This was listed on Gumtree in April 2023. I was lucky I had a genuine, easy-to-deal-with seller, and I was especially lucky to be the first to call ... there were 550 views in the 18 hours it was advertised.
It's a 1993 BG Mazda 323 Astina with the 1.8 litre 76Kw SOHC engine and a 5 speed manual box. It's a zippy little thing, and it handles well, too! It weighs only 990 kilograms, virtually the same as the 1989 NA MX5 I have. The MX5 has the 1.6 litre DOHC engine which later grew into the 1.8 litre DOHC engine used in the BG Astina SP. The DOHC Astina engine in the SP makes 92 Kw of power.
During the past 25 years, the car's averaged only 2,700 kilometres a year and has been parked undercover. The paintwork is generally very good. There're a few minor dents and scrapes, but it presents well. I can't find any rust. The ROH alloy wheels look good, but I prefer things to be stock as a rock. The rear louvre adds to the overall look. It's funny, but I'm really happy to see wind-up windows ... how I've missed you!
Originally an ACT car, it came to Sydney (Randwick) in 2002. Prior to me, there's been 2 owners. The last owner purchased the car for $14,800 in 1998. She said the car's never been involved in an accident save for the replacement of the front bumper bar due to a small car park bump.
This is a great little car for the money. They don't seem to bring a lot. The Red Book value is listed as between $2,000 and $3,000 for a private sale. The car came complete with the Owner's Manual, Service Book, and an extended service file coving all work done on the car since new. It's had a lot of the big-ticket items already attended to: timing belt, new clutch, new CV driveshafts, etc. The big thing I have to do is the front struts/shocks, and that'll be expensive enough.
Edit: Within the first week I took the car to my mechanic to renew the struts and to inspect its underbody. I had the valve cover gasket renewed for $120. I also renewed the struts, front and back. I didn’t end up with a cheap car, but I did have a good car. I sold the car on 27 March 2024 for $3,500 and recouped all my costs. I am now using another 1993 BG Astina as my daily driver - it was originally purchased as a spare parts car for this car! It’s not as good as this car cosmetically, but it’s extremely reliable and cheap to own.
