Mazda Protegé

tomciviletti · August 2003

is the feeling in your stomach when the boat is rocking on a heavy sea.

mdaffron · August 2003

Especially since it's also GREEN!!!

Meade

P.S. For the record you guys -- it ain't "green mica." It's "Emerald Mica."

fowler3 · August 2003

*I don't know where they're coming up with these names, but you know someone at MNAO approved them. What's "Sepang" anyway?*

Seapang is the name of a Formula-1 race track in Malasia that opened last year. That's why it has no meaning to us.

I've had green cars before, didn't keep them long, but it wasn't because of the color. A 1951 Morris Minor, a 1977 Audi Fox, and a 1972 Buick Riviera. Sold the first because I was returning home from 3 years in Germany. Sold the Audi because of alternater problems. Sold the Riv because of the 1973-74 Oil Embargo.

The Riv was definately Emerald Green, not almost black like the Pro. The brightest green I have ever seen on a car, with sandlewood (very light beige) vinyl seats and roof trim. It was the boat-tailed version. Also, after a bad ear infection I couldn't stand the wallowing Buick cars have over the smallest bumps.

A 1974 Audi Fox introduced me to firmer suspension - loved it. The first time I drove it over twisty mountain roads, I turned around and went back over the same mountain three times before continuing on my trip.

The scariest trip I have ever driven was in the Swis Alps in 1971. I had rented a Simca, about the size of our Pros. On coming down from the highest mountain pass in the Alps the brakes failed. That road had twists like Pike's Peak -- not curves -- switchbacks, no guard rails, and straight down drops.

fowler3

mazdafun · August 2003

Thanks for that bit of trivia.

Sounds like you know how to live well.

Luckily for us, you lived through that Simca. Thank goodness for good brakes.

mdaffron · August 2003

How'd you stop? What happened? Go airborne and land in a hay barn beside two guys blowing Alpine Horns and shouting, "Ricola!!!"????

Meade

tom4321 · August 2003

How'd you stop? don't keep us in suspense. I remember the Simca. Wish i could have driven one. (Not the one you had though-Ha Ha)

mdaffron · August 2003

C'mon, folks! Let's be consistent! One day we're No. 1 in the Town Hall, next day we have NO POSTS AT ALL?!

Here's one for ya. I'm still excited this morning after following a brand-new RX-8 out of my neighborhood! Gotta find out which neighbor has the new toy!

Meade

protegenic · August 2003

Yesterday on the way home from refinancing the house, I convinced the wife to swing by the dealership to look at the RX-8. Great looking car. I can really see her in something like this in the next few years. Of course, I can see me constantly "borrowing" it as well.

Protege news...

My 15 year old son appears to be getting the hang of driving a manual. After getting frustrated early, he has resolved himself to learning so he can take this car next year. Last night he was so cocky, he was deliberately stopping on uphills so he could practice his starts! It is interesting to watch though. While he is figuring out the clutch, he is very timid to give it much gas. It just takes practice I guess. Any tips by those who have taught others would be appreciated though as I might have missed some nugget of wisdom.

dinu01 · August 2003

I learned to drive stick on a 94 Saturn SL1 where you had to give it LOTS of gas.

It's easy to learn on any Honda/Acura tranny - they're very forgiving.

Dinu

meinrad · August 2003

RX-8 that is. I might as well stay off topic too!

Buddy of mine in Cali went and test drove the 8. Probably would have bought one if they weren't jacking the price 2k over sticker. Liked driving it, was a bit disappointed in rear seat room.

I was hoping he'd have it by the time I head out there in November, but I doubt prices will change much by then.

mdaffron · August 2003

Count your blessings! You have one special son!!!

Maybe he can come to Richmond and teach a thing or two to the lead-footed, coffee-can-exhaust-tip-equipped Integra-driving, 19-year-old @#$%^& across the street!

Meade

protegenic · August 2003

It was a little tighter back there than I had hoped, but for a small, sporty car, it was much better than what you usually see. Of course with my big aircast on right now, hardly any car feels like it has enough legroom!

mdaffron · August 2003

Since the 3 is going to be the next-gen Protege in a few short months, what's going to happen to this discussion? Are we Protege owners going to be relegated to discussing used cars, or is Edmunds going to consider the 3 a brand-new vehicle? (Seems to be the case since there's already a 3 discussion -- OOPS, yours truly started it too!)

Oh well, just wondering. I guess there are enough Protege owners to keep this discussion out of the "archived discussions" closet for a couple of years -- at least until I buy my 3 in two years!

Meade

ashutoshsm · August 2003

... would you need 3 in two years? I thought you were a strong proponent of keeping a car until its paid off, except when the front end gets crash-tested!

ashutoshsm · August 2003

I thoroughly enjoyed the last few weeks re-learning to drive stick on a regular basis!

Make sure to teach him the steep-hill-handbrake-start trick, so he doesn't need a third leg (!) for the brake pedal. That was fun to use although a pain on gentler upslopes, until I re-mastered (I think) clutch feathering.

boggse · August 2003

Tell you friend to buy a cheap ticket on Southwest to Raleigh. I was at the dealer (Millenium Mazda) this morning, and they have 3 on the lot. The sales manager, Mickey, claims they are willing to deal below MSRP. Your friend could break her in on the way back at Deal's Gap, a favorite of Miata owners, 318 turns in 11 miles!

http://www.dealsgap.com/index2.php

blueguydotcom · August 2003

Buddy of mine in Cali went and test drove the 8. Probably would have bought one if they weren't jacking the price 2k over sticker. Liked driving it, was a bit disappointed in rear seat room.

Huh, in San Diego, the two dealerships I've been to lately sported RX-8s at sticker. Sticker to me means wiggle room.

As for learning to drive stick - I learned on an old Nissan when I was 10. Started driving around parking lots and on my bestfriend's grandparents' far. Nothing like learning about fishtailing and power slides on dirt roads with nothing around for miles. The most dangerous thing out there were cows - and they stayed away from the roads!

dinu01 · August 2003

It must have been someone else. You got me mixed up with another poster.

But that road sure looks good!!!

Dinu

mdaffron · August 2003

You said:

"I thought you were a strong proponent of keeping a car until its paid off, except when the front end gets crash-tested!"

I say:

I will be keeping my Protege until it's paid off! (Actually it's paid off already -- part of my home equity loan and house refinance -- and I do hold the title -- but I'm gonna be good and PRETEND I still have 21 months to go.)

Nah, I'll be keeping my Protege until it's around 90,000 to 95,000 miles old. That's about two years for me, plus my 100K extended warranty will cover me out to that point. And I can trade the car before I have to replace the timing belt.

Actually this is great timing -- the 3 will be in its third model year (I'll probably be looking at the first of the '06s), so it'll have all of Ford's bugs worked out (just learned the 3 will offer only Blue Oval engines), plus it may even have a coupla rebates going on it. Hmmm, now that I think about it I may look at a late-year 2005 and scarf up a big rebate as the '06s come out. It's also good timing because that keeps Tammy and me about 2-1/2 to 3 years apart on needing new cars.

Gotta love it -- car-buying "logic." I know, I know, it's really all emotional! Might be in that showroom in January and start drooling a little too much, kinda like you did when you surprised us all about a month ago, Ashu!

Meade

P.S. Where's Larry? Is he laying low because he went out and traded his Protege for a minivan and is too scared to surface and admit it?

P.P.S. Wasn't that "Actually this is great timing" remark a GREAT segue from the preceding paragraph? Am I good or what!!! (I know, I know ... I'm "what".)

protegenic · August 2003

I'd say consolidate to a single Mazda 3 thread. Seems like a lot of the posts there are from the same folks who frequent this thread anyway.

What? Use the hand brake on a hill? And lose that sometimes terrifying feeling of rolling backwards into the car behind you?

protegenic · August 2003

Throw having two new drivers in the next two years into the mix when trying to determine your future car purchases!

mdaffron · August 2003

It's FUN!!!

I love scaring the be-deity out of people who pull up a little too close for my liking behind me! There's something about the tail end of a car creeping BACKWARD toward you that wakes you up! If I REALLY get a good estimate of how close I can get, and creep slow enough (slight incline rather than big hill), I can get THEM to start reversing to avoid me! Chain reaction!

Hee hee ....

Meade

protegextwo · August 2003

"P.S. Where's Larry? Is he laying low because he went out and traded his Protege for a minivan and is too scared to surface and admit it?"
-Meadster

A long vacation in Ocean City, Maryland. Just got back! Lots of fishing, swimming and sleeping on the beach. My gosh the beach entire worn by the young ladies was....,my gosh!!! Fit my family of three and lots of stuff in my 2000 Protege ES and it handled the trip perfectly. With gas at $1.65 or more I'm glad I own the Protege.

-Larry

protegextwo · August 2003

Go Eagles.....

ashutoshsm · August 2003

... Meade, I was implying that I'm surprised you'd be buying THREE (3) cars over the next two years, instead of just ONE.

mdaffron · August 2003

Ha. Ha, ha.

Well, using your, um, sense of humor today, didn't you just buy twice as many?

Meade

kizer4 · August 2003

I was looking into buying a new PRO but should I wait for the mazda3's to come out a few months later? Bare in mind that pricing would be a big factor. Are there disadvantages to buying a new car (PRO) after the company no longer produces them?

mdaffron · August 2003

There's the usual "get the new model" excitement and then there's the "give 'em time to get the bugs out" mentality I tend to follow.

I'd rather have a car that's been out a few years, with Mazda's experience in full swing, as opposed to a new model with its first-year idiosyncracies/problems. For instance, I cite the first-year Mazda6 occurrences with Check Engine Lights. Now of course Mazda will stand behind and correct any first-year bugs for new buyers, but if you're like me and don't want the hassle of having to schedule dealer appointments for these kinds of things, play it safe and buy the proven car.

Or hold out a year like I plan to do and get the new one, hopefully consumer-proven and bug-free!

A word about the pricing question ... I really don't think there'll be that much difference in pricing between the current Protege and the Mazda3. In light of the fact that a loaded Protege is pushing into the lower-end Mazda6 range, I think Mazda will be setting itself up for disaster with the 3 if it prices it any/much higher than the current Protege.

Then again, they ARE owned by Ford ...

Meade

kizer4 · August 2003

thanks for the advice Meade. I guess the decision will come to down to when my current junker is gonna eat it for good. I'm looking forward to buying a new car anyways

~kizer

mdaffron · August 2003

My 2000 ES, which I bought new 3 years and 3 months ago in May 2000, has 62,000 miles on the odometer and has yet to see the inside of a service department for anything other than routine maintenance. I washed Zoomster yesterday and aside from some specks in the paint on the hood and a scratch here and there, my car looks and performs like new and I'm loving every minute behind the wheel.

Similarly, my wife's 2002 Protege5 is at about 21,000 miles, a year and a half old, and has never been back to the dealership. I only wish she'd let me drive it ...

My former Protege, a 1992 LX I purchased new in August 1992, went 83,000 hard miles in only 28 months delivering pizzas and transporting me all over the state as a newspaper reporter. It too never visited the shop for anything other than scheduled maintenance.

Tough cars to beat, eh? That's why I'm a several-time repeat customer!

Meade

chikoo · August 2003

u want to drive that thing ...that uses a slush box...naaah

boggse · August 2003

"just learned the 3 will offer only Blue Oval engines"

Where did you learn that? My understanding was it would have the 2.3L block co-developed my Ford/Mazda/Volvo with Mazda developed internals just like the 2.3L in the 6. It will be a "Duratec" block, but it isn't a 100% Ford design.

mazdafun · August 2003

The Mazda3 likely won't have incentives for some months. Then again, they have incentives (customer loyalty anyway) on Mazda6, so they should have something on the Mazda3 relatively soon (though probably not anywhere close to the ones on the current Proteges/P5s).

I think the Mazda3 is wider and taller and will offer a larger tire upgrade (I fit fine the the Protege or P5 and I'm 6' and tall in the torso). If price is important, you'll likely decline the NAV, HID and tire-pressure monitor systems that the Mazda3 will offer in the USA, so those features won't make a dint in your decision.

Early indications from the UK press is the Mazda3 has a more comfortable ride than the Protege, which some folks complain is too stiff (I like it, and how flatly it corners, especially my wife's P5...heh, heh, she lets me borrow it on occasion).

Looks like the Mazda3 stock audio system won't easily accomodate aftermarket units. Bummer for me as I like plugging in my iPod on longer trips. Guess I'd have to get the cassette player or figure out how to run an AUX input jack to the stock head unit (hopefully some nice pioneer will figure this out before my next car purchase...over which I'm torn [RX-8, Mazda6 wagon/hatch or Mazda3 wagon?].

mdaffron · August 2003

In one of the first reviews of a UK production model ...

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/?previews/previews_story.php?id=3931- - 8

"That's because, along with the Focus C-MAX and forthcoming Volvo S40, the Mazda uses the same platform. It also borrows engines from the blue oval - 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol powerplants are confirmed, as are two TDCi diesels. We drove the 150bhp 2.0 petrol car."

Granted this is the UK version ... but it's the only independent review of an actual production model I've seen yet. And isn't the base Mazda3 gonna have a 2-liter engine, possibly the "Blue Oval" one referenced above?

Meade

mdaffron · August 2003

That's one reason I'm interested in the 3 over a 6. I can afford a 6, even a decked-out 6S with all the goodies, but sticker shock starts to rack my brain when I start looking at $400-a-month payments. Since I, even with my 6-1, 265-pound (and shrinking) girth, fit very comfortably in my Protege, I'm leaning away from a stripped-down 6S and instead into a fully loaded Mazda3 with all the goodies!

Maybe even the future Mazdaspeed version ...

Meade

P.S. I'm like you ... there's getting a decked-out Mazda3 for around $20K, but then there's that nice blue RX-8 on my dealer's lot right now with a sticker of only $27,300 ... what price happiness, I ask?

meinrad · August 2003

you got to drive my P5, didn't that make you happy?

boggse · August 2003

Someone needs to correct them on that. It is a Ford block, but Mazda did all the significant design work on the internals. I couldn't find a feedback link.

mazdafun · August 2003

I've driven the 6, I'm almost afraid to test-drive the RX-8 (like I need to tempt myself any more...BTW, it looks very nice in that blue, almost as nice as it does in red...:) ). I'll probably like the 3. I can manage to afford any of them, but only one. Ah, too little time and parking space. I'll have to talk some friends into buying the others so I may borrow them.

Seriously now, the 3 is likely to be the most miserly on fuel, so if everything else works out (fit, feel, cost, reliability etc.), it'll likely be my next car (whether this first incarnation or the next refresh), unless I totally lose my head and heart and get an RX-8. It is one sweet-looking and sweet-sounding machine. That's why I'm almost afraid to test-drive one. I'd likely be thinking about it all the time (like that one VW Beetle commercial, where the guy had it on his mind all the time, and the little Beetle stuck to his forehead kept growing and growing...).

meinrad · August 2003

If you can afford it, it's the car for you.

Friend of a co-worker picked one up last night.

Friend of mine might if he gets the color and the deal he wants.

danpearson · August 2003

Well I got the Toyo Proxes TPT installed. Had to wait a week for it to be delivered. Nobody had our size in stock--big surprise. STS Tire gave me a good price of $130 for it (installed) which is a good bit better than the list price. Happy with it so far although being on the back I don't have that much feel for how it handles. When I rotate the rears up to the front I'll probably get another to match it on the left.

It'll probably be another 4-5 years til we get another vehicle to replace our Grand Voyager. By then we'll be down to 2 kids (hopefully) and can get something smaller (sportier!) for the wife to drive.

Dan

wongpres · August 2003

I wrote a very, very long post about the Mazda3 engines on the Mazda3 sedan board (post #1098).

Please go there and read it, the Mazda3 gasoline engine situation is much more complicated than simply being "borrowed from the blue oval".

mazdafun · August 2003

Tempting me some more. Tsk tsk. Not that I wouldn't enjoy an RX-8.

Hmm. Wife's got the wagon, I've already got a 4-dr sedan that's good on fuel......and I'd like to get a sports car before my reflexes and such are shot.

mdaffron · August 2003

Here's some info on the U.S. Mazda3 from p.43 of the new October C&D:

"U.S. engine choices will be a 150-hp 2.0 liter and the 2.3 4-cylinder from the Mazda6 upgraded to 170 horsepower."

Zoom, ZOOM!

Meade

meinrad · August 2003

Could have my P5 going upsided into a 3!

protegenic · August 2003

Well, as the '99 ES prepares to go to my son in March, a 170 hp replacement doesn't sound bad at all! I just hope Mazda learns to offer the bigger engine on something other than just the high end version this go 'round. If not, I might have to spring for the 6 hatchback if the prices are somewhat close.

mazdafun · August 2003

Those are pretty good output numbers for little 4-bangers. I wonder what EPA estimates are? (Frankly, the only thing that's really holding me back from an RX-8...my conscience just won't let me go).

wongpres · August 2003

Sorry, but don't listen to the mags.

The Mazda3's 2.3l isn't going to have more than 160hp. Go to MazdaUSA->Upcoming vehicles->Mazda3 and check out the flash presentation to see for yourself.

blueguydotcom · August 2003

The Mazda3's 2.3l isn't going to have more than 160hp. Go to MazdaUSA->Upcoming vehicles->Mazda3 and check out the flash presentation to see for yourself.

Why bother with it if it's only 10 hp more than the 2.0? It'd be typical of a company like Mazda to do this but still...

wongpres · August 2003

The 2.0l isn't going to make 150hp in N. American-spec, it'll be in the mid-to-high 140's.

Although the two engines will only have about 12-15hp difference, the 2.3l has: almost 20lb/ft more torque and variable-valve timing.

cpaulyee · August 2003

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I wrote but I always follow the conversations so I am current. My 2001 LX 2.0 is at 15,300 miles and doing well despite a on-going transit strike that has snarled traffic to near gridlock and has driven up the gas prices, already at $2.07 for regular! The only item of concern is that I replaced 3 cracked plastic wheel covers that were standard for the LX back in 01, and they have cracked again? Why? Has anyone else had this problem? I know Ashu mentioned to me that it is a known problem, but here we go again. The local Mazda dealer I notice is not as fast to offer to replace them as they did last time. Maybe the alloy wheels are in my future. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!

Mazda Protegé

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