Mazda Millenia

jstandefer · May 2001

The last time I looked, this was the case:

91 Octane requirements:

2.5L DOHC V6 Reccomended
2.3L DOHC V6 Required

The 2.5L should run fine on 87 octane, but it will produce less power. The 170/160hp rating is achieved using 91 octane fuel. The Miller-Cycle 2.3L is designed to run ONLY on 91 octane or higher!

emjantam1 · May 2001

Any advice Millenia fans? I have a 1993 Mazda 626ES and am on the edge of buying a 1995 Millenia
"S". This car is gorgeous, with 71,400 babied miles ~ it looks new. But after reading various publications including consumer reports, the Engine gets a big black dot for numerous problems reported as well as bad marks for the cooling system. I have read some of the previous posting and notice mention of the supercharger and the radiator. Whats your recommendation ~ the deal is set to close Tuesday so help would be appreciated from anyone out there.
Thanks, Mike

ken132 · May 2001

I have a 1999 Mazda Millenia with 52,000 miles on it. A few days ago I was going down the freeway at 65 - the speed limit - when the engine
seized up or so the dealer tells me. They say this is due to not changing the oil. In their view sludge caused the camshaft to seize. I have changed the oil of course, but I cannot prove this as I keep no receipts. Does anyone know if this model Mazda has a history of this type of problem? Does Mazda have a hidden warranty or service bulletins on this issue? Any help
would be appreciated as Mazda wants $10,000 for a new engine.

csuftitans · May 2001

I personally wouldn't touch a '95 Millenia S, but others might disagree with me. There're more known problems with the '95 model year (the S model only) compared to other model years. I currently own a 2000 Millenia S, problem free for 27900 miles now. I'm also looking for a used millenia for my wife, year '96, '97 or '98. Not looking for the S model though, just the standard model with leather. BTW, any of you know if the dark blue on the '98 model is the same as those in '95 and '96?

cheers

herndons · May 2001

Hi
I am getting ready to replace the junk factory Panasonic in my 95 Millenia. Does anybody have insight on how to do this. I haven't dived into it but did take a look. After removing the two side trim pieces there are holes similar to the way Ford has there stereos. Does it simply require some bent hanger to be inserted into these holes and bent out? Similar to the Fords? Or is there other things I need to know? Thanks ahead of time.

herndons · May 2001

Hi ken132
What engine do you have? If it is a 2.5L, I might have some insight. I recently purchases a 95 Millenia with a 2.5L and had the same problem. However, the engine didn't get to the point of seizing up. What happened was, the valve covers leaked and at one point, and the engine was starved for oil. After replacing the valve cover gaskets, it was still leaking the vicinity of the valve cover. The only thing left was the camshaft seal. After removing the valve cover and the camshaft seal, big trouble! The front camshaft on the front head had ground into the head and removed so much material that the camshaft was close to breaking. I had to replace the head and both camshafts. What a nightmare. Very expensive. However, the dealer told me that it was common. And the main reason was due to a faulty oil pressure switch that tended to blow out on the 2.5Ls. You might want to check that out. However, the 2.5L is a very intricate and complicated engine (although it may not seem like it, with no power at all!). If any of your oil passages fill with sludge, you are really asking for it! The cams ride on the heads (not like the older pushrod engines with bearings) If you are not feeding oil to these cams, forget it! I don't know what other advice to give you? I can tell you that if it is not covered under warranty, expect to pay an arm and leg to get this fixed. A new head and camshafts cost me $2600 installed!

herndons · May 2001

Hi
I own a 95 Millenia with close to 88,000 miles. The car is perfect except for a transmission that isn't very smooth. Depending on how fast I accelerate, the engine often shift pretty hard into gear. Never slips, but is sometimes clunky. Looking at previous posts, it seems that this is just how the Millenia transmission are. A little clunky at times. The dealership informs me that this is very true and not much to worry. He says to worry if you slip. The transmission was serviced about 1000 miles ago. Does anybody else have anything to say about this?

ddrake30 · May 2001

The factory radio is pretty simple to remove, basically as you suggested. Once you remove the trim tabs on either side of the radio, you'll see four holes. You'll need 4 DIN clips (U-shaped metal clips with a little hook on each end), which when inserted correctly and pulled simultaneously inward or outward (I don't remember which) will allow you to slide the radio out. Never worked on a ford radio, but I assume the coat hanger trick might work in this situation, too.

mantag · May 2001

sorry, i may be too late emajtan1. i have a 95 s . really has been a good car. still get the looks. change oil every 5k, rotate tires etc. yep, when things do need replaced/fixed it ain't cheap! Prepare to spend around $700-800 for your 90k service. the items i have done not considered regular maint. are the front wheel bearings($500)and valve cover gaskets(500-600) I too have seen the consumer reports review about the engine. If you don't take car of your car or any car, you will run into problems. just make sure you change oil religiously. not sure what else to look for preventive maint. wise re: the air compressor going bad on the s model. i hear it is around 3-4K for a new one.

skompie · June 2001

Hi,
I'm interested in buying a 97 s off of my boss. He wants $15,000 CAD (10,000 USD approx.) and it has 158,000 km on it. (100,000 mi) Is this a good deal? What can I expect in the way of repairs with a vehicle with this much mileage? I really like the car it looks like it's in good shape and I asked if he gets it regularly serviced and he complied of course.One thing that through me off was that he told me you only have change the oil every 15,000 km (approx. 9,000 mi) is this true?

gtspec · June 2001

I just saw a good deal on eBay for anyone who wants to replace or upgrade their Millenia's wood dash trim; check out Item #591997605, or click the link below!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=591997605&r=0&t=0

csuftitans · June 2001

I personally wouldn't buy any car that has over 100K miles on it. But this one is a 97 S, which should have a better record than the 95s. What's the market like over there for a 97 Millenia S, if you think this is a good deal then get it. Ask your boss if he'd already did the 90K miles service, which should have changed the timing belt on the car. This cost about US $900 I heard. As far as changing oil, I changed mine every 3000 miles.

2000 Millenia S, still going strong at 28,200 miles.

cheers

summertime · June 2001

I've just purchased a new 2001 Millenia I (to be picked up in two days). I was not planning to buy the I model but did so in the end. For those of you who have owned a Millenia I with its Miller-cycle V6 engine, I would like to get your opinion as to whether to purchase the extended warranty. I was not planning to but the dealer kept telling me to think about it. I cannot help but wonder if there was a more specific reason he was advising me to purchase it other than the fact that he would make more money. In other words, is there any kind of history of problems with Miller-cycle engines after the third year? Please advise.

jmadams1 · June 2001

As far as changing the oil, the book recommends changing it between 5,000 and 7,500 miles. 9000 is a bit high and I would be very weary to purchase one that followed this schedule. Good Luck

jmadams1 · June 2001

I've seen a few posts on gas milage, so I thought I'd add mine. I have a 2000 Millenia S with all the fixin's. I did a recent trip from San Francisco to Vegas. At a cruising speed between 75 and 80 mph and air conditioning on (it was hot,) it yielded 27.5 mpg. When I drive a little slower, like 65 mph, I get about 28. -John

ae86 · June 2001

first of all, i think the S model is one that equips with the 2.3L engine, not the L. Secondly, i would recommend you to purchase the extended warranty if you would not mod the car and would it for a long time. I have a 2000 S and got the 7 yr extened warranty as well. I bought the warranty because the parts for S can be extremely $$ and the warranty only costs 1500 along with road side assistant. i think it's a deal! however, i can't change the suspension system for my car =| anyways, enjoy ur millenia!

spridledog · June 2001

I own a 1996 Millenia S, pearl white, chrome wheels, cold weather package, CD changer, etc. - loaded. It has 54,800 miles on it, and is incredibly clean inside and out. The car is pretty much mint. The Michelin tires have 10,000 miles on them. Even the stock floor mats are spotless - I've always used winter mats, all year 'round! According to Edmunds, the trade-in value is $11,147. According to KBB.com, trade-in is $12,280. I am trying to trade this car in for a new Audi S4. However, the local Audi dealer (I'm in Northeast Ohio) insists that all he can give me is $9,500!! What am I missing? Any ideas?! Thanks....

gtspec · June 2001

Hi guys, I just saw another great deal on eBay for a set of four 1998 Mazda Millenia-S Polished OEM Wheels for 5 bucks, check it out! It's Item#592090843, or click the link below;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=592090843&r=0&t=0

jstandefer · June 2001

$9,500 for your Millenia S in the condition and mileage you described is a bit low. However, you must subtract the cost of reconditioning, safety, and emissions inspection from the trade-in values quoted from the different sites. Also, a used Millenia S is a hard sale due to the unique engine and low consumer awareness. The dealership is probably predicting a low value when they sell it, or they may not keep the vehicle for retail and may wholesale the vehicle or send it out to auction. Visit a Mazda dealership and see how much they will give you for it, since a Mazda dealership would definitely keep the car for retail. Good luck!!

phatpat · June 2001

I have a 95 Millenia S and just hit 52,000 last night. I am at work and about 5 minutes ago was called out by a co-worker about a leak from the front end. I went out and checked and it appears to be transmission fluid leaking. I started the car to check for any abnormal noises and heard none. I then checked again and noticed the drip picked up a little. I will definitely take it in tomorrow but are there any ideas out there to what this might be? Right now is not the time for engine problems. Thanks in advance for any input.

wie_gehts · June 2001

I drove a 2001 Millenia with the 2.5l base engine for 2 weeks as a rental car in the western part of the US. In total, we drove roughly 3,000 miles with the car. Generally, it is a very nice car, I particularly liked the looks and the optitron gauges, they look very upscale. Though I am a Mazda fan, I wouldn't buy the Millenia. It has a fairly tight feeling for a near-luxury sedan, however, I am dissatisfied with the excessive wind and road noise. It is very quiet if you have very smooth asphalt but in most cases you don't and then there is simply way too much road noise. Also, the wind noise coming from the A-pillars is simply unacceptable for a car of this price range.
I also didn't like the automatic climate control, it never seemed to do what I wanted it to do, so I always adjusted everything automatically. Granted, when I came back home and drove off in my MX-6, I realized how nice and rattlefree the Millenia was, yet, it is by no means comparable to a BMW. I know, it costs much less, but still, it should be quieter and more refined. Passing with the 170 hp engine was a pain, it felt so slow due to the automatic and the heavy weight of the car. Obviously, the miller engine is a must. Other than that, it;s a nice car but needs more refinement in wind, road noise and the auto transmission.
Compared to a Passat which is in the same price caregory, the Passat wins hands down.
Mazdas always have a nice sporty feel, they are driver cars, but they lack refinement, particularly noise insulation. This is evident in all mazda vehicles I drove, the Protege, 626, MX-6 and even the Millenia. The worst in terms of road noise was a Protege rental. Over the concrete highways in Seattle, you had to scream to your passengers and you couldn't hear the radio anymore at all. Otherwise, the Protege has a very sporty feel and upscale look for an ecocnomy car.

spridledog · June 2001

Thanks for the tip on my Millenia trade-in. Last night I took it to the Mazda dealer that I bought it from. Unfortunately, he already has 3 Millenias on the lot, but he still offered me $500 more than the Audi dealer....$10,000. Still, though, I was hoping for more like $10,500 or $11,000. Looks like that might not be possible. Thanks again...

herndons · June 2001

Hello
I own a 95 Millenia with 89000 miles. On occasion, when I accelerate, I get a slight vibration in the front end of the vehicle. The car has two new half-shafts so I've concluded that it is not them. The suspension feels tight and I don't believe it is an alignment issue. It only happens occasionally and often after I accelerate from about 10 - 15 mph. Any suggestions?

kimarij · June 2001

Hi All,

Really enjoy this site. Found interesting info here and just thought that i would share some of my info. Found a air intake mod and also replace the factory muffler with a performance muffler. Check out my webpage for more info, pictures and details:

http://www.geocities.com/kimarij/KimariHomePage.html?992361462950

There are links to some of the places that i visit and shop at the most. Take a look and sign the guestbook please.

kimarij · June 2001

Access the website at
www.geocities.com/kimarij/

Still doing some fine tuning. Sorry for the inconvenience.

rababb · June 2001

I have a 1995 I Model that has an intermitent problem with the climate control display. Sometimes it is blank or displays nonsense; other times it displays properly..... however the system still heats or cools fine. Any of you other owners have a problem like this?

milleniaman1 · June 2001

Has anyone tried to get out of their lease early? I have a 3-year lease on a 99 Millenia. My lease runs out in July 2002. However...I'm way over on my miles. The car was a demo...it had 5,800 miles on it when I leased it. I get 12K a year...so at the end of my lease I can have 41,800 miles on the car...well I just hit 39,000 yesterday. I would like to lease another Millenia...so I'm wondering if they might let me out early if I do agree to lease another Millenia.
Anyone have any experience on this...or any suggestions??
Thanks,
Jason

pat · June 2001

You might want to look into this discussion: Lease Questions - Ask Here over on our Finance, Warranty & Insurance Board. Car_man or someone else there may be able to help you out while you are waiting to see if anyone here has any thoughts for you.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

lyons4 · June 2001

Phatpat: I have a 95 L & I had a leak about 2 months ago also of transmission fluid.I taken it to the dealer & they said it was the some type of gasket for the transmission pan.I hope this helps.

phatpat · June 2001

I posted earlier in reference to a transmission leak coming from the front right end of my car. I took it in to the dealer and they said I needed a trans pan gasket which was luckily covered under my extended warranty. Here I am a week later, I go out for a smoke and I notice the same leak from the same spot on my car. Asked around a little and was told this is probably due to a warped pan that possibly needed to be replaced. Just want to know if this sounds legit or not. Should the mechanic have checked or replaced this the first time around or what? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

bscblue · June 2001

Hey, y'all. I posted not too long ago on here but now I have new question; it should be fairly simple to answer or at least point me to where the answer lies.

A friend of mine has recently purchased a very low mileage '97 Millenia L and all of a sudden it has stopped playing certain CDs. At first, it played everything. And then it began to not play certain commercial CDs, but after a little prompting it would. Well, that eventually did not work. It did, however, play CD-Rs just fine. But they, too, have stopped working all the time and now he's lucky to get any CD to play at all, no matter the type. Is this typical of that model year or all years? Is there a place he can take it to to get it quickly taken care of or is this a dealer problem that must be seen by Mazda technicians? Anything you know would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!

ddrake30 · June 2001

Have you tried a CD cleaner? A lot of times, simply cleaning the laser can fix a player that isn't reading discs properly. Also, some CDs are just not compatible with certain CD players, although this usually applies to CD-Rs more often than others. Before paying the dealership a lot of money to look at or repair the player, keep in mind that an aftermarket head unit can be pretty cheap, and rather easy to install in the millenia.

bscblue · June 2001

I think he said he tried to use a cleaner but the player just spit the disc back out, like it did with the commercial CDs and CD-Rs. I told'im he should go to a salvage yard and get a unit out of another Millenia; is that a good plan. I know he has just the base system in there and not that Bose deal. It's an even swap though, right?

Installing an aftermarket unit sounds good but he probably wouldn't do that seeing as how he had an aftermarket player in last car and got this one in hopes that everything would work normally. I don't really care. It's his car but he's not anywhere near being a car fanatic but he does love that damn Millenia an awful lot. LOL

julizio · June 2001

As anyone here changed their oil and/or spark plugs by themselves?

I have a 2000 millennia millennia edition and I'd like to use synthetic oil, but I don't feel like paying an additional $8 per quart at the dealer to substitute synthetic for regular.

I would also like to use the Bosch 4 platinum plugs, but the dealers said they do not carry them and they'd probably charge me $10 per plug extra if they did.

If anyone has done one of both of these things, I'd be curious to hear feedback on how difficult it was and if you realized any benefit.

Love my car and thanks in advance for any help.

Tinkachii

kngmke1 · June 2001

I would find a oil change shop that would do it, if you supplied the oil. Offer them the same price as if they supplied the oil. As far as the plugs I would not attempt to change them as the rear ones have to have the supercharger removed to be replaced...

rzawarski · June 2001

The amount of misinformation on this list continues to amaze me. Previously an owner reported that he had the two catylitic convertors on his Millenia replaced (there is only one "cat" on all Millenias). Now kngmke1 reports that the supercharger must be removed to replace the plugs on my S. I have replaced the plugs on my S and I did not remove the supercharger, (I can also report that it is a much more complicated job than replacing the plugs on a 55 Chevy).

daysailer · June 2001

My Wife & I test drove a Millenia for the first time recently as we were comparison shoping for alternatives to the Accord EX V6. We went to the Mazda dealer to look at 626 V6 but when we realized that with Mazda's $3k incentive the base Millenia could be had for less than the price of an Accord, it appeared the better candidate.

The base ("premium") Millenia is nicely appointed but proved a disappointment since it has the same 2.5L six as the 626, although they credit it with 5 more HP, but it weighs 223lb more than the 626. Five more hp (170) is not enough, the Millenia needs much more! Mazda claims 8.0s 0-60 for the manual 626 (close to the Honda) but only claims 10.2s for the automatic version. That suggests slug territory for the heavier Millenia, and it seemed so. The Millenia S (210hp) would no doubt be much better, but it costs significantly more than an Accord even with the rebate and it drinks premium fuel. In fact, the Millenia S is more comparable in price to an Acura 3.2TL which, among other things, has 225hp and a 5spd auto with "sportshift" which would be the "no brainer" choice for me.
I have 3 Mazdas so I obviously have no aversion to the marque, but I think the Millenia misses the Mark.

soloflight98 · June 2001

I have changed my oil myself in my 2000 s no problem. I curious about the plugs is it really that hard am thinking about buying the manual but it cost 200 dollars but it might be worth it. I think you should stick with the ngk they are for imports and I heard the bosch are not that great. I have only 6500 on mine and I admit it is noisy from the 50 tires. anyone done there own 60000 mile tune up let me know

bscblue · June 2001

Daysailer, the newest Millenias all have the Miller Cycle Engine that was previously only available in the S. It also have improvements in rigidity and stiffness over previous Millenias. That engine has the diistinction of putting out a goodly amount of horsepower in a very small displacement engine which makes it efficient and a little bit more friendly to the gas pump.

And since when is fake manual transmission a reason to buy one car over another. Believe me when I say we don't believe that your 3.-Whatever TL or your Millenia S or your Lexus IS300 will ever beat a Camaro Z28 or Porsche Boxster at any Red Light Drag Races. So get the car for the luxury and the ability to get you where you want to go in elegant style.

spridledog · June 2001

rzawarski, where are you when we need you?! For the good of the forum, I have to politely correct post #739. The Miller Cycle engine is most certainly NOT in ALL new Millenias. There is still the 2.5L V6 in the lesser model, and the Miller Cycle engine in the "S" model! As David Byrne once sang: "...same as it ever was." There, I feel much better now!

bscblue · June 2001

Uh, Spridle. Check that. The 2002 Mazda Millenias all come with the old S versions engine.

spridledog · July 2001

I didn't realize you were talking about 2002 models! I didn't even think those were available yet. I was referring to the 2001 cars. I stand corrected, and will now insert my foot firmly into my mouth....THERE! I'm glad that I'm typing this, because I can't speak too clearly right now! Yuck..this tastes terrible! Happy 4th to all...

stbiss · July 2001

There seems to be alot of criticism of the 2.5L base engine in the Millenia... I previously had a 94 Probe GT w/same engine and found out one important aspect of this engine...the power is at higher rpm's...very little grunt on the low end. The 2.5L is known for its robust design and longevity...its only weak spots were valve cover gaskets and O2 sensors in the 94 and 95 versions.

I now have a 2000 Millenia w/2.5L and I am extremely happy with it...it will not win any drag races, but it can get you where you want to go, and in style to boot.

I looked at Accord v6's and camry v6's, and chose the Millenia for its superior price ($19,900 after $5600 dollar reduction) and fit and finish over the other two.

bscblue · July 2001

That's okat, Spridle. At least you can admit it. I myself would find it hard to even type anywhere I was wrong. Although, everyone would know it. LOL

I personally don't think the 2.5 engine is a slouch. I just can't understand what people are griping about. if you want out and out speed, you buy a Porsche or Viper or what-have-you. If you want to get something to haul friends and family in in style, luxury, and relatively quickly, you get almost anything else.

daysailer · July 2001

bscblue:
Yes, the car that I drove was a 2001 with the 2.5L, 170hp engine and I stand by my conclusion that it does not offer performance comparable to any number of vehicles in its price range, even with the price reduction. It IS a comfortable, well appointed car but so is the Accord and if I can have that AND a better engine then the choice is obvious.

As for transmissions, the Acura "sportshift" is not a "fake manual transmission" but rather an automatic transmission that is more versatile and allows the driver to PARTIALLY compensate for SOME of the disadvantages of ALL automatic transmissions. "Sportshift" aside, the fact that the Acura transmission is a 5 speed rather than 4 as in the Millenia is sufficient to brand it as superior.

kngmke1 · July 2001

Well that is interesting, any special tools required to change the rear plugs? What if anything does need to be removed? The information, I reported came directly from a dealer's shop foreman. I will file a complaint with them about this misinformation. Thanks for clearing it up.

jstandefer · July 2001

Where have you heard that all 2002 Millenia's will be powered by the 2.3L Miller-Cycle engine? The would be an interesting move for Mazda considering that engine only powers less than 20% of Millenia's sold and already exceeds consumer demand.

I don't where you are, but here in San Diego, you can easily buy a Millenia S for less than an Accord EX-V6. Honda dealers here are demanding $2000 over MSRP for the EX-V6 and call you stupid for even thinking about looking at another vehicle! I was looking at them and was totally turned off when they told me I would have to pay them money to tow my RX-7 off their lot and I should get my @#% in the office to sign the contract! This is the general treatment of most of the Honda dealerships here... and I'm sorry, but the RX-7 will blow the doors off any Honda ever built!

Anyways, even without the $2k mark-up on the Accord EX-V6, you can pick up a Millenia S for about the same price ($4k rebate plus at least $1,500 additional reduction). The Millenia S comes with a lot more than the Accord and offers similar performance around town and superior performance on the freeway. However, to each their own. Buy the car you feel is best for you. BTW, why didn't you like the 626? You can pick one up fully loaded for under $23k.

pat · July 2001

Edmunds.com includes the Millenia S in its just published Entry Level Luxury Sport Sedans Comparison Test. Check it out by following the link in the Additional Resources box on the left sidebar of this page.

(Small note - you might not like the last-place results, but no need to shoot the messenger, okay? :-))

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

jstandefer · July 2001

It is my experience that Edmunds does not like anything that wears the Mazda badge. Car and Driver rated the same sedans last year and rated the Millenia S in fourth place. That magazine got almost identical performance figures with the Millenia S rating last or second to last in all acceleration figures. However, they rated it 4th place because of the overall balance of the vehicle. That was before the significant redesign.

The Protege ES has been rated by many, many magazines and other car-related sources as being number one in its class. However, Edmunds rated it fifth place in its comparison test. The funny thing is that the Protege ES Edmunds used in their comparison test was fully-loaded and equipped with an automatic while most of the competitors were equipped with manual transmissions and very few options. Then they go and blast the Protege for it's higher price and mediocre performance against the manual transmission cars.

bscblue · July 2001

Uh, I have found since tracking all car news from middle childhood until now that magazines like "Motor Trend" and Edmunds.com are a bit jaded about cars for some reason. They have been in seat-of-the-pants rides like 911 Carrera4s and Vipers and then wonder why a Millenia won't handle like that or speed out to 60 in under 5 seconds.

Take everything they say with a grain of salt. I have found that people who have certain cars, no matter if these car critics like them or not, love'em. They could care less that anyone else hates them. I find that a wonderful thing. That just shows that fat, bald guys with wide bodies who claim that they don't get enough lateral support in a Miata aren't given too much creedance. If I was a 40 year-old fat guy, I would hate getting ina Miata too!

I have driven my friend's Millenia and I liked it a lot; it doesn't compare to my gorgeous J30t but what does? Every other friend who's seen it of late likes it and it even got them thinking they should get one too. But who wants to be a copycat?

This may sound ridiculous but I would sooner have a Millenia than a new 911 any day. The Porsche redesign of their cars has given all their cars an ugly face. Now a late model 911 and a Millenia . . . I dunno . . . It would be hard to choose . . .

Mazda Millenia

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