Faults:

Lower ball joint split and needed replacement, which takes a 5 week wait from Japan.

C.V. joints last around 100,000 km.

General Comments:

Have been luck as my car is not normal; it's a Mazdaspeed AZ3, and it came with Mazdaspeed parts and a 1500 cc B5 ZE turbo. From what I have found out, it was in Mazda's showroom in Hiroshima until 2005, when a person imported it.

This car is a weapon. I own one, and so does my brother. We love them to bits.

We just have to thank the guys that designed this back in 1989.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong on this car so far apart from the window guard has cracked a little bit.

General Comments:

I love the way the car drives. It drives beautifully and you feel like you're flying even at 50 kms.

Unfortunately it is only a 4-seater.

But the seats in the back are extremely comfortable.

The car is very appealing to look at, and it's my baby!

Faults:

Water Pump blew after bout 130,000kms.

General wear and tear, tyres etc.

General Comments:

Its doesn't look that great, but for a 1.6 it's fast. People often underestimate it and as a result get blown away. All this extra grunt comes from features such as DOHC and multipoint direct fuel injection. Pretty fancy stuff considering I'm 16 and I paid it of with a part time job; It was as cheap as chips

The acceleration is excellent and the handling at both high and low speeds is out of this world, top speed is as good as you could ask from a 1600 5 speed.

Faults:

The body is taut, some bolts loosen and general parts may come adrift and rattle.

Generally no faults mechanically.

General Comments:

A deceptively quick car if you use the gearing. It has no power under 3000 rpm, but once over 3500 rpm it can really motor.

The engine is indestructible as I have reached almost 8000 rpm in every gear, or higher without any problems - it's like a sewing machine.

The gearbox is well matched to the engine and changes up or down overlap well. You can hit 60kph in 2nd easily, yet at this speed 5th is comfortable. Unfortunately low is a bit high for rapid starts, and 5th at 3500 rpm for 100kph may mean power on tap, but to cruise fast means high revs and a lower fuel economy.

The car could do with more insulation of road sounds, and although solid has a basic construction.

So far it has been really tested on all sorts of roads and at 180 kph, but it has a cut-out that stops the damage. A rapid change down from 5th (the normal road gear) can result in the engine cutting out as you hit 2nd gear by mistake at 100kph. Not good, but it survives with no problems.

The thing is a bit compact. At 6ft the rear seating is very cramped. The whole thing is designed for short people - 5ft 5in the real Japanese boy racer machine. But don't knock it, as the girls just think it's the cutest.