Mazda Protege5

Sporin

I've tried both, and the round side BACK is the quietest way.

Mine came that way, but I turned the front around thinking thr round side front would elimiante the TINY bit of wind noise I heard. I was rewared with a sound like a howler monkey on my roof at highway speeds. :-)

Mine are off now since I don't use the rack very often.

mazdadude1

Just returned from a few days of "zooming" in the N.C. mountains on those twisty roads up there. And loved every minute of it. My P5 handled those curves with little lean. Reminded me of my youth when we drove go-carts on my cousins' farm roads. Very fun. The 900 mile trip was comfortable. Drove 8 hours back from Beech Mountain, where temps were in the 30s with drizzle and fog, to Wilmington on the coast so I went through all kinds of weather and conditions. P5 handle all with confidence. Interstate speeds no problem. On two-lane country roads the 2.0l has good acceleration when passing (50-70mph)IMO. And the P5 got looks all the way.

protegextwo

Meade did a great job putting together this years annual Mid Atlantic Protege Picnic. He selected a riverside park setting to enjoy great food, 13 different Mazda Proteges', and an opportuntie to make meet their owners. We all drove to Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge, Virginia on Saturday morning. It rained the entire trip from Penna. to the park, yuk! However, 20 mins. after 11:00 am the rain stopped, the skies cleared and the sun peaked out thru the blue skies. A flippin miracle if you ask me. The same thing happened last year at the 1st annual MAPP get together. Meade, knows how to pick his days for MAPP!

The food was awesome, we had waaay too much to eat. Lasagna, hot dogs, hamburgers, ham biscuits, mac&cheese, hot crab dip, mac and potato salad, hand-crafted smoked Amish cheese, every kind of chip/pretzel imaginable, cheesecake, real Amish shoe fly pie, cookies and brownies! Soda, soda of every kind. Everyone brought something, way cool!

We had a 2 hour informal walk around to check out and compare the Proteges' This was kind of informal, however I learned a lot about the difference in the 3 generations of Protege design. It was cool to see the many mods and check out a MP5 real close up! This walk around started over again every time a new Protege showed up. It also gave us a chance to meet the PRO owners and get acquainted.

It was neat to see the look in the eyes of the fisherman and other folks using the park to picnic as they walked by our gathering of Mazdas'. As a show of unity, anytime an import sedan passed our gathering of PRO's; we unleashed some good natured jeers at their Volkswagen, Honda or Subarus as they passed our motley bunch of PRO fanatics.

Special kudos to Wil Fellows for linking the photos and videos from the 2nd Annual Mid Atlantic Protege Picnic for a viewing pleasure. Nice job Wil.

Paul King's (Vocus) made the best hot cheesy Maryland Blue Crab Dip. This stuff was to die for. Paul, please post the recipe! BTW, Meade took the left over Crab Dip back to his hotel room and all we could here all night was a loud chopping noise and soft moaning until 3 am? Meade, was it THAT good?

David Brooks and his crew from New England took the "Hard Charger" Award. They drove all night to get to MAPP #2 and slept in there car, until sun up, WOW! BTW, his 2000 DX was pretty sharp. I followed him into the park and he sure knows how to ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!

Jeremy DeHart's Mazda Protege's Familia Conversion was awesome. Very tastefully done. He win's the "Passion for Excellence" Award.

BTW, I totally failed as the Accomadation Director. Using my beloved TRAVELOCITY as a guide I managed to book Meade, myself and the Jason Krotine family in the "HOTEL HELL" after the picnic. Trust me folks $45.00 does not get you a lot, 12 miles outside of Washington DC. This place was worse than the Beruit Hotel, lol! Thats right chained fire exit doors, moldy rooms, the ice machine, soda machine and candy vendor machines were out of order. Meade, swore he saw the front desk clerk drag a dead body along the corridor in front of his room. At check-in the clerk threatened me, from behind the bullet proof glass. Just because I rang the bell to get his attention, yikes! However, they did serve day old Krispy Kreme doughnuts at there FREE breakfast nook from hell! Nothing like fighting a large rat for a stale Krispy Creme, hehe!

IN CONCLUSION:

I hope, I speak for everyone, we had a great time! Special thanks to Meade Daffron and Edmunds for the T-shirts. Pat_Host, next year Edmunds needs to send a reporter and capture the 3rd annual MAPP on film and write a feature on our passionate Mazda Crew! I enjoyed meeting Santiago, Hank, Kevin, Wil, Jason & his family, Steve, Mike, Paul & his guests, Meade, both Jeremys, and David & his crew. God Bless you all!

Respectfully,
Larry

bluong1

I envy you!
Bruno

sunbyrne

Sounds like it was terrific. Too bad there don't seem to be any other Texans besides Bruno and myself so we could do something similar down here...

protegextwo

There is an easy way to gain support for a grass root Edmunds Texas Mazda Protege Picnic! You guys post on a regular basis, right? Well keep posting about the fun of owning a PRO-5 in Texas! Come over to the sedan topic too, most of us sedan guys really want a PRO-5 anyway! ;-) The more Protege owners from Texas(sedan, P5, or MP3) you meet here at Edmunds, the better the opportuntie to set up a Protege meet and greet event! We started MAPP#1 with 5 PRO's. This year we got 13.

Respectfully,
Larry

protegextwo

We missed you and Jerry. Now that would have made for a historical Edmunds Town Hall Protege Meet!

-Larry

fs8gbe

hey guys, been lurking here for awhile, and i think i am ready to take on the p5. i haven't driven a stick since i was 14, and i did it only twice then. i am nervous about getting a stick if ican't drive one. is the automatic version of this car just as good? because i keep hearing how wonderful the stick is. thanks for your time...

vocus

In any car, a manual transmission will give you more control over how the engine is revved and whatnot. I have an automatic 2.0 Protege ES and am satisfied with it, except at low speeds when it could use a little more punch. It's more than adequate though. To each his own though. Drive both and see which one suits your needs better. And don't worry about not driving a clutch in a long time. It's just like riding a bicycle, you never forget. :0

audia8q

Got a question to all you P5 buyers and shoppers...

I will be getting in 2 yellow units shortly and was thinking about installing black leather interior with yellow seat inserts....

any thoughts??

Rich

sunbyrne

I can't stand leather seats in *any* car, and wouldn't even consider a car marked up for leather. I find the stock seats in the Pro5 both comfortable and attractive, so I wouldn't go for it at all. But I know lots of people like leather seats for some strange reason, so it might be worth it...

cl21977

Hey! Here's the situation: I've been shopping for a new car for about 6 months, and have finally narrowed it down to 2 options. On the one hand, I have the Toyota Echo (which I've come to love), and on the other, the Protege5 (which I've yet to test drive but researched thoroughly). Yes, I know, it's a weird choice. I'm getting married in 2 weeks, so I've gotta keep the future in mind. The Echo is really everything I need, but the P5's hatchback could come in very handy, and it's certainly easier on the eyes...
My real question is this: has ANYONE experienced mechanical difficulties? I was strongly considering a Focus until I read the consumer reviews (about half the owners had serious malfunctions after 6 months). Everyone has been tickled with the Echo's performance so far. How are the P5's holding up? So far all I've seen here are people crooning over their moonroofs...

Any replies appreciated!!!

bluong1

Last Friday I took my P5 for a 140 miles trip to Lufkin, a town located in the North side of Houston. At one point I followed a small truck, and I notice something hitting the windshield, probably falling from the truck, but nothing was broken and everything seems to perform normal. I did my 102 miles camping/biking trip Friday and the whole Saturday in Lufkin area and get back to Houston late that night. Sunday I took my car for a wash, and then I noticed there is black paint spray all over the hood and and the right back door of the yellow P5! One have to get close enough to see them, but still I'm really mad! I tried to remove few large spots with my finger nails with care, and they seems to come out. I hope I can remove all by applying a paint cleaner and waxing the car. If I ever encounter this truck driver again, I'll send him straight to hell (Afghanistan?)!

Bruno

protege_fan

Bruno you should try "claying" your hood. I heard that it works great for taking off paint overspray, which is basically what is on your hood. Ask over in the wax board (no zaino posts). Mrdetailer and bretfraz are really good about answering questions.

bluong1

My P5 has 5000 miles on it and not a single trouble that I can think of. This is my fifth car, and I don't recall any of those give me so much fun to drive than the P5. Critics often say that the P5 could have more power. It's true that now a day car makers put more and more HP on their products, and one can never reach the limit IMHO. In 5 years from now, car with 200hp will probably not even competitive in the market. I think the P5 has very happy marriage among handling capability, power and good mileage, and I don't care if the Sentra, or a Civic, or a Golf have more HP. They are not that fun to drive like the Mazda, period!

Bruno

bluong1

As vocus said, try both and decide yourself. Speak for myself, I always have manual car. It's not only for fun but it also bring me safety, especially in a difficult road condition, like driving in the mountain, on the snow, and under heavy rain. With the manual, one control the gear and can find easier a good range of torque the wheel is subjected to. For example, in the heavy rain, I like to drive with lower gear, since a engine break bring me extra safety (stop faster without aquaplaning and some extra steering capability during breaking).

Bruno

bluong1

Thanks Mike for the tip.

protege_fan

No problem. I've never tried using a clay bar myself, mind you. But I remember one person on that "Store bought waxes Part II (No Zaino posts" board explaining how he removed yellow road paint easily from his car using a clay bar system. Hope it works!

PF

gramata

Hey everyone,

Winter is coming up and I am looking for a place to get Snowboard attachments for the racks that come stock on the P5. I was wondering if anyone has found a good rack or shop?

Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks,

John Gramata
JohnHBCali@aol.com

boopoppa

I'd have to say no to leather seats. I think if you're trying to make it look sporty by adding the yellow inserts you're actually defeating the whole sport look with leather. I believe racing enthusiasts prefer a grippier cloth material especially when driving through the twisties. You don't want to be sliding around on leather. Save the leather for grandpa's cadillac :-)

allez-y!

lolman

Does anyone have any experience putting a new head unit in the car, I called crutchfield and they said they have no harnesses or mounting kits for the protege5 or 2001+ protege sedan. I also looked for metra harnesses and nobody has any. Also apparently the crutchfield guy said that the kenwood kdcmp8017 mp3 head unit wont fit into the protege5 because the opening isnt deep enough. If anyone has any info I would really appreciate it....thanks

maltb

Nice try, but they have the same dash. The MP3 sytem will fit just fine.

protegextwo

TRUST ME ON THIS! I know a clay bar is a safe thing to try. Give it a try and if it works on the black paint specs, great. However, I would not use a paint cleaner and wax treatment, without 1st contacting a professional detail shop with a good paint work reputation. This might be, a tad tougher problem than you think. Consult with a Pro.

Respectfully,
Larry

Sporin

If you want to go to a standard size (single-DIN) head unit, you should be able to order the part from the MP3 with the little cubby in it.

Check out these pictures of the MP3 radio area.

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/mp3-kenwood2.JPG

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/mp3-interior.JPG

That unit should slide right into our Pr05s!

1phat5

i have an alpine iva-c800 tv and dva-5205 in-dash dvd player (both single din) and had no problem putting them in. like sporin said, you can put a single din in your car and get the pocket to fill in. a friend works at a major retailer and had the harness in stock.

Question--how many actual Proege 5 owners do we have on here? how many people have yellow 5 speeds? anyone else have a problem getting a front end bra for the car?

shrill

I just bought a dark blue P5 w/ moonroof, abs, and a very noisy roof rack. I read that the roof rack can be removed. Is this true? How? The owner's manual says nothing about this. I'll never use the damned thing anyway, and it would make it easier to keep clean.

This is the only negative thought I've had after my first 300 miles with my cool, blue ride.

mp5freak

I've had the same problem finding a wiring harness and mounting kits. I've talked to Crutchfield and several car audio places but none have anything that will work. I even contacted a manufacturer of this stuff and they said it might be a while. Aaargh. I have brand new Infinity Kappa speakers in there, but they're almost a total waste without a more powerful head unit. I'm guessing it will be 2002 until we can get our hands on the parts.

Oh, the trials and tribulations of buying a brand new car

sunbyrne

The roof rack can be removed. I'll actually use mine (Christmas tree!), but my dealer was willing to show me how to do it--you might ask. Someone has posted instructions in this forum at some point, too, IIRC.

deejayspinz

mp5freak - I share your frustrations... It seemed that the only way to get a stereo mounted in there was to have a shop do a custom job on a mounting plate. I decided to make my own. I decided to use .040 aluminum sheet. Cut it to the necessary size and mounted. The setup is quite simple. There is no need to "bolt" the mounting plate in there. Once the head unit is in place, I use the mount at the back to pull the head unit into its place. This in turn keeps the whole package in place. I am in the process of testing 2 versions. One has a CD pocket in it, and the other will have a digital clock mounted in it. I will be posting pics in a few weeks. Right now I am putting the finishing touches on the clock part (trying to get an indiglo type of feature for reading the clock at night). I have pics of the complete stereo install here:
www.astolfo.com/p5 - Once I finish the mounting plate, I will put pics up.

Dave

ateixeira

Just test drove one of these babies yesterday. A nice blue one, though I prefer the yellow even more.

What a cute little car. Spunky and stylish, it makes SUVs seem so last season. Loved the styling first and foremost, more handsome than the sedan, even. Gorgeous alloys, big disc brakes that even loaded Tributes don't get. Neat white gauges, quality fit and finish. Nice.

Dislikes? Not many, just would like a little more power. It looks like a sport wagon and should have maybe 160 horses to back up the look. Even the MP3's engine would be a good start. Also, the headliner and sun visors are from the econobox parts bin.

Pluses: handling and ride are perfectly balanced, no torque steer, neutral handling, light controls (including clutch and shifter), braking. Great value for the price.

Make ABS standard and put the MP3 engine in, and toss in cross bars to pitch it as a small SUV alternative. The wife may need to trade in her 626, but it may be a bit small for her tastes. I like small cars like my Miata and found it perfectly sized.

-juice

destino

I have a yellow P5 and since this state only has plates on the back, I want to plug or disguise the holes in the front. Is there an aftermarket product made for this? I asked at the service/parts dept, but they didn't know of any.
thanks....

protege_fan

How big are the holes? In my '01 LX they are very small (about 2 mm across). Are they different for the P5?

ateixeira

I'd hit Home Depot and look for flat head screws, zinc coated or galvanized so they don't rust. Can you get behind there to thread the nut?

-juice

protege_fan

I think he's looking to disguise the holes. By putting screws in, I think it's advertising the fact that there are holes, especially if the holes are as small as the ones that I'm talking about.
BTW, the holes in my front bumper are just small indentations; they do not go all the way through the bumper.

mazdafun

Of course, you could use some body panel filler to plug the holes and then paint the outer faces of the filler material to match the bumper.

Or instead of a plate, maybe you could mount horns or something else to express yourself.

protege_fan

I like the horns idea! Too funny.
You know, all of this sounds like a lot of work for 4 tiny holes.

ateixeira

A practical idea? What about some vinyl stickers, cut round, that match your color closely. I doubt people would notice.

-juice

happy_gilmore

Okay that does it, i am trading in my rust bucket gas hogging SUV for an MP5. PROBLEM, i cannt decide between the blue or silver color.

Anyone have any pics of a blue MP5. I have seen lots of silver pics, and cars, but the midnight blue is hard to come across here in Van.BC

i am thinking silver, but could be swayed to blue.

meinrad

Check out Post #611 from this discussion. Has link to pic's of a blue. I much prefer the blue over anything else, but will consider silver if blue is not available when I buy.

happy_gilmore

I like the blue too. I am not into the whole loud, red or yellow pocket rocket style colors.
Blue is nice and subtle, the silver is too much for the eyes, compared to the blue.

Thanks Meinrad!

robr2

just to be a jerk :-)

Uh how about installing the bracket all by itself?? Or fancy it up with one of those dealer plates too!!

Duck and Cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

protege_fan

How about the black mica? It's my fav colour! Incredibly hard to keep clean, but I don't think it'd be any harder than the blue, as both are very dark colours.

elec3

I own a silver one which is very nice and shiny when clean and have seen red, blue, and black. I really wanted black because it looked awesome brand new but it's very dusty here and would be nearly impossible to keep it that clean so it's probably just as well that they sold it and I ended up with silver. The red one looked pretty good but I'm not a fan of red cars so I didn't think it was anything special. I didn't like the blue well enough to buy one but I thought it was kind of cool - a very unique color.

PS: I was thinking that I'd really really like a Protege5 with the Tribute's 200hp V6. For a heavy SUV, the Tribute really hauls - in fact I think it's quicker than the Pro5. Some of this could be in the gearing used in the Tribute but either way, if you could find a way to crunch the Trib's V6 into a Pro5, you would have a stupidly fast car.

glennisf

I just bought a midnight blue PR5 a week ago. All week long at work, people have been stopping me and saying, "is that your new car I saw in the lot? I love the color!" I wouldn't consider any other color for my PR5.

happy_gilmore

yeah, nothing beats a nicely waxed black car. Problem is i have a black car right now, and it fades and is too hard to keep clean.

plus blue is a unique color, most have the red or black MP5 so far.

boopoppa

speaking of lingerie,

has anyone used the stongard? i think it was developed by 3M and consists of a clear polyurethane adhesive bra. i'm interested in getting this being that i really don't like the looks of black vinyl nosepieces

mustang87

since town hall removed my message this is a clean repost

Yes, i am not afraid to say it, i am a guy and i need a bra. For
my car that is.Protege5online.com has a nice magnetic hood bra that actually looks nice, cheap and can be painted to match. I spent about 2 hours on the highway here is south florida every day and the damn truckers lose their garbage all
over the place. One day there was a plastic garbage can that was flying around. just a couple of days ago there was an aluminum ladder that fell off and an
explorer
ran right into it and smashed in into pieces. imagine that, an aluminum ladder!!! happened right before my eyes. yes, i know the bra wont protect against idiots and items like that but there are always
stones and gravel flying around. you can hear it hitting your car everytime and its like damn, ouch, not again. does anybody have experience with those magnetic bras. does it cause scratches, dirt to build up, fading, is it going to fly off at 70mph? sorry for my rant everybody but i am sure all of us feel the same way
about our cars. also, i am trying to build or organize a protege5, mp3 club in south
florida. There is a car show at tower shops on university and 595 in davie every friday, it be nice to go and show off.If you are interested, email me. Have anybody seen a toy model of the protege yet? In europe? In japan?

sunbyrne

I have a silver Pro5, in part because my wife's 99 Protege LX sedan is blue, and we just couldn't go for two blue Protege's. That, and with the black interior, the Texas heat is a bit much (my wife's car has a beige interior). I think you can't go wrong either way on blue vs. silver...

mustang87

I wonder why the car in the TV commercial and on the posters is yellow? Just some food for thought

PS. Does anybody know where to get one of those big protege5 posters? And do you know if there is a link to the TV commercial online. VW has all their commercials online. The one with the jetta and a wedding is the best one. And the music, wow.

butler11

You can see the comercial on the US website for Mazda.As for the posters i asked the dealer for one ,they did not have any but they said that they would save me one.they wrote my name on it for me.......