With the next scheduled Periodic Maintenance Service (PMS) not scheduled until 10,000 kilometers (or October), this Long-Term Test Update for the Mazda3 Speed is all about protection, specifically, interior protection.

People who know me well, know me for being Obsessive Compulsive when it comes to my car’s cleanliness. And though this is technically a Long-Term Test, I’m still willing to pay a pretty penny to make sure the interior remains not just spic-and-span, but scratch-free as well.

I swapped the Mazda3 Speed’s OE fabric floor mats with these laser-measured floor liners from WeatherTech. Made in the USA, these mats do the right job in keeping the Mazda3’s flooring soil free. Plus, they lock into the standard floor mat hooks making sure they don’t slip and slide around. If I have one qualm about these WeatherTech floor liners is that they don’t go high enough around the sides. This means that people who’re fidgety will still get the carpeting soiled but only around the edges of where the floor meets the door well.


I complimented the WeatherTech floor liners with a Weather cargo liner. Like their floor liners, the cargo liner has a raised lip to keep water and debris contained. It took a while to arrive (a month and a half after ordering), but it’s definitely worth it. Plus, it’s actually quite hard to find quality cargo liners for the Mazda3 for some reason.

You can certainly order these floor liners and cargo liners online if you want, but upon checking the prices from their official Philippine distributor, Hart International, Inc., the local prices actually come out cheaper. Oh, and if you’re getting the rear floor liners, make sure to specify the “Mexico fit”. Apparently, the “Japan fit” floor mats have different seatbelt anchors. And don’t ever, ever, ever have the WeatherTech matting detailed—they’ll turn slippery. Make sure just to use water and soap to clean them (if you’re feeling more OC, WeatherTech sells its own special cleaning agent).

Hart International, Inc. is located at 322 Col. Bonny Serrano Avenue, San Juan. You can also contact them on their phone, +63 2 744 5875 or through Facebook.


Next, I happen to know how sensitive those shiny high-gloss piano black accents are scattered around the Mazda3 interior. In fact, since I got the long-term test unit last May, I didn’t even want to give them a good wipe down because dust is enough to give them hairline scratches.

So, I asked around for a great away to protect them without having them covered up with some pseudo carbon fiber trim. The result is Clarita. Clarita is a clear protection film offered by FoilaCar. Made for exterior applications, the fit, to be honest, isn’t 100 percent around the intricate interior curves, but it’ll do. FoilaCar’s expert installers did their utmost best and I’m satisfied with the work overall. Applying Clarita reduces the shininess of the high-gloss accents, but it’s a trade-off I’m willing to have over having unsightly hairline scratches.

Check out Foilacar at 10 Brixton Street, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig. You can contact them at +63 2 656 7200 or via Facebook.

Finally, I did some online shopping for an OE rear bumper protector (Part # 0000-8T-L32). Not only does the stainless steel finish perfectly complement the Machine Gray Metallic’s color, but it also put me at ease whenever I’m loading or unloading heavy luggage. Plus, it’s a great first “mod” that you can do since it’s applied using just 3M automotive tape.


On the mechanical side of things, the Mazda3 Speed has been running flawlessly since its first PMS. The i-Stop has been working well and there hasn’t been any unplanned trip to the dealer. That said, this Mazda3 has developed this squeaking sound from the steering wheel column area whenever the turn signal stalk is engaged to the left and the steering wheel turned slowly. I suspect it’s something to do with the clock spring, but it’s more of an irritation than outright problem. I’ll be sure to have it checked during the next PMS.

Questions or comments about your own Mazda3 experience? Feel free to comment below or drop me a line on Twitter or Instagram.

2017 Mazda3 Speed Long-Term Test Update # 2

Months Since Last Report: 2
Kilometers Covered: 2,171
Kilometers Since Last Report: 652
Average Lifetime Fuel Consumption (km/L): 9.86
Best Fuel Consumption (km/L): 12.34
Worst Fuel Consumption (km/L) 8.47

Maintenance / Issues / Cost:

• Squeaks from the steering wheel/column whenever the signal indicator stalk is engaged

Out of Pocket Expense:

• NONE

Past Updates

• Long-Term Test Update # 1