All right, I'll end this right now before it gets any further. Kia and Ford are the most reliable ok. Honda just blow major monkey chunks. Don't even get me started on Toyota.

Ok, my point is that we all know Honda and Toyotas are reliable. Even know I've seen some nasty problems with Hondas. Get over it. The guy just asked how 'dependable' Mazda's are. Not everyone knows the reliability of Mazdas and other car manufactures are. So if I hear that Hondas are the most reliable I'm going to go insane. WE ALREADY KNOW!

Sorry, had to vent.

Kevin

 

It's ok

just wana research a car completly


I figured the people who drove the car day to day would know the car better then some stupid website review. I do appreciate all your guys help ...

 

i think if you research every car your gonna find out each one has its ups and downs. i think the reliability of a car has something to do with your driving habits, driving conditions, etc. etc. and that you shouldn't really buy a car cuz somebody else says they like it or they don't have problems with it because it might be different for you.

 

Boom, you got it. Exactly what I had in mind. Each person has their own experience. Every car has its problems. We just have to learn to deal with it. And take this into cosideration. When someone has a bad experience with something/some place they tell about 10 people about it. And those people tell more people. When they have a good experience they might tell 1-3 people. So the word goes around more and faster when something bad happens. So just go out and drive any car you have considered. And just buy the one you like the best. Thats what I did with my Protege.

Kevin

 

yeah i agree ... i just havent heard much about it so i was just wondering if there were any dumb design issues ... thats all ... know what i mean?

 

Before I bought my Pro, I test drove every '03 in the same size/price range (well, no
American cars and that's kind of sad).
Nothing I drove came even close to the overall driving 'feel' of the Pro. I was impressed that a car that stickered for
17k had such great road manners. And with a few more $$$ into it's just gonna get better.

 

Well man,

I just bought my new 2003 P5. So far, I love it (although I only have 400 miles on her). I sincerely believe that whatever car you own, treat it right and it will do the same. Every car has it's quark's (whether it be Honda, Kia, Ford, etc.) I know my P5 won't be completely "trouble-free," but what car is? I've owned 2 Buick's, 2 Honda's, and a BMW. By far, the BMW was the best ownership that I've had (Damn that drunk for totalling her...). Buy the Mazda, it'll be a great car.

Besides, cars are temporary! You'll probably only drive it for 5-6 years MAX!

My $0.02.

 

I put over 300K (mostly freeway) miles on a 2nd generation Protege (the 1.5L wheezer), and other than tires, brakes, oil changes, and 3 timing belts, I only had to actually "repair":
- A/C compressor, 110K miles
- Primary engine electric cooling fan, 202K miles
- camshaft oil seals, 214K miles
When I traded it in on my 2002 DX (hey, they gave me $800.00 for it!!) it still had the original clutch, starter, alternator, struts, ball joints, all bushings, and it did not leak oil anywhere. It burned about a 1/2 quart between oil changes (every 5K). And it was EVEN SLOWER and more gutless than when new of course. But none the less a great car. The Mazda P cars are "as good as" Honda/Toyota but just often overlooked. I think that's a good thing. I always say..."Hey look, a Loud Lowered Honda! How. . . . .ORDINARY"

 

I don't agree the Protege is "as good as" a Honda or Toyota. The engineering is better in both cars. In addition your situation is obviously the exception not the norm.

 

I think every manufacturer excells in one catagory or another...that's how they develop a niche market....honda goes for quality, toyota-reliability, ford-quantity,mazda-handling,chevy-corvette (only vehicle worth a damn), hyundai/kia-affordability

It's these little markets they align themselves with....THAT determines the product you'll receive. GM and Ford are quantity over quality manufacturers. thats why they are losing ground to the imports..they see this and are now fighting to take back the ground they thought they could never lose.

 

Hey Rod, yea true, they go after different markets/people.

 

and the truth......shall set you free!!

 

yeah they def. didnt think about water or snow ... or anything when they made the 99+ grand am .. heh

 

2001 Protege ES
All warranty work so far...
replaced driver seat mounts and seat frame at 15,000 miles (loose)
adjusted engine idle at 20,000
replaced front right strut mountand balance shaft at 43,000
in shop now for relacement of front wheel bearings... will let you know... 47,000 miles

All other service work:
engine oil every 5,000
30,000 mile service
replaced brake pad front/rear 40,000
replaced 2 dunlops 20,000 (tires)
replaced 4 falkens 40,000 (tires) love em...

*note. My driving is "spirited"

Overall, not bad. Better then any of my volkswagons. Worse than my old SHO (a reliable ford... nah )

Used to own an 88 GrandAm coupe with a getrag 5 and GM's doomed QUAD4 engine. Fun car... your 99 rides on essentially the same chassis but has gained lots of weight.
As far as fun, the Protege is better on the intangibles--steering, braking, suspension control--than ANY GM I've driven. And for the naysayers--Although the Protege isn't fast, neither is any GrandAm... including the all-show-no-go RAMAIR.

 

ah, the joys of the SHO....if you had a reliable one it must've been a V6!! I loved my 3.0L 1990 model...I just sold it last week for $500 with a centerforce stage 2 clutch and sho-shop Y-pipe....that dude racked up! I had to pay my back-taxes that Uncle Sam was asking for!