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Mazda Protegé

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Comments

  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I put my car on autotrader.com when I wanted to sell it (the Bonneville). It did take like 3-4 weeks, but I eventually did sell it to someone. Also, if you are near one of the CarMax stores, they will buy your car even if you are not going to buy theirs, so it might be worth a shot.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    I sold my 91 Ford Escort, (a rebadged/different sheet metal Mazda 323) and my 1994 Toyota Corolla in about two weeks using the local newspaper. Kellys Blue Book (kbb.com) or NADA (nada.com) can help you with the pricing, be sure to use only fair or good to get a realistic price to list your Protege for re-sale. Edmunds.com's on-line site will even allow you to print out a window sticker. I had a couple of loser's show up/call, but overall it was pretty easy. I sold the 91 Ford Escort to the first looker and the 94 Toyota Corolla to the third looker. I did real well for my-self selling well above the wholesale/trade allowance values and found nice homes for my cars, that had some decent use left in them. I stressed one owner, clean title, and well maintained in the classified newspaper add. I got a bunch of calls on the Escort right away (only asking $3,000). I needed to drop the price on the Corolla one time to sell it (started at $8,500 sold for $7,200 two weeks later). I detailed the Escort my self and paid a $125.00 to have the Corolla professionally detailed. IMO the detailing, the well researched asking price and original owner theme sold those cars quickly and relatively painlessly! Hboyd, I hope this helps you my friend.

    Good Luck:
    Larry
  • pkuehnpkuehn Member Posts: 6
    I would have to agree w/ protegextwo about the local paper advertisement. I would also suggest parking it where people can see it. I was trying to sell a '98 Dodge Caravan a couple months ago. I parked it in a shopping center parking lot along a busy road and within two hours I had sold it.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Never thought about the whole shopping center parking lot thing. I will have to try that next time I want to sell a car. I sold mine on the internet, but I did lower the price of it by $300 only because I was desperate. I did make $550 more than the dealership wanted to give me for it. Considering the car passed inspection with flying colors, has a warranty good until 6/2003 or for 26K more miles, and every record since new (I was the second owner of the Bonneville) it wasn't hard. I have someone to buy it now, giving me cash money for it, and is foaming at the mouth for the title. :)
  • leomortleomort Member Posts: 453
    any of you Protege owners can give me the word on how it handles in the snow? would your recommend snow tires?

    Leo
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I drove my Protege DX back in January of 2000 when we had a 22-inch storm. Until the snow started to add up to 8 or 9 inches, I was doing fine. If you drive through heavy snow regularly, you might want to leave the Protege at home or add snow tires.

    Something to remember: The wheel covers (which I had) have little ports in them which hold snow. If it freezes, the car will be off balance and shake at higher speeds. I found out the hard way, and took it to the dealer for a "defrost" that morning.
  • scudleyscudley Member Posts: 10
    Lea,

    I live in Syracuse,NY (we get tons of snow) and also live in a part of town where I must go up and down some rather severe inclines to get to work/home. I do not have snow tires (just the stock) and also possibly made the mistake of getting a car without as (nothing available at the time that also had my other criteria - silver as and moon roof). I am happy to say I have had no troubles this winter (knock on wood) so I would say as long as you drive safely in the in climate weather the Protege can handle the snow very well.
  • scudleyscudley Member Posts: 10
    My bad...just a typo

    sorry LEO,

    Scudley
  • theparallaxtheparallax Member Posts: 361
    My father had good luck selling his 90 Dodge Ram on Yahoo! Classifieds. Someone bought it after only 2 days!


    http://classifieds.yahoo.com


    Also try www.autotrader.com and www.ebay.com

  • borgf15borgf15 Member Posts: 29
    Hey all-
    My dealer (the only one) here in town quoted me $40 per pair for the mud guards! It sounds like a rip off to me...does anyone else have any better ideas to get their hands on a set? We've looked at the ones they sell in the auto parts stores, but they don't really fit all that well.
    What do you all think?
  • fritz1224fritz1224 Member Posts: 398
    But if you want mud guards you might as well go with the ones that are molded to an exact fit. I don't think you can find after market ones that would look as good as these. I paid about 40 per set for mine too, but look at it this way-it's only a one time cost and they'll probably last the life of the car.
  • mazdaredmazdared Member Posts: 2
    I really like my 99 ES, except for one thing. From the first day I got it, brand new from the dealer, it has wobbled. Dealer says it's the tires (Bridgestone original equipment) and Firestone says it's the car. At this point, I have decided to replace the tires at the 23,000 mile mark. What does anyone suggest for the 195/55 R15 ? I've called around and found few choices. I'd appreciate any advice for a smooth riding vehicle.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    "you've always known just where you wanted to go... It's how you've chosen to arrive that's masterful!"

    Happy Anniversary to you and your Mazda! From all of your friends in MAZDATOWN.

    Hehe, skip the card and send me a coupon for a free oil change or something. ;-} Why am I, so damn sarcastic? It still was kinda neat.

    Protegextwo
  • unmarkedcarunmarkedcar Member Posts: 162
    This board has really slowed down!!! where is everyone?
  • unmarkedcarunmarkedcar Member Posts: 162
    Do you have to screw in any holes or do they just snap into place (rubber snaps )? I can't see myself drilling holes into a new car ( rust risk ).
  • glideslopeglideslope Member Posts: 37
    If you go with the factory mudguards the mounting locations are pre-installed. The screws are included in the kit. They are top shelf units, and will easily last the life of the car. They are worth the money IMO.

    Regards,
    Mark
  • glideslopeglideslope Member Posts: 37
    Trudy12,

    My 00 ES is a little loud between 1,500-2,000. It's just the nature of the engine. During a test drive of an 01 ES two weeks ago I did feel it was slightly louder at that RPM than my 00.

    After break-in you could try synthetic oil. My 00 is noticeably quieter at idle, but not at 2,000 RPM. It is much smoother during the cold morning run up to operating temperature.

    Leo,

    I live near Scudley and my ES has been fine all winter on the stock Potenzas. We have had close to 200" of snow so far. Gear selection is a key. Avoid wheel spin.

    Regards,
    Mark
  • glideslopeglideslope Member Posts: 37
    Thought I may have seen you the other day? It was in the mid-late afternoon. I was at the Verizon store on Rt-5 across from Wal-Mart. You were Zooming up Rt-5 and made a left on Rt-173 heading toward the hill. I tried to catch you but could not make the light. Maybe next time. Was it you?

    Regards,
    Mark
  • westcoast1westcoast1 Member Posts: 1
    For those of you that purchased your ES in black, any regrets? I was thinking of purchasing a black ES but was concerned about possible scratches and minor dents showing up glaringly. I'm careful with my car and don't mind the extra maintenance, so those things don't factor into the equation. Also, has anyone with the silver ESs tinted their windows? Do you think it highlights the alloys better? Personally, I thought there was too much silver otherwise.
  • tomcivilettitomciviletti Member Posts: 207
    I've spent many hours perusing the test data and user reported data at http://www.tirerack.com/tires/index.jsp and suggest you consider the following tires for the '99-'00 es. Some are 195/55-15, others are 205/55-15. If ride is more important than handling, you may also want to look at tires in 195/60-15 which is included in several lower price tire models. the nonstock tires should fit, but will cause a small speedo error and change gearing slightly. Actual size related to stated size varies eg, the bridgestone re730 in 205/55 is just a tad taller than the re92 in 195/55. You can check actual dimensions on tirerack.


    in no particular order:


    dunlop sp sport w-10 - cheap and good handling

    dunlop sp sport 9000 - expensive, quiet and comfortable, great hydroplane resistace. Standard on '01 es

    dunlop sp sport 5000 - comfortable and quiet, rated for snow

    kumho ecsta supra 712 - cheap,comfortable and quiet

    bridgestone potenza re730 - fantastic handling in wet and dry


    All are high performance tires of some type, so handling will be better than "touring" tires. Prices vary a lot. These should all last longer than the stock re92's. Generally, the most quiet and comfortable are not the best handling, so it depends on your priorities. I care about handling, but I want a tire quieter on rough pavement than the re92's.

  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    My last Protege, a 1999 DX, was silver. I found that little dings (bumpers) show up very easily with the silver, and hopefully they will not with the black. (I now have a 2001 ES 2.0 Premium in black.)

    I crossed the 600-mile mark (actually, now at 700, in only one week!). I got to open up the engine a little bit because of passing the break-in, and it's sweet! Great power, but it is a little noisy. But it's good noise, not bad. Still loving my ES alot!
  • jk111jk111 Member Posts: 125
    vocus, wow you switched cars alreay?
    About dings, I have a black 99. The road dings doesn't really appear until you look really close. But I guess that just depends on how picky you are. I tried car bras, but they send me the wrong one.. long story.
    I just changed my spark plug to bosch platinum this morning. Didn't really see any performance differences, but the pick up from a dead stop is a little more direct. Btw, I didn't know they use NGK R plugs in 99 es.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I have wanted the ES model every since I had got the DX, but couldn't afford it back then. This time, they tried to talk me into a leftover 2000 model but I wasn't having it! I got EXACTLY what I wanted, a 2001 ES 2.0 with auto. and Premium Pkg. LOVE IT!!!! :)
  • lindathomp2000lindathomp2000 Member Posts: 39
    I just test drove a 2.0 stick shift, ES. o% financing is offered now. Great deal, I think. It seems a little loud. Nice pick=up though. I have a '95 Pro now and boy what a difference.
  • nikecarnikecar Member Posts: 460
    I know fellow Alty owners with the BS R730's and they say the tires are excellent.
  • scudleyscudley Member Posts: 10
    Mark,

    That could very well have been me...what a small world.

    -Scud
  • speedyptspeedypt Member Posts: 200
    I'll keep this short and to the point.

    4 cylinder + high altitude (Arizona and New Mexico mountains) + heavily loaded 2000 ES Protege Auto = SLOW acceleration. Yep. It's true. I had trouble accelerating with my car. Once it was up to speed everything was great. The heavy load of my stuff actually made the car ride great!

    Gas mileage was outstanding for the trip, at 31.4 mpg overall. I ran 70-80mph the whole way too! Not bad for a fully loaded car at that speed.

    My friend that drove with me got a ticket for 87 in a 75mph in New Mexico. Bummer for him but not too expensive at $69 total fine.

    I could barely hear the engine or wind noise for the whole trip. The stereo cranking out the tunes really made the trip enjoyable. Has anyone else noticed that the CD's come out fairly warm in their Proteges? Tire noise was my biggest complaint for the trip, as those POORtenzas (Thanks for allowing me to use your word Meade) amplified every bump and crack in the road. I love their grip, but the noise is really starting to bother me.

    Seat comfort. Wonderful. No complaints whatsoever for the trip. The adjustments for the drivers seat made it more comfortable than the front passenger seat. I was very happy to be driving the Protege on this trip.

    Some observations so far in Chicago (Arlington Heights actually): Bumps. The Protege is kind of harsh here. I guess I am too used to the smooth roads of Phoenix. Cold starting: It cranks slower in sub 20 degree weather, but never fails to start. I finally put clean Mobil 1 oil in yesterday. Cold starting is now better. (I was using Valvoline Tri-Synthetic).

    Regards to all, especially suchismit. I'll be looking for you my friend. When are we doing the CAPP? (Chicago Area Protege Picnic). Let plan on April sometime, cool?

    Pete
  • mazdaredmazdared Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Tom C. for the tire information. I really appreciate all the choices you outlined. So many choices!!
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    Hi,
    I am currently looking at a lot of cars and I was wondering what you guys have paid for your proteges, especially the ES and LX 2.0 (2001 models), I think I'd go with the ES, but I don't really care for spoilers that much. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks in advance,
    Reg
  • the_big_hthe_big_h Member Posts: 1,583
    just search for 'Zoom Zoom Zoom' as the song title and you should get a whole bunch of results back to you.

    H
  • nikecarnikecar Member Posts: 460
    glad youmade the trip safely.. welcome back..
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    the ability of the "poortenzas" to travel in wet slippery weather, I will attempt to SAFELY answer that concern! It is almost 12:00 a.m. and I am leaving work from Harrisburg, PA. in a "wintery mix" of bad weather, hehe; to travel home to Lancaster, PA. The "wintery mix" is a !@%$#!&* mix of snow, sleet and ice rolled up into a drive from hell. I will report on the performance of both, my beloved 2000 PRO-ES and (hopefully) the sure footed OME Bridgestones, lol!!! I will possibly, re-post in a hour. (;-0) yikes!

    Respectfully;
    Larry
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    In my opinion the Mazda Protege does very well in snow and ice. The weather and roads were awful, but my PRO-ES was solid. My motto, know the capabilities of your car in bad weather and do not over-drive those capabilities. I was able to drive at 45 mph most of the way home on very icy roads during some pretty heavy sleet and snow. BTW, I feel the Bridgestones "Poortenzas's" are week on wet roads, but more than capable in the snow.

    -Larry
  • nikecarnikecar Member Posts: 460
    My wife finds they aren't the best during wet windy conditions.. she was on the highway to church and a big storm with nice wind gusts made her freak out, so she came back home.

    and 2 times on wet roads I've spun out the tires trying to accelerate from a stop.
  • borgf15borgf15 Member Posts: 29
    Reg:
    If you use the Splan pricing (see previous posts on how to do this) you will be able to get $900+ UNDER invoice as your price; 1.5% under invoice - 750 rebate. We paid a total of 15357 for our 2001 ES 2.0 w/ prem pkg. invoice was 16301, MSRP was 17595.
  • borgf15borgf15 Member Posts: 29
    On our first fillup we have gotten 28.8 mpg on about 75% city and 25% hwy. (01 ES 2.0)
    So....pretty much the same as EPA estimates.

    Question for those of you who have the moonroof deflector: Is it worth it? Does it work in decreasing the wind noise and preventing rock chips etc.?
  • lindathomp2000lindathomp2000 Member Posts: 39
    I live in upstate NY and have a 95 Protege (my wife's car) and a 96 Altima. I have used no wax on either vehicle and both have great finishes. The product I discovered through a co-worker is a waterless spray cleaner called Dri Wash 'n Guard. It is amazing and very safe for the clearcoat and metallic finishes. They make other products for tires, metals, vinyl/leather, carpets, etc etc. I have most of the products and am very satisfied. In the winter, we run the car through the car wash but when the good weather comes, it's dri wash 'n guard or nothing at all.
    george
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I have just over 700 miles on my 2001 ES 2.0, and averaging 23-25 mpg in a mix of 65/35 highway/city driving. I got to open the engine up a bit, since I passed the 600 mile mark. Boy, is it fun! :) The engine is a little loud, and vibrates at idle when cold sometimes too. But the power is great, and the noise (when pushing it) is a good kinda noise. Loving my Protege still! :)
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    Since my car has been in the body shop for the past two weeks, I have had to drive my wife's Voyager. Not that it is a bad vehicle, but I sure was glad to get my Pro back! I was just looking for excuses this weekend to get it out and open it up.

    I was all smiles this morning driving to work... until I stopped for gas. While opening the fuel cap release, a gust of wind caught me unawares and slammed my door against one of the barricades at the pump. These were square barricades so it put a nice little crease at the edge of my door. I was so hissed! Luckily, since it was at the edge, I piddled with it a lunch and you can hardly even see it now. focus, I highly recommend you get a little bottle of touch up paint from your dealer. I have a black Pro and I have used it a few times already.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    Last time I use that! It should be pissed (not hissed) and Vocus (and not focus)! Sorry Vocus, but knowing your affinity for the Focus, I had to chuckle just a bit when I saw it make that change.
  • sfratsfrat Member Posts: 208
    From www.caranddriver.com

    With all automakers reporting February sales, the three Detroit based companies -- General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group -- reported that their U.S. sales last month slid a combined 10 percent over the same month last year.

    GM's February sales dipped 9.5 percent, Chrysler's fell off 10.5 percent, and Ford's tumbled 11 percent. The three saw their combined market share narrow by 3.1 points to 66 percent.
    Meanwhile, Japanese and Korean carmakers grabbed 28.3 percent of U.S. sales of cars and light trucks last month, increasing their share by 2.9 percentage points.

    Honda boosted its auto sales in the U.S. last month by 9.4 percent to 91,043 vehicles; Mazda's sales rose 24 percent to 22,865 units; Hyundai Motor Co., Korea's biggest automaker, said sales grew 39 percent to 24,800.
    Toyota Motor Corp., the No. 4 automaker in the U.S., saw total sales gain 1 percent to 127,858, aided by a 13 percent increase in truck demand.
  • the_big_hthe_big_h Member Posts: 1,583
    guess the advertising campaign worked!

    the zoom zoom kid must be getting PAID BIG TIME!!

    Hyundai's increase are probably just because they're cheaper than everybody else.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    Never heard of "Dri Wash and Guard", where do you purchase their products? I have always used a good carnauba wax or lately, a polymer polish to protect and shine my Protege. Nonetheless, I am open to new ideas and products.

    -Larry
  • mjg222mjg222 Member Posts: 5
    Hi, I inquired at my local dealer in PA about purchasing a Protege ES through the S-Plan. He informed me that I could only purchase a DX or LX model not an ES. Actually, he was very rude and informed me that they are in business to make a profit and that why don't I go to Ford and use the plan there. I don't understand why they need to treat people like that; I only asked a question. Can certain models be excluded through this plan? Any help would be appreciated. And I thought using this plan would make life easier! If this doesn't work out, I'll probably go with the Civic EX. There's one another Mazda dealer near me, and I will check with them tomorrow to see what their policy is.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    The S-plan is totally voluntary for the dealers. They will usually not honor it for vehicles that they know they can sell for invoice. All I can suggest is keep looking...

    :)
  • borgf15borgf15 Member Posts: 29
    Just curious, but why would you buy a civic if you can't get the s-plan?
    -Borg
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I bought my loaded 2001 ES 2.0 using the S-plan. They were pissed because I got such a good deal on a car that they could have easily sold $700 above invoice. Their loss. :) And I thought the dealers had to take the S-plan? Guess not...

    ProtegeNic: Since I got my new Protege, I would jump over 25 Focuses (Foci?) to get to my baby! :)

    Had it since 2/26/01 and have 850 miles to date. Loving every minute of it! ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!!!
  • lindathomp2000lindathomp2000 Member Posts: 39
    Here is the information on how to get your Dri Wash 'n Guard. The company is enviro-tech. I was skeptical at first. No water. No scratches. No having to look at water marks. Just a quick and easy clean. It takes about 30 minutes to do a thorough cleaning. Protects. Can;t say enough about the product. For more information, call (702) 262-5599. For a shinier, happier Zoom mobile.
    george
  • hboydhboyd Member Posts: 98
    Only 500 miles on my '01 ES and everything is great... not a single bug/rattle/squeak in the house!!! Only got 25MPG on first tank (mixed). I can never get the tires to squeal on turns (yes, I take 'em fast). I see a few more '01s on the road now... great to see some taste in this city. Automatics take some time to get used to; the transmission shifts at different RPM points depending on the driver input. When I want to accelerate faster, the transmission shifts at higher RPMs than normal. But there is a 1-2 second normal lag between downshifts at highway passing speeds... oh well... I usually was lazy with my old 5-speed... and floored it without downshifting to 4th to pass.... so the automatic is actually quicker for my driving habit.

    MARTIN
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    Just picked up my own pro last wednesday and I love it. It rides kinda stiff, but I like sporty rides. Haven't opened it up yet but I am looking forward to it. I changed my oil at 400 miles just to be safe. What is the REAL break in period, is it 600 miles or 1500 miles? I have heard both. Speaking of the "zoom zoom" kid, he scares me. He looks like Damien Omen or some kid from children of the corn. I had a nightmare that when I took delivery of the car, the zoom zoom kid would pop up in the back seat as I left the dealership and start whispering "zoom zoom". Anyway, its nice to see that there are enthusiastic Protoge owners out there. My car is a sunlight silver 01 Protoge ES 2.0L 5sp and I am getting 35% platinum tint on friday. I went to autoshow this weekend and was sooo glad that I didn't get a sentra, the back end looks too ploopy.
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