the OP lives in, the 2.5 litre N/A SA-G engine may also be available, which is a better bet for performance without the need to thrash it compared to the 2.0 165PS version. The larger engined car is certainly available in North America and Down Under, not sure about anywhere else.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

and about bus driver - i am not a bus driver so i preffer to have rear visibility when i drive : )

This is obviously going to come as a surprise, but bus drivers (as well as van and truck drivers) have just as much need to see what is behind them as car drivers.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - bladest

So i need something in the middle because yes i like bigger engines but they cost more insurance and more road tax where i live and also more fuel thats why 120hp is the perfect middle range option for me :) i think. About bus drives dont get me wrong everybody is different thats ehy you have rear cameras these days :))) but i am old fashion i preffer mirrors :) and rear window visibility.

mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp - mazda 3 Skyaktiv-G 120hp most common issues? - badbusdriver

About bus drives dont get me wrong everybody is different thats ehy you have rear cameras these days :))) but i am old fashion i preffer mirrors :) and rear window visibility.

I don't have a rear view camera on my van, and as for the buses i used to drive, only two of them had rear cameras and the picture quality was so poor as to be useless. I can see what is behind me and reverse perfectly well using the side mirrors.