Help! Replace car or repair P5

J

jodycochran

Member
:
2002 Protege5
I love my Protege5. It has been a great car for the past 12 years.

Over the last 2 years, I have been pouring money into various parts and repairs. I know that now it needs the engine rebuilt as well as several other expensive repairs. I want to keep this car going but at this point I wonder if I should trade it in and get something newer. Any opinions? The engine repair quote I got was $2900 plus anything else they find, and the catalytic converter and exhaust repairs were over $1000.

The cars I was looking to replace it with are a '13 ct200h or a '14 mazda 3s hatchback.

If you have any thoughts on those I would love to hear them too.
 
jodycochran said:
I love my Protege5. It has been a great car for the past 12 years.

Over the last 2 years, I have been pouring money into various parts and repairs. I know that now it needs the engine rebuilt as well as several other expensive repairs. I want to keep this car going but at this point I wonder if I should trade it in and get something newer. Any opinions? The engine repair quote I got was $2900 plus anything else they find, and the catalytic converter and exhaust repairs were over $1000.

The cars I was looking to replace it with are a '13 ct200h or a '14 mazda 3s hatchback.

If you have any thoughts on those I would love to hear them too.
Click to expand...

Do you want a payment for 3-5 years, or some money here and there on repairs? What kind of shape is your Protege in? Rust is a major deciding factor here, as is exterior condition (dents, dings, scratches etc.) Mileage?

I bought a JDM engine for my P5 for 850 bucks. It has very low miles, and doesn't use a drop of oil. It would cost around 500 bucks to have someone install it in this area. That's half your estimate.

If you don't have emissions testing, you can install a header to delete the main cat and do the non-fouler mod for the CEL. 120 bucks or so in parts.
 
Funny.. I was on a used Lexus lot with my friend yesterday. I looked around 360 degrees and told him there was only one car within eyesight that I liked. It was a black CT200h. He laughed and said he sensed a pattern (I drive a black P5).

That said, the new Mazda 3 hatchback is one of the nicest looking cars on the road, regardless of price. The red, the dark blue, that crazy grey-brown-green-whatever color, and even flat white are gorgeous on it. Just get a stick shift if you can.. I test drove an auto and coming from a manual P5, I was bored to tears.

Can you buy a new car and keep your P5? That's my plan. I've had mine for 12 years and couldn't part with it (well, unless it started costing me a fortune). :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I'd buy a genpee before I bought a pretty'd up, overpriced Prius. :) In fact, that's what I'm about to do. I'm sorta in a holding pattern, hoping and waiting for a new MS3, but I'm definitely not buying a Prius of any sort.

No offense to anyone who likes the Prius, and being a P5 guy I gotta like how the ct200h looks. I just trip how a 1977 Datsun can do 50mpg, but this car needs an 800 pound acid filled battery to go 45.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/474x/5d/38/89/5d388914bbc13c611a710d00c4ed6e18.jpg
 
Last edited:
@MrGiggles I could keep the Protege5 and get a new one, the trade-in for it was only $1500. The body and interior still look really great no rust. I was looking at used motors as an option, we do have emissions tests here, but I would have loved to delete the main cat. Thanks for your input. Did you purchase your engine from ebay?
 
jodycochran said:
@MrGiggles I could keep the Protege5 and get a new one, the trade-in for it was only $1500. The body and interior still look really great no rust. I was looking at used motors as an option, we do have emissions tests here, but I would have loved to delete the main cat. Thanks for your input. Did you purchase your engine from ebay?
Click to expand...

Bought it from JDMenginescorp.com. I don't have anything bad to say, and they are located in Texas as well.

If you're gonna part it out, I need a rear wiper arm.
 
Last edited:
I was just at a Lexus dealer over the hill ... the CT200h gets great gas mileage, but had poor visibility out the rear window. Now if Mazda would hurry up and release the 6 in a coupe (2017 supposedly) and a wagon I'd take a huge chunk out of my savings to buy that beautiful car outright.

Getting used parts from Texas is hit or miss, usually they've been left sitting outside in the Texas sun and hopefully weren't towed over Katrina cars. If you have a mechanic you trust that says it's worth fixing and you can afford it, then do it. There's no reason to take on debt when you could fix the car or replace it with a reliable, used car.
 
Thank you Reginald. I do like the idea or repairing this car. I have read some reviews from others who have purchased used engines for Mazda's around Houston and Dallas, and they are usually disappointed.
I was concerned about blind spots on the lexus, I will have to get used to a new car after driving the P5 for 12 years. I test drove the 2014 Mazda3 hatchback and it has similar handling and visibility.
 
Could always just buy an entire car and do any swaps you need. If your shell is clean, repowering is pretty straightforward. Paying someone to do it for your would NOT be worthwhile though. I mean unless your as much a protephile as I've become lol.
Buy a second p5/es ect. Build the best of the two.
 
I think what everyone wants you to do is take it apart, and if you can't get it back together sell them pieces off of it.

I call dibs on the front floor mats.
 
I dont know the condition of the vehicle.

but if the problem is purely mechanical. repair is cheaper then new car. also greener.

getting a used engine can last you another 150-200k miles

I have 240k, original everything
 
MrGiggles said:
Do you want a payment for 3-5 years, or some money here and there on repairs? What kind of shape is your Protege in? Rust is a major deciding factor here, as is exterior condition (dents, dings, scratches etc.) Mileage?

I bought a JDM engine for my P5 for 850 bucks. It has very low miles, and doesn't use a drop of oil. It would cost around 500 bucks to have someone install it in this area. That's half your estimate.

If you don't have emissions testing, you can install a header to delete the main cat and do the non-fouler mod for the CEL. 120 bucks or so in parts.
Click to expand...

jodycochran said:
@MrGiggles I could keep the Protege5 and get a new one, the trade-in for it was only $1500. The body and interior still look really great no rust. I was looking at used motors as an option, we do have emissions tests here, but I would have loved to delete the main cat. Thanks for your input. Did you purchase your engine from ebay?
Click to expand...
I am in houston area and have passed emissions with header/non-fouler set up since 2005 and Mr G I have an oem wiper arm or you can score a nicer looking one off a Mazda 6 wagon. $35 in parts from dealer which is why my oem is in the attic. There is a how-to thread here on the forum for the swap.
 
I did it. Thank you all for your opinions and advice. I am going to miss my Mazda, but am thankful to have something younger and more reliable.
<a href="http://imgur.com/MV5PgGw"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/MV5PgGw.jpg?1" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
 
Last edited:
Was recently faced with the exact same dilemma when I had another major part failure. The problem I've been running into with the P5 is time: I work a lot currently and whenever something goes wrong on the car I'm forced to move, adjust, or outright cancel large parts of my schedule. As much as I've always loved working on my car I just don't have time to do it right now.

I decided to get something new and purchased a 6 this weekend. No front wheel drive car is as fun to drive as the P5, but I can tell the 6 is still in the Mazda family with its handling characteristics and it is MUCH less busy on the freeway for my commute. I'm pretty happy with the switch so far, I just hope it's not a sign that I'm getting too old (boom01) I'll always love my P5 and will definitely miss it a ton. But it was time.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9338.jpg
    IMG_9338.jpg
    646 KB · Views: 109
jodycochran said:
I did it. Thank you all for your opinions and advice. I am going to miss my Mazda, but am thankful to have something younger and more reliable.
<a href="http://imgur.com/MV5PgGw"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/MV5PgGw.jpg?1" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Click to expand...
My other car is a RAV4 and Tacoma so I'm not hating on this. Nice swap. For what they gave ya on trade-in I wish I coulda swapped out a few parts since yours is silver. Enjoy the new ride.
 
jodycochran said:
Ooh congrats ijbrekke! That 6 looks nice.
Click to expand...

It looks nice because it looks like the new 3 - same reason the CX-5 looks nice. :D I'm just glad that hatches are making a comeback. They're so practical and aesthetically pleasing.
 
Hey thanks, all. Drove the 3 and liked it a lot, but the road noise was a little much for a brand new car and I liked the extra space of the 6 inside. Also, I HATE the front license plate placement on the 3, it ruins the look.

Congrats to i12drivemyMP5 on the Lexus, looks beautiful!
 
ummm, that's jody's..........I still has and am keeping my P5....323F.....Familia......Etude......Astina.......Sport20.......whatever
 
Please log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
To part-out or not to part-out?
Replies
2
Views
839
katapaltes
K
K
Looking to sell my manual P5!
Replies
7
Views
3K
zer0sum
zer0sum
C
2002 Protege5 Rough Idle, No Power/Acceleration
Replies
9
Views
2K
Cosmas
C

Latest posts

Back