General Questions

elmoknows · Post by **elmoknows** » March 7th, 2006, 6:51 pm

Hello,

I'm new to these forums but have been reading them closely for a few days.

I'm looking at a mazda MX3 1992 at the moment but have some general questions for you experts

Is this a good first car? I'm happy to learn and work on it but will it be costly to keep running?

Why are they generally cheaping then other vehicles (civics, 323's of same date)

and lastly...
Are you happy with the power given by the stock engine/parts? (what is it comparable to?)

Thx a lot for the help...
adam

Legato626 · Post by **Legato626** » March 7th, 2006, 7:05 pm

I got a 94 GS and it had about 118-119k on the engine. And its been a year and half and i have not ONES had the car break down on me! =) The only issue i had was my rear sway bar link was shot and that was a pain in the butt to fix... But also my battery played lets die over time games... optuma fixed that issue really quick! =) Engine power tho I have the K8 v6 and it has its balls but nothing like the KL-ZE with is one of the most swaped engines for the v6 model's. But you can search on the websites for some of your basic questions.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » March 7th, 2006, 8:44 pm

Is this a good first car? I'm happy to learn and work on it but will it be costly to keep running?

This depends greatly on the condition of the car you buy. This does not apply only to MX-3's but to any used car on the market. A car that has been properly maintained will have a lifespan 5 times greater than a car that has been abused and neglected. As with any older & used vehicle.. it will need maintenance.. and the prices of these cars generally reflect not only the mileage and condition.. but often include maintenance records.

There is truth in the old saying "You get what you pay for". Does that mean you cant find a good car cheap? No.. you can.. but it requires patience and the knowledge to know what is a good deal and what isnt.

Why are they generally cheaping then other vehicles (civics, 323's of same date)

I havent noticed that the prices have been getting less in my area.. so I think this one is going to be dependant upon where you live and the demand for the car in your area.

and lastly...
Are you happy with the power given by the stock engine/parts? (what is it comparable to?)

That completely depends on what your intention towards the car is. If you are going to use it as a daily driver and dont have any grand plans to race it or autocross it.. then the cars seem to have average pep and power for their size & class of vehicle. Others may say they were under powered from the factory.. but I feel this was offset by the superior handling performace the car came with that outclassed anything in its class at the time of its release.

Now if you are wanting a Ferrari for $2500.. it aint gonna happen

For the most part.. the questions you asked can really only be answered either by you or by the car itself. I can say with some confidence that if you buy one.. you will love the car

And as for the value? Well this website and the people on it make the car just that much more valuable.. sure there are other forums on the net for other cars.. but none are more like a family than this one in my opinion. When I bought my first MX-3 a year ago.. I bought it because it was in decent condition and with a bit of maintenance.. I knew it would be reliable for a good long while. Then I found this website.. and suddenly.. my little commuter car pretty much became an obsession LOL Now.. a year later.. I have bought a second one and this one will be my toy sports car

Research is the key here.. these cars are pretty easy to work on in general.. if you are willing to read and learn.. what you can do with your car is only limited by your imagination. Cheers

Tunes67

1992blazeredgs · Post by **1992blazeredgs** » March 7th, 2006, 9:12 pm

If you could give us some more details on the car such as year, model, and miles we could give you a better explanation of what to expect. They are very dependable. With some routine maintenance, there is no reason you cant get 200k out of one. I bought my first 93 rs with 164 k for $1650 back in 2003. Ran solid until the day i sold her with 198k. Only reason i sold was because i ran into the oppotunity to upgrade to the gs model. I love my mx-3. It was the first car i ever purchased. Like tunes67 said it all depends what you want out of the car.

Nate

elmoknows · Post by **elmoknows** » March 7th, 2006, 11:12 pm

Thanks for all the help.

I'll be checking it out this weekend and will report with the details

...

However, I do know its going to be a fixer-upper. Its up for really cheap.

I'll continue to research and learn.

thx again
adam

jrors · Post by **jrors** » March 9th, 2006, 5:19 pm

Well, I have a 93 rs and the only problem the car has given me is the auto tranny going out. Other than that, with the routine maintence, these MX's hold up just as good as any other car. And to be honest with you, if you do make the wise choice on getting a MX-3, you should consider this forum one heck of a perk. Becasue of all the info here to help you with pretty much any problem that may come up.... or other types of helpful ideas and advice, the purchase of the MX will be worth it indeed.

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » March 10th, 2006, 4:35 pm

I found it's a great first car...cause it was mine

Hey, 4 years later and I still have it, so that must say something

It's a very reliable car, but the problem is age. No matter now reliable, especially going through our Canadian winters, parts will fail. You have a 1992, same as me, and you have you look at it perpectively, how reliable do you want a car that is 14 years old? How many miles, now was it driven? It's not going to be perfect, but it's really, really good.

Parts can be a little expensive, which actually reflect on the popularity of the car (and why they are cheaper). It seems that the general public sterotypes it as a "girls car" (like a Miata).

Power is also relative to what you've driven. I got the V6 version and found it much more powerful than my parents 2.2L 1990 automatic Mazda 626 (which I use a a winter beater today) that I learned to drive on.

Two questions Elmo, do you have a 4cyl or V6 Mx-3? Where do you live in Ontario?

elmoknows · Post by **elmoknows** » March 10th, 2006, 7:51 pm

Hey everyone,

I'm sorry to say the car I was after sold before I got to it this weekend. Thanks for all your help and I'll keep my eye open for another but for now I still carless. Hope to join the family soon but for now you probably won't be hearing from me.

Thx again for everyones help,

adam