SOTW: Mazda MX-3
Mazda Mx-3 V6 1.8 abs 1992
Who's for 'Renown' colours...?
Back when this pebble-like creation was conceived, Japan’s car manufacturers cranked out coupes like Armin Schwarz does power slides - and all before the days of mass component sharing and platform strategies. Some were unforgettable (Honda NSX); some where class defining (Toyota MR2) and some should simply be erased from a car enthusiast’s memory (Nissan 100NX). Either way, much of our second-hand car culture would collapse if they’d never existed.
Mazda were true masters of ‘sporting metal overload’ and liked to combine it with a penchant for technical diversity - despite their minnow status amongst the Japanese manufacturers – which just about remains to this day. They persevered with rotary power for the fearsome and thirsty RX-7, and gorged themselves on ‘The Bedtime Book of British Roadsters’ before knocking out the landmark MX-5.
Not a lot of go, but a great soundtrack
But at some point they decided what they really needed was a small, front-wheel drive coupe, complete with its own miniature V6 engine of just 1800cc. ‘Shed’ respects a stubborn attitude against convention – and at all costs.
In 1991 Mazda even won Le Mans outright with the quad rotor 787B Group C car, but the strain of producing so many different models was just one more mile on the road to ruin, and eventually into the rescue dingy of Ford.
All of which leaves this tidy MX-3 as an interesting footnote in history, and somewhat cut off in character terms from the current Mazda range. ‘Shed’ has always been a fan of sweet and small V6 motors, and the little 1800cc unit certainly has both of those attributes. Predictably, what it doesn’t have is torque; or rear-wheel drive, sadly.
Plenty of hard plastics in here...
Advert: My mx3 is a UK car registered 27/11/92. Tax till end Sept 07 MOT till 9th Feb o8. Stamped service history upto 96518 - now on 105500 miles on the clock.
Totally standard except a Sebring Exhaust with de-cat - sounds nice like a bike when it’s going thru the revs. Decent tyres all round, new plugs Bosch super 4's just been fitted. pas. abs. e/w. e/s/r. c/l. e/h/m. abs. Excellent mpg and surprisingly cheap to insure.... because it’s a UK car. Driver’s seat has a few snags & the back 2 little seats have a bit stitching come away. Back hatch rusted where the Mazda sign is. Usual stone chips, but its expected as it’s not a new car. Polishes up really nice. Any inspections welcome on this car Genuine reason for Sale. £1,000
Mazda did use a RWD 3.0L V6 in the 929/Luce though, but at 150kW and AFAIK auto only transmission, it's not really worth the effort when there are many better options available, including the B6T or BPT turbo four cylinders, which aren't too difficult to adapt or the 13B rotary both or which are better options from the Mazda stable.
The curse of the short nosed crank
Loose crank pulley, worn keyway, variable timing (in a bad way!)...
Have never come across this problem seen plenty of em,this aint another post slaggin of a Japanese car because nothing goes wrong, so fictional faults get created,just curious sounds more like some dickhead as not done up the front pulley correctly,i certainly have never seen this problem ever although i will back up the poor fuel economy and very revvy nature.
is somewhat harsh. The car provides cheap fun open top transport. Its hardly a Fiat Uno.
www.geocities.com/total100nx
The curse of the short nosed crank
Loose crank pulley, worn keyway, variable timing (in a bad way!)...
Have never come across this problem seen plenty of em,this aint another post slaggin of a Japanese car because nothing goes wrong, so fictional faults get created,just curious sounds more like some dickhead as not done up the front pulley correctly,i certainly have never seen this problem ever although i will back up the poor fuel economy and very revvy nature.
No really, it is a real fault, but not on the 323!
Re:v6 in MX5, here's a vid of the larger Mazda V6 into a Miata:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=toughTZ9PIw
I remember a female friend's Mother, IQ 85, dribbled spontaneously from the corner of her mouth, watched Neighbours... Anyway, she was just back from the local Nissan dealer, Husband having procured a part-ex'd Kia Pride from there (you can tell the family were real car enthusiasts). Dribble-woman began to gush about this 'gorgeous' sports car that they had seen. I reckoned it must have been a 300ZX, possibly even an S13 200SX, but inevitably turned out to be the pensioner-special 100NX.
Who ordered these as new cars? Someone must have. About as visually appealing as Anne Widdecombe with a dose of facial herpes, FWD, and with an engine lifted straight from a Tamiya R/C car. Why???
Back to the topic. MX3 V6. Err, why again? There are loads of good Jap coupes from the period, CRX, MR2, S13, don't see the point in this one TBH... I suppose it is a bit 'different'.
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