1990 Mazda Protege DX review from North America
"Most Reliable"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Water pump at 220,000km.
Radiator at 215,000km.
Drivers side seat cushion cracked causing major discomfort.
Last few months most of the wear/tear items started to fail.
Clutch every 160,000 km, vehicle driven hard.
Exhaust and brakes where almost replaced every few years, Canadian climate causes increased rust.
Door pillars prone to internal rust, all pillars should in inspected, this is a costly repair that cannot be properly fixed. The only way to repair rusted pillars is to replace the door.
General comments?
The Protege would be considered the best vehicle that I ever owned.
Still maintained a top speed of 200km after 260,000 km.
Great gas mileage, 720km on a tank (trip to Florida). The car was so reliable that I had a new A/C from Mazda installed after the vehicle was almost 7 years old.
If the protege was rust proofed from new, it would have saved the car (pillars rusted)
The car is still on the road today, I just purchased a 1991 GT model (Canada only) I just wish I could find the current owner :)
Recommended reviews
| Smart buy, great value, quality car for economy price |
|
| It is not a sports car but it will definitely surprise you, it handles good and the engine has balls |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 SOHC Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 16000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 280000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mazda 323 |
| Date of Entry | 23rd January, 2003 |