1994 Mazda Protege DX review from North America
"If you find one cheap, buy it"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rust problems. Everything in the rear needs replacing due to rust. Fuel lines and rear brake lines rusted through.
Rear handbrake was stuck, leading to a complete failure in rear brakes.
Dash lights have stopped working, needed a switch from the junk yard.
General comments?
Great beginner car.
Rust was the only problem, since the car was parked for most of it's life. For a small car that is over 12 years old, it was very smooth and stable at high speeds (160km/h++), but the suspension was very soft in the corners.
Other than rust issues, the motor worked great and never had any problems. This car had been my grandmother's since it was new, and has never needed any major repairs. (even after being run with no oil on a trip through town...)
Even with the automatic and SOHC motor, this car has good acceleration when it comes to passing and so on... I have not had any problems when passing cars of the same vintage.
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| 1993 - Protege LX 1.8L DOHC 4 cylinder (125hp) Refreshingly affordable upscale quality compact! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1994 |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8L SOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 150000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 165000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 8th December, 2006 |