1998 Mazda Protege DX review from North America
"Excellent value"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Brake shoes.
Tires.
EGR valve.
Door lock switch plate broke (nuisance).
General comments?
My 1998 Protégé has performed very well over the 5 years plus I have had it. At almost 90,000 miles I have so far only had standard maintenance items to contend with.
As noted in other reports on this site, the Check Engine light is bothersome and not very useful. You get it for leaving the gas cap loose or for many other innocuous reasons. The code that is in the on board computer costs $35.00 to retrieve. I find that exorbitant.
I do have the manual transmission and at the ripe old age of 5 ½ years still get away from traffic lights or can get up inclines in a manner that surprises drivers of more recent and supposedly more powerful cars.
Overall I am pleased with this car and would not part with it until my maintenance expenses run over $2,000 per year.
Recommended reviews
| 1998 - Protege DX 1.5 naturally aspirated Economy car that changes expectations |
|
| 1997 - Protege LX 1.8 Liter 4 cylinder w/122 HP THUMBS UP for Mazda!! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 90000 miles |
| Previous car | Geo Prizm |
| Date of Entry | 14th July, 2003 |