Hello Scotty and community,
I am in the market for a used car, and I found a private seller who is selling a used 2016 Mazda 3 Hatchback (with a clean title, no accidents or major mechanical issues reported).
It is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The car currently has 52,500 miles on it (I would guess a mix of highway and city) and the private seller is asking for $13,500. The car doesn't look to have any exterior or interior damages, but I am planning on taking it to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection if you think this would be a good buy. This Mazda3 is currently on its second owner and came from Texas (it is now in Nevada). It has been regularly maintained at the dealership.
I am a recent college grad so I would prefer not to spend a ton on a used car, but I wanted to ask your opinion on this Mazda. I've only driven Toyotas previously so I do not have any experience with Mazdas, although I've heard that the newer ones are pretty reliable and decent. Reliability is my top priority, but I found that Toyotas and Hondas at this similar year range were more expensive. Do you recommend this car, and if so, what would be a fair price?
Thanks in advance.
I forgot to add: I looked up the VIN on this car, and found that this Mazda was manufactured in Salamanca, Mexico.
I know Scotty has said in the past that cars built in Mexico are not of best quality, so I wanted to know if this should be a concern for the future reliability of this Mazda. I plan on driving this as my primary commuter and maintaining it regularly, if I do end up purchasing this.
Honestly. Newer Mazdas are pretty decent if a mechanic says it is alright it could last well over 120 150k miles. Not as reliable as Toyota but definetly way above brands like Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, and Subaru. The engine/transmission set-up is also pretty good. I think it is way overprice though. I live in Sacramento I could easily get it for 9 10 grand.
