I'm shopping around now for a used Mazdaspeed 3. Probably a 2007 Grand Touring with around 15,000 miles, one owner, and no signs of modifications. Does anyone have any advice specific to this model? Are there any recalls or scheduled maintinance that I should be looking for or any telltale signs that it has been raced or monkeyed with under the hood? Thanks for the help.

Bob

 

Good luck finding a USED mazda3. There rare to find due to the fact that everybody that has bought one, still owns one. They are awesome cars to own, who would want to sell 'em.

 

I have found about 8 in my area. The one I'm looking at has 11k on it and asking price is 20k for a 2007 GT from a Mazda Dealer. I'm really just curious if there are any known problems that happen on a small percentage of the cars that I should try to look out for in the used market. Thanks.

Bob

 

There were 2 recalls: One was an engine mount bolt problem. The other was a PCM reflash issue, I believe.

 

And if it is at a Dealer, Legally they are supposed to do the recalls before it is resold.

 

Hmmm. 'Didn't know that but it makes sense.

 

The other question, as with all high performance cars, is how was it treated.

The dealer will lie, mostly about repo or trade-in status, so of course you want CARFAX. Not 'provided free by the dealer' Buy your own, direct from Carfax.

One way to find out what the dealer knows is to ask about the warrantee? If the dealer does not want to guarantee a nearly-new car, Walk Away.

One abuse indicator is tire wear. At 11k miles if tires look beat, the car has been beat on.
If the tires are new, the car has been on beat hard and the dealer is trying to hide it.

 

Good tip about the tires. I did find one that carfax said had the tires replaced at under 100 miles at the dealer. Not sure what that is but I guess maybe someone wanted all seasons.