Which is cheaper to maintain, the Mazda Protege or the Mazda Protege?

Based on 5-year routine maintenance labor at a $150/hr indie shop rate, the Mazda Protege is cheaper to maintain — about $12,466 less over 60,000 miles. Parts cost is not included.

What's the labor difference between the 1.5L I4 and the 2.0L FS-DE I4 (130 hp) — LX, ES (and DX from 2002)?

Across 37 common maintenance jobs, hours vary by drivetrain and engine layout. See the side-by-side table on this page for each job's labor hours and estimated cost.

Are there any active recalls on the Mazda Protege or Mazda Protege?

The Mazda Protege has 2 open NHTSA recalls. The Mazda Protege has 4 open recalls. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.

1998 Mazda Protege vs 2003 Mazda Protege — Labor Times, Costs & Recalls

Specifications

Year

1998

2003

Engine

1.5L I4

2.0L FS-DE I4 (130 hp) — LX, ES (and DX from 2002)

Drivetrain

FWD

Transmission

automatic

Fuel

gas

Powertrain

Engine output, acceleration, top speed, handling, braking — and Nürburgring if either car ran one.

Horsepower

—hp

Torque

—lb-ft

0–60 mph

—

Quarter Mile

—

Top Speed

—

Skidpad

—

60–0 Braking

—

70–0 Braking

—

MPG · City

—

MPG · Highway

31.5

—

MPG · Combined

—

Performance specs synthesized from manufacturer figures and instrumented magazine tests (Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track). MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Numbers flagged as "low confidence" by AI generation are conservative estimates from related platforms.

Cost of Ownership

5-Year Maintenance

$23,281

0.39 $/mi

★ WINNER

5-Year Maintenance

$10,815

0.18 $/mi

🏆

ADVANTAGEMazda Protege — Saves you $12,466 over 5 years (54% less in routine maintenance labor)

Routine maintenance only. Cost = labor hours × $150/hr × estimated 5-yr frequency. Parts cost not included.

Maintenance Breakdown

Hours per common service. Lower is faster (and cheaper) at the shop.

Oil & filter change

0.3 hrs$1,020 / 5yr

Automatic Transmission Failure (CD4E / F4A-EL)

— hrs

— hrs$1,625 / 5yr

1.8L Engine Oil Consumption and Ring Land Failure

— hrs$1,278 / 5yr

— hrs

Excessive Oil Consumption (Piston Ring Wear)

— hrs

— hrs$1,225 / 5yr

Tire rotation

0.5 hrs$600 / 5yr

Manual Transmission Bearing/Synchro Failure

— hrs$1,105 / 5yr

— hrs

Differential fluid

1.5 hrs$530 / 5yr

Front brake pads

1.0 hrs$460 / 5yr

1.2 hrs$520 / 5yr

Rear brake pads

1.2 hrs$500 / 5yr

1.0 hrs$440 / 5yr

Timing belt service

3.5 hrs$370 / 5yr

12V battery

0.3 hrs$245 / 5yr

Wiper blades

0.2 hrs$240 / 5yr

Brake fluid flush

0.7 hrs$240 / 5yr

Fuel filter

0.6 hrs$240 / 5yr

0.5 hrs$210 / 5yr

Cabin air filter

0.3 hrs$210 / 5yr

Transmission Oil Cooler Line Corrosion

— hrs

— hrs$406 / 5yr

Spark plugs

0.8 hrs$200 / 5yr

Coolant flush

0.8 hrs$170 / 5yr

1.0 hrs$200 / 5yr

Intake manifold gasket

3.5 hrs$185 / 5yr

Water pump

2.5 hrs$173 / 5yr

Engine Mount Failure (Transmission Mount)

— hrs

— hrs$341 / 5yr

Motor Mount Failure (Transmission Mount Especially)

— hrs$309 / 5yr

— hrs

Oil pan gasket

3.5 hrs$144 / 5yr

Engine air filter

0.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Alternator

1.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Valve cover gasket

1.5 hrs$114 / 5yr

Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks

— hrs$228 / 5yr

— hrs

Serpentine belt

0.5 hrs$110 / 5yr

Power steering flush

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

Starter motor

1.8 hrs$94 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$85 / 5yr

Thermostat

1.2 hrs$77 / 5yr

Fuel Filter Clogging and Fuel Pump Strain

— hrs$140 / 5yr

— hrs

Fuel Filter Clogging (Rust from Tank)

— hrs

— hrs$140 / 5yr

PCV valve

0.3 hrs$65 / 5yr

Distributor O-Ring Oil Leak (1.8L)

— hrs$111 / 5yr

— hrs

Ignition Switch Failure

— hrs$88 / 5yr

— hrs

Headlight Wiring Harness Melting

— hrs

— hrs$65 / 5yr

Active Recalls

★ WINNER

Open NHTSA Recalls

2 open

Open NHTSA Recalls

4 open

🏆

ADVANTAGEMazda Protege — 2 fewer open recalls from the NHTSA

Fluid Capacities

Mazda Protege

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake0.85 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant6.30 qt · Ethylene glycol-based, green

engine_oil3.70 qt · API SJ

power_steering0.95 qt · Mazda M-V

transmission_auto7.40 qt · Mazda M-V

washer2.60 qt · Windshield washer fluid

Mazda Protege

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake0.60 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant6.30 qt · Mazda FL22

engine_oil3.70 qt · API SL or higher

power_steering0.95 qt · Mercon V

transmission_auto7.40 qt · Mercon V

washer2.60 qt · Windshield washer fluid

The Verdict

🏆

THE WINNER

2003 Mazda Protege

2.0L FS-DE I4 (130 hp) — LX, ES (and DX from 2002)

Mazda Protege is cheaper to maintain (saves ~$12,466 over 5 years)
Mazda Protege has 2 fewer open NHTSA recalls

Based on objective maintenance and recall data. Driving feel, looks, brand loyalty, and ownership experience are separate (and very valid) considerations.

Open the full dashboard for either truck

Labor times, torque specs, fluid capacities, DTC codes, repair procedures, recalls, common platform problems.

2.0L FS-DE I4 (130 hp) — LX, ES (and DX from 2002)

View dashboard →