1998 Mazda Protege DX review from North America

The EGR valve failed.

The exhaust manifold cracked.

Both items were listed under TSBs from Mazda. There is no fix for the EGR so you just have to wait for it to fail again. The exhaust manifold is available on the aftermarket, but with an improved design that prevents the same stress cracks.

I have replaced the timing belt/water pump, clutch, brake shoes/rotors and shocks... all due to age. The axles were replaced when the clutch was done, but the worst part was that they were frozen to the wheel hub. I had to take it to a machine shop to be pressed out.

The check engine light is also a bit of a pain. I bought a code reader because the cost of getting the code read each time got too expensive. Several codes have popped up once, but never again, leading me to believe the ecu is overly sensitive.

This car was purchased as a daily driver/work commuter. I didn't expect very much from it, but it has grudgingly earned my respect.

The 1.5l motor is grossly underpowered off the line, but once moving, it is responsive enough.

The stock 13" wheels should be replaced immediately. They howl in protest at anything more than gentle driving. A set of 14" alloys from a Miata make a good replacement.

The car has responded very well to suspension modifications. Aftermarket performance springs, struts and a OEM rear sway bar from an Protege ES have gone a long way to making it handle like a much more expensive car. I also installed a strut tower bar for good measure.

The interior IS cheap. I picked most of the parts from a LX in a junkyard. The higher quality parts (seats, trim options) make for a much more comfortable car.