What to buy next? -Life after the P5

As for used vehicles, if I could find an 8g Mitsubishi Galant wagon I would buy it in a heart beat, which is why I defaulted to the P5 because I can't find one.

I'm car shopping myself at the moment ($7k-15k range) and my current list of potential vehicles (other than another 02' P5 and what vehicles I already have) I'm looking at 2006-2009 Honda Ridgeline, 2002-2004 Subaru Impreza Wagon WRX (under 100k only), and 2008-2010 Honda Accord V6 Coupe. I would low a low mileage 4cyl Toyota xtra cab, but they go for an arm, a leg and your first born here.

I really like the Lexus CT200H and Audi A3 Sportback, but I wasn't planning on buying a new car ... or replacing my P5.
 
Natey said:
Coming from someone who's detailed cars professionally for years, I'm gonna have to disagree. Wax prevents rust, and salted roads are cancerous for cars. Period.
I live 1 block from the pounding surf and drive a Mazda from 1993. It's not rusty and neither is my other Mazda from 2003. This is because I wax my cars. Regularly. If there's no beads when it's wet, your paint is suffering. You bought a 7 year old car, live where the roads are salted and think it's the car's manufacturer to blame. Step back and think about that.
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Yep, definitely not going to take rust advice from someone from the south. You don't know what you're talking about. At 7 years old in the saltiest of places, no car should be showing significant, terminal rust. All cars have their areas of rust. It's just that this car's area is EVERYWHERE, and it starts at a very young age.

And by rusting from the inside out, I mean from the "inside" of the car. Inside all wheel wells, inside the fenders, inside the doors, inside the rockers, inside the hood, inside the tailgate (ie, all the places you don't wax). Waxing your paint will not prevent rust in these areas at all. Take the common wheel well rust for example. It starts bubbling under the paint, and then comes through. If lack of waxing were to blame, the paint would slowly fade off to expose the bare metal, and then rust would start.

And again, I wax my car regularly. My paint is in good shape.
 
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Any car can rust within 3 years of its production if it's VERY poorly maintained. If you got it at 7 years old, who knows what the previous owner(s) did with it. You can't really blame manufacturers unless you've had the car since production and have kept it a garaged and clean ever since.

Also, when considering materials and quality, most manufacturers build vehicles for the "typical" climate, not necessarily to endure the most extreme temperatures and situations. If you want an extreme winter car, buy a Volvo. Those cars are build for winter.
 
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Maroon said:
At 7 years old in the saltiest of places, no car should be showing significant, terminal rust.
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Keep in mind salt itself doesn't rust metal. You can put your car in a box, fill it with salt, seal it, and when you open it up 20 years later it still won't have rust. It's the moisture that rusts metal, salt only accelerates it.
 
I'm wondering about that information tweety provided about Ford producing the motor? As far as I know the first fs-de appeared in the 626 same time as the probe, but Mazda produced the engine...just like they produced the KL too.

Also I'm not telling him to buy a base model lancer. The lancer ralliart is leap years better than the base lancer. Way different suspension, motor and the interior reflected more towards the evo, only difference are the seats. They are far better than the base lancers seats and and far better than the protege5 seats. Also you cant just mention the 170hp and the weight. The torque is what really helped make it feel like it packed a punch. For example, versus the Ep3 Civic and even the Base model RSX (same motor) It definitely was faster and always surprised people. I mean it even surprised a guy when the new Altima coupe when we were even the whole time and those 4 cyl motors have 175hp stock. Also all lancers share the same frame as the evo only difference is the components they put on it and the body. I drove the car from 05-12 and there was one or two that successfully converted it to awd (to much money) and when you threw a turbo on it, it was no slouch and it could definitely handle more power than the fs-de could. So in no way its cheaper than the protg. As for the 08 you speak of, I can only imagine it being a base mode lancer and every base model lancer was crap. I think it can almost be said for every base model of any car.
 
Protege5 Smoke said:
Any car can rust within 3 years of its production if it's VERY poorly maintained. If you got it at 7 years old, who knows what the previous owner(s) did with it. You can't really blame manufacturers unless you've had the car since production and have kept it a garaged and clean ever since.

Also, when considering materials and quality, most manufacturers build vehicles for the "typical" climate, not necessarily to endure the most extreme temperatures and situations. If you want an extreme winter car, buy a Volvo. Those cars are build for winter.
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No car should have notable rust within 3 years whether it's washed or not. I live in Michigan in a metro area where salt is used. Aside from little spots of underbody surface rust I've never seen a 3 year old car with rust. I've never seen a car rust through the paint within 4 years except a Protege 5. I've never seen a 7 - 12 year old car with as much rust as mine has had for those years. Where exactly in the midwest are you from?

I'm telling you there are plenty 7-10 year old cars with no body rust rolling around my area. Whether they are washed or not.

Total BS on that last part. Road salt is the "typical climate" and it is to be designed for. There is no business or engineering for not designing for the salt belt. I work for a tier one auto parts supplier and test my parts to underbody corrosion standards. Depending on the specification, parts can spend months in a chamber being cyclically sprayed with 5% salt water solution with humidity controls. We have our specs, customers have theirs, and there are even national standards (google ASTM salt spray). What's frustrating is that it's very apparent that Mazda threw these specifications to the wind.
 
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It doesn't have to have a hole eaten through it to be considered rust. Again you fail to acknowledge the possibility of the previous owner's neglect toward the car. Just because your car is covered in rust doesn't mean the manufacturer didn't follow specs.

I guarantee you the cars as old as yours that have no rust have been properly maintained.

Most manufacturers build vehicles that pass standards, not exceed. Otherwise it raises cost of production. Road salt is "typical" climate but there's also a "typical" amount that a car may be exposed to yearly. People living in extreme climates where the amount of salt exposure exceeds the "typical" amount will see more corrosion if the vehicle is not cleaned regularly.
 
Protege5 Smoke said:
It doesn't have to have a hole eaten through it to be considered rust. Again you fail to acknowledge the possibility of the previous owner's neglect toward the car. Just because your car is covered in rust doesn't mean the manufacturer didn't follow specs.
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Yes...it...does. When a car rusts this fast, this badly, it's a design problem!!! I know many people who don't wash their cars regularly in winter, and they do not have the rust issues of this car. Statistics dictate that if this were a maintenance problem the same percentage of every car model would have to rust as badly as this one.

Protege5 Smoke said:
I guarantee you the cars as old as yours that have no rust have been properly maintained.
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No you don't. You can't. Again, where are you from?

Protege5 Smoke said:
Most manufacturers build vehicles that pass standards, not exceed. Otherwise it raises cost of production. Road salt is "typical" climate but there's also a "typical" amount that a car may be exposed to yearly. People living in extreme climates where the amount of salt exposure exceeds the "typical" amount will see more corrosion if the vehicle is not cleaned regularly.
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BS again. Are you in the automotive industry? Did you read what I wrote?

I'm floored that some people are actually defending the rust problems with this car. Unbelievable. Such bias. It's a well known problem posted all over this forum. Posted all over the internet. Do a Google search. Go watch a couple Youtube videos about it. Protege 5's have premature rust problems. Period.
 
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Don't need to be in the automotive industry, it's not a mechanical problem. It's simple chemistry, anyone that payed attention in class would know this.

Like I said earlier, you are implying to everyone that since your car had problems, all vehicles of that model are the same and it's the manufacturer's fault. There's a percentage of every car model that the owners will claim rust issues, and talking to 10 people doesn't give you any sort of accurate statistics for over 100k vehicles. You are taking your experience and setting it as the standard for all vehicles of that model.
 
Protege5 Smoke said:
Don't need to be in the automotive industry, it's not a mechanical problem. It's simple chemistry, anyone that payed attention in class would know this.

Like I said earlier, you are implying to everyone that since your car had problems, all vehicles of that model are the same and it's the manufacturer's fault. There's a percentage of every car model that the owners will claim rust issues, and talking to 10 people doesn't give you any sort of accurate statistics for over 100k vehicles. You are taking your experience and setting it as the standard for all vehicles of that model.
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Oh my god, are you serious? Go search the forum. Go to Google. Go to Youtube. This is a documented problem. It...is...not...just...me.

You need to be in the automotive industry or have knowledgeable of it to make the claims that you are. You keep saying wrong stuff about the automotive industry to someone who works in it and specifically with stuff relating to the topic at hand.

Again, where are you from? You're from Missouri, probably from the southern part, and probably bought your car from even further south. Yeah, 5 inches of snow per year really makes a person knowledgeable on how to combat rust.
 
02protege5wagon said:
I'm wondering about that information tweety provided about Ford producing the motor? As far as I know the first fs-de appeared in the 626 same time as the probe, but Mazda produced the engine...just like they produced the KL too.

Also I'm not telling him to buy a base model lancer. The lancer ralliart is leap years better than the base lancer. Way different suspension, motor and the interior reflected more towards the evo, only difference are the seats. They are far better than the base lancers seats and and far better than the protege5 seats. Also you cant just mention the 170hp and the weight. The torque is what really helped make it feel like it packed a punch. For example, versus the Ep3 Civic and even the Base model RSX (same motor) It definitely was faster and always surprised people. I mean it even surprised a guy when the new Altima coupe when we were even the whole time and those 4 cyl motors have 175hp stock. Also all lancers share the same frame as the evo only difference is the components they put on it and the body. I drove the car from 05-12 and there was one or two that successfully converted it to awd (to much money) and when you threw a turbo on it, it was no slouch and it could definitely handle more power than the fs-de could. So in no way its cheaper than the protg. As for the 08 you speak of, I can only imagine it being a base mode lancer and every base model lancer was crap. I think it can almost be said for every base model of any car.
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There's a thread on the forum going into rediculous detail about it. Mazda and ford were partnered and ford did do most of the designing and mazda used in in the 626 along with the klde also designed by ford. When ford rolled out the zetec they dropped it but mazda continued to tweak it until they finally gave up on it. Same as the durtec ford made it as well but mazda used it in their cars as well but did a lot more tweaking than they did with the fsde. A lot of the mid 90s fsde had a lot of changes so when you swap to one of the older motors a lot of people have issues all of the older ones are distributor powered up to a point. I can't remember when they started the waste spark

I'll have to seek someone out with a ralliart and see how they run
 
I guess if 1 in 5, hell, even 1 in 3 people complain about rust, the whole model line is suddenly faulty. What about the other 66%? Oh wait, they don't count.

I can also guarantee you that you need no automotive background to know the effect of salt on metal. It's chemical engineering and metallurgy. I know, I took the damn class.

And to humor you, I bought the car at an auction so I have no idea where it came from, but it was obviously well cared for. And where I'm from has nothing to do with my knowledge of anything. But I guess, according to your logic, people in Alaska are all corrosion specialists.
 
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Maroon said:
Oh my god, are you serious? Go search the forum. Go to Google. Go to Youtube. This is a documented problem. It...is...not...just...me.

You need to be in the automotive industry or have knowledgeable of it to make the claims that you are. You keep saying wrong stuff about the automotive industry to someone who works in it and specifically with stuff relating to the topic at hand.

Again, where are you from? You're from Missouri, probably from the southern part, and probably bought your car from even further south. Yeah, 5 inches of snow per year really makes a person knowledgeable on how to combat rust.
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I deal with snow and salt, no rust on mine because they've been taken care of. My 92 prelude is starting to bubble up on the rear quarter panels but guess what that means? Sand it, smooth it with bondo and touch up paint.

And explain why I've never seen a rusty plow truck? One of the dot ones anyway, old beater trucks don't count
 
Also if you don't wash off all the slushy salt water that gets up in the under carriage only to freeze. You're asking to have a rust bucket. It will eat the s*** out of the metal pretty quickly especially in New York where it's colder for longer and it never melts so it just kind of stays there to eat away at it

Simply washing it once a week will help even just going to car wash to spray all that crud off
 
Hate to burst your bubble, but it doesn't really snow that much in Virginia. It's debatable whether you're really a part of the salt belt.

Why don't you see rusty plow trucks? Because they're better built than Protege 5's. And it doesn't snow that much in Virginia.

People who don't really live in salty areas shouldn't tell everyone who does how to maintain their cars. You guys are ignorant to this problem because you live in a place where it hardly snows. You go ahead and tell yourself that the reason your car isn't rusty is because you wax the paint, but the reality is that you just don't see that much snow and salt.

No car is built to handle the snow and salt of the north/northeast for a lifetime. But there are many, many cars that handle these conditions exceptionally better than the Protege 5. No matter the maintenance schedule.

For the love of God, would you guys just go do a google search? Do you just turn a blind eye to all the complaints about rust on this forum?
 
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Ok not call BS on your info, I think we just wanted to ask where the info was at. I understand that ford and mazda have always worked together though.

Actually the first gen ralliart is rarer than the MSP lol. So it might be hard to find one but yeah it never gave me problems drove it believe close to 120k? Timing belt and other maintenance was really easy. I think the only other things I really had to change was the motor mounts and alternator. Other items were precautionary.
 
I never said waxing your paint prevents rust everywhere on your car. I was arguing the point that all Protgs are rust buckets.

You just said we don't see as much snow and salt, this is exactly what I was telling you earlier yet you didn't accept it. The amount of salt the vehicle is exposed to will affect how fast it corrodes.

And when you say many cars handle the conditions better, keep in mind you can't compare different vehicle classes or price ranges. Trucks/SUV's are built to withstand harsher conditions and luxury cars use premium materials.

1000 people claiming rust problems doesn't make every single Protg out of the tens of thousands produced, a rust bucket.
 
I never said they were all rust buckets! Show me where I did!

I never said the amount of salt doesn't affect corrosion!!! Show me where I did!!! I said the opposite many times!

My only point has been that these cars are not built to corrosion specifications because when in the same environment as other cars these rust worse. Way worse. The reason that it matters where you're from is because you will not see this disparity in corrosion performance in a less corrosive environment. Manufactures have the responsibility to build cars to reasonably and competitively withstand corrosive environments. Mazda failed big time.

Again you're making up s*** about the automotive industry as if you know. Premium materials on luxury cars and trucks? I made no mention of either. But I'll humor you now: So, you're saying the protege is built from inferior materials? I concur.
 
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Umm if they so much as think it's going to flurry roads are brined and salted. Not to mention I drive a truck for a living, don't act like I'm only in Virginia. I'm sorry that you're in one state and have one bad car and now think all cars of the make are bad, if you hate salt and snow and rust that much then it's simple, move

I can always spot the difference between a well kept up car and someone that just doesn't care, ones that just don't care are usually faded, peeling clear coat, rusty, etc. I'm on the road all the time, trust me I have nothing better to do than judge people on their clean/ dirty cars and their driving (Virginians are the worst, especially dc)

It's not that I'm saying the protege is great, mine made me go home and want to beat my wife somedays. But at the end of the day I want another one
 
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