Mazda Protegé

maltb

is that they would sell a whole ton of them, thereby making them the best things on wheels.

Of course, the last bike I bought was a Honda (for my son).

nematode

but now I prefer forced induction of all types on smaller (long bore if possible) motors. My current favorite is the 1.8T from Audi with the 2L F4 from Subaru second. Since I dont like engines you have to rev to the stratosphere like in the S2000, turbos et al. are the only way to go for me. Its one of my complaints about the RX8....and its not even here yet......

vocus

One thing I like about a car with a turbo is that it gets about the same fuel economy as a car with the same displacement and less go power.

newcar31

I've had them all. I had a turbo whistlin' 626, a screaming VTEC Integra, and a thundering Mustang 5.0L. They were all fun in their own way, but the Mustang's brute power was just too much fun, and it made sounds that would give you goose bumps. The other cars felt quick but the Mustang felt violent and sounded evil.

fowler3

how to pack for a trip.

You guys are too young to remember the Audi Fox cars. I had three of them, one at a time, in the 1970's. Use to spend weekends on a lake and packed everything I needed in the much-smaller-than-a-Pro trunk.

One weekend I packed: A two-person inflatable rubber boat, an outboard motor and portable fuel tank, two paddles, ice chest, duffle bag with clothes, sleeping bag, portable radio, lanterns, and a basket with three days' food. Nothing in the cabin.

On trips to Europe, unlike most tourists, I take one bag (the kind on wheels) with all I need for two weeks. You have to know how to pack so your clothes don't wrinkle. There's a way to do this.

It works for traveling and for camping.

fowler3

P.S. NO,the rubber boat was not inflated in the car trunk.
And the portable fuel tank for the OBM was empty. Filled it one mile
from the lake, traveling on a dirt road the rest of the way. No chance for an accident.

chikoo

people nowadays simply throw the stuff in their car, not caring to arrange them. This leads to the feeling that the space is insufficient.

chikoo

http://www.zipp.com.mx/avanti/images/studebaker_r2_c3.jpg

chikoo

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030213/capt.1045173100.chicago_auto_show_cxcb108.jpg

vocus

I can appreciate your attachment to the Mustang. I test drove a 4.6 GT back in 2000, and the power was intoxicating. I like the turbo, but wish there wasn't occasional turbo lag when accelerating hard. There isn't much, but enough to be slightly annoying sometimes.

So anyone snowed in today? I currently have about 12" outside my door in Batlimore, MD. Governer declared a "state of emergency" for the whole state, and the weatherman said the snow will continue until Tuesday morning, with a possible accumulation of up to 30"! I am sooo ready for summer right now...

vocus

I kinda wish I had one of those big, lumbering, gas sucking Hummers right now. At least I would be able to leave my house...

chikoo

as you are.....

and that is not a hummer...it is a hummer look alike bieng produced by StudeBaker(anyone remember StudeBaker?)

meinrad

This is one big snow storm. My house only has about 7" but I drove to one of the 12" and more areas today. It was a lot of fun, that's for sure.

My Nephew and Mother in Law are were on their way to North Carolina when they go stuck in West Virginia. So they are at a hotel for who knows how long. Anyone caught on the highways is being fined.

We're going to end up with about 14" I guess, so that means I'm off to work tomorrow morning. Thing that stinks is schools are closed so the plow boys don't care too much about my country roads.

fowler3

I'm "ready for summer" when it rains for five days in July, hate all cloudy days. I think that's why I don't like grey car interiors, it makes bad weather days just that much more depressing.

No snow here, just sleet and freezing rain for the past 14 hours and it isn't suppose to stop until 7:00AM Monday. My cousin is a plastic surgeon on ER call today. He said they got many cases of faces and windshields coming together, they didn't wear their seatbelts. Guess he will be adding onto his new house -- $$$.

Chikoo: I remember the Studebaker well. Thought they went out of business in the 1960s? Their last car was the Avanti. Fiberglass versions (kits) are still made. Studebaker started out making wagons, the kind pulled by horses,two-horse power.

I'll still take today's cars, especially the Protegé, over any of those old models. I've long forgotten what crank windows were like and windshield wipers that stopped when you stepped on the gas. Door armrests and heaters were optional. Ah, the good old days glad they are gone.

fowler3

chikoo

which let in water whenever you stepped on the brakes or the clutch.....The bl***** pedals worked through a cut out on the floor!!!!!

dsm6

I was in Long Beach, CA last week. Proteges everywhere - a P5 around every corner. Finally saw my first privately owned 6 as well. Long Beach is much more Mazda friendly than where I live (Boulder, CO).

glideslopes

Just thought I'd drop in at 32,000 and let everyone know I had my first problem yesterday.

Had to replace the drivers side Fog Lamp bulb!!

Mark.

p.s. I love all this snow related stress. I drive through 10" snow falls all most every week on my BFG 205/55/15 TA's
The art of driving sideways in the winter pays off in the spring. ; )

dinu01

Well these Mazdas are really a headache to own. Just like you at 32.000 miles I'm having electrical problems.

Do you realize I have to go outside today in below-freezing weather and replace my rear brake light bulb? What a hassle!

Dinu

I LOVE THIS CAR

carguy58

We have like a foot out there in New Jersey. Its bad...bad... and ..bad. I was watching the news and cars are stuck out there in New York. Who would go out in this weather? I didn't even go to work today. I was supposed to work but I said no way am I going out in this weather.

fowler3

I know what you mean. I'm trying to get an ad to a trade journal, in New Jersey, by Thursday. Can't get a negative made because businesses are closed in North Carolina, ice everywhere. Haven't seen a car or truck pass by all day.

It's bad, bad, bad alright.

My Pro is snug and comparatively warm in its garage, no scraping for me. It will be gone tomorrow, high temp exspected to be 53F.

fowler3

carguy58

My Acura is snow covered. That thing is going to be warmed up tommorow for at least 10-15 minutes. Thats if I can get out tommorow..we'll see.

mazdafun

To take it out in this foul weather. It's nice and clean and snug in the garage. My wife's P5 had to slug through the nasty stuff Saturday (rehearsal and performance).

Luckily, I got today off.

I had to scrape off as much frozen hail and snow off my 323 as I could. Poor thing. At least I got it a cover.

We didn't get too much snow, maybe 6-8 inches of it. The bummer was the layer of tiny hail that froze to the driveway. I scraped off what I felt like doing and left the rest. Seems like I just shoveled a couple days ago....

mazdafun

Exposed metal on the doors, lousy radios etc.

Actually, I'd prefer a crank on the driver side window. I find it difficult to make fine adjustments with the motor. And it's just more stuff to fail.

I can see the advantage of motors on the other windows though. They're kind of hard to get to from the driver's seat.

I can pass on the power locks too. They're easy to access.

maltb

Exposed metal on the doors, lousy radios etc.

Well, looks like 50% of that is taken care of.

chikoo

and I am surprised that I could keep up decent speed on the snowy raod ...thanx to M+S rated BFG TA's

The previous RE-92 was impossioble to even get out in the snow...they simply kept spinning....

vocus

There's currently about 24 INCHES of it outside my front door. I can see the trunklid, rear door handle, and the side mirrors on my car, that's it. We live on a side street, and it's too small for a truck plow. They will have to get a front-end loader like they did for the blizzard of 1996. Someone got his 4WD pickup stuck in the middle of our street, but he finally got it out. Even the corner stores (two of them) are closed, so I am glad I stocked up on groceries before this nasty mess!

I was off work today, thank God, for the holiday. I probably won't be able to dig my car out until at least Thursday. I work 35 miles from home, so it's not like I can take the bus either.

Last night, State police closed all state roads, and said one would be fined $1000 and possibly put in jail unless you had proper clearance (state essential personnel only) to be out. God I want summer to come, BAD!!

carguy58

I'll probably have to go to work tommorow. The question is can I even get there? I mean where are they going to put all this snow? I might just wait till Wednesday.

vocus

I know here in Baltimore, they were playing with the idea of dumping all the snow in the Inner Harbor. I think that's what they did with it back in 1996, but not sure.

carguy58

I have one little stream near me. I have to travel on the highway than go up a little hill. You guys have those big rivers by the Fort McHenry Tunnel over by I-95, I-695, and, I-83. I have the Hudson River but thats like 30-35 minutes away from where I live.

fowler3

or we have an ice storm, I wish I had kept on going when I moved to NC. It's very much like southwest VA in climate. Brrrrr.

I guess there isn't any ideal place to live where one can enjoy driving his Pro every day. Florida is nice in the winter, but summers are blistering hot and humid. That's why Floridians don't have suntans.

fowler3

maltb

I guess there isn't any ideal place to live where one can enjoy driving his Pro every day.

Why do you think Mazda North American Ops is in southern California?

protegextwo

South Central PA. received the brunt of this North Eastern weather event. Blizzard like conditions closed down this part of PA., Sunday and Monday.

I'm leaving for Cracker Barrel in York in about 15 mins. (Tuesday, 3:30 am EST). I hope to open at 6:00 am, however that depends on the arrival of my cooks and servers??? Got about 28 mile drive in unknown conditions. I looked out my 2nd story window of my home office before I sat down to type this post and it appears, we got another dusting of snow, overnight. Well, I guess will see how my 2000 Mazda Protegé ES and BF Goodrich TA's do on my morning adventure in our local winter wonderland!!! LOL!!!

-Larry

mazdafun

Actually, I'm thinking of the units with manual radio presets and how they used to drift all the time (and in my father's Olds Firenza, the knobs would keep falling off...good old AC Delco radios), and have lots of static even when tuned into a station.

the_big_h

i have just ordered a set of Falken ZE-512's to replace the near-bald tires on my Protege. I was visiting my parents in gaithersburg over the weekend (great weekend to pick to visit huh ), we ended up with about 20" at the house.

Dug the car out yesterday, but my Protege had absolutely ZERO traction on the front wheels to go anywhere. I was just spinning and spinning and spinning, not going anywhere. Well today the sun came out and it got a bit warmer, so I decided to try come back to VA. Having seen my dad went to work in his old minivan without any trouble, I figured the snow on the side road (driveway is clean now) would be just slush and i can somehow get out, but NO! I was stuck on side road for some 15 minutes before the neighbor finally came and help me get the car to rolling start and on my way.

lessson learned: always make sure you have tread on the tires in case of bad weather like this, and buy a new set of wheels/tires to keep the wear and tear in competition driving off of daily street tires (autocross killed the front tires VERY quickly)

sfrat

We got about 20 inches here in Bethesda. The main road in front of the apartment (which is a snow emergency route) is one lane, with 8 ft walls of snow on each side. I pity the cars that are parked on the street, some are literally buried, the only thing visible is the antenna.

Fortunately our building mangager has a good contract with a couple of guys who plowed our parking lot during the storm several times. I went out yesterday to dig my car out before the snow started to melt and get heavy. I went down just as the management company came buy with a couple of snow blowers (the last in the stores) and they were nice enough to snow blow in between my car and the other car on each side about 3/4 of the say in. So I just had to dig out from the front of the front door forward and then behind the car where the snowplow had piled the snow up. Then I helped my roomate and a couple of other apartment neighbors. It was hard work, but I was just happy to get out of the apartment for a few hours. There are a number of pepole in the lot who didn't bother to dig there cars out, I don't know what they are thinking. This is just like 96 and I was still in HS and didn't go to school for two weeks. It looks like I will have to go in tomorrow. Being grown-up stinks. We did go skiing today, excellent conditions at Liberty for you locals.

sfrat

I did take my pro out briefly for a two block ride to the grocery store (we walked on Sunday). It did pretty well. I still have plenty of tread on the tires. Also, I find that manual gives you an extra bit of throttle control which is helpful. I think the car is too light to be really good in the snow though.

Kirstie_H

Don't forget trivia night on Wednesday, February 19, 9-10pm ET/6-7pm PT. Join other members for some trivia and member-to-member chat!

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

protege_fan

The tires that are truly lacking. I've taken my Pro out in the snow w/ my Nokian tires and had no troubles at all.

I'm sure weight does play a part though. I'm acutally glad the Pro isn't too heavy. Stopping on ice in a heavy vehicle is scary :O

fowler3

and had a great time just driving around, been in since Friday. We didn't get snow, only two inches of sleet, which melted quickly this morning.

I remember the 1996 storm very well. I was on vacation in Hawaii, on Wakiki (sp) Beach, it was 85F, clear blue sky, lots of people on the beach. The next day left for home. Arrived at night, had to stomp through snow 3-feet deep. Borrowed a shovel from a neighbor to move a 5-foot drift off my front door so I could get in. Frozen fingers, didn't need gloves in Hawaii. Didn't get out for the next 8 days.

That's why I moved to NC.

fowler3

jammit2k

My sister has a 1994 LX 5-speed and wants to tow a u-haul trailer behind the car from michigan to california.
I don't however know if the car has any towing capacity whatsoever. so I'm asking you all if know?
I think she should just get a truck and tow the Pro, but she wants to drive HER car and save the money.

mazdafun

On the other hand, I've seen Proteges with small utility trailers with lawn tractors loaded on them, and there are aftermarket hitches made for them for stuff like bike racks etc.

I'd avoid tongue weight over 150lbs.

However, since she has to drive over some good-sized mountains, I would recommend against it, especially since a '94 ProtegeLX has a small engine (something like 95HP?). It would overtax the engine and the transmission.

I agree with you: Rent a U-Haul truck and tow the Pro (by itself or on a trailer). She should get a truck capable to hauling over the Rockies.

pierreasdf

For those who need this tire size, the new Yokohama AVS ES100 should be available this spring. Although they are not yet listed on Tirerack, they are already available in Canada (www.tiretrends.com). The PDF guide available at http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/avses100.pdf confirm this.

dinu01

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Dinu

dinu01

What car do you have?

Dinu

pierreasdf

a canadian ES 2001 (MT). This is a mix of a us LX 2.0 and a PRO; it has the same interior as a PRO, but only 15 in. wheels, no rear-disk, no abs, no spoiler and no sunroof (but all these are available as a package option).

In Province of Quebec, the Protege is the best-selling car in the compact category since 2001 (it was the Civic before). I have bought it the very first day that the 2001 model was available in Canada, in december 2000, and I have done 56 000 km so far (about 35 000 miles). As I want to keep it a long time, I hope that it will last 250 000 km; we'll see ...

vocus

I was lucky, everyone on my street got together and ended up hand shoveling out our street, because it's too small for a plow to fit up. The trouble is, it's one way and the street you have to go out on is not clear at all. I got stuck there, but some neighbors were nice enough to push me out. I went the wrong way down the street and parked that way last night, because I didn't wanna get stuck again. And the street I have to go over (still covered in snow and rutted) is a real mess to get over still. Baltimore city is happy to tow your car away if you park on a snow emergency route, but they haven't sent anyone to clean anything else. We have about 26.5" of snow on the ground still.

mdaffron

Man, I WISH we'd had two feet of snow! Instead we got four inches of SLEET and ICE. Can't plow it, can't salt it (too cold), can't do nothin' with it. Our street is still covered. At least snow gives you some traction! I'm tired of landing flat on my -- er -- posterieur trying to just get to the mailbox!

Meade

vocus

I would rather have the ice than 2 FEET of snow, personally. Don't gotta shovel ice, and traction control works wonders with it too. Not like snow, where you still get stuck anyway...

mdaffron

1. Paul, this is the P-R-O-T-E-G-E discussion. Proteges don't have "Traction Control."

2. Driving on ice might be great if you have "Traction Control." And in the utopia in which you live, everyone else must have it too? So no one will slide into you?

3. Tell me how "Traction Control" works when you're stopped in traffic on a banked curve and your car starts sliding sideways, into the other lane, and toward the ditch on the other side.

4. Please advise how "Traction Control" keeps me from falling flat on my aforementioned "posterieur" when attempting to negotiate getting from my car to my front door.

5. You apparently have had no experience with a good ol' southun Ice Storm and what several inches of ice does to trees and power lines that several feet of snow DOESN'T. Apparently you also have not been a homeowner long enough to see what kind of damage a 60-foot oak tree can do to your house.

GIMME SNOW ANY DAY!

Meade

chikoo

when all your 4 freaking tires on ice????

which one is going to grip?????

dsm6

We get those in the north too. We call that Spring time.