Subaru tried going to very short piston skirts a few years ago to reduce friction. It caused problems with piston slap.
My mom's 04 Legacy is on engine #3 due to this - both previous ones replaced by Subaru at no cost. The first one sounded like a diesel at idle when it was replaced.
That scion ia looks nice. Maybe check it out for myself. I really don't like scions tho, even tho its a mazda it still has scion badges and add ons.
neon4891 wrote:psteav wrote: The new 2 is apparently not going to be sold in hatchback or Mazda form....but the new Scion iA that is coming out in a month or so is just a 2 with Scion badges and an uuuuugggly catfish-looking grille. Supposed to be a fantastic little car.Scion now rebadges Mazdas?
Toyota has a deal with Mazda now which is partially why people think the next BRZ or whatever is going to be a Miata chassis car.
Whoa, you think Mazda would let their beloved Miata be used by anyone else? Mazda2 failed frame I could see, if they not going to use it in US then let someone else and make a few bucks.
In reply to Coldsnap:
You know that Mazda signed a deal to share the Miata chassis with Fiat a few years ago, right? The new 124 Spider is on the same chassis as the ND and getting unveiled later this year. Would not be surprised AT ALL if it goes to Toyota as well; remember that Mazda is one of the smallest "mainstream" car companies still around and they need every cent they can get.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/fiat/90395/new-fiat-124-spider-first-spy-shots
Ahhhhhh. I don't stay too current on new cars. Guess that's good for all of us. The more miatas out there the better!
Done. Just wrote the check and girlfriend is picking it up tomorrow. Was a bit more than I planned, but we first started shopping for Fiestas and Fit. When I was super uncomfortable in the fiesta (I'm 5'7" 180lbs, hows that even possible) we went to the fit. But noticed for $1k more you could get the mazda at another dealership with bluetooth, rear disc brakes, and just as good MPG.
It's a certified pre-owned, and I really really hope it proves to be a reliable car.
Only picture I took, test drove it right to Taco Bell. The true test.
Streetwiseguy wrote: So, basically, it means exactly as much as zoomzoom did a few years ago.
I got yelled at here for saying that when they first came up with the marketing gimmick.
Now to find me a two door car I like.. Thinking Golf, but thinking I should test drive other cars.
Zomby Woof wrote:Streetwiseguy wrote: So, basically, it means exactly as much as zoomzoom did a few years ago.I got yelled at here for saying that when they first came up with the marketing gimmick.
Eh, Zoom Zoom was a marketing term only, whereas this is a new marketing facelift for their on-going "gram strategy" which they've been employing for years. This is just an all-encompassing one that also includes the new engine tech like higher compression and direction injection in addition to their chassis work. Here's a nifty small article on what that meant for the Mazda2 chassis in 2011, a cool, very in-depth at the engine differences from the same time frame.
tl;dr
The one on the left is 8 grams less and can still be used with a traditional 6-sided 10mm socket.
Is all the rust I see on them part of the lightweight strategy too?
Zomby Woof wrote: Is all the rust I see on them part of the lightweight strategy too?
No, that's part of a Canada thing.
I don't think i've seen a spot of rust on any mazda here since the Protege5.
Where the winter's here are FAR milder than yours, and we hardly get snow? Don't think so.
Zomby Woof wrote: Where the winter's here are FAR milder than yours, and we hardly get snow? Don't think so.
Maybe they just don't like Canadians and leave the rust proofing off up there. 
(We do get around 2 feet total yearly snowfall.)
It was a amazing how rotted a lot of the Mazda 3s were up in Quebec, whereas down in here in CT they're really no worse than any other car of the same year.. Our 10 year old, 200k Mazda 3 was just starting to bubble around the wheel wells. In Montreal, the entire rear quarter would have had through-holes..
I wonder if Canadia uses some super salt mix or something?
In reply to WonkoTheSane:
My '09 Civic is now bubbling on B-pillar and top of rear door jam. Sway bar bracket captive nut broke off due to rust. Yay East Coast Canada :( My salvage title E36 from Florida has less rust than my Civic. It's so nice to work on. Even the rear camber adjusters weren't seized.
Yeah, here in Wisconsin we get an average of 4+ feet of snow every year and they salt the roads pretty heavily. You see an occasional first generation 3 or 6 with some crusty spots, but by and large they don't rust any more than anything else on the road. I've yet to see a second or third generation car with any visible rust.
Weirdly enough it is almost always newer VAG products I see with large chunks of paint missing and rust forming, despite their galvanized construction. The pre-bailout GM stuff doesn't hold up too well either.
I ride my bike to work on the 3 or so days it snows out of the year around here, so I dont have to drive my car through salt.
bigev007 wrote: In reply to WonkoTheSane: My '09 Civic is now bubbling on B-pillar and top of rear door jam. Sway bar bracket captive nut broke off due to rust. Yay East Coast Canada :( My salvage title E36 from Florida has less rust than my Civic. It's so nice to work on. Even the rear camber adjusters weren't seized.
Ugh, that's so disheartening... Apparently they recently switched to more aggressive stuff down here in CT, according the guy who rebuilt my 4l80e transmission, it's breaking things in addition to rusting them badly.
You'll need to log in to post.
