FC Buying Guide: What to LOOK for
#26
Devil in the Details
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Antenna mast is $50-60 list.
Antenna complete assembly is discontinued, though fairly cheap used.
Installation How-to: 86-92 Antenna Mast
As for the sunroof, open it up and remove the interior trip (snap clips) and then close it. Once closed there is 6 nuts on each side you can remove. Now you can remove the metal sunroof and see what is blocking it or is a matter. Takes 5 min.
Antenna complete assembly is discontinued, though fairly cheap used.
Installation How-to: 86-92 Antenna Mast
As for the sunroof, open it up and remove the interior trip (snap clips) and then close it. Once closed there is 6 nuts on each side you can remove. Now you can remove the metal sunroof and see what is blocking it or is a matter. Takes 5 min.
#27
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Compression check is always a good idea.
The wiper switch failure is due to a bad relay or relays, not a solenoid. Since this is a GXL, it should have a rear wiper, thus two relays must be replaced if both wipers are not working right. While you're in there, you really should replace both anyway as a preventive measure. If you search, you'll find some tutorials on how to purchase the proper relays and rebuild your own switch. Or contact a forum member who rebuilds the switches and send yours out. I believe Pele rebuilds these now.
Not sure if Mazda still sells the antenna mast or not. If they do, you must remove the rear spoiler so you can remove the metal collar on top of the antenna opening to get out the remains of the old broken mast and to insert the new one. Removing the spoiler is a bit of a pain since it is held in place with a combination of nuts and bolts, screws, and weird proprietary Mazda snap connectors in the rear corners. These snap connectors almost always break off when you attempt to remove them, and they're pretty hard to reach from inside the hatch area. Again, you'll want to check with Malloy Mazda or the dealership of your choice to see if these are still available. Or you could probably put some kind of universal antenna on, but I like keeping things original where possible.
Sometimes the sluggish sunroof is just a matter of dried and dirty lubricant. You can try to "help" it open by giving it a slight push. If you can get it to open, you can carefully clean as much of the old lubricant off the tracks as you can see. I understand that sometimes the cable that opens the sunroof gets jammed inside a copper or brass tube due to corrosion. If this is happening, you have to remove the headliner inside and lower the sunroof track from inside the car, open things up, clean away the corrosion, re-lubricate, and reinstall. If you search, there are tutorials on this procedure too.
None of these items is at all unusual. I would expect all these defects on any FC that has not been meticulously cared for.
I don't understand why the dealer is telling you he has $2500 in the car, aside from inviting you to offer an amount just above that figure to buy it.
The wiper switch failure is due to a bad relay or relays, not a solenoid. Since this is a GXL, it should have a rear wiper, thus two relays must be replaced if both wipers are not working right. While you're in there, you really should replace both anyway as a preventive measure. If you search, you'll find some tutorials on how to purchase the proper relays and rebuild your own switch. Or contact a forum member who rebuilds the switches and send yours out. I believe Pele rebuilds these now.
Not sure if Mazda still sells the antenna mast or not. If they do, you must remove the rear spoiler so you can remove the metal collar on top of the antenna opening to get out the remains of the old broken mast and to insert the new one. Removing the spoiler is a bit of a pain since it is held in place with a combination of nuts and bolts, screws, and weird proprietary Mazda snap connectors in the rear corners. These snap connectors almost always break off when you attempt to remove them, and they're pretty hard to reach from inside the hatch area. Again, you'll want to check with Malloy Mazda or the dealership of your choice to see if these are still available. Or you could probably put some kind of universal antenna on, but I like keeping things original where possible.
Sometimes the sluggish sunroof is just a matter of dried and dirty lubricant. You can try to "help" it open by giving it a slight push. If you can get it to open, you can carefully clean as much of the old lubricant off the tracks as you can see. I understand that sometimes the cable that opens the sunroof gets jammed inside a copper or brass tube due to corrosion. If this is happening, you have to remove the headliner inside and lower the sunroof track from inside the car, open things up, clean away the corrosion, re-lubricate, and reinstall. If you search, there are tutorials on this procedure too.
None of these items is at all unusual. I would expect all these defects on any FC that has not been meticulously cared for.
I don't understand why the dealer is telling you he has $2500 in the car, aside from inviting you to offer an amount just above that figure to buy it.
Any way, I'm glad you said those things. I thought they were common issues myself. That's reassuring.
#28
Cake or Death?
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-You need to either repair or replace the wiper switch. This is a common failure point on FCs.
-The antenna is no real big deal but if you don't get a stock part, be aware that Mazda wires the antenna motor backwards from everyone else, so be prepared to do a bit of minor wire shuffling.
#29
2nd Gen
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Thanks for all the help everybody. I'm glad I could count on all of you to help me out, even if I might've made a bad first impression of myself awhile ago. I'm super grateful you all chipped in your knowledge and stuff to help me out.
Unfortunately, I did not buy the car. I wish I did, but I just couldn't. If you're interested, no I never even got as far as my friend checking it out.
In other news, my current 7 just died and I'm going to have to sell it most likely. Looks like its back to stupid P.O.S. cars for me for awhile....a long while.
Unfortunately, I did not buy the car. I wish I did, but I just couldn't. If you're interested, no I never even got as far as my friend checking it out.
In other news, my current 7 just died and I'm going to have to sell it most likely. Looks like its back to stupid P.O.S. cars for me for awhile....a long while.
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