Mazda Protegé

fowler3 · April 2002

to Talk to the Edmunds Hosts, I posted one. Hope you will read it.

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

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

Well my co-worker paid $7500 for her Lexus and we paid $10,000 for ours. (That was another awesome deal) So regardles of whether you bought your car there or not they give you the same treatment. Like I said, I can't comment on Mazda service because luckily my car never required it. There were a few things that I thought were a little weird and should be looked at but I never made it in before I sold the car.

chicagopro · April 2002

"They send new car buyers a tin of delicious chocolate chip cookies. I told him I was out of those cookies."

Now THAT'S my kind of dealership!

dinu01 · April 2002

but I'm still not impressed with the scv side (read prices almost twice higher that at other dealers). I recognize they're in a "nice" neighbourhood of TO, but $54 oil changes instead of $28 at another dealer (that also hand-washes your car and the svc guys are pretty cool too - this one's for you Dale) just doesn't explain it.

Dinu

ashutoshsm · April 2002

My only dealership experiences are limited to the Ford-Lincoln-Mazda-Mercury dealer in Utah. They had coin-operated (but cheap) vending machines in their lobby (service)!

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 :-)

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

when I bought my 01 Accord I got a can full of cookies too. Pretty cool that you can pay $23,000 for a can of cookies and get a free car huh?

dinu01 · April 2002

the_big_h · April 2002

take a look at the black ms Pro:

http://www.callawaycars.com/From_home/mazdaspeedpr.htm

it's a silent killer I tell ya!

chicagopro · April 2002

You're right...much better in black!

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

My Mom always told me I was a smart cookie. Pun intended.

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

Can you get a sunroof in the MS3? Or is it packaged just like the MP3 with no cruise and no roof?

dinu01 · April 2002

stock MS3, no other stuff added to it in 5spd, with a sunroof.

I would even take the Tropicana Edition MS3, but only if it comes with Jim's "package".

Dinu

dinu01 · April 2002

In Canada as far as I know, it's called a sunroof. Why is it called a moonroof in the States?

Dinu
(Would you like a sunroof with that?) Oh Yeah

number42 · April 2002

Got the welcome kit the other day, which I thought to be very amusing. What exactly is the point of a magazine that is over a year old? (winter 2001). Why is it that the color code on the touch up kit doesn't match the one on the car door info (and they told me this).

Kinda weird
Erik

dinu01 · April 2002

and I'm stuck inside at work. At least there are windows and we can see the lake (clear blue, but brrrrvery cccold). I'm off in 1 hr and I need to get a new cartridge. This is where the PRO is coming in. HEHE!

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom! (hyper in anticipation of the zoom-zoom that'll be going down)

Dinu

speedypt · April 2002

Got to have it! Got ... to ... have ... it!!!!!!!

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

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

Sorry that you are stuck at work dinu. Fortunately I was off yesterday and today but I have to work tomorrow

Good news is that gives me an excuse to drive my car

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.

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

If they thought about putting that 170HP engine in the P5 fxashun might consider one. He wanted a P5 from the start but he has the same issues with the engine that I do.

dinu01 · April 2002

are starting to get out more on the streets lately. Saw a few cars that could have been ticketed for being too how d'ya say that.. ah! "modified". Yes "modified".

Dinu

fowler3 · April 2002

I like the wheels on the MP3 better and, can the buyers get those cool Callaway headlights? On the otherhand, they would make the Pro look like a PT Cruiser.

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

dinu01 · April 2002

I saw a grey-metalic Focus ZX5 in our paper's auto section today and... I really like it. It's the oerfect size (HB for me), has 4 doors, 130hp.

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

dinu01 · April 2002

Now that you mentionned it, the original roofs were metal (sunroof) and now they're made from tinted glass so you can see the moon. Maybe not, but it explains it for me. I think instead of airbags and ABS, every car should have foglights, a spoiler and a moonroof.

Back at watching Cops (nothing like seeing guys arrested from the comfort of your own house).

Dinu

fowler3 · April 2002

Or like those mud-caked SUV's on Edmunds' front page? LOL Edmunds really tests them.

fowler3

fowler3 · April 2002

why don't they make fog lights that are really effective, instead of for looks and more maintenance?

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

dinu01 · April 2002

The aftermaket $80 PIAAs I had on my prev. black car were amazing. Could drive at night only with them on. The one on the PRO from Mazda are "on" just for show. They illuminate about 15 feet in freont of the car and are really weak.

Dinu

number42 · April 2002

don't get me started. I feel like the lowbeams on my PRO illumiate about 15 feet in front of the car. (at least on local roads). Maybe its all the lights from the street.

dinu01 · April 2002

The lowbeams are ok. Drove the car at night in the country where there are no street lights and they're fine. In the city as you said, it's pretty well illuminated so sometimes you can;t see your headlights on the road, but you seem them as the light reflect off other cars in front or off the traffic signs.

Dinu

protegextwo · April 2002

500 posts since Easter? A lot to catch up on.

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

fxashun · April 2002

Someone said that ZZ79 always have a "but" in our posts. Well truth is we loved our Protege "but" hated the engine. We have also driven countless other cars that compete directly and indirectly with it so our experience in different cars is quite large. I used to drive about 5 or 6 different cars/trucks a week on trips as far as 1000 miles each way. So I have a "but" about nearly any car.

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.

fowler3 · April 2002

Pro owners who found their Poortenzas not lasting as long as they thought they would, Lexus puts a disclaimer in their IS 300 5-speed ads:

"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

dinu01 · April 2002

No flames coming your way from me at least. We both seem to like above legal speeds and as you mentionned the PRO is THE choice for small cars now, since the competition is how should I say it.. flawed in a way or another.

Dinu

dinu01 · April 2002

1. Driving 90 (55mph?) on the highway since it was pretty crowded. All of a sudden it cleared up and my PRO hit 4.500RPMs and I was doing 130 (85?) in no time. LOVED that pick-up/power in the middle of the pwr band. RPMs came down to 3.000 and I exited at that speed at the next exit.

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

the_big_h · April 2002

it's mid 60s and sunny today in N.VA, and the Pro loves it. The engine sounds SO MUCH smoother than during winter. I am reminded why I bought the car back in 2000.

I think I'll go for another drive now

dinu01 · April 2002

Yeah, I think PROs like warm weather better. So do their drivers!

Dinu

maryboo19 · April 2002

Hi, I picked up my Protege5 on March 16, absolutely love it. The car is great, however my salesman wasn't very informative. I believe he told me that I have until 2 years after the delivery date to decide if I want the extended, is this correct? I live in the US, in case it is different for the US and Canada.

Thanks!

vocus · April 2002

If you wanted to see a car/truck with mud, you should have seen the RAV4 loaner I had the other day when my car was in the shop. It had mud as high as the roof rack on top when I returned it.

They have this constuction site full of mud (from the rain) at work, and I went and "played" in it a little. Boy, was that rental agent mad when he saw that truck.

vocus · April 2002

I went to the NYIAS on Saturday, and was disappointed. It was just like the MD car show with a couple concepts thrown in. And what's the theme with all these ugly colored cars? I don't get it. I did get some good pics on the MS3 and the Mazda 6, and will post them as soon as I have time to empty out my friend's digital camera.

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.

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

my old Pro today. It sure is cute. I regret that my time with it was cut short. Why didn't they put a better engine in that car???? Or at least leave well enough alone with the 1.8??? With a better engine it would've been REAL hard for me to justify getting the "black" car to myself and fxashun.

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.

the_big_h · April 2002

there's no need or place on this particular topic to keep beating down on the engine of the Pro that you no longer own. We all already know that in your opinion, the Pro's engine falls short compared to its other features, so much that you traded it in for a Si, which is your favored make and has the engine that you like most. We already know that, let's move on.

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...

newcar31 · April 2002

I agree. I think we established that zz79 and fxashun don't like the Protege engine about 3 years ago. Why zz79 signed the check and bought a Protege is a good question.

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. "

dinu01 · April 2002

for the comments. I'm beginning to have enough by now of those comments about the same "issue" someone had with a PRO.

So why did they buy it then?

Dinu

dinu01 · April 2002

So you've driven quite a few rentals since you started your VW "experience". How many times has in been in svc? I remember you mentionning the Maxima, now the RAV4...

Dinu

dinu01 · April 2002

About the muddy PRO, it rained this morning so it was nature-washed for a good 45 mins. No more rally-style PRO.

Dinu

newcar31 · April 2002

I think Paul has had more than 2 rentals. I remember he had an Altima also. Maybe more?

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

My previous post was far from a bash on the Protege. In fact I believe that I was stating that had the Protege had an engine more suited for my driving I would still have it. Even with the engine I still liked the car.

And the second paragraph was comparing 2 Proteges. Not a "H" car and the Protege ... geez.

newcar31 · April 2002

"why didn't they put a better engine in that car?"

"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.

vocus · April 2002

I have had 4 rentals. My car went in the shop for a dashboard rattle, and I had an Echo. They had to order parts. When the parts came in, I got a Maxima. Then I took the car back because they left it dirty. I got an Altima. Upon inspection, the door panel was broken inside as well (I didn't know it), so they went ahead and were going to replace it. The parts had to be ordered, and took 3 days. I stayed in a rental, but not the Altima (there was a problem with the car). I then got the RAV4.

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.

zoomzoom79 · April 2002

As I said, it was not a bash on the Protege. Mazda markets it as a sport sedan and they should be able to back it up. The rest of the car is awesome. I liked they way it looked, loved the way it drove, and worshipped the 0.0% financing. However, it took them 4 years to give it "real" power with the upcoming MS3. And that's only in limited numbers. C'mon Mazda are you listening? Make the turbo an option for the ES. Then you could still have a sunroof and cruise which are must-haves for me.

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.

newcar31 · April 2002

The ES Protege can be had for $15K. What do you expect for $15K? Do you expect it to have 190 hp and cost $15-$16K? Your Si most likely cost somebody $19K. You and Paul are something else. You buy the car, complain about it's power, sell it, lose your arm and leg in the deal, and then buy a car that stickers for thousands more and wonder why Mazda can't put more power into the Protege.

mdaffron · April 2002

I'm sorry, but I've got to come out of my self-imposed Town Hall sabbatical and say something here. I am just plain tired of reading your put-downs of Mazda because of problems at your dealership.

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

Mazda Protegé

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