Are Mazda Millenias any good? Also, Oddballs

[GearheadTool]

I know someone, with a Mazda Millenia. I remember the Mitsubishi Diamante and Mazda Millenias, were some rare, sort-of luxury (?) cars.. Especially when Mazda was still peddling the 626, an average car, I know. And I remember two generations of the "Mazda Millenia S," why do I want to think that that change happened in 1994 or 1005..

Anyways, how are these cars?

And.. "Oddballs" being:

1. Subaru SVX
2. Porsche 968
3. Isuzu VehiCROSS
etc etc.. care that were just "weird."

 

[vtecboy]

The mitsubishi diamante is a very comfortable car to drive. It is loaded and can be had for cheap (bad resale value)... But manteinance is not easy/cheap.

 

[Jeffy_D]

Originally Posted By: vtecboy
The mitsubishi diamante is a very comfortable car to drive. It is loaded and can be had for cheap (bad resale value)... But manteinance is not easy/cheap.


All mitsubishi with the 3.5 (montero's and diamantes) have the famous heater core issue, they fail and leak coolant all over the strategically placed transmission control module. Very expensive repair, parts alone make even a dyi repair pricey

 

[simple_gifts]

The Millenia originally had an atkinson cycle motor with a supercharger IIRC; by the end of the run, they were just throwing in a V6.

I remember back when the orginaly maxima wasn't much different than the sentra.

 

[yesthatsteve]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
The Millenia originally had an atkinson cycle motor with a supercharger IIRC; by the end of the run, they were just throwing in a V6.

I remember back when the orginaly maxima wasn't much different than the sentra.



The Millenia S had a Miller cycle supercharged V6, and the regular Millenia had the 2.5 V6 from the 626 and MX-6

 

[Spazdog]

The Miller Cycle KJ-ZEM Mazda Millenia S is a brilliant driving car, but longevity and maintenance are troublesome spots.

Mazda did Wankel Rotaries better than anyone and by default did Miller Cycle engines better than anyone. But they do require special care and feeding.

The regular Millenia has a KL V6. It is a gem of an engine. Ask any second gen Probe GT/Mazda MX-6 owner. But it is a bit small for the Millenia.

The Mitsubishi Diamante is very affordable, drives pretty well....and a pain in the posterior to maintain/repair.

My late father-in-law had one. The 6G74 3.5 V6 recommended premium fuel, has a timing belt that is time consuming and/or expensive to replace, only makes a few more horsepower than the OHV GM 60° 3.5 V6, and it didn't get very good gas mileage.

The heater core is also expensive/time consuming to repair and fails frequently.

The SVX is funky with it's two piece half windows. Should be regular Subaru H-6/AWD stuff for maintenance and reliability. I've never seen one with a manual

Don't know too much about the 968. It's predecessor, the 944, was a beast to do a clutch job on, and the transaxle was marginal for handling the 944 Turbo's power (it was fine for the 944S and lesser engines) Otherwise the car was an amazing combination of balance and handling. I've legitimately wanted a mid-1985+ 944 SOHC N/A for many many years. I was (and am) that impressed with it. Just don't want to do the clutch job on it.

 

[Spazdog]

Oh yeah! Vehi-Cross!!!!

The off-road performance is really good. It should be. It's a cut down Trooper with torque on demand to each wheel. Might have actually been more advanced/better than the Mercedes ML320.

But it is an odd looking duck. For what it's worth, I think I would rather have a Trooper.

 

[stumpypete]

In the late 80s and early 90s Mazda saw what Toyota Nissan and Honda did with their luxury spin offs Lexus ,Infiniti and Acura and decided to compete with an Amati division. The Millenium was to be the first car in that new lineup to come to the U.S.. Mazda ultimately thought it was going to cost too much to make a separate brand and stranded the Millenium here. It is a fine car and think of it as Mazdza's Acura. Nicer ride and amemities than a 6 sedan. but I would worry about parts for these as there wereen't many made. Even if the price was very good I'd walk away to avoid the whole parts hassle.

 

[Spazdog]

Another oddball: The Plymouth Prowler.

It's universally panned for not being equipped with a V8 (even though the Intrepid SOHC V6 made more horsepower than the 318 or 4.7 Powertech V8s up 'til the H.O. 4.7)and for only coming with an autostick transaxle in back.

Still think it would be a cool car to have. Just for weekends though. Not for a daily driver.

I mean it was the last rear wheel drive hot rod Plymouth ever....that's gotta' count for something

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog

I mean it was the last rear wheel drive hot rod Plymouth ever....that's gotta' count for something
not to mention, it's fricken' gorgeous too.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts


I remember back when the orginaly maxima wasn't much different than the sentra.


I don't understand this.

The original Maxima was a rear-wheel drive L24 2.4 liter inline six. It had a very well appointed interior (for the time period) and had a "voice reminder" with a feminine voice to remind you that the "lights are on" and the "door is ajar". (it's not a jar! It's a door!)

The B11 Sentra was more or less the replacement for the terrible "310" It was front wheel drive with the early E-series transverse 4 cylinder. It had vinyl seats unless you got a top of the line cloth insert model.

The original Maxima had more in common with the B210...and that's not much. The B210 had more in common with the Morris Marina down to the BMC A-series engine

There were some vague styling similarities between the second gen Maxima and the B12 Sentra. I think the Stanza looked more like the Maxima than the Sentra did

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: stumpypete
In the late 80s and early 90s Mazda saw what Toyota Nissan and Honda did with their luxury spin offs Lexus ,Infiniti and Acura and decided to compete with an Amati division. The Millenium was to be the first car in that new lineup to come to the U.S.. Mazda ultimately thought it was going to cost too much to make a separate brand and stranded the Millenium here. It is a fine car and think of it as Mazdza's Acura. Nicer ride and amemities than a 6 sedan. but I would worry about parts for these as there wereen't many made. Even if the price was very good I'd walk away to avoid the whole parts hassle.


Engine parts for the regular Millenia (how do you pluralize a plural word??? Millenias?) should be availiable for awhile. The KL-DE powered the Mazda MX-6, 626, Ford Probe GT,and some Fords in Australia. It shares a lot of design with the Suzuki H25 V6.
Steering and suspension

you might be right about that.

 

[DBMaster]

Do you recall the Mazda 929? My dad had two.

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Do you recall the Mazda 929? My dad had two.


I almost bought a first-gen 929. Was VERY nice. (The boxy-looking one.)

How are they? And they are roomy, right?

 

[Spazdog]

The 929.

The very reason that I still hate the BBB to this day.

It had a regular JATCO RE4R01A transmission, but the valve body was unique to the Mazda and not shared with the 300ZX, Pathfinder, or J30. I could not find a serviceable unit in North America. Had to order one from Hiroshima.

So I called the customer to give her the bad news and express ordered the valve body.

She called the Better Business Extortion Bureau. I had to meet with her and a so called "arbitrator" who was really just a consumer advocate. I explained the situation, showed them the extensive research I had put in to locate the part and that I had express ordered it at no extra cost to the customer.

We lost.

The BBB found that we were, "Holding the customer's car hostage." and demanded $1200 to "keep our good standing" with their extortion racket.

The builder did a nice job on the transmission and we never saw the 929 again.

I don't know why Mazda abandoned the JE series 18-valve V6es. I think they were only used in the MPV and 929. I recall it being a very smooth and powerful (for the time) V6.

The 929 was easily a competitor for any Cressida of the time. Just didn't sell as well.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
The Miller Cycle KJ-ZEM Mazda Millenia S is a brilliant driving car, but longevity and maintenance are troublesome spots.

Mazda did Wankel Rotaries better than anyone and by default did Miller Cycle engines better than anyone. But they do require special care and feeding.

The regular Millenia has a KL V6. It is a gem of an engine. Ask any second gen Probe GT/Mazda MX-6 owner. But it is a bit small for the Millenia.

The Mitsubishi Diamante is very affordable, drives pretty well....and a pain in the posterior to maintain/repair.

My late father-in-law had one. The 6G74 3.5 V6 recommended premium fuel, has a timing belt that is time consuming and/or expensive to replace, only makes a few more horsepower than the OHV GM 60° 3.5 V6, and it didn't get very good gas mileage.

The heater core is also expensive/time consuming to repair and fails frequently.

The SVX is funky with it's two piece half windows. Should be regular Subaru H-6/AWD stuff for maintenance and reliability. I've never seen one with a manual.

Don't know too much about the 968. It's predecessor, the 944, was a beast to do a clutch job on, and the transaxle was marginal for handling the 944 Turbo's power (it was fine for the 944S and lesser engines) Otherwise the car was an amazing combination of balance and handling. I've legitimately wanted a mid-1985+ 944 SOHC N/A for many many years. I was (and am) that impressed with it. Just don't want to do the clutch job on it.


The Subaru SVX was not offered with a manual transmission. Also, IIRC, the engine was not used in anything else in the US.

 

[Jarlaxle]

The 929 was rear wheel drive, wasn't it?

 

[The Critic]

http://classic.artsautomotive.com/MilleniaValveAdjust.htm

 

[Spazdog]

Yeah, but it's still the easiest mass-produced Miller-Cycle V6 automotive engine to adjust the valves on.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
The 929 was rear wheel drive, wasn't it?


I think it was one of the last RWD V6 sedans in the US that did not have a premium nameplate.