Did I buy my P5 at the wrong Mileage?

[Nascop5]

Hi all, the other day I looked at all the repairs that have been done to my car in the 13 months I've owned it and I'm certainly astonished. I bought the car 9/6/2014 at 121,800 miles for 3500$, the original asking price was 5000$. I'm currently at 131,150, I only received my license 7 months ago, since then I have done about 1000 miles a month, excluding my month where I was out of the country. In the past 9 thousand or so miles/ 13 months I have spent a Total of 3400$ on the car's maintenance . The labor only being 1350 of that . In total 2 Grand in parts. Did I buy Protege5 at the wrong mileage or was mine just heavily abused before being purchased? I have posted on the Forum several times asking what Modifications I should make, and every single time I got the approval and money to do it, Something expensive went wrong. I know that soon I'm going to need to replace my front Rotors and Pads because those are at about 30% left. I also have noticed a Grinding noise that occurs under very hard acceleration, last week it was only in 1st at WOT, now its 3/4 throttle in 1st and WOT in 2nd. Is there anything else that tends to Break in the next 10,000 or so miles that I should be aware of/ prepared to fix? I want to know if I will ever really be able to modify my car, because had I not needed any of those major repairs at the moment I would have either done a Boosted KL swap (My friend was willing to sell his to me for really cheap when he was parting out his car, and it was relatively newly built with Forged Internals), MS3 Rims with Pilot Supersports or Dunlop Direza Star Spec ZII tires on 225/40/r18's, and some nice racing Beat Coil-overs, along with Sway bars, and strut towers. I just got a very well paying job and I want to A be able to modify my car so it fast and Custom, or B just lease a new Challenger RT Scat Pack. At the bottom I have included the excel document with all the repairs done on my car, with the price, odo reading, date, and individual costs (labor and parts).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hGMblwCbAX6qplLPCLizUvWZrbsjOuZbj5GrRSXcCpE/edit?usp=sharing

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Damn, just go buy a new Tacoma and not worry about anything for 300,000 miles...........and then sell it for 3/4 of what it was new. You know what scat is right? Lease a new Mustang instead. Or just ignore all this and do somethin else. Sorry, it's early and no coffee yet. All of these cars are going to be having issues because of their age at this point so buying any of them is gonna be a crapshoot. Gotta be ready to maintain it or walk away. It'll need some s*** until you get on top of all it needs then it'll be just fine. Trade off for not having a monthly payment for the vehicle. Nothing is free and easy no matter which way you go. My Tacoma is my daily driver so my car can lounge in the garage and come out to play randomly. I've been milking it like this for 6 yrs now. Probably haven't put 5k on it in that timeframe. I know there is looming stuff that will be needing to be done soon, like timing belt/tensioner & wp/cam seals/vc gasket while in there. Always something and it is 1 owner babied car. Knowing the car and doing the work myself keeps me keeping it....that and it still pullin 30+ mpg with sportauto when driven nice. Good luck with whatever road you take with the decision.

 

[00protegees]

Looking at the parts list, you paid for 6 tires in 4,000 miles, I see two sets of disks, and you're needing to change them again? I see two front axles, a $70 wheel bearing and a $130 hub, assuming rear/front, that's an insane price for just parts. $218 for calipers?? Did you replace all 4 or what?? $100 for belts and $90 for a tuneup also seem crazy high to me.

 

[MrGiggles]

225/40-18's would never fit on a stock P5, let alone a lowered one.

These cars are 12 years old old at best. At that age maintenance is a requirement, and most of the time it only pays off if you're a DIYer.

If you have the cash and don't want to do any work on it, buy a newer car. You'll empty your wallet paying someone to modify this one.

 

[ReginaldWagon]

Here's my sheet of what I've put into wagon #2 since Feb 2015 (another $200+ in parts I haven't added to the list yet). I had $1300 into the last wagon after 3 months of ownership (tune up, new tires, rear brakes, stereo, etc). Both vehicles definitely needed tires when I purchased them, I could have deferred on the other stuff for awhile but I didn't want to. I buy my own parts and do some of the work myself, which saves money. On the jobs I can't or don't want to do I only end up paying labor on. Heck, I even flat out asked my mechanic last time I was in if he would take $100 less if I paid in cash, he agreed. Never hurts to ask, especially if you're a good customer.

14-10-16
Used 2003 Mazda Tribute Windshield Wiper Control Switch $26.99 and 2 new OEM Mazda Tribute Washer Nozzles $19.34 from ebay.com sellers. (bought for #1 wagon, never got to install)
$46.33

15-02-06
99-03 Mazda Timing Belt Water Pump Kit from ebay.com
$102.73
3M headlight restoration kit, 3M Bondo, sandpaper, sponge pad, Wix 46105 Air Filter, NGK (5969) ZE76 spark plug wire set, 4 NGK (6953) BKR5E-11 spark plugs, Bosch 71913 13” wiper, Bosch 4819 Evolution 19” wiper, Bosch 4821 21” wiper from amazon.com
$141.40
15-02-07
Power Stop K789 Front/Rear Ceramic Brake Pad and Cross Drilled/Slotted Combo Rotor One-Click Brake Kit from amazon.com (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!)
$238.06
15-02-09
4 New Continental ExtremeContact DWS from tirerack.com
$475.12
15-02-11
New Continental tires installed with new stems @ 139k
$108.66

15-03-13
tune-up new spark plugs, coils, wires, alternator/timing belts, water pump, etc, new front/rear rotors & ceramic brakes, oil change w/ customer installed parts @ 140k
$846.64
15-05-19
Pioneer AVHX2700BS stereo, Metra 99-7505 Multi-Kit, MicroBypass and Beck Arnley 04-0277 PCV Valve from amazon.com
approx $250

15-08-14
Installed Beck Arnley PCV Valve @ 149,848

15-09-02
Installed Fram Air Filter @ 150,680


TOTAL: $2208.94

 

[P-Funk!]

I would say your car had been abused.

Mine went 250K miles with just minimal (standard required) maintenance.

Of course, I don't include stereo and mods in my 'cost of repairs' calculation

 

[hornsfan10609]

Any older car with higher mileage is going to require maintenance, regardless of brand or abuse. As far as leasing a new challenger, I wouldn't even consider that. Dodges are by far the worst American cars built and have been for years. But either way comparing a lightly modded 12 year old Protege to any new car isn't really a hard decision, it just comes down to if you really want to throw your money away on monthly payments.

 

[ReginaldWagon]

I would say your car had been abused.

Mine went 250K miles with just minimal (standard required) maintenance.

Of course, I don't include stereo and mods in my 'cost of repairs' calculation

I just keep a generic sheet of what I've put into the car for insurance purposes (the stereo will be worth more to an insurance company than new tires). It's total BS, I know, but keeping records of everything in chronological order is best. I don't generally include oil changes though.


The OP could have saved some money getting the parts himself instead. The cost of parts and labor for the timing belt job he had was $759.11. I wouldn't have paid that much personally for a 12+ year old car. He could have cut the parts bill in half ordering a timing belt kit. Maybe even found a discounted dented box -- I love those.

 

[Maroon]

Haha, I bought mine at 121,000 miles just like the OP. Yeah, I'd say you bought it at the wrong mileage. Problem after problem after problem. It will never end, and modifications will only make it worse. Just wait for the rust. Then you'll really wonder why you're fixing it.

However, you could be doing the work yourself, and when things really need done doesn't always line up with the mechanic's recommendation. 30% brake pads have a lot of life left.

And mechanics always mark up prices on parts. I have done all of the work that you've done and more for a lot less money.

 

[Nascop5]

got all 4 new tires 4k miles ago, hit a pothole had bad alignment, let my brother drive the car a thousand miles highway and it ate through the inner side of the tires, requiring a replacement. I only had the rear brakes replaced, and the front left rotor replaced. The Calipers were. the whole front axle was replaced along with all major components. The calipers were just the rear's the previous set completely seized. 100 for belts included labor, but they didn't include the labor cost itself. 90$ tuneup was Oil, oil filter, air filter, complete radiator flush, clutch/brake fluid flush and replacement, and spark plugs. They used NGK performance plugs. The wheel bearing's were just the two front one's along with the assembly housing for everything. They basically rediud the whole Front of the car below the transmission. Also I live in the Bay Area, everything is expensive here.

 

[Nascop5]

Personally I have had a brilliant experience with Dodge, Parents had an ACR Neon, and an srt4, brother has had a magnum 3.5 V6 and RT, and a second gen charger with the pentastar v6 and RT. Zero issue's and he drove all of them quite roughly, daily commute of 60+ miles each day. He didn't want to run them into the ground and ruin such a nice car so he sold them as soon as he caught the car up to an average of 15k miles a year. My friend currently has a fully loaded 392, I love it.

 

[Nascop5]

I won't ever encounter rust, I live in the Bay Area, the car has been here its entire life, it doesn't snow and very rarely rains.

 

[Jackie chan]

The fact that they ripped you for $200 parts and labor to change your belts says alot. haha. Thats like 25-30 bucks and 15 minutes. And you payed nearly $300 for plugs and an oil change. oh my god. and $163 to mount 4 tires. They must have taken their sweet time mounting those babies. Most places are like 15 per tire.

 

[hygieene351]

You can't possibly be getting 30 mpg I've talked to other owners out in public and they told me they all get poor gas around 20 mpg

 

[hygieene351]

This is a junk car. My brother gave me his for free at 120,000 miles. He said all it needed an alternator and an alignment --Wrong -- full of problems electrical, rear brakes, suspension, rear wiper motor, dome light, leaky "new head lights" from Mazda 500$ for two. I had to replace the starter for 285$ motor mounts all of them were bad at a cost of 840$ parts and labor don't feel bad this car "looks cool" but underneath it is a money pit. I think I spent 6500$ on repairs until I sold it. Oh and the tires 150$ a piece used "all season tires", 85$ for a summer tire. once winter comes you have to buy winter tires. The tire shop said finding "all season tires were hard to find and expensive". I sold that car soon as I got the chance. I worked as a mechanic for 5 years but could not stand to work on this car... The starter bolt was on what seemed to be on at 120 foot pounds and could only be removed with a impact gun. Great way to keep you coming back to the shop. Other post are right about the rust, my brother gave it to me in 2007 and it had already started rusting every ware. The rear calipers ceased and were expencive to replace because the E- brake cables were damaged too by the bad calipers. Poor on gas too and I did the K and M air filter, plugs, fuel pump, coils, wires, fuel cleaners, 100% Oklahoma gas - no ethanol. It still sucked down the fuel. 19 mpg city 22 hwy and if you go over 60 that number goes down. It was a cool looking car that's always needing work and money. Sell it man... unless you got money to burn ..... ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM

 

[00protegees]

This dealer wanted to replace the fuel pump. I did it for 960$ did not fix the poor gas problem or spark plugs problem as you show in the picture. I figured out why the poor gas mileage. The car runs at 19,500 rpm in 5 gear at 62 miles per hour----or 16,000 in 5 gear at 30 miles per hour. The car needs a 6 gear to bring the RPM down, so not to wast gas or such as Overdrive like on my friends 5.0 Liter V8 Mercury Cougar. His car has the engine running at 14,000 RPM at 70 MPH getting around 33 on the Hwy and that's a V8 Big Block.There is nothing wrong with this car it just doesn't have a Overdrive Gear inside the transmission. Simple problem fixed. Buy a new car like my Toyota Corolla that gets 32 city 39 hwy with 240,000 miles on it... buy buy Mazda!!!!! never again.

You were a mechanic for 5 years, but you replaced a fuel pump for $1,000 thinking it'd fix poor gas mileage? A 14,000rmp big block? Interesting....if you're running you're pro5 at 19,000 rpm I can imagine the fuel mileage would suck.....

I swear there has been a bunch of Toyota and Honda reps or something lately making accounts to bash Mazdas talking about a bunch of bs problems....

 

[Maroon]

Apparently he sold his car in 2010, but is just now posting about it.

Not that I disagree with his points. They are s*** cars.

 

[hygieene351]

You were a mechanic for 5 years, but you replaced a fuel pump for $1,000 thinking it'd fix poor gas mileage? My friends Mercury Cougar with a big block? ran at 1200 Rpm at 70 miles per hour. Interesting....if you're running you're pro5 at 3,500 rpm at 70 miles per hour. I can imagine the fuel mileage would suck.....

I swear there has been a bunch of Toyota and Honda reps or something lately making accounts to bash Mazdas talking about a bunch of bs problems....

that's what the "dealer" told me to do to fix the poor gas after doing a "tune up" I knew the dealership had "part changer mechanics" not real diagnostic mechanics. I did the pump my self and it did not fix it .... I wanted to see they said a fuel pump?

 

[LostinCanada]

@hygieene351 I don't know that kind of mechanic you are, but there are not one, but three bolts holding the starter on the MP5 and I can assure you they are not torqued to 120'lbs - I'm too lazy to go downstairs and check but I believe they are 12mm bolts. Now the 21mm crankshaft bolt more appropriately has a torque value of ~120'/lbs. And if calipers are seized it's the owner's fault for running with torn boots and/or not getting the slide pins greased.

Any used car, regardless of age, is a crapshoot. If you don't do your own maintenance (nothing wrong with that), or don't care to educate yourself when purchasing maintenance from others (lots wrong with that) then you deserve what you get.

 

[hornsfan10609]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread. I would never venture to say the P5 is a bad or unreliable car. Anyone that doesn't must not understand how to diagnose or repair problems with their vehicle or have a competent technician to do it for them.