The 2014 Mazda3: Green Car of the Year Nominee

The redesigned 2014 Mazda3, complete with a full SKYACTIV platform and i-ELOOP technology (giving it an amazing 41 mpg), has been nominated for 2014 Green Car of the Year, presented this year at the 2013 LA Auto Show by Green Car Journal. 

Of course, we've known how well the new Mazda3 performs (and how good it looks performing well...), but what’s interesting about this nomination is that the contest is almost always filled with electric vehicles, and the Mazda3 is one of three gasoline-powered cars to be nominated this year.

Stop by Parks Mazda to take a look at the 2014 Mazda3 and test that mpg rating yourself!

The Importance of Brake Fluid

There are maintenance items on our cars that we sometimes forget.  For many of us, brake fluid can easily be one of them .  But first, allow us to explain what brake fluid does.

Brake fluid is fed through a series of lines to your brake calipers to help them clamp down on your rotors.  The fluid itself is pressurized by your brake booster, located in the engine bay.
When brake fluid is low, your braking will show.  A low amount of brake fluid will result in less pressure, and air in the system.  Air in your brake lines causes your pedal to feel soft and sluggish, which results in poor to very, very bad braking.

If your brake pedal feels soft, it likely means your fluid is low and/or air in the system.  Give the pedal some pumps till it feels firmer; many times this won’t solve the issue and you’ll need to service your brakes by “bleeding” the lines.  One way to tell is if the fluid in your reservoir is full but your brakes still feel soft, then it’s time to service them, which Parks Mazda can happily do for you in case you don't have the time or tools.

Tips for Carpooling

School is now in sessions, which means carpooling kids for many of us.  So here are some suggestions to maximize safety and cut down on worry!

1.)    Before starting out of your first carpool adventure, make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on routine maintenance. Getting an oil change and having your tired tread wear checked are good places to start. We can help with that!

2.)    Make sure you and all of your passengers buckle up. As kids get older they tend to want to use seatbelts less and less. A survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that many young teens don’t buckle up, even when they are riding as passengers with adult drivers. So set a good example. Make sure you are always buckled up yourself and ensure that all passengers, no matter what their age, are buckled as well before putting the car in drive.

3.)    Safely share the road with child pedestrians. Do not block crosswalks when waiting to make a turn or when stopped at a light. Children are the most difficult pedestrians to see and the least predictable. Never scare a child pedestrian by honking, revving your engine, or rushing them in any way as they are crossing in front of your vehicle.

4.)    Share the road with school buses. Laws in all 50 states make it illegal to pass a school bus while it is stopped to load or unload children. Pay attention to the yellow caution lights that flash to warn you when the bus is preparing to stop and leave a safe distance between you and the school bus.

5.)    Pay attention to school zones. These are the areas that are likely to have the most congestion from children being dropped off in front of school. Obey the lower speed limits and be prepared to make frequent stops due to children getting out of vehicles and not always paying attention to where they are walking.

6.)    Instruct your children on where to walk after you drop them off in front of their schools. Remind them to always use crosswalks and sidewalks and to be cautious at all times.
Stay tuned to Bright Bay Mazda's blog for more safety tips and other neat automotive tricks!

Keep watching the Parks Mazda blog for more safety tips and useful driving and car maintenance tips!

The 2014 Mazda3 Is Here

The new Mazda3 is Mazda at its absolute best.  The vehicle is stunning, but it's also a performer. 

Debuting earlier this week via a live Xbox Live feed, the newest addition to Mazda's 2014 line-up adds aggressiveness and technology you just can't get from anyone else, and especially in the segment the Mazda3 competes.

Like the beautiful, new 2014 Mazda6, the 2014 Mazda3 utilizes Mazda's Kodo design and integrates several new features that enhance every aspect of driving.

Whichever Skyactiv engine you choose, be it the 2.0L or the 2.5L, the new Mazda3 will deliver all of the engine's performance while maintaining maximum efficiency based on current conditions.  Active grille shutters open and close to make the car more aerodynamic and keep the engine as cool as it needs to be.  The Active Driving Display features a line-of-sight data area for the driver, while new safety-intensive apps make for a safer ride.

Want to learn more about the wonderful 2014 Mazda3?  Keep up with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages to see the latest information.

Mazda Clebrates Ten Years of the Mazda3

In celebration of the Mazda3's tenth anniversary, it looks like Mazda will be unveiling a new Mazda3 very soon, or so we've heard. Whether it's the new Mazda3 or something different, we can confirm that the unveil will be in coordination with the new Xbox One console.

This comes on the heels of the new Mazda6's success in coordination with the new Star Trek Into Darkness film, so we think this is a perfect way to keep riding the innovative wave with the newest Mazda3. Back to the new Mazda3.

Regardless of when or how it's unveiled, we think the newest iteration will follow the new Kodo design that's implemented on the 2014 Mazda6. Needless to say the newest Mazda3 should look equally great.

 If you want to keep up with Mazda and Xbox One, check the hashtag #GameChanger, and be sure to enter the contest!

The Mighty Mazda Miata

Are you ready for a showdown?  Enter some of the world's fastest production cars, a few top notch domestics, and...a Mazda Miata, all vying to be crowned the fastest:


  How great is this video? We hope you got a small kick out it!