1994 Mazda 626 LX review from North America

I had to replace the CV joints at about 100,000 miles.

Rear sway bar link broke at 150,000 miles.

Have had to replace front ball joints several times.

Idle problems, mostly fixed by throttle body cleaning and K & N air filter.

Brake rotors need resurfacing.

Faulty airbag light on.

Replaced muffler and long exhaust pipe because of rusting.

Clutch trashed by service technician dogging my car while in his care.

I know it sounds like there have been many problems with this car, but on the whole I think that it is a reliable and comfortable car for the number of miles it has.

This car has never left me on the side of the road and has done very well in the hilly environment of the Appalachian mountains. It has enough power (manual transmission helps) to get me where I want to go, and it does well on the snow and ice.

This car is fine for long trips as well as around town. It gets good mileage, and I have driven it all around the U.S. and Canada with no problems, even when heavily loaded.

The only problem I have with this car is that the front ball joints seem to wear out quickly. It's annoying to have to replace them every few years, though they are not very costly. The brakes could also use some attention, as they sometimes have trouble with fading and "chattering" on steep downhill slopes.

I am very glad that I bought this car with a manual transmission. I have heard horror stories about the automatic version, but my 5-speed is a joy to shift. I have never replaced the clutch, though it is certainly getting worn thin.

I bought my 626 with a number of miles on it already because it was a good price for the features it provided, such as a moon roof and power everything. Plus, I thought it was a very good-looking car. Over the years, I have found that though it is not without its problems, it is still a good car and well worth the money I paid for it. I have certainly gotten my use out of it!