Faults:

I am not listing standard maintenance items like: timing belt; brakes; water pump etc.

- New clutch at 205000.

- New muffler at 210000.

- New CV axles at 220000.

- Valve cover gasket tends to leak.

- New shocks at 250000.

General Comments:

If you know how to drive a manual, you can squeeze some power out of the 118 horsepower engine. The torque really kicks in at about 3100 rpms.

At 267000 miles, the engine still runs like a top. I have just as much power now as when I got the car at 200000 miles.

There is a lot of road noise, but it never was a luxury car.

It is a little scary to drive; it is not safe compared to modern cars. My 1993 does not even have air bags.

Faults:

The rear tires were making a thumping noise that increased with road speed. I found that the tread was 'cupping' - wearing like a saw tooth. It was determined that the rear struts were worn. This was not so much due to mileage, but more to age as the car was not driven much. The rear struts were replaced and I had all new P185-80-R13 tires installed and a four wheel alignment was performed. This certainly solved the problem.

The gas pedal had to be depressed a few inches before the engine would respond. A tightening of the throttle cable solved this.

A rough idling problem was solved by installing new NGK Platinum plugs, distributor cap and rotor.

An auto-transmission flush and fluid change smoothed out a hard shifting issue.

General Comments:

The car is a peppy performer that feels solid on the road. There is plenty of passenger room (I'm 6'-1").

The engine runs well and is smooth. Even with the SOHC engine (102hp), I find there is plenty of power to accelerate uphill, merge with highway traffic, and sometimes surprise newer model cars.

There is no body rust and the paint job is still smooth and shiny. The interior has comfortable cloth seats with good support.

Faults:

All valve seals were leaking badly (previous owner never changed the oil, no fault of Mazda)

Has some quirky fuel injection problems. Runs super rich when you start it and it is still warm but only every once and a while. No mechanic in town can figure out what is wrong.

Windshield trim came unstuck.

Heater plenum clogged and rain leaks into passenger side.

General Comments:

Great beater car. I like this compact better than Corolla, Civic, or any of the domestic beaters. I just replaced the entire cylinder head since the rebuilt head was cheaper than replacing the valve seals and lifters. The engine is super easy to work on. None of the bolts were seized. There was still good cross hatch on the cylinder walls after 190,000 miles of abuse. This car is a real testament to good engineering practices. Now I just need to find an all-wheel drive model!

General Comments:

I bought this car for $850 from a woman. It was a manual and she couldn't drive it anymore.

The engine runs very strong. Has great mileage.

Drove from Dallas to Wilmington, Delaware non stop 1500 miles. Didn't give a single problem.

Got wrecked when a brand new Audi TT rear ended my car.

Faults:

Replaced axle shaft 3 years ago.

Replaced the radiator 4 years ago.

Rear muffler/silencer replaced.

General maintenance items - brake pads, belts, etc.

Air conditioning had to be recharged with the newer type of refrigerant since R-12 is obsolete.

Clutch gave out at about 160,000 (original, I think)

General Comments:

This is the most amazing reliable and utilitarian car I have ever had or seen. When I bought it used from a used car lot in 2000, I did not even know if it would pass the state safety and emissions inspection. Not only did it do so, but it has passed twice since (2 year intervals).

It is one heck of a gutsy car to drive with the DOHC and the 5 speed box. I also have a Mazda Miata, but over rough roads this Protege will outrun both the Miata and most big SUVs.

This is a VERY practical car for a sedan. The rear seats are quickly, easily, and fully, removable without tools, giving an almost wagon-like cargo area, and the suspension is sturdy enough to handle a lot of cargo.