Maybe I just got lucky with my Protege5, but the A/C in my car rocks!!!! I live in Florida, so I have definitely tested the A/C on more than one try, and it has actually been one of the things that I have been very pleased with. There are a lot of times that I actually turn it off because the car gets cool enough.
I know on the Toyota Echo, people in that forum have had great cooling results from wrapping the AC pipe in electrical tape. I don't know which pipe, so don't ask me! But they say it works. Check out that forum for more info.
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Not that A/C is the MOST important feature, but you sure notice it when it is not there. : ) I'm wavering between the P5 and the MPV (a battle between pocketbook vs. family needs desires!), and the MPV's A/C works just fine. (Of course, the MPV emits a strong sulfur smell when you shut off the engine, but that's another issue...) I haven't heard of weak A/C in other Mazdas, which is why I thought perhaps it was just the car I drove that day. But it sounds like others have experienced the same.
I have one other question... does one have more negotiating strength at the dealer if they buy a 2002 at this stage, since this is almost "last year's model" or would that not be a factor.
The test is how much lower the air coming out is than the air going into the system.
As Vocus points out, you can improve the performance by insulating the refrigerant line from the compressor to the air-cooling unit (located in your dashboard). Just make sure the insulating material you use is suitable for use in high-temperature environments and does not contact any engine or exhaust components (don't want to start any engine fires).
I think the AC in my '02 P5 is just fine. I usually have to knock it up the warm scale a bit once the cabin cools down or it gives me an ice cream headache. :-).
We've had temps int eh 90's with high humidyt for the last month up here.... no complaints.
We just finished a long weekend trip to Minn from Chicago with our two little guys in the back of our P5. Very comfortable trip for a small car. The car seats fit fine with the benefit of using the strap/anchor system to lock the car seats in.
We averaged 31 mpg over the trip (mostly highway with some back roads and city driving during rush hour and construction backups). We were very happy with the car...
AC worked just fine. A really stupid comment, but something to check when you are test driving....
Make sure the vents are open and aiming where you would normally have them blowing. The P5 I test drove had the vents closed when I first turned on the AC. It was about 95 degrees and I thought the AC was poor... until I asked the salesman and he took a look and opened them up...duh!
AC is fine for my Black P5. I really love this car and would buy one over an accord.
...it is awesome to blow away the minivans in this car! We were able to drive most of the highway at 78 mph... very fun!
Well Leroy, I guess the midwest is a different place as 78 will get you run over by minivans out west. After hauling the kids around in a 200hp minivan for the weekend and then getting back into a P5, I realized just how lacking the P5 is in the power department. Other than that, the car was pure joy with bit much noise at 80mph.
is the same as anywhere else. There are fast drivers and slow drivers. I live in Minneapolis and 80-90 mph on the freeways when there is no traffic is not uncommon. I have encountered left lane bandits everywhere I have ever driven (710, 5, 10, 8 in CA, Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike, 278 in NYC, Merrit in CT, DC beltway, FL Bee-Line, Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Dan Ryan expressways in Chicago) They are EVERYWHERE. Like Tetonman, I just got back from a trip to Chicago and got passed a couple times and I was doing 90 mph. I made it to the northern suburbs in 6 hours and I stopped 3 times and dealt with Chicago traffic. Not a record time, but not bad either. Luckily, I avoided the Wisconsin state troopers....
I installed a 2 m ham radio in my Protege5. Due to the strange install bracket of the radio, I essentially just slipped it beneath the cubbyhole on the left of the steering wheel. I have to be careful when stepping in or out of the car, but otherwise it works surprisingly well. As an antenna I got a through-the-glass type antenna that I installed on the left rear window. Being 2 m, the antenna length was a lot more reasonable than equivalent CB antennas, but maybe they have something available.
Have been reading it since I got back from Montreal and Toronto this summer and could not believe all of the MP5's I saw there! (esp in Montreal!) Living in the Melbourne FL area, I have never seen (or noticed) ANY P5's before, (although we do have a small vol Mazda dealer here). The more I saw them, the more I liked them, enough to seriously consider purchasing one by April 2003 when the lease of my 4Runner Ltd is up. Started reading this board, (yes, ALL of the msgs, ummmmmm, maybe I DO need to get a life...Nevermind, that's a whole 'nother story!
Took a test drive in a red 2002.5 sport-AT, was impressed w/ the very smooth shifts. Then this last weekend, while visiting St Lucie West area, stopped by the dealer in Vero Beach with a friend of mine (shall we say large? 6'3" 275-290+) who sat in the driver's seat. Said he felt like he had more room in it than my 4Runner had! I was really surprised at that! Also, btw, this dealer had 2003 MP5's fresh off the truck, they still had the white plastic sheet wraps, (some previous msgs were wondering when the '03's would be arriving). Thanks again for the great info here, it's appreciated.
just got my P5 last weekend, silver '02 mid-cycle refresh w/ leather seats. it's the first car i've ever owned and so far i'm thrilled. while i can't say i've read all 5,000 messages here, a lot of the ones i did read were helpful in making my decision, so thanks.
just wanted to share my first "oh, wow, what kind of car is that!" experience today at the local mall. guy and his girlfriend thought it was a toyota. "mazda" he said incredulously, "i didn't know they made cars like that." it's nice to get into a car that eye-catching even when it's just you and the empty parking lot.
I live in the "Big Sleazy," where summer temps are routinely in the mid to upper 90s. My P5's AC works fine. The cold air will decline somewhat if you spend a lot of time gridlocked, but idle it up to 1200 or thereabouts and it'll start blowing cooler within seconds.
Incidentally, a few months back a fellow at a gas station thought it was a Lexus Sportcross.
know what's new in the 2003 P5 compared to the 2002.5? I've scrolled back a view messages but haven't read all 5000 so please forgive me if that question has already been asked.
ABS/Side Air Bags option no longer requires Moonroof option (hey, they actually listened).
Moonroof and 6-CD in-dash changer options tied together.
The big changes are to the DX and LX sedans (standard single-CD player and standard 15in alloy wheels, respectively). Floor mats standard across the board.
I spent a couple of days in a "RaceMe Yellow" P5 rental car. It seemed like every where I went I was being challenged by every Honda, Neon, and etc with hotwheels and a loud exhaust. The P5 appears to be viewed as an easy kill in a straight line. With the automatic and the torque deficient engine you are pretty much a sitting duck.
On the subject of the auto, whoever designed the shift gate pattern must have been on drugs. Moving the shifter from drive to park is way way too difficult.
The biggest downer for the car IMHO was the ride quality. Anytime the road gets a little rough you get pounded by the suspension. I think Mazda cut corners on the shock valving. The car handles well with traditional FWD torque steer and push but once the road gets a little rough you pay the price.
I would hope Mazda is going to dish up a little more torque and little better suspension tuning for the P5 at some point. I can't get too excited about the car until they do.
It has just been a little over a month since we purchased our red mid cycle P-5. We have the 5 speed, with moonroof, 6 disc changer, cassette, compass/temp self dimming mirror. The car does not have ABS. We now have 1520 miles on it. Gas mileage ranges between 29-33. My wife uses the car most of the time, I have to beg for a chance to use it. She absolutely loves this car, and I must admit I am quite impressed with it myself. It handles great, and seems fine on all types of road surfaces. The air conditioner has been getting quite a workout, and works well, though if you sit in traffic, it is not as strong. The temperature mirror is also pretty accurate. The sound system is fine, though I am not an audiophile. The car shifts smoothly. Radio reception is adequate, though we don't listen to the radio that much. It is a lot of fun to drive, and the power is adequate, though it would be nice to have a little more horsepower. All in all, we are thrilled with our car and would highly recommend this car to anyone considering purchasing one.
you are missing the point. we like the suspension. thats the way it was designed. if i wanted a soft ride i would have purchased a caddy. but i like the tight ride that the car provides. thanks mazda for great handling and low profile tires on 16inch wheels. better than a soft ride with small 14 inch rims.
a few weeks ago that our club will be going on a road trip to nopi in atlanta on 9/20. we are in south florida. after that we plan on cruising the deal's gap and the blue ridge parkway in north carolina. we will probably visit virginia and south carolina also. if anybody here is interested in joining us register here:
also, mazda did not cut corners designing the suspension. Proteges are considered to have one of the best suspensions in any car class. also, what do you mean its hard to move the shifter from drive to park? did you have to use both of your feet in addition to your two hands to move it?
I think I get it. The car is so close to getting it right that a little fiddling by Mazda with the shocks and/or springs could tune out some of the harshness without any significant change in handling. I think a couple hours in the P5 on a road that is a little rough would prove tiring for even the most dedicated cone carver.
When driving the car really hard you tend to overlook the kicks and jolts the suspension feeds back to the body. When you are driving at normal highway speeds in traffic it becomes much more noticeable.
Enjoy, neat car for the bucks but could be a little better; as could any car.
The car had the e-shift which worked pretty well if you were in the narrow torque band. The auto shift lever has a really cheap looking plastic plate with built in shift gates. The plate appears to be an attempt to keep you from bumping the shift lever into another gear. The linkage combined with the plate is so bad that you can't move the lever from drive to park smoothly without it hanging up in the maze created by the plate. This is one of the worst designs I have seen.
I take your word for it on suspension design sophistication. Suspension designs can be tuned though.
you are right: any car can be better. do you go around all edmund's boards telling people what you don't like about their cars. if you don't like it, don't buy it. we all know the pluses and minuses of our cars but we still chose to buy them, that should tell you that there are more pros and the few cons don't really bother us. nothing in the world is perfect. just deal with it
Thanks for the advice. I think I have found my SportCross to suite my tastes pretty well. I was looking at the P5 as a possible candidate to replace the wife's Civic EX Coupe next year. In it's current form the P5 is probably a little too "young" for her, even though she thinks it is really "cute". From a 50 something lady who doesn't usually notice cars that is pretty high praise though.
What is wrong with non owner test drive reports? Many people use these boards to help them evaluate cars. They get a much bigger window into what it is like to drive a particular car. I think the more opinions expressed about a car the better. That way when you spend your hard won dollars you know exactly what you are buying. In many cases you aren't aware of good or less than good things about a car during a short test drive.
I am also pretty sure somebody from Mazda is following the boards on Mazda cars and providing feedback to their design teams. If everyone said the P5 was perfect then Mazda would have little incentive to improve it.
I just joined this discussion group. We purchased a red 5-speed Protege5 2 weeks ago today. We really weren't looking for one. My wife's first choice was a Jetta GLS, but we couldn't find a 02 model with the color and equipment she wanted. I stopped by a Mazada dealer to look at the ES or MP5 sedan and brought home a P5 brochure. My wife(Kris) liked the photos of the P5 and we called the dealer and test drove the one 5-speed he had. She liked it and we got the ford employee discount plus the 0% financing and the dealer added leather to the seats. Kris loves it and I love the way it drives. Plus it is quick around town and takes regular gas. Mileage is 25-30. My car is a 2000 Civic SI and Kris allway's gives me grief about needing premium gas. BTW, we are 48&49 years old and like sporty, small and manual trans sedans. We live in Detroit,MI. Email me if you want more info at rdm925@yahoo.com
Last Saturday, I decided to take the new Protege'5 home for a test drive. Yes of course, I am considering purchasing the vehicle. My initial comments are that the car drives better than I could ever imagine. The suspension is firm and the steering is tight. I love the low profile tires and the sleek headlights. In addition, everyone in my family likes the car too. The sound system is very impressive for standard equipment. However, there is one thing that is bothering me. Mazda decided to make it Optional for the buyer to invest in ABS brakes. Personally, it should be mandatory in all cold weather states. Although I really enjoy driving the vehicle, I always considered giving the car to my wife when her current lease expires next year. But, the thought of not having ABS brakes during the Michigan winters is disturbing. I keep thinking about my wife trying to stop at a intersection and start sliding right into traffic after hitting a sheet of ice. That thought is very, very disturbing. I admit, the auto trans shifter is a little quirky but who really cares. The vehicle has so many positive attributes that out way the negatives. Members should not criticize others to much for voicing their opinion even if it does not follow the logic of most people. I agree with the other member who commented on criticism. It is our responsibility to show others how to write a review that is more than simply pointing out perceived flaws that do not affect function, performance or durability.
I am interested in other members comments about how well (4) wheel disc brakes perform in winter conditions. Please assume that I do not try to break the Indy records during bad weather conditions.
What kind of race exhaust or speed exhaust works best on the P5? Also, is there a supercharger that can be put on this car without putting holes in the hood? Thanks.
I know it's tought to search back through this board, but we've done this discussion to great length. There really is no concensus as to ABS or no ABS. If it is a concern for you then I think you should get one with ABS. You say it should be mandatory, but also say that Mazda makes you invest in it. Well, if it was a standard feature of the car the base price would just increase by the cost of the ABS option. So whether it's an option or standard it isn't going to affect the price. Therefore I like the option not to have it and save money.
Our P5 does not have ABS, and although we haven't had the car through winter yet (got it this past June), I don't think I'll regret it. Proper driving habits and proper braking technique virtually eliminates the need for ABS. In other words, if you know what you're doing, you won't really need it. ABS, IMHO, is a mixed blessing. While an impressive advance in technology, it also creates complacent drivers who know only to stomp down on their brake pedal in emergency braking situations. My wife grew up outside of Edmonton, Canada and never had a car with ABS. They get more snow there in one year than I've probably seen in my lifetime down here in Ohio. Yet she never got in an accident/fender bender/etc. While I think ABS might've been nice to have, overall, I'm not too concerned with not having it, and I certainly wasn't going to pay extra for it.
What kind of race exhaust or speed exhaust works best on the P5? Also, is there a supercharger that can be put on this car without putting holes in the hood? Thanks.
Oh deer, are we going over this topic again? ABS is good, but some of us prefer car without it. Thank you Mazda to give us a choice, please don't force anyone to buy what they don't want to.
I'm currently in a "discussion" with someone about the P5's cargo capacity. I've read multiple times that Mazda only measures to the top of the seatbacks. Can anyone point me to some "proof" of this?
"With the 60/40 split rear seats folded, there's 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space. Mazda measures at a height level with the top of the rear seats, as per EPA guidelines; some manufactures measure to the ceiling, making specs sometimes skewed."
...or the bottoms of the windows. You can prove this to yourself by taking a tape measure and roughly measuring a rectangular box that'll fit into the space.
Mazda was conservative on their numbers. I took a number of measurements when the P5 first came out and modeled the space in CAD. These are up to the bottoms of the windows/tops of the seatbacks, and include the areas on either side of the wheel well protrusions:
W/ cargo cover, rear seatbacks up: 12.9 cu ft W/o cargo cover, rear seatbacks up: 14.2 cu ft Back seats down, front seats up, about mid-way through fore/aft travel (where my seat usually is): 33.5 cu ft
The numbers would be bigger if I measured up to the headliner, but I didn't take those measurements. These numbers take the angle of the seatbacks into account. The last figure assumes you also fold down the rear seat pans in addition to the seat backs, to get a flatter load floor.
I'm sorry if this has already been covered... But mazda has made some changes to the roof rack to address some noise complaints...
Mazda has made two changes to the roof rack to address this problem. Regretfully these changes are not retro...so they are only on the new ones leaving the factory. There is no service bulletin on this so its FYI...
step 1. wind trap height on cross bar was changed from 2.5mm to 2.8mm for production after 9/01. this decreased whistling noise under 70mph...but some noise still heard above 70mph.
step 2. add a wind trap sheet and camfer on bottom trap of cross bar...units after 4/02 production. Wind tunnel tests showed a drop in noise to job#1 standards.
for 2003 mazda will install the side rails at the factory and not install the cross bars. The cross bars will come with the car and installed at the dealership.
I thank each and every one who responded to my message regarding ABS brakes. My decision is now final. I will purchase the vehicle and continue to make sound decisions behind the wheel.
I think this message board is great. Keep up the good work!
I posted this in Problems/Solutions, but am also doing so here, as it might save some of you both grief and dollars.
The dealer surprised me by diagnosing the clicking sound I heard in the clutch area upon launch as a bad strut. (His mechanic described it as a groaning sound.) OK, it's still under warranty: 4 months old, 3800 miles. But they just replaced the strut, test drove the car, and now hear the same sound from the right front. They're ordering a new strut for that side.
I haven't run over any prostrate telephone poles or Oldevai Gorge-like potholes, so I wonder if this might be a common defect. If you're hearing a clicking or groaning sound and are still under warranty, better get it checked pronto.
Comments
I have one other question... does one have more negotiating strength at the dealer if they buy a 2002 at this stage, since this is almost "last year's model" or would that not be a factor.
Really appreciate the input. Thanks so much!
As Vocus points out, you can improve the performance by insulating the refrigerant line from the compressor to the air-cooling unit (located in your dashboard). Just make sure the insulating material you use is suitable for use in high-temperature environments and does not contact any engine or exhaust components (don't want to start any engine fires).
We've had temps int eh 90's with high humidyt for the last month up here.... no complaints.
So I think the AC is fine.
Bruno
Bruno
We averaged 31 mpg over the trip (mostly highway with some back roads and city driving during rush hour and construction backups). We were very happy with the car...
AC worked just fine. A really stupid comment, but something to check when you are test driving....
Make sure the vents are open and aiming where you would normally have them blowing. The P5 I test drove had the vents closed when I first turned on the AC. It was about 95 degrees and I thought the AC was poor... until I asked the salesman and he took a look and opened them up...duh!
AC is fine for my Black P5. I really love this car and would buy one over an accord.
Well Leroy, I guess the midwest is a different place as 78 will get you run over by minivans out west. After hauling the kids around in a 200hp minivan for the weekend and then getting back into a P5, I realized just how lacking the P5 is in the power department. Other than that, the car was pure joy with bit much noise at 80mph.
As an antenna I got a through-the-glass type antenna that I installed on the left rear window. Being 2 m, the antenna length was a lot more reasonable than equivalent CB antennas, but maybe they have something available.
The more I saw them, the more I liked them, enough to seriously consider purchasing one by April 2003 when the lease of my 4Runner Ltd is up. Started reading this board, (yes, ALL of the msgs, ummmmmm, maybe I DO need to get a life...Nevermind, that's a whole 'nother story!
Took a test drive in a red 2002.5 sport-AT, was impressed w/ the very smooth shifts. Then this last weekend, while visiting St Lucie West area, stopped by the dealer in Vero Beach with a friend of mine (shall we say large? 6'3" 275-290+) who sat in the driver's seat. Said he felt like he had more room in it than my 4Runner had! I was really surprised at that! Also, btw, this dealer had 2003 MP5's fresh off the truck, they still had the white plastic sheet wraps, (some previous msgs were wondering when the '03's would be arriving).
Thanks again for the great info here, it's appreciated.
Allen
this only proves that we did not post enough... Don't worry, you'll get a life after getting your P5.
Welcome
Bruno
just wanted to share my first "oh, wow, what kind of car is that!" experience today at the local mall. guy and his girlfriend thought it was a toyota. "mazda" he said incredulously, "i didn't know they made cars like that." it's nice to get into a car that eye-catching even when it's just you and the empty parking lot.
Incidentally, a few months back a fellow at a gas station thought it was a Lexus Sportcross.
Derrick
Floor mats standard.
ABS/Side Air Bags option no longer requires Moonroof option (hey, they actually listened).
Moonroof and 6-CD in-dash changer options tied together.
The big changes are to the DX and LX sedans (standard single-CD player and standard 15in alloy wheels, respectively). Floor mats standard across the board.
On the subject of the auto, whoever designed the shift gate pattern must have been on drugs. Moving the shifter from drive to park is way way too difficult.
The biggest downer for the car IMHO was the ride quality. Anytime the road gets a little rough you get pounded by the suspension. I think Mazda cut corners on the shock valving. The car handles well with traditional FWD torque steer and push but once the road gets a little rough you pay the price.
I would hope Mazda is going to dish up a little more torque and little better suspension tuning for the P5 at some point. I can't get too excited about the car until they do.
Gas mileage ranges between 29-33. My wife uses the car most of the time, I have to beg for a chance to use it. She absolutely loves this car, and I must admit I am quite impressed with it myself. It handles great, and seems fine on all types of road surfaces. The air conditioner has been getting quite a workout, and works well, though if you sit in traffic, it is not as strong.
The temperature mirror is also pretty accurate.
The sound system is fine, though I am not an audiophile. The car shifts smoothly. Radio reception is adequate, though we don't listen to the radio that much. It is a lot of fun to drive, and the power is adequate, though it would be nice to have a little more horsepower. All in all, we are thrilled with our car and would highly recommend this car to anyone considering purchasing one.
Bill Mc.
Bruno
For me it's a biggest upper! ;-)
Bruno
2002.5 P-5, 5 speed
2001 Protege ES, 5 speed
2001 Protege LX, Automatic 2.0 litre
groups.yahoo.com/group/intenseperformance.
btw, we will be staying at this hotel:
Hometown INN Atlanta Riverdale
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=dspv&flag=l&itid=&itdx=&itty=&from=f
if anybody is interested.
When driving the car really hard you tend to overlook the kicks and jolts the suspension feeds back to the body. When you are driving at normal highway speeds in traffic it becomes much more noticeable.
Enjoy, neat car for the bucks but could be a little better; as could any car.
I take your word for it on suspension design sophistication. Suspension designs can be tuned though.
Cheers,
Bruno
What is wrong with non owner test drive reports? Many people use these boards to help them evaluate cars. They get a much bigger window into what it is like to drive a particular car. I think the more opinions expressed about a car the better. That way when you spend your hard won dollars you know exactly what you are buying. In many cases you aren't aware of good or less than good things about a car during a short test drive.
I am also pretty sure somebody from Mazda is following the boards on Mazda cars and providing feedback to their design teams. If everyone said the P5 was perfect then Mazda would have little incentive to improve it.
So it goes.
Kris loves it and I love the way it drives. Plus it is quick around town and takes regular gas. Mileage is 25-30. My car is a 2000 Civic SI and Kris allway's gives me grief about needing premium gas. BTW, we are 48&49 years old and like sporty, small and manual trans sedans. We live in Detroit,MI. Email me if you want more info at rdm925@yahoo.com
I am interested in other members comments about how well (4) wheel disc brakes perform in winter conditions. Please assume that I do not try to break the Indy records during bad weather conditions.
If it is a concern for you then I think you should get one with ABS. You say it should be mandatory, but also say that Mazda makes you invest in it. Well, if it was a standard feature of the car the base price would just increase by the cost of the ABS option. So whether it's an option or standard it isn't going to affect the price. Therefore I like the option not to have it and save money.
Bruno
http://www.carbuytip.com/reviews/2002_mazda_protege5.html
"With the 60/40 split rear seats folded, there's 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space. Mazda measures at a height level with the top of the rear seats, as per EPA guidelines; some manufactures measure to the ceiling, making specs sometimes skewed."
It's about 2/3 of the way down.
I appreciate you looking, thanks.
Mazda was conservative on their numbers. I took a number of measurements when the P5 first came out and modeled the space in CAD. These are up to the bottoms of the windows/tops of the seatbacks, and include the areas on either side of the wheel well protrusions:
W/ cargo cover, rear seatbacks up: 12.9 cu ft
W/o cargo cover, rear seatbacks up: 14.2 cu ft
Back seats down, front seats up, about mid-way through fore/aft travel (where my seat usually is): 33.5 cu ft
The numbers would be bigger if I measured up to the headliner, but I didn't take those measurements. These numbers take the angle of the seatbacks into account. The last figure assumes you also fold down the rear seat pans in addition to the seat backs, to get a flatter load floor.
But mazda has made some changes to the roof rack to address some noise complaints...
Mazda has made two changes to the roof rack to address this problem. Regretfully these changes are not retro...so they are only on the new ones leaving the factory. There is no service bulletin on this so its FYI...
step 1. wind trap height on cross bar was changed from 2.5mm to 2.8mm for production after 9/01. this decreased whistling noise under 70mph...but some noise still heard above 70mph.
step 2. add a wind trap sheet and camfer on bottom trap of cross bar...units after 4/02 production. Wind tunnel tests showed a drop in noise to job#1 standards.
for 2003 mazda will install the side rails at the factory and not install the cross bars. The cross bars will come with the car and installed at the dealership.
I think this message board is great. Keep up the good work!
The dealer surprised me by diagnosing the clicking sound I heard in the clutch area upon launch as a bad strut. (His mechanic described it as a groaning sound.) OK, it's still under warranty: 4 months old, 3800 miles. But they just replaced the strut, test drove the car, and now hear the same sound from the right front. They're ordering a new strut for that side.
I haven't run over any prostrate telephone poles or Oldevai Gorge-like potholes, so I wonder if this might be a common defect. If you're hearing a clicking or groaning sound and are still under warranty, better get it checked pronto.