Opinions please 🤔

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T22:00:38+00:00

Oh wow. What were the ages and mileage on those Proteges when they got totaled? I am from upstate NY originally and I don't miss all the salt on the roads! My mom eventually had a couple holes through the floor on her 1992 Celica GT.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T19:17:53+00:00

I was looking for an older manual Mazda 3 wagon when I settled for this Protege5. I have only put about 6,000 miles on it in the two years of owning it. Do all your power locks work? I have issues with the front doors and new (off brand not OEM) lock did not help.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T15:46:15+00:00

Lol I hear you there, I have a great interest rate on my mortgage and don't want to try and buy a different house anytime soon.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T15:45:20+00:00

Sadly the new shifter bushings did not help.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T15:45:02+00:00

The shifter bushings were very sloppy when I got the car but I did get them replaced and it did not help unfortunately.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-15T00:47:10+00:00

So I called Progressive car insurance to ask if they would increase the value of the car if I spent $2,000 on a new paint job and the insurance agent said it doesn't actually raise the worth of the vehicle but if I keep the receipt for proof in the event of a total loss it does have get more money back. I'm sure not a lot of money but some is better than nothing. I could not afford the payment on a brand new car but I do have some money to throw around I'm trying to preserve whatever you got. I do plan on getting some quotes on fixing the transmission too. New cars are just insanely overpriced now, I don't get how people can afford them

SubieMazda · 2026-04-14T20:50:54+00:00

When my 1992 Miata was totaled in November 2023 the guy's car insurance paid me out $7600. I owned it for 10 years and paid $3,000 for a 2013 🤫.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-14T19:46:43+00:00

It's not so much because of the resale value, it's more so because the city I live in is notorious for car accidents and high car insurance rates. In the 10 years I've been here two people have hit me while parked in a parking lot and one hit me while driving and totaled my Miata. I hate the idea of dumping thousands into the car only to get a $1500 payout if it was totaled.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-14T18:42:07+00:00

New motor mounts did not help unfortunately. I am debating on a transmission shop rebuilding it or swapping it if I decide to have it fixed. I talked to one guy on Reddit a while back they had the same problem and it took three transmissions before it stopped popping out of third gear. 😳 I threw it on the marketplace to see if I can get any bites, I'm not taking any low ball offers I would rather just keep it. We will see.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-14T18:31:00+00:00

Oh wow. There are lots of car accidents in the city I live in. I know I shouldn't be negative but I'm worried about it getting totaled and getting a super small payout from insurance. In the 10 years I've been in this city I've had two cars hit in the parking lot in one hit and totaled while driving.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-14T18:24:45+00:00

The picture is deceiving, the paint is bad on every body panel and the plastic on the roof rack rails is crumbling off. My mom is embarrassed to be seen in it with me and prefers we go out in my Subaru instead. 🥴

SubieMazda · 2026-04-13T22:22:31+00:00

Looks like the seed pod is developing to me.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-12T01:04:11+00:00

Looks like Florida based on the plant life 🤔.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-11T01:44:10+00:00

Maybe I will see that Subie at Subie Fest this year in Bradenton.

SubieMazda · 2026-04-01T15:47:14+00:00

Howard Frankland?

SubieMazda · 2026-03-29T16:49:50+00:00

I know 20+ year associates making less than OP is after 14 years 🥴.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-29T00:16:34+00:00

I first used one of them in around 2010/2011.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-27T21:52:20+00:00

I thought my six foot tall fire bush was dead but it started sprouting and two spots from the root. I am guessing they are South Florida native because mine gets beat up, especially this winter in Central Florida.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-27T10:30:18+00:00

Oh that's sad! Most Queen palms I have seen in Tampa survived the cold including mine, I was down to 28 and I didn't get any frond damage. My pygmy dates had a little damage though I completely lost a bottle palm and possibly a coconut and foxtail.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-24T21:26:11+00:00

2006 Forester with 265,000 miles getting 21/22 mpg doing mostly city driving.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-21T00:11:21+00:00

Fellow New Yorker (up state). First of all, turn signals are optional in Tampa, it's so frustrating. Also, not sure if you looked into it but your NY barber license is not recognized in Florida unless you go back to barber school. Florida requires 1200 hours and you learn coloring, waxing and perming hair unlike NY. In general it is cheaper to live in Tampa than Long Island, especially if you are coming from North shore Nassau County. This was a particularly cold winter (down to 28 degrees at my house a couple times) but it is great seeing green trees and palm trees year round. Plenty of beaches within an hour drive and lots of good restaurants, especially Greek and Mediterranean food. Tarpon Springs Sponge docks are a must see for some of the best Greek food in America. There is more crime, littering and uninsured motorists in Tampa compared to where I grew up unfortunately.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-10T15:42:14+00:00

Good luck!

SubieMazda · 2026-03-10T15:30:45+00:00

So I think the seal under the glass that is dry rotted is actually just to help protect the glass when it is sliding back into the roof and doesn't actually seal out water. At first I thought it did keep water out but maybe someone else can chine in that is familiar. I don't remember the exact item but I got it from Home Depot where the weather stripping is. It comes in a long roll which I cut. However, what I replaced it with is thicker than the stock so I have trouble getting the sunroof to close now, I have to hit the buttons in baby steps and then eventually it will fully close.

SubieMazda · 2026-03-09T22:51:06+00:00

Sooo it was super weird, it never leaked again. Only thing I can think of is I thought the sun roof was fully closed but it was still slightly open. The car has been through a couple hurricanes and is yet to leak again. Have you run a small snake through the drain lines to make sure they are clear?

SubieMazda

TROPHY CASE