Faults:

I changed all 4 brake pads and 4 brake discs a year a go.

4 New tyres.

Looking forward to replacing the cv joint presently.

General Comments:

This car is awesome, exceedingly quick, its presence is very imposing and intimidating if rolled on 18 or 19 inch wheels.

The traction control is very functional on wet, icy or simply slippery roads.

Faults:

Rear passenger side wheel area feels unstable going over put holes and bumps in the road- obviously something wrong, but not sure what!

Windscreen fitted incorrectly causing rust above it on the bodywork where the seal has been exposed. This causes leaks when going through car washes- not the cars fault though!

General Comments:

Negatives:

I find the passenger side front area very cramped in terms of leg and knee room.

There are no side airbags.

Steering a bit lifeless.

I can't under stand why the older models had a higher spec. For instance, a 1995/N-plate model has remote boot release, electric seats, first aid kit, low screen wash warning light, carpeted windscreen pillar internal trim, more walnut fascia, lights to tell you what gear you are in on the dashboard. Ours has none of this, so at £28500 new it was quite pricey.

Sluggish performance at low speeds.

POSITIVES:

8 years on and the car still turns heads, it looks awesome with the 17 inch alloys and low suspension. The leather trim is good quality, always smells nice and shows no wear. The refinement is good and engine sounds so classy. Very comfortable and well built. It goes round corners superbly with no body roll and with the "HOLD" mode on the auto box performance is excellent. Climate, traction control and cruise are all standard. "More reliable than a BMW- top gear quoted in used car buyers section"

This is a car I'd sooner have than anything else of a similar age in its class, though the spec is basic to a degree.

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

This car gives phenomenal performance with excellent road holding.

It is a beauty to behold - a real wolf in sheep's clothing.

I had my 2-litre Sierra Ghia Auto for 10 years before it gave up the ghost.

My lady partner has had a Mazda 626 1.8 for 8 years, now with 130,000.

I have been most impressed with its reliability, performance and comfort, even now.

So, I looked for a Mazda to replace the Sierra.

I could not believe that a car costing around £28,000 new, five years old, with 50,000 on the clock, could be bought for £4,700.

It just doesn't make sense.

Having run it for 5 months, I am delighted.

What a bargain!

It surely has another 100,000 left in it

- for under £5,000.

The performance is fantastic, very important to me, though at age 65 I am not a boy racer, more an OAP racer.

Kickdown at all speeds produces a tremendous surge of power and leaves the various GTIs etc struggling in its wake.

However, the engine is comparatively quiet at speed, and very quiet when driven slowly.

My main complaint is that it has a not too clever turning circle, and can be difficult to park in restricted areas i.e. multi-storey car park.

It is not an economy car, being insurance group 17, and will probably be expensive if something goes wrong.

But I say, if ever you are looking for a great second-hand bargain, and have the chance of a Mazda Xedos 9 with 2.3L Miller Cycle engine, grab it with both hands.

People, prior to close inspection, have mistaken it for a Mercedes or BMW.

So, what you get is a classy looking car with performance to amaze.