Help quick, need quick answer trying to purchase a LE
 

Ok, I know most of the stuff I need to know. While looking at this car though a few others stopped by to look. Might need to jump quick on it if we want.

Ok, first of all. '83 Limited edition. Did the Limited edition get you anything? What was different about it? It did have the glass and the metal tops. I just never learned much about the LE.

2 problems I have seen with the car. 1st, the headlights were down, they were brought up, but now will not go back down. My '84 did this, and it was a blown fuse from a short on the interior lighting circuit. This does not appear to be the case this time.

Second problem is the oil pressure gauge does not seem to work. Can this be an indication of something bad (obviously it could mean no oil pressure) or more likely a gauge or connection. Or something in between.

Haven't driven it yet, guy wasn't there and wife wouldn't let us take it out. It starts good and easy. Didn't see any smoke. Car has 123k miles on it but supposedly the motor has been rebuilt. Very possible, housings looked cleaner than the rest of the bay. Idles nice, everything seems good. I pulled a storage bin, no rust at all. It's been in Georgia it's entire life as far as I know. Obviously I'm going to go drive it before I do anything rash (not personally buying it either, it's yet another friend. seem to be looking at them for a lot of people lately), but just needed to kow about those 2 things).

Thanks.

The LE had factory fog lights (should be a switch on the dash for them) and 14" wheels. Only 14" wheels Mazda made with the 4x110 bolt pattern.

The oil pressure gauge reading nothing is a common problem. It's very easy to knock the wire off of the oil pressure sending unit. Look down under the beehive oil cooler, you should see something that looks like a smallish customer service "help me now dammit" bell. it should have a wire on the end. or rather, it shouldn't in this case :) i've knocked mine off more times than i can count and ever time i crap my pants when i see no oil pressure registering. :)

I think there's a fusible link under the hood that might be causing the headlight issue, I've never had to mess with them so I can't say for certain.

the 83 le came in that light green (chatau silver s3) with red, like a water melon. its a gs trim level car with the following additions (theres a bullitin)
14" bbs wheels
special cloth pattern seats
the pin striping
its supposed to have the am/fm/eq with joystick radio, although mine does not and looks original
ive never heard about the foglights being standard, although there was a factory fog light kit.

mike

Hmm. As far as I'm aware, the fog lights (or were they driving lights? either way probably useless) were only available on the LE. Whether that was as an option or as standard I dunno.

Of course, you don't want to fix it right then and there. Let the owner (and any competing buyers) think it's a "real concern".;)

you might be right, i have an le (i just bought it) and it doesnt have foglights but that doesnt mean much, and the factory literature is incomplete at best. they only have one bulletin on the le (it lists the le only parts) and since its a bullitin its questionable at best, plus its a 20 year old car....

mike

I have a 83 LE and have seen a few of them, no fog/driving lights. As far as I know the only difference bewteen the LE and GS is the color, the wheels and it has a sunroof (which you could get on the GS anyway). The wheels and that ultra sweet paint is what draws most people to it.

Well, he bought it. It seems ok. Needs a bit of work since it is 20 years old. He doesn't have any fogs. He does have both the glass and metal top. 123k miles, supposedly rebuilt motor at 79k. He paid $1250 for it. I think he did ok.

yup that sounds good to me

mike

yea, sounds like a pretty good deal.

yeah i think i did okay. it'll take some getting used to after owning a 95 though. thanks all for the help.

Wow, you've been on this forum for about a year now and you just hit post #2. You call Mazcare yet?

Just cause i choose to search, read and listen to others instead of hearing myself talk...

heheheh... i'd say you're just pokin fun cause you're jealous of my new-used car, but then i remember you're drivin my 95... doh!

actually thanks for the help and yeah i already called them...