Mazda Protege5

winlet28 · July 2002

I want a PR5 with the moonroof and side airbags but CAN NOT find one in my area. They all come without the side airbags. Hmmm, might just be a location thing. Who knows? We were thinking of leather but they too are hard to find. I think we found a red and white but that's it. Plus they want too much money for them.

We are thinking of purchasing an ad vehicle for $15, 738. It has the polished alloys, side blinker thingee, standard CD, keyless, etc. Not a bad deal at all. (We think we can get the credit on the polished alloys since we don't really care for them, no offense to anyone who has them) :-)

Don't forget that Mazda is doing 48 months at 0% APR in lieu of $750 rebate. This is a national offer they are running. It's good til Sept. 3rd.

Meanwhile I'll zoom zoom zoom around in my 2000 Proto. ES

tetonman · July 2002

Okay, I've run around a bit and had some fun driving the Protege5 at a couple of dealers. Quotes are as follows:

Silver 5 speed with only pinstripping - $16,150

Blue 5 speed with moonroof and mats- $16,900

Red 5 speed with moonroof, mats, perimeter alarm - $17,350

All in all, pretty good pricing for a good car. My last question is whether the Protege5 can fit a set of golf clubs or two without knocking down a seat. Thoughts?

Thanks for all your help. May be buying tonight... waiting on a couple of dealers to give me quotes on what's in their inventory.

meinrad · July 2002

are nooooooooooo problem. Fit 3 sets the other night and 3 people. Now if they are those gigoonduss bags, they might be a problem, but these were the typical double strap carry bags that a lot of people have. Probably could fit four but haven't tried yet.

Mostly I have 2 bags and a stroller when my wife and I go to the driving range. I was very happy to have that work out.

subyaudidude · July 2002

Yes, the P5 can hold golf clubs, but it's a tight fit. They're best held diagonally in the trunk, though the can be fit across the width of the trunk at the opening, because of the "notch" between the rear and the wheel well.

The prices you quoted seem a bit high. We got our black P5 with only floormats for around $15,800/$15,900.

tetonman · July 2002

Dealers are all saying this is best price over internet, blah blah blah. Not sure how much lower the pricing can go, but I will try. All the prices are close to TMV, but still a little room to negotiate given invoice pricing. We'll see.

This is in Chicago area, so that may be affecting prices somewhat. Fortunately there are may dealers in the area!

bluong1 · July 2002

a young lady on the Acura RSX wanted to prove her car is better than mine. Left her far behind on the big curve ramp at 85mph. Don't try to play with me. ;-)

Bruno

mazdafun · July 2002

winlet28 · July 2002

Blue 5spd moonroof- $14,988 if you take the 750 mazda cash. 0% financing is looking pretty sweet.

We are going to wait a few weeks.

Does anyone know when the 2003's will be coming in? That will allow the most flexibility for dealers to want to get rid of 2002's. Any changes for 2003's? Or did they do that mid year with the wheels and side blinker?

Thanks all

tetonman · July 2002

That is a very good price...

audia8q · July 2002

I am told the 2003 should show up around the first of october. The bad part is most dealers in our region dont have enough P5's to last until the end of the model year. I have 7 in stock and we sell 15-17 P5's per month.....so in our store the year end prices will be alot higher due to the lack of product.

maltb · July 2002

I don't see why there would be a shortage. There are no major changes so 2002 production will stop one day and 2003 production should pick up at full speed the next. Am I missing somethng here?

khoa_98 · July 2002

So like the Houston sun quickly turns my car into an oven. Has any of the Houston folks gotten their windows tinted and any recommendations on who to go to? I'd prefer not to go to one of those places set up in a stripmall parking lot under a tent.

And for non-houston people, anyone get their moonroof tinted? Why they made that clear glass, I don't know...Oh, and anyone has a caveat or two in general, I'll take those too. Thanks a mil, people.

protege_fan · July 2002

I know a guy who got his moonroof tinted in his P5 with 35% tint. Looks good and he said it makes a big difference.

He made a good point about not going too dark. He said, "What's the point of having a moonroof then?"

I guess if you HATE having it clear, you could go 5% tint and block out 95% of the incoming light.

bluong1 · July 2002

He made a good point about not going too dark. He said, "What's the point of having a moonroof then?"

I though of that few months back here and getting dogged by ... whoever dogs me! Either I open the moonroof, either I close it completely. For me tinted the moonroof is just a waist my money. Oh yeah, tinted windows help greatly in Houston (well at least when it's not raining like last 2 weeks.)

Bruno

protege_fan · July 2002

I don't think it's a total waste getting 35% on...you can still see out of it, but there is a reduction of incoming UV radiation. That's good because there will therefore be a) less heat and b) less damage to the interior.

bluong1 · July 2002

if I'm afraid of UV rays and/or feel too hot, I just shut the thing completely by closing the inner board. I also admit that I don't care of watching the moon through the moonroof. ;-)

Bruno-the-uncompromise

protege_fan · July 2002

What inner board? I don't have a P5 so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

maltb · July 2002

The sliding sunshade

bluong1 · July 2002

pardon my poor english.

maltb · July 2002

Years of experience. I used to work in an import parts store years ago that was in a Vietnamese community. I was able to develop this uncanny sense for what part of the car was being requested.

My two favorites:
bagck-plagck...turned out to be spark plug.
ehsaw....turned out to be air shocks.

noeleon · July 2002

Where can I get the best deal on PR5 in Sacramento,CA area, need help asap.

sunbyrne · July 2002

I had the dealer (Jeff Haas Mazda) do the tint on my P5. Yes, it was pricey, but they did a great job, though I didn't have them tint the moonroof. You can see pics at:

http://byrneweb.com/sunburn/newcar/

vocus · July 2002

When I had my 2001 Protege, I got all the windows tinted at 35% (MD legal limit), and a tint band on the top of the windshield as well. I had the moonroof tinted at 5% too, because it was making the (black) car so hot, I couldn't stand it. The tinting did help cool the interior off a little, but the AC still had a fairly hard time cooling it when it was really hot outside.

Also, my tint band looked like it was coming off the edge of the windshield when I traded the car in at 20K miles (tint was done around 10K).

subyaudidude · July 2002

When I go to the site and try to logon all I end up getting after inputing my username/password and clicking "logon" is a blank page. Anyone else with this problem?

bluong1 · July 2002

mustang87 · July 2002

can one of you guys who went to the cali meet get me David Avard's email address. He has a silver 323 with turbo. I have a friend in the club here in south florida who has a 92 323 hatch and wants to install the turbo on his. Thanks.

mazdafun · July 2002

Make sure scripting is on, graphics is on, Java is on, cookies are accepted.

I don't think you need ActiveX or animated GIFs.

Usually, I find that I need Java and scripting on for most web sites that are interactive to work. If I manage to keep ActiveX off, and scripting off, I find most of those pop-ups don't pop.

tetonman · July 2002

We bought 2002.5 Classic Black Protege5 with only moonroof and floormats this weekend. Great car so far (at 75 miles lol). Worked the deal over the internet with minimal calls with the sales guy at the dealership.

If you are in Chicago area, I recommend contacting as many dealers as you can in your area and others. I ended up buying from Muller Mazda in Highland Park, yet I live in western 'burbs. Seems like many of the dealers still don't get the whole internet thing as less than 60% returned my request for information on their inventory despite telling them that I was planning to buy in a week or less...

Oh well, their loss. If you are interested in a Protege5 in Chicago, I would recommend contacting Mike R. at Muller. Second dealer that worked hard with me was JacobsTwin. All others were average with those that didn't respond (Bill Jacobs and Rosen among others) below that.

One day, dealers will realize that 70% of car buyers use the internet for research before buying a car (according to Chicago Tribune). These numbers will start to use the internet and dealer sites/email to negotiate as well. Those dealers that work this way will profit early and sell more cars IMO.

audia8q · July 2002

yup, your missing something....hahah

We have not been able to order P5's for more than a month because the plant has more orders than they can build for the model year.... and they are not accepting any orders until the 2003 change over. The P5 plant builds for all markets, including P5's that are rebadged in other markets as Fords.... So this is a double edged sword...sales are great but we dont have enough build capacity.

sharonf · July 2002

Firstly, did any of the re-fresh P5's come w/the polished alloys? I read somewhere that they didn't and am just trying to verify.

Second...I've filled up about 4 times now....and my MpG is only aroung 22mpg tops....ranging from 19 something to about 22. It is a sport auto...and I do drive somewhat hard I guess....quick starts....and fast at times. Nonetheless this seems low to me...Any thoughts? Can I expect an increase the more miles I put on?

subyaudidude · July 2002

The polished alloys were not part of the mid-year refresh. They've always been available as an option, so one should be able to get a mid-year refresh with the polished alloys.

As far as mileage goes, I know many people here have complained about decreased mileage. Obviously, hard driving will decrease your expected mileage, as will having an auto tranny. On the flip side, other people have had no problems meeting or exceeding the EPA estimations. On our P5, a base manual, we've been getting between 23 and 26 m.p.g. with mostly city driving. We've only got around 1600 miles on the car, so like you I'm hoping that our mileage gets better as the engine gets broken in.

revka · July 2002

and thanks for sharing the details. Good points about car buying and internet research.... We look forward to hearing more about your Protege5 experience. Happy motoring!

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

mazdafun · July 2002

BTW, I own a Protege sedan and am 6' tall, but have the torso of someone 6'3", so you should be OK with headroom (in fact, the P5 has more rear headroom than the sedan, due to the extended roof line). I weigh 195lb.

I think the load rating for both body types is 850lbs for passengers and cargo.

Proteges as a whole have been very reliable. Better than the new Civic and Corolla, I think.

I think Protegetech.com has a review of the sportshift auto. Basically, it takes about 1s to execute a shift command, will let you redline the engine, and won't let you do something silly like dropping a gear when already close to redline (it'll basically ignore). Expect economy close to the regular auto. For the extra $100, I'd get it for the additional fun factor and also the ability to hold a specific gear.

The ride is stiffer in the Pro than in the Civic and Corolla, but coming from a sporty sedan, that should be OK with you.

maltb · July 2002

It's the gas. Our California gas never gets me close to EPA numbers: especially when the engine is still tight. I don't think you will see much change util 8-10k miles. If you are desperate for some good numbers, you can cross the border and fill up in Oregon. Otherwise just be satisfied that you are doing your part for clean air (*cough*).

protege_fan · July 2002

Are you guys still using MTBE out there?

maltb · July 2002

Clean air, dirty ground water...

All because the refineries need to pay for the investment into that equipment. It's a crazy world.

protege_fan · July 2002

That's sickening....and sad really.

eleets00 · July 2002

Ok, here we go. I own a Green 2000 Grand Prix GT. bought it brand new. Problem is around 30.5K miles the transmission failed. Now I'm considering trading it in for a Protégé or Protégé 5. I'm considering the trade because I no longer trust my car, due to past experience w/a 96 Ford Contour, that lost 2 transmissions in less than 8 months & was on its way to losing the 3rd when I traded it for the Grand Prix. Ford put rebuilt tranny's in my Contour. Pontiac just rebuilt the tranny in the car. Now, I am fully aware that I'm about to give up 70 horses, but I willing to go this route to be able to do more w/my money elsewhere. Are the Protégé's worth it? I don't know how to drive a 5-speed, so I'm looking at the 4-speed w/the sport shift. How is this 4-speed sport compared to the regular 4-speed auto? I'm 6ft tall & weigh 250lbs. Will I be comfortable & is getting in/out of the vehicle difficult? The Protégé is the only compact car that I like plus appears to have the most interior space. I like the look of the Protégé ES over the Protégé 5, but figured might as well have the extra cargo space just in case. Well any info you all can provide will be greatly appreciated. Also, does can anyone who drives a stick in rush hour traffic (Atlanta or Miami)tell me if it is worth learning to drive a stick to be in that mess everyday shift'g?

protege_fan · July 2002

Go here: http://www.protegetech.com/title.htm

On the right-hand side is an article on mid-year changes. He talks about the new sport-shift auto.

Also, I think the Protege is more than worth what I paid for it. It's a great car IMHO.

bluong1 · July 2002

I always drive stick my whole life, and still couldn't understand why people complain so much about stick in rush traffic. It doesn't bother me at all. Now if you switch from automatic to manual, it may be another story.

BTW, I love my car!

Bruno

dsm6 · July 2002

I own a 99 Grand Prix GTP and 02 Protege ES. I like them both. The Protege easily out handles the overweight GP. It has much better road feel, steering and superior brakes both in terms of peddle feel and braking power. What you give up is torque, though not as much in your case going from the GT to a Pro. I find the power in the Pro merely adequate for its weight, whereas that GTP gives a nice kick in the pants when you mash the accelerator. I miss the GTPs power sometimes - In the Pro, you have to think ahead quite a bit more when you are going to need power. Other than that, I don't miss it at all. The Pro is a better built and designed car. You can really feel the difference in the more sophisticated suspension in the lighter, more nimble Pro.

The other big differences are in fit and finish and general build quality. My Pro is way ahead of my GTP. The GTP, by the way, has been in for repairs 10 times - very disappointing. One time was to have the tranny rebuilt.

One thing to consider on Pro sedan vs. Pro5 - the Pro5 is currently much hotter than Pro Sedan, at least in my area. The end result is that the Pro sedan, being less expensive to begin with, can be had for closer to invoice to boot. Plus, incentives (rebates, etc.) may be better.

mazdafun · July 2002

True, you can get 0% for up to 60 months on either, or get $1500 back on the sedan v. $750 on the P5.

subyaudidude · July 2002

I think the 0% is only available for 48 months on the P5 ... at least according to Mazdausa.com

EDIT: From MazdaUSA.com:
"Get 0.0% APR for 60 months and make no monthly payments until January 2003 on Protegé and Truck.*

Get 0.0% APR for 48 months and make no monthly payments until January 2003 on Protegé5, 626, Millenia, Miata and MPV.*

Get 0.0% APR for 24 months and make no monthly payments until January 2003 on Tribute.*"

eleets00 · July 2002

Protege_fan & dsm6... Do you guys have sticks or automatics or auto-sport shift? If you have the auto's, how do you like them? I've always driven automatics, so I know switch'g to a stick all of sudden, may be dangerous in Atlanta rush hour traffic trying to learn. Again, thanks for your input before & now...

protege_fan · July 2002

Manual all the way. BTW, I've got an '01 LX, not a P5.

Sporin · July 2002

I'm 6' tall, long torsoed, and over 300lbs. I fit really well in my P5. it's got as much room as my 99 Passat had.

dsm6 · July 2002

Mine is a manual. I personally wouldn't have it any other way. Opinions vary, but I find it no big deal to operate in stop-and-go traffic. However, I wouldn't want to learn how to operate a manual that way. You need to learn where it isn't going to matter when (notice I don't say if) you stall the car. Most people pick up on it quickly, though.

noeleon · July 2002

Red PR5 with AT, Moonroof, ABS with side airbags, mats for $377.00 a month for 48 months with 0 down and 0% apr. Is this a good deal?

c_mcpeak · July 2002

Hi all, just wanted to recommend anyone in the Bay Area who is looking for a Pro5 to check out Menlo Mazda in Redwood City. They responded right away to my internet query, and had the car I wanted on the lot. Drove down there, took the car for a spin (fresh off the truck, it only had 2 miles on it), and bought it that night. Paid $14.5K for a 2002.5 blue 5spd with floormats and CD/casette, with 3.9% for 48 months. Would've taken the 0% offer, but I've never had a car loan before so I didn't qualify for that.

Anyway, the internet guys (Mike Hui and Fred Wurt) were really helpful and informative, and weren't pushy at all. And I really appreciated that on my first "new car" buying experience.

So far so good! Plus I seem to be getting "normal" mileage unlike a lot of new owners, but we'll have to see over time.

One question, though - when should I do the first oil change? I'm thinking that I shouldn't leave the "break-in" oil in until the first service period, but should it be changed at 1500, 3000, 5000, what?

maltb · July 2002

does that monthly payment include tax and licenses? if so it's hard to compare because each locality is different. However, $18096 out the door sounds like a sweet deal. Am I missing something?

Mazda Protege5

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