comfort, speed, turbo, reliability, good sound system, good back seat leg room, well put together package!

some common technical up grades that were required were all taken care of withing the warranty without charge. nothing major.

Car is very well built, all issues that were common with others who got the same car were all repaired within warranty time. I have 50k miles on it and has been giving me good gas milage and great fun drive quality. The interior is also well built and comfortable. The best part about it is it's got so much potential for customising the whole car (interior and exterior), and lots of information is available on mazdaspeed forums on the internet for building this car into a racer! I think the fact that it's a limited addition gives more value to the car too. The car wasn't given it's full potential as off the shelf stock, i think, it was because it had to stay within it's targeted competition as well as regulation requirements, and to keep it for the targeted customers, so they buy the car for good insurance value, fuel cosumption stayed in comparison to competition and so on. But most people are customising it to their lifestyle after buying this car and with so much choice available, it makes it great to be able have that option available easily. i have an awesome all season tire on it by the name of Nokian. I would recommend this to everyone!

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driven and owned a variety of cars

Built quality. Awesome engine.. amazing reputation which gives you good resale value. Gas milage

Paint job,Rust problems. Nothing much to say....... what to do its a toyota.

A wonderfuly reliable car. Never had any problems other than regular wear and tear.Every thing worked in the car, the stereo, the hood openor,the windshield fluid sprayer, the small buttons etc etc. A wonderful engine that never stopss running. Its a work man like car. I serves you on and on on......

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mazda protege

* Sporty - our 5 speed left similar models from Toyota and Honda in the dust.
* Incredible mileage; I know I won't be believed here, but we got well over 40 mpg even on mountain highway trips ... and I wasn't nursing it, either.
* Durable - Never did anything but routine maintenance until 168K miles when that super-easy shifting clutch finally needed to be replaced.
* Good interior room for its size, finish was nice - not too "plasticy".

None.

Hands-down, the best car I ever owned, and maybe the best I ever will. Yes, alot has changed in this model since we bought ours (spiffier interior, to be sure) and I doubt they even make a manual 5-speed anymore. But if you're looking for some basic, dependable transportation that gets good mileage and is fun to drive, buy one.

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Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic

RELIABILITY!!!sporty looking, and FUN to drive! Recommended one to my sister-in-law (single mother of two) for whom a dependable car is a must! She too has never had any trouble from her Protege(LX model).

The low profile (195/50/16)tires on the ES model make for a noisy/firm ride from time to time, but make the car handle like it's on rails!

I bought this car new with 6 miles on the odometer. Nearly three years and 53,467 miles later it still performs flawlessly. From congested city streets to the middle of know where, my Protege has never let me down.

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1990 Mazda Protege LX

With 5-Speed very fun to drive, Great Gas Mileage, Great Handling and Comfortable Ride.

Cabin Noise, Car goes dead after sitting to long.

This car has been a Godsend. The owner donated it to me and now it has 148,000 miles aprox. on her. She is a 5-Speed, Noble Green with beige interior. I cant really say anything bad about this car it's "Zippy" and fun to drive as well as very comfortable ride with great handling. I have'nt had to do much to her yet except for normal maintenance. Such as Tires, Battery & Oil Changes as well as a Muffler. We also had an open recall on this car with the Headlight switch that was replaced. And one gripe I had was the drivers seat broke at the front and the power door-lock switch broke and had to be glued back together But who can gripe for a car that was "FREE". Other than that my partner and I have not put much money into her. She right now, as part of normal maintenance needs the timing belt replaced and the water pump was recommended to also be replaced at the same time. We Love our Mazda Protege-LX and plan to keep her untill she dies of old age.

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1996 Dodge Neon Baseline Sedan

Power, Mileage, Ride , sticks to the road well. Fit and finish is tight, interior is holding up well to my kids ruff treatment.

Nothing major, I have to think hard to come up with anything. Cluch is not smooth enough. 5th gear is too low, I keep on reaching 6th (Its a 5 speed). Eats cheep tires, Buy good ones they ride and last better, Pay for themselves in gas Mileage.

This has been a great car ! I have had NO Problems with this car that now has just over 70,000 miles on it. The clutch has always been a little week and tends to chatter if you do not give it enough throttle and be very smooth with the release. It has good power, fuel mileage is around 38 at 65 MPH. The brakes are great, Handles like a race car! I would love to buy another one just like it.

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Had them all, Ford, Chevy, Honda, This is one of my faverites

Reliable Plenty of room

Blind Spots Tends to hydroplane easily

I really like this car, I walked into a really good deal the day I bought it. It handles great, and there is plenty of room despite its size. I bought this car, knowing that I would beat the hell out of it, and so far it hasn't disapointed me. There is nothing fancy about this car. It does it's job.

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1988 Subaru GL

An excellent auto package for 11.5k!

Move up in price, I'd like to see some changes. Present cost, none noted.

My daughter and I own two DX models; 36,000 and 21,000 miles respectively. Both vehicles are flawless both mechanically and aesthetically. The radio is fine (I'm an old man, I don't blast), the ride is quite firm but OK and I have no leaks, rattles or quirks to report. Road noise is there (especially on the hi-way) but, again, OK. I wanted reliable, inexpensive and cheap to operate along with a mandate of housing my 6'6" frame comfortably - a tall order for a cheap, imported sub-compact; I got everything I wanted and much more. Japanese engineering and production efficiency at it's finest.

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None.

Engine is amazing. Its the same engine as the 90-98 mazda miata. 1.8L DOHC. There is so much potential for increased power if you know what your doing. I love this car. Even if you dont want to mess around under the hood, if you keep changing the Oil it will keep ticking. There is very little rust on the body. I did some research and found that the body of the car is made with galivinized steal so rust in non existant.

94 was the first year mazda had to meet california emmissons standards so exhaust parts are selective to this car alone. Factory parts are expensive and not worth it. Aftermarket parts with better quality are available for much less.

I was a little skeptical when I first saw this car, my parents bought it for me about 4 years ago. It seemed like the standard run of the mill car with some pep to it. Now I relize the true nature of this car. It is a beast. I have put this car through hell and I am convinced it will never die. The only major thing that has needed fixing was the clutch at 120k $500. I have fixed everything else by myselft. Replace a few gaskets added an intake. This engine is bullet proof. I am convinced it will go forever. If I ever get another car it will be this one again. Everything after 94 is garbage or so im told. 94 protege lx manual, best car ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

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96 Honda civic ex

Handling Cost Build Responsiveness

Sound system isn't up to the same standards as the rest of the car

Its a gem, no rattles, handles like its on rails. Its built in Hiroshima. I have the tiptronic, which IS auto, and I've finished high in my auto-cross class in a very competitive region, I'd prefer the manual, but there were other constraints on the purchase. But for those who don't think they are worthy unless driving a stick, get over it. In either configuration, the car is very easy to push hard, you have a great deal of leeway going very fast in very tight corners. The steering is rock solid and super responsive. In terms of tires, just go with the 205/45/16's, its a better profile and there are lots of choices out there. The power is fine, those needing to go fast in a straight line.....yawn, look elsewhere. For a relatively practical and cheap car, I'm really not sure if there is anything comparable. The hatchback is simply great for longer trips and storage. I'm 6'4" and I have no problem with the size and its fine on longer trips. It also has a very unique look to it which I like, some people complain about the side moldings and front air damn as being too much for a "grocery hauler" but this is clearly a subjective thing. The ride is harsher than a typical appliance type car, which is the trade off for something that handles so well.