Faults:

Failed MOT on perished drop link bush covers.

Windscreen washers stopped working - might be blocked.

CV joints clicking.

Rear nearside wheel bearing went.

Alarm goes off when you unlock the driver's door, and the alarm continues to go off after the engine is started. Only way to stop it is to stop the car and lock and unlock the tailgate.

General Comments:

Not overly impressed. The ride is fairly harsh and bumpy, although the handling is quite good.

Well equipped - climate control, electric windows x 4, electric sunroof.

Noisy engine and fairly sluggish with the auto box.

The car always starts first time, but have been disappointed with faults, particularly the wheel bearing.

The oil filter is virtually impossible to access from the engine bay.

Car is fairly thirsty - as low as 27 MPG around town. Up to 40 MPG on a run.

Not as fault free as previous Japanese cars I have owned.

Faults:

Clutch gave up the ghost at 60000 kays

Headlight globes replaced at about 10 000

Routine servicing.

General Comments:

The car is very comfortable with many useful features, a great long distance car with superb seats.

The performance is good but a little more power would be great.

The 5 speed gearbox is light and the action is positive except reverse which needs to be pushed home.

The clutch is light and positive but takeup is sharp.

The 4 wheel disc brakes are great.

I had factory fitted cruise control which has been great.

Fuel consumption is average depending on the brand of fuel.

Car can be noisy especially on the open road so be prepared to turn the radio up.

The radio has great reception, even in country areas, but the lack of MP3 and jack for an iPod was an oversight.

General Comments:

I had much fun with my good old 91 Golf. But it was time to change.

After some hesitations between the actual Golf and other cars like Opel Astra or Nissan Almera, I found the 2002 Mazda 323F (called "Protegé5" in other countries)

Quite discrete look, even shy, I would say, this car was for me a perfect compromise. I have to park in some tight parking places, but I need to carry some tools or stuff.

The 323 combine both possibilities.

Without the size of a station wagon, it's still roomy enough, almost like a "big one".

One of the nicest thing of this version (Tsi) is the rear seat that can be, of course bent, but also pushed forward. Great to carry more stuff in the trunk, but still you can keep rear passengers :-)

The front passenger seat can be bent as well. Providing excellent solution to carry long poles, planks,...

Coming to the engine.

It's not a formula 1, it's a 98hp. Excellent in acceleration from 0 to 90km/h, satisfying above.

An excellent engine for a family use, but I was surprised to see the feelings it can bring when you go a little bit further in the rpm's.

The fuel flows from 8 to 10 liters for 100 kilometers, according of the weight of the load, or the weight of my foot :-)

Inside? Almost perfect. No external noise, great acoustic (original tape player and 4 speakers), dashboard is clear and easy to use. Electric windows for the four doors, I took Air Co, witch works great in less than two minutes after engine start.

The Tsi also have audio control on the wheel.

I wouldn't forget to mention that this car is incredibly comfortable! With the possibility to adjust the driver seat up, down and the inclination, you may plan to make long journeys without any back problems.

Well... I say this after one year. Hard to talk about reliability, I'll see that the in the future. For now, I have a 3 (three) years warranty and three years of Road Assistance by the Manufacturer.

All of this for only 15000€ (about 15000$). I wouldn't ask for more :-)