Good morning! We’re starting the week off with one of my favorite automotive platforms, the Mazda BG. Thanks to the Underappreciated Survivors group on Facebook, I’ve got two rarities to show you.
On Friday, we looked at two cars that were pretty similar, and as is often the case, the votes were really tight as well. In fact, the Chrysler New Yorker won by just three votes over the Packard 200. There wasn’t much consensus when it came to reasons for voting; some folks liked the history behind the Packard name, some were put off by the Chrysler’s missing bumpers, and some simply voted on price. But you all seemed to agree that the big ol’ straight-eight dinosaurs were cool.
Obviously I agree, or I wouldn’t have bothered writing about them. Between these two, I think my preference would be for the Packard, but I’d be excited to get a chance to drive either one. I have a bit of family history with both of them, and it would be fun to try driving something similar to either my great-grandfather’s favorite highway car (the Chrysler) or my dad’s first car (the Packard).
One of the most unsung heroes of the automotive landscape in the 1990s was the Mazda BG platform. The BG formed the basis for the Mazda 323 and Protege, the Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer, and a few other offshoots. They’re excellent little cars, and that ain’t no jive talkin’. Fun to drive, good-mannered, and very durable, as witnessed by how many of them are stayin’ alive after thirty years. I’ve owned one, driven many, and serviced about a zillion of them. How deep is my love for this platform? Well, the humble Ford Escort LX that I owned for three years is still one of my favorites of the nearly 40 cars I’ve owned, despite the tragedy of having an automatic transmission. OK, I think I’m out of Bee Gees puns now. Let’s take a look at some cars.
1991 Mercury Tracer LTS – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Carlisle, PA
Odometer reading: 155,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
In 1991, the Ford Escort sold in North America moved from Ford’s own chassis to the Mazda BG. At the same time, Mercury’s variant, the Lynx, was dropped. In its place, Mercury sold a new generation of its Tracer captive import, which previously was a rebadged BF-chassis Mazda 323. The new Escort and Tracer were a huge improvement over the old Escort/Lynx, but the engines remained the same old Ford CVH – unless you got one of the special ones.
Everyone remembers the second-generation Escort GT, with its asymmetrical grille and colorful paint options, but Mercury had its own spicy Tracer, the LTS, powered by the same Mazda BP-ZE twin-cam engine. It puts out 127 horsepower in stock form and is capable of a whole lot more with some modifications. With a rev-happy engine like the BP, you want a manual gearbox, and this Tracer has one. The seller says they bought it to teach their kids how to drive a manual (a noble endeavor, these days) and that it runs and drives great.
And now we come to the one big drawback to the BG cars: the automatic seat belts. Every US-market Escort, Tracer, Protege, 323, and MX-3 from this era has them. Luckily, they’re not the permanently-attached kind, so you can unplug the motors and just latch the shoulder and lap belts separately, manually, if you want. At least this one looks nice inside, though I’d like to see what’s under those seat covers. The seller says the air conditioning worked when they bought it, but it has lost its charge over time and will need some repairs if you want to use it again.
Outside, it’s clean as a whistle. The paint looks good, and I don’t see any damage. It’s worth a check for rust underneath, but it passed a safety inspection in August. Pennsylvania is pretty strict about its inspections, so I wouldn’t expect there to be a problem. It has the original wheels and the requisite ’90s sporty sedan rear spoiler.
1993 Mazda MX-3 RS – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Salem, SC
Odometer reading: 175,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Someone of a pedantic nature out there in the audience is howling with rage right now, shouting to whoever will listen that this is not a BG-chassis car. Yeah, you got me; Mazda calls it the EC chassis, but it’s based on the BG. And besides, the jokes in the introductory paragraph only work if I call them both BGs. Anyway, this is the Mazda MX-3, a strangely insectile little sports coupe built by Mazda 1991-1998, and sold in the US from 1992-96.
The MX-3 became famous in auto enthusiast circles for its optional engine, a teeny-tiny 1.8-liter V6. Sadly, this car doesn’t have that option. Instead, it has a single-overhead-cam 1.6-liter four. It only makes 88 horsepower, but this is a lightweight car, and it has a five-speed manual to help you make the most of the power that’s there. This one runs and drives well, and is currently a daily driver. The seller includes a list of recent work done, including cooling system work, a new fuel pump, front brakes, and new tires.
This one has mystery seat covers as well, and shows a little more wear and tear than the Tracer does, but it’s not in bad shape at all. There’s a big crack in the top of the dash, probably from being parked out in the sun. Speaking of being out in the sun, the seller says the air conditioning works fine on this one. The radio, however, does not work.
It’s a little scruffy outside: the paint is coming off the bumpers, there are some dings and dents, and the rear spoiler is missing. But it doesn’t have any rust on it, so that’s something. The headlights that give this car its bug-like appearance are in serious need of a polish. Normally when they get this bad, I’d suggest just replacing them, but these don’t appear to be available anymore.
Silly disco jokes aside, cars based on the Mazda BG (and later BH and BJ) chassis really are some of my favorite little cars to drive, especially with manual transmissions. This basic architecture lasted all the way through 2003 here in the US, ending with the last Ford Escort ZX2. They’re still plentiful if you look around, but the more special and fun versions like these are getting harder to find, and they’re starting to be affected by the RADWood virus, which makes prices creep upwards. Best grab one now if you want one. Which one of these is more your style?
It’s a shame they never put the GT/LTS engine in the wagon.
Love ’em both, but for the imaginary dollars, I think the Mazda would be worth repainting for about the same outlay as that handsome Merc.
I could live without a sound system, that’s why God made bluetooth speakers.
This was easy… I’ll take the Mazda vs. Fix Or Repair Daily/Found On Road Dead product. This will be a fun car to cruise around in. Lots of recent work, A/C works, and less chance of rust in SC. I already have a JVC single DIN stereo for it. I’d go ahead and paint it blue
I like the Tracer, but the price is a bit much to swallow.
I voted against the tracer on cost alone.
That Tracer is a gem! The right spec.
Yes, the motorized seatbelts are dumb, but you know what? We learned to ignore them well enough back in the day. Simply not a big deal, other than something to whine about. Given the global nature of this platform, and its age, I’m sure you could retrofit some non-motorized belts into it if you were determined. Good luck with the interior trim modifications.
I LOVE the MX-3 – it’s the car that C/D described as an Ovoid and parenthetically insulted its readers by saying “look it up.” They even got a letter to Ed. about it.
But this one is not the right one. I’m sure it’s amusing, but the MX-3 to have is the one with the V6. Which, coincidentally, bolts right into a Miata. But if your’e going to go through that trouble, you’re better off using the 2.5L version from the MX-6/Probe.
I like the novelty of the Tracer, but 2 things: 1) Central PA pricing is often delusional. I call it the “Carlisle effect”. Saw the price, then saw the location, and then it made sense. 2) I can attest to the goodness of the BG platform and that Mazda era generally. I owned 2 BJ series. That said, for this price, you can get a 15 year newer car with similar mileage, better everything and much better safety equipment.
I always wanted a MX-3 so of course I voted for that regardless of the practicalities involved. Parts gotta be hard AF to get ahold of for it (headlights, spoiler, seats, original head unit…) but I guess with eBay Japan, online translation, and a lot of patience, it might be possible.
There’s always one or two of these small wonders at the Long Beach JDM show every year (JCCS) and they’re even more lust-inspiring in person (IMO). 🙂
Tough to choose between a diamond in the rough coupe with the wrong engine or the super clean but dripping with malaise sedan with the right engine. In the end, I went with the Tracer.
Tracer. The moment I saw that straight-edged well-proportioned wedge profile I knew it was the one.127hp in such a light sedan will be plenty.
“The seller says they bought it to teach their kids how to drive a manual”
OK, budget for a new clutch. Got it.
“the one big drawback to the BG cars: the automatic seat belts”
What’s with your big hangup on this? I grew up in a car with these automated belts and never managed to get PTSD from them.
That said, this generation sedan always looked like a cut and shut hack job next to the 5 door hatchback. It’s a shame that body was never offered with the DOHC Mazda engine.
Hmm. I may be showing my lack of sophistication here, but the sedan doesn’t strike me that way and I don’t find the 5-door very nice looking. The sedan has the similar low-cowl 3-box wedge shape of the Civic sedan of the same year and I like the styling on that car as well.
I think the sedan looks better from this era but functionally I will take a hatch any day of the week even if it’s not as pretty.
I had the Ford version of the Tracer and it is one of my favorite cars to this day. Had a lot of power for the day and handled great.
I’ll take the 4-door Escort GT.
I had a friend that was obsessed with the extraordinarily rare ’92-’94 AWD variant of the BG Protege.
He had three of them (a bizarre and noteworthy feat in itself!), and one of them was held together with fiberglass resin and dreams. But they were extremely competent junior rally cars. As with all 90s Mazdas, salted roads were their kryptonite.
As far as this vote goes today, it’s an easy win for the Tracer. That roofline and greenhouse is basically the same as the Protege I remember…
I made out in the back seat of a red MX-3 much like this one, with somebody who really didn’t deserve it.
Go on….
That happens. But imagine this- Mazdas of this era painted in current Mazda red….. you’re welcome.
Yesss! As someone who has owned both of these cars, I can confidently say that I don’t want either one of them. Confidently. In my youth I had all three variations of that generation Ford Escort- the 2 door hatch, the 4 door sedan, and the 4 door wagon. This car defined in my mind what disposable meant in terms of cars. They seemingly sold by the billions, were EVERYWHERE then slowly vanished from reality. This is what the world needs today. Cheap, good enough, fun enough, safe enough. Still disposable and the 1.9 liter engines were hot garbage- I’d be seriously surprised if any of those made it to 200k.
The MX-3 is a different story. That was my nice teenage car that I treated dirty and it slipped through the cracks. I had a 95 with the 1.6 DOHC B6 engine, 5 speed, sun roof, black leather with dark green exterior. I drove that car cross country to college, had love, tragedy, hate, murder, sex, doughnuts…. all the good stuff in that car. That was the best sounding engine- the actual engine, not the exhaust, the engine noises itself were so harmonious in that engine. That’s also the only engine that I’ve truly grenade… literal hole though the block at some unknown high speed and too high RPM. That smell of a clutch turning to an overcooked brownie in a moment’s notice.
I long for another… but this is not MX3 for me. This one is rough in not fun ways. Forced to choose, I’d go tracer…cruise it, throw it away, then I can live for another day… and long for another MX3.. the right one this time though.
Great comment!
Um, are you treating your Volvos any better?
Babe, no. My *current* s60 just got a new rear caliper because the squeak wasn’t annoying enough then the pad fell out and the piston managed to unpiston itself. The new one is shinier than the old one so I might get the other side replaced so they match.
Wait, Wait, Wait! You had “murder” in 1995 MX-3 on cross country trip to college?
That needs a bit more context.
Oh, yeah I forgot to add- I don’t know if it’s still there but there used to be a fireworks slash liquor store off either I80 or I84 in Wyoming. There was a taco bell right next to it and we were eating in the parking lot.
Yesss! As someone who has owned both of these cars, I can confidently say that I don’t want either one of them.
COTD
The Tracer for me as it looks to be in much better overall condition and will be a nicer/faster car to drive for not much more money. That MX-3 looks like it’s gonna need more work that the Tracer as well.
If the MX-3 had the wee V6, it would be no contest. But with a single cam 4 versus the larger twin-cam of the Tracer, gotta go with the sedan this time.
I prefer the BJ…platform…all other things being equal.
$4,000 for a car with busted A/C or $2,500 for one with working A/C? About the same miles (If we trust the 5 digit ODO in the Tracer hasn’t rolled more than once). Either one is just a cheap commuter until it breaks.
This isn’t a hard choice – cheap beaters should be cheap so it is the Mazda today.
That engine/Transmission combo in the Tracer is glorious. All day every day over the scruffy Mazda with the wrong engine.
Yeah, that’s about where I landed, tough call though.. While I really like the small car design language of the Tracer, like the Corolla GTS, the MX3 was a great looking car too and the design has aged well. If the MX3 had the V6 I would have overlooked the scruffiness.
Either you didn’t click far enough, or the seller added pics later. The front and rear seats are actually in pretty good shape under there! Not sure why they left the seat covers for the initial pics.
It’s an LTS for me today!
I was a fan of the Tracer back in the day. A buddy of mine had this generation Escort GT, and that was a great powertrain. It’s nice to see this one looking so well preserved.
It’s Mercury Monday for me today, and hope that the front seats aren’t too trashed under those covers.
I would honestly love either one, but with the wear on the MX-3, I’d choose the gorgeous Tracer. I wanted this exact car when I was young; I had a thing for black sedans with red stripe and alloys (I ended up in a Nova Twin Cam).
I loved the Novas.
How about you?
Wow, a bit of a unicorn, it had the Toyota 4A-GE engine right?
Jealous. I only had the 4A-C base model with an auto. Still loved that car. Looked great with the steelies painted black.
I gotta go Mazda here, I’d use it as a Rallycross car until it gives up on life and goes to the great recycler in the yard. The headlights won’t matter for daytime runs, and I’m just gonna make it MORE dirty by doing so, I’d probably fix the radio though as those courses are usually an hour or two away from me.
Also it’s cheaper.
Weighing only a little more than the MX-3 but sporting both considerably more power and more utility, the Tracer is an easy win today. I won’t worry about what lies under the seat covers, I’ll just get new ones I like better.