what would you change about your car?

not in terms of upgrades but things you would have done different if you designed the car. personally i would have tried to get rid of the very noticeable drive line lash in our 04 2.3M and would put the gas pedal and brake about 3/4 of an inch closer. other than that i like the car for the most part. not crazy about the evil looking dash but oh well

I own a 2007 3i touring edition, with a 2.0.
 
1.  I was aware of it when I bought it, and I thought it would not bug me at all, but the fact that they keyfob does not have a trunk release button is an ongoing minor annoyance.  I don't think any Mazda has a trunk release - a friend has a very pricey CX7 with a turbo engine, and it does not have a key fob trunk release - which seems weird, since all other auto makers seem to have it.
 
2.  Considering mine is called a "touring edition" for it to not have variable intermittent wipers seems wrong.  Six speaker stereo, cruise control, alloy wheels, etc .... but no variable intermittent wipers?  I know it comes with the so-called higher end models, but I don't think in 2007 variable intermittent wipers should be something that only comes if you go all the way to the top of the model line. 
 
3.   I wish the storage box located between the front seats was just a little bigger - like 2 inches longer.  My zippered CD storage folder is a very tight squeeze.
 

I have an '07 MS3.

Exterior Design wise, the bumper portion just off the rear hatch needs to have a slight angle to it.  Currently it is a flat surface and water/dirt builds up on the lip.

Wish there was a trunk release pull next to the gas cap release as well.

whats a keyfob??
cuz my mazda has a small handle to pull to release the trunk... its in front of the gas cap release...right to the left of my driver's seat
 
1) i probably would change the orange dash lights to blue.
blue just looks nicer.
 
2) i also would put a pocket behind the driver's seat as well, so that passengers can put things in there.  cuz right now only the passenger's front seat has one.
 
3) the exhaust system.  it makes it terrible for adding after market headers, cuz the first cat is right at the exhaust.
 
4) under the steering wheel, i wish there could be about an extra 2 inches under the coloum.
cuz when i have the steering wheel and seat were everything is comfortable, my knees often hit the coloum when i shift.
because your constantly moving your legs with standard tranny's
5) allow any paint colour on any trim package.
when i ordered my base model 3, every colour i wanted was only available on the higher trim models.  then when i found this blueish green colour i liked, there was none in the province with the options i wanted.... so i had to settle with plain old silver.
like, i think the midnite blue, and arctic silver are only available on higher trim packs.
the same goes for interior....
 
other than that, i love the car.
 

key fob is your remote for locking and unlocking and panic button. Most cars with a trunk and a keyfob have that button as well.  Mazdas don't.  Maybe it was over looked in the beggining cause most of the cars use the same fob and it's the same as was on my 03 Protege5 lol.  As for the Speed3 and the other hatchback mazdas it's like a door in the latching/release area. Though i can't confirm this i assume a door latch mecha is different set up than a regular trucks latch.  So i don't think we'd have one anyway.  Posibly leading to none haveing to save money and use the same mass produced key fob for 5 years lol.  Who knows really but fact is it's not needed in the hatches due to the tendency to swing down up to a certain point.

I have a 06 3i

1. Id change the dash lights to blue also

2. Id also change the fact that you can only have certian colors on the higher models

3. The guage clusters are all in one piece and they are sectioned off in way that if i wanted to take my car past 8grand the needle might snap

4. I would place the P,R,N,D,M above the guage cluster and have it by itself

When i drive for a little while my right knee (gas pedal leg) hits the corner of the central consol. It gets really uncomfortable. I don't know what has to be done but the edge of the consol just gets the corner of my knee and it hurts after a while!

First:  keyholes on the passenger door and the hatch for when my wife has the keyfob and I just have the spare key.
 
Second:  the grab handle for closing the doors should be more forward so it's a closer reach when the door is all the way open.
 
Third:  the stock 17" wheels should have been half an inch wider so I could go to wider tires without having to buy new wheels.

i would like there to be a handle to grab on the drivers side like there is on the passenger side ceiling.

for my mazda6. the 5 speed MTX's gearing ticks me off
would prefer:
--a longer 1st gear.  its pretty much useless right now
--a MUCH taller 5th gear.  (i rev 4000 rpm's going 82MPH)  thats gets to me

1. The gear indicator in the instrument cluster would be another color other than red.  Red lights in the instrument cluster usually means trouble, and kinda freaks me out sometimes..
 
2.  Make the visors feel less cheap.
 
3.  Attach some pockets to the front of the driver's seat for more storage.
 
4.  Make the ignition key smaller.
 
5.  And I agree with the trunk release on the fob.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lupae3s

i would like there to be a handle to grab on the drivers side like there is on the passenger side ceiling.

Umm those are meant for someone to hold onto the car whilst it is being aggressive.  The driver should be holding onto the steering wheel whenever the passenger is so inclined to grab the "Oh Sh!t handle"

clearly...but thats not the only time youre allowed to grab them.  it would just be nice to hold whilest cruising, and ive seen many other cars with the handles on the drivers side.

I don't know what it is about the front door openings. or the seats but i have a hairy time getting in and out.  I am very mindfull of the bolster on the left side i see it's going to wear and wrinkle very quickly where the rest of the leather will not.  So i try to not sit on it while getting in or twist it but for somereason i am not comfortable getting in it.  Seem to put the bootay in first with a bit of a thump and then swing the rest in.  It's odd, maybe it's me.  But i recognize it each time i get in or out.  Anyone got video of them getting in?   lol
 
The rear bumper does collect water and dirt.
 
It's got LED tails so why not go with a more potent HID's such as 6000k or 8000k.
 
An option of wheels 18's or wider 17's.
 
 

the oh sh*t bar is really for the old people who can`t get in and out of the car

I have a Mazdaspeed 3 and I think I would prefer the same style 17 inch wheels instead of the 18's.  The added sidewall profile would really make the Washington roads better with little impact on handling.  My friends RSX Type s has 16 inch wheels, I think, and handles as well as the Speed.
 
I would also like to have a higher 6th gear and it seems to need another gear on the highway.  The RPM is fine, but it seems to hold back when cruising.  Opening up the gear range in the current gearbox should be OK since the torque band is so fat.

    I definately agree on the 6th gear being not 'tall' enough, there is hardly a rpm saving from 5th to 6th.....so why have the extra gear then?  The engine has got alot of torque, typical of a turbo motor, it's a shame the tranny isn't geared for it.  If this car had the correct 6th gear I bet it could achieve 30 mpg on the highway too. 

 

Hello:  Just found this site.  First Post, although I already found the "activate your trip computer" topic.  Activated mine and am quite pleased.  Thanks.
 
What would I change:

• Add the grab handle above the driover's door.
  
• Remote Trunk Release.
  
• Better carpet and mats.
  
• A finish on the glove box door that doesn't scratch so easily.

First of all, Welcome to the forums and the extended Mazda family.

ORIGINAL: jw

What would I change:
 
Add the grab handle above the driover's door.
Why?  If you're driving, what would be the point?  Hands on the wheel or shifter.

Remote Trunk Release.
Get a hatch.  It already has one.   

Better carpet and mats.
The carpeting does suck.  I know.  I just spent half the day yesterday vacuuming out the stuck IN dirt.  The mats are OK though.  They're mats.  They rinse out pretty well and are there to protect the carpet.  I'm sure you could find some better quality, custom sized mats on the AM if you are willing to spend some dough.  Try Autoanything.com.  I think they offer them. 

A finish on the glove box door that doesn't scratch so easily.
I have yet to find a "scratch" that doesn't easily wipe off or wash out. 

 

quote:

ORIGINAL: virgin1

First of all, Welcome to the forums and the extended Mazda family.
 
Thanks, I'm on Jag Lovers and Escape Central, both have proven very useful for ownership of those cars.  I expect I will find this site useful too.  Let me apologize in advance if I cover ground that has already been covered many times before. 


Why?  If you're driving, what would be the point?  Hands on the wheel or shifter.
 
Sometimes convenient when getting out of the car.


Get a hatch.  It already has one.   
 
Wanted a sedan.  Does the hatch have a hatch release button on the remote?  


The carpeting does suck.  I know.  I just spent half the day yesterday vacuuming out the stuck IN dirt.  The mats are OK though.  They're mats.  They rinse out pretty well and are there to protect the carpet.  I'm sure you could find some better quality, custom sized mats on the AM if you are willing to spend some dough.  Try Autoanything.com.  I think they offer them. 
 
I would have willingly paid extra for a better carpet.  Same for a second powerpoint for the rear seat (I installed one myself).
 

I have yet to find a "scratch" that doesn't easily wipe off or wash out. 
 
It's actually my wife's car.  She brushed her purse against the glove box door about the 3rd day she owned the car and it put a nice scratch on the black.  Prayer may get it out but thats about all that will work, short of a refinish or door replacement.
 

07 mazda3 GT - I'd move the oil filter access hole to directly beneath the oil filter instead of being offset too far fot it to be useful, just found this out last weekend.
Add a storage compartment where the nav system is if you don't buy the system - they did this for the mazda 6.
When playing a CD on random, there's no button to go to the next random song, anything you press turns the random off - so hit the random button a few times and wait for a few seconds is the only way... or wait for the song to end I guess.
I've got a drivers seat storage for the rear - someone else said they have just the passenger... should have both.
An electronic release for the trunk would be handy but it's just a minor thing.
Move the drip tube from the windshield drainage so it doesn't drip on the power steering :) I already replaced my tubing.
Secure the radiator a little better, I added some light foam to the upper mounts so it doesn't flop around like stock.
Fog lights that come on with your runnning lights, not just the headlights - and it'd be nice if they actually add some light to the road too.
It would be nice if the trunk had a rubber mat - only available on the 5-door. And the 4 door should have a little storage space over the spare tire like the 5 door does.
The jack can also be stored under the spare, yes there's enough space for it - and leave a little more trunk room for something else.
Maybe a little more clutch pedal feel, but it just gets some time to get used to it.
 
Hm, think that's all I can think of now. I am overall happy with the car, little changes are on everything I buy :) could anyone have guessed?

First of all, Welcome to the forums and the extended Mazda family.
 Thanks, I'm on Jag Lovers and Escape Central, both have proven very useful for ownership of those cars.  I expect I will find this site useful too. 
Yeah, this is a fun place to be.  There are other Mazda forums too.

Get a hatch.  It already has one.   
Wanted a sedan.  Does the hatch have a hatch release button on the remote?  
I was joking, because obviously you've already got a sedan. Just giving the sedan owners a hard time.  It my forte' in life. 
Lock release for all the doors and hatch.  Press twice.

The carpeting does suck.  I know.  I just spent half the day yesterday vacuuming out the stuck IN dirt.  The mats are OK though.  They're mats.  They rinse out pretty well and are there to protect the carpet.  I'm sure you could find some better quality, custom sized mats on the AM if you are willing to spend some dough.  Try Autoanything.com.  I think they offer them. 
 
I would have willingly paid extra for a better carpet. 
There is the aftermarket and custom shops if you're willing to pay for carpeting. This is really only  supposed to be an economy car, but I understand your concerns.  As I'd suggested, to get a little more life of the carpet you already have, and get a plusher feeling you seem to want, check out aftermarket mats.  Besides autoanything, try Amazon.com and the like.  you may find soemthing you really like.
Same for a second powerpoint for the rear seat (I installed one myself).
 Good idea.

I have yet to find a "scratch" that doesn't easily wipe off or wash out.  
 It's actually my wife's car.  She brushed her purse against the glove box door about the 3rd day she owned the car and it put a nice scratch on the black.  Prayer may get it out but thats about all that will work, short of a refinish or door replacement.
My wife scraped her shoe across my glovebox and I was able to remove the "damage" w/a wet rag.  Except for being annoyingly (is that a real word?  ) hard to clean and keep clean, I have not experienced any real damage to the interior in the three years I've owned mine.  A new world's record???