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By
EWAN KENNEDY
7 March 2005
Fully
imported from Japan, the Eunos 30X is a small personal coupe
with curvaceous lines and a miniature V6 engine. It wasn’t a
success in Australia and was only on our market between November
1992 and May 1996. It was then sold as a Mazda Eunos 30X in an
attempt to grab buyer interest. This failed and the last imports
landed in Australia in October 1997.
Eunos cars are designed and manufactured by Mazda, but were
initially sold as a separate brand, attached to selected Mazda
dealers, in an attempt to add exclusivity to the name.
The smallest Eunos is built to an astonishingly high quality
with panel fit and paint finish that is close to perfection. Few
cars, even those costing ten times the price can match, let
alone better, the 30X in this respect.
The Eunos 30X is smaller than most coupes in its bracket. That
means it’s not quite so space efficient in the rear seat.
Indeed the rear area is more of a trimmed, occasional
compartment than a genuine back seat.
The Eunos’ sleek appearance and ultra-smooth six-cylinder
engine sets it apart from the four-cylinder crowd.
When the 30X first came to Australia only one model was offered.
It
was very well equipped, with air conditioning, a compact
disc player, central locking, driver’s airbag and power
windows and door mirrors. Leather trim and ABS brakes were
features of the next model, which arrived in February 1994. The
upmarket model received the somewhat unusual name of the Eunos
30X Leather.
A 30X Sport version was sold from August 1994. As is the way too
often with so-called sports models from Japan it didn’t
receive any more engine performance. It had a lower equipment
level than the Leather went a little quicker because it weighed
less. Major missing items compared to the Leather, were
(obviously) the leather trim and CD player. It didn’t have air
conditioning, either, a sad omission in Australia.
The V6 engine is an advanced 1.8-litre unit with double overhead
camshafts and multi-point fuel injection. It puts out 99kW and
159Nm. Engine performance is good at higher revs, but it is
comparatively sluggish at lower revs. The driver has to adapt to
the engine’s characteristics to get the best from it.
Automatic transmission is probably the best option for the
non-enthusiast driver for that reason. However, performance
drops if an automatic is fitted.
Suspension is independent at all four wheels and was revised
with a slightly wider track in 1994 to improve the already good
handling characteristics. Handling is neutral until the car
reaches relatively high cornering speeds, then shifts to gentle
understeer.
There are still spare parts for the 30X at most Mazda dealers,
though you may have to wait for less common bits to be shipped
from Melbourne. Prices are generally reasonable, though we do
get the occasional complaint from those who think they are too
high.
Insurance costs vary quite a bit, but are generally less extreme
than you might expect for what is, nominally at least, a sporty
little machine.
WHAT TO LOOK
FOR
The engine should start easily and idle smoothly and all but
inaudibly. As mentioned, performance isn’t great at low revs,
but by about 3000rpm it should really start to move well and at
4500rpm hit its best range. Check that the engine doesn’t
smoke when accelerated hard after it has been idling for a
minute or so.
Listen and feel for a baulking or crunching from the gearbox
when fast changes are made. The third-to-second downchange is
usually the first to show problems.
A whining differential is another sign or hard driving.
Check for damage caused by passengers getting into the small
rear compartment through the rather tight front-door area.
Scuffing of the door sill area, carpets and seats can look
unsightly and lower resale value.
Look for signs of crash repairs, most noticeable are mismatched
paint colours, slight ripples in the panels (best seen from
almost end on), paint overspray on areas such as mirrors and
exterior trim, and a poor quality finish in out-of-sight corners
such as the underbonnet or inside the boot.
Play it safe and have a professional inspection by a qualified
Eunos/Mazda mechanic, or your local motoring association.
CAR BUYING TIP
Cars that appear to be orphans, but which are actually
looked after by the big automotive names, can be a safer
purchase than you might expect.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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