I am in the market for an affordable used car and I'd like to get something nice. I have come across a couple of Millenias and they are pretty reasonably priced. Are they generally decent cars? The prices they are asking compared to what they cost new are pretty low compared to what they cost new, which makes me worry a bit. (You can get used Jags pretty cheap, too but that's because even though they are pricey when new, they are mostly junk and expensive as hell to fix anything!) Is there anything in particular to look for on them when buying one used? What about scheduled maintenance-I know it has the miller cycle engine, is there a timing belt that needs to be replaced on those and is it expensive to fix? I looked on several auto review sites and the consumer reviews are either really good or really bad, so that doesn't help much! Any advice is MUCH appreciated!

 

we have 2 99s'. a black one we bought new, and a white one we bought used. both have just under 120k. if you have no automotive repair skills, i would advise against getting these cars. the 's' is a very low production car, parts are mostly only available from the dealer, and are pricey. labor is tough, but the biggest problem is lack of knowledge. i am continually amazed at shops that will work on a car that have absolutely no diagnositic skills, and no knowledge of the car. even more amazing is the owners who take the car to these shops, and pay them to learn on their car. for the most part, we like our 2 mazdas, but if i had to pay someone to repair them, i would have gotten rid of them a long time ago. also, resale on the millenia sucks. so, if you do get one, be ready to drive it until the wheels come off, because you wont get squat if you try to resell it.

 

Sounds like I shouldn look elsewhere! Thanks!

 

I beg to differ. I love my Milly. She went through a severe wreck before I bought her, she has 174K on her and she still runs and pulls like a champ. It's a 95. Labor and parts for her arent that hard to find, try calling around to your local parts companys, autozone and give a few requests.

I had to change the several of the main fuses after a bad jump from a friend, and it cost me under ten bucks.

Now, I will admit that the other replier has the S version with the supercharged Miller Cycle Engine, and this car is the only car to use this particular engine, so it might be harder to find parts for it. But the 2.5L V6 is the same V6 used in several cars, including the Ford Probe GT, and the Mazda MX6 GT... so parts are very easy to come by for it.

Please dont base your potential car buying of a Millenia on one person's reply. I beg you to go out and do your homework. Ask around for prices, talk to your local Import shops. You will find that it might not be so hard after all.

 

I guess I did let the one response scare me-because I bought an Acura! I have had several Hondas/Acuras in the past, which I had great luck with, while my one Mazda experience, an RX-7 Turbo, was not a very good one!

 

Well, I hope you enjoy your car. Acura's are good cars too, I would love to get my hands on a TL.

 

I currently own a Mazda and I have owned one in the past. I have no prejudice against the brand. I recently considered buying a used Millenia myself, but I did some research first. Glad I did. As you said, the re-sale prices are very low. There is a reason for this. Stay away from the S models and the millennium editions -- both have more problems than the standard model. The standard model is not reliable when it is older. There are many strange electrical problems and transmission and suspension issues. All models recommend premium gasoline only. The millennium editions also have problems with the very expensive wheels leaking around the bead. My advice -- if you want a Millenia, (and they are very nice cars) get a new one and don't keep it for more than four years.

This car was intended to be the second release of Mazda's Amati luxury line of cars back in the 1990's, but an economic turn-down caused Mazda to drop the idea. They did keep the Millenia as a Mazda brand vehicle. From what I have read on various Internet forums, most Mazda dealerships don't have adequate technical expertise to service this car. It is a high-maintenance vehicle and parts are not inexpensive.

Don't take my word for it. Do your own research. I'm glad that I did.