thinking about buying a 2004, after reading a lot of threads, I am wondering if I should avoid buying a 2004. please give advice.

 

There are a lot of questions that need answering.
1. Is it auto or std. trans.?
2. How many miles on it?
3. Has it had all the flashes?
4. Did the previous owner premix?
5. Has the motor been replaced?
6. Does it have any mods?
I'm sure that there are more I should be asking.

 

the car is at a non mazda dealer. it has sixteen hundred miles on it , it is a stick shift. and of course like new, I am worried that like new with this year may not carry much weight. thanks mike r

 

'04 with only 1600 miles... hmmmm... If you can get a history report on it I would see what that says.

 

I have an '04 with close to 50k on it and I've had absolutely zero problems with it. I read on this forum a lot: "don't buy an '04, first year bugs and problems, blah blah" but I've yet to read any real evidence that '04's have any more problems than any other year. The only other thing to consider is what the purchase date is and if there is any warranty left on it... if it was sold in '03 the warranty may be just about up.

 

Like dude above me said some people have little to zero problems with theirs, others have had the whole gammet of **** tossed at them. I have an 04 and am in the latter catagory, IMPO I would try and find a late 05 and later besides that the 04 is likely out of warranty, just another thing to consider.

 

A lot of the problem 04s were prior to flashes, did not use premix, auto trans, and quite a few were from hot locations. An 04 with 1600 miles ........ man it must have been garaged or????

O5s have the same failure average as 04s with engine failures.

If you can do one of those car checks to make sure it's not a rebuild from an accident or flood. Be sure and read all you can on the forums and premix. I have and 04 a/t and live in one of the hottest places in the US and never had a problem that I did not cause.

 

My '04 has 45k miles on it, and I've had no problems other than the normal warranty things. I wouldn't be afraid of it being an '04...unless it's an auto. and if it's an auto, skip this one and find a manual!

 

My 04 with 65k just hit it today and no issues at all thank god (knock on wood)

 

Another m/t fanboi heard from - it must be in the water. I can show you what a lowly 04 4 port a/t can do if your ever in Vegas.

Edit: the warranty was extended on the drive train so it will not be up yet on this unit

 

I bought my 2004 a couple of years ago with 9000 miles on it. It has never given me any problem!! nada! zit!!....except occasional brake squeal .......tire pressure warning light comes on and off when it gets really cold.
I also never had that overflooding problem like a lot of other peeps had...even before the chip was flashed. So there you go. ..thumbs up to 2004s! haha!

 

mine has about 10k miles on it, but it's not my daily driver and i must park on gravel, which is why i don't drive it to work. no problems, the normal warranty things have been done. (flashes, heat shield, etc) 6 speed with the "GT" package.

the car never stops putting a stoopid smile on my face every time i drive it.

yamajj

 

$ = bang

 

geesh, chill out man. I wasn't attacking you. Of course yours would rip my pretty much stock M/T up. If I threw all the stuff on my car that you have, it would be the other way around. Who freaking cares?

btw...your car does look pretty sick!

 

Now that I think about it your right my 04 has a rebuilt engine, I didn't know about when I was buying the car I found out 4 months after I had bought it, so I guess what I really meant to say was do your research it will pay in the end.

 

I made a mistake, the car has six thousand mikes on it.I have a lot of catching up to do.my last mazda was a rx4 I bought new, terrific car.
I never had to put oil in the gas.the car did that itself so what about this pre mix mentioned on this site, also what are flashes, do the later model mazdas have someway to show themselves naked. thanks everyone. mike r

 

Mike, I"ll give you a quick overview but you do need to search the forums cuz there is a world of difference between the 4 and the 8.

There seems to be an inherent problem with the car getting enough oil thru the usual methods and may require premix. The computer that runs this flyby wire car controls everything and presently only the factory can change it (will change shortly). So if a problem develops, Mazda would correct it by a computer flash. Before you buy this car you best read the forums.

 

2004 model?




run Forrest run!

 

before you think you have to premix there is an entire sticky thread dedicated to those that debate whether you do or don't need it. no offense to phil but just b/c he said you need to doesn't mean you need to. i would, however, agree with j67345 and say that if it's a 2004 AT, go another route. i'm not saying you can't go AT but if you do go with a 6 port and you'll be glad you did over a 4 port. and i know that phil's supercharged 4 port will walk on my lowly mostly stock MT but that's also $7K just for the s/c so just keep that in mind.

 

Discounting the 04 is a judgment call - there are many that have no problems what so ever. You are correct about premix-some are for it some not but the 8 does require oil and some 8s do not receive enough thru the pump (until I get another form of oil injection I will continue to premix). I never mind that people say the a/t has less power than the m/t or the 4 port has less power than the 6 port it's just when they off hand advise someone not to purchase one or make it sound like your a ******* if you purchase one. This guy already said the one he is looking at is an MT and he said it twice.

If you notice I advised him to read the forums and then he can make up his own mind without influence from any of us.

 

I've got an '04, too, that has been fairly problem free. I did have the flooding problem once, but Mazda has been more than willing to step up to the plate to address issues with these cars through engine swaps, new batteries/starters, extended warranty, ECU flashes, etc.

As mentioned before, do a CarFax and make sure it hasn't been wrecked, that the miles on the odometer are correct (e.g., odometer hasn't been replaced), and that it isn't a salvage title or something odd. Have your mechanic look it over for problems. Then after you buy it, take the car to Mazda and make sure that all the TSBs are addressed and you should be fine.

There are always lemons, but I don't know how you can tell them from the good cars except by driving them.

 

kwelscott havs over 80 k and quite a few have over 100k

 

1600 miles is too few. thats only 400 miles a year.

i wouldnt buy an 04 with less than 10k miles.

 

Reread his posts, it has 6grand on it. That could be.

 

i bought a used 04 with 50 000km on it, over the past 30 000km I’ve had new cat, starter, coils, plugs, engine, transmission, gas cap, clutch & DRL module.