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And as far as service at your friendly Lexus dealer, one would think that a customer who pays those prices ($68,000 for the LS 430), they could spare a soda, coffee, and a little doughnut once in a while!! Sheeesh!
The service manager at my Mazda dealership said, "If you need to go somewhere just let me know, I'll have Enterprise send over a car. Go anywhere you want to." I had asked if a salesman could take me up the street to get breakfast while they changed the oil and filter. By the time Enterprise would have driven a car over and I had taken the driver back to Enterprise....the service was completed. They also offer coffee and dougnuts.
This is the home of Krispy Kreme doughnuts!
This reminds me of when I sold the 1998 Accord back to the dealer after 30 days. The general manager asked me why I was bringing it back and buying an Odyssey, so soon? They send new car buyers a tin of delicious chocolate chip cookies. I told him I was out of those cookies. LOL
fowler3
Now THAT'S my kind of dealership!
Dinu
But in their defense, they were very nice the one time a service took longer than expected because their mechanic called in sick or something, dropped the car off Friday morning, had been promised a Saturday noon return - so they gave me a rental car for the weekend, until monday evening when they were able to complete the 60K service on my car. Oh, I rented a spanking new 1999 Red Pro LX from the nearest Hertz that time :-)
http://www.callawaycars.com/From_home/mazdaspeedpr.htm
it's a silent killer I tell ya!
I would even take the Tropicana Edition MS3, but only if it comes with Jim's "package".
Dinu
Dinu
(Would you like a sunroof with that?) Oh Yeah
Kinda weird
Erik
Zoom-Zoom-Zoom! (hyper in anticipation of the zoom-zoom that'll be going down)
Dinu
I wish I was rich. 170HP Pro. Just wish they had made it 190 HP as originally projected. Still...factory warranty on the Turbo Motor. Now if I could just get one with cruise control and the sunroof.
Here's to dreaming! (_)3
Regards,
Pete
I spent most of today steam cleaning fxashun's silver car's interior. Looks much better but I still didn't get it completely clean and fx let me hear about it too.
I just found out a couple of days ago that the SI is supposed to have premium fuel. The factory gas cap has been replaced by an aftermarket cap so therefore I didn't find out until fxashun was reading the owner's manual. I just assumed it would use 87 octane. But anyways, I filled up my tank yesterday with premium and it made a noticeable difference in the engine. Alot "zingier" than it was with regular gas. Most cars that require premium have it written on the dash ... "H" put SI on the dash instead of the premium fuel only warning. I'm assuming that it would've been on the factory gas cap though.
Dinu
Moonroof vs sunroof: Sunroofs were offered by European cars, which did not have glass panels. When the Japanese companies started offering sunroofs with glass they evidently thought a new term was needed -- so, Moonroof came into use, considering nobody drives at night with a *sunroof* open. Well, almost nobody except maybe in Las Vegas... all those lights! I think "H" started that.
Now, if Mazda would just make the hole larger.
I still think there should be a Protegé coupe with some of this performance stuff...call it a MS4-GT!
fowler3
BUT, it has too much flare (bulges) on the fenders, an awkward sitting position (feels very high to me and I like low cars), and IT'S A FORD! Why couldn't Mazda or Nissan make it so I could buy it? I just can't buy a car from a "domestic" manufacturer.
I still LOVE the PRO. Zoomer (to use Meade's term) is full of mud on the tires and lower sides since we went shopping for a new house at sites and there was a lot of mud. Kinda looks rally-styled with all the mud on it.
Dinu
Back at watching Cops (nothing like seeing guys arrested from the comfort of your own house).
Dinu
fowler3
Now, there's an opportunity for some enterprising individual, make an adapter kit for OEM fog lights that really does the job. Uses the OEM reflectors without modification.
fowler3
Dinu
Dinu
This and that-
Still a lot of non Pro owners spending a lot of time here.
1.)I really have come to appreciate how wonderful my pair of 2000 PRO-ES's look and drive.
2.)I could never purchase a new car for the $15,500 a paid for each of my PRO's in 2000. Never get the content and value. Not a Civic, Corolla or Sentra. The only thing close would be a new 2002 Elantra. However, not as fun to drive or as nice to own. This is no slam on Civic, Corolla Elantra or Sentra.
3.)I hope this board will resume too the way it was last fall? Nuff said.
Have a nice weekend everyone! :-)
-love train
Compare a Protege to a 318Ti...Ti drives "heavier" than the Pro. The steering has a more weighty feel to it. It also feels slower than the Pro but more locked down during high speeds. I'd prefer the Pro's interior since being 6'6" I barely fit in the 318. The plastic used inside the 318 seemed cheap for a car that could cost close to $30k when optioned out. As far as the "feeling" it gave you while driving though, it did "feel" very BMW in it's driving characteristics meaning it made you want to keep driving forever. And I did too. I drove the Ti from Atlanta to Houston,Tx.
I really wanted to love the 318 but it seemed too slow and barren for what you paid for it. The Pro is a great bargain "but" we found our small H cars, at least the pre 2001 versions, have a better balance of refinement, handling, and performance for the driving WE do. That's why we praise the Protege. It performs well enough for almost anyone who will ever drive it under most strictly legal conditions. The cruise locks on at 70-80 mph and the car seems to love that speed, "but" the faster you try to go the car seems to dislike it more and more. This is not a bash but an observation made by others here so don't throw flames this way.
As far as the current crop of NEW small cars though we have a different feeling. The Pro offers the best combination of looks, performance, and value. "But" if you look around, they kinda win by default since no one is really competing in the affordable small sport sedan category any more. Especially small sedans with all the correct requirements like 4 wheel discs and 4 wheel Ind. Susp. It's a unique entry.
"17 x 7.0-in wheels with 215/45ZR17 tires are expected to experience greater tire wear than optional equipment tires. Tire life may be substancially less than 20,000 miles."
One would think at least Lexus would use better tires on the IS 300, considering its price. Maybe 17-inch wheels on small cars doesn't leave enough room for more than thick rubber bands.
fowler3
Dinu
2. Took another trip to the bank and it seemed soo smooth in the parking lot. Steering fairly firm, no bouncing.... But then I hit the road back and it got bouncier - this is GOOD bouncy (firm bouncy) as opposed to Buick bouncy which is well... Buicky
Dinu
I think I'll go for another drive now
Dinu
Thanks!
This was also my first time in NYC, but I went with a friend who is from Long Island. It was not too bad, but everyone is in such a hurry and they are so nasty and mean sometimes! It's a very pretty city though. Hope to go back soon.
I had my friend sit in some cars (he went to the show with me), and one of them was a Protege ES on the floor. He liked that car out of the 6 others he sat in (including a Passat) the best. He has no plans to get a new car yet, but maybe he will end up with a Protege. Then I would get to drive it anytime I want.
There is also a 00 Protege LX with a 5-speed and a roof that is cute. It's a tough call between the 01's 4 wheel disc brakes and the nice interior vs. the 00's 1.8 and it's "boxier" shape. Maybe Mazda should've put the P5's front end on the ES. If they want it to have a sporty look then they should've went all the way. And that includes the ES's having the cool 3-spoke wheel although I know Mazda already addressed that.
and there's no need to do all those 'would've, could've' between the 00 and the 01 Pros, that's already in the past, and anyone that wants the MP3 front bumper on their ES has probably already done it...
no need to keep beating a dead horse, over and over again...
Here's a random quote that I really like from Car & Driver.
"There aren't many sedans at any price that can match the dynamic balance of this Mazda, that possess the quick, confident moves and the carved-from-billet integrity of structure. "
So why did they buy it then?
Dinu
Dinu
Dinu
And the second paragraph was comparing 2 Proteges. Not a "H" car and the Protege ... geez.
"My previous post was far from a bash on the Protege."
Enough already. We know you don't like the engine. Maybe some people actually like the engine. I like it. It has power where I need it. The Si has a narrow gap between the powerband and bogging. It is weak with the A/C on. The only way it is fast is if you beat the hell out of it. Most of the time, the Si will get beat at stoplight grand prixes unless you go into "boy racer" mode which is embarrassing to do all the time. I know, my friend has a blue one and I rode in it all the way to Chicago last summer. It really was tiresome in Chicago traffic. If I had to keep it, I wouldn't trade my ES for his Si anyways.
I am just happy VW will pay for a rental as soon as I walk in the door, unlike Mazda (3 different dealers I went to would not). It's not a problem for me, since they actually know how to treat a customer.
If you want to talk about the SI that's fine. It has more than enough power for commuting. As far as the stop light grand prixs ... I don't like to race from a start anyways .. not good for the engine. But I do know my competition. I know better than to race a Z28 or a Mustang GT. But give me any car in the SI's class and I will have my way with them more than likely. With the exception of a new VW 1.8T ... I'm not messing with a 5-speed one of those.
You may remember that I had my car in for its 30,000-mile service a couple of weeks ago. I also deal with the dealer I purchased my car from, Whitten Brothers Mazda in Richmond, Virginia. Here's how my experience went:
1. I called my service guy to schedule the appointment. I asked him what they did on the 30,000-mile service, telling him I intended to leave off a few things I do myself. He volunteered to, and did, fax me the service menu so I could see it. I then de-selected the oil change, tire rotation and air filter change, and we scheduled the appointment.
2. Since I go into work early in the morning, he advised me to come by the dealer on my way home from work the day before the appointment.
3. When I got there around 4 p.m. the day before my appointment, I drove into the enclosed service area, and a young man placed paper mats on my floor and took my key. My service writer then escorted me, in person, to the dealership's rental desk. A young lady took down my information and then personally escorted me out to the Dodge Stratus that was reserved for me. Entire time of visit to dealership -- about 15 minutes.
4. I drove the Stratus home that night and to work the following morning. That afternoon my service writer called to tell me my car was ready. I drove the rental back to the dealership, walked in and handed the rental key to the lady at the rental desk, and walked up to the cashier and paid for my service. I was then handed a numbered ticket that corresponded to the one that had been placed on my rear-view mirror and on my key.
5. I walked into the service bay (about 20 steps from the cashier) and handed that ticket to a young man who disappeared for about three minutes and reappeared with my freshly cleaned and vacuumed Protege, removed the paper floor mats, handed me my key and said, "Thank you sir."
I cannot think of better service than that, unless it includes a hotel stay and a pair of slippers. And this dealership, like yours, carries other lines of cars that are more expensive.
If your dealer is selling VWs and Mazdas, and treats its customers differently depending on what kind of car they purchased, if I were you, I'd tell them where they could stick their whatevers and go find a dealership more deserving of my business and hard-earned money.
Meade