Mazda Familia Bj 3 n 5 models

[Fedric]

is it a good car the Mazda familia bj 3 or 5 cuz i’m going to buy one. 

Plz enlighten me guys about 

Fuel consumption 

Spare parts availability (outside colombo)

Maintaining (cost n frequent repairs )

[matroska]

3 hours ago, Fedric said:

is it a good car the Mazda familia bj 3 or 5 cuz i’m going to buy one. 

Plz enlighten me guys about 

Fuel consumption 

Spare parts availability (outside colombo)

Maintaining (cost n frequent repairs )

Overall good car. Good choice given that these are usually reasonably priced.

Fuel consumption: Varies a lot. Depends on transmission as well (auto/manual) be prepared for anything between 8-12 kmpl

Spares : Not as tough to source as a euro(well even Euros aren't that hard) but maybe not as common as a Toyota. Within colombo its ok. Places like Kurunegala might have. 

Maintenance: Bear in mind these cars are now old. So a few issues might come up. Keep aside a budget to sort them out. Overall cars from this era are simple and this is no exception..the mechanicals are straightforward so any decent garage should be able to sort anything out. 

[LashNeo]

This car has been discussed on several occasions in the past. Search the forum and see. you will find ample information to make a decision. There are several owners in the forum as well (including myself). ?

Compared to the other models available in this segment of mid sized Japanese sedans, this is one of the best cars to buy. value for money based on the options, performance and reliability.

Go for a facelifted BJ5P RS version that came after 2000 if you can. They come with lot of options such as All disk brakes, VVT engine, Climate controlled A/C, Trip-tronic gears (please make sure the gear system has been maintained well) etc.

If I address your specific questions,

Fuel consumption: for an Automatic 8-9 in City limits and 10-12 on highway. A manual would do 1.5-2kmpl more

Spare parts availability (outside colombo): Spare parts are available in Colombo in Panchikawatta (New rainbow, Asiri Motors etc,) and Delkanda spare part shops. Also Mazna motors, Aththidiya still has ample stocks with them. But, I'm not sure about the situation outside of Colombo. This is a very common model in Sri Lanka. So, I guess it wont be much of an issue to source parts outside of Colombo as well.

Maintaining (cost n frequent repairs ): I've been using mine for more than 10 years now. No frequent repairs actually. However, due to the age of the vehicle, some parts may have to be replaced/repaired due to over use such as Gear box, AC compressor, Ignition coil packs etc. But this is common for any vehicle of this age. Spare parts are slightly high in price compared to Toyota's and Nissans. But, you really don't come across huge repairs or problems that cannot be diagnosed easily. Apart from a gear box issue, I haven't had to spend more than one day at a repair shop for the last 10+ years for repairs. All the other repairs were easily diagnosed and fixed within a day or less. Often, a worn out part was the culprit.

 

[mazdaspeed]

Lash has basically summed it up. 

Try to go for a Bj5 models as it's 1500CC and there are 1600CC as well.  Pay good attention to the gearbox service and look for a car which has been maintained well else as advised keep a budget to get it done.

Parts may be an issue out of Colombo and are somewhat  expensive when compared to Toyota and Nissan.  A DOCH engine wold be best as there are some Single Cam one on fuel. If you can get hold of a VVTi, that will be great.

Overall a great fun car to drive with good comfort and road handling.+ The looks are not bad either .

Good luck with your search.