Buying a Protege 5, what to look for?
- Thread starter fadden77
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localkineguy
Just know that many people, including myself, find that their Mazda Protege5s burn through about a pair of headlight bulbs/6 mos.
I've heard about problems burning oil though haven't encountered them myself. The cabin interior is noisy. The instrument panel/cluster is dimly lit at night.
I've heard about problems burning oil though haven't encountered them myself. The cabin interior is noisy. The instrument panel/cluster is dimly lit at night.
ShortBusDriver
Member
I had a white one that got wrecked when I was sandwiched in the middle of a 5 car pile up 
and they seem to be rarer than yellow/silver/red for some reason. I don't see many blue, white or black ones around.
Yes I burn through about 2 low beam bulbs every 6 months, sometimes more often. Its a real pain in the ass.
Rust is also another major issue, but you can still find lots of P5s with barely any rust. Check around the wheel wells especially around the rear wheels for little spots of rust.
Random suspension clunks or noises are common too, but usually aren't that expensive to fix.
The fan speed switch on the climate control tends to stop working but there is usually an easy fix you can do yourself posted on the forums.
Other than that it is a very reliable car! It should take you well beyond 200kms without major problems. I don't have a block heater but after replacing the battery last year I can start it in -35c weather every time!
and they seem to be rarer than yellow/silver/red for some reason. I don't see many blue, white or black ones around.Yes I burn through about 2 low beam bulbs every 6 months, sometimes more often. Its a real pain in the ass.
Rust is also another major issue, but you can still find lots of P5s with barely any rust. Check around the wheel wells especially around the rear wheels for little spots of rust.
Random suspension clunks or noises are common too, but usually aren't that expensive to fix.
The fan speed switch on the climate control tends to stop working but there is usually an easy fix you can do yourself posted on the forums.
Other than that it is a very reliable car! It should take you well beyond 200kms without major problems. I don't have a block heater but after replacing the battery last year I can start it in -35c weather every time!
That's like saying "make sure your headlights work". It's one of those things that you should always check anyways. At the very least, always run through all the functions of the car to make sure they work before you buy it (silly)
Also, depending on the mileage of your car, find out if the timing belt has been changed. Finally, I think one of the single best things you can do with a used Protege or P5 is to swap out the ignition coils immediately, since ours are notorious for going bad and could ruin your catalytic converter if they misfire (read: NOT cheap).
The coils themselves can be had for $20-$40 each (you need two), and you should replace your spark plug wires while you're at it (again, you need 2 - one long and one short) for another $20-$40. All of this stuff is right on top of the engine, so even the least mechanically inclined people can access it.
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localkineguy
I think the magic number is ~ 100,000 miles
where can I find out more information about this?!?!
The manual says 105,000 in some states, 60,000 in others. Unless you live in the far northern reaches of Canada where it regularly gets to -60 degrees, I'd say 105,000 miles is fine.
I don't know exactly what you mean by this. There are tons of threads on here about people with misfires and ruined cats (the dreaded P0421 CEL code), but the parts can be bought at any auto parts store, or on RockAuto.com
i have 2 p5 , both had issues with rear fenders ...looks like dirt and salt get stuck around where the bumper clips. i never had any probleme with burning headlights ( i think im in the lucky ones ) and both pro5 eats stabilazer links. other than that is just maintenance like all other cars, brakes last pretty long , change one wheel bearing in 3 years i had it and one alternator. those cars sticks to the road and are fun to drive. Get a standard if u can 
good luck in finding a white one (cheers)
good luck in finding a white one (cheers)
I live in canada and bought a blue one this summer. Seems that silver is the most common up here, and I had a look at a white one but unfortunately it was riced out so I opted for a stock well taken care of (box of reciepts from everything.... and I mean everything) Love the car except for the road noise and underwhelming performance.
I did run into problems with the EGT sensor? on a bunch that I test drove (rough idle) and some had really stiff steering but these were on a used car lot so I just attributed it to bad used car lot cars. All the privately owned ones I drove were excellent.
I did run into problems with the EGT sensor? on a bunch that I test drove (rough idle) and some had really stiff steering but these were on a used car lot so I just attributed it to bad used car lot cars. All the privately owned ones I drove were excellent.
Do you mean EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve or ECT (engine coolant temperature) sensor?
Yeah, it's a known issue with our cars. You can either try to clean the old one or replace it with a revised "Canadian" version that you can get on RockAuto.com for like $110.
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localkineguy
I regrettably own a silver, wish I had gone with the yellow
