2000 Mazda Protege LX review from North America
"A Good Entry-Level Car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Nothing major went wrong with the vehicle until approximately 45k miles. I did have to take the vehicle in at around 20k to have the power door locks fixed. This was under warranty. Also, the factory stereo was terrible and the CD player stopped working at around 25k. I had a non-factory stereo put in at that time.
Due to an incident with potholes/concrete I did have to have the entire radiator, undercarriage panels and parking break replaced/fixed. However, service at the Mazda dealer was great.
Now, the Check Engine light stays on most of the time, although some days it goes off. The car has now started to have some issues with stuttering/chugging when in 1st and 2nd gear. I am taking the car in next week to find out what the problem is. I have a feeling that it is a problem with the fuel system, which will be costly now that the warranty has expired.
General comments?
Overall, I really like this car. It has been great on gas mileage and with the 5-speed it doesn't seem like a small 4-cylinder engine. The interior has kept up nicely and I haven't had any problems there. The lettering has worn off the shifter, but other than that the interior and exterior still look great.
Recommended reviews
| A very reliable car |
|
| A definite keeper |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 50 miles |
| Most recent distance | 56500 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Corsica |
| Date of Entry | 11th June, 2004 |