LONGTERM: Mazda2 Hatch after 161,000kms

• Purchased Oct 2015 new from Bermaz Glenmarie

• To date, still under my ownership after 9 years with ~162,000kms

• Approx 20k kms per year

Fuel consumption

• 220 fill ups tracked since new

• 119,700km tracked, consumed 7696L of fuel

• At RM2.05/L for RON95, translates to approx RM0.13/km in fuel cost

• Works out at 6.42L/100km average for all driving (mixed), range of 623km

• Now mostly driven in traffic, achieving 7.3L/100km, range of 550-560km

• Best fuel consumption ever achieved was 5.8L/100km, range of 690km

• Worst fuel consumption was 19L/100km (gymkhana event)

Parts changed:

• 25,000km Battery change Varta D115D23L (under warranty)

• 30,0000km Steering column (under warranty)

• 45,000kms Original Dunlop Enasave tyres changed to Kumho HS51 (4pcs)

• 50,000kms ATF fluid change

• 60,000kms Steering rack changed (under warranty)

• 70,000kms upgraded to OEM LED headlamps sourced from Thailand

• 77,800kms New alternator, not covered under warranty. Fitted by Bermaz

• 80,000kms Battery change Varta D115D23L, ATF + filter change

• 90,000kms tyres changed to Hankook K435 (4pcs)

• 100,000kms complete set front suspension arms, absorbers & bushes; new spark plugs

• 100,000kms new front brake pads set (original Akebonos)

• 120,000kms 3rd party rebuild of 2nd rack (internal bushes)

• 125,000kms Battery change Varta D115D23L

• 130,000kms rear suspension absorbers + bushes + mount

• 130,000kms 2pcs front tyres changed to new Hankook K435, 2 rears to Michelin Primacy 4

• 140,000kms engine & gearbox mount (set of 3)

• 155,000kms new AC condenser coil (leaking) + service & re-gas

• 160,000kms front suspension arms, absorbers

Service protocol & total cost of ownership

• Oil change full synthetic every 10,000kms or 6mos, whichever comes sooner

• Elected for ATF and filter change every 40-50k kms

• ~RM18,000 over 9 years, translates to approx RM0.11/km

Total running cost RM0.13/km fuel consumption + RM0.11/km maintenance cost = RM0.24/km

Alignment trouble?

If your car doesn't feel like it handles like it did when new - take it for a proper 4-wheel alignment. Many alignment shops do not do a proper job even with a FWD car like this. The car is trailing arm suspension in the rear, which means the rear wheel alignment is 'fixed'. So some shops will only put the alignment markers/clamps on the front wheels - BUT where is this referenced from then?

Any kind of engineering measurement is always with a reference, or a DATUM call out. Just like any graph, you have x=0 and y=0 as the origin; this is what gives the line/points their relative position and values. Without the origin defined, data (or in this case, alignment settings) cannot be set!

This is where the 'THRUST ANGLE' is important. Note on my car, the rear is showing a thrust angle that is not zero (0.05deg), ie. the rears are pointing very slightly to one side. The front wheels must therefore be aligned with respect to the rears, such that the TOTAL TOE is within range. I had my car's alignment corrected by MPS (T-Align) in Sunway. Many thanks to Kar Fai for educating me on this very important aspect of alignment.

Issues:

• Infamous 'kruk' noise from suspension strut and/or rack internal bushings that wear very quickly. Informal and unverifiable information from enthusiast owners club, steering rack has improved part number Revision C. If changing the rack, try to ask which revision is being used. Newer cars post 2017 should be using this already. I had the rack rebuilt by a 3rd party outside of warranty - this lasted about 2,000km before the noise came back. GeekTuned's founding engineer then took a look at it himself at 120k kms, and solved the noise without changing any parts. The solution which has worked till now, is to torque all suspension assembly bolts to the factory recommended specifications. Sometimes when workshops use the air-gun, they (over)tighten everything. This causes certain joints to not have any freedom to move - when they were designed to do so.

• Harsh shifting ~ 40-50k kms - remedy is to change ATF every 50k kms to retain the fluid's heat transfer, pressure transfer capacity, and thus to preserve the valve body and clutches. However, changing of ATF is considered voiding the warranty by Bermaz Service HQ, as the ATF fluid is 'lifetime'. Personally, I do not believe in lifetime fluids, as this 'lifetime' is actually finite. Passenger cars have been designed with a lifetime of 100k kms before the 1st owner will change the car, and/or factory warranty is over. For our hot & humid weather condition, even ZF recommends an ATF service interval of 40-50k kms for their boxes. I am still on my original gearbox with no issues; some owners who did not change their ATF are on their 2nd or 3rd....but there are many others who carried on past 100k kms. Hence, I do not have data to support changing the ATF at 50k kms saves the gearboxes, so please approach with caution.

• Very slight oil leak on main flywheel oil seal - no major oil loss. Just continue to observe

• Main speedo digital display dead pixels - rely on Heads Up Display for accurate speed readout

  

• Main Infotainment screen edges starting to bubble up - due to prolonged exposure under sunlight

• Round Aircon on/off rotary knobs break off after 8.5 years. Proving very difficult to find replacement assembly

  

• Occasional flat-spot in power when accelerating hard in 3rd gear, only under very specific load/speed circumstances. It is not always there, and hard to pinpoint.