1998 Mazda 626 LX review from North America

60,000 miles a starter

89,000 miles timing belt.

I bought the 98 626 lx with a 5 spd manual in 2001 with 45,000 miles on it.it had a salvage title because of a front end collision.. it was $8000 so I bought it...seemed like a good deal.it looked like it had all been fixed properly... at about 60,000 miles I had to have the starter changed for like $300...since then it has been flooded twice in the houston weather...the first time was $3000 worth of damage and the seond time was $1300 but that was paid for by the insurance...i always have the oil changed with mobil 1...at 89,000 miles the timing belt broke but that was my own fault for not getting it done before it broke at 60,000 it have to have a new cam cover because of that so a $300 preventative cost me $900...my bad..other than it sounding like the spare bouncing around in the trunk (which it isn't) from the rear suspension... my only other thing thing has been replacing the plug wires an unusual amount of times... paid a little extra for botch this time and it seems to be fine... car still runs great..all in all for as many years as I have had it (7) and the fact with the floods and it being totaled before I bought it I think its held up pretty good... but I'm also in a warm weather state... these might be more suited to the south than the north.