[Slawek]

First time Mazda owner, coming from a Hyundai Elantra. I bought a 2017 GS Sedan. I drive 75km one way to work, 60 of those are highway. The car is constantly fighting with the wind, to the point that my stomach is uneasy. I am so shocked and surprised, had I known this I would have never bought the car and got a Civic instead.

I actually bought the Mazda because a few weeks ago I had an accident with my Elantra in a snow storm on the highway where a huge cross wind caused me to lose control and start skidding, totaling the car. I am not looking forward to next winter.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[dradernh]

I've had the car get pushed around a bit in very heavy winds, but the car is light enough that I wasn't really surprised.

Your comments remind me of interstate highway 80 in the US state of Wyoming, where constantly being pushed around by the wind is to be expected.

 

[Slawek]

I've had the car get pushed around a bit in very heavy winds, but the car is light enough that I wasn't really surprised.

Your comments remind me of interstate highway 80 in the US state of Wyoming, where constantly being pushed around by the wind is to be expected.

You know, I normally wouldn't care, but the fact I totaled my car to the point that all 4 doors and trunk were caved in and the engine flew out of the car onto the highway, I am a bit wary... lol

I just hope it can handle our Canadian winters. A set of Michelin X-Ice 3's hopefully does the trick.

 

[dradernh]

I just hope it can handle our Canadian winters. A set of Michelin X-Ice 3's hopefully does the trick.

Surprisingly, perhaps, tires can make a difference. Winter tires, for example, offer better grip in the cold than do all-season or summer tires, and they could help if you've been running either of the latter types of tire during the winter months.

Is it just Quebec, or do all of the Canadian provinces now require winter tires during the winter months?

 

[MechaBouncer]

I just hope it can handle our Canadian winters. A set of Michelin X-Ice 3's hopefully does the trick.

That's what I have on my 2015 Mazda3 and they've done a great job for the last couple Michigan winters. Granted, we haven't had as much snow as we did a few years ago, but when it has been heavy I haven't had any problem with traction.

But yeah, the car is pretty light and I have been pushed around by heavy winds as well. It's a tradeoff that I'm used too. My old 2009 Pontiac Vibe was taller and would catch wind pretty well, but offset it by being heavier. I rather like the lighter feel of the 3, despite what the wind will do.

 

[MrBuddha]

I've had my 2016 mz3 2.5 GT since August and I only got stuck once this winter (I'm in ontario) and I was 5ft away from my driveway in some really deep snow. Being manual transmission I was able to rock it out pretty easily. That night I was plowing through some drifts that would come up over the hood, wasn't going very fast about 10km/h and the car had no problem. It also handles extremely well in slippery weather.

As far as the wind goes my civic was much worse in the wind than the Mazda. Anything in this category of car is going to get pushed around in heavy wind.

Hope this eases any doubt you have with the car.

 

[Studum]

You actually have a very similar distance drive as me. Similar scenario for getting the new car too (I was rear ended hard, pushed into car in front, both pushed into the next guy). And if you're in or around the same area as me it has been VERY windy the past couple of days.

What I can say is that for a good while driving situations similar to how your accident occurred will undoubtedly make you uneasy. If your accident was in high winds and you're experiencing this in the new car that you're not completely accustomed to yet, or maybe not even fully comfortable in yet, I have no doubt it could make you uneasy.

My accident was 5 months ago now. To this day I still get anxious in the same conditions where I got smashed: wet / rainy / overcast days and in same traffic conditions: where drivers are crazy to get wherever they're going on not leaving a big enough space in traffic (tailgating on the highway in adverse conditions). It is definitely not pleasant.

I used to occasionally take the back roads for a different drive. I now more regularly take back roads instead of the highway in an attempt to avoid those traffic conditions (the back roads are also a much more enjoyable/fun drive if you can afford the extra commute time).

All I can say is that the 3 is a very well planted car and it was excellent through the winter with the winter rubber on it. Take a deep breath and hang in there.

 

[tots]

This is a very timely thread. This past week, I drove on the open highway in high winds and happened to drive my Mazda 3 and a 2012 Civic. I too was surprised how much both vehicles were effected by the wind. The Civic was much more effected than the Mazda, but both required a lot of correction to maintain my lane. Despite that, I did not ever feel the Mazda was ever in danger of being blown off the road out of my control. Simply reducing my speed a little actually helped reduce the effects of the wind a lot.

 

[arathol]

Get decent tires. Even brand new, the OEM tires are mediocre at best, traction range BB-, just slightly more than a hockey puck.:surprise: I could barely drive the car in a straight line on a wet road. Your car will feel much more stable with tires that actually have some grip.

 

[stephane_n]

check your tires pressure. i noticed that my mazda is very sensible to tire's pressure.

 

[Slawek]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and informative replies. I do take some comfort in your comments,

 

[arathol]

check your tires pressure. i noticed that my mazda is very sensible to tire's pressure.

This ↑↑↑

Lots of cars don't get the tire pressures corrected by the dealer. Tire pressures are set at around 60 psi when the car is prepped for transport from the factory to avoid flt spots on the tires due to being tied down securely on the ship. Make sure your pressures are at 36 psi or whatever your door sticker says.

 

[comebackqid]

Sounds like you should've gotten a bigger car maybe the cx-5, or 9. or a durango or jeep or something I see you have the car crash blues still fresh off a wreck it happens to most that get into a bad wreck. trade it in if you feel uncomfortable get something bigger.

 

[Road Trip]

check your tires pressure. i noticed that my mazda is very sensible to tire's pressure.

Many new vehicles (many brands) are deliberately transported with over inflated tires. Sometimes the PDI Techs fail to check and adjust them to OEM recommendations. Good idea for us to check ours right after purchase.

 

[Slawek]

I checked my nitrogen filled tires are they were at 40-41 psi, recommended is 36. I adjusted but it has made no difference in feeling the cross winds.

 

[da_jokker]

I voted many cars including a Mazda CX-5, and as soon as I bought my 2017 Mazda 3, I noticed the exact same thing.

We don't have bad weather where I live but it does get windy sometimes and I've nearly been blown off the road.

Not sure what makes this car such a wind Sail... mabey to lite.

 

[Midnightsky228]

Is it just Quebec, or do all of the Canadian provinces now require winter tires during the winter months?

So far Quebec is leading the charge for mandatory winter tires in Canada. BC has some areas that require it but not province wide yet. Alberta has been talking about it, but so far that's all it is, talk. I hope Alberta comes down hard when they start enforcement of winter tires, its extremely dangerous without winter tires in Alberta with the horrific track record we have for drivers here. I have run studded winter tires for the past 5 winter seasons and I will never go back, they have saved my butt numerous times on black ice that you just simply cannot see.

 

[dradernh]

...its extremely dangerous without winter tires in Alberta with the horrific track record we have for drivers here. I have run studded winter tires for the past 5 winter seasons and I will never go back, they have saved my butt numerous times on black ice that you just simply cannot see.

I was in Calgary as a seven- or eight-year old, and I still remember the snow depth on the ground was above my head. It made quite an impression. That was in the mid-1950s, and I can only imagine what passed for winter tires back then.

At the West Edmonton Mall a few years back, I saw that each parking spot had an electrical outlet to power the parked car's block heater. That told me all I needed to know about winter at 53.5° North. Yikes!

Cost aside, my take on snow tires is that once you start using them you never go back to using all-seasons for winter use.

 

[Midnightsky228]

I was in Calgary as a seven- or eight-year old, and I still remember the snow depth on the ground was above my head. It made quite an impression. That was in the mid-1950s, and I can only imagine what passed for winter tires back then.

At the West Edmonton Mall a few years back, I saw that each parking spot had an electrical outlet to power the parked car's block heater. That told me all I needed to know about winter at 53.5° North. Yikes!

Cost aside, my take on snow tires is that once you start using them you never go back to using all-seasons for winter use.

With the worlds climate getting warmer and warmer our winters have been very odd. Mild at times with decently warmer than usual temps and then sudden drops to -30C with nasty North winds bringing windchill factors of -40C but its all random. When I was a kid it was pretty much standard that from Halloween until March there was snow on the ground and it was at least -5C on a good day and about -20C on a bad day. Now were seeing temps of +15C mid winter completely at random. Additionally last year the psycho fires at Fort McMurray were brought on by wild fluctuations in the normal weather patterns and changes to the normal flow in the jetstream.

 

[dradernh]

...changes to the normal flow in the jetstream.

This is what we've been experiencing in the Northeastern United States, too.

If only it would stay where we want it to - here that means north of us in the winter and south of us in the summer. When the latter occurs, and we've had a lot of it during the last decade, we refer to it as "having Canadian air". A typical July day will be relatively cool at ~25C/77F, with relative humidity around 45-50% - ideal, really.

The wind, though, which is after all the subject of this thread :smile2:, doesn't seem particularly different than it has in the past.