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Mazda Protegé
I got it!!!!
Time for a new Protege topic. Lets Zoom Zoom!!
Regards,
Pete
Time for a new Protege topic. Lets Zoom Zoom!!
Regards,
Pete
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With my Protege: I have taken the car to two different dealers several times for the transmission shifting problems. They always say "no problem found" for it. The CD player has been mentioned both of those times too. At least if something would happen, it's documented that there was a problem. I do deep down like the car, but the driver's seat being uncomfortable (like something sticking in my lower back) turns me off. It seems to be getting worse with age too.
My best friend is about my height, but my roommate is shorter (by about 2") than both of us. When my friend drives the car, he complains about the seat poking him in the back, just like me. My roommate, however, cannot feel it at all. I don't get it. I am going to take the car to the Mazda dealer and get someone to sit in it that's about my height. I have sat in several other 1999 and 2000 Proteges (not DXs though) and never felt the seat poke me this way. I just need to get it fixed, then everything will be fine. Also going to add the fuel injector cleaner when I get a chance.
Concerning the trans, have them go on a test drive with you! If you push it with the dealer, you may get them to meet you at home on a cold morning. If not, make a stink with Mazda Customer Assistance 800-222-5500. Don't settle for mediocre!
Leo
I've never had a problem getting parts for my Mazdas, but plug wires are really expensive for some reason. ($90 set)
My Service Manager has a '90 Protege SE with over 200,000 miles on it and it runs like new. He obviously takes excellent care of it, but it has never been rebuilt and sounds/runs like it just rolled off the showroom floor.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Protege to anyone who asks. I wouldn't have bought three if they weren't a Great Little Car (the protege is a descendant of the GLC).
Protege's seem to have a little higher depreciation than say Toyota or Honda, but that's okay...you pay less to get a Mazda in the first place. If you plan to drive your car for 200,000+ miles, resale should not be a consideration. Any car with that kind of mileage will have very little resale value.
Regards,
Pete
Go drive a 2001 ES and you will be sold. If you look at the content and price vs. the competition, not to mention high ratings by Consumer Reports and others, it will be an easy decision.
I may not be the most impartial opinion, but still a valuable one.
Unmarkedcar: I like the car alot, and the only problem I have had is the CD player and transmission. Considering before I moved, I was commuting close to 100 miles a day back and forth to work, I really have nothing to complain about when it comes to dependability. I zoom the hell out of my DX too (not much power, but I knew that when I got it), and it has never broken down on me or anything. I guess I have just been driving the big old Bonneville for too long now. Need to get back into the Protege and get back in touch with that whole ZOOM ZOOM thing!
I was looking at a used Bonneville to replace the DX and the current Bonneville I have. I decided against it for now. Since the Maryland dealers don't have any 2001 Proteges yet (they said March), I am going to wait at least until then to check out a 2001 Protege. I can't help it, I sat in a 2001 LX 1.6 model at the car show and kinda liked it. I HAVE to wait to see the 2.0 ES!
That's why we got the ES. the power. As soon as the wife drove the LX right after the ES, actually first hard acceleration, she knew the ES was for us. And that's even after she had fell in love with the LX a few weeks prior.
Someone is selling the EXACT same clear corners I have on my car (and paid $106 for!!!) on eBay for a starting bid of $29.95. They fit perfectly and really look nice.
Wish they'd been on sale when I was ordering mine!
Regards,
Pete
When does the shift problem occur and is it all gears or just maybe 3rd gear? Also, have you noticed the Over-drive light comming on when it shouldn't?
Unmarkedcar:
Advocating a DX over an ES for interior colors? The Protege was not built for you. Maybe a Daewoo or Kia is in your future.
From what I hear, the ES' interior for 2001 is all off-black. That would seem kinda drab inside to some people I guess.
and for the clear corners... I think they need to change those years. I doubt it will fit for 01's since the front is revised.
Ebay is great for that.. they have clears for my Alty for a penny. same guy has several ads including other for $10.
http://www.mazdausa.com/protege/specs/default.asp?vehicle=protege&zip=30043&did=23456&state=GA
Regards,
Pete
I might try to get lucky and find a leftover 2000 ES model instead of the 2001s. I sat it that one and it was okay, but there was something about it I did not like. We shall see though.
Nike: You are right.. The clear cornering lamps will not fit the 2001 because of the revised front end.
What is funny though, is that I took it to the dealer with 6500 miles on it for the tranny thing. I came off the highway exit off the Capital Beltway and turned the corner. The tranny did the "thing" 2 BLOCKS from the dealer! Well, I drove like 5-10 miles with the service guy with me and it never did it ONCE! Oh well.
Glad to hear parts (engine and otherwise) are not that expensive ($90 for set of plug wires is cheap compared to my toyota), I doubted that Mazda would hold it resale value as well as Honda or Toyota but was hoping that since was a Japanese car that something would rub off for it. Yes, I undertand that at the high mileage I expect from my cars that trade in value is going to be none exsistant.
I like the 2.0L engine. 130 hp and 135 ft-lb torgue. That's gotta be one peppy car!! Gas mileage is good too!! But there must be a mistake. The rear seat legroom was marked as 35.? inches. That's more rear leg room than some/most mid siz sedans. Perhaps a typo? Those figures would make the Protege very roomy for a compact. OK. this car sounds too good to be true, what's the catch? Better eninge than either Civic or Corolla, bigger interior, plus cheaper price than either? Plus good reliability. How come I don't hear more about the Protege? At least this can work to one's benefit. You can probably negotiate the priced down and still get good financing. This car is a sleeper and sounds very good.
Leo
It's a heck of a car, especially with the incentives Mazda is running right now. As far as why you don't hear about it much: Mazda does a great job building cars, they just don't know how to market them. Look at the Millenia. The magazines always say it's Mazda's best kept secret. Go figure!
I want to check out and drive a 2001 ES 2.0 before doing anything. I might probably just end up getting a 2000 ES if there isn't that much difference. They still haven't fixed the TWO things I wanted: A lighted ignition key bezel, and variable intermittent for the wipers. Oh well.
Pete
2001 gives you more including a better handling, more power, free loaner for warranty service, rear spoiler, fog lights, white guages(YUK!), LIGHTED IGNITION SWITCH, sticky tires & more.
Paul buddy ... I've been reading your posts over the past week or so, and it appears that since you've fallen in "love" with the Bonneville, which occupies an entirely different class, you have done nothing but find fault with your Protege. Not too long ago (and not too many miles ago either -- maybe 5,000?) you were extolling the praises of your Protege. Go back into the Ford Focus topic only about a month or so if you've forgotten. Gee -- only two or three months ago, we were all trying to talk some sense into you because you were trying every way possible to get out of your '99 DX and into an '00 ES!
If you're really having the problems that you claim to be having, I don't understand why fixing them is so difficult. First of all, you still have a warranty. And second, your state has a lemon law. Check it out -- if your dealer can't identify and fix your problem after the specified number of attempts, you may have a case.
All cars have problems at some point. That's why there are warranties and service departments. My Protege is currently awaiting a new CD player because I -- yes, I -- made the mistake of putting a CD with a label on it into my CD player -- a practice that the owner's manual warned about, stating the CD might get stuck. Well, it did. But my service department is replacing it under warranty. Does this mean my car sucks? NO! I also had a door rattle. I took it in, calmly explained my problem, and my service department fixed it. Does THAT make my car a piece of crap? Not at all!
Give your Protege some slack. You've driven it long enough to find some quirks. Has your transmission died on you? No. You should tell your service department that you want to make sure they've documented all of the times you've complained about the "jerk," so they'll know you complained if something ever does happen. With my '94 B2300 pickup (built by Ford -- really a piece of junk), my dealership kept taking stabs at an engine pinging problem until I traded it for the Protege at 114,000 miles. I only had the base 3 year-50,000 mile warranty on it, but I never paid a dime for all the work they did after my warranty expired. I'm just trying to prove that there ARE special circumstances sometime!
Like I said several months ago, my 1992 LX automatic did the same thing you're describing. They said it was normal, and sure enough, the car was still doing it at 83,000 miles when I traded it in on another vehicle. I never had one transmission problem. Remember, your Protege is a tight little car, and any little transmission jerks will feel much more pronounced than they would in a big, wallowing Bonneville!
You've still got a warranty. Relax and take the car in with a laundry list, and turn 'em loose on it.
And keep the receipts.
Meade
same diff. I would have loved a 16" tire, but you can get those afterwards.
think what you can afford.
the Civic adds that in since they've removed the center hump in the floor. so the Protege still has more space where it counts. right behind the front seats.
The space in the Protege is what got us to buy the Pro over the Sentras. We liked the front seat area of the Sentra more, but the rear was just too terrible to overcome.
The address: http://www.eaa.org for those who are interested.
its a 10" (1) that is hooked up to a seperate amp to power the low bass. Another amp is set for his component speaker up front and the 6x9's. the car can pack the bass, but making the sub take the bass, it allows all the interior speakers to play more clean sound. It doesn't sound garbled or anything. nice clean sound you could expect from a good home stereo system.
Anyway, I just turn on the station and listen to it. It's a good-sounding radio to me. Of course, everyone tells me I am tone-deaf anyway, so I guess it doesn't really matter.
Leo
By the way, here are the things that I like and dislike about the new ES:
Like:
- new, more powerful engine
- new alloys
- 16" wheels
- better handling
- standard fogs
- front and rear disc brakes
Dislike:
- HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE, (do you get the idea), HATE, HATE, HATE the white gauges
- spoiler should be OPTIONAL
- faux brushed aluminum trim is a bit too much (but I don't HATE it!)
- lower mpg compared to Civic/Corolla
- interior is a bit too dark
Because of the spolier and white gauges, my wife and I may have to go the route of the LX 2.0. I hate to give up those killer 16" alloy wheels though. Also, at ~$700 over the price of a comparably equipped LX 2.0, the ES is a real deal.
Bill