Faults:

Wrecked transmission - 1400 dollars

Power windows didn't work.

General Comments:

My first car, handed down to me from my parents at 17.

Could only spin the tires on gravel.

For a car that had the oil changed maybe twice in its 9 year life, I'm surprised the motor didn't blow up.

Faults:

An exhaust system hanger broke at around 120,000km.

At 160,000km I replaced the drive axles.

At 162,000km one of the air flow sensors became confused by a small crack in the plastic intake housing ahead of the manifold. This led to rather strong bucking as the air/fuel ratio was all wrong. The problem was solved with duct tape.

General Comments:

This car has every option Mazda offered in that year, so it is very comfortable and performs quite well. I find the seats especially comfortable.

The twin cam engine really comes alive at about 3500 rpm. Handling is geared toward a decidedly sporty feel. The car feels very responsive to driver input though some might find it "busy" on long distance trips.

Faults:

Needed wiper refills.

Sunroof panel rusting on edges, part price $280, not include painting and install.

General Comments:

This is a very rare model for the Canadian market. This Protege has a 1.8 DOHC engine, similar to the Mazda Miata. It has 127 HP.

This car is very similar to the U.S. spec LX model. It comes equipped with 4 wheel discs, spoiler, air, roof, sport suspension, power everything, cruise control, etc.

I have been looking for one of these since it was released in 1990.

These cars have no real value, though, but too the enthusiast.

Faults:

Left CV boot tore and mechanism began to make noise so I replaced it. I rebuilt the slave master cylinder for $20 and an hour-and-a-half of my time because it was leaking. I also replaced the front brake pads and calipers 2 months ago when I noticed uneven wear. Otherwise, I could have left them on for another 10,000 miles and the brakes would have lasted 75,000 miles. I also replaced the exhaust system from behind the catalytic converter to the tail pipe. A combination of Minnesota weather and internal moisture doesn't let them last for more than 4 or 5 years. There also appears to be a problem with the design of the valve cover gasket on my Mazda. The bolts can only be tightened so much and valve cover gaskets go out about every year-and-a-half. This is not a big problem since gaskets at the dealership are only $15 and it takes me twenty minutes to change one. I started doing it myself since the dealership charged over $100, only guaranteed their job for 1-year, and they couldn't make their repair last any longer than when I did it myself.

General Comments:

This car has certainly been efficient and saved me considerable amounts of money and time. At 37 miles per gallon on the highway and just over 30 in the city it is cheap to drive. I don't think I could buy a cheaper car. However, it doesn't have much style or performance and is certainly a car for students or those who consider cars a means of transportation and nothing else.