Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Not bad, not bad! - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By stinkypete - December 29 - 7:43 pm

  I purchased a 2002.5 model Protege5 just over a year ago. Ive traded it in since for something larger, but after putting 22K on it in one year, I have plenty to say. The car IS reliable. Just one small part (EGR valve) had to be replaced at 65K and that was it. Tires and oil changes were the only maintenance. The car is well designed and open. Im 6-2 and I fit pretty nice in it. The leather seats were a nice touch. The stock 6 disk cd player had very good sound, although with road noise it always had to be loud. The paint scratches easy and the resale value (esp. trade-in) is close to nothing.

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  I love my car!! - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By Dell - September 14 - 10:00 am

  Just bought my first car and i love it. got the leather and its a great deal for just $390! well worth the money. makes the biggest difference. now it has the luxury feel as well as the IS300 sportcross looks. great handling as well.

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  mazda protege 5 2002 - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By myras - August 25 - 11:01 am

  This is a great car! The best i have ever had! I just had no choice to take it off the road due to the frame holes all through it. Rust is very bad on the car its had alot of body work done to it! All floors, All wheel wells, Bottoms to all the doors! Motor out lived body! Motor is great! Runs fantastic! Rust is my whole problems with this car!

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  So sad. - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By tdb3 - June 7 - 8:02 pm

  Were in Nova Scotia w/ moist salty air. Cars rust here; but this is the worst Ive ever seen. Model is famous w/ mechanics. Body rusted - started w/ back wheel wells. Got fixed for $800, but rest of car covered in rust. Struts rusted - Got those & few other things replaced for $1000. When I bought car it had used engine. Within 1 wk, water pump failed & 2nd engine failed. 3rd engine lasted two years before it failed. When I took it in, mechanic said to junk it b/c the frame had totally rusted out underneath. Didnt believe him, so looked myself. There were holes the size of my fist all over the FRAME of the car, rest was SOFT. Scrap yd doesnt even want it b/c has too many of them!

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  A Little Disappointed - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By tina_brmnghm - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Got a great deal on this car but prepare to pay for brakes early on. I had to get the brakes replaced at 25K miles and now at 32K miles they need replacing again! Traction is horrible on wet roads. Other than that it is a great car. It was the perfect answer at the time for me as a new parnet ready to move from my 2 door celica to a 4 door car, but wanted to stay with something sport and that didnt yell "Moms Taxi". The interior is a bit cramped but no more than any other car in this class.

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  Excellent car (for me) - 2002 Mazda Protege5
  By tiborgh - February 16 - 2:28 am

  Bought the car in 2006 when it was less than 3 years old, with 47,000 kms (about 30,000 miles). Now it has 192,000 kms (120,000 miles). I still love the car, while my wife hated it from the beginning. Very fun to drive, very practical, had less mechanical problems than the 2002 Corolla that we purchased new. Had to replace the original speakers and install an amplifier to have a decent sound. Stiff suspension and loud road noise are a deterrent for many, but that just adds to the overall fun. Recently the rear wheel wells and the doors started to show some rust. Mechanically it was quite robust, only two minor problems so far, an ABS sensor and a tie rod.