The Complete Cost Of Maintaining A Mazda

When you’re in the market for a new or used Mazda, you’ll eventually wonder what a Mazda generally costs in terms of maintenance. In this blog, we’ve done our absolute best to give you a complete rundown of the costs and what you can expect for different models and model years. Let’s start with a quick answer:

Mazdas are cheap to maintain, with an average annual maintenance cost of $462 per year. This is far below the average of $646 for all car brands. This is because Mazda is a brand that focuses on building reliable yet straightforward cars. They keep the cost down by manufacturing their cars in Japan and using proven, long-lasting technology and mechanical components.

However, that certainly doesn’t tell the whole story. Below, we’ll start by looking at the annual maintenance cost of the most popular models and their corresponding model years. Furthermore, We’ll look at the eight most common service points and discuss what a Mazda costs you in this regard. We’ll also compare the annual maintenance cost of a Mazda to 23 other car brands and discuss why a Mazda is considered cheap or expensive in maintenance. Read on!

How Expensive Are Mazda Models To Maintain?

First of all, we feel it’s essential to have a clear understanding of how much each model, and different model years of that model, cost per year in terms of maintenance. For this, we’ve used combined data of Repairpal and Caredge. We’ve compiled this data in the table below.

You can see in the table below that all Mazda’s seem to be pretty affordable cars at first sight. Especially the CX-3 and Mazda 3 seem to do very well in both the short term and the long term. This is to be expected since these are smaller cars than the CX-5, CX-9, and Mazda 6, which are larger cars that need to have more funds invested in them to keep them running.

The most expensive car of them all is the Mazda CX-9. As said, this is mainly because this car is a larger SUV. In some cases, this makes maintenance more expensive, as we’ll discuss in more detail in just a moment. However, we must say that even the maximum average maintenance cost of this car (2011 model year, $584 annually) isn’t all that expensive for a car of this size. Therefore, Mazdas seem to be very affordable cars in terms of maintenance.

Also read:

• How Many Miles Can A Mazda 3 Last? (Answered)
• How Many Miles Can A Mazda 6 Last? (Answered)

Are Parts And Service Expensive For A Mazda?

Furthermore, it’s essential to discuss the average cost of general maintenance tasks. This way, you know what to expect from Mazdas, and you’ll be able to see if specific maintenance is more expensive than others.

Oil Change

An oil change on a Mazda will generally cost you between $118 – $150. On average, an oil change costs $40 – $60 for conventional oil and $60 – 120 for full synthetic oil for a car. Therefore, Mazdas are slightly more expensive, but most modern versions do indeed require synthetic oil.

Brake Pads

Replacing the brake pads on a Mazda costs between $190 – $279 per axle. On average, brake pad replacement costs between $150 – $300 per axle. Therefore, most Mazdas have a standard price for this maintenance task.

Filters

Replacing filters is also a task you’ll encounter from time to time. The fuel filter is generally the most expensive filter to replace. Replacing a fuel filter in a Mazda will cost between $195 – 344. Replacing a cabin air filter is $48 – 94 and replacing an air filter is $45 – $75.

Typically, replacing a fuel filter costs between $80 – $150. This means replacing the fuel filter on a Mazda is more expensive. However, Mazda has stated that fuel filters generally don’t need to be replaced on their cars anymore and will last the lifetime of the vehicle, which explains the high cost. Replacing a cabin air filter costs typically between $60 – $80, meaning Mazdas are about average. Replacing the air filter costs usually $50 – $70, which means once again, Mazdas are about average.

Battery

The average price to replace a Mazda battery is between $196 – $327.

On average, replacing a car battery costs between $120 – $240. This means that Mazdas are more expensive than average to replace the battery. Mainly, the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 have expensive batteries ($290 and $320, respectively).

Timing Belt/Chain

Another replacement that you’ll come across when owning a car is a timing chain replacement. Timing chains need to be replaced around the 100,000 miles mark. However, replacing the timing chain on a Mazda will cost $673 – $1,733. For most Mazda, the cost will be below $1,000. However, the CX-9 has an expensive timing belt which will cost between $1,472 – $1,733.

On average, replacing a timing belt will cost between $500 and $1,000 for standard cars. Therefore, Mazdas are generally average, although the CX-9 is very expensive.

Tire Rotation And Replacement

Replacing a set of tires on a Mazda will cost $310 – $500. The Mazda 3 is the cheapest car to have the tires replaced, with an average of $300 for the set. The CX-9 is the most expensive, mainly due to its size. The tires alone cost $500 per set for standard tires.

On average, a single tire costs $50 on the low end for sedans and smaller cars, whereas it can cost up to $500 per tire for SUVs and trucks that require a premium tire. Mazdas are, therefore, about average.

Spark Plugs

Replacing a set of spark plugs costs between $114 – $291 per set for a Mazda. The Mazda 6 is the cheapest with a cost of $130 – 174, and the CX-9 is the most expensive, costing $230 – $291.

On average, it costs $75 – $250 to replace a set of spark plugs. This means that replacing spark plugs on a Mazda has an average cost associated with it.

Headlight Bulbs

On average, it costs between $136 – $298 to replace a set of headlight bulbs on a Mazda. The CX-5 has an average cost of $136 – $147 per set, whereas the CX-9 costs around $290 per set.

On average, replacing headlight bulbs costs between $100 – $150 for a set. Mazdas, therefore, have expensive headlight bulbs to replace.

Are Mazda More Or Less Expensive To Maintain Compared To Other Brands?

Knowing everything we know now, it’s essential to have a final look at Mazda as a brand. For this, we’ve compiled data of 23 other carmakers. The average annual maintenance costs of each carmaker are in the table below. By comparing all brands to each other, we get a proper understanding of how expensive a brand truly is in maintenance.

What we see in the table below confirms our research thus far. Of all 23 brands, Mazda holds the third spot, which means it’s one of the most affordable car brands for annual maintenance for all cars.

Now, this comes as no surprise, given that most Asian brands generally end up in the top ten, whereas most American and European brands end up much lower down the list. However, it is interesting to note that Mazda is also more affordable than Kia, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, which we consider direct competitors.

Why Are Mazda So Cheap?

Finally, it’s important to discuss why Mazda is so cheap. In a nutshell, this is because of the following two reasons.

Mazda is cheaper than other brands because most of its production occurs in Japan. Furthermore, they make regular cars, which means their technology isn’t luxurious or advanced, but it is reliable. This brings down the likelihood of technical and mechanical issues and reduces cost.

This also explains why most Asian brands are cheaper than American or European brands. Sometimes, it’s not even about the fact that production takes place in Asian countries (which offer cheaper labor). Still, it’s also about the fact that the cars are designed there (which keeps the cost of the headquarters low), and the materials are sourced from there (which also reduces cost significantly).

Finally, the fact that Mazda makes ‘regular people’ cars also brings costs down significantly. As you can see in the table above, luxury brands such as BMW and Mercedes have almost double annual maintenance costs. This is because these cars use advanced technology and mechanics, which offers better performance and user experience, but is also less reliable overall.

Sources

• https://repairpal.com/mazda
• https://caredge.com/mazda
• https://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mx-5-miata/2020/cost-to-own/

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!