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Comments
I tried a 5sp V6 and despite what Edmund's test report said, I found the gearbox to be ok. It's not Honda great but it's pretty good. At least I didn't miss a gear at all thru my 20min 'spirited' test drive. The clutch is a bit high ... power is smooth and great, lots of torque starting right from 2000rpm .... handling was even better. I expected the 626 to drive like a boat cos it's very sedan-ish looking but man, this is almost the best handling mid-sized sedan I've driven. The only better one is the Passat. I think it's up there with the Accord, and is lightyears better than the Altima SE (despite the racey styling and the supposingly sporty suspension).
Anyways, I think it's a great deal overall. I don't like the grey interior all that much, nor the sedan-ish styling .... nor the lack of additional features like alarm, heated seats, stnd ABS ... that are usually available on competitiors. But the V6 with a stick in this price range is the whole point. I'm seriously thinking about purchasing it while the 2.9% still lasts.
One quesiton though- are the 2000's reliable? I thought the prev. generation 626 has not been all that reliable ... has the O2 sensor problem been fixed on the 2000 model?
Thanks, any info / comment is appreciated.
#17
You're right about price. That Passat you like with a V6 and ES levels of equipment costs several grand more.
-juice
three keys.
Also, if I do go this route, are there any problems that I can "nip in the bud" while they're still cheap to fix???
THANX,
Chad
-juice
As per reliability, so from the sound of it the V6 w/stick option (which is what I'll go for) is reliable? So far the followins seem to be the common problems:
1/ Check engine light flickering, and engine dying all of a sudden.
2/ O2 sensor problem (causing problem#1?)
3/ Misaligned panels
Appreciate if current 99/00 owners can comment on these problems .... I was *really* impressed with my test drive but want to clarify the reliability issue before I place an offer ....
Thanks a lot
#17
Talking to the sales guy during my test drive (who also drives a 626 LX V6) he said the manual recommends using premium .... but he gets away so far by using mid grade .... he said the service tech's told him the mid-grade's fine.
ANyways, you also get better mileage from premium over mid-grade, so you end up paying SLIGHTLY more for gas afterall ... unless you drive A LOT.
#17
We're actually running on 87 octane for the past several months, and mileage is unchanged, as is the power.
-juice
PS I stopped buying premium after 5 years on a 93 octane diet still required a fuel system service
The car has been incredibly reliable. It stalled once on me, when mashing on the brakes, going uphill, shortly after I purchased it, but never since. When the idle was set a tiny bit too low (before the 60,000 mile servicing), the car did flutter when I had the turn signal on at a stop signal if it was in drive...annoying, but easily fixed.
I have the ES/V6/automatic, by the way. The Bose stereo is mighty fine with the moonroof rolled back, though I wish it would automatically go to a safe volume when the car is started like my Taurus used to do...scared myself half to death a few times. The paint job is awesome (people still think the car is new), though it looks remarkably like a Honda, BMW or whatever other green car happens to be sitting around...I actually got upset trying to get into my boss' Honda one day and almost broke my key in his lock.
I drive mostly on the highway, but am frequently in traffic (hey, it's Bay area, California). I get a solid 24 mpg overall.
Acceleration isn't great when entering the Interstate...UNLESS you pop the "overdrive off" button, then it's like you cracked the whip on a horse. YOWZA, this baby can go! 0-60 takes about 12 seconds, but with O/D off, 10-60 is around 7 seconds with much tire squealing, growling and chest-thumping. I did this one day and found myself going 90 mph very quickly; the tachometer rolled over to 6000 rpm, then settled in just above 3200 rpm. If O/D is on, the car seems to develop torque right about the time when you let go of the gas...whodathunkit, but there's a growl when you back off and a sudden spurt of speed. Where was it when that 18-wheeler was bearing down on me?
The car looks so mild-mannered the police don't pay too much attention to you...maybe if it were red.
Toss this car into the curves while on a winding road, it comes back smiling and begging for more.
The transmission is decidely harsh lately at low speeds (bounces between 1st/2nd)... If I shift it, it's much happier.
I was rear-ended and walked away with a one-inch rip on the bumper and a displaced moonroof that popped back in.
Oh, I did have a cooling problem that went away after I changed the coolant. It would heat up, the fan would come on, it would cool down...so forth and so on. Never overheated though.
I'm looking at a new Jaguar S-V8 to replace my 626 when the lease expires (I was silly to get a 36000 mile lease), but it's hard not to just keep the car. I've spent less than $1000 on maintenance and repair, including 4 new tires when I hit the pipe in the road and oil changes at Jiffy Lube, plus one "60,000 mile major servicing" at Speedee Oil Change. When it comes out of the car wash, it looks so new and shiny, the engine running so quietly I have to check the tach so I don't hit the starter by accident.
I couldn't be more happy unless it looked like a sports car or were a convertible. Now there's a thought! Make the 626 kinda' like a CLK!
This chassis is very tossable; it likes the twisty stuff, something we don't have enough of out here on the prairie grid. The body rolls a bit in tight turns, but you never seem to lose grip unless you're going way too fast.
There are relatively few issues with the '93. At around 80k, you should have already had one timing-belt change. The CV boots are probably starting to crack; if they're damaged, bite the bullet and get rebuilt axles, which cost scarcely more than proper boot replacement. Minor electrical gremlins occasionally pop up, which can often be blamed on oxygen sensors or plug wires. (Plug wires are startlingly expensive for this car.) So far - I'm at 86k on mine - I've had to replace the idle air control valve, the muffler, and one CV joint, and I have a crack in the mounting for the air tube that will be fixed later this month. And to my great relief, the moonroof doesn't leak.
New car.I'm 43 and the wife is 33 and we'll
have to wait till the winter '01 to get the
feel of white stuff under the 205 60r 15s.
Here in Westcentral IL we get alot.
Despite buying the costliest name-brand premium fuel for 55k miles, we still needed the fuel system serviced.
The only thing octane measures is a resistance to pre-ignition (knocking). It doesn't mean better quality gas.
Perhaps they add detergents and claim miracles, but it may be those miracle-working detergents that clogged our fuel injection system in the first place!
-juice
First, on those additives .... I don't think they work. Most manufacturers do not recommend using them.
2ndly, changing your oil frequently is the KEY to engine longevity .... using Premium gas has little to do with it.
There are exceptions though - on engines with high compression (like some Honda VTEC engines, or most turbo engines), the higher octane level is required and you should put in premium fuel to avoid knocking.
Then again, you get slightly better mileage from premium fuel, and it only costs a little bit more. Since the manual recommends it, I don't see why not.
my2cents,
#17
-juice
in the rear are in desparate need of replacement.
I have the a 1993 ES with the V-6. It also has
the factory alloy wheels on it. I love how quick
and nimble this car is. My question is how wide
can I go with the tires. I prefer the widest
possible. I also understand that these are low
profile tires and can be rather expensive. Any
input would be appreciated!
thanks! mike
You should try to keep the same overall diameter, so you're speedometer is accurate and you don't lose acceleration (bigger tires mean lower gearing, which lowers revs on the highway but hurts acceleration).
I believe your 93 has 205/55R15 tires, so you could get 225/50R15 tires, which have an almost identical diameter.
Here's the catch: you have to measure the clearances to make sure the wider tire will fit. Check both the rear suspension, and the front fender clearance with the wheel turned all the way in each direction.
The 225's will be 20mm wider, or about 10mm towards the inside fender.
You can also ask a tire shop, but they may try to keep you on the stock size.
Also keep in mind a wider tire alone will not necessarily improve your handling. You'll actually have more unsprung weight fighting the suspension, and wider tires also increase wind resistance slightly. Just some factors to consider.
-juice
I'll be going for M/T so the A/T problem doesn't bother me. But it seems like the Check engine light problem is pretty common for 98 cars .... even some of the test cars for car mag reviews had the same problem ....
Can 99 and 00 owners let me know if this problem has been fixed in their cars? Thanks in advance.
#17
(question # 132) Mike
626 LX V6. I really love the car and the way that
it drives. However, within the first 50 miles, I
noticed a light knocking/tapping noise coming from the engine only when it is in park with the air conditioning off(lowest possible RPM). As soon as it is in gear or the air is on, the noise
disappears. I returned it to the dealer where
they looked at the car for two days, tried many
fixes, but were unable to solve it. They think it
is being caused by some break-in issue with the
timing belt and that it will go away. Their
advice,
from their top tech was to continue the break in
process and they would look at it at 3000 miles.
At
the time of this analysis, the car had only 600
miles. While driving, the engine runs and sounds
great. I just wanted to know if anyone has had to
deal directly with Mazda and how user friendly
they
are in dealing with warranty issues?
A typical LX option package might include a wheel upgrade, power moonroof, alarm/immobilizer, and power driver's seat. (ABS and audio upgrades are generally separate.)
The drivetrains are pretty solid, though the automatic transmission tends to be willful (the Ford box in the four-cylinder cars is less so, but it has other problems) and the stick shift is just a little bit notchy. Be aware that at 60k miles you will need to change out the timing belt, which is Not Fun, and when the Mazda store announces a $249.95 timing-belt special, they don't mean for you. The V6 definitely prefers the higher-octane stuff, though it does have a knock sensor and will run on regular unleaded if it absolutely has to. This isn't the sort of car that will lure you out of a tricked-out Passat, but it's charming in its own way.
Or is the price about right!?
a. is this a common problem with 626's,
b. is this a serious problem, and
c. should the expired warranty still be in effect because of the problem never being fixed thereby making this a reoccurring problem that has never been fixed properly.
turned the steering wheel. It has 45,000 miles
on it. I bought it used (it was a Hertz rental).
It needed an entire steering gear. Fortunately
it was under warranty. While I was at the Mazda
dealer, an identical car,even with the same color
was having its steering gear replaced. The super-
visor said there must be a problem with a sub-
vendor who provided these models with steering
gears.
I think the biggest changes are in steering and handling. The 00 model supposingly handles a lot better than 99 models. I've not driven 99 so I can't comment but I was really impressed by how accurate the steering is and how sporty the suspension setup is on the 00.
Also, you'll get more for trade in on a 00 model a few years down the road. Personally I'd go for the 00 for the steering+handling improvement ....
my2cents,
#17
You should stay away from the 4 cylinder Mazdas (93 onwards) with automatics because the automatics are crappy Ford products and not Japanese.
Because this transmission is completely computer-controlled, it's possible that something that seems like a tranny problem could actually be an electrical glitch. I'd have it looked at before signing the check.
Also, the dealer that I bought it from said that he just replaced both axles because the boots were leaking. Are there any other problems that I should look out for? Is this a good deal? Thanks.
This generation of 626 has a tendency to develop CV-boot problems around 70-90k - right on schedule, I'd say. Check for oil leakage around the valve cover gasket, and especially in the spark-plug wells. And listen carefully for signs of the infamous "Mazda tick", which may (but usually doesn't) signal a bad hydraulic lash adjuster.
Expect a timing-belt change at 120k, and do the water pump while you're at it, since it's essentially no additional labor. Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot likely to go wrong - the overload-prone ignition module in the '93/'94 cars was replaced for '95.
Freeport green. When the sun hits it right the
primary color sneaks thru and you get a whisp
of blue! Kinda neat I think. What color ya
lookin' for?
Yeah I like that green too. The only 3 cars that are avail with 5 sp V6 in Ontario are black, sage green (that light green color) and driftwood (brownish beidge) ... I like the sage green too but don't like the green / grey interior combo so black is not bad.
#17
I am looking at a '99 626LX through Hertz.
The car has 31K miles - anything I should be
aware of? This is a 4 cylinder model.
Thanks,
4Bagger
Just saw the new Millenia from the NY Auto Show, and I have to say the front end looks just like the 626. I'm not sure what Mazda is thinking - shouldn't they distinguish it MORE, not less?
It's just a face-lift, but I like the old one better.
-juice
Jerry
I noticed a deep rumbling sound (high-low-high...like a wave) coming from my engine (it's a 93, 626Dx, AT with a transmission change at 72K and now doing 90K) as I accelerate between 40-60mph...as if some belt is not OK....beyond 60mph, the interval between 2 rumbles is so less as to be almost unnoticeable. The service engineer says it's vague and I need to wait till it develops further (or deteriorates) for him to make a correct diagnosis (more money in it for the dealership). Previously, the engine used to give out a smooth purr.....now I can distinctly sense and hear the sound has changed. Sometimes, I get the feeling that the one of the pistons is out of sync but smooth idling perhaps rules this out. Can you kindly advice ?
Cheers; - KC Jones
Hi, just purchased a 96 626, it has only 68,000 kl
(Canadian)on it so very low mileage, but the
engine light continues to come on. The dealer says
its not serious, computer check says its a egr
valve. This was replaced but had no effect on the
light coming on. Check with the previous owner and
they said they had the same problem but the dealer
could never pinpoint how to correct this problem.
a. is this a common problem with 626's,
b. is this a serious problem, and
c. should the expired warranty still be in effect
because of the problem never being fixed thereby
making this a reoccurring problem that has never
been fixed properly.
-juice
Mazda needs to get with the program. It's not enough to be Ford's stepchild. They need to keep unique powertrains, and maintain their better quality vis-a-vis Ford.
Bring back the rotary. Put a real engine in the MPV. Offer a hybrid wagon off the 626 chassis.
They're too mainstream right now, IMO.
-juice
Koreans cars, like the Japanese cars back in early 80's, get you in the door by price and value. In terms of engineering, quality, reliability, refinement and build quality they're definitely behind japanaese, as much as they try to make their cars look like japanese imports. Latest survey on initial purchase satisfaction by JD Powers ranked Koren brands, esp Kia and Daewoo bottom in almost all categories. But they're good choices for buyers on a budget.
Mazda is not doing well .... but it has never been a dominating player in the last 20 years ... as a matter of fact, its been in financial problems since 20 years ago ... and that's how Ford bought into Mazda. It is Ford's stepson and you always get that idea. Mazda does make a few exciting vehicles in Japan though like RX-7 (yeah rotary engine!), Astina (one of the best handling sedan in its class ... ) ... only if they can bring some of those over, they can reduce the engineering expenses for developing NA-specific products, and gives them a niche in the competitive market here....
my2cents,
#17
BTW, that JD Power study had incorrect numbers and was withdrawn. They should reissue the revised results this week. Also, keep in mind that's only the first 90 days, not long-term enough to be meaningful to me.
-juice
JD Power does indeed only survey customer satisfaction in the first 90days (thus it's called 'initial quality survey') but I think it's safe to say if customers have things to complain in the first 90 days I don't think you have much to look forward to over the long term ....
#17
the differnece in quality has come down to a fractions of problems... the quality differences are much more meaningless...
here's an interesting quote that appeared in the 5/5/2000 edition of the LA TIMES...
"Years ago... there wer significant gaps in there. Now you look at it, and we are fractions of one problem away from each other," said Cindy Hess, vice president of corporate quality for DiamlerChrysler.
end.
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
Andrew.
mnay i heard were molding and radio reception quicks, etc across many manufacturers.
nothing like what they had in the '80's.
read the links in post #164 carefully and you will see that sonata and elantra ranked pretty high in their class according to strategic vision which i believe is more of a longer term study.