Good, reliable car
Just normal repairs: boots repaired, belts replaced, brakes, exhaust system repaired (normal to cold climate), transmission fluid leak fixed.
This is my second Mazda 626 and they were both good cars with relatively few problems. The first Mazda was a 1996 and this is a 1995, neither have had transmission problems.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 9th January, 2005
Nice car, horrible engine
The transmission is crazy, unpredictable, unreliable, and should never be put into another automobile.
Mazda messed a nice car up by using this transmission. I've put a little over 600 miles on the transmission, and the engine acts like I've put several hundred thousand. This car is OK, but the engine, and especially the transmission, makes it a waste of a pretty penny.
After driving the car for a week, the transmission began acting up, shifting at random and revving really high. It jerked through gears and handled really rough. We took it back to the dealer where we bought it, and their diagnostics machine could not read the computers. They fixed what they could and it ran OK for a few days.
Then, I took the car for a 225 mile trip and it jerked through the gears for the first half-hour, then was OK. On the way home, the car jerked and shifted its way through 210 miles, then the engine overheated from the shifting and the transmission burned out. It's still sitting on the interstate... Do you know anyone who wants a '95 Mazda? It's cheap...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 28th November, 2004
Expensive vehicle to own and maintain, despite nice styling and overall performance
Had new transmission from previous owner (dad) at about 75,000 miles.
Water pump failed at 100,000 miles and was terribly expensive to replace.
Check engine light comes on after engine warms up since my dad purchased at 50,000 miles. Mazda dealer has never been able to figure out why.
Burns oil through exhaust, but doesn't leak out in engine compartment anywhere.
Never has returned gas mileage at anything above 23 miles per gallon, even on highway. I feel lucky to average 20 mpg.
Had thought about keeping car and using as a 3rd vehicle in a 2 driver household, but I fear the transmission is about due to fail again since it was a Mazda dealer factory rebuild that was put in at 75,000 miles.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 18th November, 2004
Nice car without all the repairs needing to be done every 10,000 miles
Since I have bought the car, the motor mounts have had to be replaced twice within a period of 3 months. When you take off the motor makes a lot of vibration and grinds in some cases shifting from 1st to 2nd. The tires constantly need to be replaced. Repairs are cost more than the value of the car. The alternator has had to be replaced twice. The c/v joints have been replaced twice within a 20,000 mile period. Bad car for what used to be a good name. The car has 175,000 miles and now sits under a carport until I win the lottery to be able to fix all the mistakes that Mazda has created. I purchased new tires at 163,000 miles and I had replace them again at 172,000 miles. The car does get about 25 miles to the gallon which is good enough for me.
This is the worst best looking small car I have ever driven. Seats are comfortable, even the tape deck works pretty well and the speakers have good sound quality.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 5th November, 2004
It's an amazing good car for the price range it's in
The one thing I ever had go wrong with the car was when I took it to get the oil changed the day after I bought it. The moron who checked the air filter didn't even recognize the air filter was the wrong size for my car (I had not gotten a chance to look everything over) and stuffed it down. This has the same effect as if you were to kink a water hose. No air was coming through.
I love my car. It handles excellent and excels pretty quick, too.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 23rd September, 2004