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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.