Good day enthusiasts! I'm planning to buy a mazda 323 2nd hand car... i've got some questions in mind... tnx...
1. why is it cheaper? are the parts more expensive compared to other brands?
2. are there surplus parts? are the parts easy to find?
3. is it a good buy? does it perform well like a lancer or a corolla?
It's cheaper because people think all Mazdas are junk. The sudden death of Mazda dealerships back in the 90's did little to change those impressions.
There are surplus parts, they're not that hard to find, but obviously not as common as Corolla or Civic parts. You can find shops listed and discussed at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], home of protegetech philippines, the local Mazda club.
As an aside, many PTP members swear by Kia Pasay. This casa services older Mazda vehicles, but for some parts, it's better to buy outside to save some money.
As for whether it's a good buy, it depends what you want. The 323 has a nice looking interior, great handling and good looks. It's a fun car to drive, and the engine is quite peppy. Ride is a bit on the stiff side, but the handling and vehicle dynamics pay off in dividends.
On the negative side, gas consumption is only so-so for a 1.6.
There are some minor maintenance problem areas, but these are usually easy to fix. Actually, all cars have their "issues" (Nissan's MAF, Lancers IACV, Civic's shocks, etcetera), and it's to be expected of any secondhand. Again, a trip to protegetech.org and/or Kia Pasay can fix all this.
The only real issue with the Mazda I know of is the fragility of the Automatic Transmission. Not all owners experience this, but there's an outside chance of the tranny failing altogether (it's happened to my cousin's 3 year old 323, another board member's Lynx, and a couple of other people). If you want a 323, get the manual.
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look out also for rust building up in the rear fender (a common problem).
replacement parts and aftermarket parts are not as common as toyotas and hondas, but it's there, you just have to know where to look. (we've got a database on that if you need it)
it's a good car. especially if you like to drive.
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alam mo it seems the "curse of the Mazda" is still upon us.
meron akong nakitang 2004 mazda6 (i assume ito pa yung lame 2.0L version) with 10,000km on the odo, going for 880,000 sa Buy and Sell.
so unless na-total yun and the insurance company is trying to get rid of it at a low price, that's a heck of a depreciation for a less-than-2-year-old car!
based on the oft-stated (on this forum) "buy a 2-year old car so that the owner has absorbed the initial depreciation" that Mazda6 would be a GREAT buy! and for the price of a mazda3..
now where did i leave that 880,000.. hmmm.. time to dig in the sofa for coins!!!
It's really hard to sell midsize "japs", as people who want the prestige usually go brand new. It's only when their prices hit rock bottom (200k plus or minus) that kids start buying them, stripping them and souping them up... like what's happening with old Corona EXSIORs, Altimas, 626s, Galants and Accords.
See, 880k ain't bad for a Mazda6, but add a little more, and you can get a Mazda 3 2.0R...
Let's see... no coins in the sofa... how much can I sell the sofa for?
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since nasagutan na yung others...to add na lang...
3. is it a good buy? does it perform well like a lancer or a corolla?
familia ba?
-it is. best bang for the buck with a lot of gizmos that the competitors didn't have (or only had some) for the same price rance. and it handles nicely. heheh.
daming parts ang mazda. just be sure na hindi ex TAXI yun makukuha mo. mura din ang parts kasi ang dami nga naging taxi nyan. the only problem i hear from people na naka 323 is gas economy.
It's really hard to sell midsize "japs", as people who want the prestige usually go brand new. It's only when their prices hit rock bottom (200k plus or minus) that kids start buying them, stripping them and souping them up... like what's happening with old Corona EXSIORs, Altimas, 626s, Galants and Accords.
See, 880k ain't bad for a Mazda6, but add a little more, and you can get a Mazda 3 2.0R...
Let's see... no coins in the sofa... how much can I sell the sofa for?
well, i would personally go for an 880k Mazda6 (even a 2.0L version) rather than a 1M+ Mazda3 2.0R :P
call me a grandpa but the bigger car feels better for me.
one really ironic thing is, it's easier (though not cheaper..) to buy a new car, particularly if you don't have 880k from the sofa. Buying a new car is much more hassle-free credit-wise than buying used.
Pero kahit yung MT, acceptable lang yung consumption rather than good. That's been an eternal problem of the 323... and has even carried over to the newer Lynx (same basic engine/chassis architecture). The Lynx 1.6 MT has merely acceptable fuel consumption also.
Puwedeng ipag-yabang yung consumption dito? Just finished a full tank test, 8.56 km/l average from the Lynx RS. Listed all my trips (grabe... 427.5 km and 49.93 liters! puno yung phone memory ko!), and as far as I can break it down:
10 km/l highway (puros 120 km/h+ kasi... in cruise mode at 80 km/h, should do 11-12)
8 km/l city, with some trips at 9 km/l in light traffic.
7 km/l... stupid (high revving) driving...
That's after factoring in idling time (full AC and very hot outside) and start-up gas. If I disregard start-up gas and idling, that's merely an additional 1.7 liters.
I love manuals.
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Mazda 323 inquiry....
im only doing 6-7km/l on my a/t
Linear Mode
