Had the car just over a week and put just over 400 miles on it.
Absolutely love the car and haven't really found any major problems with it.
However went out to wash it this morning and forgot to unlock it so happily scrubbing away when a car alarm started going off.
I thought it was my next door neighbours or someones up the road as it sounded distant. Then looked down and saw my indicators flashing --- it was mine!!!
Got to say it is the most feeble alarm I have EVER heard.
More of a whisper (pssst someones nicking your car) rather than a OOOHHHH !!! get the F**K away from my car!!!

Has anyone else heard their alarm? Iwent inside to ask the missus if she heard it and she hadn't.

Now I know alarms are not that great at keeping undesirables away but they should at least give them a fright or at least warn the owner if they are in the location!!!!!

I heard mine yesterday while in my garage. It was REALLY LOUD! Of course, the doors were closed so it was louder than usual. But - yours sounds feeble. Get it checked.

Thanks velocity will pop into dealers this week and ask them to check it!!

I washed mine today, alarm didn't go off, so I'll have to try it at work tomorrow.

You aren't truely at one with the car until you have given it the first wash, and experianced those curves by touch as well as by eye.

Checked the oil as it been two fillups and 560 miles, its only about 4mm down from full, so should be a while before a top up. Its quite difficult to see the oil on the dipstick as it is so light, not like the dark brown stuff in the MX3 (forlornly on the street now, but it did get a wash as well).

I also checked the tyres, they only had 28psi in them rather than 32psi. So I recommend you dont rely on what the dealer has put in, and check the day after you get it home, when cold - you dont want to wear those expensive tyres out. You can feel a just a little bit surface imperfactions with the tyres at the correct pressure, but nothing to spoil the excellent ride.

Cheers
---Dave

hmm good call Dave, haven't checked the tyre pressure yet...

although the oil - same as you, it doesnt look as though it gets used up much more than other standard piston cars.

It does get used up more than other Mazda cars though!!! :)

Good ideal to check the tyres regularly as it more difficult to tell if 45 section are slighly underpressure than 55's.

My MX3 V6 used zero oil up to 100K miles, now takes about a litre every 2000. I'll have to get some of that 5W30 syrup from oilman, instead of the 10W40 treakle I have lying round for the MX3.

Cheers
---Dave

...as for the alarm, I'll have to set it off ricm56 to see. I've not actually tried it. Bit late now and will wake up the little man (son!) if I did it now!

Thanks renegade -- I would certainly appreciate a couple of opinions as it really did sound weak.

Dave did you use the compressor from the boot to inflate your tyres??
Got to say still haven't looked in that little case yet but presume I have one too!!!
Will check those pressures tomorrow.
Thanks

No used I used my foot pump, I think the gauge is more accurate than the small one on the compressor. I'll have to check them both at some point.

Cheers
---Dave

ricm56

You said you had washed your car. The alarm did not get wet, did it?

I used to have a RAV4 with a really loud alarm. But every now and then if I drove over a large pool of water on the road (sorry, if I treated my RAV as a powerboat), the alarm would get wet with an annoyingly soft sound and stay that way for a few days.

a stupid questions, when the alarm goes off does it blast the horn or is it some shriek noise (like the bmw alarms)?

Nice that this relatively small issue is the only grumble.

rael

My only real grumble, is the lack of a rear wiper. I keep forgetting to wipe off the window before leaving. It soon clears on the motorway, but I have to get their first.

Cheers
---Dave

druck, get that Rain Clear stuff on your glass man.

It works a treat if put on properly.

Originally posted by druck
My only real grumble, is the lack of a rear wiper.
Although it would have to be a really clever windscreen wiper design to cope with all the curvature on that rear screen...

Originally posted by Lucozade
druck, get that Rain Clear stuff on your glass man.

It works a treat if put on properly.

What stuff is that then Lucozade? Ive not heard of it before.

Try Rain Wizard, second generation ultra concentrate rain repellant. Manufactured by Bluecol.

Not a bad product and should be totally adequate for the rear screen. Screen must be ultra clean to commence with but then provides good clearance, akin to a newly waxed bonnet.

Works on windscreen too and avoids use of wipers, especially if you travel at speed.

Yes officer, by doing 120 plus I keep the screen clear without the need for wipers or water repellant.

They used to use Rain-X on aircraft windshields - but I've also seen them use Mr Sheen on the insides! Apparently helps with misting in the winter. Fighter pilots are so vain ;)

Hi plos,

Noticeable by your abscence.

I always find that any sort of polish on the inside just increases the misting. Air con on cold to the windscreen, clears it real fast. Don't those pilots know anything??? Or perhaps it's just the association with Mr. Sheen flying around on his aerosol.

I use Rain-X on front and rear screens, you can also get an additive to put in the windscreen wash to keep the coating topped up, gives excellent visibility (don't even have to use the wipers in light rain).

Hi there Harrizone

The Hawk's windshield is certainly coated and may even be entirely polycarbonate (very nasty shape to make in glass - and still be able to see through it without distortion) - so that might explain the Mr Sheen. Makes the cockpit smell nice too - well better than sweaty fighter pilots anyway.