Faults:

I purchased the car new.

At 12500 I replaced the brake rotors and brake pads.

35000 miles I replaced the radiator.

At 40000 miles I replaced the brake pads and rotors again.

50000 miles I replaced the CV boots.

70000 miles I replaced the fuel pump.

75000 miles the spark plugs flew off the engine.

80000 miles the radio was broken.

82000 I replaced the CV shafts.

At 84000 the speedometer was broken.

At 85000 I sold the vehicle.

General Comments:

Always replacing major parts. Would not recommend the 1992 Mazda Protege. It's a cheaper version of the Ford Escort.

Faults:

Alternator replaced at 40000.

Battery replaced several times - 37000, 38000, 40000.

The car shakes violently if the engine is taken over 2500rpm.

All speakers in the car blown (not due to overloud music playing)

Seatbelts do not lock.

General Comments:

This car is my first and current car. It has reasonable acceleration, though you have to almost floor it to get it. The gas mileage is low for such a small car, about 24mpg, though this is probably my driving and not a fault of the car itself.

Top speed is theoretically very high (130mph), but in practice the car feels extremely dangerous to drive at any speed over about 70 - it shakes with the wind and feels like the front tires will leave the road. Control is very limited when driving fast.

However, the handling at lower speeds is very good. The car does not roll much when taking sharp turns, and it sticks to almost any road surface. The tires currently on it are old and need to be replaced, as performance in rain is subpar, with lots of hydroplaning.

There is a strong smell of gasoline in the car immediately after fuelling. I haven't had this checked out yet but I suspect the fuel tank has a pinhole at the top.

The front bucket seats are uncomfortable for me. The material the seats are made of feels cheap, though it has resisted fading and tears.

Faults:

Electric problems, horn doesn't work, brake light flicks on and off, replaced CV boots, brakes, horrible ticking noise.

General Comments:

Well, I bought the car with 100,000 and have put 40,000 miles on it over the past 3 years.

Overall, it has been consistently embarrassing to drive yet reliable. The paint has worn off, it seems as though the manufacturer forgot to add a clear coat or something, and every morning when I start the car, it makes ticking noises for the first 5-10 minutes, then it goes away.

Faults:

Nothing at all actually.

General Comments:

- When I first bought it, I could not believe what good shape it was in, as if it was brand new.

- A very reliable car, and excellent on gas.

- Very roomy, and the ride is very comfortable, my whole family love it.

Faults:

The starter had to be replaced (which is understandable, it was 16 years old). My driver's side door no longer opens from the inside.. I have to roll down the window and open it form the outside every time I have to get out. This is a hassle, but can be fixed EASILY for about $25 if I just drag my lazy self out to an auto wrecker and get that little door latch that's broken.

That pretty much sums up my problems...

Oh, and, the rear main seal broke a while back (just causes an oil leak, but it's pretty pricey because they have to take the entire engine out to fix it.. so I just refill my oil more often).

General Comments:

I absolutely love my Protege.

It handles like a charm, and it's so easy and fun to drive.

Accelerating is sometimes a bit slow, I'd say its 0-60 in about, oh, 4-5 seconds.

Mine has a sunroof which really opens up the cabin and makes it feel a whole lot roomier and open. Although it is already quite roomy for such a small vehicle.

Pretty good on gas, depends on how you drive it!

Nothing major has gone wrong yet (knock on wood) and I am totally happy with my Protege and wouldn't change this purchase for the world!