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