Not a bad innings for Mazda!

I quick google and I found this "As one of the oldest companies in the Japanese automotive industry, Isuzu traces its beginnings to 1916."

So Isuzu beats Mazda by a few years - even better ;=))

Axle 'tis peculiar how car manufacturers evolved.
Peugeot started in 1810 making coffee grinders and bicycles.

Axle - I don't know what this RB22 engine is, that you talk of - but the 1980's E2200 Mazda vans and light trucks were powered by the 2.2L S2 Mazda diesel engine, which is a Perkins 4-135 engine built under licence by Mazda!

I have a Mazda E2200 van, and that little diesel is quite a good donk for the era.
Underpowered, at only 65HP, to be sure - but they are reliable enough.

I'd be interested to hear what kind of problems you encountered with your 2.2L Mazda diesel - apart from an inability to overtake anyone on the highway!

Cheers, Ron.

Was very interested inaMazda cx3. Read many reviews and of of a few faults was air conditioning condenser leaking meaning no cold air but main concern is Mazda’s reluctance in fixing it under warranty with the replacement depending how loud you yelled.

So we will look at a Suzuki vitara
Tony

My Mazda R360, 360cc air cooled V twin Automatic, 1964 model, I owned for 10 years, went quite well for a little motor. Not very popular on our east coast but a lot in Perth. Known as the "rabbit" for some reason - wish I still had it. Sold it via Southerby's Auction in 1989 & was told someone flew in from Japan just to take it home!

Mazda is cool but I prefer Peugeot actually

I've got a Mazda forklift and it's powered by a 2 litre Mazda VA engine. The motor was worn out and in pieces when I picked up the forklift for $300 - and I set to and rebuilt the VA engine.

This little engine is built like a tank with replaceable wet cylinder liners - and despite having done probably 10,000 to 12,000 hrs of hard, stop start work, I couldn't find any wear on the crankshaft journals.

I also dug about 2-1/2 cupfuls of muddy dirt out of the block, from the bottom of the liner area, testimony to the cooling system abuse it had received.
It had a fibre timing gear, which I don't like, so I found a Nissan H20 timing chain and sprockets fitted in place of the timing gears, with very little modification.

This little donk runs like a top, and in the era when these were built (late 1970's/early 80's), Japanese engineering was really hitting its stride.

I also have an '81 Ford Laser Ghia hatchback - a Mazda with Ford badges - another great little chariot, sips fuel like a Mini, goes like a train, and I can fit a mind-boggling amount of stuff inside it when I fold the seats down!

I'm not sure how the latest Mazdas are for build quality and reliability, but the older ones were certainly pretty good.

A fascinating little snippet of historical news below, about how Mazdas founder, Jujiro Matsuda, survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

How Mazda survived the bombing of Hiroshima.

Cheers, Ron.

Was that truck the one with 4 speed box and a splitter, Axle?

Had never had anything to do with Mazda, until a daughter bought a 2nd hand 323 in 2004, and she still has it, with only a couple of hiccups over the past 16 years. Then another daughter bought a CX-3 turbo diesel, which suits her style of driving, and it’s been trouble free. In 2016, we bought a CX-5 twin turbo diesel, after 40 years of Holden utes, a Datsun Skyline, a Hilux dual cab & the remainder, Landcruisers.

The CX-5 is a great touring vehicle. Roomy, quiet & comfortable enough to knock over a 1K km day in 12 hrs, and not needing surgical removal from the cab, at end of the day. Economy is around 6.5-7L/100 at 100-110, giving fuel range close to 800kms. Torque produced is only 30nm less than a stock V8 Landcruiser ute, from a 2.2L 4cyl engine. Pulls like a train!

Bob