Need a family friendly car and the TX5 does not quite cut it - not enough seats. Didn't want a van/mpv/suv/cross over etc so I was looking for a 7 seat station wagons like Mercedes Benz - found a nice E class wagon but they are popular here and it went for more money than I wanted to spend. There weren't any Volvo's either I'd have gone with one of them too. I figured I'd get a Mazda - so I'd kind of be reminded of the TX5 when driving it. There were a few Mazda 626's with 7 seats either too far away or wanting stupid money, or just rough old cars.
I settled and paid average money for a very ugly looking GV 626 wagon which seemed like a quick fix - rough exterior which I would respray, service the engine completely - all fluids and filters. It suddenly turned into to a total restoration when it lunched the engine 400 kms into a 900km trip home. Insert language.
So I started looking again and found this mint - well compared to the other one - GF Capella wagon, 140 hp of FS-DE (slow) fury and Fords wonderful (poo-like) CD4E slush box optioned with Mazda Speed kit and springs and just over 140,000 kms. Won the auction at far less than expected - $1,250. Drove 450 kms home without missing a beat. Don't get me wrong I like Fords too. I've had a few Falcons, Telstar shares the badge too even if it isn't a true Ford and they make good stuff. Just maybe not this weak gearbox its a stuff up. The one in the car works perfectly which is a plus.
As I bought it:
I gave it a lube service. Then a clean and buff.
Came up really well. Paint was starting to chalk it was left for so long. Even close up its like glass.
Didn't like the scraped up bumper so I gave it a (quick) spray with quality 2K paint. Wore a mask because 2K is toxic. Bleargh.
Came up mint off the can. I am a painter. Gun is better but I have no compressor. Plus neighbors would get tense fair enough over spray would carry further due to higher pressure. One day we will live in the country and I will have a full workshop.....
Slapped on a Mazda Speed badge on the grille. Seems a little faster (Almost)
Dipped the rims, looks better I think. They're some random Japanese aftermarket 15's with 195/60/15's. I'd like 16's. Ride is pretty crashy and if I get 16's I want a 50 profile at least and 205 or wider. But that stuff can wait.
I'm looking for fog lights and will get a strut brace from an SP20 Familia/323. But before any money gets put towards cosmetics.....
Hard to believe but it doesn't even have 150 k's either!
It smokes on start up - which it said in the auction. I know sooner or later it would need some spanner times in the inner workings - valve stem seals. Seems like its happening sooner.
The smoke is getting worse from the odd blue puff to how it is now, although its random sometimes there's just a puff other its this or worse.. Bothered? Angry? Not really. These goes for $3500 for a minter, so I don't feel too ripped off. Seller was honest about it, which was good the last one was a bit of a sod. I'm just about to finish my cert in automotive engineering got a few weeks left. I've built engines to spec completely while studying so doing this seems like fun.
Mazda have good ideas - RX7's/8's, MX5's MX6's, 3 and 6 MPS, the whole GD series - fantastic - well to me. Sadly when they do stupid things like paper mache valve stem seals and cardboard piston rings and rods that may as well be plastic compared to how they used to make them, I do wonder what the fudge. The FS-DE is rubbish next to the FE-dohc. I'd swap the FE in but its hard to get one with around 100,000 kms - none in the country with such low kms and I can't import one with what I plan to spend. Used engine will be a smokey turd like now and will be a waste of time.
So its going to get a full engine seal kit - $230 - including valve stem seals, head gasket. I will need new rings $?? and bearings $??. Question marks because I'm not sure if to go genuine and have it smoking again in 100,000 kms time or for a better - not china curse word aftermarket replacements. I'm expecting around $800 or so in parts. Will need a quick hone likely due to glazing on the cylinder walls, just a hone brush on a drill should do it maybe hand/shoelace polish on the crank journals, as long as everything is within spec and I don't have to machine anything. Sounds hack but as long as it is in spec it will be fine.
I settled and paid average money for a very ugly looking GV 626 wagon which seemed like a quick fix - rough exterior which I would respray, service the engine completely - all fluids and filters. It suddenly turned into to a total restoration when it lunched the engine 400 kms into a 900km trip home. Insert language.
So I started looking again and found this mint - well compared to the other one - GF Capella wagon, 140 hp of FS-DE (slow) fury and Fords wonderful (poo-like) CD4E slush box optioned with Mazda Speed kit and springs and just over 140,000 kms. Won the auction at far less than expected - $1,250. Drove 450 kms home without missing a beat. Don't get me wrong I like Fords too. I've had a few Falcons, Telstar shares the badge too even if it isn't a true Ford and they make good stuff. Just maybe not this weak gearbox its a stuff up. The one in the car works perfectly which is a plus.
As I bought it:
I gave it a lube service. Then a clean and buff.
Came up really well. Paint was starting to chalk it was left for so long. Even close up its like glass.
Didn't like the scraped up bumper so I gave it a (quick) spray with quality 2K paint. Wore a mask because 2K is toxic. Bleargh.
Came up mint off the can. I am a painter. Gun is better but I have no compressor. Plus neighbors would get tense fair enough over spray would carry further due to higher pressure. One day we will live in the country and I will have a full workshop.....
Slapped on a Mazda Speed badge on the grille. Seems a little faster (Almost)
Dipped the rims, looks better I think. They're some random Japanese aftermarket 15's with 195/60/15's. I'd like 16's. Ride is pretty crashy and if I get 16's I want a 50 profile at least and 205 or wider. But that stuff can wait.
I'm looking for fog lights and will get a strut brace from an SP20 Familia/323. But before any money gets put towards cosmetics.....
Hard to believe but it doesn't even have 150 k's either!
It smokes on start up - which it said in the auction. I know sooner or later it would need some spanner times in the inner workings - valve stem seals. Seems like its happening sooner.
The smoke is getting worse from the odd blue puff to how it is now, although its random sometimes there's just a puff other its this or worse.. Bothered? Angry? Not really. These goes for $3500 for a minter, so I don't feel too ripped off. Seller was honest about it, which was good the last one was a bit of a sod. I'm just about to finish my cert in automotive engineering got a few weeks left. I've built engines to spec completely while studying so doing this seems like fun.
Mazda have good ideas - RX7's/8's, MX5's MX6's, 3 and 6 MPS, the whole GD series - fantastic - well to me. Sadly when they do stupid things like paper mache valve stem seals and cardboard piston rings and rods that may as well be plastic compared to how they used to make them, I do wonder what the fudge. The FS-DE is rubbish next to the FE-dohc. I'd swap the FE in but its hard to get one with around 100,000 kms - none in the country with such low kms and I can't import one with what I plan to spend. Used engine will be a smokey turd like now and will be a waste of time.
So its going to get a full engine seal kit - $230 - including valve stem seals, head gasket. I will need new rings $?? and bearings $??. Question marks because I'm not sure if to go genuine and have it smoking again in 100,000 kms time or for a better - not china curse word aftermarket replacements. I'm expecting around $800 or so in parts. Will need a quick hone likely due to glazing on the cylinder walls, just a hone brush on a drill should do it maybe hand/shoelace polish on the crank journals, as long as everything is within spec and I don't have to machine anything. Sounds hack but as long as it is in spec it will be fine.
