1993 Mazda MX3 from North America - Comments

Auto Transmission needs to be replaced after 97,000 miles.

Front Axel broke down

Gas-line clogged

Small back seats (hey, it's a sports car)

Driver-train breaks down a lot

Car bounces a lot off of bumps.

-Performance 8/10

MX3s control great and everything except for the fact that 135hp and 130ft Torque isn't good enough for racing a V6 these days, but the good thing about the MX3 engines is that they are one of the lightest V6 engines out there (1.8L) compared to other V6 engines that weigh around 3.0L to 4.6L.

The bad thing about MX3s (1991 to 1997) is that they have no aftermarket support at all. That's right, no turbos, no headers, no heads, no pistons, no nothing except for a 75 shot of NOS and a small 7hp Intake. I did hear of some custom MX3 Turbos, but there not worth it because they don't add much horsepower like there suppose to and they are expensive.

So pretty much, if you want to race a MX3, you better swap the engine for a better engine like a MX6 engine which I think has aftermarket support or a J-Spec 2.5L KLZE (or something like that) engine (see the www.mx-3.com forums for more details).

-Reliability 7/10

Do not buy a MX3 with automatic transmission! The reason why is because when Mazda was making the automatic transmission for the MX3s, they didn't make them right because most people have had their transmissions brake down at around 100k miles including me (after 97,860 miles)

Sense the 1993 MX3s are 11 year old cars they will mess up a lot...

-Comfort 9/10

The front seats keep you comfortable and keep you in place, but the back seats are small so don't plan on using the MX3 with cruising with friends or for a road trip of 4 unless you plan to switch seats every hour...

-Dealer Service 3/10

Pricey parts and it looks to me that Mazda dosent care for their MX3s.

-Running Costs 6/10

Some small repairs and some big repairs like a new front axel and a new transmission. Hey, what do you expect from a 11 year old car?

-Looks 8/10

The back lights look great

Car's body looks great

Inside looks great

And there are bodykits out there for it at www.mx-3.com look around in the forums and find appearence. You can't miss it...

Spoiler at the back of the car look crappy for this MX3 year make.

By the way,

I got my MX3 at a auction for $2,500 American with about 65,000miles!

1.8L is the displacement of the v6...not the weight..

He probably meant that the 1.8 liter engine weighs less than the larger displacement motors. I personally own 3 MX-3s a 92 GS with the factory 1.8, and 2 93 GS both with the 2.5 liter swap. My red 93 has a 2.5 from a 96 626, and my blue 93 has a 2.5 liter motor that was requisitioned (at an arm and a legs rate) the J spec only KL-ZE.

The J-spec motor is a die hard MXr's engine cause of the cost of anything internal breaking (pistons, rods, bearings, camshafts, lash adjusters, valves, etc) requires going through engine importers or having custom parts made.

The standard easy way to make this car a little racer is to find an engine from a 93 & up Mazda 626,MX-6 or Ford Probe GT. There are a few other assorted items that you need from the donor car (mass air sensor, ECU, a small length of vacuum hose, the 1 way check valve for the master break cylinder-little rubber hose), and someone who can read a shop manual and has replaced an engine before will have no problems doing this on a weekend (8- 12 hours)

You HAVE to like these cars to want to race them 'cause custom, just like racing is a matter of money...how fast you wanna go? Check out www.mx-3.com look in the forums you should be able to find just about all you want to know about these cars, and the engine swaps there. One of the first guys to do the swap does a lot of advanced racing parts development for MX-3s and they do group buys on custom parts through US and Canadian suppliers.

Sorry, fellas. I race my MX3, and have done very, very well. If the course is twisty, this little car lays it down. It's not a drag car by any means, but can it handle. And as far as engine swaps, they have gotten much, much cheaper. Anything made for the Ford Probe GT/Mazda MX6 V6 engines will fit on the 1.8, the j-spec engines, usdm, whatever you have. Ground Control can make you a coilover kit with whatever spring rates you'd like. It's not easy, but there are options out there if you look.

I own a Mazda Mx-3 and I absolutely love it!! It has well over 100,000 miles and has never once broke down on me, knock on wood! It is the most dependable and best looking car for its age that I have ever seen, People ask me why I don't get a new car because my husband works in the coalmines, and we can afford it, but why when I have a kicken' ride allready?