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| MazKid's 1994 Mazda Protegé LX | |||
1994 Protegé LX The Hunt:-Mazda's Answer to the Compact Car Enthusiast- For months I searched daily the local classifieds, AutoTrader, and E-bay, along with several other sources trying to find a new car. Sure, there was nothing wrong with my '88 323 Hatch, but an 82hp automatic that's not even my car isn't fun when all of your friends have more powerful cars. I was hunting MX-3 GSs, MX-6 LSs, and Protegé LXs. I even started getting desperate and looking for 1st gen 929s and older 626s. I was determined to get a car by my 18th birthday. The day was Sept. 30th. A Miata meet was being held just down the road at a plaza. I loaded my 323 with some Miata stuff I hoped to sell at the meet. Pulling into the parking lot I was T-boned by a yellow Dakota that I couldn't see due to the fact that I was facing west and right into the sun and the truck was bright yellow so it all blended together. The lady didn't try to aviod it, she just hit me. The side of the mint 323, the passenger door was pushed in several inches and jammed, the fender had a small dent, and the quarter panel was pushed in as well. Mechanically sound, I continued to drive the car for several weeks as my search intensified. Oct. 16, just 11 days before my birthday. Searching AutoTrader revealed a '94 LX, black, 5 speed with 132K miles, at a local Honda dealer's used car lot. The price on AT was $3,990. Insane price. The pic looked promising but was too low-quality to see. I passed it up. Then I went on E-bay. The same car was there, no reserve, and at a bid of $1K. Me and my brother ran out to the dealership on a Sunday to atleast see the car. The price on the car was $2995. The car looked pretty good, cirtainly better than the pics on E-bay. Few dings, scratches, poor rear tires. That night the auction ended, and I bid within the last 5 minutes and won the car for $1136. WOOT! On Monday the 18th I ran with my folks to the place. I was laid off from my job on Saturday, so Monday night was open to me. Before leaving my boss called, asking me to come in to work. I told him that I had to pick up my new car but I'd make it in some way and some time. At the Honda dealership we asked to test drive the car. My dad, Mazda Master Tech, didn't think much of it, he thought it was a bad deal buying a car without driving it. I stayed optimistic - it surely couldn't be a total piece, it's at an authorized Honda dealership. Driving it, my dad noted the weak clutch, exhaust leaks, poor tires, etc. I didn't care, it was all fixable and I wanted it. The slow people at the dealership took forever doing the paperwork, and I was out of there at 8:15pm. On the highway in my first 5 speed(my experience on sticks was basically 1st and 2nd gear in the parking lot in new Mazdas and Subarus, though I clearly knew the concept enough not to cause major problems), check engine light on, horrible vibration, and no radio(someone jacked the aftermarket one at the parking lot, I then put together that since the power lock relay didn't work, locking the driver's door didn't lock the rest, and who ever was in charge of the lot was too lazy to lock all the doors). I made it to my dealership at 8:40, and then left early with nothing to do because they didn't think I'd show up. The next days going to school I had horrible hesitation and other assorted problems. Over the weeks since the purchase, everything has gotten fixed, well, almost. Almost an additional 1K in OEM new Mazda parts and junkyard parts really does wonders. Now I have a great Protegé. Nothing has broken on it. Specs: 1994 Protegé LX 5 Speed 133K miles All of the Protegé LX's options, except the sunroof. You prolly know the LX's vital specifications so I won't take the time to type them again. The mods: 2001 Miata 16" wheels / 205/45 tires(only $100 for the wheels with stock Miata tires, I then bought Toyo Proxes FZ4s for them) Pacesetter header/downpipe RX-7 B-code VAF/cone filter MX-3 front seats MX-3 leather shift boot MX-3 steering wheel center MX-3 center console rear Newer Protege/626 radio/CD player Custom short-shifter with RX-7 shift knob Brembo front blank break rotors Millenia leather parking brake boot Custom test pipe and custom installed 3rd gen Protege muffler rare '92 Mazda "squared flame" grill emblem 2nd gen Protege front floor mats The new parts, a long list: New Mazda OEM: Clutch assembly, 2 front speakers, water pump, timing belt, other belts, exhaust gaskets, brake pads, turned rotors, splash gaurd, thermostat, hood bumpers, air filter, fuel filter, pedal rubber covers, 2 new tires(on the 14" wheels no longer on my car)... Junkyard parts: like new steering wheel, floor mats, interior light covers, those chrome valve cover bolts, defroster switch, air filter bottom part, gas cap, passive seat belt spools, most of the parts listed in mods. Future mods: GT-X bumper Familia Fog lights strut tower bar supercharger Stats: AVG observed MPG: 22(on stock AFM) ~19 on RX-7 VAF Highest speed so far: 125mph Best ET: 16.527 @ 83.89mph(Road and Track got 16.8@83 for the car) Tickets: 0 Accidents: 0 Past Problems: Converter iners broke apart and clogged exhaust. 1st RX-7 VAF copper contact broke off while driving. Front right rotor squaling. Current problems: Accessory belt sqeals Miles put on the car since ownership: Approx. 4,000 Races won: 5?  Pictures! My way of saving ClubProtegé some bandwidth money(click the links): http://img65.exs.cx/img65/1320/protegegood1.jpg http://img65.exs.cx/img65/9047/protegegood2.jpg http://img65.exs.cx/img65/2962/protegegood3.jpg http://img65.exs.cx/img65/7303/protegegood4.jpg http://img65.exs.cx/img65/535/protegegood5.jpg 1st Gen Protegé Goodies!(right click-save as for the TV ads): 1993 Mazda TV ad featuring the Protegé 1994 Mazda Protegé TV ad Links: My MX-3 center console How-To: http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12838 My 323 CarDomain site: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/457459 |
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| Author | Comment | Date |
| gproto | good to see one in great shape! Most of our model cars are falling apart at the seams......nice work! | 01-04-2005 |
