Protege5 Review
 

Hi all,

I am thinking of buying a 2002 Protege5. I live in Winnipeg, and was wondering if you all could give your thoughts on this vehicle. How does it perform in winter? Can it tackle several inches of snow with good tires, or will it get hung up? How well does the heating work? Is A/C good in summer? Has your car been reliable? Also, if I need work done, will it have to go to a dealership? What can I expect to pay for mechanical repairs? I saw on one website that Shocks and/or Struts could cost about $1300 US! Is it that much? I know I have many questions, but I would really appreciate the opinion and knowledge of people who actually live in the same climate/city as I do. Thank you.

Sean D.
Sean20mb@hotmail.com

Hi Sean,

I have a 2002 and love it. Very dependable. Only problem so far was a CD player that was replaced under warranty. I drive it year round both between MA and Ontario and Quebec. I would recommend buying winter tires for it. I have 2 sets mounted on rims, 1 winter and 1 summer. You do not have to go to the dealer. Not sure about the strut price as I still have the originals. I have 68,000 miles on mine and it is still tight.

The car does not have a lot of ground clearance. The front air dam is sort of low. I have driven in snow up to half a foot with little trouble. AC is fine down here in MA, can get very hot and humid.

HTH

whoops, already saw that you found the forum....hoped my email helped

I have owned my P5 for a little over a year and a half, and it seems to do just fine in the Michigan snow. In fact, it snowed like crazy when I bought it in January 2003. I have not had any issues with the stock tires in any weather conditions. The AC is adequete in the summer. I am also happy to note that in my 25,000 miles of ownership, I have not had to have anything repaired or fixed. All my wrenching was for fun stuff - like aftermarket parts! By this time with my 2001 Neon, I already had three warranty claims. So, yes - I'm pretty sold on the quality and durability of these little cars. Also, in case you didn't know, these things are a ton of fun as well. They handle beautifully, have high quality interior materials with good fit and finish, and the ergonomics are just right for my 5'11" frame. I think of the seven cars I've owned thus far in my life, this one is my favorite. Buy it. This is one you can fall in love with.

So, why don't you come out to the meet on Sunday and take a look at our cars? Then you can ask some questions and get some feedback.

Yah i agree. I think that would be the best way to get all the anwsers you need, and all in one quick night.

G,