Mazda Protegé

1edmund

Where did you get those pictures from? I ask because the Protge5's being sold here in Canada have the side markers on the side of the bumbers, however the pictures on your forum have the side markers higher up and further back on the fenders. Also the rear lights are different and there is no white available. Just curious.

sandman46

I am starting to drool over this car now. Saw one in green and I was hooked. To bad the wife bought a Altima GXE Ltd. Ed. last November, I would have prefered the Pro! My Corolla will be ready to be traded in in a couple of years, so a Pro could definitely be in my future. Enjoy your Pro's and hopefully one day I will join the fold!

edmund2460

Should be picking up my ES/Auto/Es pkg. this week. It's Enerald Mica and I don't like the fact that u have no choice on interior colors, but will live with it. For those of you trying to decide, you may want to know my motives. I'm in the age bracket that buys Buick but I like to buy cars with great value and are fun to drive. I started out with the intention of getting a Jetta TDI or Jetta 1.8 but the Pro ES for the money makes me easily forget the differences. The responses here helped me make my decision, so I'm holding all of you responsible (kidding) if this car is a dud.

edmund2460

I think Harrelson has a silver 5 spd ES (salesman called me last week). If you are not looking for the ES pkg, Montgomery had an emerald green with moonroof - no ABS/SAB. There just aren't any ES with the prem pkg or ABS/SAB. I don't know where mine is coming from but I'm picking it up at High Point. Where are u located? I know Fisher Mazda in Aheville has 2 ES's one 5 spd one auto and one has a moonroof.

newpro4me

I live in Columbia, SC. Drove a Silver ES with Auto & nothing else in North Augusta on Saturday. We may have to make the trek up to Charlotte this week. I don't really care about the premium package, I just want an ES with automatic trans and moonroof. I need to sign up to take advantage of the s-plan. Don't know how long that will take so I can get a pin #.

unmarkedcar

How is everyone doing? Just got to work... First time I am working 6p-10p....should go by fast.... with the help of you guys.

aardvark_mark

quit slackin' and get to work!

ps to make conversation:

Friday I just ordered a 2002 protege5 silver with moonroof/abs/alarm .. $200 over invoice (with graduate rebate).. expect it in 4-6 weeks. w00 w00

unmarkedcar

I am not slackin, Congradulation's .... That car looks awsome. I have not seen one yet. I have had my protege 2.0lx since FEB and have only seen 1 2001 since than. I guess most people have not bought it yet.

unmarkedcar

I know you are jokin.

Hey you got me kickin myself. I wish I would have waited for the "5". But I guess it is ok.

This is the best time to by a mazda. Like you said, god knows what ford will do. I really think that mazda will overtake the car market. The new car line-up is made for the young at heart.

Hey stay away from trucks on the highway....they will mess your s*** up. I have a heart attack when I am next to one....."what if a rock comes flying off the back" "what if the tire blows" "what if he changes lanes and runs into me" ooooh I gota go check on my baby.

aardvark_mark

yep! I agree.. also, with the US economy hurting right now you can get some awesome financing deals.. I'm financing my p5 on 1.9APR for 36 months.

I hear ya! those trucks are scarey! (as well as some of these soccer moms driving 5-ton tank SUV's.. but that's another story) thankfully most of my highway driving is done on the garden state parkway, and they don't allow trucks on it in my area..

Off to make dinner.. have a good last hour at work ...

unmarkedcar

Take care.

peregrine_11

Well, the wait was long, but I finally have my Silver Pro-ES w/ 5 speed and the Premium package. And she's absolutely lovely!

Sorry to hear so many people are having a difficult time finding the ES. I've already fallen in love with mine, so keep trying as long as you can.

Now, I just need to remember to be gentle during the break-in period...

unmarkedcar

Welcome to the club.....

fritz1224

Glad to hear about the new owners of proteges. My 2k es 5sp keeps purring along. Hope everybody else's does too. Remember, it's just a car, and what's it purpose?
I remember when my car was the "cat's meow", now it's obsolete. That was only @ 6 mos ago. Keeping up with the Jone's(Mazda) is a losing battle.

roninjouten

That profile is as useless as a spoiler on a Hyundai. I am currently shopping for a 2002 M3...just nobody will sell me one for 20k.

Honestly, what difference does a profile make? The point is, I'm interested in the MP3 or the 1.8T (with leather) and neither is around, San Diego. Yes the 1.8T has far more power (and a better opportunity for modding) but I'd still like to give the MP3 a ride just in case. In the case of the 1.8T dealerships can't find one within the state with leather. As for the MP3 all the Mazda dealers play coy and say things like, "well we have an MP5, it's a real looker." Great, a station wagon. Thanks, I didn't realize until this very second I wanted a white-bread suburbia station wagon, but now that the salesguy at Mazda says it's cool...

As I stated before, a fact you totally avoided in your response, I can relate to Inky's frustration when one wants a car and the manufacturers' seem to advertise the existence of such vehicles, yet do not offer them for sale. Kinda gets irksome.

vocus

I just took my first real road trip in my 2001 Protege ES. It was 75 miles each way, with 4 people and luggage aboard, and through the mountains of Western Maryland. I was carrying a total of about 1200 pounds including luggage, and had the AC running most of the time up and back because it was raining. I averaged about 23 mpg, not too bad since I was going an average of 75 mph the whole time. Also, the 2.0 with automatic was great in the hills. To get up one of the steeper mountains, I had to turn OD off, but more to stop it from shifting back and forth. Great power for a 4 though (one of my passengers thought it was a 6).

Also, I am 6'3 and one of my passengers was 6'5. He sat behind my passenger, who is 5'11 with the front seat 2 clicks from all the way back. Not one complaint the whole time about being cramped either. Also complemeted about the room inside the car for its small size.

I also lent my car to a good friend who has a 1997 Sentra GXE automatic. He fell in love with it too. He said he didn't wanna give it back. Said the car felt like his friend's Audi A4 when driving on the road. He must have liked it, because he added 70 miles to my baby in just 10 hours.

Proves that the Protege is one of the best on the market in its class for size, power, and price. Also trying to coax my roommate into dumping his 2000 Neon (pieca junk) and gettng a P5. We will see how that works out.

ZOOM ZOOM!!

roninjouten

have the same car as you? I know 3 guys (roommates) who all own Civics (2000 SI's to boot) and they get teased unmercifully. Call me strange but I'd prefer never to buy a car that a friend owns and certainly would never encourage them to buy like me.

hkchan

1. What if one has many friends and relatives? It would be tough to "avoid" getting the same car, wouldn't it? Maybe getting a Yugo or Pacer would solve the "problem".
2. When someone asks for your opinion, do you tell them your car handles great, is economical and reliable, but please don't buy one?
3. I know someone who hates it when a friend/relative gets the same furniture that he has.

protegextwo

I'm glad your trip went well. There are 3 other TGI Friday's General Managers whom live in Lancaster, Pa. One works in York, one works in Reading and the third guy runs the Lancaster restaurant. We car pool once a month to our monthly General Managers meetings, too our home office in Reading Pa. Obviously, we all take a turn driving. I was a little nervous when it was my turn, nonetheless every one had a fair amount of room and really enjoyed my car. I doubt the 2000 Civic, Jetta or Sentra could have pulled it off. I really liked all those cars, there just wasn't enough rear passenger room in the 2000 Civic or 2000 Sentra and you could almost get into a Honda Accord DX OR LX for the cost of a Jetta equipped similar to my 2000 PRO-ES.

-Larry

protegextwo

Vic, where have you been? Are you still lurking?

-Larry

Sporin

"Thanks, I didn't realize until this very second I wanted a white-bread suburbia station wagon, but now that the salesguy at Mazda says it's cool...
" --ronin

The Pro5 is anything but a white-bread suburbia station wagon. :-)

sfrat

Hey Everyone,

I spent Memorial day watching the X-files marathon on FX (sad, I know). It seems the entire thing was sponsored by Mazda and AOL. Every commercial break they played the commercial for the Protege5. It looked very nice, sort of made me wish I'd waited. I really like the front ground effects, and the extra big fog lights.

Also, last Thursday in a parking lot I saw a twin to my 01 ES 5spd in Sand Mica. Its only the third other 01 ES I've seen on the road, and the first to be another Sand.

mazdafun

I looked at the new Pro sedans after I'd checked out the P5 at my local dealer.

Looks as if they lowered the speaker grilles to allow access to the ISOFIX top mounts. Seems to me your best option is to bottom-mount your rear speakers. Whatever you put in place will likely get in the way of the ISOFIX mounts. Do you know about how much you need to increase the height of the grilles to clear the tweeters? You might be able to localize the change.

Sorry I didn't realize how much of a difference the ISOFIX mounts make. I don't have them in my 99 Pro.

unmarkedcar

Just wanted to say Hi to you guys and see how everyone is doing.

nematode

I'm at 1200 miles and the last tank yeild was 30mpg.

roninjouten

Actually, plenty of cars out there. Over 100 models to choose from year to year so it's pretty easy to avoid - especially as all my friends tend to keep their sundry vehicles for at least 5-6 years apiece.

If a friend were to ask me about my car, I'd be honest about it, but obviously steer him or her toward a car that's better suited to that person's needs. I've helped a dozen or so family and friends over the years pick out and purchase cars and not once has anyone picked the same car as the others...from Tributes to Range Rovers to Hyundai Elantras to Explorers they're all over the place.

fowler3

suggest that you buy the same car they did to justify their purchase. As if they aren’t sure they made the right decision. Fortunately, they are few and far between.

Protegé buyers are absolutely certain they made the right choice.

fowler3

vocus

The only reason my roommate likes my car so much (and liked the DX I had too) is because his Neon is such a piece of crap. He doesn't care much about looks or performance of a car, but when it starts going to the shop every other week and he has to miss work, then he starts to get unhappy with it. I will give you an example. He drove both my DX and my ES, and he said he didn't feel any difference between the two. Could anyone be any more car impaired??

Anyway, he wanted a small truck next time around. I suggested he get a small wagon, because a truck is wasted space in the back if you don't regularly haul (which he hasn't in the last year that I have known him). A small wagon would keep other cargo dry and safe, but of course you couldn't carry as much of it as a truck would be able to. I suggested a P5 for him. He said he liked the styling and the drive (since my car is basically the same thing). He wants to take a look at it now, and so do I (curiousity). Anyway, we will see what happens with the idea.

unmarkedcar

quality should always over-ride looks. Just like a good loking women may look good, but may have a bad personality.

maltb

and when you find a car/woman with both, it's a keeper!

Yes, sesitivity runs rampant on this board.

unmarkedcar

yes it sure is....but you gotta change her oil...uhhhh I mean the cars oil on a regular basis or she may run HOT..uhhh i meant it may run hot.

jstandefer

Thanks again. I replied to your post in the accessories and mod's board. BTW, mine is a '99 ES, so I don't have to worry about the ISOFIX anchors.

If this is a "white-bread suburbia station wagon", then I must be way behind the times. Last time I checked, a "white-bread suburbia station wagon" was a Taurus wagon or the Explorer or Grand Cherokee!

unmarkedcar

Have not seen a suburbia with ground effects, sporty styling, fog lamps ( like the wrx ). Whoever put this car in the "FAMILY BORING MARKET" needs to get their eyes check. This wagon is sporty and responsible at the same time. What more could you ask for.

vtcoach

Does someone on here subscribe to Carfax ?
My wife found a used car she thinks might be worth checking out. Wondering if anyone can check the VIN# for any bad history. It is 1N4EB31P8RC786659.
Thanks.

lindathomp2000

Hey Mark, where in upstate New York are you located? I would love to see another Pro around my neck of the woods.
I just got back from a trip in the Adirondacks. We had my 2.0, ES '01 filled to the brim with stuff and it handled Tongue Mountain with lots of power to spare. Who was that guy who said 130 HP isn't enough power?
I also rode in the back seat of my friend's new Honda Civic EX. It has a nice ride but it sounded like it was wheezing in order to get up and down the mountain roads. Not so my Pro!!
Zoom. zoom............
By the way, I saw at least 10 new Pros in the lot at Orange Motors in Albany NY. Ask for J.J. and they take the S Plan.

roninjouten

like anything beyond a station wagon with plastic cladding. To each his own friend. I'm just not keen on station wagons, be they SUVs or the Protege people hauler version.

maltb

Have you seen the car in person? I'm not one for station wagons and I don't think the P5 falls in that category. I have now seen a few and I hope to get into one sometime in the next year or so...

aardvark_mark

I'm in New Jersey, not NY State.. and I haven't received my protege5 yet.. it's on order.. expect delivery in 6-8 weeks..

zoom zoom -Markie Mark

djmax813

I just got my emerald mica pro es this past friday. What a thrill. Handles great. Lots of fun to drive. If you think they are hard to find check out Open Road Mazda in Edison NJ. Had at least 7 or 8 different colors except silver so i settled for the green. Very professional dealers. No gimmicks. No extended warranty or rustproofing crapola. Paid 16.2 with auto, cd/cassette and wheel locks and mats. I have but one question. Off the line should O/D be on or off for quicker acceleration?

maltb

The O/D will only kick in at much higher speeds if you have the petal to the metal (these days it's petal to the plastic).

gdkarma74

Hello All. I am new here so please go easy on me. I am looking to buy a 2001 Protege ES auto w/premium package in silver. I took an ES w/o prem for a test drive today and aside from a slightly noisy engine I totally loved it. The handling was great, basically it's everything all the reviews said it would be.

I was going to buy another Civic but haven't been all that impressed with the new model redesign that I waited for. To be honest I am a little nervous straying from Honda, so I wanted to get some feedback from you guys/gals on the reliability of the new Protege.

Also I have been scouring the net for princing and this is what I am thinking let me know if it's a good deal or not $17,061 (+600 on ivoice), less -$700(moonroof deal), -$500(rebate), -$400(college grad), which leaves $15461 before trade and down payment. Which I figure at $1100 for my car and maybe $1000 down @ 4.9% for the 5 years. Put's me with tax and all somewhere between $271-290 a month. Does this sound like a good deal, I was hoping to get it for $200-300 over invoice if possible. I haven't begun money talks with the dealer yet because they don't have the ES Premium on the lot yet, they say next shipment no problem. The salesman I dealt with was very nice and respectful which is a far cry from my beloved Honda dealer!

So any thoughts or comments that you all can offer would be appreciated.

aardvark_mark

hello, and welcome!.. I'm a newbie here as well, so I don't know if I should be the official welcoming commitee, but I just wanted to let you know u'll get a lot of useful information from the regulars here..

I strongly recommend going back about 1000 posts and reading through them when you have some spare time.. the knowledge you gain will be invaluable in making your car buying decision.. I know it was for me..

ps: if your interested in the 2002 protege5 there's also a protege5 forum in hatchbacks.

good luck

edmund2460

You are getting a decent deal as far as I can tell. I'm having (and others have confirmed it) to pay 15761 for ES/AUTO/Prem without the college rebate on the 'S' plan. You are only 100 dollars off - maybe u can get it for that. Just goes to show that you can make a good deal, given the right circumstances without depending on a 'no-haggle' special plan price.

gdkarma74

Thanks for the info. I haven't talked dollars with the dealer yet maybe Thursday or when the car comes in, he seemed real laid back about it. That's what I am prepared to go in with for an offer and I wanted to know if I could shoot lower without going through the S plan. I really don't need a subscription to an aviation(or whatever) magazine if you know what I mean. It seems like a fair and reasonable deal but like I said I would like try and get it for $200-300 over invoice if possible, has anyone had any luck in that price range?

glideslope

maltb,

"sensitivity runs rampant on this board" That is the understatement of the year.

lindathomp2000,

I'm a Mark in NY with a 00 ES 5-Speed. I'm in Syracuse.

Regards,
Mark.

edmund2460

I'm in Rock Hill. I don't have that car yet. I hesitated in making a decision and it was sold. So still looking for an ES/Prem/Auto. I went to Pulliam-Wray in Columbia (Broad River Road). Very nice people. They didn't have one, actually the salesman said he'd never seen one. Anyway, they took my phone no. but never called back. Why don't you go there and ask them to locate one for you. Or else order. Act soon, if you want a 2001. Mazda might close out 2001's soon ( I know VW has closed it's Jetta Diesel production) Pulliam sells VW's too by the way.

aardvark_mark

under further investigation and WAY too much free time on my hands I think lindathomp2000's original post was to you not me.. sorry for any confusion.

hkchan

edmund2460, the price gdkarma74 is not "only $100 off" the S-Plan price. Notice the $600 over invoice next to $17,061. S-Plan is more like $200 under invoice. I'm willing to bet gdkarma74's talking about an ES with a 5-speed.

gdkarma74,
Welcome. When asking whether a price is good, always list the exact options the car has. So you're aiming for $200-$300 over invoice? S-Plan is about $200 under invoice. Are you willing to pay $40 for a yearly membership to save $400-$500?

gdkarma74

hkchan: I am looking for the price for a 2001 ES with auto & premium package. The invoice is 16,461. The rebates I am looking to get are the standard 500, 700 for the roof, and 400 for the graduate program. I am wondering what you think the best price I could negotiate given all of that is. Hope that clears up what I am looking for.

hkchan

So I guess I lost the "bet" but how did you come up with an invoice of $16,461? The information I have is $14,525+$480(freight)+$1,296(Premium Package)+$720(auto trans.)=$17,021