Ok bought a 88 vert in november 124k on it, new motor, clutch etc.. I thought cool, only problems I see are shifter bushings and a small O ring leak below the filter. I replace that stuff, im happy car is fine. Until this month, I get:

Bad starter
Bad Alternator
Stereo surround just snaps, im just driving and snap crackle pop.
Idiot light cluster plastic snap crackle pop
Guage surround plastic, snap crackle pop
Defroster vent snap cracker pop im really getting pissed here
Now the freaking radiator goes out last week
And finally today, the A pillar plastic cover, snap crackle pop, dammit dammit

Are these cars just cheap or what? I mean I drive this thing like grand ma, I take car of it like a newly born baby! I never had this much problem with a car, my FB got used and abused, rode hard and put away wet and never had this much dealings with stupid **** I didnt cause.

I think my vert is pissed at me, I have spend close to $4000 on my FB swap with turbo etc

Ok im done, sorry for the long post...

 

So you have 14 year old plastic that most likely has spent the majority of it's life exposed to direct sunlight and you're surpised it's brittle? Sounds to me like you own a convertible that was often driven with the top down before you owned it. The nerve of those previous owners

The radiator is normal for that age/milage. There are several places that will sell you a new on for well under $200 ex: http://1-800-radiator.com/

 

the 86-88 plastic is crap after a while. lots crack break. the 89-91 stuff is more rubber and much better. having a vert would just make it that much worse.

 

The only reason it would be pissed at you is that you drive it like a grandma. Which I don't see how that could be by comaring to my grandma, see drives at least 10 over the speed limit all the time, sometimes 20 or 30. She is one hell of a driver. But driving the car all ***** footing wont help it out at all. If something is going to break it will break when it pleases. Thats usually when you don't have any money to fix it. Drive it hard. Or as some say.....Drive it like you stole it.
Charles

 

And even in the 89-91 you can hear the plastics singing their songs (squealing, etc), at least they don't brake so much!

 

That'll keep it happy.

 

'verts are a little more sensitive to plastic brittling, but all the things you mention don't seem out of place for a 15 year old car.

 

All the 2nd gens defroster vents and logicon surround TRIM eventually need replacing if you let them sit under the sun often enough. Mabey the previous owner baked your interior a bit too much You can get them off of ebay and mazdatrix I believe for pretty cheap.

Starter & alternator - are you sure you haven't got a short somewhere? My TII & vert's alternator & starter are original (100K & 140K miles).

Don't have the orignal stereo in my TII, but the 89 vert one still works OK. I'll probably replace it eventually though as I'd like some higher quality sound (with real midbass).

Not sure on the radiator.

I know mazda steadily improved most of these issues up till 1990, so the later models are a bit more troublefree with squeeks & cracks.

 

Well what im compairing it to is my 85 and my 80. Theres not one damn thing plastic wise broke on it. and thats including the dash.. The 85 even had the same radiator in it, it had 224k on it! Of course its getting replaced with my new swap, and my 80 had 380k on it! Same radiator, same alt and same starter! but anyways, you see where this is going Guess it could be worse it could be a 88 beretta where the dash is all deformed and **** wont even stay bolted to the sub frame

Ive already gotten a radiator I bought a modine at $100.

I will always drive a 7 I like them. But if the quality difference steady drops like the FB to a FC. I will NEVER buy a FD.

 

you want to talk about a CHEAP car that costs MORE than an FC and is NEWER...

Go get a 1995 Chevy Cavalier.

I had at least that many problems with it.

My 89 rx7 was a much better car as far as little **** like that.

But it did have the typical sports car bullshit and upkeep. But I also drove it like it was meant to be, and maybe harder...

 

Positive on no shorts, the starter was just not cranking all the time, put the one on it from my 85 and its fine. Same with the alt, put one on that I had lying around from a 88 t2 All is fine there.

 

LOL i bought my car 3 months ago with 149k on it, it now has 152k on it

new radiatoir
new thermostat
new alternator
2 new front tires
been in shop because of broken thermostat housing
got towed cus it DIED
500 moneys of egsaust
now i got bad water jacket seals and im looking at rebuild =]

 

wear & tear.

 

From what I hear the FDs are better on the interior pieces (except the pocket covers), but the series VI engine cores don't hold up past 100K miles. I'm assuming though you could get the better j-spec series VII or VIII 13b-rew though if you could find an blown FD for cheap if you want a better engine core

Mazda did some SERIOUS weight reduction on the FC and FD and sometimes that means using lighterweight parts for less important stuff and making things rigid & strong but not thick/solid. Advantage - seat of your pants acceleration. Disadvantage - more maintenance to keep her 100%.

 

ok so there are all these problems for the FC....it does get me quiet nervous as a poor soon to be college student. soo it leads me to one question:

how should i drive the damn car?!

angry driving oooor chillin driving