Seat belt warning light and beep go on while driving due to the contact in the center console wearing through on the driver's shoulder-belt retractor. Fixed three times before disconnecting it.
Power windows very weak going up at times.
Three mufflers (Midas), but the latest Mazda brand muffler seems to last.
Other than the above few faults, the car has started every time in the ten years I have owned it. I drive it year after year and put very little money into it. It drives, runs, and looks like a new car.
It is surprisingly fast for the size of it; being able to "chirp" the tires in third gear. On the highway, it can push you back in your seat without shifting out of 5th gear, even at 85 MPH.
It has almost no blind spots. At 115K miles it still handles like it is on rails. I have since bought a new vehicle from the Chrysler Corporation and I have had more problems with it in the year I have owned it than I have ever had with my Mazda. I would definitely recommend Mazda to anyone who is looking for reliability and low ownership costs.
UPDATE 7/13/05 I still have this car. I had to put rear shocks in, and another set of front brakes. That is it! It now has 147,000 miles on it. It will not die! Outside of brakes, one battery, and rear shocks, in nearly 15 years, that is all I have done to it.
It is starting to rust a little around the upper door frames and behind the rear quarter panels, but I think it is because I got crazy with the high pressure car wash.
The clutch (original) chatters a bit starting off and the timing belt is about 27K miles overdue to be changed. It is going to be hard to say goodbye to this car. Besides wood furniture, what else can you think of that lasts 15 years with little maintenance?
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