Mazda Protegé

nikecar

our insurance went up like $30 from the previous car, but then we have all the coverages with high limits (100/300/100 etc..) and a $0 and $100 deductable on comp and collision but which is which I don't know. Good to have the wife work for our insurance company.. we've tried searching for cheaper, but the next cheapest was $600 more... ouch.

nematode

I drove EVERYTHING in the econo/compact class and arrived at the ES 2.0. I picked it up with 16 miles and I only have 40 miles on it so far. Was going to get the 5spd but this car is only for commuting and a weekend errand. So far its pretty impressive.

The way I rated them (all included and just pure opnion based on value):
1) Protege ES 2.0

2) Nissan Sentra SE

3tie) Ford Focus ZTS
3) Hyundai Elantra GLS

4) Honda Civic EX

5tie) Volkswagen Golf GL 2.0
5) Toyota Corolla/Prizm SE/LSi
5) Mitsubishi Mirage LS

6tie)Chevrolet Cavalier LS
6) Dawoo Lanos
6) Dawoo Nubira SE
6) Kia Sephia LS

hboyd

Good Choice! If this is your first Mazda, it certainly won't be your last one! WELCOME!

By the way, I've NEVER had one of my Mazdas stolen in last 13 years. I have had a few minor break-ins (windows smashed) and one stolen aftermarket radio in previous Mazdas. Proteges and 323s (previous generation Proteges) have a LOW theft rating. And people don't steal the stinkin' brand emblem off 'em (i.e., Hondas). I guess flying "M"s don't have the appeal of dull "H"s... hehehehe ..

My '88 323 had the main silencer (muffler and piping) replaced after only 2 years... under warranty of course... Probably too many short trips and errands to burn off the water in the system. I was really surprised that my '01 ES catalytic convertor is defective. Ohhhh well... doesn't affect my total enjoyment of the car. Still zoooming with a little buzzz... buzzzz/rattle;)
Dealer will have the part next week... along with another free car wash, cup of coffee, and this time a loaner/rental... maybe a free oil change!!

MARTIN

panamaltd2

hboyd-
Is the rattle/buzzing that you hear coming from the front doors? Just wondering because that is what happens on mine, but like you said it doesn't do it all the time. Zoom-Zoom, Sam

jk111

man, I pay some high insurance. Currently I am paying about 800 bucks for 6 months. And that is WITH co-coverage from my mom. They going to murder me when I get the Celica...

fowler3

depending on your age, driving record, state you live in, the car you bought, and other factors the insurance companies come up with, which may or may not have anything to do with you. =P

My insurance is $319 for 6 months, clean record, drive only 6500 miles a year, and I'm over 50. It costs more in NC than when I lived in VA. This state has a bad rating.

fowler3

kerensky

I live in Northern VA (Herndon to be exact) and am looking into purchasing a Protege. Can anyone recommend a good dealer for both purchasing and service? Unfortunately the only dealers near me are Rosenthal Mazda in Vienna & Arlington and Brown's Fairfax Mazda. I've already heard some bad things about Rosenthal Mazda's though. I'd hate to have to choose another vehicle just because there isn't a good dealer near me. Anyway, I appreciate any help and feedback.

unmarkedcar

I get the buzing sound too. I think it is from the plastic VENT ( OR WHATEVER THAT THING IS ) under the passenger seat. I do not know why?.

theparallax

I've never seen so many Protege's in the same place!

http://members.fortunecity.com/kylinfire/20010506/page_01.htm

unmarkedcar

I get the buzing sound too. I think it is from the plastic VENT ( OR WHATEVER THAT THING IS ) under the passenger seat. I do not know why?.

jstandefer

Thanks for the link to the Taiwan Protege/Ford Tierra Gathering...

However, I think I am going to be sick now! A bunch of Protege wagons with Ford emblems plastered all over them! Ughh!!! LOL

unmarkedcar

I can not stand ford...puke puke

theparallax

Yeah, it kind of makes me mad how Ford gets to rebadge Protege's as Fords, and they get a nice vehicle, but when Ford gives us one of their vehicles (Ranger=B4000, Escape=Tribute), they turn out to be pieces of crap!

hboyd

I certainly hope that Mazda NAO does NOT put those awful-looking circular, bright-chrome mesh grills in the next Proteges... or those ugly circular taillamp fixtures... Please do NOT make our Proteges look like Lexus ISs!!! .. They should and ... do look like Mercedes and Audis... more European in design, taste, and performance. I'm waiting for the HYDROGEN-powered or fuel-cell-powered MAZDA. Hybrids are great, but we do not need another fossil-fuel burning engine... even if it is electrically assisted. Come on Mazda, show us what your engineering really can do!!!

just my 2 cents

MARTIN

the_big_h

man, on their web site they said 103 cars were at the meet... wow... when will there ever be a Protege meet of THAT size anywhere in the US, and all of them modified in some way or other... wow... I never knew there's such big following for the Protege/Tierra in Taiwan. I'll have to check them out next time I go to Taiwan.

I'll have to ship my Protege to Taiwan and join their little meet!

thanks parallax for the link

p.s. it's just godawful that Ford simply stuck their badge on the Tierra without any attempt to differentiate from the Proteges. At least Escape/Tribute looks completely different from each other...

ajb4

I just got a '01 protege es last month and was wondering about the gas milage. I drive 70% highway and about 30% city and am getting 22 mpg.

mdriver

Unless you are doing over 90mph on your highway driving, 22 sounds very low. That's V6 territory. You don't say whether you have auto or 5M, but I suspect (and hope) it's an auto.

vocus

If you all think your insurance is high, check out mine. I have State Farm, 50/100/50 coverage, $0/100 ded. for comp./collision, and rental/road side assistance. My insurance is $213 a month. I live in the city though, and am only 22. But, this is with all the safety discounts (side air bags, ABS) and having our house insurance with the same company. Still think it's high, and I also have 1 point. The ES was like $30 more a month compared to the 1999 Protege DX I used to have.

mazdafun

I think agents may still have some leeway on what rates they actually charge. For instance, I'll get different quotes from different agents representing the same insurance company for the exact same policy (coverage limits, vehicles, locations etc.).

I think I get lower rates from my current agent because he's been in the business for a while and is happy to live with leaner commissions than agents who've been in the business a shorter time.

I have 100/300/100 limits, with $500 deductibles on collision and comprehensive. I also have homeowner's and an umbrella liability policy with the same company. My 99' LX costs about $300/6 months to insure. Sounds like they now differentiate between the LX and ES models (they didn't when I shopped in early '99).

chikoo

I pay nearly that much as my ES's montly installment....

my insurance is something like 93USD for 2 cars ES and Taurus(old one though)..with exactly the same plan from ALLSTATE!!!

unmarkedcar

I pay $429.00 a month for my protege and pay $115.00 a month for insurance. Can anyone beat that? I live in GA.

newcar31

I pay $274 a month on my 01 ES (48 month mazda credit loan) and about $140 for insurance.

rnd2

change your deductable, don't go to high try 250/500 in 6 months you will save more money than the higher deductable, put the money you saved on insurance away for when you have to use your insurance, you will have lower payments and the money to pay the higher deductable in about 6 monthes to a year at the most

unmarkedcar

I meant I pay the most (total for insurance and the loan).

vocus

I beat you there though. My car payment is $424.95 a month and the insurance is like $213 a month. I pay the most.

unmarkedcar

Ok you beat me. I was upside down almost 4K. that is why my payments are so high. What is your story?

protegenic

What part of GA are you in?

Thanksfully I can not even compete in you and Vocus payment/insurance contest!

nematode

What kinds of pressure are you guys running? I like 42psi but wife complains so I had to back it off to 37psi. At 35psi I think it loses that BMW feel. By the way I think the Dunlops are FANTASTIC for dry traction.

We have an Subaru Outback Ltd. and the Protege ES 2.0 and pay about $1200/year for full coverage on both in Missouri.

chikoo

tell point v/s point how and where are the differences between a Pro ES 1.8/2.0 and a BMW 3-series? (other than luxury factor)

hkchan

Stop everything. Go out and change the pressure back to what Mazda recommends. Never deviate from that unless you really know what you're doing, especially when you're talking 42 psi. 42 psi may even exceed what Dunlop considers to be safe.

conheady

Yes I did get it hooked up in the right place. I've had it on for over 2 months now. Since I've had my car I always "pay at the pump" get the reciept and write my mileage on it. It's a great way to keep tabs on fuel mileage. So I marked down when I installed the FuelMax and I was going to throw everything in an excel spreadsheet after 6 months and get some real data.

I can tell you from just experience that for the $20 I paid for the fuel max, it is well worth it. Immediately after I put it on I had a tank of gas that lasted longer than any other. Since then it has gone down, but I can still tell that each gallon is going farther than it did without the device. Has it saved me money? Maybe. Will it save me money over the course of the summer?- yes.
The engine seems to idle much smoother since I have put it in also.

Apparently, the EPA has this device listed as a emissions reducer as well. Thats a sure sign of more eficcient combustion. Which may also lead to a cleaner engine. I changed my oil after 1k miles of installing to check the build up of grime. It was darker than usual. That could be a side effect of running cleaner fuel through the engine. "Cleaner" fuel will dissolve grime stuck to engine components and they will eventually get flushed out into the oil.

I'm going to take the car down to the a lab at my old college and get emissions samples and see what the result is on that. I have a friend that will be doing a study on the emissions reduction properties of the device.

I'm not %100 sure that these changes in the fuel mileage or condition of my engine are the result of the FuelMax (FuelBoss, FuelSaver). It may be the result of changes in driving habits, weather or scheduled maitenance. I won't be sure until I can look into it further. But what I have seen for $20 ain't bad at all.

conheady

The folks at valvoline will pump my tires up to 35, while the dealer guys will go as high at 36. the manual says 32- so I keep it at 32. Even though the guys who sold me the Michelin Pilots V4's said 35 would be fine. Anything higher than what's recommended by the manufacturer could hurt your gas mileage greatly- and may decrease the safety of your car.

A good way to check and see how high you can go is by over inflating them (42-44) and driving around (1-2 miles) so the air heats up and expandes. Then let the air out slowly while holding a strait-edge across the top of your tire. You want the tire to have an almost level surface- but not perfectly level, because the air inside will shrink a bit when it cools. This will give you the best gas mileage when driving long distances.

guyindasky1

Has anyone seen these yet at a dealer?...I'm itchin' to drive and probably buy one.

unmarkedcar

PROTEGENIC, I live in the GWINNETT area.

Sporin

I stopped by my dealer the other day and they didn't have any yet.

vocus

I have a 12.7% loan rate. I didn't have bad credit, just too many inquiries on it. I also was upside down by $1000 or so, but that's all. Of course, I had 2 cars to trade in too. I sold one and traded the other in. Put down a total of $5750, and still have $425 a month payments.

nematode

I think that 42psi is perfectly safe for the 5000s. My friend autoXes with 50psi and runs normally at 40psi. The limit on the Dunlops is 51psi (I think. It could be 52psi). I just like a REALLY firm ride and have found that higher (but still way under the limit) pressures allow me to extend tire life 20-30% (or more) over the average. BUT I do have to admit that most people who ride in my car tend to complain about the "harsh" ride. Its too bad!!! Its my car and I like it that way!!! The exception is when my wife complains.....I ride with her every day so I have to do something.

Does everyone check their tire pressure with every fill up? I do. My fanatical behavior.

But I'm less fanatical about oil changes. I do the first oil change at 3k and then its 6-7k after that with regular dino oil. My 1990 Taurus went over 150k with 6-7k oil changes with no engine trouble. Everything else was falling apart but the engine ran like new!!! 26mpg on the highway even at 150k!!! Its the car I traded for the ES. Even got $400 trade after my best deal.

What I am fanatical about is the transmission fluid every 15k. I got 150k+ on the Taurus on the original transmission doing it so I'm going to keep doing it.

unmarkedcar

I did not put anything down. I turned in a 2000 nissan frontier king cab XE (which I had for only 6 months). I bought a 2001 LX 2.0 protege. My total was almost 21,000 out the door. I got a 8% rate through my CU. I guess I did not do too bad.

protegenic

I am in the N. Fulton area myself. Glad to see another local is hanging out here some!

fowler3

The BMW 330i has a six cylinder engine and German build quality, leather seats, and real wood trim.
I read on the BMW 330 site many buyers are forgoing the CD player and moonroof to save money.

Pro ES owners don't have to cut corners.

The 330i also has very expensive regular maintenance bills as befits a $40,000 car. =P
Most BMW 330i owners here drive them like they are Lexus LS 400's, not sports sedans... slowly.

Now that you have had your Pro ES a while, what other car would you trade it for that offers as much driving fun?

fowler3

vocus

My total was like $18,500 out the door. Considering my ES' sticker price was $18,545, I guess that isn't too bad. Of course, the 1999 DX I traded was only worth $7500 and I owed $13,677 on it. So I got messed up a little there.

aardvark_mark

Got a call from another dealer here in NJ.. They said their first P5's are coming in the 2nd week in June.

-Mark

unmarkedcar

I gotta keep this car for a while. I like this car. today, on my way to work, I drove over something on the road. It looked like a small part of a truck tire. I heard a noise. I hope nothing was damaged. I looked under the car but could not see anything.

pcalvin

ajb4, 22 mpg isn't abnormal; not what you WANT to get, but not abnormal IMO. It just depends how you drive. I get 22-23 mpg when I drive aggressively for a whole tank in 30/70 town/highway. That's driving 80mph on the highway with very fast starts and a 5-speed. I feel it's good to let my baby stretch her legs. (that was after she was grown up a bit, a.k.a. after 1000 miles. I get 26+ when I take it a bit easier, and it is only a BIT easier ;>. That's with 4 months and 4000 miles worth of fill-ups.

pcalvin

I pay $475 every 6 months with 250/500 comp/coll deductible. I am 25 with a good driving record. That's in San Diego with 21st Century. (the insurance company with Alice Cooper and Macho Man Randy Savage trying to become customer service agents) LOL.

newpro4me

I guess I must be the exception to most Protege ES drivers!

I have a 2000 ES with now 37K miles on it. I have heard many people complain about the Potenzas (RE92 19555R15 factory supplied tire). I know the tire shipped new with 10/32 of tread depth. After 37k miles, I still have 7/32 across all 4 tires. I rotate them every 10k miles and run the recommended 32 psi. By the way, the max on these tires is 44 psi. Pretty good wear pattern and handle great wet or dry. I don't get any snow or ice, so can't comment on that.

As for gas mileage, I have the automatic and get 31-34 mpg all the time. I normally get about between 350-370 miles on about 11 gallon fill-ups. I usually get gas every 2 days, so I have a lot of data to go by. I once got over 400 miles, but that was about 12.3 gallon fill up. I drive 60/40. Just smooth on the gas I suppose!!!

Had the transmission fluid flushed about 2 months ago, I would highly recommend that to anyone as opposed to the drop the pan and change the filter method.

Just passing along some information to anyone who is interested.

hboyd

Pcalvin... used to have 21st Century Ins. for 13 years until March '01; WATCH OUT!!! They are feverishly raising everyones rates about 20-25% No kidding!; Our insurance policy went up about 24% in March (without any justification; perfect records; they wrote bad policies and really hate Mazdas! hehehe) We now have AAA Insurance... 50/100/50; $100/$250 comp./coll. on our '01 ES -- $73/month (yearly dividend return of 7% included); Orange County, CA; Most of the policy premium $s for Mazdas is in collision.

Never exceed Max. Pressure printed on the sidewall of your car's tires; Max. on the new Dunlop Sport 5000s is --35 PSI-- Mazda's tire pressure certification is 32 PSI on all tires (ES models). Exceeding max. tire pressures is dangerous and compromises your car's handling and traction. Be safe.

MARTIN

gitarzan

Regarding the cars at: http://members.fortunecity.com/kylinfire/20010506/page_01.htm

Are these OEMs or D-I-Y Custom jobs? One of them has a WOLF badge on the grill where a FORD oval would normally be.

There's also a Mazda M-RV SRR that looks pretty cool. It has air deflectors on the windows that look kinda dorky but I did have them on an Old VW type3 and they were very fuctional.

I notice they all have clear corner lights and the side light.

I did a little URL whittling and found these pics of some Pro's and Miatas on the tracK: http://members.fortunecity.com/kylinfire/

check out the links. Lots of Pros racing, with decals, track girls, Pros and Tierras with all kind of odd (non-USA) trim.

While your at it, check out the TAP (Tierra and Protege) club opening page. A little overdone but interesting (the first time): http://207.254.106.28/tapclub Please note they spell Mazdaspeed as Mazadspeed. They also have an interesting spelling of Protegé.

The site kind of make me wish I could read Mandarin or whatever that is...

I'll agree that It's unsettling seeing FORD on the Protegé but it's better than seeing Mazda go down the tubes. I'd rather see Ford and Mazda keep distinctive product lines and utilize each other's knowledge base. But you know it won't happen. I saw picture of a new lower priced Jag the other day. Durned if it did not look just like a Contour to me...

boston14

Is the 2.0 130hp engine the same as the Ford Focus z-tech? I have a ZX3 in stick that is pretty good except in 5th gear passing situations which makes me feel a turbo is much much needed.

the_big_h

yeah they're mostly DIY & aftermarket jobs, based on what I read on the site (yes I read Chinese), but I did see a couple pics of Pros with the Sport 20 front bumper, so I guess it's all mixed up in there.

As for the clear corners & side lights, those are STANDARD equipments on Proteges/Tierras sold in Taiwan + many other countries, including Japan. I guess they sell the proteges in the US with orange corners so it's guaranteed to be DOT approved in all 50 states.

nice little site, but definitely not as useful in terms of amount of infomation available compared to here at Edmund's. cool pics nontheless.