Reliability of the Mazda 626 Cronos

[spanker]

Hi all,

I'm a n00b to the forum and this is my first post. I'm thinking of buying a used 1992/3 626 V6. Apart from a few minor quirks, the car is in good shape. But 1 major drawback (which is immediately obvious to me) is the odometer, 300k km.

What I would like to know is, how reliable is this car. Meaning, is the engine going to give up on me any time soon? because an overhaul is the last thing I want. I saw a huge oil patch on the ground below the car, but the salesman said it was from an Opel behind the Mazda which was previous in the Mazda's spot.

Price is RM19k.

p.s. the other problems are : worn rubber linings around the doors, some parts of the rubber seal on the windshield worn out (but no leaks), weak power windows, busted rear absorbers, possible worn-out timing belt, and some chinks in the drivetrain (creaks on turns).

 

[sudha]

Stay away from this one. 300k km? Must have been used by salesman or company!

if you serious abt getting a 626 v6/cronos, look ard for a 94 model onwards. Or look for a Ford Telstar V6. They are the same cars.

Reliability....Yes these cars are reliable..very reliable if taken care of well. Bear in mind that any second hand cars that are purchased without a service history warrants a major service especially if you want the car to serve you well.

Buying a second hand car also means that you bound to replace parts that are consumed by wear and tear which could be a bit costly.

 

[spanker]

well... for my price range, i can only afford a used car (taxi fares are killing me, I could pay for a car installment with it). I just found another V6 626, has 200k km on the odometer and has been through a minor accident. Front bumper cracked, some lens busted, but frame is still in good condition. Dealer said it will be replaced and touched up to reasonable condition, and will clean and check everything under the hood. I find that to be a reasonable compromise. Going for a second look this weekend to check the undercarriage, fuel lines etc.

The funniest thing is it's purportedly a 1.8! I didn't know there are 1.8 V6s for the Mazda 626. Is this possible? It's stated in the road tax that 380+ was paid.

 

[sudha]

sounds better. but i would suggest that you look ard a bit more. There are a few in motor trader and the star classifieds.

The 1.8 that you are referring to is JDM import. The 626/Cronos was officially brought in as a 2.0 V6.

Yes...Mazda had 1.8V6 engines and they were common in the Eunos/MX3 and some versions of the Lantis but of course in other markets la.

I would suggest go for the 2.0. The car body is a little heavy for the 1.8, youd be complaining of excessive fuel consumption.

Have patients. As I said earlier, if you are not bothered abt looks or brands...Look at the Ford Telstar V6. It is the same car as the Mazda Cronos.

cheers

 

[kfze]

Look out for more before deciding. Coz the 626 V6 is an old car. But nevertheless, its reliability is without questions. The KF engine was given a high rating points on reliability in Fuel magazine some years back (I have the old issues if u wanna look).

Your first car description was actually quite bad ! A lot things to fix. E.g. worn out rubber lining - water can actually seep in and also u will hear those unwanted wind sound. Bad suspension, these things actually cost a lot to replace because 626 is in a way quite rare, so, stocks need to be specially ordered. Thus the high price.

200k km is quite reasonable actually, looking the number of years the car has been around.

1.8 V6 is JDM specs. But like wat Sudha suggested, get the 2.0 V6 if possible. And yes, Ford Telstar V6 is the same car with Mazda. Just different emblem and different cam covers. Thats all. Parts wise, boleh, banyak lagi.

I am driving a KF as well.

 

[spanker]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. Did my test drive over the weekend, but the really unfortunate thing is that I didn't get to drive it because I wasn't carrying RM500 cash with me for them to hold (who would've thought?). Anywho, the car has idling problems, which the mechanic says he will fix just needs to flush the valves (or something like that). Plus there's some black smoke from the exhaust, better than the white smoke of the 1st 626. Suspension is still solid (no creaks or clicks on turns/acceleration/braking), power windows are in good shape, some screeching on the compressor belt (which they will also address). I told them to fix some ticking on the engine (lifters?). They'll also fix the bumpers, lens, etc.

I appreciate the advice on looking out for better deals, I've been to quite a lot of dealerships already, and man were they shady. The dealership is pretty reputable and they do a lot of luxury cars, so I don't think they'd skimp out on me on this. Plus they told me verbally that they will fix problems, and that it will be in black and white too. So i'm preparing my documents for signing.

p.s. The previous owner stuck a 1.8 emblem on the car, but the sales rep checked and confirmed it's 2.0. The 1.8 is K8ZE engine based on what i found out.

 

[sudha]

good...looks like things turned out pretty well for u.

One word of advice...your idling problem. Make sure u put it in black and white and ensure that they give you the car in good running condition.

I'm just afraid the the valve flushing may not work. Idling could be related to the idle switch and Idle Speed Control (ISC) Valve being faulty. Pls keep an eye.

regards,
Sudha

 

[Lan Dugong]

spanker,
wuhuhuhuuhuuh...last 2 weeks i had a ride in one of my frens Ford Telstar GE V6 2.0 1992. wow!! superb bro! for a 13years old car, i would rate it as 9 over 10, feels like almost brand new, the odometer was doing 160000km plus plus. he just bought it for rm19k too. the topspeed is superb, very very quite, too comfort...hihihihi....a good buy. thumbs up for mazda & ford.

Lan D

 

[sudha]

halo lan.....kau hidup jugak eh!..

Proton took ten years to refine their flagship Perdana...while Ford and Mazda already made theirs much earlier....the best part the 13 yr Ford is till quiet while the 2 yr old Perdana rattles........kakakakakaka!

hehehe....i know.....my first choice was a telstar V6...but damn hard to find a good one especially when you are hard up for one. so whut to do...settle for 12 valve la...now that i've a FE3...hehehehe...no looking back!

Just sorted my idling problem...changed the throttle body! Muahahahah...tak de la badan bergegar lagi. Bila mau TT??

 

[spanker]

Sigh... slight dissappointment today. Supposed to get my 626 today or tomorrow, but the dealer said the paint tried yesterday and the brought it back in today to fix on it. So they'll be taking it to the JPJ on Friday. I submitted my documents 12 days ago and this feels like a frigging long wait. Last tab on my public transport bill was over RM100 in the past 12 days only. Could've paid for 2 full tanki of gas.

Lan Dugong, I'm sure the Telstarts are awesome, but the question is are Mazdas built as tough as Fords?

 

[sudha]

Hi Spank,

dont worry, you've made a good choice. It is worth the wait. but remember, if the car does not have a service record, you need to create one and that means major servicing including changing of timing belt, bearings and etc.

Mazda's and Telstars' built quality are equally the same...they are built tough and probably thats why you see so many of them still running after all these years.

The only difference is the trim levels. Ford usually has a more plush interior compared to mazda's and a few gadgets here and there.

But the most obvious reason would the handling. For some reason Ford cars handle much better than the mazda's. Although the suspension setup are the same, the Ford's are usually tuned for a much more spirited driving. I am sure most will not agree with me on this and don't ask me why, but i have experienced it. Ford carries its TX5 set-up onto the sedans as well, since 1988.

 

[spanker]

Thanks for the assurance sudha :) . Sounds like i should've opted for a Telstar, since I see more of them on the road than the 626s. I asked some mechanics and they said replacing the timing belt and the bearings will cost over RM600! So I won't be doing it too soon, probably around the 240k mark, which is about 20k away. I'm hoping the previous owner made the replacements every 60k so 240k is what i'm hoping for the next change.

Anyways... i'm hoping for the best. I'm sick of public transportation already. Lots of cheating taxi drivers out there.

 

[sudha]

whoa!!....rm600 for timing belt replacement?? Thats nuts.

I would suggest that once you get your car, go to the nearest spare part shop or your regular spare part dealer and ask them to quote you the price for Mazda/Ford Telstar GE 24valve timing belt, bearing and oil seal. Ask for genuine/Japan parts.

Find out from your mechanic what is the labour cost for timing kit change.

It should be cheaper because most mechanics like to jack up the parts price. i know coz thats what I do.

I am driving a Telstar but its one model before the V6. I swapped the engine for a 16v Dohc unit and I realised that it is using the same timing belt as the V6. I managed to get the ford original for less than rm200(just the belt).

Let me know if you need any help. where you at btw?

 

[spanker]

sudha,

you a mechanic? I just got the car yesterday and there's still some idling problems (though not as bad as the first time they started). The black smoke is gone, but I'm hearing some knockings from the engine. I don't think they're willing to fix the knocking but i'm definitely getting them to fix the idle. Otherwise there's some other minor problems I didn't notice initially, minor creaking (very soft barely noticeable) from the steering column, brake pedal 'clicks' when pressed hard.

I'd bring my car over for you to look at if you have a shop (and you're not going to rip me off). My 'regular' mechanic just looked at my Iswara twice, hahah.

I'm at Subang Jaya SS18 btw.

 

[sudha]

me??....mechanic????....Change tyre....fill water...change battery, clean air filter can la..

No...I'm not a mechanic. It's just that I am familiar with the kind of problems or faults in the Telstar/ 626 range.

1) Black smoke is a sign of rich petrol mixture. Some tuning would fix that.

2) Knockings >> do you get it all the time or just when you start the car?

3) Minor creaking from steering column >> worn or hardened rubber bush. Some greasing will help eliminate this problem.

4) Brake pedal clicking > is it very loud or just like switch being clicked?...this usually could be you brake lamp switch or even the spring.

I do go to a good reliable mechanic which I could introduce you to. They are based in Old Klang Road behind wisma peters.

BTW >> how is the car. We should meet I'd love to see it.

 

[invisibleghost]

me??....mechanic????....Change tyre....fill water...change battery, clean air filter can la..

No...I'm not a mechanic. It's just that I am familiar with the kind of problems or faults in the Telstar/ 626 range.

1) Black smoke is a sign of rich petrol mixture. Some tuning would fix that.

2) Knockings >> do you get it all the time or just when you start the car?

3) Minor creaking from steering column >> worn or hardened rubber bush. Some greasing will help eliminate this problem.

4) Brake pedal clicking > is it very loud or just like switch being clicked?...this usually could be you brake lamp switch or even the spring.

I do go to a good reliable mechanic which I could introduce you to. They are based in Old Klang Road behind wisma peters.

BTW >> how is the car. We should meet I'd love to see it.

tuner for ron lim, btw, Lan D is a very reputable member of KBs, he is like mech also

 

[spanker]

The knocking happens all the time, I need to get this fixed ASAP, i suspect it happens at only 1 of the cylinders.

The creaking at the steering column is a bit louder on cold start, but after the car warms up it becomes very slight.

Brake pedal clicks only once upon moderate braking. Light braking has no effect, I think it could be the the lever, not sure.

I'm going to need a good, honest and reliable mechanic to fix these quirks. I'm going to have to do an alignment as well because handling pulls slightly to the left. 1st and 2nd gear is a little stubborn. But otherwise the car so far is in good condition.

Will try to get some pics online. It's got a nice light blue/gray hue to it. A real beauty, and starts to look better every day (to me anyways)

a little anecdote: The license plate number was almost on the Wednesday Magnum 4d 3rd prize. I got the car on Tuesday. LOL!

 

[invisibleghost]

i dunnoe what u mean by knocking, but if it's what is suspect, ur engine is running wif less 1 cyclinder. means 5 cyclinders(if V6). power like 5 cyclinders car but FC is V6. solution?? dun think u want to knw. btw, wat is the number plate? next time see u can flash u mah. where r u based?

 

[sudha]

Knock occurs because the pressure and temperature in the cylinder are high enough when combustion occurs that the unburned fuel/air mixture spontaneously ignites. Thus, these temperatures and pressures must be kept below a certain level to prevent knock from occurring. Couple of factors you need to look into:

>>Engine compression ratio: If the mixture is compressed more, then the pressure gets higher, and knock is more likely to occur. Thus, a higher engine compression will cause knock to be more likely.

>>Spark Advance: Check your ignition timing.

Dude, pls call Danesh from Revolution Performance Works @ 0122932395. Mention I reffered you.

hi Jason, Long time no see. have you drpped in your FE3?

 

[invisibleghost]

Dude, pls call Danesh from Revolution Performance Works @ 0122932395. Mention I reffered you.

mention sudha, danesh will rip u off, hahahahaahha