The As Yet Un-named Mazda 3

Given theres 4 years between the best & last figure (to the day as it happens) I'm very happy with that. She's clearly still in very good health, especially considering the "best" figure was attained on a slow run to Scotland in 2015 and is only the average of 180 miles. Today's figure includes some round the doors and getting stuck in traffic over 370 miles and a lot of time at 70ish on the motorway not so would actually probably have been in the later rather than mid 40s in the same circumstances. Also I have the AC on at all times as part of the climate control.



Normally does 600 miles a month.. has done 370 since Monday, other than the attendant beard of flies shes still going fine. Even the AC is still cold despite not having any additional maintenance to it (it does get a check every 2 years as part of the service schedule).

To be fair you've been getting pretty similar numbers to me in a 1.1 which probably weighs quite a bit less than a 3. Saying that I do about 70-80% of my driving in slow moving traffic.

Traffic has me down in high 30s, low 40s in summer or at worst 36s in winter.

I think you might be surprised by the weight while it's not sub 1 tonne like the Smart quoted weight is 1180kg-1355kg. Which to put it in perspective is anything up to 400kg less than an equivalent Vauxhall Astra of the same age. So fully laden I still weigh less than an empty Vauxhall, but still have a 5 star ncap and all the toys. Mazda was one of the first manufacturers to pursue weight saving in new models and this generation of 3 was said to be 15% lighter than the one it replaced.

Mot passed, no work required and nothing to attend to.

Got the slighlty smelly Aircon serviced to celebrate otherwise on we go.

Van Mode activate!!



Old Chair to British Heart Foundation...had to literally hammer this through the back door of the house.


Also took a tub chair to the mother in law..

To make way for:


Original plan wasn't to load both, I spoke to assistant explained that I didn't think both would fit but they only had one of the ones I wanted left. They said "we'll keep it to one side for an hour so you can make two trips" so I decided to buy both. Bought them and previous assistant had disappeared in the time it to took to walk to the warehouse and back and the one that was there was no help at all.

At this point I discovered there is a benefit to this being about 20cm longer than the class average (it's nearly 4.5m long most are 4.3ish). Pushed the passenger seat right forward loaded the biggest box so it was sitting on the armrest between the front seats and wedged against the B pillar on the other which gave enough space to load the other one in behind.

Very lucky I didn't have any passengers though. Had been looking at getting a Mazda 6 to replace this but saloon only so nope! Also I was thinking if I had a new car would I be happily hammering stuff into it?

So that marks 41k in my ownership...nothing to report still works great. Drivers seat looks a bit battered cos bucket seats do not wear well on the bolsters other than that all fine.

Good to hear the Mazda is still serving you well with no problems.

The Mondeo is still going and ticked over to 44k miles now and will be 4 years old come December. I have no intention of getting rid any time soon as it’s a good car and no issues with it.

The Audi A3 cabriolet has gone and replaced by something a bit different.. a 61 Plate Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6hdi 110 Exclusive.

Broke it..



It's droplink number 4 of 4 other 3 have already been done will be about a 50-60 quid fix at local independent.

Our Second Citroen has been fine, C3 110 pure tech does the job while being a bit different if not hugely competitive in the driving department.

Back on the road for 45 quid, 15 quid part the rest is vat and labour.

Well given the rust I first noticed in 2016 is definitely showing up now I suppose it's a good a time as any to discuss the future of this.

With a set of Goodyear Vector 4seasons gen 2 on it it's an epic winter run about. Also with the rust starting to show a bit and some other issues I'm also not concerned about the looks of it..which helps with the next bit as it's crossing the household and going to my wife.

Got no issues with that, despite it's 9 years and 80k+ it should serve her well until she decides she wants a new car. Also have seen her nearly headbutt her car into a wall in the snow I'll be happy for her to be in a car on tyres that should give more margin for error.

Now ideologically I should go get myself a nice high powered petrol estate. Unfortunately for me they sell about 3 of these a year so they are either miles away or something like an Astra or 308sw which are dull to the point of tedium. Also the Footprint is larger than I would like for where I need to put it being around 20 cm longer than the Mazda.

To get a nice estate I'd need to throw money at it, which I could but with the uncertainty around electric cars and the future of I.c.e cars it feels like setting fire to some money. But because electric cars are so expensive..going that would be lease only which would also be setting fire to some money.

Having resigned myself to car that elicits a "meh" went looking for the cheapest car that wasn't catastrophically boring, was available with a decent engine, in reasonable colours with climate control and Android Auto.

I've ended up thinking Citroen C3 aircross, available for about 11.5k a year old in nice colours, all the space I need, decent economy, turbo torque to deal with loads and hills but 40+ mpg.

So winner then.. other than compared to the Mazda it'll be a crap steer. But all I do these days is commute and lug baby around neither of which require a race car.

I have until September to change my mind, but seems like best option atm and small enough my wife could use it.

Completed what will probably be the last Family Summer trips I do in this car.

It's been very much a Summer work horse, while it gets used year round it tends to split out 3k October to April and 5k+ May to September due to the day trips. In it's time with me it's been down to Southampton and up as far as Stirling.

With lockdown only lifting recently that's been more extreme this year feel like I've been living out of it last fortnight. Had things booked all over in so off we went with it packed to the gills with a mountain of sweets on board.

Things I will miss.

That this car provides both a bottle and can holder for every seat, god bless the American Market for that. It also has a massive glovebox, door pockets and centre storage box. I will miss the flick of the wrist gearshift, especially given the fact I'm planning to go PSA, the ride quality at 60mph on a B road is spot on. It's a bit firm at 30 but once you get moving it's very good and the pay off for the low speed firmness is good body control (again a balance PSA miss). The Steering, pretty much the last normal car available with a hydraulic set up and it provides great feel. Also absolute white-goods reliability, although it doesn't feel it to me as it doesn't seem to have deteriorated appreciably in the last 6 years..it's very nearly the highest mileage car I've owned (my 1st mk1 punto managed 86k but was a wreck at that point). It's still on the factory exhaust at this point...original rear discs and pads, intact everything apart from drop links, front brakes and the battery is OEM.

Things I won't miss so much...doing 3100 rpm at 70 for hours on end, due to the cannon exhaust that comes as standard it even 70 gives audible engine noise. But the good news is..the tyres nearly drown it out I made it bearable by fitting low noise tyres but the reality is a C3 is quieter and a C3 is not a quiet car. Damaging the seats to fit an isofix childseat was also not cool...but I figure this car is dying with us so be reet. The many other cabin snafus that make it annoying with a toddler, seats that are broad at toddler foot height. Low roof height making it pretty much impossible not to crack his head putting him etc, small boot for car size..

All in all great car when I got it, has been present at many massive events in my life. Will always have a special place in my heart as a result.

Continues to be a great car, will hopefully continue to be a great car for my wife for years so I get to use it when it's replacement is annoying.

Reading last post well circumstances changed..

My wife still has her car, which I bought with the new car budget.

This is still my car, naturally it repaid my faith in it with the heater making a ridiculous noise last month which slowly got worse so currently 425 quid lighter.

Other than that nothing else has changed, still a bit small inside, still a bit rusty underneath but fine.

Will get sent away at some point, but no hurry now the immediate we need another car issue is done. Though think I may hire a car for family hol next year rather than car jengaing this..though would be nice to add to the list of things it's done for me.

Good to hear the Mazda is serving you we’ll still!! Or neighbour has one and like yours is rusting a fair bit!!

The C3 Picasso is still going..! Though it’s had to have a few things done to it like all four injectors replaced (I think an issue with previous owner..) I enjoy driving it, it’s different... the 6 speed box is a clonky shift at times.

The PSA 1.6 is known for blowing injector seals out maybe not regards the owner. Did look at C3 Aircross but ended up just keeping the C3 having paid it off.

This car: https://www.fiatforum.com/members-mo...pic-heavy.html

With the rust to be honest it's not really deteriorated at a massive rate. Assume your neighbour has a mk1 which do indeed tend to melt in the rain a bit more.

Most recent pic is...


Rear arches will go properly at some point, another person would probably get them ground back and sorted but it's effort/versus reward. Sill beams are solid and still pretty much spotless so it's not going to hurt it any time soon. Have a feeling it'll be similar to my Dads mk2 Focus which is now 15...it's looked tatty for years but it's solid where it matters.

I'm also working from home until at least spring so it'll get a year off the salt spray.

In the bleak midwinter...

Things I do to try and stave off a Japanese car from returning to earth.



Yes that's freezing fog...and the water froze on the roof.