I have owned my 1994 Protege since 2004 when it was a low k one owner car and garage queen. And despite the high level of care I have poured into my car over the years, father time still manages to take its toll despite relatively low k (17 years/150,000kms), frequent details and yearly oil sprays. I've dedicated this thread relating to issues not necessarily caused by high amounts of mileage, but just age in general.
Rear Shock Towers - While mine aren't as bad as some I have seen (I still have original everything back there...needs to get replaced soon), rust has still managed to crawl its way in not only on the the tower but on the seam at the back. I have kept it at bay with spraying Krown in the area before/after winter.
Water Leak in Trunk - I have the smallest bit of dampness there but it is nothing serious at the moment. Always seems to leak on the left. The right side (not pictured) is still dry with a mint rust free jack. I have frequently seen in cars where the jack sits in a lower area (or in my 929 where the spare sits vertically on the left) that this lower portion of the trunk can rot out pretty fast, aided by salt and grime kicked up by the rear tires. Mudflaps help keep much of that debris away from the area. I also soak this area with Krown as well to keep a problem from starting.
Bubbles on the Hood - Crappy deal that I have seen Proteges with much more k than mine with clean hoods - and despite my lower k I managed to gain 'that one chip' in the right area that sprouted an issue. This started in 2008 and I keep covering up the area with grease outside and oil spayed inside. It seems to be rotting more from the inside than the outside so maybe the chip wasn't the initial problem...?
Upper Front Door Rot - I'm sure there is a better name for that, this is a common problem with these cars near the window and under the rubber seal. It starts at the bottom where the black meets the color and moves up. I have slowed this rot by applying touch up paint over the effected area and spraying Krown/applying vaseline in the area before/after winter. I have two imperfections that made their way onto the outer side but they haven't grown since. Passenger side I caught earlier.
Black Door Goo - I have had this problem since I bought the car - the rear driver's door seems to drip this sticky, black substance from the bottom of the vinyl panel. I only have this problem on this door and in the summer it heats up and drips all over the kickplate. I take it off as carefully as possible with a solvent but some stain still remains. And with the solvent being abrasive, every application takes off more of the finish off the kickplate.
Rear Seat Warping - I have noticed that even when clipped up against the rear deck, my rear seats at the top have warped and don't sit as snug as they used too anymore due to sun/heat exposure.
Seat Fade - I have also noticed my seats aren't the same color as they used to be, either. For the base/SE tweed grey interiors fade to blue, and beige interiors fade to green. The common hit spots are the top of the rear, middle bottom rear, and sides of the front. It appears the dark part of the fabric that runs diagonally is the worst. And since my top/lower rear seat belts never move I have a permanent darker line underneath them now. :/
Sunroof Rust - I don't use my sunroof often so I'm not sure when this problem started...more than likely in the last three years. Its pretty advanced on the left side and if it leaks in years to come I'm f**ked. You can still see a bit of moisture on the first pic and it had been almost 12 hours since I washed the car and it sat inside all day. I'm not sure how to tackle this issue without making a mess of the interior or other areas - perhaps get brush/dab some Krown onto it? It rusted so much it left little bits on the deflector. The ride side is getting it too and you can see the white hard water line that sits right under the lip of the rubber seal.
Foggy Clock - I can't explain this one - the clear plastic that shields the digital clock is fogging up from the inside. It's not a moisture issue either, its just aging in a weird way and spreading like rust.
Wobbly/Loose Mirrors - My power mirrors have gained a terrible wobble over the years. When I bought the car only one did it and only at highway speeds. Now both of them really wobble at highway speeds (annoying when chaining lanes) and still do it at slower speeds. I wonder if they will just fall out one day!
Disintegrating Weather Stripping - I don't have this problem (yet?) but its all over my mom's Protege - almost all doors the weather stripping is slowly peeling and ripping off.
That's all I have for now. These are all things that have caught my eye when doing full details and viewing every possible area on the car.
Rear Shock Towers - While mine aren't as bad as some I have seen (I still have original everything back there...needs to get replaced soon), rust has still managed to crawl its way in not only on the the tower but on the seam at the back. I have kept it at bay with spraying Krown in the area before/after winter.
Water Leak in Trunk - I have the smallest bit of dampness there but it is nothing serious at the moment. Always seems to leak on the left. The right side (not pictured) is still dry with a mint rust free jack. I have frequently seen in cars where the jack sits in a lower area (or in my 929 where the spare sits vertically on the left) that this lower portion of the trunk can rot out pretty fast, aided by salt and grime kicked up by the rear tires. Mudflaps help keep much of that debris away from the area. I also soak this area with Krown as well to keep a problem from starting.
Bubbles on the Hood - Crappy deal that I have seen Proteges with much more k than mine with clean hoods - and despite my lower k I managed to gain 'that one chip' in the right area that sprouted an issue. This started in 2008 and I keep covering up the area with grease outside and oil spayed inside. It seems to be rotting more from the inside than the outside so maybe the chip wasn't the initial problem...?
Upper Front Door Rot - I'm sure there is a better name for that, this is a common problem with these cars near the window and under the rubber seal. It starts at the bottom where the black meets the color and moves up. I have slowed this rot by applying touch up paint over the effected area and spraying Krown/applying vaseline in the area before/after winter. I have two imperfections that made their way onto the outer side but they haven't grown since. Passenger side I caught earlier.
Black Door Goo - I have had this problem since I bought the car - the rear driver's door seems to drip this sticky, black substance from the bottom of the vinyl panel. I only have this problem on this door and in the summer it heats up and drips all over the kickplate. I take it off as carefully as possible with a solvent but some stain still remains. And with the solvent being abrasive, every application takes off more of the finish off the kickplate.
Rear Seat Warping - I have noticed that even when clipped up against the rear deck, my rear seats at the top have warped and don't sit as snug as they used too anymore due to sun/heat exposure.
Seat Fade - I have also noticed my seats aren't the same color as they used to be, either. For the base/SE tweed grey interiors fade to blue, and beige interiors fade to green. The common hit spots are the top of the rear, middle bottom rear, and sides of the front. It appears the dark part of the fabric that runs diagonally is the worst. And since my top/lower rear seat belts never move I have a permanent darker line underneath them now. :/
Sunroof Rust - I don't use my sunroof often so I'm not sure when this problem started...more than likely in the last three years. Its pretty advanced on the left side and if it leaks in years to come I'm f**ked. You can still see a bit of moisture on the first pic and it had been almost 12 hours since I washed the car and it sat inside all day. I'm not sure how to tackle this issue without making a mess of the interior or other areas - perhaps get brush/dab some Krown onto it? It rusted so much it left little bits on the deflector. The ride side is getting it too and you can see the white hard water line that sits right under the lip of the rubber seal.
Foggy Clock - I can't explain this one - the clear plastic that shields the digital clock is fogging up from the inside. It's not a moisture issue either, its just aging in a weird way and spreading like rust.
Wobbly/Loose Mirrors - My power mirrors have gained a terrible wobble over the years. When I bought the car only one did it and only at highway speeds. Now both of them really wobble at highway speeds (annoying when chaining lanes) and still do it at slower speeds. I wonder if they will just fall out one day!
Disintegrating Weather Stripping - I don't have this problem (yet?) but its all over my mom's Protege - almost all doors the weather stripping is slowly peeling and ripping off.
That's all I have for now. These are all things that have caught my eye when doing full details and viewing every possible area on the car.
pm if interested
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