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Mazda Protegé

17677798182453

Comments

  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Congrats on a great car! You'll enjoy it for sure. Just one question: How much extra would the ES have been? When I bought my 2000 ES, you could also buy the LX with all those options ... but they added up to almost the same price as an ES. Things have probably changed for the 2001 MY, but I was just wondering ...?

    Meade in Richmond, VA
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    You must've just arrived at work. I've been here since 7:15, doing lots of work! (Yeah, right ... read all the posts I've penned ... or is that keyboarded? ... this morning!)

    I finally got out the bucket and towels yesterday afternoon and gave my Protege a much-needed bath. He's got to look sharp and shiny for his oil change and tire rotation this afternoon!

    (Don't ask me why -- all my other cars have been female, but for some reason, this car is a "he." Must be his naughty attitude -- he doesn't like going the speed limit and he's always getting me into trouble!)

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    That's four posts in three minutes, FCOL!

    Meade
  • pw_eastsidepw_eastside Member Posts: 15
    Meade,

    Fun post...it does make you wonder how much tolerance to poor build quality has been built into public perception concerning American cars. If that guy thinks that his car has been "not a lot of trouble", I would like to here his definition of a lemon? Maybe the wheels need to fall of on the highway or an engine blow a few time before he get miffed!

    I think I must have gotten a good one though. My '98 Cav has been pretty reliable after 74,000 miles. The only maintanence, other than oil changes and tire rotations, I've had done is a break job and just recently had to replace a resistor that controls the blower speed. I think there was one or two recalls a few years back but I don't remember what they were for.

    I am sorry to hear that you're having so much trouble with your wife's Cav. It must have been a good day at the plant when mine was built. : )

    Eastside
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    was subject to the infamous head gasket recall. Chevy obviously designed some faulty heads and instead of replacing them, they'll replace your head gasket if it blows up to 100,000 miles. We've had it done twice. The recall applied to several model years in the mid-90s. You lucked out!

    Sorry, I know this is an off-topic post -- but a little variety, now and then, is a good thing ... dontchathink?

    :)

    Meade

    (Be careful what you shoot at, Ryan ... most things in here don't react well to bullets!)
  • black01coupev6black01coupev6 Member Posts: 195
    You people post too much, lol.

    I am wrapping up my first month with the Protege and I have put 1100 miles on her. So far I love this car. No problems to report although when it is hot outside and a start driving with the AC on the center console will rattle as the car cools down but that's not a very big deal. I just turn the stereo up louder for a few minutes.

    As far as GM build quality goes, my fiance bought a 2000 Silverado 5.3. While my Accord with over 30,000 miles had never seen a dealer for anything but it's 30,000 mile service his truck spent it's first week at the dealer for a cracked frame around the sliding rear window, the throttle was sticking, and there were rust spots in the paint from when the truck was in-transit. While he didn't really have any problems after that there was still a noticable difference in the build quality. That's why after 1 year and 7,500 miles he traded it in for a 94 LS400. That was one of his better decisions in my opinion.

    MAPP2 sounds like fun but I usually don't know up until a couple of weeks before if I'm able to take the time off work. If everything works out, Virginia isn't THAT far. Maybe by then my fiance can get his Protege5 at 0.0% interest and we can bring them both ;)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    We're just a talkative bunch!

    We'd love to have you at MAPP II, and I'd love to send you the details. But I need your e-mail address. You don't have to post it here ... you can e-mail me at:

    mdaffron@the-rma.org

    We hope you can make it!

    Meade
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    My mother's friend, who was a mechanic, told me a way to tell the gender of your car. You stand like 2 steps behind the car, and if you can see the tailpipe while looking straight down without bending, it's a boy. If not, it's a girl. My Protege is a female. Sick isn't it? :)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    a tailpipe to a penis? I don't know about you, but my Protege's tailpipe exhausts waste products from the car. If anything, it's a ...

    THAT'S FAR ENOUGH FOR THAT ANAL(oops)-OGY!

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    But that just made us No. 3 in Edmunds Hot Topics!

    Meade
  • proteus2proteus2 Member Posts: 9
    I would like to see a board devoted to the Protege MP3, with any eye towards getting as many of the 1500 owners together in one place on the web.

    Any MP3 owners out there???
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    There is one person, with a screen name of something "Bob". I remember him from a couple posts back. Scroll back and check it out.

    Meade, you are just a nasty thing! :) You made me blush. :)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Are we not worthy enough? After all, the MP3 is just a tweaked ES with a facelift.

    (There, THAT oughta bring some comments!)

    But really ... we're all Protege owners, eh? I was a little perturbed to see a separate Protege5 topic with many members who never visit us in the four-door board. I even posted an invitation to the second-annual Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic over there, and received not one response!

    Buncha haughty, stuck-up twerps ...

    Meade
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    is all these ricers are giving their cars gender changes by putting these huge Yuban cans on their tailpipes. You can see it from a mile away, but does it help performance? not a bit. Maybe some Viagra in the tank would be better served.

    :)
  • laurakatlaurakat Member Posts: 69
    It's almost 10 AM CST and I thought I'd check this forum to see if anyone replied to my post last night. I expected 3 or 4 new posts. Holly crap, almost 20 new posts!!! I'm responding to posts waaaaay back, oh, about 2 hours ago!

    Pro-fan and Larry, Thanks for the congrats! I bought the dark green (I can't remember Mazda's official name for the color). It really looks sharp w/ the alloys. Pro-fan, funny you mentioned my wife complaining about taking corners too fast. She DID complain last night! I wasn't even taking them that fast, breaking in the new car and all. She really likes the car, but says it feels too small. She's used to driving our minivan and riding with me in my Intrepid. One bonus, she doesn't know how to drive a stick, so she won't be hogging the Pro, leaving me with the "family truckster". She wants me to teach her. I told her I need to break the car in for a while (oh, maybe 50k miles or so!!!). Don't want her fryin' the clutch on my shiny new car!

    Jace - The dealer I bought this from actually had two LX 2.0 5spds with the ABS/SAB package. The other was a light green one that I test drove a couple weeks ago. The sales guy was telling me how hard it was to get these with the ABS/SAB package. I thought he was just feeding me a line of bull for the negotiation process. Maybe there hard to come by in your neck of the woods, but in Burnsville, MN, this dealer had two, and one has been sitting around for at least a couple of weeks. Good luck on your search.

    Mike.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Hey, mine's green (Emerald Mica) too!

    Meade
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Hey if you look at post #3586 on this board it looks like there is an interested person for MAPP II. Krotine was his name. From his post it sounded like he was going to MAPP II.

    Mike (laurakat) my advice is NOT to let her drive at all. My g/f drove the car once. And she managaed to get behind a gravel truck and WHAM. 4 or 5 new chips outta my hood. This was when it wasn't even a month old. For your sanity (and your marriage!!) don't let her drive. :)

    I agree about NOT starting a seperate MP3 board. After all it is still a SEDAN. It just happens to be factory tuned. The only reason that I could see for starting a new MP3 board is because *some* MP3 owners may feel that their cars are much better than a "regular" Pro. If or one would love to be able to talk to some MP3 owners without feeling that I'm invading their territory. Just my opinion though.
    Protege owners of the world unite!
    hehehehehehe.

    Regards,

    Pro_fan

    P.S. Anybody else have trouble posting/navigating there for a minute or two?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I was just over on the Protege5 board chiding Paul for defecting when everything locked up on me -- finally I got my message posted, but it all slowed down again trying to come back over here.

    Roger dodger on Krotine. His name's Jason and we've already been in touch via e-mail.

    I too think Protege owners should unite! I hate having to keep going over there to grab our wayward vocus and drag him back over here, kicking and screaming, where he belongs.

    :)

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    When I go to the "msg #" window and enter 3586 and hit "go to," it takes me to 3518. What's up with that?

    Meade
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    Why does it sound like you are taunting me to Protege bash??? I could continue if you like, LOL...

    The funny thing is that I had a 1991 Ford Escort GT, which sat on a 323/Protege platform, powered by a Mazda 1.8L DOHC engine, driven by a Mazda transmission, sprung by Mazda suspension, and stopped by Mazda brakes. I never once had a single problem with that car and if they still offered that car on the marktet, I would definitely buy it again. What a terrific car...

    My Ranger, practically identical to your B2300 pickup, was and still is absolutely problem free. Not a single problem with anything!! That was wasted money on the extended warranty.

    So, as you can see, I have had a terrific experience with a first generation "Protege" much like you have had. I have had a terrific experience with a Ford Ranger/Mazda B-Series, unlike you had with yours. I am having less than stellar experience with my '99 Protege. Perhaps it's not me... perhaps it's just the car that has problems.
  • laurakatlaurakat Member Posts: 69
    I'll have to remember 'Emerald Mica' in case anyone else inquires about my color. I'm terrible at remembering official color names!

    Pro_fan - I'll be thinking up every excuse in the book to not let her drive it. I'm not sure I should let her sit in it! We got a quick bite to eat last night at Arby's, and she refills her diet coke and brings it with her in the car. I just looked at her and said "You will NOT be spilling any of that, will you???!!!" I'm much more anal about keeping a car clean than she is. You should see our van after she's had if for a couple of days! The things I put up with...LOL!
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    ... which did NOT contain Mazda components, and the head gasket blew at 60,000 miles and totaled his engine.

    So what? What's your point?

    My point is that your "problems," for the most part, were not faults of the car itself or its manufacture. They were caused by the DRIVER. And you admitted it ... then you blamed it on the car ... then you admitted it again ... etc., etc.

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    My wife will leave french fries under her seats (dozens of them, mind you) for MONTHS until they're so hard you can use them as railroad spikes. The worst thing was a drink ...

    She's been at home with the baby, taking a break from work, since mid-May. Being the nice hubby I am, I offered to fully detail her car for her back in June (actually, I was concerned about the stale french fry odor coming from it ... hee hee). When I opened her door, I was confronted with a McDonald's cup that had been sitting in her cupholder, WITH COKE STILL IN IT, for about a month. The Coke had seeped through the cup and bonded the cup to the cupholder. I had to sit there for a minute and figure out how to extricate this "artifact d'aperitif" from the car without spilling Coke all over the car. Eventually I had to bring out a wad of paper towels and soak up the remaining Coke sludge from the cup before I could continue. I then had to remove the cupholder from the car and soak it in the kitchen sink for the ENTIRE AFTERNOON before the remains of cup would dislodge themselves.

    Was it Tim Allen who quipped that guys are a funny breed? We can keep a car looking showroom new for years but can't keep the stains out of our underwear?

    :)

    Meade
  • bondobobbondobob Member Posts: 34
    A special site for MP3s? I dunno about that but how about information on the additional toys that the MP3 has? Point: other than a single sheet reminding the owner not to clean the Racing Hart wheels with a Brillo pad and three manuals on the stereo (1 on the stereo in English, 1 in French, a sub-woofer manual plus a laminated two sided quick reference guide to using the damn thing), there is nothing. How do you adjust the suspension for instance? Does doing Autocross void the warranty? Does a bottle of nitrous? Where's the aftermarket turbo kit?

    Zoom - Zoom and Boom - Boom

    Bob
  • laurakatlaurakat Member Posts: 69
    I like Tim Allen's humor. I can relate to it many times!

    Not only do I have to worry about my wife messing up my Pro, I've got two daughters (5 and 8) who aren't exactly neat freaks when it comes to clean cars. Plus, my 5-year-old has a tendency to get car sick! She's puked four times in the van. We keep a bucket in there at all times!

    Mike.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    My wife and daughter both get carsick all the time. Luckily, they can hold it down so no need for a bucket. Neither one of them likes riding in my ES since I usually take the most fun path I can find and the manual transmission makes it jerk a bit too much for their tastes.

    Meade...welcome to the new world!
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    My Protoge is in the shop as we speak to get the bumper cover repaired. Meanwhile, my insurance company stuck me with a rental car. I have been driving this Ford Contour 4 cylinder automatic for for about 15 minutes and I already miss my car badly. There is an amazing difference in build quality between these two cars. The Contour's door panels are squeeky, the steering wheel shakes at speeds above 50 mph, the suspension creaks, the transmission shutters, and the engine is LOUD and it only has 6000 miles on it.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    Are you sure they didn't give you my car? LOL...
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I can not really relate about having a messy car, because mine gets a little nasty inside sometimes. The worst was when I took it to get the windows tinted. They had to clean out the underneath of the seats to get in all the seats to do the tinting. Well, they found 12 CDs, a box of cheese crackers (closed, but still), 2 empty soda bottles, about 10 sheets of wadded up paper, and 4 gum wrappers. I was so embarrassed I could have died! The day after that, I did a complete detailing job on the car from front to back. That will teach me to be messy. :)
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    I was just reading on another website about moving the Mercury brand away from Lincoln and moving it together with Mazda. The article was a speculation by an industry analyst, but judging from what I have been reading elsewhere, it may very well be true.

    Since Lincoln and Mercury are paired, Mercury is managed by Ford's Premier Auto Group (PAG) team. However, Mercury is not a member of the PAG. Mercury is holding Lincoln back in a time when competition is very stiff from Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac, etc. The brightest move is to either dissolve the Mercury name or move it with Mazda.

    I have read several times before that the new Mazda cross-over vehicle due for 2004/5 will be shared with Mercury (replacing the Sable) and I have been recently reading that the new 626 will be shared with Mercury as well (rebodied of course). It would be quite interesting if this happens. Combined, Mazda and Mercury command a whole whopping 2.9% of the automotive market and both companies are bleeding cash. I don't see how they would help each other out, but I would not be surprised if Ford made this move.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    You guys are posting very quickly. Kinda like the Thursday night chats! BTW, where has Fowler been?

    -Larry
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    What the heck is that? Jeez, Larry sure killed the posting in here...I was enjoying reading all the posts, but as soon as Larry said his "sweet tuckus" bit, all the posts stopped. Larry please reverse whatever it is you've done. Even Meade's been silent.

    Regards,

    Protege_fan
  • edmund2460edmund2460 Member Posts: 293
    AIG cultivates the older group I guess. My policies had claims but it was my kids driving my cars. I put them on separate policies and gave them their own cars. AIG liked that. Also I live in SC (but I think that's one of the most accident prone state). I had Allstate and State Farm. I went from about $760/6 months to $430. Try them again in a few years when you're accident free. We drive conseratively, my wife and I, and we figure that in all probabiity we will be using the other guy's insurance if we have an accident. So the lowest premiums and care less about service
  • edmund2460edmund2460 Member Posts: 293
    I might add that premium of 430/6 mths was for 3 cars, including one Protege, other two have no comp and collision.
  • proteus2proteus2 Member Posts: 9
    First, I would take issue that the MP3 is "just an ES." With gas shocks, lowered springs, strut brace, a somewhat tweaked engine, large wheels and ultra high performance tires, I would no longer call it an "ES" than I would call a Z-28 "just a modified Camaro." But also because the MP3 does not appeal to the same kind of buyer (not better, not worse, just different) and will use the car somewhat differently. MP3 drivers are a different lot, and may want to share a different perspective.
    When the aftermarket starts coming out with some tweaks for the car, it will be important to share information. I would be most interested in increasing horsepower, for example, and would like to know what other owners are doing with this rare and very special car.

    Any ideas? Or maybe start a separate board??
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    Check out www.probetalk.com ----it has lots of information on modifications for the 2.0L mazda engine. Also try www.corksport.com As far as your analogy about calling a Z28 just a modified Camaro as being the same as calling a MP3 just a modified ES...well, the Z28 is much different than the base Camaro. The MP3 is more similiar to the ES than a base Camaro is to a Z28. The MP3 has what, 10 more horsepower than the ES? A Z28 has a WHOPPING 120 MORE horsepower (320 hp vs. 200 hp) than the base model 3.8L Camaro. I wouldn't refer to your MP3 as the Z28 of Protoges; that was a bad example. ;)
  • proteus2proteus2 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the tips! The analogy is the best I could come up with on the spot. But I think you'll agree we are talking about a different focus here. (You should pardon the expression.)
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    The Edmunds message board counting system keeps track of all messages ever posted, including those that have been deleted (either by the friendly neighbourhood Edmunds police-people or by the poster her/himself) since they were posted. If you look carefully, messages you post have the Delete and Edit options available for a while after being posted (in fact I'm using the Edit feature to add these last couple of senstences to my original post!)

    That's why going to message 3500 leads you to (the visible and undeleted) message number 3450. That means about 50 deleted messages are sprinkled along the way (from 0 to 3500) but just not visible because they've been marked deleted.

    If you want a more detailed (geekish) explanation, think linked list with logical deletion - but I don't think we want to go there :-)
    (If someone does, I'd be happy to explain!)

    On a side note, I washed and polished (Turtle Wax wax/polish - the one that says "Once a Year", and its my 2nd time in 4 months already!) last weekend and driving in yesterday's heavy rains have left huge splashes all over my nice white car :-(
    Don't you hate when that happens?

    Zoom safely.
  • jace1jace1 Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for all of your input on your Pros. Mike, I'm glad you found your LX 2.0. I'm in Northern New England and may have to expand my search to find one. I don't know if any others feel the same but the ES 2.0, great as it is, has exterior styling we don't care for. I wish the spoiler was an option. I really like the LX 2.0 in sand mica.

    If we get the Pro, it will be Mazda #3. Get this, my first was a 1973 RX2 purcahsed new in 1975 (2 year left-over). It was exceptionally quick and smooth with 2 stage carburation. A big surprise to the then quite anemic 2002's of the time. Handling was dicey at times but improved by aftermarket shocks and front swaybar. Mazda#2 was an 81 GLC, base model and ultimately too lacking in equipment but otherwise a solid enough car. Since then I have been driving Hondas (2 Civics and an Accord) and then moved on to a 90 Saab 900, which will be replaced now and a 99 Passat 1.8T. After living with an eleven year old Saab, a reliable Pro would be great.

    Jace
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Sorry guys, I had a sudden media event at work here early yesterday afternoon and had to disappear. I still managed to get my Poortenzas rotated and my oil changed too though.

    At 24,500 miles, my Poortenzas are almost ready for the dump. The right front one is showing its treadwear indicators this morning, and the others give Mr. Lincoln's hair a nice buzz when I stick a penny in the tread. You know, I love the car ... but these tires have to go. I don't understand why there hasn't been a class-action suit against Bridgestone over THESE models too. I feel VERY unsafe in wet weather. I don't know how you guys fare in automatics that have these tires (1999-2000 ES's), but with the 5-speed, it seems I have no grip at all when taking off from a stop on wet pavement. They seem to take corners better than they take straight-line acceleration in the wet.

    Larry, for the safety of me and my family, I'm replacing these suckers very soon. I'll have a "book report" and hands-on exhibit on Yokohama AVID T4s at MAPP II. (Uh, no kicking of my tires, please!)

    :)

    And good morning, everyone. Let the postings commence!

    And no hard feelings, Jerry? I hope your car's doing OK.

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I had the first full model year Saab 900 -- a 1980 900 GLi. In 1985 with only 70,000 miles on the car, I was sitting at a traffic light and suddenly heard this grinding noise and the car cut off. $2,100 later, I learned that a needle bearing in my 4-speed transmission had shifted and caused the whole transmission to grind itself to pieces. Even the nearly 1-inch solid steel gear shaft was twisted like a pretzel -- no kidding, they let me see it!

    I got rid of the car one year later, after I'd had to replace both front brake ROTORS (why? because the pads FELL OFF and the calipers grinded into the rotors during a mountain trip -- the rotors were as smooth as GRAVEL when I got home), the much-touted "Bosch K-Jetronic Fuel Injection System" needed to be replaced, etc., etc. It really was a pity -- that car was the most comfortable, fun-to-drive and (for the early 80's) technologically advanced car I've ever had.

    When it was running!!!

    Meade
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Those're the stock on my auto '99LX, y'know, with 14-inch wheels. Yes, I can easily make the tires slip when starting in the wet. I've even drifted when making a turn at moderate speed. Luckily, nobody notice but me, or I'd have heard a lot of screaming.

    The tires are OK when the road is dry, but they are terrible in rain or snow. Enough to make me "tiptoe" around curves and ease up on the gas when starting etc.

    Still looks like I'm only about half-way through the treadlife, but I'm going to replace them before this fall anyway. Can't stand going through another wet season with them.

    Potential replacements: AVID T4, Bridgestone RE910, Micheline X-One. Should I stick with 185/65R14 or go to 195/55R15? I think that narrows it down to the AVID T4s then (most other tires cost mucho bucks at that rare size). But I'm wondering about handling/noise/comfort trade-offs. Wonderfully as the Pro handles, it's sometimes a little jarring over potholes and messed-up RR crossings.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    I think my Bridgestones' got at least 7,500 miles? I have 27,000 miles on them now. Wear-bars not showing and "Honest Abe" can have an AFRO and still clear the top of the tread. If money was no object, I would cut them loose. However, the 30,000 mile service is fast approaching and everything I do for mine, I need to do for my wife's.

    -Larry
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    They don't have very good wet traction to begin with. And with a treadwear rating of only 160 (lowest I think I've ever seen), you'll be surprised how quickly that "fro" will turn into a "buzz."

    :)

    Meade

    P.S. I received an e-mail from another interested MAPP II attendee this morning, bringing the total number of potential Proteges (including both of yours, Larry) to 11! -- That is, of course, if everyone who sent me an e-mail and requested info actually comes. More realistically, I'd say we have 6-8 Proteges now and about 10-12 people.
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    on my auto ES, YES...i can make my wheels spin on a slightly wet road....interesting....one might think "one heck of a powerful auto car" :)
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    I see that the filter for 626-v6 has the same diameter and thread(am i correct?) and is longer than the PRO filter. Any problem if I use that filter in place of the tuna can filter for the PRO?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    You better make DARN sure that filter's threads are the same and that the diameter of the o-ring that holds it in place is too, or you may have a BIG problem and a voided warranty down the road! If everything equates, I don't see why it would make a difference -- just remember you'll need a touch more oil with the bigger filter.

    BTW, what do you have against the Protege's filter? It's made for the car ...

    Meade
  • grubbs1grubbs1 Member Posts: 69
    that my last post was ignored! I don't have the posting number but it was late Sunday night. Anyway, I am extremely happy with my black ES auto! My wife and I went to the movies last night in Mexicali, Mexico (I work two blocks from the Mexican border in California). The car got a lot of attention there since Mazda is not sold in Mexico and the nearest Mazda dealer is an hour away on the US side. Please check out my post and let me know if I got a good deal.

    Nikecar, did you sell your Altima SE?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Sorry we ignored you. I just went back and re-read your Sunday post. I think you did pretty well! Of course, I bought a 2000 and prices are slightly different now.

    I do think you got scammed on that interior treatment -- the interior already comes with a fabric protector. And I accidentally tested it a few months ago -- I had my cell phone and charger sitting in my cupholders, so I placed this BIG cup of Diet Pepsi on the passenger seat. Yeah, you know what's gonna happen next, right? I went around a turn and SLOSH! The lid failed and the whole thing emptied in the passenger seat. To my surprise, it just sat there like a little lake in the seat! I had a towel in the trunk, so I quickly found a place to stop and placed the towel over the spill. It slurped up everything, no stain, and the seat was hardly wet afterward!

    You know, I didn't learn from my lesson and I still place drinks there from time to time. I've noticed that condensation droplets will stay as beads until I wipe them up -- kind of like paint when it's just been waxed. I don't know if the stuff is Scotchguard or just leftover Hiroshima radiation :) but it works!

    Meade
  • snagy1snagy1 Member Posts: 55
    Regarding gas mileage, right now at 3,100 miles. 42 miles each way to work of which 38 is highway at 60 to 65 mpg (would like to go faster but traffic is heavy) gas mileage is 30 to 33 mpg, and thats really squeezing to boost mpg. i got spoiled with my saturn and it's 40 mpg, but this protege is far more fun to drive, this 42 yo is now a 21 yo. zoom zoom
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