1994 Mazda 626 LX from North America - Comments

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!

I agree with you 100%!! I have a 1994 Mazda 626, 2.0 engine, and 5 speed manual. I have 135,000+ miles on the car and the engine and transmission have never given me a problem. The most major, non-scheduled repair that I have had was a CV joint and both front strut bearings. This car still gets 30 mpg around town and 40 mpg on the interstate. In fact, I love my car so much that I just bought another 1994 626 and just finished having it restored. Long Live the 1994 626.

I own a 1994 5-speed manual transmission mazda 626.the performance so far has been fairly OK.

I 1st noticed a rattling sound on the car each time I put on the ac;made serveral attempts at fixing it up, but all to no avail.now, my car is down... the engine is out.I'm told it's the cam shaft & I've got to replace the rings, but ain't got no time for all that.isn't it advisable I just go ahead & replace the entire engine. but what engine type /capacity will suit my machine?

I have a Mazda 626 as well. I have only had it for a year or so, but so far it has performed nearly flawlessly.

I have a Automatic transmission and I have had no problem with it so far. It shifts a little harder then other cars I've had, but that might be because I push my poor car to the limit every day. I'll be truthful with you and said I use those triple-digit numbers pretty often. I'm not a bad person; I just live miles from the nearest town and I am always late for something. I'm surprised that a car I paid so little for performs so well.

I can already see that some time in the future I will need to replace a CV join. It is starting to make a clicking noise when I turn my wheels. Also, I heard that it is not uncommon for there to be transmission problems with this car. I have taken steps like regular transmission check ups and fluid changes every 10 to 30 thousand miles to keep the wear and tear down to a minimum.

As my car nears the 150K mark, I have to say that this will be a hard car to let go of when the time comes. I hope that time never comes.

I have a '93 626 LX with a manual---I LOVE IT! I have put some money into it, I had to replace the axle in the front and have just put a new manifold and flex pipe on this week and do notice tires seem to need to be replaced more often than usual... but it does have 229688 miles on it!!! I have probably put 60000 of those miles on it, and really think the repairs I had to do were reasonable. I found another 1994, V6 manual tranny with leather interior for 2200 dollars and will be looking at it friday to see if I should buy it. I am excited because it has everything my 93 has, but a slightly larger engine (to pull a pop up camper) and leather seats. It does have 132000 miles so that worries me a little-what it may need repair-wise, but I know that if I do the necessary repairs it may end up lasting me another 100000 miles! It's fun to drive the stick, it has enough power (now I'll have even more) and my gas mileage is between 38 and 40 mpg, I usually get like 475 miles to a tank. I love my car!

We have a 1994 Mazda 626 ES with the 2.5 L V6 and the manual 5-speed transmission. It has been a great car so far. Great engine and transmission combo. A lot of fun to drive. Very Quick. Mileage is only 24-25 in town and 27-29 on the highway. It is geared for power, not for cruising. The interior is starting to show some age. The cup holders are a joke. Other than replacing a water pump, it's still going strong after 153,000 miles. It does burn a little oil, but I guess that's not unusual for a car of this age. Overall quality is good, but a little behind that of Toyota and Honda. The manual transmission is one of this cars best features. The pedals are set up perfect for heel and toeing. Overall, a fun car!