1992 Mazda 626 DX review from North America
"Roomy, reliable, but costly to maintain at its age"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Radiator leaked at 12500 miles, clutch main cylinder leaked at 132000 miles. Dashboard cracked and over all the interior is deteriorating due to sun damage. Paint coating came off on the doors. Rear lights leak water into the trunk during the rain (common problem for this model). Left seal is a little bit leaking transmission fluid. Hydraulic lash adjusters (HLA) showing wear and started making tapping noise, especially in cold weather and with cheap dirty gasoline. The car consumes oil, about one quart per thousand miles.
General comments?
I liked the car since it is roomy and it never let me down and the AC still works! But the maintenance costs are a little bit high. The good feature of this car I that it has roomy trunk and rear folding seats which are good if you transport a surfboard or pieces of furniture. Another good feature is that it has high road clearance, and it is not so problematic going over the speed bumps. Over all I invested a lot of money in this car and then sold it for $1000 since I got a new job.
Recommended reviews
| Showing its age, but still has a little `zoom-zoom` left |
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| I have been unable to find another car that provides me with sheer driving pleasure |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1992 |
| Year of manufacture | 1992 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.2L SOHC Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 123811 miles |
| Most recent distance | 132000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 8th January, 2005 |