drkwc

Hi:

I test drove a 323 4WD Protege in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, either Fall 1989 or 1990.

Have a '95 now (NOT 4WD or AWD).

Have a couple miles of unmaintained New Mexico clay road and HAVE to have AWD or 4WD to get in and out at times (and I never know, if I leave in the Mazda whether I'll be able to get back in).

I want to find a fun-to-drive, nice-handling 4x4 or AWD -- used -- for less than $5k that gets good mileage and is reliable.

Unfortunately after digging through tons of Consumer Guides and Consumer Reports and the EPA site, I've come to the conclusion that auto manufacturers didn't care about good mileage with their '90s models 4x4s.

COULD go for another mid-'90s Subaru Legacy with the 2.2L engine. My last one delivered about 25 mpg all around and was a really comfortable car to drive. But I'd like to do better than that, mpg-wise. 80 percent of my driving is highway. (I live in a quasi-wilderness area about 25 miles from Santa Fe and about 55 miles from Albuquerque.) My 1.5L DOHC Protege delivers 32 to 38 mpg per tank for me and I've gotten really used to that. (I check every tank.) My late '80s Montero gets 19 mpg, which I consider pathetic. My mid-80s Toyota 4x4 pickup gets 24 mpg. (But it's just too worn out to be considered reliable any more.)

Just remembered that 1989 or '90 323 4WD. And am wondering if they made them after that? I know the 1.8 engine and the 1990 model 4x4 Protege didn't deliver the same mileage I'm getting. Think the EPA highway rating was 29.

But 29 is better than about anything else I can find that was made in the '90s. (The RAV 4 gets that, but is above my price range.)

Guess I'm rambling a bit. What I'm wondering is:

1. What years the 323 or Protege was made in 4x4 sedan model?

2. How well are these older 4x4s holding up?

3. Any idea where/how to search for one?

4. What weak spots to watch for?

5. What kind of ground clearance they had? What size tires?

(I've really battered up the underside of my '95. And go through an axle at least once a year from splitting the boot during snow or when sinking into mud and hitting rocks that I can't avoid.)

Anything you can tell me is appreciated.

Thanks,
kennyboy

drkwc

OK. I found the answer to what years they made it: 1990 and a few months in 1991.

If anyone has answers to any of the other questions, I'd love to hear them.

Also just learned that the Toyota Scion xB AWD gets 30 city , 34 hwy and starts at right around $15k. MAY look at one of those now that I know that something exists at a reasonable price that gets good mileage.

Still interested in hearing about the '90-'91 Protege sedan 4WD.

prakashkamath

well, they are pretty hard to find. but i think that if you did find one, i think you might be disappointed with it. it only came in the dx trim which means no power anything, and teh sohc engine. it is pretty basic, with no power. it is 4wd though!

prakashkamath

slayer4u

In NA we got the 323GTX 4wd 88-89(good luck finding one.) then we had the 4WD protege which was crap. The BP01 was damn near invincible but underpowered. you could drop the BP05 DOHC engine in there but you'd fry the tranny and blow up the rearend in a heartbeat. one good thing would be the posiblility of puting the BPT and 4wd tranny and drivetrain from the Protege GT-X but I can garentee you will never find one. I've accually only seen one on the internet for sale in canada. As far as I know that is the only one that mad it over seas and I doubt any of the asian owners would part with thiers for less than 10,000US beacause there were only 1500 manufacured in the first place. You could get the tranny and rear end from the 90-94 323GTX/GT-R but the protege shaft would probably be destroyed before you shift out of first.lol so basically Not worth it unless you are not into tuning or have a sizable bank account.