MX-3 rant

[agent s]

I tried loads & loads boyz n gurlz & most wouldn't even quote me at all! Anyways... don't get me started on the whole insurance thang...

Just got a quote on a MX-3 1.6 for €926.68 - crazy or what?!!! Such a difference! Can't really justify having the FTO any longer with that floating around in my head! Still, it's going to break my heart to see it go...

[Dave]

why not go for an MX3 1.8V6..... at least there's a half decent kick out of it!

[Mustang]

Agent S wrote

Just got a quote on a MX-3

We I guess that's OK seeing as you are a



Dave wrote

why not go for an MX3 1.8V6..... at least there's a half decent kick out of it!

While saying "I drive a V6" sounds cool, and the novelty of having one of (if not the) smallest production V6 engines sounds quite good. I understand that the 1.8 V6 is in fact no so good. And that the 1.6 is in fact a better choice (there was a discussion on this very matter recently can't remeber was it on FTO Ireland or Octane )

Agent S wrote

Nice! Anyway people... how much do you think it's worth? Help me out here....

For a '95 manual GR in good condition I'd say about €6500 +/-500.
You'd have to factor in the negative impact of a Cork reg though

[Dave]

Dave wrote

why not go for an MX3 1.8V6..... at least there's a half decent kick out of it!

While saying "I drive a V6" sounds cool, and the novelty of having one of (if not the) smallest production V6 engines sounds quite good. I understand that the 1.8 V6 is in fact no so good. And that the 1.6 is in fact a better choice (there was a discussion on this very matter recently can't remeber was it on FTO Ireland or Octane )

I think it's actually a 1.5, not a 1.6, i drove a 1.5 for about 6 months and i've driven the V6 and i know which one i would take....

[Mustang]

For a '95 manual GR in good condition I'd say about €6500 +/-500.
You'd have to factor in the negative impact of a Cork reg though

Oi! c'mere boy, if you tink now that it'd bring down de value, you'd have another ting comin like!

I was laying that piece of bait for you alright Kev, but we were writing at the same time and you beat me to it. Actually I think it would probably increase the appeal, if only to differentiate from all those D reg ones out there. Up the rebels!

Dave wrote

I think it's actually a 1.5, not a 1.6, i drove a 1.5 for about 6 months and i've driven the V6 and i know which one i would take....

I'll take your word for it Dave, as I am not speaking from experience.
I just got the impression that the V6 was not as nice as perhaps you might think. I'm sure it sounds sweet though.....

[Dave]

oh it's nothing like the FTO V6 but it's definitely a good bit quicker than the 1.5 and insurance permitting and if it was only one of these two, i'd pick the V6...

[Myfeckin FTO]

I think it's actually a 1.5, not a 1.6, i drove a 1.5 for about 6 months and i've driven the V6 and i know which one i would take....

I think it depends on whether its an Irish or Jap model - I drove a 1.5 DOHC (110bhp) for a while back in the dark ages - nice car but lusted after a 1.8V6.

A 95+ Lantis V6 would be a nice Q car IMO - hasn't dated as much as the MX3.

[Mustang]

oh it's nothing like the FTO V6 but it's definitely a good bit quicker than the 1.5 and insurance permitting and if it was only one of these two, i'd pick the V6...

Just checked the 1.5 has 120PS.....not bad for a 1.5
The 1.8 V6 has 145PS.
Not bad engine outputs considering the age of the design...
I guess the V6 would be my choice as well if was looking for a car

[Myfeckin FTO]

MfFTO wrote

I think it depends on whether its an Irish or Jap model - I drove a 1.5 DOHC (110bhp) for a while back in the dark ages - nice car but lusted after a 1.8V6.

Did you have an MX3?

Didn't own an MX3 - but drove a mates regularly - tried hard to find a good 1.8 V6 and nearly bought a CRX before settling on the 1.8V6 engine in the Astina - always wanted that 1.8V6 in either car - the car mags used to rave about that engine at the time.

[RussMan]

As you wish MYFTO!!

Oh btw the mx-3 1.6 is a great little car... I had one as my first car and loved it! 125ps sounds bull&&&& for the 1.5 though so not sure where your getting those figures from? Mine was the 1.6 DOHC and pack approx 105.

Cheers
Rusty

[Mustang]

As you wish MYFTO!!

Oh btw the mx-3 1.6 is a great little car... I had one as my first car and loved it! 125ps sounds bull&&&& for the 1.5 though so not sure where your getting those figures from? Mine was the 1.6 DOHC and pack approx 105.

Cheers
Rusty

Russman the figure I had quoted for the 1.5 engine was 120PS this is the jap spec engine.
See here for details.

The 1.6 unit was Eurpoean market only -the runt of the litter producing considerabley less power than it's 1.5 stable mate.
See here for a discussion on the differnt MX3 models.

[RussMan]

Thats strange cos my 1.6 mx-3 used to past my friends jap import 1.5 .... strange!!!

[RussMan]

How dare you call it the "runt" of the litter Me and Mmmmy the mx3 had some good times

[Mustang]

Dave wrote

why not go for an MX3 1.8V6..... at least there's a half decent kick out of it!

While saying "I drive a V6" sounds cool, and the novelty of having one of (if not the) smallest production V6 engines sounds quite good. I understand that the 1.8 V6 is in fact no so good. And that the 1.6 is in fact a better choice (there was a discussion on this very matter recently can't remeber was it on FTO Ireland or Octane )

Getting back on the off topic topic of the MX3, I should have said 1.5 here and not the 1.6.
@Dave / MyfeckinFTO I think I had confused the 1.8 V6 with the 1.6 as being the one to avoid seems that the V6 is actually a nice motor

[RussMan]

MX-3 1.6 rocks.... stop hijacking the thread and go abuse my first car somewhere else ok

[CJ]

Had to split this topic, it was all over er the shop!

Being an ex-MX-3 owner (:r I know but OK for the women, NOI!), I have some knowledge on the subject.

The 1.5 DOHC was JDM only and was called an Autozam AZ-3 (Mazda offshoot), the 1.6 SOHC was the Euro varient, its slower than the AZ-3.

As was previously stated, the 1.8 V6 is the smallest V6 in the world, that said, it ain't no rocket ship.

Its a bit of an in between car IMO, the smaller engined models are a bit slow, and it looks are a bit muted. Insurance was high enough at the time (about 5 years ago) when you consider the cars performance, no idea what its like now. The AZ-3 got hit harder on insurances as a result of it s import status.

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

.......The 1.5 DOHC was JDM only and was called an Autozam AZ-3 (Mazda offshoot), the 1.6 SOHC was the Euro varient, its slower than the AZ-3....
CJ

My Astina had some Autozam badging as well.
I had always presumed it was some kind of Mazda outlet.

[Mustang]

I think it depends on whether its an Irish or Jap model - I drove a 1.5 DOHC (110bhp) for a while back in the dark ages - nice car but lusted after a 1.8V6.

A 95+ Lantis V6 would be a nice Q car IMO - hasn't dated as much as the MX3.

That's an interesting Q car alright MyfeckinFTO. Looks like they slightly detuned the 1.8 V6 for the Astina/Lantis (aka Mazda 323F) as It's only producing 135PS in these cars (looks like the slightly detuned the 1.5 unit as well) -still sweet though all the same though.
I see the Lantis is also available in 2L V6 form (type R) producing 170PS This would make a nice alternative to the normal civics and levins etc, they can be bought for buttons in Japan, and easily insured I'd expect.

[Myfeckin FTO]

....I see the Lantis is also available in 2L V6 form (type R) producing 170PS This would make a nice alternative to the normal civics and levins etc, they can be bought for buttons in Japan, and easily insured I'd expect.

Agreed - A good one would be like trying to find rocking horse poo though.
I've only ever seen one for sale in Ireland and that was about 4 years ago.

Checked the Jap Auction sites as well and can't find one so you'd have to be patient! I'm sure insurance would be reasonable alright and it would really cost very little to import - the VAT & VRT would be very small. A cut price alternative to an FTO - are you listening Agent S?

[Mustang]

Agreed - A good one would be like trying to find rocking horse poo though.
I've only ever seen one for sale in Ireland and that was about 4 years ago.

Checked the Jap Auction sites as well and can't find one so you'd have to be patient! I'm sure insurance would be reasonable alright and it would really cost very little to import - the VAT & VRT would be very small. A cut price alternative to an FTO - are you listening Agent S?

I can smell the poo already, checked one of the jap auctions today and saw one 1.8V6 and one 2lV6, both around '94 or so and cheap as chips, these things can really be picked up for half nothing. Shame about the cost involved in shipping though! VRT looks well reasonable too

[kevinod]

Shame about the cost involved in shipping though! VRT looks well reasonable too

Shipping shouldn't be too bad, mine only cost somewhere around €600 to ship to Ireland.

[Mustang]

Shame about the cost involved in shipping though! VRT looks well reasonable too

Shipping shouldn't be too bad, mine only cost somewhere around €600 to ship to Ireland.

It's not so much that the shipping would be expensive really it's the relative cost that I was referring to. You can pick up a clean '94 lantis 2L V6 for around €500 (in Japan). By the time it lands here you'd be looking at around €3k minimum (handling, freight, VRT, VAT). I guess I'd have a a hard time justifying a spend of around €2.5k on a €500 car....
That said ~€3k for a reliable stealth mobile wouldn't be so bad.....