Yesterday, my wife bottomed out my 2008 Mazda 3 2.3L Automatic in a parking lot (I know) and broke a motor mount. By the time she got it home, two miles from the incident, the motor was WAY out of alignment with the rest of the car. This morning I had it towed to a trusted Transmission Repair facility, and I am waiting for word as to whether it is cost effective to repair. I truly like this car a whole lot, but not enough to sink more than a grand in it to fix it.
+1 on what shipo said. I never understood the customer that didn't have 1500 for repair and maintenance but magically had enough for a down payment and monthly payment for a newer car.
Simple explanation, people that can't save money. They can scrape together around $500 for a down payment from family and friends and make a $200 a month payment but they can't manage to have any savings to fix things when they break.
I don't mean this in a bad way, but the car is ten years old. I still have it, and I will have it for a long time.
Current status:
1) Less than 10K miles on engine and transmission.
2) New axles
3) New brakes with ceramic pads, new rotors, etc.
4) New windshield
5) Interior in pristine condition.
6) New tires and new TPS system.
7) New TCM
8) Ten years of minor paint flaws from Florida
To make a long story short, the engine and transmission were replaced by someone who was certainly not a certified mechanic, but was a "get 'er done" type. The transmission was mounted with some sort of a bracket that certainly did not come from a Mazda, but managed to hold the tranny until excessive vibration caused the aluminum to fail from metal fatigue. When she hit a bump hard enough, it just broke. Everything is now up to factory specifications.
For those who besmirch my intelligence and financial acumen, we are probably not going to be friends here. I have enough to actually pay cash for a NEW Mazda 3. No need for it though. I had a few moments frustration when it all happened, but made no hasty decisions, and business (and life) continues apace.
Have a nice day.
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