any thoughts on these Mazdas?

Damokc

i suppose the models below are like hens teeth in ireland, with the skirts and nice front bumpers with fog lights? anybody ever have one or drive one? they come in 1.3 1.6 1.8 and a 2.0ltr sport as far as i can find?

challengemaster

1.8gt is meant to be a bit of a sleeper from what I've heard

bazz26

I liked the previous generation 323f more to be honest. That 323f looked too much like an estate and less pretty.

Damokc

Ya there's definitely an estate touch to them with the 5 doors but i still think they are nice and shouldn't get loaded by insurers? iv messed around on photoshop with one...by the way is there a Photoshop Modified cars section on boards motors?

2002-mazda-protege-5-shopped by Damien Casey, on Flickr

Ardennes1944

thats actually....kinda nice

Top Dog

http://www.club323f.com/forum/ - plenty of them over there

zenno

Damokc wrote: »

Ya there's definitely an estate touch to them with the 5 doors but i still think they are nice and shouldn't get loaded by insurers? iv messed around on photoshop with one...by the way is there a Photoshop Modified cars section on boards motors?

2002-mazda-protege-5-shopped by Damien Casey, on Flickr

thats a nice car there. It would be a pleasure to drive that beauty. only in my dreams at this stage.....

langdang

I like the versions with the more subtle foglights - the big round lights in the the 2.0 Sport version bumper are a bit too big, ruin the sleeper potential.

There's one or two 2.0 sports around on Carzone. You see the pre-facelift 98/99 1.8GTs going for pennies on donedeal every now and then (there's one in cork at the mo for 800ish with a rough looking drivers door). They're no rocket ship but they're fun alright - there was good sporty suspension in the one I tried, pretty sure it was factory spec.

Biggest engine was 1.8 from 98 -01 and 2.0 from 01 - 03 (ish!)
Another lad on here had a 2.0 and it broke his heart tho!

Damokc

ya dont think i could afford to run a 2.0 ltr anyway...pity they didnt make one like this.....

2002-mazda-protege-3door-shopped by Damien Casey, on Flickr
obviously with a longer door though

challengemaster

Nissan Pulsar VZR might appeal to you then..



1.6 NEO-VVL engine with 175bhp too... pass out 323's all day

langdang

Insurance would slaughter him I'd say. A Mazda 1.8 might fly under some companies radar, "warm" rather than "hot" hatch...

mickob16

Jesus just fell asleep looking at those Mazdas:D:D

route66

Jeez, those 10-series tyres will be very rough on our roads :pac:

pburns

323 is old-school Jap design, not really worth tarting up IMO. I had an Almera mk1 (aka Pulsar) once though and they're a really good handler. The hot-hatch version was a tiny bit of a hidden gem by accounts.