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Comments
I read your previous post #687 that you had a really good deal on your 2001 ES 2.0 w/ prem pkg. You paid for a total of $15357 with tax. and lic included? Where did you get yours? I am interested in getting a Pro ES and just joined the EAA yesterday to get the S-plan. Does anyone know of a good place to get it in the Bay Area in California?
Thanks
Ariel
The invoice on the Sentra SE that the dealer's selling for $15,800 is (assuming with freight and it's a 5-sp) $13624 (base) + $540 (freight) + $519 (Power Sunroof) +$606 (SAB/ABS) + $31 (Microfilter) +$172 (180-watt Stereo) = $15,492. So it's $308 over invoice.
The invoice on a '01 ES is $14,525 (base) + $480 (freight) + $1,296 (Premium Package - Carpet floor mats, Glass electric front sunroof, Front-wheel ABS, Front side airbag) = $16301. $16,301 - $237 (S-Plan) - $750 rebate = $15,314.
The ES has floormats that the SE doesn't have, but without the 180-watt stereo and microfilter.
The Nissan dealer is willing to work with me and they can get me the car around $15.5 to $15.8K. Plus, I'm not too fond of the 2001 Protege's front styling, and I like the interior of the Sentra much more. Back seat space is not a concern for me. My insurance premiums will be cheaper with the Sentra, too. Also, safety is important, and the Sentra got a higher score in the offset IIHS crash test.
Anyway, my sister has 2000 ES and needs to replace two tires ASAP, she says the only tires she can get on short notice are made by Nito. They seem to be an after-market specialty/performance company, but I can't find much else about them. Have you heard anything about them? I haven't seen the tires, but I'm guessing they might be made for performance, not all weather driving etc.
Thanks
-Quake
Cheers
I know it sounds crazy -- but the autos do get better gas mileage, at least with the 1.8 liter engine.
Meade
I think the difference in mileage that you experience is related to driving habits. If you baby your 5spd, you'll get better gas mileage than he can. I assume he got the automatic as he is a less aggressive driver and the converse is true for most M/T buyers.
Mazda's EPA estimates for the 2000 1.8L:
M/T 26 city/30 hwy
A/T 24 city/29 hwy
Most importantly Meade, have fun and keep the 5-speed.
BTW, my 2001 ES 2.0 has almost 1600 miles already, and still loving it!
will help me too...in case...God Forbid something happens to my cars.
See ya there!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
What's the difference in the Fun Factor?
Does the 2.0L rev silky and sweet like the 1.8L?
or does it drag like the other models?
Meade
1.8 vs. 2.0: I drove a 2000 ES for one day, because the dealer wanted me to buy that leftover 2000 model instead of a new 2001. I felt a little difference at low speeds, but not alot. The 2.0 feels like it has more power at low speeds (below 4000 rpm) than the 1.8 did. I hardly go above 4000-4500 rpm when accelerating from a stop in first gear. The car seems to have plenty of power.
Meade
The performance is different definitely. The handling is a little better, more in part of the bigger tires that hold longer when cornering. The brakes (4-wheel disc with ABS on my ES, vs. disc/drum without on the DX I had) are alot better. I hardly have to step on them now, and the car stops dead. Before, it felt sometimes like I wasn't going to stop in time and I was also always afraid of skidding in the rain. However, the driver's seat doesn't seem to to back as far as it did in my DX though. It's roomy enough for me, but still noticeably closer to the wheel when all the way back, to me anyway.
BTW, Meade, it's Black Mica if you didn't know. And it's automatic with cassette and the Premium Pkg.
Is it possible the response of the automatic gets better over time? (there is a previous comment mentioning this a bit)
I'm still doing break-in (550 km) and the relatively minor 'lag' in acceleration when hitting the gas seems to be decreasing. The transmission seems to have real brains (not any extra up/down shifting) compared to other cars, my previous automatic experience being my '90 Corsica (yuk, don't miss it) and plenty of later model rental cars (Sunbird, Contour, Thunderbird, Malibu, etc).
BTW, my first car was a GLC 5-speed sport(showing my age a bit here) and the ES has the same signal light/ headlight switch as the GLC! I think the wiper/mist switch is the same but I can't remember if there was intermittent wipers.
My odometer just turned past the 35,000 miles mark and I figure I'll give everyone an update on my Protege!
1999 Mazda Protege ES 5-spd, Classic Red
Accessories/parts added since new:
28% Fully metallized titanium tint on rear doors and rear glass
33% Fully metallized titanium tint on front doors
Momo chrome/leather shift knob
Mazda front and rear mud flaps
Nitto NT450 "Extreme Performance" 205/50R15 tires
Midas front brake pads
Bosch +4 spark plugs
This car has been an absolute blast to drive for the past 25 months. I bought the car at John Hine Mazda in San Diego for $14,800 after the $500 rebate and discounts. This was one of three ES models which were the dealership's first shipment of ES's. It has two options on it: cassette player and carpeted floor mats. I wish I would have waited for the ES Premium Package, but I like the car as it is.
The Classic Red paint has held up extremely well. It has been polished once and waxed about once every 3-4 months. It is still shiny and reflective and shows no sign of oxidation (a major problem with non-clear coated red paint such as this). The clear coated alloy wheels show no signs of peeling or corrosion. The light gray "ES Cloth" interior still looks new, but the light gray carpet is a pain to keep clean and I think my factory floor mats have just about had it. Dirt and mud and sand and grease have taken their toll on them. The floor mats themselves are still in decent condition, but the Protege embroidery is beginning to unravel. That new off-black interior sounds pretty appealing.
The original equipment tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE92 195/55R15) only lasted me about 17,000 miles. I replaced them at 19,000 miles with Nitto NT450 "Extreme Performance" 205/50R15's. The Bridgestone's were going to cost about $150 each, and I certainly was not impressed with the loud tread noise or the quick wear. The Nitto's provide better grip, are much quieter, and cheaper at $78 per tire. They also don't hydroplane as bad as the Bridgestone's did and I still have about 65% tread 16,000 miles later. The slightly wider tread-width and lower profile offers more crisp handling response and gives that car an even sportier appearance, particularly from the rear.
I replaced the spark plugs at 34,000 miles. I used the Bosch "Plus 4" spark plugs. They were a bit pricey ($5.99 each) and I was skeptical at first. However, I am getting slightly better gas mileage and the engine is running noticeably cooler and smoother. I replaced the air filter with a new Mazda air filter at 25,000 miles. I also change my oil every 3,000-4,000 miles since I drive that car pretty hard (the tach swings past 5,000rpm quite often).
The clutch is beginning to show signs of wear, but that is my driving for sure. Over rough roads, there are a few rattles from the front door panels, which have been noisy since new. The suspension is still very tight. I replaced the front brakes at 30,000 miles. I was cheap and didn't want to spend the extra money to have the dealership put new Mazda brake pads on it, so I went with Midas. I regret that very much. The Midas brake pads squeal like a Ford on a rainy day. Plus, they don't have the grip the Mazda pads did.
Overall, I am very happy with the car. It still runs very strong and smooth even with all of the abuse I put into it (actually, I think it likes it). The small rattles are expected in a car with this stiff of a ride. I only had one warranty repair on it: the windshield gasket was replaced at 5,000 miles because it was leaking. No problem since. After 35,000 miles, I still highly recommend the Mazda Protege to anyone looking for sporty, small sedan.
Zoom. Zoom. And Still Zooming!!!!
Respectfully;
Larry
Thanks, Larry
-Jerry Zoom.Zoom.
Yes, there are a few buzzes in the front door/dash areas ocassionally, but not too serious.
Just bought a new 01 Protege ES automatic in Millenium Red with cassette and floor mats (trying to keep cost down). My dealer had to trade to get the red so he claims the other dealer gets the dealer 1.5% floor plan kickback from Mazda. So instead of the the normal 1.5% under invoice, I got the car at invoice. under the S plan. I didn't want to argue about it so I accepted the deal.
Is he pulling a fast one on me?
Anyways, I'll be zoom zooming on Saturday.
Thanks to you guys for the EAA "S" plan info. It saved me a bunch of $!
P.S. I love the flags!
For everyone:
We just got back from a 1500 mile round trip to Colorado. What a pleasurable car to drive!! Our 01 ES makes that trip so much better! We averaged anywhere from 30-32 MPG (hwy) depending on the conditions and at speeds of 70-80.
We did have a hair raising experience though...
The weather wasn't the best (rain/snow/slush).
As we were going up I-70 into the mountains our car started to overheat. I couldn't believe it, especially with a new car, and we had to pull over when the needle fastly approached "H". We let the car cool down then continued. Come to find out, the ENTIRE front of the car was iced over, thus no airflow getting thru. Boy was i glad to find out that was the problem and nothing more serious!!
Cheers!
The car before the DX, a 1996 Chevy Cavalier, used to get hot quickly. Its temp. gauge always sat to the upper side of the middle. One time, in the summer with the AC running in the city, it almost touched the red "H" zone. I told the dealer, and they said it was totally normal.
Actually, the engine temp. is determined by the thermostat. The computer can change fuel mixture for the temperature of the engine, but it has no control over the temp itself.
meaning, I have driven Japanese cars (suzuki,toyota,mazda) and the temp needle never went up beyond the center level - even after a 10 hour drive or a stop-n-go 3 hrs. city driving.
on the other hand I have driven american cars(GM, Ford) and their temp needle fluctuates like hell. eg. my current taurus starts with needle on the bottom and goes upto 3/4 level in city driving and 1/2 level on highway cruising.
Really missed your opinions on the Protege.
Are you still in San Diego or moved? (curious)
Keep in touch with the board and please post some pictures of your Classic Red ES - a rare sight indeed.
To repeat my last post:
ENGINE TEMPERATURE IS CONTROLLED BY THE THERMOSTAT.
Listen carefully -- and I do mean CAREFULLY -- when you're on nice, smooth pavement, with the windows up, the fan off, and the radio off. Do it on a 35-mph or 45-mph road ... if you do it on the highway, you'll never hear the ticking because of the tire noise. The whole time the cruise control is on, there is a faint "tick ... tick ... tick" coming from behind the glove box. In fact, you can hear it better if you OPEN the glove box. It isn't a pebble in my tire, because (a) I can hear it go away and come back with the cruise control off and on, and now -- and here's proof it's not my imagination -- (b) my friend's ES does it too. I'm not making this up! It sounds a lot like the sound the second hand on a quartz clock makes in a room when everything's silent. Once you hear it once, you never stop hearing it!
Meade