I've had my PR5 for about a month. I am a little disappointed in the sound system and was considering replacing the speakers. Has anyone replaced just the speakers (not the stereo itself)? Did it improve the sound quality? Thanks.
I haven't not changed the speakers but from my experience, replacing the stereo provides a greater noticable difference than changing the speakers.
I know most people will say that i'm wrong and the speakers are the weakest link. But me and my friend has noticed that the head unit makes quite a bit of difference. For my 95 civic and his 93 corolla, we both changed our head units without changing the speakers. The sound improved significantly and there was way more kick to the music.
But obviously i think the best solution is to change them both.
I replaced just the speakers on my MP5, and this did improve sound quality and volume fairly well. It's not good enough for me, so I plan to continue to upgrade the system when it gets warmer outside (I don't have a garage). I could look up the speaker types I used if you want me to (they were Pioneer 3-ways in the front, Polk 2-ways in the back, with high sensitivity). Bass response improved quite a bit, and clarity improved.
There are some great postings here much earlier regarding door panel removal that were essential to my success.
That head unit is a disappointment, though, and I'm debating if an amp with speaker level inputs will actually help. I'll try something in the spring...
I'm now a proud owner of a Silver P5. I took delivery on Sat.....and it rained the next day. (sigh) I just have a couple of questions right off the bat.
1) Has anyone driven on the stock tires during the winter? If so how are they?
2) Does anyone know of a car alarm review site? I'm having a heckuva time finding a site that does comparisons.
I will be buying farily soon and was wondering what kind of discounts people were getting from dealers. I am noticing a large amount of pro5's at the dealers and unfortunately most are auto.
Just wanted to add that the Pro5 is the best handling car I have ever driven-huge fun!!!
Sure you can, but not on the 16" wheel. You need to keep the rolling diameter of your wheel & tire package the same as stock. Otherwise you throw off you speedometer, odometer and effect changes in your gearing and transmission that could cause problems over time.
It is NOT as simple as just fitting in the wheel well.
My snow tires are 195/55-15's on 15" steel wheels, so you should be able to find a 15" package that will fix.
Go to www.tirerack.com amd read up on tire sizing, there is a lot of good info there.
Anyone have an opinion as to how hard a winter is on a new car? This is my first vehicle and I know I want a P5. I am just thinking I should wait till spring as our roads are sanded and salted during our great lake winters. It would be tragic to scratch up this beautiful car.
I'm with Sporin, it's going to dinged, scratched, salted, and bug splatted anyway so why wait. Get it now and be happy. Western Pa winters aren't the worst in the land, but I've just learned to live with the salt and other junk and that my car will just not look new for very long. The best you can do is be careful, take care of it the best you can and drive, drive, drive. After all is said and done, cars are for driving, so lets have fun!
Has anyone driven a ZX3 and compare it to the Protege5?? I need to upgrade my ZX3. I'm thinking of buying new and need a hatchback. Any feedback is appreciated. TIA
Posted to the sedan room about my rpms. That was being discussed there. Just returned from interstate travel and noticed that crusising at 70mph, my rpms were running 3000-3100. I have an automatic. My mp5 drove down the interstate like it was on rails. A very nice feeling to me. Parents, luggage for two nights and small dog fit easily... later zoomers
a couple weeks ago, I managed to fit a 10 foot flagpole in my Pro5. Had to fold one of the back seats and run it diagonally from the hatch up to the front passenger's seat but it fit. I had about 2 more feet to spare.
at higher speeds 75+ my mp5 feels like it "wallows" around and is not really that stable. It feels somewhat loose. I don't know if its me, the car or what. Did anybody else has this problem? could be suspension, tire balancing. checked the air and it was exactly 32 at all four corners.
Hey mustang... don't know if u saw my earlier post about cruising the interstate at 70 and car felt like it was on rails... that's how steady and straight she travelled. Don't know about higher speeds... later
I took one right off the truck today and ran it up I-84 at 85+ for over 7 miles....no wallowing at all...like mazdadude mentions the car was like it was on a rail.
but I am also a Lincoln dealer and nobody can wallow like a lincoln..LOL
I've had my Pro5 up to 100 (here in southern New Mexico the speed limits are high and the roads are straight and desolate) and it handled very tightly up to that speed - glued to the road.
I do see how you could feel that way though, the steering on the Pro5 is fairly tight and a bit touchy (though precise). At very high speeds it doesn't take much to get in the other lane and this is exaggerated by the RPM sensing steering. At, say, 85 miles an hour, your RPMs are going to be fairly high which should give you more steering assist making handling rather touchy. If, on the other hand, you felt the suspension was wallowy in the sense of leaning in turns and bouncing high over expansion joints and such, my Pro5 has never behaved like that. It does feel a little less stable at high speed than other cars I've ridden in but still tracks well and feels glued to the road (hitting a significant bump at 85 yields a sharp, quick jounce rather than a 3 foot rollercoaster wave like you'd get in a truck or that Lincoln).
Got it up to 80mph on the interstate today and still my mp5 felt like it was on rails. RPMs at that speed were around 3500 with my automatic. I like the rpm sensing steering... seems to give good road feel. Sport suspension felt good over the bumps on the interstate. Feels like a grownup version of the go-carts we drove as kids. And boy were those fun!
It kinda takes some time to get used to this RPM sensing steering thing. Been driving my 95 Civic for like 6 years and that car does not have much "power" in the power steering, so it's pretty heavy most of the time, but i really liked that because it gave great response and feedback.
As for the RPM sensing, it's kinda weird at first. Let say that I'm stopped at a stop sign and i'm prepared to dash out when it's my turn to turn left. At first the steering would be light, but when i'm almost done turning and ready to wind back, it becomes heavy...
are the right words. Last weekend I took my P5 with 3 people, all the camping gears including a big cooler filled with ice and food, 3 tents, etc... to a hiking-camping trip in Guadaloupe Mountains located at the border of Texas and New-Mexico. I pushed the car to 110mph on several occasions. Even with the presence of desert wind blowing at about 15-25mph, the car feel stable. My friends only noticed that I drove the car at that speed until they look through the windows and see a faster moving landscape. The whole trip is ~1600miles. I'll take the car for the second oil change tomorrow.
I picked up my car on a rainy day and found that the wipers on both the front and back not working as well as they should - anyone have the same problem. They streak a lot.
My wipers never streaked at all...until I cleaned the window with Eagle 1 Auto-glass cleaner. Now there's streaking. The streaks go away quickly, but I can still see them for a few seconds.
If cleaning the glass and wipers don't work, replace the wipers.
This usually is required only twice a year, but it only takes one wipe on a dust-covered, dry windshield to scratch up a wiper enough to cause it to leave streaks. Applying more pressure on the blades only works to a small degree. It's better to put on new wipers.
My wife qualifies for the $400 Customer Cash on the Mazda Graduate Program. I will most likely have her purchase the car and finance in her name.
When negotiating with the dealer on a price, should I factor this into the price or is the deal simply between the buyer (my wife) and Mazda?? Has anyone had any experience with this graduate "rebate"?? Do I have to go through the dealer to get the rebate??
I recently bought a PR5 and qualified for the graduate rebate. My dealer told me that the rebate comes directly from Mazda. You have to give them a copy of your diploma or some other proof that you qualify. Then they add the rebate to your down payment. It was really easy to do.
I would recommend that you negotiate your price before you tell them that you qualify. Although the rebate doesn't hurt the amount of money the dealer is making, they still might try to use it to sell you the car for more than you should pay. Personally, I had my price in writing on a sales form before I told them that I qualified.
If you qualify for this rebate, take complete advantage of it. It was the easiest $400 I ever saw! :-)
does anyone know why mazda states "never tow a trailer with your mazda" in the owner's manaul. and despite this warning has anyone done any towing? i have a small utility trailer that i would like to use.
It should not be part of the deal at all. I got it too...had to give a transcript. I agree, don't let them know about it. They will definitely use it against you. It's really a great offer. Somebody mentioned before that you couldn't combine it w/ the low interst rates (ie. 0.0%), but not too sure on that.
Witnessed it personally on I-75 northbound, heading towards Dayton, OH.
It was towing a small trailer, with a garden tractor on it.
Like other cars from mfrs that don't recommend it, the Protege can tow light loads, if you insist on it. Be aware that it affects your handling (as it puts more weight on your rear wheels) and puts more load on your brakes.
I'm new to this forum .... and I'm thisclose to buying a P5. Really like it but both hubby and I are concerned about the harsh ride. It probably wouldn't have been a problem a few years ago, but we're in our 40's and not as resilient!
So, does the ride get better with use? Does deflating the tire pressure help. Different tires? Are there current owners out there who are middle aged who can help with their impression of the ride?
BTW, our dealer had a used one for sale... said a couple in their 70's bought it (traded in their buick lesabre) and brought it back in a month because of the ride.
Personally I was a little worried about the ride because this is the car that me and my wife will be taking on longer trips. It can be very harsh but yet it's not jarring.
My advice would be to see if you can find a dealer that will allow you to "check out" a car for an extended test drive. Take it along a track that you know is bumpy and see how much it get's on your nerves. Personally I'm willing to take hte harsh ride on trade for wonderful handling characteristics.
If you decided to buy the car but want to change the ride I would suggest getting a little bigger tire height and a smaller rim IE a 15 inch tire. (a dealership would be able to tell you what kind of tires would work.) The same size as a Protege sedan with steel rims would probably work. That should soften the ride some but would cost you some of the handling.
You are wrong. Sorry dude, but the 16-inch wheels on the Protege models have a 5-lug hub. The others only have 4 lugs. Wheels from the Protege sedan (other than the 16-inch ones) wouldn't fit the P5.
Chocodog, I am 45 and love the way the p5 rides and handles. I have put over 4000 miles on it since August. Longest road trip I have taken was 8 hours one way. The sporty suspension suits me. I also have driven my mom, who is 76, on a trip of 6 hours one way and she had no problems. She said she liked my car. (But then she is my mom, afterall) It definitely does not "float" over the hiway. You feel very connected to the road; comes down to your preferences for the type of ride you want going from point a to b. I prefer a fun one; not a sedate one.
Dang....ok, but I wasn't really talking about the tires off of the sedan. I only meant the tire size of P195/55R15 fitting on the P5. Is that still not workable?
Has anyone put bigger wheels on? I'm thinking of getting a set of either 17 or even 18 inch wheels. Will they fit? even with an inch dropped suspension?
also, has anyone changed the exhaust? I'd like to get something with a freer flow and a better sounding growl. what does the racingbeat exhaust sound like? the circumfrence of the rear bumper cutout for the tailpipe is just begging me to fill it up with something bigger :-)
Check out www.tirerack.com and see what they come up with for 15-inch wheels for the P5. They don't make any wheels available for a particular car unless they've confirmed they fit its hubs.
In your case, you're minus-1 sizing your wheels, which is what is typically done when selecting snow tires. Check out what they offer for a winter tire/wheel set for the P5.
Minus-1 sizing means you're going down 1-inch in diameter on your wheel. With the right tire, this means you add another half-inch of sidewall. A "touring" or "passenger" type tire also gives you a softer ride than a "performance" type tire, such as the Dunlops stock on the P5.
Agreed, the Pro5 does have a somewhat stiff suspension. It adds to the sporty handling and character of the vehicle. It's not bone jarring or bouncy like you would get in a truck but it's no Cadillac style land yacht either. It really comes down to personal preference.
I was upset with the ride for the first day or two...even thought I had made a mistake buying the car. But then I found that I had gotten used to the ride, and now I barely notice it.
The ride definitely has a sporty ride to it. It is more noticeable when driving. When riding either in the front or back it seems to be smoother. I'm 45 and just came from a 2000 Infiniti G20t. That car gave me the sporty handling with a smooth ride. It has taken a little getting used to the Protege5's ride, but it has grown on me. I like this car a lot and am liking it more each day.
The sporty ride and handling is the best thing I love about my P5. One tip is not to put anything that may rattle in the glove compartment. It can get very annoying
Thanks - this helps a lot. Believe me, I'm not looking for cushy; I like feeling the road (I am retiring a 16 year old honda civic Si hatchback that wasn't exactly cadillac-like!) But, honest, the test car was almost punishing on back roads. It had just come off the truck, though (6 miles on the odo.) So, I'm wondering if the tires are overinflated for sitting on the lot.
Whatever - I'll take the word of people who've owned them for a while.
Comments
I know most people will say that i'm wrong and the speakers are the weakest link. But me and my friend has noticed that the head unit makes quite a bit of difference. For my 95 civic and his 93 corolla, we both changed our head units without changing the speakers. The sound improved significantly and there was way more kick to the music.
But obviously i think the best solution is to change them both.
There are some great postings here much earlier regarding door panel removal that were essential to my success.
That head unit is a disappointment, though, and I'm debating if an amp with speaker level inputs will actually help. I'll try something in the spring...
1) Has anyone driven on the stock tires during the winter? If so how are they?
2) Does anyone know of a car alarm review site? I'm having a heckuva time finding a site that does comparisons.
Thanks
Just wanted to add that the Pro5 is the best handling car I have ever driven-huge fun!!!
It is NOT as simple as just fitting in the wheel well.
My snow tires are 195/55-15's on 15" steel wheels, so you should be able to find a 15" package that will fix.
Go to www.tirerack.com amd read up on tire sizing, there is a lot of good info there.
http://www.familia-sw.mazda.co.jp/limited/fieldbreak/
The appearance (which I like) reminds me a bit of subaru. I wish some of these cars (with the bigger engines) could make it over to us.
Mazda Protege5
MazdaP5.com
Mazda Club
I need to upgrade my ZX3.
I'm thinking of buying new and need a hatchback.
Any feedback is appreciated.
TIA
but I am also a Lincoln dealer and nobody can wallow like a lincoln..LOL
Rich
I do see how you could feel that way though, the steering on the Pro5 is fairly tight and a bit touchy (though precise). At very high speeds it doesn't take much to get in the other lane and this is exaggerated by the RPM sensing steering. At, say, 85 miles an hour, your RPMs are going to be fairly high which should give you more steering assist making handling rather touchy. If, on the other hand, you felt the suspension was wallowy in the sense of leaning in turns and bouncing high over expansion joints and such, my Pro5 has never behaved like that. It does feel a little less stable at high speed than other cars I've ridden in but still tracks well and feels glued to the road (hitting a significant bump at 85 yields a sharp, quick jounce rather than a 3 foot rollercoaster wave like you'd get in a truck or that Lincoln).
just to let you know, the rpm sensing steering reduces assist as the rpm's increase.
As for the RPM sensing, it's kinda weird at first. Let say that I'm stopped at a stop sign and i'm prepared to dash out when it's my turn to turn left. At first the steering would be light, but when i'm almost done turning and ready to wind back, it becomes heavy...
Bruno
Try cleaning your windshield really well with a soft cloth and some Isopropyl-Alcohol. Then clean your wiper blades with hot soapy water.
This usually is required only twice a year, but it only takes one wipe on a dust-covered, dry windshield to scratch up a wiper enough to cause it to leave streaks. Applying more pressure on the blades only works to a small degree. It's better to put on new wipers.
When negotiating with the dealer on a price, should I factor this into the price or is the deal simply between the buyer (my wife) and Mazda?? Has anyone had any experience with this graduate "rebate"?? Do I have to go through the dealer to get the rebate??
I would recommend that you negotiate your price before you tell them that you qualify. Although the rebate doesn't hurt the amount of money the dealer is making, they still might try to use it to sell you the car for more than you should pay. Personally, I had my price in writing on a sales form before I told them that I qualified.
If you qualify for this rebate, take complete advantage of it. It was the easiest $400 I ever saw! :-)
PF
-juice
It was towing a small trailer, with a garden tractor on it.
Like other cars from mfrs that don't recommend it, the Protege can tow light loads, if you insist on it. Be aware that it affects your handling (as it puts more weight on your rear wheels) and puts more load on your brakes.
If it's steel I may just have a problems with it and have to upgrade to something from Racingbeat. (GRIN)
www.racingbeat.com
Bruno
So, does the ride get better with use? Does deflating the tire pressure help. Different tires? Are there current owners out there who are middle aged who can help with their impression of the ride?
BTW, our dealer had a used one for sale... said a couple in their 70's bought it (traded in their buick lesabre) and brought it back in a month because of the ride.
My advice would be to see if you can find a dealer that will allow you to "check out" a car for an extended test drive. Take it along a track that you know is bumpy and see how much it get's on your nerves. Personally I'm willing to take hte harsh ride on trade for wonderful handling characteristics.
If you decided to buy the car but want to change the ride I would suggest getting a little bigger tire height and a smaller rim IE a 15 inch tire. (a dealership would be able to tell you what kind of tires would work.) The same size as a Protege sedan with steel rims would probably work. That should soften the ride some but would cost you some of the handling.
PF
PF
also, has anyone changed the exhaust? I'd like to get something with a freer flow and a better sounding growl. what does the racingbeat exhaust sound like? the circumfrence of the rear bumper cutout for the tailpipe is just begging me to fill it up with something bigger :-)
boopoppa
In your case, you're minus-1 sizing your wheels, which is what is typically done when selecting snow tires. Check out what they offer for a winter tire/wheel set for the P5.
Minus-1 sizing means you're going down 1-inch in diameter on your wheel. With the right tire, this means you add another half-inch of sidewall. A "touring" or "passenger" type tire also gives you a softer ride than a "performance" type tire, such as the Dunlops stock on the P5.
Whatever - I'll take the word of people who've owned them for a while.