David ArtissI’m not a car fanatic but they’re an expensive part of my life, so get regular mentions anyway!
Well, okay, not quite – it’s been 2.5 years. I got my Mazda 3 back in 2017, the latest model of the car.
It promised a lot and, next summer, it will going back to the dealership for the last time – either to be replaced or part-exchanged so that I can go elsewhere. How have the last (nearly) 3 years gone?
I used to love the idea of one day owning a Tesla. But that’s changed. I’m looking at getting a VW Golf next year, but I may not be getting the new Mark 8 model.
Exactly why is due to both manufacturers (and they’re not alone) ignoring safety. Not just ignoring it but actively changing something about the car that was safe to now be otherwise.
What am I talking about? The dashboard. More specifically, removing physical buttons and switches and replacing them with a touch screen.
I’ve owned my Mazda 3 for just under 2 years now. On cold, damp days I often find that a number of warning lights come on, related to lane guidance (Lane Departure Warning System – LDWS), automatic full-beam (High Beam Control System – HBC) and automatic braking (Smart City Brake Support – SCBS). After a while, the warnings clear.
But, yesterday, I had the same warnings come on but the lights didn’t go out, even after stopping and restarting the ignition.
The security expert, Troy Hunt, recently Tweeted about his car purchase – a rather fabulous Mercedes…
However, he ended up having to defend his choice and justify why he didn’t, instead, buy a Tesla. His arguments are good, particularly because of where he lives, and I’m siding with him myself.
The ODB diagnostic port is used by garages and dealerships to connect your car to their computer systems, checking for any reported errors as well as check various engine values.
Just to check and clear an error message can cost £30+, yet ODB readers can be bought for not much more than £10 and phone apps can then be found for free to then display the output.
Some car manufacturers make the port difficult to get to, often they’re found under the bonnet. But on the 2017 model Mazda 3 it’s ridiculously easy to access.
