6th Aug 2002, 23:23

My 1982 Mazda GLC has 302,504 miles on the original engine, manual 4 speed transmission, and clutch. There are so many original parts on this car I can't list them all. I still get over 30 mpg with such a high mileage engine. Sure it's getting tired, but it's the best car I've ever owned. Martin.

24th Dec 2002, 20:31

I find this review to be either a complete falsehood or, more likely, a case of the car being abused before the purchase by the current owner. Mazda's are known for their low maintainence longevity, and the GLC is the epitome of this. While often succumbing to rust, these cars nonetheless last for 300K and cost very little to buy and maintain.

13th Jan 2003, 14:58

I have had a really good experience with my GLC. It is the little 1981 2-door, front wheel drive, with factory air. It is still on the original engine and tranny and just turned over 265,000. Everything still works, even the dashboard clock. Still getting about 33 mpg. I have owned it for the past 14 years and would strongly recommend Mazda to anyone.

2nd May 2003, 21:56

Bought my GLC when I was 15 for $150. Parked it for 2 years, then fixed it & drove it for another 2 years. Car was done in when cooling system was neglected - otherwise would have kept on going!! Not bad for $150???

Would not hesitate to buy another Mazda, but when I bought my Integra Mazda didn't have a 2-door coupe available (*now* they release the RX8!!). Maybe when my lease is up...

5th May 2003, 02:34

I agree completely. I had a '78 GLC - purchased new - that began falling to pieces within 6 months, despite being well maintained and not abused in any way. The timing chain jumped the sprocket one morning, sounding like the engine had exploded. This required a 40-mile tow to the dealer to repair, which took 3 days. The upholstery on all the seats disintegrated in less than a year and the clutch gave out at less than 20,000 kilometers. By the time I got rid of it in '82 it had already started to rust. This car was truly a piece of crap.

17th Jun 2003, 17:17

I bought a 84 Mazda GLC 5spd for $150 ten years ago and last week it was run over by a semi. : (it had 323,000 miles. The most expensive rapair I ever had was when I put tires on it.

6th Oct 2003, 20:04

I live on a small island in the Carribbean called Curacao. I own a 1984 Mazda 323. This car was never sold in the usa. It's a front wheel drive GLC, but with a 1.3 liter engine instead of the 1.5.

The car is full of dings and dents, but is otherwise in great shape. I recently overhauled the engine. Had the block sleeved etc. This car runs like a dream. It sees a lot of abuse since the roads here are full of potholes. I would like to throw a miata engine in someday.

4th Jun 2004, 10:59

I bought an '82 Mazda GLC 4 door sedan about a year ago, and it only had 112,000 miles on it I think it will run for years and years, until I finally run it into the ground.

I recently bought and installed new shocks and a CD player. Although expensive, my additions I believe to be worthwhile and it is a great little 1.5 liter 30+ mpg car.

7th Jul 2004, 12:14

I completely disagree! When I used to live in Puerto Rico, where there are a lot of hills, I had a Mazda GLC '85. My mother bought it brand new and after 10 years she gave it to me. I used it for 3 more years until I sold it because I moved to the US. It was the best car I ever had!

Rogelio Velez

23rd Nov 2004, 11:01

I had an '85 Mazda GLC from 1997-2004. Alternator had to be replaced, another with other minor problems. Had to sell it in the end as a cylinder had gone, it stalled on left turns, and other numerous minor flaws that were just too much to deal with. It just couldn't handle a long and steep drive to work daily. Sold it with over 325,000 kilometres on it. I still miss it, and am already onto my second car since it, and about to go onto another. I miss my cute little Mazda with the sunroof, even if the cover broke, and it was a pain to open! At least it lives on, in a teenager with a short commute.

22nd Jan 2005, 21:12

I don't know how someone can say that the Mazda GLC is junk and doesn't hang with Honda's. Well let me tell you something; all you need to do is some work.

Let's start with my GLC that smokes '92 Mustang 4.6 GT's.

Rebuild the motor with 9:1 compression pistons, ATC stage 2 clutch. Then go to to Champion Carburetors, get a Quadrajet 2BBL carburetor. Then take it to get ported and polished, get intake headers and exhaust, and at the end you have 205 hp and 199 ft. pound lbs., and all that in my primer 4 door Mazda GLC...

27th Aug 2005, 03:13

My family bought a brand new 1984 GLC for my high school transportation needs. Since then, I had moved on too many other cars include BMWs, Jaguar, Lexus and infiniti. While I still owned both Lexus and Infiniti, I have sold all other cars, with only one exception, my GLC. It has always been my old faithful. It has been sitting in my father's drive way for almost 5 years now. Recently, in fearing of my mother's intention to donate this car to a charitable cause. To prove to her that this was a worthy car to keep, I started it again. Without hesitation, it cranked over on the very first try. Now, if that does not denote a mark of a great car and a well engineered one, I don't know what does. Certainly these qualities did not exist at the advanced stage of both my BMW ownerships. I look forward to drive it again as soon as I have it tuned. It would feel like I have been transported to the summer of '84... Aha, what a good, carefree year.

15th Jan 2006, 23:34

I'm not so sure you're talking about a Mazda GLC. I drove a 1982 Mazda GLC Wagon as my first car my senior year (1990). It was already 8 years old with high mileage... and continued to run perfectly and without fail... until I managed to break off a spark plug inside the engine. It leaked oil pretty good after that, but still managed to run well enough to be a daily driver until my father sold it. This was the old Mazda we're talking about... not the post Ford buyout Mazda. Back when they built supremely reliable cars... just as reliable as the best Toyotas and Hondas. I miss my GLC.