The Ex-forum of several shiters 95 Mazda 323 coupé - for sale again!

[greengartside]

Standard UK plate for me, I’m not a fan of the square plates. Have you got a mounting surround for the plate?

[Sir Snipes]

Just get whatever properly fits.  'Gets right on my tits when I see JDM plates squeezed onto a UK plate shaped recess. It looks friggin awful.

[500tops]

correctly fonted UK plates for me, please

[egg]

54 minutes ago, Sir Snipes said:

Just get whatever properly fits.  'Gets right on my tits when I see JDM plates squeezed onto a UK plate shaped recess. It looks friggin awful.

It has a JDM sized recess. Which is really why I'm a bit unsure on this one.

[Schaefft]

With a recess like this it needs the JDM format plate for me.

[egg]

Maybe go the whole hog, lol...

[egg]

I've written a blog article for Petrolblog on this car...

https://petrolblog.com/2020/01/anonymous-rarity-mazda-323-coupe/

[jumpingjehovahs]

I've written a blog article for Petrolblog on this car...
https://petrolblog.com/2020/01/anonymous-rarity-mazda-323-coupe/

A good read, I love that site and am glad to see your car feature!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[loserone]

Is that really your Twitter handle, @egg?

[egg]

Ah, no! That's not me!

[loserone]

Glad to hear it, whoever it is is very sad

[egg]

The Mazda is having a half term breather as it arrives at 83,000 miles.

I asked local mechanic do to an oil and filter change, and while he's at it give it a good check over to see how it's bearing up doing 250 miles a week through a wet winter.

The filter is very small, on the back of the block, under all of the inlet manifold etc, so is only accessible from underneath, and you'd have to get right under the car on a jack/stands to reach it - so the value in doing the change myself is limited given the effort that would be involved in lying in the road (excuses, excuses). I asked him to go back to 5w30, it's done the last 6 months on 10w40 (cheap oil from Tesco when it was on offer).

The verdict is it is all ok 'drives well'. There's a bit of underseal pealing and he commented about the rusty wheel arch, but he says it should go through the next MOT fine (due 3 month's time in May).

We talked about doing a transmission oil change - but he said the value in it is probably minimal given age of the car. Might get another opinion on that.

So £65 for peace of mind that this 25 year old car can carry on doing it's thing for now.

One of my all time favourites, this one.

[RobT]

I've got a Pela pump, so if you want to do an ATF change (or partial one anyway) cleanly and cheaply I'm happy to help.

[egg]

@RoadworkUK pointed me to a great brochure resource for Japanese cars in the Corona (car) thread. 

I'm loving some of the dealer options you could get on this. The little sight marker at the front, dashboard tissue holder, cup holder...

Body kit is cool too.

Also here is the 1.8 5 speed, not sold in the UK, which I reckon could be a fun car - the 'interplay X'!

Also, look at the ICE options!

 

[mk2_craig]

Great to look back at this era! One of my Edinburgh friends was batshit mad for EK Civics around 15 years ago and paid insane money for assorted JDM bits, including that parking pole thing and the associated dashboard switch. 

[egg]

9 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

paid insane money for assorted JDM bits

I have found some used cup holders on ebay Germany! Obviously not a current priority! Amayama.com  (parts from Japan) still list them new...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Getrankehalter-vorn-Mazda-323C-BA-Bj-97-0036605-BC1D6439XC/292198412490

[Sir Snipes]

1.8 DOHC High Power! 

Shame it's not the v6!

[Schaefft]

I love that even a small Mazda like the 323C could be ordered with a satnav color screen in the early 90s. The Mercedes S-Class didnt get that until 1998 when the W220 came out (if you ignore the Japan only one in the W140).

[egg]

Air filter was changed when I got it 12,000 miles and 22 months ago. Not exactly essential to change it then, but with an ECP £4.59 bargain* in stock from Mann and time, I needed something to do on my shite that wouldn't spook the neighbours. Airbox had a wipe out but not the moment to take it off and clean it.

 

[egg]

Battery clamp removed, and paint stripped with this stuff and a wire brush

Then Mr Vactan does his thing

Etch primer next once that dried, in my painting booth*

And to finish, this stuff

Give it 48 hours to cure, and then it can go back on the car. Useful* job done.

 

[Tigerfox]

Missed a trick there, you could have streamed it live and given shiters hours of fun watching paint dry ?

[HMC]

“Bar-b-q-noir”

[egg]

I've also given the clamp bolts a vinegar bath for 24 hours and a little polish with the Dremel, descent into madness!

But they are like new now. Good old Japanese quality.

[egg]

Back on the car, best do the wiper arms next.

[egg]

I remembered I had a pollen filter as well, so changed that. Like last time, the aftermarket parts are a couple of mm too wide, unlike last time, I managed to force it in under pressure. Not ideal, so OEM next time, if there is a next time!

[egg]

Driver's wiper arm off, and the bit I'm going to paint, stripped

[egg]

The arm above has now been painted, and is back on the car. One more to do!

[egg]

Still going with 'project keep yourself busy and thank god you aren't a key worker'....

[egg]

Done!

Before...

[egg]

Another cost update - 84,000 miles, April 2020. Added last oil change,  air filter change, Pollen filter change, battery clamp painting and wiper arm painting. The two biggies remain cambelt/water pump and transmission service. If and when I get the MOT extension, could look at that again.

Original purchase price + first MOT 2018 + all associated fixing up = £415
MOT 2019 = £75 (MOT £45, £30 to re-secure the loose CV boot and another minor issue)
Other Labour costs = £557
parts spend = £423.15
tyres spend = £224

total costs = £1694.15 (14p per mile before petrol costs)

High Priority

Entire new exhaust Done, Complete new exhaust apart from catalyst, which has a small crack...Middle and rear section £76, front down pipe £30, used replacement Lambda sensor also replaced £25, Gaskets £7, new exhaust clamp needed to secure rattling catalyst (£10 10/5/18). New cat needed long term - not done
Oil and Filter change Done, Unipart oil £8, Oil Filter £2 (Sept 18). Done again Aug 19 (Tesco oil £8, Filter £3.50), Done again March 20 (£65 + £4 filter)
Deal with 2 worst rust areas Partially done - sticking plaster solution, Vactan applied to 2 worst areas, Bilt Hamber wax used on end of sills and rusty wheelarch. Jan 19, Vactan applied to most underbody areas on a ramp £20. Wheel arch rust worsening - needs proper solution - not done
New CV boot Done 24/10 (and fixed again for 2019 MOT)
Ignition switch replaced by main dealer following recall Done Dec 18 cost £0
CV boot re-mounted (3 times in total) and new ball-joints both sides Jan 19 £132
Driver's seat welded up again £20 (June 2019)

Medium priority
Air filter change - done 17/5/18 (cost £5), done again 1/4/20 (cost £5)
Pollen filter change - kinda done 16/5/18 (cost £11), done again 6/4/20 (cost £8)
Fuel Filter change - done 2/6 /18 (cost £6)
Get a spare key - done 15/9 /18 (cost £35)
2 New Front Tyres and tracking - done 24/9/18 (Cost £120), 2 x Nexens at £45 + £30 for the tracking - 2 rear tyres (Yoko Bluearths) £104 23/11/19
Cambelt and aux belt (non-interference roulette) - not done
Change gearbox oil (would be nice to do filter) - not done
New Rad/Coolant change - New radiator from ebay (£35) fitted for £100 including new coolant (but also labour for oil change and PAS delete...) (August 2019)
replace screws on exhaust manifold heat shield - Partially done £8.
Ignition parts May/June 2019 - rotor arm £4.33, Dizzy Cap £8.50, spark plugs £11.28 = £24.11 (Could do leads still). In August 19 had to buy a 2nd Dizzy cap (£17.87) and July 19 bought NGK leads (£28)

Low priority
A general go over with the G3 scratch remover - one side done to limited effect 31/5 /18(cost £0)
new wiper blades - done rear wiper blade changed 31/10/18, fronts changed 11/11 /18 (Cost £18), another rear wiper blade Nov 19 (£3.62)
paint wiper arms - rear wiper done 8/6 (cost zero - obviously some materials, but not worth costing!), front blades April 2020 (some materials, not costed)
Bulbs for door courtesy lights - done 26/5/18 (cost £2.75)
Square front number plate - not done
Refurbish/replace wheel trims - not done
Replace GLX side badges - done 15/6 (cost £8.75)
Clean/replace PCV valve - done 26/5/18 (cost £3.25)
new captive nut for side light - done 21/6/18 (cost £2)
Paint battery clamp - done April 2020 (some materials, not costed)
PAS fluid  - done 9/6 (cost £6.99). Also PAS cooling loop deleted August 2019 as part of radiator swap (pipe curved round on itself)
Smelly (front) washer fluid - done 2/11/18 - flushed front fluid system and new screenwash (cost £0)
Soundproofing -  spend £6 on some silentcoat for under the bonnet and boot area
Brake pedal cover replacement - not done
Charcoal Canister?
Air intake pipe perishing - may leak soon - not done