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Comments
http://sbcc.ca/tech/lube1.htm
the GL ratings are performance specifications, not formulation designations. So a GL-5 may or may not have sulpher in it.
Regardless, a local auto parts store has Mobil 1 75W-90 full synthetic gear oil. I may end up using that, if I can find out if it has sulpher additives or not. The other stoopid thing I did was to use 80W instead of 75W (because that's what WalMart had on the shelf) and it's harder to get it into 1st & 2nd than before the change. I imagine when fall/winter rolls aournd, I'll have to change it anyway.
Dave
Check out their website.
See if you can find Redline MT90.
http://api-ep.api.org/filelibrary/1560.pdf
http://api-ep.api.org/filelibrary/1560.pdf
I checked my owner's manual last night, and it does say GL-4 or GL-5 can be used. The Haynes manual just says 75W-90, doesn't say what spec. At least one person on miata.net says Mobil 1 gear oil is great in his transmission.
My research continues.... More to follow.
It's been a while, and now I have a small problem/nuisance which I think is HLA related. In the morning with the car cold, I hear only a bit of HLA tick that rapidly dies out. As the car reaches its temperature, I start hearing more and more taping (the famous 'Mazda tap'), but only when I coast with my foot on the gas (i.e., when I barely depress the gas pedal). Also, under load (going up hill or passing someone), I hear 'valve noise' similar to the one you would get if you drove a stick at 10 MPH in fourth gear (like a gargle). As you know, this is a L4 626 from 95, ATX, with 81K on it.
Now, I've been using synthetic (Valvoline) 10W30 on it, and now I have a K&N oil filter on it. Could changing the filter to the Mazda OEM fix some of these problems? Is the filter this critical? Other people also recomended Mobil1 instead of Valvoline. I guess I'll try.
Suggestions? Similar experiences?
TIA,
Guillermo
Try the Quaker State full synthetic (higher PAO) and see if that helps.
When your engine is under load, are you sure those clicks are valve noise, or are they actually engine knocks?
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/warr95fs.txt
I bought a 93 626 LX in June 2000 from a friends company by private loan sort of deal. At the time it seemed like a good deal and I was able to unload my 91 MPV that was showing its age. I'm paying $7000 canadian for it and have several months to go on the lease/loan. I've put over $3,800 in what I would call 'replacement' repairs and over $1,300 in maintenance (oil, tune, tires, brakes). The car had a motor job and tranny rebuild before I bought it so it seemed a safe bet. Guess not.
Repairs:
1. cv joints - outers, both sides replaced.
2. exhaust system - when the original muffler finally went it went fast. Rotted inside out.
3. two struts - did this myself. You need a spring compressor to do this. One strut leaked for some time so I was forewarned. When it got bad it really chewed up the inside of the tires (I needed new tires anyway).
4. tranny rebuild #2 - warranty ran out. was on vacation to US. Nice vacation. The shift solenoids went to crap. The local Mazda dealer tried to take me for a ride (they must think tourists are dumb) but a reputable tranny shop saved the day. A $900 canadian fix.
5. distributor - scary when this started to go. passing a car on the highway in traffic and the rpms screwed up with the shifting and the engine redlined and cut out. Not fun when your on the inside lane next to concrete. Sat on side of road. Restarted car, everything seems fine. Lasted a few days. It got worse over time and finally started sputtering and stalling. Finally quit on side of highway. Expensive piece.
6. wires and cap - replaced with distributor
7. throttle body - never replaced but had thought about it. A dirty throttle body really cause me headaches. But the bad distributor may have been part of the problem too. The car had rough and low idle to the point of stalling. the problem even went away for awhile but came back with a vengeance. For a temp fix I put tension on the throttle cable but this was tricky. I had the t-body cleaned once by my mechanic but didn't last long. Finally went to dealer where the tech seemed to know his stuff and he cleaned it properly. Has worked real well but noticed the symptons creeping back. Due for another cleaning.
8. Catalytic converter - needs replacing. Noise from engine compartment increasing. Exhaust is leaking. Poor fuel mileage/power. Rotten egg smell. Maybe too much back pressure buildup due to corroded mush inside cat converter. Expensive piece.
9. Power Antenna - not working. Unhooked it. Not worth fixing.
10. climate controls - had a look at this yesterday. One of the gates inside the 'air box' seems to be having trouble moving. Might burn out the actuator motor if it keeps up. I am going to somehow fix this myself. Its going to mean taking out the whole dash board. Not fun.
On top of all that my paint job is going to crap.
On the plus side this is a comfortable car and rides nice when its working. I like the stiff ride of Japanese cars. The interior is nicely done and still solid after 9 years. No rattles to speak of so you can hear every damn noise that pops up in the drive train and exhaust.
I will sell this beast once its paid off. I'm going to give the car a body and paint job before I sell it. The only other Mazda I would consider buying is a Protege but I will likely buy a Honda or Toyota.
I really think Mazda screwed up in the quality department for several years there. Its not just the Ford trannies either. I wonder why there hasn't been any class actions against them. Mazda gets two thumbs down from me. Up yours MAZDA!
disgusted in Canada
Wouldn't they have to do something illegal or negligent to have a class action suit stick?
There are plenty of bad cars out there...sorry you only decided to do your homework after you bought yours.
I did do my homework but obviously what I've read and been told was not completely true. Consumers Report and other used car guides rated the 93 as pretty good but with a chance of tranny problems. The 94's to 97's were supposedly the models with the bad ford transmissions. Since the tranny was just rebuilt when I bought it (and supposedly by the best shop around) I was ok with it. There was no mention of distributor or throttle body problems in my research. The other stuff is wear and tear but still annoying.
Mazda's bad transmissions warranted a recall IMHO. However, money talks and it would've cost the company a mint to repair all these. The result? Let the consumers foot the bill...they deserve it 'cause they didn't do their research! ya right. Its called corporate responsibility which there seems to be a lack of these days.
I gotta say, you have had more problems than normal, but the car is almost 10 years old. You say you bought it from a company? So it was a company car?
My guess is it wasn't exactly well cared for. Did you ever rent a car? How did you treat it? I know I am not nice to my rentals and, based on the condition of these things, nobody else is either. When the driver has no vested interested in the vehicle, they usually drive it that way. So this car more than likely saw 7 very hard years before you bought it.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
In 2000 CR reccomended the 93 626? I'd have to see it to believe it. From what I recall they trashed it for what it was. Cars are machines; machines break. Some more than others. I'm not excusing Mazda for building one of the worst cars in its history, but there was plenty of data out there when you bought.
Except for the auto trans and cat, everything else looks regular to me.
Did you check the car out before you buy it?
I seems like the previous owner did not take care of the car very well.
it was really a private sale done through my friends company. My friend only had the car for 1 year before blowing the tranny and putting it up for sale.
i do remember looking at used car reviews and they said the 93 626 was ok.
Perhaps the car wasn't well cared for. I certainly expected things like the suspension and exhaust to wear out but it is unfortunate that it had to do so within the first year of having it. The cat converter is showing its age too so I can't really complain. Maybe once I've gone through all these major components I'll have a nearly new car!
Actually, I like to complain about how much its costing me to repair the 626 but it is 9 years old afterall. Maybe only with Toyota and Honda would I have had better success.
Would I get a new 626? Perhaps if the price was right. I'd unload it before the warranty expired though. But then again, the cost of new cars these days is atrocious! Unfortunately, I don't have money trees growing in my backyard.
While I sympathize with your situation, it's hard to swallow that the warning signs weren't there. To me, a car that age is, in the words of Forrest Gump, "like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."
$4,500 US also seems a bit high, depending on what the miles were at the time you bought the car.
It it was me, I'd quit sinking good money after bad and try my hardest to get out of that vehicle and into something a bit newer with a lot less miles. Toyota, Honda, Mazda, whatever, you'll probably be a lot happier.
I hope the transmission issues will be fixed with the new Mazda 6. Based on the complaints if Ford/Mazda doesn't take care of it they would be on the far side of stupid.
Ford motors? sounds iffy to me. the duratech sounds like a decent engine though.
My car has lots of miles but with a freshened engine and rebuilt tranny you'd figure it was good to go. At least thats what I was led to believe with Japanese cars. If nothing else the last few years have been a learning experience and I can appreciate car quality. I used to have a Chevy Cavalier for petes sake!!
My next car will be Japanese again but I'm really going to be stingy on the details this time. The wife and I prefer small cars. That new Nissan Sentra v-spec is one sharp looking car! I like the Protege 5 too. The new Mazda6 will be out of my price range.
They say it will be built in the Flat Rock Michigan plant.
You may be surprised by the prices on the 6. It shouldn't be a big jump from the 626 and that starts at less than $2K more than a base Protege5.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
The 3.0 on the 6 is based on the Duratech with Mazda designed cylinder head supporting VVT. This setup is similar to the 3.0 on the Jaguar X/S-type which is Duratech based with Jaguar designed head, etc.
I have 145k on my loaded 5sp ES and I expect that it only worth about $3k now.
Does anybody know that it's the trans. for sure or could be tranx range sensor?
Thanks
There hasn't been any test drives with the V6 6 yet since it is only available for the American market. Hope it would turn out well.
A lot of people are persuaded that the Mazda FS 2.0 and the Ford Zetec 2.0 are one and the same. They aren't even close, except in displacement.
Consumer Reports routinely slams the '94 626, which has been a "used car to avoid" for some time, but the '93 has generally fallen into that ambivalent category "average".
Just thought I'd interrupt the gloom and doom for a moment. We now return you to your regular programming.
Thanks in advance.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
MazdaUSA answer: "You've inquired about the recommended manual transaxle oil for your
2001 Mazda Protegé. Mazda recommends using API Service GL-4 or GL-5
transaxle oil for your vehicle as stated on page 10-2 of your Owner's
Manual. Please understand, there is no way we can tell all the
additives in the oils. The manufacture of the oil is supposed to make
it to a certain specification level. As such, we recommend using a
good
quality GL-5 oil, and you should be fine. I hope this information is
helpful for you."
Response from MazdaUSA: "Unfortunately, we don't have a chemical breakdown on any of the
transaxle oils on the market. However, if you get a good quality manufacture oil, it should not have enough sulpheric additives to cause
any damage to the transaxle components."
Finally! A definate answer. I can now sleep at night!
Dave
In April 2002, the car began to drive roughly especially when changing from neutral to first gear and this problem was not limited to shifting on a “cold” engine. We took the car to an authorized Mazda dealership (Gaithersburg Mazda in Gaithersburg, MD) with a complaint of a “notchy” gear shift from neutral to first. The car was under warranty at that time. The service manager, drove the car and said that it drove very well and did not appear to have any problems. He determined that the fluid in the transmission should be replaced with a synthetic oil which had better lubrication properties. We emphasized at that time that we wanted the problem investigated and assumed that a qualified service manager trained on Mazda vehicles had assessed the problem correctly. The dealership changed the engine oil and performed a complete service for the car along with replacing the transmission fluid with synthetic oil.
On July 16, 2002 the gears jammed while the car was in traffic creating a hazardous situation for us as well as other motorists on the road. With the assistance of the police we were able to push the car to the side of the road. This had the effect of unlocking the gears after which we promptly drove the car to Gaithersburg Mazda. We contacted the dealership by telephone and he asked us to bring the car in for a checkup. We drove it to the dealership around 3.30 pm. and were quoted a sum of $89.00 for an estimate of the problem and an engine oil change.
The next day (July 17th 2002), around noon, we were told that they were checking the car but had not found any problems. Around 5.00 pm we were told that the car needed new pressure plates and maybe a release and pilot bearing and we are responsible for the costs since the car was no longer under warranty.
We discussed this issue with the Service Manager and informed him that the problem was brought to the dealerships attention while the car was under warranty. We also called the MAZDA national service number and spoke to one of the representative. She said she would refer the matter to the Area Manager and call the dealership. She called back after a few hours and informed us that the item was a “wear and tear” item and notwithstanding the warranty, was nor the responsibility of MAZDA. We then spoke to the Service Manager who stated the same i.e. that the problem was a “wear and tear” item and asked us to look in our warranty agreement for the same.
Our warranty and service manual does not say that the pressure plates, release and pilot bearings and in general the transmission are “wear and tear” items. To the contrary it specifically lists the items that are considered “wear and tear”. Further, there is an explicit statement stating “Your complete and permanent satisfaction is our business”. We are not satisfied with the quality of service that is being afforded us by MAZDA. Replacing the transmission fluid with a synthetic fluid is the simplest solution, and we are convinced that if a more thorough investigation had been performed when the problem first occurred, we would not have been subjected to the kind of hazards that we faced everyday under the false assumption that the transmission was not problematic.
We are looking to MAZDA to immediately correct the problems that may be present in the transmission or in other systems in this car. Further, MAZDA should accept responsibility for this/these problems and correct them at no cost to us.
My questions are:
- Are there any red flags I should look for during my inspection and road test?
- What can I expect as far as reliability and frequency of repair (assuming its one owner took good care of of the car)?
- Also, I don't have a mechanic in the area where the car is located. Does anyone here have experience using Magoo's Automotive Consultants linked from Carfax? Do you have other suggestions on getting a professional's opinion before I fork over the $.
- The seller's asking price appears to be based on the Kelley Blue Book Private Party value rather than the Edmonds TMV. What justification can I use to get the selling price closer to the TMV?
Thanks so much for all your help.
My questions are:
- Are there any red flags I should look for during my inspection and road test?
Shocks, carefully inspect any steering components. They're fairly expensive to replace if it's been in a wreck that affects steering. Check the color of the transmission fluid. Get repair records if you can.
- What can I expect as far as reliability and frequency of repair (assuming its one owner took good care of of the car)?
I would change out the tranny fluid every 15K and add Lubegard as recommended by my Mazda specialist mechanic. Shocks are not the strongest. other than that it's a pretty reliable vehicle. Timing belt should also be changed if it hasn't due to its age. I would also change out power steering and brake fluids to keep those systems clean.
The seller's asking price appears to be based on the Kelley Blue Book Private Party value rather than the Edmonds TMV. What justification can I use to get the selling price closer to the TMV?
I would be asking about annual longer trips. This should help clean out all of the short trip mileage stuff that has obviously been going on.
If he has then the higher value might be worth it. If well maintained, it might be a cream puff and very dependable.
Good hunting.
That said, I have a 2000 LX. If I thought it was going to be a time bomb, I wouldn't have bought it. Then again, I also have the transmission serviced at 15k intervals, just as a precautionary measure.
Is this a 6 cyl?
anyone. MPG is inthe upper 20s to lower 30s depending on trip lengths. What a great value for your buck. ThumbsUp USA Bryan
Steering? Shocks? Anyone have an idea what is causing this?
Does anybody have a clue about this problem?
Thanks in advance.