Nitty Gritty of the 2003 Protege
April-2nd-2004, 02:12 PM
#31
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Indiana
Posts: 24
All right, I'll end this right now before it gets any further. Kia and Ford are the most reliable ok. Honda just blow major monkey chunks. Don't even get me started on Toyota. 
Ok, my point is that we all know Honda and Toyotas are reliable. Even know I've seen some nasty problems with Hondas. Get over it. The guy just asked how 'dependable' Mazda's are. Not everyone knows the reliability of Mazdas and other car manufactures are. So if I hear that Hondas are the most reliable I'm going to go insane. WE ALREADY KNOW!
Sorry, had to vent.
Kevin
Ok, my point is that we all know Honda and Toyotas are reliable. Even know I've seen some nasty problems with Hondas. Get over it. The guy just asked how 'dependable' Mazda's are. Not everyone knows the reliability of Mazdas and other car manufactures are. So if I hear that Hondas are the most reliable I'm going to go insane. WE ALREADY KNOW!
Sorry, had to vent.
Kevin
It's ok 
just wana research a car completly 
April-2nd-2004, 02:39 PM
#33
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Elizabethtown, PA
Posts: 809
i think if you research every car your gonna find out each one has its ups and downs. i think the reliability of a car has something to do with your driving habits, driving conditions, etc. etc. and that you shouldn't really buy a car cuz somebody else says they like it or they don't have problems with it because it might be different for you.
April-2nd-2004, 02:47 PM
#34
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Indiana
Posts: 24
Originally posted by Matt03
i think if you research every car your gonna find out each one has its ups and downs. i think the reliability of a car has something to do with your driving habits, driving conditions, etc. etc. and that you shouldn't really buy a car cuz somebody else says they like it or they don't have problems with it because it might be different for you.
i think if you research every car your gonna find out each one has its ups and downs. i think the reliability of a car has something to do with your driving habits, driving conditions, etc. etc. and that you shouldn't really buy a car cuz somebody else says they like it or they don't have problems with it because it might be different for you.
Kevin
... thats all ... know what i mean?
April-2nd-2004, 05:02 PM
#36
Awesome Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 3,186
Before I bought my Pro, I test drove every '03 in the same size/price range (well, no
American cars and that's kind of sad).
Nothing I drove came even close to the overall driving 'feel' of the Pro. I was impressed that a car that stickered for
17k had such great road manners. And with a few more $$$ into it's just gonna get better.
American cars and that's kind of sad).
Nothing I drove came even close to the overall driving 'feel' of the Pro. I was impressed that a car that stickered for
17k had such great road manners. And with a few more $$$ into it's just gonna get better.
April-3rd-2004, 03:27 PM
#37
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: South Bend, IN
Posts: 6
Well man,
I just bought my new 2003 P5. So far, I love it (although I only have 400 miles on her). I sincerely believe that whatever car you own, treat it right and it will do the same. Every car has it's quark's (whether it be Honda, Kia, Ford, etc.) I know my P5 won't be completely "trouble-free," but what car is? I've owned 2 Buick's, 2 Honda's, and a BMW. By far, the BMW was the best ownership that I've had (Damn that drunk for totalling her...). Buy the Mazda, it'll be a great car.
Besides, cars are temporary! You'll probably only drive it for 5-6 years MAX!
My $0.02.
I just bought my new 2003 P5. So far, I love it (although I only have 400 miles on her). I sincerely believe that whatever car you own, treat it right and it will do the same. Every car has it's quark's (whether it be Honda, Kia, Ford, etc.) I know my P5 won't be completely "trouble-free," but what car is? I've owned 2 Buick's, 2 Honda's, and a BMW. By far, the BMW was the best ownership that I've had (Damn that drunk for totalling her...). Buy the Mazda, it'll be a great car.
Besides, cars are temporary! You'll probably only drive it for 5-6 years MAX!
My $0.02.
April-3rd-2004, 08:08 PM
#38
Cone Dancer
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Central Calif
Posts: 279
I put over 300K (mostly freeway) miles on a 2nd generation Protege (the 1.5L wheezer), and other than tires, brakes, oil changes, and 3 timing belts, I only had to actually "repair":
- A/C compressor, 110K miles
- Primary engine electric cooling fan, 202K miles
- camshaft oil seals, 214K miles
When I traded it in on my 2002 DX (hey, they gave me $800.00 for it!!) it still had the original clutch, starter, alternator, struts, ball joints, all bushings, and it did not leak oil anywhere. It burned about a 1/2 quart between oil changes (every 5K). And it was EVEN SLOWER and more gutless than when new of course. But none the less a great car. The Mazda P cars are "as good as" Honda/Toyota but just often overlooked. I think that's a good thing. I always say..."Hey look, a Loud Lowered Honda! How. . . . .ORDINARY"
- A/C compressor, 110K miles
- Primary engine electric cooling fan, 202K miles
- camshaft oil seals, 214K miles
When I traded it in on my 2002 DX (hey, they gave me $800.00 for it!!) it still had the original clutch, starter, alternator, struts, ball joints, all bushings, and it did not leak oil anywhere. It burned about a 1/2 quart between oil changes (every 5K). And it was EVEN SLOWER and more gutless than when new of course. But none the less a great car. The Mazda P cars are "as good as" Honda/Toyota but just often overlooked. I think that's a good thing. I always say..."Hey look, a Loud Lowered Honda! How. . . . .ORDINARY"
April-3rd-2004, 08:39 PM
#40
The man behind the mask
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 11,572
I think every manufacturer excells in one catagory or another...that's how they develop a niche market....honda goes for quality, toyota-reliability, ford-quantity,mazda-handling,chevy-corvette (only vehicle worth a damn), hyundai/kia-affordability
It's these little markets they align themselves with....THAT determines the product you'll receive. GM and Ford are quantity over quality manufacturers. thats why they are losing ground to the imports..they see this and are now fighting to take back the ground they thought they could never lose.
It's these little markets they align themselves with....THAT determines the product you'll receive. GM and Ford are quantity over quality manufacturers. thats why they are losing ground to the imports..they see this and are now fighting to take back the ground they thought they could never lose.
April-5th-2004, 03:34 PM
#44
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 81
2001 Protege ES
All warranty work so far...
replaced driver seat mounts and seat frame at 15,000 miles (loose)
adjusted engine idle at 20,000
replaced front right strut mountand balance shaft at 43,000
in shop now for relacement of front wheel bearings... will let you know... 47,000 miles
All other service work:
engine oil every 5,000
30,000 mile service
replaced brake pad front/rear 40,000
replaced 2 dunlops 20,000 (tires)
replaced 4 falkens 40,000 (tires) love em...
*note. My driving is "spirited"
Overall, not bad. Better then any of my volkswagons. Worse than my old SHO (a reliable ford... nah
)
Used to own an 88 GrandAm coupe with a getrag 5 and GM's doomed QUAD4 engine. Fun car... your 99 rides on essentially the same chassis but has gained lots of weight.
As far as fun, the Protege is better on the intangibles--steering, braking, suspension control--than ANY GM I've driven. And for the naysayers--Although the Protege isn't fast, neither is any GrandAm... including the all-show-no-go RAMAIR.
All warranty work so far...
replaced driver seat mounts and seat frame at 15,000 miles (loose)
adjusted engine idle at 20,000
replaced front right strut mountand balance shaft at 43,000
in shop now for relacement of front wheel bearings... will let you know... 47,000 miles
All other service work:
engine oil every 5,000
30,000 mile service
replaced brake pad front/rear 40,000
replaced 2 dunlops 20,000 (tires)
replaced 4 falkens 40,000 (tires) love em...
*note. My driving is "spirited"
Overall, not bad. Better then any of my volkswagons. Worse than my old SHO (a reliable ford... nah
)Used to own an 88 GrandAm coupe with a getrag 5 and GM's doomed QUAD4 engine. Fun car... your 99 rides on essentially the same chassis but has gained lots of weight.
As far as fun, the Protege is better on the intangibles--steering, braking, suspension control--than ANY GM I've driven. And for the naysayers--Although the Protege isn't fast, neither is any GrandAm... including the all-show-no-go RAMAIR.
Last edited by sage11x; April-5th-2004 at 03:40 PM.
April-5th-2004, 04:36 PM
#45
The man behind the mask
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 11,572
ah, the joys of the SHO....if you had a reliable one it must've been a V6!! I loved my 3.0L 1990 model...I just sold it last week for $500 with a centerforce stage 2 clutch and sho-shop Y-pipe....that dude racked up! I had to pay my back-taxes that Uncle Sam was asking for!