Recently I've realized that my 323 isn't the car I want/need it to be...it's supposed to be a nice daily driver, but it really isn't. It's slow and as such, I get fairly low mpg out of it since I'm constantly flogging it to merge with traffic or just feel like I'm going somewhere. I don't really care about mpg though, I'm more about squeezing fun out of the fuel I use, and the 323 doesn't do that very much either. The handling is sloppy compared to my other cars, way sloppy...I mean it does handle ok for what it is, but it's not good enough for me.
A daily driver should be a comfortable, easy to drive, nice car...my 323 is comfortable but the stereo is rubbish since the speakers all face the wrong ways. The car is pretty loud on the highway and around town when the throttle is used. lol Clutch engagement is bumpy and the motor mounts are far too soft. The left rear shock is clunking, I think it's the upper boot mount but haven't really looked.
After being around my dad's '93 PGT(especially after the new engine went in a few months back) and my brother's '93 MX-6 ZE, I've really REALLY grown fond of the KL V6...this engine, it's quiet when just driving, but when you add some spirit into it it makes that pretty tone and the cars really scoot. It's exactly what I want in a daily driver. So the search is on...I'm after a Protege 5. I want the utility of a hatch, ofcourse keeping it in the Mazda family, and having rear doors is useful too. The BJ chassis is great also, and after searching I've heard of a few other KL powered P5s aswell as sedans, and apparently it's not a difficult swap either. I'm going to do a DE most likely, to keep it simpler, and probably just a cone filter and stock-like exhaust. I might throw in a limited-slip diff to help with rain and snow.
Now, yes I did think about the KL swap in my 323, but at the end of it I'd be left with the engine I love in a 20 year old car that has flaws I hate. It's not worth it.
So, first things first I have to find a P5. KLs are in harvest at my brother's shop so that's not an issue. Then comes the hard part - letting go of the car I've spent ~16 years with(I'm 21 by the way). Not sure how much it's worth, I may list it on eBay and see what she does. It'll go with all of its original parts, that includes the seats, steering wheel, door panels, rear panels, radio, set of speakers, airbox, non-GTX grill, I'll throw in the GTX upper wing, black door handles, chrome door handles, rubber shift boot, tachless cluster, visors, steel spare wheel, etc etc. Man, it's gonna hurt.
Just a little heads-up on what's happening.
A daily driver should be a comfortable, easy to drive, nice car...my 323 is comfortable but the stereo is rubbish since the speakers all face the wrong ways. The car is pretty loud on the highway and around town when the throttle is used. lol Clutch engagement is bumpy and the motor mounts are far too soft. The left rear shock is clunking, I think it's the upper boot mount but haven't really looked.
After being around my dad's '93 PGT(especially after the new engine went in a few months back) and my brother's '93 MX-6 ZE, I've really REALLY grown fond of the KL V6...this engine, it's quiet when just driving, but when you add some spirit into it it makes that pretty tone and the cars really scoot. It's exactly what I want in a daily driver. So the search is on...I'm after a Protege 5. I want the utility of a hatch, ofcourse keeping it in the Mazda family, and having rear doors is useful too. The BJ chassis is great also, and after searching I've heard of a few other KL powered P5s aswell as sedans, and apparently it's not a difficult swap either. I'm going to do a DE most likely, to keep it simpler, and probably just a cone filter and stock-like exhaust. I might throw in a limited-slip diff to help with rain and snow.
Now, yes I did think about the KL swap in my 323, but at the end of it I'd be left with the engine I love in a 20 year old car that has flaws I hate. It's not worth it.
So, first things first I have to find a P5. KLs are in harvest at my brother's shop so that's not an issue. Then comes the hard part - letting go of the car I've spent ~16 years with(I'm 21 by the way). Not sure how much it's worth, I may list it on eBay and see what she does. It'll go with all of its original parts, that includes the seats, steering wheel, door panels, rear panels, radio, set of speakers, airbox, non-GTX grill, I'll throw in the GTX upper wing, black door handles, chrome door handles, rubber shift boot, tachless cluster, visors, steel spare wheel, etc etc. Man, it's gonna hurt.
Just a little heads-up on what's happening.
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