[V8] NAC Mazda reliaibility

[diemarthadie at aol.com]

 <knocking on wood> my '91 Miata is doing just fine at 112k.? I've found on the miata.net forum that they are pretty solidly reliable.? Many friends with everything from 626 - Protege - Masdaspeed3 seem very happy with their longevity.? I'd certainly feel fine buying one used with records.? BUT - there is nothing made by Mazda that was ever competative with the design, materials and features of the V8 so you can't really compare them :)



I made that mistake when shopping new cars coming out of a 5000 and Coupe GT.? Nothing in the sub-$20k new cars seemed to be 1/2 the car or comfort of those 15+ year olds (at the time) and I just couldn't pull the trigger on the debt load of a new car I didn't like.? So I bought a V8.? Well, at least the debt load was a lot lower ;)



John



 






-----Original Message-----

From: Mike Arman <Armanmik at earthlink.net>

To: v8 at audifans.com

Sent: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 4:36 pm

Subject: [V8] NAC Mazda reliaibility



  
      Dear Bride has had two Mazdas, a 1990 323 and now a 2002 626.    She bought the 90 new, drove the living you know what out of it. Needed a   radiator because she went   to the local Citgo station where they convinced her that the radiator needed to   be reverse flushed,   and the moron broke the plastic end cap on the radiator and never bothered to   tell her - so why is   my car overheating? I did front brakes (pads and discs) twice and rear brakes   (shoes and drums) once   in 120K miles, she also went through three or four half shafts and two timing   belts and a muffler.    At 120K it was smoking and sounding a bit weary, so we found a junkyard engine   with 45K on it and   had it installed. A month later she got whacked head-on by some 16 year old   brain-dead munchkin in a   pickup truck who ran a light which totaled the Mazda and came damn close to   killing her - this was   in 2002, and she still suffers.    So - 90 323 Mazda, basically a cheap car, runs almost indefinitely with little   to no maintenance,   loud, rough ride, crude, but gets you there.    Replaced it with a 2002 Mazda 626, bought with 6K miles on it. Automatic,   because her left leg   wasn't working right yet (still isn't). Now shows just over 100K. Front brakes   (pads and discs -   they warp) twice, rear is coming soon - and the rear brakes are TINY, they look   like something off a   scooter. Two timing belt/water pump/roller/tensioner jobs, three or four half   shafts, an alternator,   full set of belts (serpentine, PS, etc.), again, nothing particularly unusual or   disastrous.    The car is NOT particularly quiet or comfortable - she asked me why my 1986 5K   Audi was   significantly quieter and rode a lot better ("Dear, the Audi cost $33,000 in   1986, the Mazda cost   $15,000 in 2002." She didn't like that.), the driver's sun visor retainer is   broken, no one has the   part or knows where it can be obtained, she's got it jammed in with cardboard or   something. Seats   LOOK plush, but give me a backache in 25 miles, the c

ar isn't rattly, but does   have quite a bit of   engine and drive train noise (4 cyl), again, it mostly goes and goes and goes,   totally uninspired   and boring, and again, it gets you from A to B.    Admittedly, my "sample" is small, only two cars, but consistent. Mazda seems to   provide cheap,   durable transportation for people who basically dislike driving and cars in   general.    (Good car for a parts runner for an Audi V8Q though!)    Best Regards,    Mike Arman  _______________________________________________  Audifans V8 mailing list  Send posts to: mailto:V8 at audifans.com  Manage your list connection: http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/v8    You can help keep the audifans site running by shopping at http://audifans.com/shop/