 My 626 was my first vehicle. This was a great started car, very reliable. However, as soon as it neared 80,000 miles things started snowballing. I had belt problems causing acceleration problems, to the point that it was unsafe to drive. This was a minor repair compared to the transmission I had to replace at 95,000 miles. It was running smoothly then just gave out one day. I was told by a local mechanic this is a very common issue. Mine was the third '99 Mazda 626 the shop had seen this year for the same issue. Since the transmission was replaced I've had major problems with the a/c and battery. The car just shut off going 40 mph down the highway today. I am officially retiring this vehicle