I have an '04 3, and I love it! There have been a few set backs but nothing too big. I am seriously considering trading up to the '06 this weekend, but I have a few concerns. First, according to kauffman tire the toyo tires that came on my car were "temporary"(last about 20K miles). They were even gonna give me 50 whole dollars off of a set of four if I stayed with toyo!! Blah. No. I only had 20K miles on the car after 1 year and had completely bald tires. Does anyone know if anything is different with the '06? or if ya'll think the dealership will let me keep my new tires if I got the new car? I don't wanna complain cause I love my car, but I am a student who got a new car so I wouldn't have to keep pouring money in it for repairs and upkeep. My four new tires set me back over 500 dollars-which I am still paying off. Second, my rear brakes are metal to metal. I found on here where that is still considered under warranty, but when I took it in they told me I wasn't covered because the percentage worn was too low. Ok that's fine, BUT I had my car in 2 weeks prior for an oil change and they checked GREEN for everything, including the brakes, on the total inspection report they give. I tried arguing, but they didn't care. So my second question is how often do should you be replacing brake pads and tires? I am one of those women who always feels like the mechanics are trying to take me for a ride because I don't know what I am talking about. Trading up will most likely give me a lower interest rate, my payments will be the same, and I can start back over with the 50K mile warranty (mines close to running out), but I doubt I will be able to afford to buy new tires and brakes later this year. Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!

 

pads are a wear out item that wont be covered on a warranty like that...do you do alot of city driving?

as for your tires, i dont know of any stock tire that lasts for only 20k miles....usually tires from the factory are tame and give pretty decent mileage...I have the 06 mazda3 with the toyo proxes with 14,200 miles (alota driving = ) ) and theyre wearing great and still have alot of meat on them...all id recommend that you do to get the most miles out of your tires is to routinely check the pressure in them, keeping them at a consistent 32lbs of pressure - so says the mazda handbook. (i check mine once a week, im sure u can get away with twice a week) and make sure youre rotating them atleast ever 5k miles...

it sounds like kauffman tire is trying to rape you over. what the hell is a temporary tire? when you buy a car for close to $20k, i should hope the tires arent temporary.

goodluck...BE ASSERTIVE! dont let them take advantage of you = )

by the way, what tires did you put on there for $500 bucks?

 

I have read on here, someone was talking about warranty on your brake pads, if they wear out too soon, sooner than they specified "I think it was about 25,000 miles, not sure though", than they need to replace them for free under the warranty, BUT this is the first time i own a brand new car, and in really "I HAVE LOW INTEREST IN WARRANTIES", why? there some things which maybe covered by Dealership, in my opinion, are stuped. As for tires, what was your TREADWEAR number on them? if you had 180 or 200, than 15,000 miles or so sounds very fair, just like my Dad's Mercedes which he almost never drives but tires wear out way too fast. 06' Mazda3 uses "Goodyear" tires, personally don't know much about them, but seem and wear-out nicely. Ok, back to the subject. What do you mean Temporarelly Toyo tires? second of all, if your PAds are still under the warranty, have been checked, and Dealership does not admit it, u have an option 1. Sue, which will cost you more in time and money than just to get new pads installed by any mechanic, or 2. be more persistant, show them your prove that the PAds are STILL UNDER WARRANTY, and since they have inspected your car and marked GREEN, it was their responsebility to change them at first place, unless they did it on purpose, for you to come back and tell you BS that its too low and they do not cover it. Be persistant, get their manager or whoever in charge of the place. This is a little thing, not like engine problem, so think, and make a conclusion, do you need to go through all this hassle? If so, do not look or be clueless, tell them what is what. As for your tires, like Mike said, check Tire PREASSURE at least once a week, i do it every time at the gas station whi;e fillig up my gas tank. Anyways, this is all from my perspective, i am not a mechanic, but what is under warranty, must be under warranty, if they do not admit their fault or just want to rip you off, the next time you go to your dealer go with someone who knows much more about it, and will find a way out. Once I owned Corolla 94, bought new tires, warranty was up to 55,000 miles, well, this one sunny day exiting on one of the main roads i decided to pull the hand break (going 45-55mph, just to have a little brake test) well, as a result i span 180, didn't use my brake, just a hand brake, quickly turned around and kept going. Driving after that incident i have noticed hitting sound from the buttom of the car, went to PepBoys, where i bought my tires, told them to check them, they looked and said "WTF did you do to your tires?", i said "Tried to avoid the accident, and did so", he asked if i pulled the hand brake, i said i did both, his respons was "Warranty does not cover that", at that point i was shocked, telling him it is a part of a road Hazzard, well anyways, i pushed it to the point he got me new tires, new warranty, and i spent about $17-20 total, ha, sounds silly doesn't it! Good luck.

 

Just be persistant and assertive and show them you know what you are talking about and usually they will budge...