Whats wrong with my 1995 mazda protege?

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topminded

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My car is acting funny. It's a 1995 mazda protege with 198k miles on it. It turns on and drives but it like slips and when u press the gas it kind of doesn't wanna go but goes when u press the gas almost all the way. When taking off at a red light its really slow. I have to press the gas all the way and it gradually but slowly picks up speed especially when going up a hill it goes 20-25 mph or so.
its an lx automatic. The engine is strong and has just been serviced and had its tune up
new fuel pump, distributer cap, spark plugs.
Even if the the revs are high and i have the car go past 4 rpm it goes right back down to 2 rpm. Im only going 20 mph or so. I have the pedal to the floor and the car isnt going that fast only if im going down hill.
 
Hard to answer based on the limited info, but it seems like it is either a transmission issue or a fuel delivery issue.
If when you step on the gas it rev's then it is a transmission/drivetrain issue. If the rev's stay low and the engine just takes a long time to get up to speed, it could be a multitude of things, but most likely a fuel delivery issue (given the tune-up was recent). Spark plugs, fuel pump, fuel lines, air intake, even a bad belt or alternator can cause that type of issue. Take is to a mechanic you trust and get it checked out, let them drive it around the block, they will most likely be able to tell you.

By the way, if it is the transmission, you are better off just buying a newer car, if you aren't financing. It will cost you anywhere from $500 to $1500 to get the new one put in!
 
A mazda + 198k miles = your problem . It sounds like the transmission or clutch if it's a manual shift. Feel blessed you got that many miles out of any car much less a mazda.
 
Possible places to look... distributor cap, timing belt, mass airflow sensor, fuel pump.
 
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