Mazda 3 Selling Advice - Requiring repairs

Hey all,

My 2009 Mazda 3 Neo Sedan has recently has had an ABS pump issue (ABS light and traction control light on). Taken to Autobahn for service and for them to look at, confirmed ABS pump issue but said I need to take to Mazda so they can repair/replace. Car starts and will drive but can definitely feel the braking a bit shaky because of the issue.

Yet to call up or bring in car to get a quote for repair but I assuming it would be around the $1k mark. However, I am looking to upgrade to something a used car that is a bit newer (mid 10s, ~$15k, hatchback/sedan something along likes of honda, toyota, kia, hyundai). My dilemma is now do I bother repairing the issue, or try sell as is. The car already has about 210,xxx kms, paint fade, driver side window is dodgy, and aux only works in certain positions.

Don't expect to get much for it, but would like to hear what others would suggest doing in my situation. Not very car savvy so I'm not sure what would be the best way to go about it and whether its worth the time and money to get it fixed before trying to sell. Also open for car suggestions along the criteria I mentioned above.

TY in advance

**EDIT: May not be super bargain related, but thought if there's anyone who knows how to save money, its OzBargainers.

Comments

  • +2

    If you're going to get it fixed, take it to a good independent rather than Mazda. Should be a lot cheaper.

  • +2

    Sell as-is, anything with >200K on the odometer is not very desirable (exceptions: classic cars)

  • +2

    Maybe the price for this repair has come down a bit, but top search result is this from 2018

    https://www.mazda3forums.com/threads/mazda-3-abs-lights-on-f…

    The Mazda dealership, quietly rubbing their hands with glee, quoted $2100+ (AUD) to fix it. What a joke.

    To cut a long story short, I have found three companies that actually do these ABS repairs in-house:
    - Injectronics, Vic ($700, but you have to go through their dealer network),
    - Cooldrive, Brisbane (same - wholesale only, no punters, no price offered),
    - ABSRepair.com.au, Sydney (very friendly, accessible, open to the public, $495, cheaper, faster and better than the other two).

    Edit: The Sydney place has prices on their website still
    https://absrepair.com.au/p/ca07b7/

  • +5

    Car starts and will drive but can definitely feel the braking a bit shaky because of the issue.

    No it isn't. The car is shaking possibly, but not limited to, warped discs on the rear (if shaking is felt through the body of the car), warped discs on the front (if shaking is felt through the steering wheel) or a handbrake that that is incorrectly adjusted. When the ABS light is on the system is inactive, just like driving a 1990's model.

    • Could be placebo from me assuming it may cause that. I did have new brake discs put in at the front <6 months ago IIRC (don't have the invoice on me currently but almost certain I replaced the discs not the pads, if that is relevant). From what I can recall from prior to the light appearing, it was already slightly shaky already (I put it down to normal vibrations of the car/engine(?)) so those rear break discs could be due for a replacement too. Regardless, thanks for the help.

      • My mum has a Mazda 3 of a similar age and the brakes have always been noisy and shaky, had it looked at by multiple shops but it's just the way those cars are.

  • Sell as is will get you FA.

    Trade in will get you FA

    We were offered a grand for the ex's Mazda 3.. few shopping trolley marks in it, <150k klms..manual, and it was newer than yours. Nice car for the missus/or kids went well, service history…

    There is so many of them out there thus no market for them was the manure we were told. This was as trade in on a ASX

    I laughed at him, he didn't take that well at all… didn't get the sale either.

    • Might as well repair and drive into the ground. Rather than spend 15k and run into similar or worse (read: more expensive) issues in a few years at the same age/km. devil you know etc

      • Indeed there is no winning, just pick where I want to waste my money. New car that would not shit the bed so soon would be ideal but not interested in getting car loan at this time.

  • 2 Mazdas with ABS pump issues in 2 posts…

    Hmmmm what a coinkidink

    • Could be the weather.

  • Perhaps I should just look for deals on electric scooters

  • You could fix it and sell it to a teenager. Or an immigrant, they are vert keen for cheap cars.

    • +2

      Food delivery drivers always love small cheap shitheaps with 1 hubcap and no brakes

  • LOL, you won't get much for paint faded car, since repaint is an expensive job.
    And with 210k km, RWC alone will be costly. So you should sell it without RWC or get a quote for things that need to be done to pass RWC before deciding the listing price.

  • sell as-is. You'll get $3-$4k for it. after a wash and vacuum

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