New MX-3 Owner - My Trials and Tribulations

[rndmprsn]

so i bought this white 94 mazda mx-3 about a month ago...142,700 miles on the odometer, and a brand new tranny...$2200.

it was leaking oil so i had the valve cover gasket replaced, the muffler pipe fell off...had that fixed too.

then after a week or so it started stalling out...so i had it tuned up and replaced the spark plug wires too. still stalled...so i took it to a good shop on advice of a friend and they cleaned out the injectors and the throttle...they fixed a power steering fluid leak that had developed, a new hose and they also replaced the radiator, said it was also leaking. still stalled...so they then replaced the FPR and took the gas tank off and cleaned out sludge and dirt, new fuel pump and fuel filter too.

then...when driving back home at night, the lights got really dim and the instrument panel started to go crazy and then stopped working, it was the alternator, i had that replaced and got a new battery...then while driving away from the shop, the alternator belt snapped...i noticed the engine temps, which is never above a third, was at the top and the charge light came on...so i pulled over, the shop towed the car and fixed the belt...

the car now drives like a champ...just drove it up 300 miles from raleigh NC to baltimore MD avg speed about 85-90 mph and it performed really well...the response is quick off the line and on the highway, noticeably, much better than before, i guess it should be for all the s--- i replaced/fixed, total cost for all that $1200.

but...i think i have a nice peppy unique car now and spent about $3400 altogether, much headache for the last month, but now i know alot under the hood is new etc...and i do like the car, so $3400 isn't so bad IMO
any common things i can expect?

question, whats the best oil type/brand to be running this time of year?

thanks...

RNDM

[verzutiko]

Congratulations on your new buy! Put some pics up of your beauty! Hmm, I use 10-40 oil on my carwhich has seen 260k km...Worksfine, buta lot of ticking...

[rndmprsn]

ok...so the car has been running really good for the past couple months...but yesterday when i got to work i noticed a funny smell...i looked under the car and there was red fluid (tranny i believe) all over the ground and leaking out.

against my better judgement i drove it 5 miles back home (not too much choice @ 10:30pm)

this morning there was still a couple spots under the car, checked the tranny fluid and it looked good and red and the level was fine? but the car was hesitating shifting when i hit the gas, after a block or two it started shifting and the auto-shop was only about 5 blocks away, wasn't leaking when i got to the shop, but still have a bad feeling about this...

what could it be? please prepare me before i get "the call" from the shop.

the tranny had been replaced before i bought it less then 3,000 miles ago

peace
RNDM

[rndmprsn]

the shop just called and said it was just a busted hose...thank you God!

RNDM

[nicksmx3]

yea trannys are a pain in my old car i had a tranny didnt shift at all shifted hard leaked like 6 quarts a day and all i did was keep loading it with sealant and cleaner and tranny fluid mixture and it was fine....just a dehydrated seal...