Hey everybody - looking for some arguments to convince my wife. I've got a 2002.5 P5 I bought new - tomorrow it will turn over 100K miles. I know, I know - I used to live 1 mile from my work in Georgia, and then was transferred overseas for 4 years, so it basically sat at my folks place 2009-2013, hence low miles. It has been a great car - I can't see any rust even though I've been in Chicago for 3 years... I take it to the car wash "very" often in the winter. I just had to put $500 in it - brakes, drive belts, battery. Air intake cracked and changed that myself. Now considering timing belt ($600 job). My wife says no way I should sink more money into it and wants us to buy a new car. I love this car - but she has a point: it is not the best in the snow and it is going on 15 y.o. She is convinced it isn't safe - it doesn't have the ABS - and we once skidded quite a ways when this dude cut me off. I vote keep it, but gotta try and keep the harmony... instead of car payment we could have new furniture
should it stay or should it go
- Thread starter asterix
- Start date
- :
- 2003 Protege5
2 things: I just sold my 01 Protege ES with 247k miles that still runs with minimal maintenance performed over the 10 years I owned it. Guess what I bought...an '03 P5 with 164k miles on it! I'd keep it! I love these proteges. They run forever with minimal maintenance, are fun to drive, take 87 octane fuel, and can haul kids and/or lots of stuff for vacation.
Point number 2...if you decide to sell contact me first. I live in Indy and will most likely give you more than you'll get on trade in. And it will be cherished for another 10 years or so as a backup car and my son's first car when he turns 16. Just PM me.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
Point number 2...if you decide to sell contact me first. I live in Indy and will most likely give you more than you'll get on trade in. And it will be cherished for another 10 years or so as a backup car and my son's first car when he turns 16. Just PM me.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
- :
- 2016 GT ST 47A
If rust isn't an issue, keep it! I just traded mine in with 195K on the odometer and it was running great. The engine did only have 85K miles but that was my fault for not changing the OEM TB until 176K after it broke and took a piston with it. For the $700 the dealer gave me I would have kept it if it weren't for the rear quarters and rockers rusting away. There are plenty of others here who have well exceeded the 100K mark and quite a few who are now in 200K+ territory.
As for snow, buy a cheap set of wheels and snow tires and the car turns into a tank in the white stuff. I ran 14" Eclipse steelies for several years with 185/70/14 snow tires. Wheels were $100 from a local junkyard and tires were cheap and meaty. For example, having a little fun with mine back in the day.
As for snow, buy a cheap set of wheels and snow tires and the car turns into a tank in the white stuff. I ran 14" Eclipse steelies for several years with 185/70/14 snow tires. Wheels were $100 from a local junkyard and tires were cheap and meaty. For example, having a little fun with mine back in the day.
Use that last line of reasoning in your post as your main argument. "But darling, instead of a car payment we can get a ____." Trade in value is pretty close to zilch and you will get more value out of it to keep it. Also being born and raised in Chicago area I can say no car is really good in Chicagoland snow and ice, ive slid out in a 4-wheel drive truck. All the things you said, brakes, timing belt, are normal upkeep for any car and at only 100K it has LOTS of life left. Its a perfect backup car and a perfect first car for your 16 yr old and unless you are just desperate to sell at this point it makes more sense to keep it AND get a new car for the wife. WIN WIN
We (and you) know what the financially responsible decision is, which would be to drive it until the wheels fall off. 600 dollars is one month's new car payment and insurance, or another few years with the P5.
ABS is not all it's cracked up to be. A quote from The Truth About Cars:
"More specifically, the studies show that ABS has no real-world effect on dry-surface braking, ABS-equipped vehicles take longer to stop on ice than non-ABS vehicles, ABS-equipped vehicles are more prone to roll-over accidents than non-ABS vehicles, ABS-equipped vehicles are involved more often in single car fatal accidents than non-ABS vehicles, and drivers of ABS-equipped vehicles tend to drive faster and apply their brakes later than non-ABS drivers."
You can always have it detailed, leather seats installed, new wheels, or whatever you want to spruce it up a little. Even stock they are as good looking as most new cars.
good advice
Thanks for the advice, all. I understand nothing kills these cars if well maintained but rust (clutch, transmission, engine are bullet proof). Plus it is nice to drive something really uncommon. Every one I've seen in Chicagoland is a rust-bucket, so I'm sure most of their brethren have long since expired due to this cancer. It is fun to drive, but I miss the Appalachian mountain twisties... nothing like that around here but the highway on ramps ;-)
On the other hand - I'm a grown-up with older kids and have the money now for something more upscale... I lust for the BMW 3-series wagon or maybe the new Golf Sportswagen. Decisions-decisions
Thanks for the advice, all. I understand nothing kills these cars if well maintained but rust (clutch, transmission, engine are bullet proof). Plus it is nice to drive something really uncommon. Every one I've seen in Chicagoland is a rust-bucket, so I'm sure most of their brethren have long since expired due to this cancer. It is fun to drive, but I miss the Appalachian mountain twisties... nothing like that around here but the highway on ramps ;-)
On the other hand - I'm a grown-up with older kids and have the money now for something more upscale... I lust for the BMW 3-series wagon or maybe the new Golf Sportswagen. Decisions-decisions
As a mazda fanboy (own a 3 hatch, a 6 wagon and I am really leaning towards getting a p5 to dd so I can mod the hell out of the other 2) I say keep it. Do some refreshing to it. Get your wife a kia. It's cheap and new. That way she'll be happy and quiet. Good luck.
Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk
katapaltes
'03 P5, '17 Miata, stock AF
- :
- Dallas, TX
- :
- 2003 Protege5
You may want to lease, not buy, those German cars. When they're five years old, they may be costing you more annually in repairs and maintenance than your old Protege. In any event, it sounds like you took good care of it, so maybe find someone on this board who will continue to do the same.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2006/08/killer-abs-abs-braking-increases-rollover-risk-by-51/
You sure this source is reliable? This article is from 2006. I don't believe no ABS is better in the snow than ABS, at least not on a new car. FWIW, snow tires without ABS would definitely be better than ABS without snow tires.
I got my p5 when I was 17. It is a great first car. But only 86k on it and starting to see rust here and there...
Only you know your financial situation. But you don't need to hear it from us that driving the p5 to 200k+ is cheaper than getting a new car.
- :
- -- 03 P5 / 23 CX-5 --
Not sure what this has to do with it. I have older kids and 3 grandkids, lol. NOT letting mine go.
ABS primarily allows the wheels to track so the vehicle retains some steering ability. Whether or not stopping distance is improved is debatable and dependent on many other factors.
You are right, I didn't catch the date on the article. TCS and ABS have definitely improved since, reducing some of the rollover risk.
Ha ha - touch. Just thinking I may need something more refined and sophisticated now that I'm entering my 5th decade on planet earth... I have only owned "entry-level" cars my whole life...
katapaltes
'03 P5, '17 Miata, stock AF
- :
- Dallas, TX
- :
- 2003 Protege5
I'm sorta' in asterix's shoes. But I started out with a Supra, went to a Celica, then to a P5... and now I work from home and bicycle as much as possible. I'm damn near walking!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
