Dependability of 2nd Gen. Protege???
 

Looking into buying a 1998 Protege LX with 86K miles, but I am curious how dependable this investment is. I don't know much about Proteges, but my boyfriend (redsea) has a 2001 Protege & recommended this site! Any advice?!?!?
I need a dependable car that can get me 2 & from work... Any comments on experience would B great! Thanx guyz! ;)

If the LX has the 1.5 engine...run away...run away

I really wish I had waited and found a nice 1.8 ES model.

I have a 98 LX with 1.8. There has been very little in th ways of repairs done to the car and it now has almost 120,000kms. Besides brakes there has been no major engine or under hood repairs done to it. Very dependable.

AS long as the previous owner seemed to take decent care of the car, it should be a fine buy. I sometimes wish I had an LX due to the better gas mileage.

Not bad
 

Yeah, i bought mine. From the 4 cars i have owned it's my second favorite. Renault 5, 87 Tercel, 91 corolla gts. protege 98 SE

For getting back to work it's fine. I can't compare it to my 130hp corolla GTS, but the gas mileage is great just lackin the power of my old car. But better than the tercel and renault.

If u are getting a good price go for it, i had almost no problems since i bought it, (oxegen sensor) and that's about it. But it goes good, and it's not that slow, well it is but it isn't. If you rev it high you will get accelleration but what do you expect.. It's not a sports car.

it all depends how you want to drive it. It's a car, it will get u from A to B easily. And it looks pretty good too! If i had a choice i would go back and get the 1.8.

What kinda deal you getting on it anyway?
I paid 5000 cash for mine and since Ive had it the only repair I ve had to do
was replace the manifold.

I am getting it for $6100 from a dealer with a 6 month warrenty......thanx for all the input got couple of dayz ago; giving my boyfriends '01 es a run for it $$$ ;)
my boyfriend was joking about how help u guys are; when he said to use his account to ask you guys questions. thanks again

very dependable, but you may want to try for 5500, and 5000 if its a manual. Automatics sell for more.

STOP!!!!!

I JUST bought a 98 LX, great condition, automatic - you know the deal
80,000 miles for 4,000
you need to try and buy the car whole sale it lowers the price tons!

So far, and i have owned the car a single day - i lost one of my belts in the engine, and now have no power steering - easy to fix 5 dollars and a 10 mintue job for a mechince, i suggest you change all your belts. And also look for places where liquid is spraying - like a very small mist into your enginen, bring a mechinc along, i highly suggest you do these things.

and by a standard if you want to get a lil racing in, but for work and have little racing or fast driving, use a automatic

you are not gong wrong with this car, it handles GREAT, just like a sports car

i agree, more than 5000 for this car is highway robbery. i just looked on ebay and through local fs ads, and 97-98 protege's sell as cheap as 3500 and none have over 100,000 miles on them.

i know someone with a 97 1.5l and he has ~115,000 miles, thats the most i know of one having. its a completely stock commuter that travels around the state since he is an educational grant specialist (he visits universities as far as carbondale, peoria, urbana-champaign, exc)

nothing has ever failed, and he has changed nothing but the oil, fluids, windshield wipers, tires, brake rotors & pads. he doesn't even recall if a lightbulb has ever failed. its been solid as a rock, and has never even had an alignment done, its crazy. still drives firm, original suspension and everything.

Definately fight the price. Got my 97 lx with 42K miles on it for $4G. It needed new tires but this wasn't an issue because I was gonna replace them anyways to get rims. Haven't had any problems except for replacing a fuse and a bulb or two. If the price can be right....go for it.

If you have a choice look at the bottom lines, and then look @ the engineens, see which you like better. i would pay the little more for a 99 ES or get the 98 ES dont bother with the LX get the bigger engineen