Squeaky brakes on Protege

KWS wrote:
> I don't recall what I paid for the '97, but I replaced it with a '98
> that I got for $2600. It had 122K miles on it. Needed tires and an a/c
> compressor.
>
> We also bought a 2000 for another daughter which set me back $2900. This
> one was not going to sell due to the "check engine" light being on all
> the time. I anticipated this and brought my code reader with me when I
> saw the car. It needed a catalytic converter and O2 sensors. That was
> around $500 worth of stuff, but it was still a good deal. It had 116K
> miles on it when purchased.
>
> Both cars checked out OK with Carfax. The '98 was a leased vehicle and
> the '00 was a rental car someplace back east (we live in CA). These were
> both obtained about a year ago, so I would be careful about cars with
> water damage today.
>
> When the kids were in high school, I did a little research and convinced
> myself that the Protege was an overlooked car. They have all the
> features one could need, are very reliable and use modest amounts of
> gasoline.
>
> When our oldest graduated from college, we went downtown and did battle
> with a local sleezeball Mazda dealer. We got a good deal on a new 2003
> (last year for the Protege), which has served her very well since.
>
> We could be an advertisement for Proteges, if they still existed.
>
> Ken


That sounds like a nice dollar figure for a first car. I will check them
out. The only work I have ever done on a Protege was to tighten down a
battery hold-down one time on a co-worker's car.
I have still never driven one.

Thanks!

Pat