Proton Compact and Satria (1993 - 2005) : PRICING MAKES PERFECT

Tuesday October 25

Models Covered: November 1993 to October 1999: Compact: 1.3 three-door hatch [GLi, LSi] / 1.5 three-door hatch [GLSi] / 1.6 three-door hatch [SEi, Celebration] October 1999 to date: Satria 1.3 three-door hatch [Li] / 1.5 three-door hatch [LXi] 1.6 S three-door hatch [LXi,Sprint] / 1.8 three-door hatch [GTi]

BY JONATHAN CROUCH

Proton's Compact, known since late 1999 as the Satria, must be one of the motor industrys best-kept secrets. New car buyers are immensely loyal to the Malaysian companys products and its easy to understand the reasons why. The Compact/Satria, for example, is a medium-sized family hatch at a supermini price. Used car buyers are now also beginning to see many of the attractions of Proton ownership.

The company offers long and comprehensive warranties on all its new vehicles, a sure sign that reliability and durability are more than just sales talk. Used buyers have realised this and are beginning to discover the bargains that exist. Protons can still take a little effort to track down, however, unless you go through a main dealer.

The Compact has always been, according to Proton, a car with more to recommend it than simply a competitive price and plenty of gadgets. Standard specification is a particular strongpoint of virtually any used model youre likely to come across. Tinted glass, a Blaupunkt stereo cassette, smart cloth upholstery, 50/50 split rear seats, headlamp height adjustment and engine immobiliser are just a few of the features fitted to many of the later models. GLSi models have central locking, a sunroof and a drivers airbag and the SEi has power windows and mirrors plus air conditioning.

At the wheel, there's little to fault, unless you have a particular allergy to plastic. Everything falls easily to hand and, provided you have no difficulty operating a payphone, it won't take you long to get the hang of the ergonomically laid-out controls.

Prices start at about £1,400 and for that, you'll be looking at a late 1995 N-plate 1.3 GLi. If you'd rather have the better-specified LSi, you'll be up for roughly another £300, though the earliest of these date from July 1996 so the price differential is bound to narrow for similarly aged cars. These cars really are slow compared to their bigger-engined brothers so, if you can, try stretching to the 1.5 or 1.6-litre versions.

An N-plate 1.5 GLSi will set you back about £1,425 while a 1.6-litre SEi will be about £1,525. Late-plate cars are good buys and range from around £2,100 for a 99V 1.

3 GLi to £2,600 for a 1.6 Celebration. Dont pay extra for special editions with names like Sprint, Penang and Spectrum. The Satria ranges in price from £2,150 for a 2000W plate Li to around £3,350 for a 1.

8 GTi from early 2002. Between these two extremes, a 1.6-litre Sprint should fetch £2,900 on a late X-plate.

As usual with Protons, not a great deal. Owners tend to be careful drivers, attracted by the no-nonsense nature of the car and about as far removed from the boy-racer style of driving that its possible to be. Always peruse the service history log, plus make all the usual checks for corrosion, interior wear and tear (trim doesnt age well) and the reliable operation of all the equipment.

(Based on a 1995 1.3 GLi approx) A new clutch will be in the region of £100 and a full exhaust about £170 (excluding catalyst). Front brake pads will set you back about £38 and £33 for the rear, while an alternator will be around £310 and a replacement starter motor about £140. It will cost you around £185 for a radiator and about £100 for a headlamp.

Normally, affordable cars with power steering are pretty uninspiring, but this one feels quite responsive. You could say the same for the handling. Nothing to write home about, but safe, predictable and vastly superior to the first generation of Protons. Given that the "zesty" 1.6 model makes 60 in just under eleven seconds on the way to 116 mph, it's probably just as well. At the pumps, the Compacts true strengths can be clearly seen. In the 1.3, you can expect to average between 35 and 40mpg on a regular basis.

Opt for the remarkably smooth optional automatic gearbox (three-speed on the 1.5, four-speed on the 1.6) and the figure drops to just over 30mpg.

A complete car competitively priced and comprehensively equipped.


 

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