Mazda Protegé

glideslope

STP Son of a Gun looses it's gloss quicker than ArmorAll. The low gloss ArmorAll would most likely be the better choice however.

Regards,
mark

glideslope

Larry,

What was your opinion of the 01 interior other that the color/pattern selection? I really liked the new center console, rear deck, and visors.
I did not feel any difference in the seats. I felt that the front seats would not go back as far as in our 00's. Did you notice this?

Regards,
Mark.

browntrout1

If the sticker is not a paper sticker then it should be easy to remove if you want to take it off after. I removed the little LX/ES stickers on the side of the car...all you need is a hair dryer. Just lift at one corner and it comes of pretty smoothly...use some rubbing alcohol to get rid of the excess adhesive and that's it. It looks better without the little stickers and I also had Side Marker lights installed about an inch above where the stickers used to be. If you really want to go for a Euro look...go for the side marker light...they are pretty cheap and look great! My car is Midnight Blue with Amber side markers...I've already ordered Clear Corner Lenses for $45. I'll take a picture in the spring and post it here.

protegextwo

In all honesty, I did not care for most of the interior changes. I am not big on the covered cup holders, the actual pattern in the dark charcoal cloth, and some of the new interior accents. In theory, I like a black interior, however I feel Mazda executed it poorly in the 2001. I think the NEW interior looks better with some exterior colors than others. I think the Mica Black & Green, the Pure White and the Met. Silver look very nice with the new dark charcoal cloth. BTW, the seats and the seat track distance seems the same as the 1999/2000 PRO-ES. I know others will disagree, but I did not notice a big difference between the sun visor in the two cars?

Mazda DID I great job in adding content for a small price increase and I would love to own a pair of silver 2001 PRO-ES 2.0's!!! IMHO, the 2001 ES-PRO 2.0L is still the BEST econo sports sedan available. Mark, try to swing a test drive and do I walk around at your Mazda Dealer, I value your opinion and would like to here what you think!

Respecfully;
Larry

protegextwo

I'm sorry, after re-reading your post, I realized you have seen/tested the 2001. I have not had my coffee yet, hehe!!!

-Larry

notminehers

The weekend is here - time to break this puppy in!! Here are some initial likes and dislikes so far on our '01 PRO ES 5 speed.
DISLIKES - carpeting, seems cheap...kind of like indoor-outdoor matting / roof material...seems like it would be easy to dent and disfigure?? / no rear cup holder...easy to install though / no VARIABLE speed intermittent wipers / gas mileage....compared to you know what / no remote trunk access on key pad / power door lock button hard to find and should be illuminated.
LIKES - everything else!! stereo, not bad for stock / smooth, steady, quiet acceleration / upright seating and good visibility....my wife is "little" / firm seats / handling, handling and more handling.....love to corner!! / convenient control cluster / exterior fit and finish / price....paid 2 grand less than Civic and the 0% financing....saving $4,000 total over the life of the loan.....did not qualify for S-plan but paid about $200.00 over invoice.
Time to zoooom!! Hope everyone has a great weekend - talk to you soon......Greg

dgarehime

I am a 26 yr old female in California Bay Area. I love my "Mica Blue" Protege so much that it's almost like having another pet! (I even named my car. Maybe I'm a little nuts?) I have seen only about 3 other Protege's on the road in my area since I bought my car last Oct.'00. It seems like almost every other car on the road is a Honda lately. It's kind of nice to feel unique and be the only one in sight with a Protege! I noticed that the candy red Protege looks really hot! The only problem I have had with my car was right before Christmas. Some jerk hit my "baby" while it was parked in the parking lot where I work. (I was inside working, but thank goodness the man came into the front office and told my coworkers he hit "the blue car". The man wasn't looking where he was going and backed into my car, leaving a big dent in the driver side rear panel, right by the gas tank door. (Of course to me, the dent was the size of Texas.)The impact crunched the piece of plastic that supports the bumper. It cost the man's insurance co. over $2000 to restore my car. I was upset enough to tell the man who hit my car that I really wanted to strangle him for hitting my brand new car! Other than that, my Protege has been a dream. One weird little quirk it has is the CD player sometimes has a little glitch when I eject a CD, and I can hear it doing something inside, making noises, and while it is doing that, it will not accept another CD. I found that I can usually avoid this by turning the stereo power off before ejecting the CD. Has anyone experienced this with their CD player? I would love to hear from any other Protege owners...feel free to e-mail me! Thanks! Dana G.

panamaltd2

The DC player in my protege also has that problem and the clicking/grinding last for about five seconds, right? yea it bothers me, and thanks for the tip on turning the thing off before you eject it. Almost lost a DC to an impatient friend and an unhappy DC player! Another thing that I have noticed is that sometimes when I turn the knob to turn up the volume, the volume decreases for awhile and then starts going back up (and yes I know I am turning it the right way ). All very strange, but it also gives the car a personality if you know what I mean.

panamaltd2

Sorry guys, the spell checker turned my "CD"s into "DC"s.

pat

Yeah, that spell checker can and will do weird things to your post - however, you do have 30 minutes to use the "edit" button you'll see beside the date and time of your message to go back and fix what the spell checker "fixed" for you. :-)

Hope this helps.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Board

fowler3

Do any of you Pro owners know how to snub-down the Protege's suspension so it doesn't have that choppy ride? Other than stiffer shocks, IF even that would help? I would like to buy one of these very nice cars, but hate that constant hop,hop,hopping.

I test-drove a '01 LX 2.0l this afternoon and everything about the Protege is so much better than the '01 Civic EX, except the choppy ride.

The guy who was consideing a Protege for his 63-year-old father should get his father to drive one first. He might not like the ride. I'm 70.

It's definately FUN TO DRIVE! The seats are as comfortable as in my '98 Honda Odyessy, with one
exception, they need more lumbar support. The lady who was complaining about the seats in her Pro DX should find a good trim shop and get them to put in some foam padding on the lower back area of the backrest. This should fix the backpain problem. (Forget this advice if you buy the side airbags.)

I noticed that right away during the test drive and is what I would do to fix it. The seat cushions are nearly perfect with the adjustments for height and thigh support. I'm 5 ft 11 inches tall.

The '01 Civic EX looks and feels like a stripper compared to a Protege LX 2.0L! The seats are misserable cloth-covered rocks. The interior trim is cheap. No legroom in back. Performance can't compare to the Pro's 2.0 engine. I was amazed how fast it excellerates and how much it sounded like a bigger engine, great sound to it.

The radio is another surprise, easy to operate and the speakers produce good base range.

The Pro's interior trim is a surprise, more soft-touch material on doors, dash, and console than I expected. The lockable glovebox is huge and of sturdy construction; unlike the flimsy plastic box in the '01 Sentra which easily falls off its equally flimsy plastic hinges. I've seen bird feeders better made than Sentra's glovebox.

If the '01 Protege had a smoother ride it would blow the doors off of Civic's sales. As it is, I would hate to take a long trip with that hopping all the time. What a shame!! And such a beautiful little car.

fowler3

nikecar

I noticed today our 00 ES has its first door ding... pretty nasty one. Nice small circular one.. at least the paint came off. I wish I knew who it was.. Take a bat and give them a ding.

hboyd

I can't see how the ride is "CHOPPY;" The '01 Proteges (LX2.0 / ES2.0) have a stiffer ride than the softer, less sporty and "mushy" (sorry, my subjective opinion) Honda Civic EX. Proteges do transmit more road information to the driver due to the sport-tuned suspension and lower aspect ratio tires, however, the ride is not uncomfortable. There are small trade-offs to a secure, safe, and fun ride in a car... the new 2001 Proteges balance them very well. Last week, I had to avoid a numbnut who cut in front of me from the fast lane and slowed down from 70MPH. My Protege swerved quickly and confidently (not even a noticable body roll) to another lane to avoid a collision. LOVE that secure feeling that only a MAZDA can bring!!!!

New NHTSA crash-test star scores are in for the 2001 Protege:

5-stars front driver/4-stars front passenger

3-stars front side impact (no side airbags)/4-stars rear side impact.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/cars/1619.html

MARTIN

protegextwo

Thank you for posting that link. Good job!

-Larry

cmarinelli

Been lurking here for months .... thanks to everybody who posted useful information. Especially whomever came up with the S-Plan scheme. Saved me about $900 from the best price I was able to get by battling the salesmen.

HBoyd, thanks for the updated crash info. I have been wrestling with the Civic/Protege decision, and decided to go Protege. My wife is nuts about safety, and wanted the Civic (our other car is a Volvo S40). Protege's spunk, Civic's overall boringness and Mazda's 0% financing did it for me. Although, you do have to admit the Civic exterior looks a TON better than it used to.

I think it's unfair how they tested the Civic with side airbags on, and lots of other cars without the side A-Bags.

Chris

I'm picking up my 2001 ES on Monday. Can't wait!

glideslope

Has anyone replaced the stock plugs in their 99-00 1.8 I-4? I'm thinking about replacing the stock plugs with those new Bosch 4 -Tip Platinum plugs, or an NGK Platinum. Any opinions would be appreciated.

TIA,
Mark.

fritz1224

The Insurance Institute for Highway safety did their tests and the Protege wasn't all that great. Especially when compared to the Civic. Try www. hwysafety.org. They do the 40 mph offset crash and evaluate many aspects of crash results. I watched Dateline story when the civic(2001) was tested and it held up like a tank. No distortion of the passenger compartment whatso ever. In fact the 99-01 Proteges actually did worse than previous model years in some categories. Go figure.

fowler3

hboyd: Okay, I understand. But if one wanted to soften a Pro's ride what would they have to do? What changes would have to be made -- shocks, tires, etc.? Have any idea?

I could live with it if some of the "road feel", hopping motion, was reduced. I don't expect to make it "musshy" like the Civic's.

fowler3

panamaltd2

Hello again everyone, I currently drive a LX and I was wondering where I could get the ES wheels for my car, it looks wonderful without those wheels but the do make a difference and I have always liked large wheels. Any ES owners that would be willing to part with their wheels, or if anyone knows where I might be able to find those wheels online please let me know! Thanks, Sam

hkchan

The 2001 ES wheels use a five-bolt pattern.

panamaltd2

The wheels I am looking for are from a 2000 ES. (15 inch, 5 spoke).

hboyd

ALL 2001 Proteges are Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) in ALL 50 states (like the Civics); Please see the great, easy-to-read EPA ratings page:

http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions/E-MAZDA-Protege-01.htm

(Not too many small cars are "cleaner" than the new Proteges!)

MARTIN

hboyd

The IIHS offset crash test for the latest generation Proteges is based on a 1999 model. Remember, the new 2001 Proteges were redesigned with improved structural members (i.e., suspension and roof-pillar components) which may improve this year's model crashworthiness results -- I would safely assume that they have improved significantly. ALL 2001 Proteges now have front seatbelt pre-tensioners standard. Also keep in mind that for ALL MY2000 and later Proteges, the rear bumper is now manufactured with a high-strength aluminum reinforcement frame. Just don't test it by backing into a pole!!!!! hehehe

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/99005.htm

MARTIN

hkchan

The IIHS apparently lumped the '01 togther with the '99 and '00. They tested the '99 model, but listed the results as for 1999-2001 models.

panamaltd2

I talked to my dealer and he doubts there would be very much of a change, they didn't really change that much. Sorry to burst your bubble.

notminehers

No, you are not "nuts" - my wife named our white PRO ES....."Casper" - when she passes you on the freeway you don't really see her, you just feel this whisp of air pass by...just like a ghost. O.K. - now you must tell us your cars name?? Regarding the previous post from Fowler3 - I agree to an extent that the ride is somewhat stiff, but have not had any problems with the car being "jumpy". In the long run I think you would probably be better off sacraficing a little comfort for the added safety and confidence from the precise road feel and handling. During out test drive, the salesman briefly got behind the wheel and on a straight stretch of highway he abruptly cranked the wheel to the left at about 40 mph. Although it nearly snapped our necks out of joint the car reacted on a dime with NO squeal or loss of traction. The unique aspect of this also was the fact that the car "corrected" itself with no effort from the driver. With all the nuts on the road, that is the response and reaction I will feel confident with!!
Great news!! My wife just asked me to drive her to work...70 miles round trip in the ES...hate it when that happens!! Bye all - Greg

fritz1224

It's amazing how people believe positive things but can rationalize why not to believe the negatives. Pretensioners don't keep the car from getting crushed. And "safely assuming" something doesn't help change the laws of physics or structural integrity. Maybe, some colors of the Protege make for a stronger crash rating. I wonder if they tested all of the available colors.
I bet my silver one is probably stronger than a black or red one.

hkchan

fritz1224, I think you need to re-read hboyd's post. While I don't agree that one can "safely asume" that the changes made to the '01 would mean significant (if any) improvement in crash tests, he never said the pretensioners would improve the way the car crumples in a crash.

fritz1224

I didn't mean to imply he suggested that. I made the point. Pretensioners only help keep the occupant in place, not improve structural integrity. Pretensioners aren't going to keep those legs and feet from getting crushed. As far as suspension improvements, I think they stiffened up the strut towers for better handling. Won't help a lot in a frontal collision.All I was attempting to do was enlighten the one poster who included the civic in his comparo and said safety was a big concern of his wife's. That's all.

cmarinelli

Whew! Thank God I got the Silver one!!!

Chris

glideslope

Fritz,

Thanks for the info on Silver. I knew it helped my ES corner, but never fully realized it's effect on crash protection.

Regards,
mark.

fritz1224

But by "safely assuming" this, there will probably be some placebo effect in the event of a crash. IMHO.

hboyd

Sarcastic statements aside, I based my objective opinion about the Protege's safety on

 Mazda's Official Corp. Press Release from 10/23/2000.

http://www.mazda.com/publicity/public/200010/1023e.html

Thanks

MARTIN.... sheeeeeesh!

jk111

Yep, I replaced them just 2 weeks ago with bosch platinum. They work all right, I feel there is a very small improvment on the top end (4.5-6k rpm.) But that is probably just because the old plugs are old (30k miles.)

protegextwo

Nice job with the safety info. My 2 cents, fritz1224 is the same person who complained about the lack of content, in his brand new Protege. A car he just purchased, I guess research before the sale was not a part of the equation? Some folks always, "assume the glass is half empty"?

Respectfully;
Larry

browntrout1

This car being quite responsive is probably one of the best safety features it has. The handling has already got me out of some hairy situations...but, being a front wheel drive car, it has it's limitations. You really have to watch your speed becuase all it takes is some dirt or rocks on the road or a series of small potholes and you could find your car understeering towards that curb faster than you can say you choice four letter word!!

nikecar

well yesterday I saw a SandMica 00 LX with the ES rims. It was 2 cars over at a light and a van was blocking the front. I thought it was a 01, but noticed it didn't have the LX2.0 sticker. so when the van moved and I saw the front I knew it was just a 99/00 with ES rims. would have been nice seeing another 01...

and I also am sad... our car got its first door ding this weekend. aaarrgghhh

speedypt

Just turned 12k on my '00 ES Pro today. (Yes..it HAS been a while since I chimed in...but I am still here) "Trigger" is still strong and rattle free. I have to mount the front license plate now being an Illinois resident, which sucks because it looks like a wart on the front of my car's smooth front end.

Finally managed to hit the electronic limiter though! I was on I-90 eastbound just past Elgin, IL and I had the road nearly all to myself. I kept the loud pedal down until the speedo registered 119mph! It was creeping up in speed at that point but the limiter was a bit strange...it felt like the car ran out of gas for a few seconds (probably the computer cutting the fuel) and then it revved back up to running speed again. Kind of unnerving to be honest, I thought I broke something! Did anyone wonder how the '92 LX Protege was able to manage 126 mph (radared...don't ask) but the new one is limited to 114mph? I held that speed for about 1 mile (only took about 30 seconds to go that far) and gradually slowed down.

The "Gods of Zoom Zoom" must have been watching over me though....I passed an Illinois State Trooper not more than 3/4 of a mile later, just as I had slowed back down to the posted speed limit. Can you say "lucky?"

No comments about behaving responsibly, I didn't pass any other cars during this and there is a large center median complete with concrete divider...so the only person in danger was me.

Can't wait to drive an MP3 Protege... :-)

Regards,

Pete
"SpeedyPT"

protegextwo

How is the transition from the dry heat to the cold wet, going? I hope your new job is going well, my friend. Sounds like you can use a very good radar detector for your B-Day! ;-)

-Larry

protegextwo

Door dings are the worst $50 to $100 to fix. I'm always afraid to fix one, I'm sure to get a new one right-a-way, lol!!!

-Larry

tomciviletti

it's easier to stiffen a cars ride than to soften it. the easiest change on the pro would be to use higher profile, softer riding tires. tirerack.com tests and user feedback can suggest soft riding tires.

fritz1224

Yeah and they added back some of the things I mentioned, didn't they. The guy wanted info on safety and I showed him where to go. And he was including the civic. If people can't accept what they read, that's their problem. I knew how the Pro stood up, just trying to be helpful. Guess that's not a good idea on this board if the info isn't what some people want to hear. Or maybe ignorance is bliss for some.

vocus

Vic: At least you only have a door ding. My first "ding" was estimated at $620.75 to repair. My car is STILL in the shop! I need it back badly, as I am now shaking and sweating due to the lack of ZOOM ZOOM.

Broken CD player?: Someone mentioned earlier about their CD player making noises right after ejecting a CD. My 1999 DX used to do that all the time, as well as not always letting the CD out. It never broke in 37.400 miles that I had the car though. But it was annoying as hell though.

norcan

I can relate a bit to fowler's question. Toronto streets are really bad!! - I find the worst being long stretched of 'rippled' pavement and the repair strips that run perpendicular to the driver on highways (the QEW is terrible). If you have an ES in the southern US this probably isn't an issue, the roads don't get damaged by deep freezes.

When I first got my ES the ripples seemed to be magnified and frankly, I was upset. See, I testdrove a LS and the salesman said the ride was identical to the ES except for the tires! Obviously, I could see the tires were different myself, but I didn't know about the suspension differences. I saw an earlier post about the ride but later it was a 'never mind' situation so I decided to wait and see.

The ride has eased up a bit in the 3 weeks I've been driving, so now I'm wondering if the ride is still going to smooth out or if I'm going to be looking at ways to change it myself. (Tires, ?? etc)

Sure, I love the car's handling. But no one has really replied directly to fowler's question except for 1 suggestion about changing tires.

Playing around with springs and struts would be extremely expensive - but I'll ask anyways: Is there a way to get a softer ride? (what are the exact differences between LS/ES too?)

nikecar

Just ennerving to see the nice smooth lines ruined.. its a small circular one right in the middle of the drivers side.. sigh.. Some drivers..

Pete.. damn man.. I'm afraid to go anywhere that fast unless its in those states with no limit.. fastest i've done is 120 in a BMW, and another time I did 100 and PASSED a highway patrol who had radar (my dectector was going like crazy) but he stayed in the median... scariest moment I've ever had.

nikecar

So what are the names ya'll have given your Pros? I see Pete named his Trigger, and just fond out the wife named ours Little Zoom Zoom.

vocus

The last car I had (the 1999 DX) was named Priscilla because it was silver (a friend named it). This one (the 2001 ES) isn't named yet though. Any suggestions? It's black if that matters any.

I called the body shop and they said my car should be ready this evening! I am so happy!

dannyg

Fowler3, consider test-driving an LX rather than an LX 2.0. The LX comes with 14-inch tires, whereas the LX 2.0 comes with 15-inch tires. I don't know what other changes are made, but that alone should soften the ride a bit. The LX has less power than the LX 2.0, but the MPG is better.

My mother's 99 LX has 14" tires, I'd say the ride is very good for an inexpensive car. But it definitely has a "sportier" feel than, say, the Corolla we test-drove at the time. To me (and my mom) that's a plus!

jstandefer

There is a great article regarding Mazda's near-future plans. Here's a link:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=3449&sid=175&n=156

As for vehicle safety... I congratulate Honda for their extremely high marks on the 2001 Civic. One would imagine such an improvement in safety with a very significant redesign of a vehicle. I do have to fault the IIHS for grouping the 2001 Protege's with the '99-'00 models. The new Protege has much improved structural rigidity from the drastically reinforced suspension mounts and roof pillars. The reinforced suspension mounts should help absorb more of an impact, not just through the unibody, but also with the suspension pieces itself (remember, the suspension mounts inside the fender AND underneath in the engine pan). The reinforced roof pillars will help keep the passenger compartment more intact. The standard pretensioners will help the score on dummy kinematics, and the new bumper will improve the overall rating since they haven't tested the Protege since the introduction of the '99.

Silver might be safer, but Classic Red is certainly faster!

Happy Zoom! Zoom!

(I downloaded the Zoom Zoom song from Napster. I play it really loud in the car while I watch modified Civic's grow smaller in the rear view mirror. There... I confessed.)

maltb

That article seems to capture what that "private" party" in New York set out to accomplish. Although, there was no mention of future Protege plans which are in the works and Mazda does have a lead roll in.