Mazda Protegé

protegenic

Can you go back tonight and take some of the inside? :-)

I am curious to see how much room this thing has with the seats folded down. It doesn't look like much additional room, but sometimes it is hard to tell.

Thanks for the pics!

vocus

That is one SHARP car!! Damn, now wish I would have waited for the 5 to come out this summer before getting my ES. Oh well, still loving my ES, with 5600 miles and counting. Averaging 27-29 mpg with a heavy foot. ZOOM ZOOM!

maltb

Two upside down trade-ins don't make it right side up. Stick with what you have.

jstandefer

Here's link to a page about the European 626 MPS concept. It has a 280hp 2.5L DOHC twin-turbo V6, all-wheel-drive, and a manual tranny! I bet it moves!!!! What's most interesting is how much the car resembles the Protege... Even the interior design... It just seems that the front and rear ends of the car have been stretched a bit.

http://www.mazdafun.com/626MPS.htm

roninjouten

Hine always does Bottom line pricing...so what's the deal with the MP5? My sister bought her Tribute from them for 2k less than MSRP when everybody else was selling them over MSRP. Kinda upsetting if Hine is gonna drop its bottom-line pricing strategy...my family has purchased two cars from them in the past 3 years.

vocus

Oh, I know that for a fact. I will probably wait right before the Protege platform goes onto the Focus one before I trade in again. Just wish I would have waited another 3 months, damn it! Oh well.

My next car will probably be a near-luxury marque though, like a 3 Series BMW or Lexus IS300. Of course, the Protege ES is a budget-series BMW, so why pay the extra money for the nameplate, right?

ZOOM ZOOM!

jstandefer

Since the P5 came in unexpectedly and late in the day, the Mazda sales manager had already gone home. I'm sure they will have a Bottom Line price on it today. However, since it is the first one, it may go for sticker, unless there are any rebates or incentives for it. As more start to trickle in, the price will go down.

I'm glad to hear that your family likes John Hine. They are a terrific dealership that believes in "customers for life" rather than a quick profit now. I bought my current Protege from them and was so impressed with how they do business, I decided to work for them (my Saturn story). I have since left there for a somewhat cushy office job, but I still visit quite often!

What's even more amazing is that John Hine won the Better Business Bureau's "Ethics Award" last year! When was the last time you heard of a car dealership winning that?

sd1228

Guys,
My 95 Protege LX has 90K miles and I was wondering are there any parts I need to replace
Here are things I have done so far:
. Timing belt replaced @ 60K
(no other belts are replaced)

. Usual stuff battery, tires, front brake pads, struts.

What about water pump ? (I know Honda's need
replacement @ 90 K miles or so. Is it the same
thing with Mazda's)

Thanks in advance for any input.

panamaltd2

I currently am leasing a 2000 Protege ES and my parents said that I may get a new car when the lease is up, in 1 and a half years, when I go to college. I had originally thought of the next generation A4 or a 3-series like the other guy but after reading and looking at what Mazda has planned for itself I think I have changed my mind. Mark my works, Mazda is going to be one of the cars to own in about 3 years. Zoom-zoom, Sam

mdriver

I think the VW GTI is the poor man's BMW not the Protege ES. The BMW 3 series like the GTI has an element of heft and robustness that is clearly evident. The doors on the German cars feel substantial compared to the paper thin Protege doors.

If safety and resale value are your concerns, the GTI seems to be a better value. Protege's resale is not high, because of low volume sales and low name recognition (compared to, say, the Civic). That's not to say it isn't a well made car bacause it is. Safety doesn't seem to be a high priority because sunroofs seem to dominate over the ABS package, which I have yet to see on a 5sp ES. It would seem from the sticker price of the Protege 5 earlier in this discussion, that the price (about $18k without ABS) is only about $2k lower than a GTI.

pat

in the reviews section of Edmunds.com is a review of the 2001 Mazda Protege. Here is an excerpt from editor John DiPietro's report:

Where the Protege shines is in the handling category ... we thoroughly enjoyed tearing through twisty canyon roads in the ES, reveling in the car's precise steering feel and buttoned-down composure when pressed. Fortunately, the ES' athletic prowess doesn't come at the expense of ride quality, which is on the firm side but still comfortable.

Read the entire review by following the link in the Additional Resources box on the left sidebar of this page. Let us know what you think.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

hobbs3

Hey,
I am looking at the P5 at happened to catch some posts re: John Hine and Bottom Line Pricing. Where is the Hine dealership and what is bottom line pricing? I live in Pasadena, CA. That P5 is SWEET!

Thanks for any info

edmund2460

I test drove an ES 2001 automatic and was very impressed. Just took it for a spin around the block, tho. I want to buy one but would appreciate feedback on the following: 1. Is this car very loud at highway speeds as is mentioned in reviews I've read. 2. Are any of the parts made by Ford? (I am fleeing from Ford quality). What can I expect to pay for an ES 2001 auto base?

Sporin

The GTI is a 2 door hatch back, not a 5 door wagon. Where's the comparison?

btw--- I'm a huge VW fan, I have a Passat and it's great. But the true competitor to the Pro5 is the 2.0 Jetta Wagon, not the GTI.

How can this site's spellchecker NOT have car names built into it?

tocan

I know. Isn't it irritating! They also don't have words like spec and specs and CD. You would think that someone would adjust the standard dictionary for the types of car terms that people actually use. ;-)

Nomi

fowler3

I went on a trip today and tried to blend some heat with the A/C in my '01 Protegé LX 2.0L. The A/C is too cold for me. I tried several ways and could not get any heat to come out of the ducts. Noteven with the A/C off.

Have you had problems with the heaters in your ES and LX models?

I had a GLC that had a bad heater, couldn't find any dealer who could fix it. Thought Mazda would have worked that out by now. +P

Read the manual, it doesn't say anything about blending heat with the A/C.

fowler3

hkchan

Name the several ways that you've tried to get heat. Also, you've not had the chance to use the heater since you bought the car?

roninjouten

Hine normally prices cars about $400-600 over invoice. They're VERY easy to deal with as the salespeople are paid salaries. Several members of my family have purchased from them. One did so by fax. Check for them in Yahoo by typing in Hine and Mazda. They're the best Mazda option I've seen.

roninjouten

All right, maybe that guy was off on the GTI, but what about a Golf 1.8T? You can a get nicely outfitted one for about the same price as a Protege ES, probably cheaper than an MP3 and with a $400 chip you're thundering. i know, my friend just got his Golf 1.8T chipped by Nuespeed. Yikes! That thing'll do 90 easily in 3rd gear. It's a blast.

Actually was...we were broadsided last night by a jack [non-permissible content removed] who ran a redlight. Which leads back to that early post regarding solidity and substantialness of the car. We were hit in the side by a truck and the car did a 180, came to a stop, everybody was in fine shape. The only intrustion into the passenger compartment was safety glass. Before last night I wasn't sold on VW given its limited warranty, but my God am I impressed now.

hkchan

Exact comparisons are impossible but I would like to see how I can get one for "about" the same price as a Protege ES. Start with invoices prices. Golf GLS 1.8T ($17,225) vs Protege ES ($15,005) both including freight. You may need to add $99 to the Golf for "Emission Equipment" depending on what state you're in. Prices may need to be adjusted by the following:

1. radio - The golf comes with a cassette player but no CD. Does the "Monsoon Sound come with a CD player? Most likely the sound quality of this unit wound be better than the Protege's. Some people may prefer cassette over CD. In that case, you need to add one to the Protege.

2. The Golf comes with traction control and a telescoping steering wheel, which are not available on the Protege.

3. You can get side curtain airbags on the Golf, not available on the Protege.

4. You need to get the Premium Package, which include the moon roof, in order to get ABS and side airbags on the Protege even though these two are supposely available together without the moon roof. That's $1,296, but Mazda is offering free moon roof on the ES (and LX2.0). So $1,296-$560=$736.

At this point the Golf is $1,484 ($17,225-$15,005-$736) more than the Protege, but the Protege has a $500 rebate. The difference is now $1,984.

5. At this point the Protege has a moon roof and alloy wheels (standard) that the Golf does not have. Do you add the Luxury Package (moon roof and alloy wheels) to the Golf? If so, that's another $1,082.

So the difference in price could be as much as $3K and most people here already know how to get the Protege for under invoice.

fowler3

With the A/C on I turned the temperature control to the red (heat area) and it did nothing to raise the temperature. The mode control was set to dash ducts and down on feet. The fan speed was set at 2.

With the A/C off, I set the temperature control to the red area and no heat came out, not even all the way over. Fan speed set at 2.

All other cars allow you to blend heat with A/C for comfort. The manual says you can do this but it doesn't work.

I had a cassette player installed last week, could the technician have left something disconnected?

On your last post comparing GTI to ES, the cassette costs $215 and installation $40, for those interested.

fowler3

dhkcheng

Hello, I have a 2000 Protege LX (Canadian Car) with the Bridgestone Potenza RE92 (195/55.15) tires. After about 3500KM of use the tires started to develop whine between 50KPH to 80KPH. Has any other owners of Proteges reported simular issues with these tires? The whining was not that bad during the winter, but now that it is summer, the whining is getting alot worse.

Thanks in advance.

David Cheng
Belleville, ON, CANADA

gfest

The coupons I get from my dealer alerted me to something I didn't know about my 2000 DX - Mazda recommends a timing belt change at 60,000 miles. I already put 28,000 in the first year, so they expect me to change the timing belt every two years? I always thought 100,000 miles was the standard time for changing the timing belt.

Any thoughts?

roninjouten

Um...well I just priced them and I only see about an 1400 difference at MSRP/Invoice.

A Protege ES with the premium package and perimeter alarm and cassette player has an MSRP of 18,400 and invoice of 17000.

Golf 1.8T with the luxury package is 19800/invoice 18400. For the extra dough though you get 20+ more HP and torque and several features the ES doesn't have.

BTW, you should be able to get both cars at or near invoice. via the internet just about every make is available at invoice...save for Bimmers.

I didn't mean to say the prices are exactly the same, BTW. sorry about that. I meant they're comparable. To me $1400 doesn't seem like a big jump for more power and that feeling of stability. Guess I'm just enamored with the car at this moment as it saved my life.

One cool thing mazda also offers...that college rebate. I'm in grad school so a Mazda gets $400 duckets off the price instantly. Nice deal. Take it easy.

hkchan

Like I said, exact price comparisons are impossible. I missed the alarm on the Golf, but someone may prefer a cassette player (advantage Golf) or a CD player (advantage Protege).

How did you come up with $17,000 (invoice) on the ES? Base ES including freight is $15,005. Premium Package is $1,296. Cassette is $120 and alarm is $152. Total is $16,573.

The prices on the Golf are correct (close enough).

If my numbers are correct, then the difference is $1,900 rather than $1,400. In addition, you'll get a $500 rebate and credit for the moon roof (that's over $500). Now it's close to $3K like I said. I did not mention the College Grad rebate. Add that and the difference is huge. This is just a price comparison. Never implied that the Protege is the same car for $3K less.

hkchan

Forget about blending heat with A/C (which you can do). If there's no heat with A/C off and the temperature control moved to red, then there's something wrong. Did the heater ever work? Take it to the dealer.

wellokay

I was perusing the local Mazda lot, still looking for a specific Protege, when I came across a new Millineum Red Protege with colored mirrors. The code on the sticker said CK3 - Colored Outer Mirror - no charge. I wonder if this is going to be a standard feature on the car from now on. The production number was 49779. The arm is still black, but a colored coded (I'm assuming glued on) piece was on the back of the mirror. I thought this was kinda cheap, until I looked at other cars on the lot, and they had mirrors that were assembled the same way. I still would like to see the entire mirror, arm and all, colored coded, but the current look could be seen as an improvement for those who want colored coded mirrors.

As for my specific Protege, I was set to get a black ES, but I came across a Sand Mica - which I used to think looked bland and frumpy, that I'm now considering. I don't think the black interior looks that bad with the exterior sand color - especially if I get tinted windows. Just curious as to what others think of the sand mica exterior/black interior combination.

hepworth1

The plan for EAA members where you can buy your Mazda product at a fixed discounted price is now available in Canada.It is actually called the X-Plan in Canada, instead of the S-Plan as it is called in the US. It came into effect on May 7th. The price is supposed to be 4% above dealer net. Not sure what exactly dealer net is though.I believe it is lower than actual invoice price. To become an EAA member, just go to http://www.eaa.org/communications/eaanews/ford_partner.html .It applies to all Mazda products except for the Tribute and the to be released Mazda MP3.

tocan

Does it really apply on the P5? Of course, the dealership has to be willing to accept X-plan pricing. The dealership that I looked at on Saturday has already sold both P5s that it has. I'd be a bit surprised if they would be willing to accept X-plan. (P.S. I haven't seen anything that says the MP3 was coming to Canada. With only 1,500 being made, I sort of thought that they would keep them all in the U.S.)

Nomi

hepworth1

When I talked to someone at Mazda, she told me it would also apply to the Protoge5. The only current model excluded is the Tribute. The person at Mazda canada said that it is at the descretion of the dealer to accept the X-Plan pricing, but that she expected most to do so. I believe that the dealer gets a rebate back from Mazda when they sell a car using this plan.

roninjouten

Even on Edmunds a Protege ES with the luxury package, ABS, cassette and alarm breaks 17,200.

And I'm not looking at rebates or other such nonsense, just MSRP/Invoice to MSRP/Invoice.

It doesn't really matter either way. I feel like a 2k premium is well worth it as you get far more car, in my opinion, for the 2k. I'd gladly pay 2k to feel safe.

hollenhorst2

I just bought a 2001 Protege ES with auto, and the dealer I bought it from is 170 miles from where I live (all Interstate), so I had the perfect opportunity to get an idea of what it is like at highway speeds. At 70 mph, there is a mild engine hum audible, but certainly nothing that I would consider intrusive. For a few moments, I had it over 70, and it did then seem to become more noticeable. Cruising at 70, though, was quite enjoyable. My advice would be that, if it's feasible, go to a dealer near an interstate and take one out yourself.

To my knowledge (I could be wrong), none of the Protege's parts are made by Ford. It really seems like a solid little car to me.

I used the S plan (scroll thru previous posts for details) to purchase my car. It was 1.14% under invoice minus the rebates, plus tax and $23 for tag and title transfer. You should be able to get a base ES with auto on the S Plan at most dealers, though dealer participation in the plan is voluntary.However, if you are looking to get one with the Premium Package (moonroof, ABS and side airbags), I don't think the dealers are any longer eager to let those go on the S plan.

fowler3

I hope you can afford VW’s very high service bills after the 24 months/24,000 miles have passed? That’s another advantage Mazda offers, low service bills.

To figure out the real cost of ownership add the cost new, the depreciation, insurance, and the cost of service and fuel over the same period of time for both cars.

This debate reminds me of people who buy used luxury cars thinking they are getting them for half price; when they can't afford to buy those cars new. But when they take them in for service they get a real shock when handed the bill. No matter how old the car, they will still pay today’s luxury car service costs. Not what parts and service cost the year the car was sold new. Catch 22.

fowler3

fowler3

I agree! Do your test-drive with some expressway or Interstate miles, it’s a revelation. I drove 120 miles yesterday on an Interstate at 70 to 75mph for the first time and it was surprising how stable and quiet my 2001 LX 2.0L was. The only thing I heard was tire/road noise but it wasn't bad. The Protegé is very stable at high speeds with no wandering in the lanes, tracks straight and true. The stiff suspension makes small bumps almost unnoticeable at those speeds. Even cement-road expansion joints are smoother than in a car with soft suspension.

fowler3

hkchan

The numbers I originally took from KBB are confirmed by Edmunds. Base ES including freight is $15,005. Premium Package is $1,296. Cassette is $120 and alarm is $152. Total is $16,573 (all invoices).

The Premium Package includes ABS and side airbags. If you add "both" to the ES, it does break $17,200.

You don't have to look at rebates or other "nonsense"? Why not? What's the purpose of a price comparison? What's the purpose of mentioning one can easily get both cars at or near invoice? I know if the Golf had a $2K rebate, I'll look at it.

panamaltd2

Hello everyone, I am looking for the 15 inch factory rims from the 1999-2000 Mazda Protege ES. If anyone owning this model is planning on up-grading or getting new rims and would like to sell their current ones I would like to buy them from you. Thank you so much, Sam

fowler3

I'm going to get the heater checked tomorrow. Feel sure the “technician” left something undone when he installed the cassette player. They said they had trouble with it. It took two and half hours to install a “modular” cassette. Sheeesh. Can't believe that unless they didn't know how to install it. But then, most buyers do not opt for the cassette.

I recall that the salesman, the parts guy, and the service manager seemed perplexed when I asked them to order it.

fowler3

fowler3

Would you recommend a Protegé to your grandfather?
If not, why not?

fowler3

roninjouten

Didn't know the premium package came with the abs...my bad.

Until this weekend I was looking forward to trying the Protege MPS when it arrives at the local dealership. I've had a heck of a time finding a fun, moderately powerful car that offers reliability, value, some level of luxury. Since Friday I've added safety to my criteria.

I've driven the ES. Found it exceptionally underpowered for my tastes but the handling was nice. Figured maybe the MP3's boost in torque might make me like it a bit more. It seems to have better than average reliability and it's dirt cheap. The lack of leather might be annoying but for 17k or so it would be something I could endure given the low price.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), the accident I was a party to Friday made me rethink safety issues. My family has owned several Mazdas and while fun to drive, none felt very vault-like safe. All felt sorta light and tinny. That new found concern has essentially destroyed my view of the Sentra Spec-V too. I'm at a loss for reasonable car now. The Civic's got great crash ratings but it's powered by a typical puny VTEC (Vanishing Torque in the Engine Comparment) Honda engine and it has as much style, fun and pizazz as Grandma. The Jetta's got great crash scores, but it's not scoring high on reliability beyond the rock solid engine (1.8T is a sweet motor). I dunno. Lost essentially.

hkchan

In that case, I think the Golf is your best bet. It's arguably more reliable than the Jetta according to the Consumer Reports. If I have to bet with even odds, I'll pick the VW over the Protege for safety. BTW, when will the Golf/Jetta get hp increase to 170 hp?

I don't agree that the MP3 (if that's what you're referring to, maybe you're talking about the ES) is dirt cheap, since its availablity will be limited. You also can't get ABS with it. Not sure about the side airbags

jstandefer

It seems to me that you are looking in the wrong category. You are looking at the manufacturer's entry-level models but want the power and safety of a vehicle higher up in the food-chain. Perhaps you may want to take a look at the 626 with a V6 and other midsize sedans. They will probably suit your needs/wants better.

nikecar

funny.. my wife's grandfather HAS a Protege.. a 95LX

roninjouten

626 is okay, but the engine is rough and the car is not tossable enough for my tastes. I'd prefer a car that's smaller...Protege size seems fine. That midsize category, Camry, Accord, Maxima are pretty sedate cars too. Stuck in an awkward position. Oh well.

maltb

I have to agree with you. I had a 626 V-6 5spd. The car was tons of fun, but it had a very heavy feel. With the 5spd, the car is a real rocket, but as a freind noted, the manual feels a little awkward in such a heavy car.

Ronin...do you think there is any car that would meet your desires yet being factory stock? It seems that everything you critique could be fixed with a few mods.

roninjouten

I've been actively looking for about a 6 months now. Nothing seems to fit me. I'll like a few aspects of a car, such as the Protege's handling, but dislike other parts (the lack of torque on the Protege).

If only someone could put a VW 1.8T in a car with the reliability of a Civic, the handling of a Protege/BMW, the interior of a Solara (leather lined) and maybe the AWD of the WRX.

gserep1

Hello,
As a former saleman of Mazdas (1995-1996 era), I can truthfully say that the timing belt on a Protege goes a lot farther than 60,000 miles. As a matter of fact, that interval has been extended from 90,000 miles to 105,000 miles in California (different belt, maybe?). In any event, you should not be concerned about a timing belt until at LEAST 90,000 miles. As further testimony, my sister's 96 Protege LX with the 1.5L 4 cylinder and automatic had the belt changed at 110,000 miles, and it really did not need it then. 90% of her driving is freeway driving here in San Diego, so miles accumulate quickly. My rule of thumb is, the belt is fine for 90,000 miles or more if you do the following:

1. Accumulate miles quickly (instead of letting the belt dry rot due to slow and/or non-consistent driving...(5,000 miles a year or less). When driven occasionally, the belt sits in one spot for long periods of time, and takes a set in that spot. The belt is after all, under a lot of tension at all times, and works best if used regularly. If you use the car consistently, you will NOT have timing belt problems.

2.Do not subject the belt to oil leaks from leaky front oil seals or antifreeze leaks. This is IMPORTANT!!! Fix ALL leaks in the front of the engine immediately. Hot engine oil or antifreeze will kill the belt prematurely. The cavity where the belt resides should be DRY. All sprockets should be oil-free. As an addendum, REPLACE the front oil seal everytime you replace the timing belt as added insurance. It is cheap, and easy to change when all the parts are off. Carefully inspect all the external drive belts, and change them as well. The labor charge will be the same, as these belts must be removed to gain access to the timing belt, and replaced afterwards. Buy new ones at that time and save the headaches later.

3. Drive somewhat sanely. Obviously keeping the engine at or near the redline every time you drive will shorten the life somewhat, but as long as #1 and #2 are followed, higher rpms by itself will not require the belt to be changed at 60,000 miles. Most people are driving more these days, and 60,000 miles is not feasible anymore. Mazda recognizes this, and has installed a better quality belt, and has extended the service life accordingly.

If you do the work yourself, please check the tensioner as well, and replace it as required. My Nissan lost it's tensioner a few thousand miles after a belt change, and this resulted in a complete top end overhaul, complete with valves, because the tensioner locked up, and the engine kept spinning...OUCH! Real expensive, but a great lesson learned.

Check with your dealer,(or other reputable mechanic), and have it inspected periodically if you are concerned.

Good luck,
GSEREP1

hkchan

1. How many components do you need to remove in order to inspect the timing belt?
2. Some people claim visual inspection of the timing belt is not reliable.

jjpeter

Last Friday night, I test drove a bright yellow Protoge5. It had just come into the dealer that afternoon, with 5 miles on the odometer. The sales guy had to go get gas for it, so I piloted it to the gas station. Gave me an opportunity to really look it over in the bright service stations halogen lights. Popped the hood, same 2 liter motor as the stock ES, but had a brace between the two strut towers, nice. Popped the rear hatch, not a much room as the trunk of the stock Protoge but the seats do the 60/40 split, so yeah, more room there. The one place to look at a car to see build quality is the trunk area. Tight fitting components there suggest solid work throughout. The Protoge5 was very solid! Crafted like a much higher dollar import.

The test drive was brief, no tags yet, so only a short run on the freeway. Impression: A little noisy, tire noise, suspension, like I noticed with the ES I drove about six weeks ago. Power: good, but had to step on it to engage the lower gear to find the torque to get up to 60 as I merged onto the freeway. From a stop, it has good initial power. Handling: snappy, sharp, but,,, I found the seats has minimal bolstering on their sides. Its tossable, but I found I had to hang on with my arms and brace myself with my legs around the corners. I guess I'm spoiled. I have a 93 G20 Infiniti that has excellent seats and handling. Don't know why Mazda skimped on the side padding...

I really liked the looks of the "5". It is a little small for me though and am still looking at the Trib...

My .02.

rdsum

I see the Mazda Protege SE is rated at having 8 more horsepower than last year. Is this for real or is Mazda playing the same type of game with numbers as they did with the Miata? Is the horsepower difference evident from the test numbers available from the road test?

hkchan

The SE (Canadian) is listed at 103 hp. It had 95 hp last year?

If you meant the ES, "maybe" the extra cc's have something to do with it.