Is this a good value!?!?

[Draconius]

Hi all!

I had to sell my mazdaspeed3 due to higher costs, and wanting to replace it with the protege5. I found one yesterday for $7000. They tye putting new tires, alignment and replacing the timing belt at no additional cost. It's the black mica, auto with sport shift, roof rack, sunroof, and 90,000 miles. Sounds like a great deal, but I am new to the protege5 family much.

Any concerns with tranny at 90k? Everything else seemed like the previous owner kept it mechanically sound!

Thanks!

 

[RicoP5]

for that price IMO no. you can find a protege MAZDASPEED already turbo for that price or less

 

[Draconius]

Oh.. It's also all stock.

 

[RicoP5]

oh then NO NO lol

 

[02.5MP5]

no.. when i bought my protege 5 two years ago it had 90k w/ and it was flawless and i got it for 4700..

 

[Draconius]

I would be getting it from a used car lot...there aren't many around private party and stock. My things I was looking for were:

Hatchback (duh)
Auto
Sunroof
Roof Rack
Low miles (under 110k)
Timing belt/chain
stock as possible (not going to mod this car at ALL!)

Also...I am in Southern CA so prices are always higher...

The margin for what people are asking is tight around here and high.

The other cars I was looking into were Subaru Outback, Subaru Impreza WRX, Volvo xc70 (was iffy on these because I heard they can be maintenance nightmares), or a higher mileage Mazda3 Hatch.

 

[Fraya713]

Kelly Blue Book is around 6k for 2002 and 7k for 2003 and thats in mint condition.

I wouldn't go more than $5,500 if it's in decent condition, but I'm wary of buying from private sellers - who knows what's wrong with them.
At least at a dealership they may throw in a warranty of some sort of something to ease your mind..

At most, I'd ask him to get it checked out at a mazda dealership with a multi-point inspection to find anything and everything that is wrong with it and at worst, split the cost of the repairs with him out of his asking price..
but 7k is a lot for these cars..

 

[Draconius]

The KBB for this car is $8,160 (It has the in dash 6 disc CD player, 1-owner, clean carfax). Also this place has a reputation for taking care of their customers and if something does go wrong within a few months that they will work with you on it to the point of almost full coverage. but definitely hear you on the Mazda dealership thing and dropping $100 just to have it checked out. They have a multibay mechanic outfit as well.

I totally get that $7k might be a lot, but that is the price range in SoCal :/

btw...it may seem like I am shooting down the input I am getting, but by no means does that mean I don't value the options!

 

[JiggaBro]

ive found a few in similar sounding condition in so cal for no more than $6000.
if youre in a rush then go ahead, if not, way a little longer and you'l find it soon enough

 

[Luken10]

Literally in almost the exact same position as you, even our location! Hopefully we don't end up buying a car out from under one another. (lol2) I have read about so many people buying a very sound car with under 100,000 miles for less than 5 grand. I just don't see that happening down here in SoCal.

*Edit* I was going a few pages back when I read this, it seems you found an MP5! Do you mind me asking what kind of condition you got it in and for how much?

 

[Tamn]

Compared to what I paid for mine, its a better deal. But if I did it again, I wouldn't have bought mine, would have waited to find a better deal.

 

[balilewis]

I bought mine at 118k miles for $5700 in So Cal two months ago. Fresh new belts and it has a few mods as well.

 

[Tetsubo]

I wouldn't buy it, keep looking for a better deal or talk him down. I purchased mine with 107K 2 years ago in pretty mint condition for a bit less than 5800 after TTL.

 

[hotcracker69]

4 years ago i got mine with 140k. auto $5700 out the door

 

[Luken10]

no.. when i bought my protege 5 two years ago it had 90k w/ and it was flawless and i got it for 4700..

I can only hope that I can negotiate someone down that low, and that would be with most likely an extra 30,000 miles more than yours. Sounds like you got a great deal, hope you are enjoying it!

I bought mine at 118k miles for $5700 in So Cal two months ago. Fresh new belts and it has a few mods as well.

This seems like more of a realistic price after negotiation. In So Cal at least. Was this after the vehicle tax? It is a shame we have to end up spending another $400+ for a vehicle that was already taxed.

4 years ago i got mine with 140k. auto $5700 out the door

Given that you purchased it 4 years ago that seems like another decent deal. How has your car been holding up since you bought it with 140k miles?


These forums are great, definitely getting alot of information from everyone which is aiding in my search.

 

[balilewis]

This seems like more of a realistic price after negotiation. In So Cal at least. Was this after the vehicle tax? It is a shame we have to end up spending another $400+ for a vehicle that was already taxed.

That was before vehicle tax, which I sadly had to pay around $400 or so.

 

[Neal]

How come they are so expensive in the states?
I bought my pro5 or 323f as it's called over here for 1200 with 77000 miles.

 

[Jordysoso]

Because we import everything. Nothing is made here and the cost to get it here is ridiculous. So it shows in the price of a car. I wish I lived in Europe. Granted gas is more expensive but paying a s*** ton less for a vehicle is worth it.

 

[Installshield 2]

I'm assuming you prefer an auto? That would be the only thing i would worry about, if you have a choice, go with a manual for a 3rd gen...the g-series boxes, assuming semi-regular gear oil changes, seem to last about twice as long as the auto's. Not to mention a stock auto p5 will almost lose an argument with a prius...Not that that should be any sort of factor, its just the 3rd gen's came along before any companies were putting 'good' automatics in small cars...

if you're set on an auto though, and have no interest in learning to drive a manual car...still talk them down some, and try to see any maintenance history you can...insist on a fluid/screen change on the transaxle as well. Dig around on the forums, you can find lots of threads about auto problems that seem to always pop up around ~120,000 miles...

Rear fender wells are also the first places to start rusting on these cars, in most cases anyway. Be sure and check back there with the rear wheels off, and carefully inspect the body seams towards the back of the fender (where it meets with the urethane rear bumper cover), and around the emblems on the rear hatch. Most have either stopped, or prevented these areas from rusting with annual sealing of these areas, but as rust goes...there is a possibility of too little too late; if the previous owner never bothered...