Used 02 (June) from Quebec.. rust issues?

[Animal Chin]

Hi, I'm in Vancouver but am thinking about buying a used 02 P5 with 90K Kms. The price is decent. Timing belt, water pump and coolant (radiator problem???) has been replaced last week.

I did a "Carproof" report on it (Canadian version of Carfax/supposed better for us) and it shows that 67k km of the cars life (till 2006) was spent in a suburb of Montreal Quebec. Went to auction and spent 4 months in Saskatchewan. Imported into British Columbia, and was bought and registered by the current owner 8 months later..

For those not familiar with Canada. Quebec and Saskatchewan get lots of winter and use a lot of salt and sand.

Good news, always been in Canada, and no accidents reported by the major private and public insurers.

Before I buy, I'm definitely going to arrange for a pre-inspection by my trusted mechanic.

Just wanted opinions before I spring for the inspection and seeking advice about what to look for, direction to point my mechanic... specifically things applicable to the 02 MP5.

I'm primarily worried about rust issues. I know they can get bad on the MP5s. Where are the most problematic or hard to notice areas endemic on these cars?

I know that the 02 MP5s made after April 02 had new "syncros" and another part. That is good.

Any other advice, suggestions, comments or insights would be appreciated..

Unfortunately, the decision has to be made within a couple of days.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Flash5]

my rust is on the rear wheel well, look there, around where the rear bumper meets the wheel well.

 

[NickP5Rider]

the rust appears to where there is the protege 5 and mazda logo

 

[sube]

Hi, I'm in Vancouver but am thinking about buying a used 02 P5 with 90K Kms. The price is decent. Timing belt, water pump and coolant (radiator problem???) has been replaced last week.

I did a "Carproof" report on it (Canadian version of Carfax/supposed better for us) and it shows that 67k km of the cars life (till 2006) was spent in a suburb of Montreal Quebec. Went to auction and spent 4 months in Saskatchewan. Imported into British Columbia, and was bought and registered by the current owner 8 months later..

For those not familiar with Canada. Quebec and Saskatchewan get lots of winter and use a lot of salt and sand.

Good news, always been in Canada, and no accidents reported by the major private and public insurers.

Before I buy, I'm definitely going to arrange for a pre-inspection by my trusted mechanic.

Just wanted opinions before I spring for the inspection and seeking advice about what to look for, direction to point my mechanic... specifically things applicable to the 02 MP5.

I'm primarily worried about rust issues. I know they can get bad on the MP5s. Where are the most problematic or hard to notice areas endemic on these cars?

I know that the 02 MP5s made after April 02 had new "syncros" and another part. That is good.

Any other advice, suggestions, comments or insights would be appreciated..

Unfortunately, the decision has to be made within a couple of days.

Thanks in advance.

Rear wheel wells, around the badges on the tailgate particularly the protege5 emblem, front strut towers rust freqently at the seams, and bottoms of doors, drivers side seems to be worst.

Pat.

 

[RMinNJ]

Rust

One would venture that anywhere in the north they rust out but I don't know... I forgot to add our is rusting/bubbling right in the middle of the Protege5 emblem on the hatch also. That area (underneath the emblem) is not exposed to any road debris..

Below is my woefull reply to another thread. I'd also add if you do a search on mazda rust you'll find a vw forum where people are saying that even their 2008 Mazda 3 is rusting. Really sad for people like me that like to keep a car a long time (over 4 years in Mazda's case).

RMinNJ


-Lower front of rear wheel well where the side molding meets the body.. Our
rust started here with the side molding rubbing the paint away

-All along the rear wheel well on the inside and back edge where it meets the bumper. Our 2002 is rusted on the very top and where it meets the back bumper. Paint is bubbling at these locations..both sides.

- Inside the rear wheel well .. look for under coating. Our undercoating is gone replaced by ..

-Bottom inside edge of all 4 doors. Ours is rusting under all 4 of them.

At 113K our P5 is the most reliable car we've owned. Recently it needed
a hub and bearing on the front.. Normally we hear the bearing going and have it replaced (at least 1 or 2 a year) but this one just took the hub with it before we could hear anything. The right ball joint needed replacing also..problem is the whole arm needs replacing with it. Wouldn't be so bad but the rust negates and savings in mechanical repairs.

 

[ornithology]

One would venture that anywhere in the north they rust out but I don't know... I forgot to add our is rusting/bubbling right in the middle of the Protege5 emblem on the hatch also. That area (underneath the emblem) is not exposed to any road debris..

Below is my woefull reply to another thread. I'd also add if you do a search on mazda rust you'll find a vw forum where people are saying that even their 2008 Mazda 3 is rusting. Really sad for people like me that like to keep a car a long time (over 4 years in Mazda's case).

RMinNJ


-Lower front of rear wheel well where the side molding meets the body.. Our
rust started here with the side molding rubbing the paint away

-All along the rear wheel well on the inside and back edge where it meets the bumper. Our 2002 is rusted on the very top and where it meets the back bumper. Paint is bubbling at these locations..both sides.

- Inside the rear wheel well .. look for under coating. Our undercoating is gone replaced by ..

-Bottom inside edge of all 4 doors. Ours is rusting under all 4 of them.

At 113K our P5 is the most reliable car we've owned. Recently it needed
a hub and bearing on the front.. Normally we hear the bearing going and have it replaced (at least 1 or 2 a year) but this one just took the hub with it before we could hear anything. The right ball joint needed replacing also..problem is the whole arm needs replacing with it. Wouldn't be so bad but the rust negates and savings in mechanical repairs.

Wow yours rusted pretty bad. But then again, my parents BMW just started to form some bubbles near the windshield...for no apparent reason too as it is all sealed around that area. I guess some cars suffer more than others. Thanks for the input everyone, keep em coming if it hasn't been posted yet.

 

[bucksatan]

It will probably have rust. Pretty much any winter driven canadian P5 will have rust. I just noticed the first bubbles starting on mine last week, and mine is one of the few I see driving around that doesn't have it visible from 10 feet away.

Oh, and if it was lowered at any point, it seems that the rear wheel well rust will be worse.