Lost Mazda Parts

jeffsmx3 · Post by **jeffsmx3** » April 1st, 2006, 11:04 pm

My husband passed away last November. He was 33. So I took over the things he did have. I have a 1993. I just want to make a comment. I have NEVER had a car that was so hard to find parts for. What is up with that. I'm going to fix it up like he was going to do. You have to really get a headache and bang your head against a wall a few times to find what you need.

neutral · Post by **neutral** » April 2nd, 2006, 4:52 am

I'm sorry to hear about Jeff. Welcome to mx-3.com. What kind of parts are you having trouble sourcing and what is the model of your MX-3? (4cyl or the GS/6cyl) It can be a challenge to find sources for some aftermarket parts but they are out there. Members of this board can be a great assist. Chances are that we've already done some head-banging on it...

jeffsmx3 · Post by **jeffsmx3** » April 2nd, 2006, 11:23 pm

Thanks Neutral and thanks for the condolences. Jeff was awesome and greatly missed. My MX-3 is a 4cyl. 5 speed.
I won't lie to you guys I don't know alot about cars. Just the basics, changing oil, checking the fluids. But now is the time to learn because I have no one else to do it for me anymore. Anything you needed fixed Jeff could do it.
I know I can't rebuild a motor overnight but I need to learn some things that Iwill be able to do on my own. And someway turn this car into what he wanted it to be.
Anyway. I can't find parts I want. Like a rear and front bumper. I think the old ones will just have to be patched. I can't find wiper arms just blades.
One of the biggest problems i am coming across is pricing on Rims. Theres some I really like that I found but I don't know jack about what is reasonable for rims. I feel females are constantly getting ripped off. So maybe you could tell me what a good price for rims are.
the ones I was looking at are: http://www.customwheelsdirect.com/wheel ... hp?id=5848
There are other things I need but I'm just going at my own pace. Thanks![/url]

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » April 3rd, 2006, 12:42 am

The wiper arms can only be bought at Mazda. However they don't really wear out so maybe you can sandblast them and then paint them. I did it to mine and they are as good as new now.

Front and rear bumpers are all over EBay or you can look here plenty of people buy flashy bumpers and sell the original ones if you want a stock bumper.

You can spend between 100 and 1000 per wheel. It really depends on hwta you want and what you budget is.

jeffsmx3 · Post by **jeffsmx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 1:33 am

Thanks for the suggestions. I gotta tell ya though when I have even mentioned to anyone about fixing this car up they laugh in my face. They say its a waste of money to put any money into a 1993. That its too old. Its my money I'll do what I want. Theres no rust on the body just some paint thats chipped off in a few places. A few places I went to wanted anywhere from $ 5000 to $6000 to paint it. I asked them what drugs they were on.
I found a friend of a friend that does auto body and he told me it shouldnt cost more that $1500. Hmm..quite a difference huh?
Later.........

neutral · Post by **neutral** » April 3rd, 2006, 7:52 am

$1500 sounds more like it. Here are a couple threads that might help ya source parts, both used and new.

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... ht=#291386
http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... ht=#337683

New wiper arms from Mazda are obscenely priced. If your's just need to be refinished, repaint em. Careful when removing and reinstalling, the mounting collar can strip pretty easily. If they are stripped/damaged at the attachment collar so they don't rotate properly with the wiper motor, sourcing a replacement arm from a used parts place is your best bet.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » April 3rd, 2006, 9:44 am

A repaint shouldn't cost anywhere near that much. I paid about 1200 for mine to be repainted and it needed some paint to be removed first cause it was flaking away.
I would suggest just being totally confident when looking for parts and asking for prices. If you think you may be getting a bad price tell them that you'll think about it and come and ask us. Some people will screw anyone for an extra dollar.

We will help you know what is reasonable if you need us to.
4-5000 is crazy. Even if you wanted a totally custom paint job it shouldn't cost much more than 3-4000. That would be for a show quality job too.
Personally I think any year car is worth it if you love the car. Who cares how old it is. It is a rare import and that is what is hot right now.

Post by **Custommx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 9:51 am

Not a site nor forum recommendation..

Moving to General.

jeffsmx3 · Post by **jeffsmx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 10:44 am

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. I must have sucker written on my forehead when I walk into these garages. Of course we all know it doesn't help that I'm a female.
I would love to get this car fixed up and go back to those garages and say..hm...only $1500, can you believe that one....and then just drive away.
I don't care how old the car is. They've all said to me, you want to soak money into the body of a 93, well what do you do when the motor goes. I said..put in a different motor. They all laughed at me. They told me I just need to drive it the way it is until it runs itself into the ground.
Jeff loved that car. I'm not just gonna let it rot away. So I guess I'm on my own with the help from you guys of course.
As far as the $6000 paint job goes according to them you can't sand paint thats chipped off on the quarter panels so I have to buy brand new quarter panels. Um yeah ok. Along with brand new bumpers.

Post by **Custommx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 12:06 pm

Take it elsewhere. What kind of morons say you cant sand off areas with chipped paint? Thats rediculous.

Im in the process of doing bodywork to my project car, it had lots of paint chips. I just sanded it down to the metal on the body and primed it.

As far as engines goes. They can laugh it up. Motor swaps on these cars are easy, expecially the K series swaps.

I'd keep it as well, sentimental value is more valuable than $$.

Franko · Post by **Franko** » April 3rd, 2006, 1:21 pm

You dont have to answer if you dont want to.. but Im curious as to what happened to your husband? 33 is awfuly young. What a tragedy!

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » April 3rd, 2006, 5:03 pm

jeffsmx3 wrote:Anyway. I can't find parts I want. Like a rear and front bumper. I think the old ones will just have to be patched. I can't find wiper arms just blades.

Well, of course the front and rear bumpers for the mx-3 are only found on that car, and it's not a popular car anymore, but they should be easy to find. They are the same from 1992 to 1996, so you can get one from any of those years. There are 3 places you can source those parts:
- Directly from Mazda
- From a wrecked Mx-3 at the wreckers
- Someone who changed to a different bumper and is looking at selling their original ones. (This is where this place is handy)

As well, the bumpers are made of eurothane. It's like a plastic/rubber, very flexiable and durable. I don't know the reason why you are looking at replacing them, but if there's stuffs and scrapes, they could be sanded down. I had a few scuffs on my rear bumper that I got fixed. As for major patching, it depends I guess on what needs to be fixed and how bad. My side skirts were bought damaged (they were rare since they are from Mazda Europe/Japan) and the bodyshop was able to repair them. I had intended to fix them myself. There's a boat repair kit I bought to fix my side skirts with. The kit was suggested by another Mx-3'er who used that exact same kit to fix the front lip on his Mx-3's front bumper.

Wiper blades, I inquired into 2 weeks ago. They were About $57 (Canada), each! So instead of spending over $100 on new wiper arms, I got some fine-grit sand paper, bought a sray can of Tremclad gloss black paint and gave them 3-4 coats, they looks great.

jeffsmx3 wrote:I gotta tell ya though when I have even mentioned to anyone about fixing this car up they laugh in my face. They say its a waste of money to put any money into a 1993. That its too old. Its my money I'll do what I want.

Myself and many Mx-3 enthousiasts on this site I'm sure have heard that at least once. Myself, my car is older and yours, a 1992, and I choose to put many times it's value on itself and personally, there's not a time I drive it where I don't enjoy it. Now, I've had the car for 4 years now, and I've done the work at my own pace. What I did is upgrade parts as parts needed to be replaced (when I bought the car, it was already 10 years old), as well as doing preventative maintenance at the same time while other parts were being accesses. Although, I got anxious and did an engine upgrade just over a year of owning a vehicle.

jeffsmx3 wrote:They've all said to me, you want to soak money into the body of a 93, well what do you do when the motor goes. I said..put in a different motor. They all laughed at me. They told me I just need to drive it the way it is until it runs itself into the ground.

That was rude of them. After doing my engine swap, that's how I look at it...it's only an engine, it can easilly be replaced. As well, you have a 5spd 1994 4cyl, so if you wanted to do an upgrade, if and when you replace it, it's farily easy for what I've heard/read. I have a v6, so I'm not 100% clear on the work involved, but you can ask around in the 4cyl section and come of the 4cyl guru's, but your Mx-3 currently has 1.6L 88hp 4cyl. You can put in a 1.8L 4cyl, which is actually more widely available (ie: easier to get parts), with power anywhere from 130 to 210hp, depending on how much you want to spend of course, and do a nice burnout in front of the people telling you not to waste your money

Custommx3 wrote:I'd keep it as well, sentimental value is more valuable than $$.

I concur. My Mx-3 is actually my first car, so of course there is significan't sentimental value. I don't look at it's value or resell value. I bought a car to drive and enjoy, and I tell ya, I enjoy driving this car moreso than when I bought it 4 years ago. I put as much money into it as I see fit to I can continue driving it, and enjoy driving it. My parents use to complain at how much money I put into it, but they know how much good and what I've learned working on this car, as well getting outside instead of being the basement-dwelling-computer-nerd I used to be

Most of my mom's side of my family do think that I'm wasting money, and I'd be better off putting the money into a newer car. (Besides for my parents 1990 Mazda 626 which we've had for 8 years and that I use as a winter beater, I have the oldest car on that side of the family. My dad's side of the family live in Quebec, so I only see them once or twice a year, so they don't count). But I don't care, I know my car if better than their's anyway

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » April 3rd, 2006, 5:06 pm

you know, all my freinds, mechanics, relatives said my car was crap that i should sell it. It was worthless... right after i painted they want to know whats in the engine and ho much did it cost... silly how people monly go for looks. These cars can get a bit pricey if we dont regularly maintain them but dayum i think they are hot and sexy. I promise you, just read up the faq, other peoples problems and you will learn MORE than those mechanics

Most of us know things about this car that professionals dont even care to know or cant do

nos92mx3 · Post by **nos92mx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 7:50 pm

Where from western Ny are you?
Im from the victor canandaigua area, If you need parts i know where there is a 92 gs with blown motor hanging out.
If you need help let me know.

jeffsmx3 · Post by **jeffsmx3** » April 3rd, 2006, 7:51 pm

Thanks for all the replies I kinda figured you guys would be like "you're a girl you have no idea what you are talking about"
I've been looking into this stuff for awhile. I may not be ready to swap out a motor but I know alot more than I used to.
As far as the question about my husband. We were both the same age. 33. Actually we were best friends too. I had known him from back in high school. We had been friends all these years until I decided to give it a chance. We ended up getting married, and it was the best thing ever. A few years later bad went to worse. He had an x-ray done for work and they found something on his lung. The stupid doctor assured me it was probably nothing. Maybe an infection, that he was too young for it to be anything else. Yeah ok. He had small cell lung cancer for 7 1/2 months. He loved his little MX-3. Thats why this is important to me. It was the rarest of all lung cancers caused by asbestos. Its also the fastest growing. Theres a .04% chance getting it under the age of 60. He didnt want to die because he knew what it would do to me and he was right. Nov 4th of last year we were home alone. He looked at me and said I love you as he fell towards the coffee table. I threw his oxygen mask back on him and was yelling for him to breathe and not to leave me behind. My life has been complete garbage since that day. I never thought I'd be a widow at 33.

Ok I guess all of that is for a different forum. Sorry.

I do however have to tell you when I get behind of that little MX-3 5 speed and all. It makes me feel better than I have felt in months. I can't explain it. Its like hes sitting right next to me. I love that car.
I wish I had a website so I could show you guys the before and after. I haven't quite gotten to the after yet but I work on it a little every day. I think I want to keep it the same color as he had it...white. But I have plans on doing more than just a paint job. I'm running in my head over some graphics I'd like to have on it. All I can say is screw those mechanics and the rest of my family who think I'm stupid. What about these people that fix up these cars that are from the 1950's. Ya know? I think for a 1993 90,000 miles on it isn't bad. I was driving an explorer that had 200,000 plus miles on it.
Its not that I need a car. I have a 2000 Chevy Blazer. But if I had to give one of them up it would be the Blazer.
I have a lot to learn and hope you guys can help me out. Too bad some of you don't live closer. Its easier to show someone that to tell someone sometimes.
Those body kits look pretty awesome but then I stop and think of where I live. The boonies. There are more potholes then I can count. I'm afraid I would do more damage than good.
You guys will get a kick out of this one. I stopped at 5 places today just to get an air filter. You would think..air filter..simple enough..right? Needless to say no one carries it.
As far as my wiper arms, the only reason I was going to switch them out is the rust. Its like the only rust on the whole car. But from what you guys are saying I think I will sand them out and repaint them. $57 for each is a bit riduculous.
I know this is getting too long but I'm trying to respond to all your guys.
The reason for replacing the bumpers its not that they're scuffed up its that they both are cracked. I've called around the wreckage yards but no one has any Mazdas laying around. If I just fix them will it last down the road? I would hate to have to do it all over again a year from now.
The guy Jeff bought it from had a bra on the front end. It has to come off because its old and nasty. But the few auto body guys I saw tried telling me there were dents under there they would have to fix. Funny but when I got home I looked and saw nothing but some leaves under there. Hmmm.
I know they are telling me I need new quarter panels because I have idiot written on my forehead. I told them there was no reason why they couldn't be sanded down. They then told me well they can't sand that because it might create a hole. Ya..have a nice day.

One question...what is a good brand name of rims in your opinion?

Well I have gone on long enough.
I know I talk to much but if any of you guys want to send me a message my yahoo name is morgan_10260 . I know..no flash. But at the time I just needed a name.
My profile is at http://profiles.yahoo.com/morgan_10260
just so you know I'm not some freak.
Thanks and if you guys can give me a tip on rims let me know. Later guys

Tricia