How reliable is the MS Protege?

[StealthWyvern]

Its not how you drive it, I dont beat on my car it it just went, I think its just a random event.

no telling then... almost makes me think that some diff were made one place and others another place. I know the guy with ragged out msp lauched it just about at every light becuase its fun and he is still on the orig diff with over 140K on it so no telling.

 

[Outlawstar98]

no telling then... almost makes me think that some diff were made one place and others another place. I know the guy with ragged out msp lauched it just about at every light becuase its fun and he is still on the orig diff with over 140K on it so no telling.

I think those people are keeping the LSD together somehow... cause its always the people babying their cars that it goes on. ITs unfair.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Yea it seems like almost all the problems I had were caused by the previous owner. I'll give you a quick rundown just to show you all the stupid bulls*** they did to save money and make it appear stock.

-Hole in cold pipe covered with electrical tape (probably a BOV)
-Crack in factory airbox
-3 cracks in exhaust manifold (heatshield covered it up)
-POS flowmaster muffler welded onto chopped up stock exhaust
-Driver door speaker missing (wires cut)
-02 protege factory headunit (found junkyard writing upon removal)
-Missing sub/amp box
-All 4 tires dryrotted (the factory originals!)

and my favorite

-Bought it with 8900 on the odometer in August 08, but when I sprung a vacuum leak we removed the valve cover and found junkyard writing on the motor.

Long story short, I would like to go find the douchebag that managed to blow a motor with less than 8900 miles on it and see about a little reimbursement for my troubles. But like I said, other than the problems mentioned above that were caused by careless ownership, it's been a pretty decent car.

I hear you on paying the previous owner a little visit... My msp has given me tons of trouble due to the previous owner! I had to rebuild the trans and I just recently discovered its on its 3rd trans from dealer warrenty history work.

 

[Chester Taylor]

I think that question veries a lot base on if its modded or not and how you drive... modding it can lead to a lot of the short comings of this car. If you keep it stock and upgrade the crappy intercooler and pipes you should be fine. If you up the boost then plan on crap breaking. Also the LSD tends to go randomly however I think that also has a lot to do with how you drive it as well.


Edit: These cars are known to have sway bar bushings go out rather fast, turbo mani cracks, crappy plastic hard pipes crack, and the stock WGA going bad. However to me the bushings and WGA are wear and tear items imo.

agree

 

[anomaly19782009]

front motor mount replace, removed dash and had to find a short myself that was causing my interior lights and tail lights to blow fuses. both front axles replaced....
...oh and a new engine and clutch when that got installed, and then driving it home after not having the car for almost a year, it blows the head gasket. (this is probably the mechanic's fault though)

....lets put it this way.....wanna buy mine?

 

[mazdaspeedp]

yeah these cars have endless troubles but i do drive mine kinda hard cuz its fun why else would i buy a turbo car? wastegate replaced at 176000kms diff broke at 185000 kms had to replace the hot pipe and plan on replacing the intercooler soon and the cold pipe. Replaced the exhaust manifold gasket cuz it was ****** too all the vacume lines get ****** cuz the engine bay gets really hot. All the bolts on the exhaust manifold get really loose and fall off for some odd reason and my exhaust is really worn out but i guess thats normal i also need motor mounts just saving money for them

 

[XxaltezzaxX]

i beat the crap out of my car sometimes, and i love every second of it. it has its problem but all cars do. if you love the car you stay, if you just got it cause it looked cool you wont be able to handle the little problems these cars have.

is mine moving right now? nope. LSD went. do i care? nope. i got this car knowing damn well what i was getting into. i've wanted one of these cars since they came out and i wont turn back now.

 

[littlemimus]

idk like i see it as being dedicated to your car. like...hmm. i know s*** brakes. my alternator went out, i need a new radiator, clutch (waiting for install XD) lsd, oh did i mention im burnin like 2 quarts of oil every 200 miles? haha. i fell in love with this car when i was in eleventh grade. im now a freshman in highscool. ive owned it for almost a year and yeah it gives me problems but you know what. i love the dam thing to death. i do drive it hard sometimes but not stupid hard. idk. imo its a great car and i wouldnt trade it for anyhting

 

[mp3-79bronco]

did you take a time machine?

 

[StealthWyvern]

did you take a time machine?

of course only the most b**** time machine you can imagine! (silly)

 

[justanothermp5]

lol i think he ment college

 

[littlemimus]

hahah s*** sorry. everyone around here says this community college is just like high school except you can smoke. roflcopter