![]() The '92 had a tight gear ratio that made it fast through the curves and hills, so it's hard to pick on over the other. ![]() Both cars were very good on the curvy back roads of Pa., but the 2001 is a little bit better. This car is a step down from the 1992 Protege I previously owned, particularly in the interior. I'm hauling more weight than a Miata, but I have the same horsepower. It passed the test and remains a great driver's car. Last weekend I finally had a chance to try out the new front end repairs by driving it hard on some back roads here in Pa. The impact snapped the tie rod and ruined the strut, axle, wheel and tire on the passenger side.īut I have a great body shop here, and they fixed it right, as always. The real news in this review is that in May, a guy from out of town ran a stop sign and wrecked this car. The timing belt has only about 7,000 miles on it, so I'm feeling lucky to have made this deal. They all perform about the same, but the presence of a factory filter confirmed that this car was maintained on a factory schedule, with factory parts. When I changed the oil for the first time, I found a factory Mazda filter, which I replaced with an auto parts store filter. I paid less than trade-in value, based on the NADA site, which factors in mileage and is much better for buyers than Kelly or most other sites. This particular Protege was extremely well-maintained and I had no problem with the high mileage. Mazda is under the Ford corporate umbrella. I thought about getting a truck or something with a little more power and room, but will probably save my money and keep whipping this thing around and get my moneys worth out of it.ĭon't mind the snide people who beat their chest about big American cars and "Buy American!". One service adviser commented that if taken care of, Mazdas will last practically forever. The body is almost 10 years old, and it looks pretty good and is holding up well. A performance shifter this car is not meant to be. Clutch does engage a little high compared to American clutches. ![]() The 2.0 liter engine is one peppy four-banger mine is mated to a manual gearbox and is a lot of fun to drive. A car that I own doesn't have to be the most powerful, but I am a total handling snob. I've redone the whole front end and it is as good as new. Three areas to consider: Power, handling, and comfort. So far, my impressions are very positive. Did not know quite what to expect when I bought this thing, since this is the first Japanese car that I've owned. Pleasantly surprised by this little import. The original will more than likely be pretty much worn out. If you get the brakes done on this car, make sure that the technician puts in a new e-brake kit. I've had to replace almost all the calipers. My only gripe is that the brakes do not seem sufficient for this vehicle. New timing belt, water pump, thermostat, spark plugs, and even a new battery. Nothing major has gone wrong with the car.Īround 90000 miles I gave it a major tune-up.
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