It seems that this particular Mazda has fallen of the radar of many used car buyers looking for a cheap, simple, reliable and spacious sedan. This Mazda 323 first arrived with a carburetor fed 1.5-liter engine. A little later in its product lifetime, local distributor Cycle and Carriage decided that a slightly more exciting fuel injection fed 1.6-liter would perk enthusiasm amongst segment buyers which only had the Sentra, Civic, Corolla and its production associate, the Ford Laser to choose from. Yes, Proton had the Wira but buyers in this segment mostly ruled Proton out of their purchase equation as the cheaper alternative and those with little more money preferred Japanese buys.
We look at the 1.5-liter Mazda 323 sedan which today falls into the very cheap and cheerful segment as prices vary between RM4k for a ‘fixer upper’ with trim and body issues to as much as RM9k for a unit that has been tenderly taken cared of by a single owner throughout its lifetime. Sold between 1989 thru to 1996 this car can be a worthwhile buy for a college student or a lower middle class buyer looking for an upgrade to his motorcycle.
With this 323 you get a Japanese design that combines good performance, reliability and economy of both running and servicing even after 23 years of service and probably some 400,000 kilometers of city usage. The Mazda badge still provides good service network and spare parts availability. Inside you will find a car with a simple dashboard that at night emits a soothing orange glow from the instruments, which are large and easy to the eye in its presentation. A rattly glove box could be a downside as by now the dashboard would have been removed a couple of times to service and change air-conditioning parts. The clips that hold up these plastic bits are prone to plastic fatigue unless the person handling them as taken a lot of care in its removal and re-installation.
An automatic transmission was never an option offered by Cycle and Carriage with both models. With cars in this segment performance isn’t a big factor but overall economy is, then a 1.5-litre with five-speed manual transmission is the way to go. It comes with an easy shifting 5 speed box with an ultra light clutch that makes this car easy to drive even in the worst of Klang Valley traffic jams. When buying second-hand, a good hard look and a thorough test drive will eliminate the abused units easily. A cautious buyer should be able to select a well-looked-after 323 from the pack by simply taking a closer look at certain key features. Rust can be a problem in these 323s, so check all the obscure areas where mud and water can gather to start the dreaded rust. Wheel arches, exhaust back box covers and inside of bumpers are the first areas to check. If the car has been resprayed the knock gently with your knuckles around the areas to hear if the rust has been filled with putty or hardener, which gives a solid thud, whereas untreated areas will emit a metal clang. Take the 323 for a test drive and look for signs of smoke from the exhaust, indicating excessive wear.
Well-serviced 323s are very reliable, so check service records if any and oil change dates. Listen for mechanical noises, look for smoke and oil leaks. Mazda cars in general aren’t as prone to constant-velocity joint failures in the front driveshafts as many other cars of similar design, but these also should be checked. Ensure particularly that the rubber dust sealing “boots” are intact, and drive the car in tight circles on full lock while listening for clicking or grinding noises. Make the usual check with front-drive cars of turning the car in a tight circle. Rattling at full lock will reveal worn universal joints. On the interior rough usage has been known to break the reclining mechanism in the drivers seats. Check for correct operation of all electricals and lack of rattles. There is also a problem with excessive wear on seat fabrics and door panels which could indicated high mileage. Engines are susceptible to oil sludge problems (which can develop into major engine damage) if the oil hasn’t been changed at the recommended intervals. Spares are cheap and are reliable in the long term. On the test drive if the clutch slips and the gearbox synchromesh is slow to catch its gate with a meshing sound, better to decide on price against its possible repair bill. Don’t be concerned about passing up any used 323 that might seem the slightest bit suspect. There are enough of good examples around; keep searching until you find one you are happy with.
