1993 Mazda Protege review from North America
"Wish all cars were this well made"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
All valve seals were leaking badly (previous owner never changed the oil, no fault of Mazda)
Has some quirky fuel injection problems. Runs super rich when you start it and it is still warm but only every once and a while. No mechanic in town can figure out what is wrong.
Windshield trim came unstuck.
Heater plenum clogged and rain leaks into passenger side.
General comments?
Great beater car. I like this compact better than Corolla, Civic, or any of the domestic beaters. I just replaced the entire cylinder head since the rebuilt head was cheaper than replacing the valve seals and lifters. The engine is super easy to work on. None of the bolts were seized. There was still good cross hatch on the cylinder walls after 190,000 miles of abuse. This car is a real testament to good engineering practices. Now I just need to find an all-wheel drive model!
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| 1993 - Protege DX ohc I4 103 hp 1.8L Great deal!! |
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| Quick, comfortable, economical, and CHEAP. Need I say more? |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1993 |
| Year of manufacture | 1993 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 180000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 190000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Focus |
| Date of Entry | 28th September, 2008 |