Hello everyone, New here.

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 22nd, 2007, 11:29 am

Hey all,

Not new to the site but new to the mx3. I registered on here a while back cause i thought i was getting one but then didn't, but now i just recently bought a 93 mx3 v6. One owner, good shape but does need brake work.

Basically i will do searches and check the site out, but can you give me the 101 for the mx3. Whatr i should know, and what model mine is. gs, rs ect? you know what i mean. What can be done, and where the deals are.

I picked it up for 1600 cdn. Has 183k, everything still works A1 including AC blowing ice cold, it is 5 speed and i bought it off the original owner. It did however have a repaint. Pics will be up soon, but its just a bone stock mx3. Even the stereo has never been removed, this car is 100% stock.

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 22nd, 2007, 7:50 pm

edit edit edit

umcamara · Post by **umcamara** » July 22nd, 2007, 9:38 pm

If your car is a v6, chances are it's a GS. There was a Special Edition model in '93 with heated leather seats. leather wrapped steering wheel, automatic seatbelts, and some other neat little extras.

If you are capable of, or willing to try to do your own work you can save a lot of money. I'm no mechanic, but I always do my own work, and it's a great way to learn and appreciate your car a whole lot more.

There's tons of information on this site. I always find the search button handy. If you're looking for something such as "brake parts", type in "brake and parts", and you will have plenty of literature at your fingertips. It's just a matter of taking the time to read it.

Good luck.

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 22nd, 2007, 9:51 pm

ok. cool.. thanks..

But i want a run down of the mx3.. History lesson.. What is a common problem? What is known witht he v6? Do they have head gasket problems? Steering problems.. do rear calipers seize often?
Things i should know to keep an eye out.

Like the mx6.. i used to own one and i know the v6 were bad for distributors...

Just info like that... Do they over heat..

Like gimme me a 101 of the mx3.. Cause i'm new to them, i want to kow what i should look for. I fugured a quick 101 lesson would be better then searching all day.. Ya know.. Help a new member out...

2RotorsNaDream · Post by **2RotorsNaDream** » July 22nd, 2007, 11:03 pm

MX-3s are basically the same as MX-6s so you still have to worry about the distributors dying out on you and also the shifter tends to drop to the floor but once you fix it it wont happen again. But other than that the car should be pretty good. I never have any problems with mine or the 3 others I had before this one.

solo_ryder · Post by **solo_ryder** » July 23rd, 2007, 12:45 am

midrange wrote:ok. cool.. thanks..

But i want a run down of the mx3.. History lesson.. What is a common problem? What is known witht he v6? Do they have head gasket problems? Steering problems.. do rear calipers seize often?
Things i should know to keep an eye out.

Like the mx6.. i used to own one and i know the v6 were bad for distributors...

Just info like that... Do they over heat..

Like gimme me a 101 of the mx3.. Cause i'm new to them, i want to kow what i should look for. I fugured a quick 101 lesson would be better then searching all day.. Ya know.. Help a new member out...

First off, welcome to the site! Hope you can find lots of information you need here because everything is usually covered. I have had 2 mx3's, both GS's and I have swapped KLZE's into both of them (since you had a mx6, I am sure you know what that is).

From what I know and have seen, the rear brake calipers tend to seize, the ebrake fork actuator thing can seize up. There is also a problem with disty's dying as you are aware. Other then that I cannot think of to much besides the motor being kind of a pita if you do not maintain it. I believe there is a problem with the piston rings/valves going bad over time or if you do not do the proper maintenace/oil changes.

Anyways, post up some pics! Lets see the thing and welcome to the club!

Jordan

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 23rd, 2007, 7:27 am

Awesome. Good to know. Appreciate all, and thanks, i'll be on the site for a bit.. plan to keep the 3 for a bit.
Yes, i know the klze. I wanted one in the 6 but never got that far. I don't plan to do that to this car, but if my motor ever goes, i will look into it.
Is the mx3 like the mx6 when it comes to swaps? Uses same gear box, connections etc, mounts?

NorCalMX3 · Post by **NorCalMX3** » July 23rd, 2007, 1:15 pm

umcamar1 wrote:If you are capable of, or willing to try to do your own work you can save a lot of money. I'm no mechanic, but I always do my own work, and it's a great way to learn and appreciate your car a whole lot more.

Agreed, 110 percent, defiantly gives you that personal connection that most people who just buy and have other people maintain it don't have.

PurpleDinosaur · Post by **PurpleDinosaur** » July 23rd, 2007, 4:44 pm

I'm an mx3 newb but here's a short list of things that I've come to feel are relatively common issues with GS models based on the lurking / surfing I've done here:

Rear Calipers - yes, they are known to stick... this per my mechanic, not the site.

Accordian Hose part of the Air Intake system is prone to cracking- check it carefully and when you find cracks do a search for CAI and let you ride breathe. Hint: CAI for Integra RS's from Ebay seem to be a good starting point for making a CAI.

Oil WILL collect in the spark plug wells; get used to it.

In general our cars suffer a significant perfromance drop when things get hot under the hood... phenlic spacers are common; especially amongst the KLZE crowd.

Distys are known to fry without warning.

You can pull codes from your cars commputer (search) - do this BEFORE asking "why is my check engine light on?" (also search for CEL)

If you have a US 93 it has automatic seatbelts instead of airbags; these belts are the subject of a lifetime recall... although I have heard of it being a once per VIN deal...

Have fun and enjoy!

-Barney

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 23rd, 2007, 4:58 pm

Oil WILL collect in the spark plug wells; get used to it.

This is only true if you dont replace your valve cover gaskets. The gaskets tend to harden up over time and will eventually start leaking.. replacing the gaskets will prevent the oil from getting into the spark plug wells.

Tunes67

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 23rd, 2007, 5:33 pm

great.. this is exactly what i want to hear.
Well, I have been doing my own work on cars since grade 9, which was many years ago, so i'm mechanically good to go. I dropped 25g into my mx6 last year (BIG MISTAKE) but i have to say, it was one sexy 6. Just wasn't worth it, sold it for 5500. lol ummm.. i think i'm good to go for now, however, i do think my car has NO air bag.

There is no air bag light on the dash, my car has no air bag labels to be seen or the warning label on the visor...... and i have no automatic belts or what ever they are...
so i should be good to pull my steering wheel if need be correct?

thanks, Brian

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 23rd, 2007, 5:54 pm

If your in canada.. airbags were optional and not standard equipment. If your in the US.. 94+ models got airbags. 92-93 model years in the US had autoseat belts.. and they sucked too.

Tunes67

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » July 23rd, 2007, 6:21 pm

Yah there was some kind of law in the U.S. stating that a car must have a safety device that didn't have to be activated by the passenger, so auto belts or air bags.

Anyway, it's good to hear your keepin with the mazda's and got an mx-3 now to work on. I'm assuming you had the 2.5L V6 in your mx-6? Basically it's almost the same as the K8. Theres not a whole lot of difference.

If your going to start investing some time and money into your mx-3, engine swap of choice is of course the KLZE...for supsension, the ZX2 escort struts work well with eibach springs and are cheap as well...

Really, there aren't a whole lot of problems or things to watch out for. Just like any car, there are alwasy things you need to do to keep it running properly and not break.

What kind of plans do you have for your mx? Is there anything currently wrong with it?

midrange · Post by **midrange** » July 26th, 2007, 8:21 am

Not a whole lot wrong with it.. If you keep up with posts, you would know i'm in the middle of doing a brake job on it.. Needed rotors and pads all around... So far nothing seized. Knock on wood. Also my wiper switch isn't working, they don't turn off.. I have to pull the fuse to get them to turn off.
Besides that, the car is a1, with a bit of rust. I love the fact the AC blows ice cold, heater blows nice and hot and today i tested the cruise for the first time and it works great. No grinds, clutch is mint.... oh and the only bad part interior wise is a rip in the rear seat.

No complaints here. Oh and my 6 was the rs, but it is now turboed which is what i had planned for it.