Mazda Protegé

kaiserhead · July 2001

I spent the weekend at my parents house driving around in their 2000 ES 1.8 automatic. Although its nice to have the power windows and doors, I think I still prefer my 2000 SE 1.6 manual (mid-grade Pro in Canada for 2000 model year). The suspension isn't as stiff and bumpy, but the soft struts and coils still manage to take the corners fairly well (despite the disappointing Firestones!!) I think Mazda still havsn't worked out all the bugs in the automatic transmission, it was a little jerky and really disappointing off the line. The manual transmission on the other hand, is a work of art and should be displayed in the Mechanical Engineering Hall of Fame. All in all, the perfect Pro in my mind would be a 2000 ES Touring Edition with a manual transmission (sorry everyone who bought a 2001, that styling just doesn't do it for me, not even the sweet 2.0 can pursued me!!)

On the topic of the CD player, mine has worked flawlessly for well over a year. However, my parents have had some problems with the unit, the transport mechanism constantly makes crunching sounds when a disc is being inserted or ejected. Mabey we can pursuede Mazda to look into this and possibly offer a recall or reimbursement.

Cheers,

Kaiserhead

djmax813 · July 2001

A co-worker of mine had gotten a 2001 Jetta 1.8 turbo and she let me drive it. Nice Car. Real nice. But loaded it would have cost close to 20k and the 2 yr/24k warranty really turned me off, especially after reading about rampant electrical problems. So i jettisoned that idea. Next up was the 2002 Subaru Impreza RS sedan. Beautiful car. Great reputation. But being a new model, they were going for right around sticker 19k+. It came down to the Pro or the Sentra Se. The Pro is better looking and rarer. So that was my choice for which i am glad.

Speaking of twisties, we have a few here in Monmouth county NJ. I stretch her legs a little bit. It affirms that I made the right choice.

bluemicaa1 · July 2001

I have owned my Pro ES for about ten months now. I really enjoy a spirited ride, wether it'll be the straight-aways or the twisties, but there is still something lacking with an auto trans, Pro ES.
I'm getting into street racing. I've seen the 170 hp Protege and was really impressed on what those people have attained with bolt-ons and a turbo
I'm thinking of converting my auto into a standard manual( of course this project would have to wait 'till the end of my warranty). Is this possible, even thought of?

rsparrow · July 2001

I did a little zoom-zooming myself during the past week or so and took my Pro down south into Montana, then Colorado to pick up a friend, and then we took off to go to the Grand Canyon. Had a great time, and the car behaved flawlessly during the enire trip, despite having its AC on probably more in the past week than it's been on before in total!

I must say, I didn't see too many Proteges during my journey, although the Canadian car in front of me as I crossed the border/customs was a yellow Pro 5... I distinctly heard the border folks talking to the driver..."Is this new?" :-) I was surprised to see a couple of Toyota Priuses and Honda Insights...I think up here they're still basically demo cars for power companies...

Anyway I just thought I'd post a positive reliability report...It's just a '99 1.6l SE (and auto, to boot) but it's never given me grief. I ended up getting an aftermarket moonroof installed a couple of months back (no problems so far) and I'm still debating the spoiler issue.

Rick

mdaffron · July 2001

... on the Daewoo boards? It's been very interesting reading for the past few months. (You newcomers probably don't remember the "Daewoo vs. Protege," "Protege vs. Nubira," and even "Daewoo vs. Lamborghini" (no kidding!) topics of the latter part of 2000. Ah, the times we had ...

The quibbling between the guys there -- not the newcomers, mind you, but several established posters whom many of you would recognize -- has been incessant and definitely below-the-belt. (Makes this VW guy look like Winnie the Pooh by comparison.) -- er, sorry, just had a baby. Anyway, the host just had to shut down the Leganza topic again for a "cooling off" period.

Go have a read -- It's a great way to relieve tension and have a laugh when things are dull here!

I wrote a little verse about it (apologies to Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel) ... er, this is "Bridge over Troubled Water" for all you kids.

When your warranty
Is feelin' small,
When your transmission dies
We won't let you fall.

We're in your town,
Oh, if you can find us --
And used cars can't be found,

Le-gan-za drives like a used Maverick
Daewoo's best? I groan,
Le-gan-za handles like a Pinto
Daewoo needs a loan!

Sorry, couldn't resist a little morning humor. My by-gosh wonderful, 5-year-old Rheem air conditioning system quit last night and I'm waiting for the repairman to call. Guess I'll get "Rheemed." So I'm in a crappy mood. Hey, does that make me a commode-ian?

If only Mazda made heat pumps ...

Meadeball

Sporin · July 2001

To be fair, all 2002 VW's have a new warranty package.

4/50k bumper-to-bumper
5/60k powertrain

No more "free" maintenance, but I don't think that's a bad thing, given how generally incompetant and overloaded the dealers are.

I still think that ANY 2.0 engined VW is a worse buy then a Protege. Now the 1.8T is a different story, but it is also a whole different price catergory ($20k min.). VW just doesn't compete well in the $15k-$17k range IMO.

maltb · July 2001

You figure if it costs you $2K in used parts, you are better off selling the Pro and buying a manual.

majorthomecho · July 2001

Blue, you would be better off buying a manual transmission car rather than trying to convert an automatic to a manual. It can be done, but takes a lot of time and money. And the reliability of the finished product won't be as high as a car that started out as a manual.

mdriver · July 2001

I stand by my claim that there are few twisties in the Midwest. Taking an off-ramp is one of the few ways, but come on, it's over in a matter of seconds. Midwest cities are laid out on a grid pattern - no fun there. Rural midwest roads are also long and straight and frequented by roaming sherrifs waiting for you to do 60 in a 55. There are some exceptions: There's a great twistie in the Hoosier Nat'l Forest that goes on for about 40 miles, full of tight hairpins and not much traffic. It's great driving, but your passengers may not appreciate the wild changes in direction. Now if only I didn't have to drive hundreds of miles to get there.

newcar31 · July 2001

In northern and southeastern minnesota, the roads are not straight at all. Minnesota must be the exception to your rule. The roads are not straight in north central wisconsin either. At least in the central city, I cannot think of any large city that isn't layed out in a grid pattern.

mdaffron · July 2001

Thphffftttt!!!!!

Meadeball

protegextwo · July 2001

Is "Bluffhose" and "Jabberkobty" still around at the Daewoo discussions, favorably comparing their Korean auto's to BMW's?

-Larry

momgray · July 2001

Okay, I was sooo excited to get my husband to try the Protege last weekend ... and I came down with an inner ear infection where I had vertigo so badly that I had serious trouble walking (and couldn't even contemplate driving).

We may now try to do our test drive next week in Michigan (on vacation!). Has anyone dealt with Crown in Holland MI or Siemans in St. Jo? If we can't spend an am doing the test drive, we won't have time 'til August 11!

I'm hoping we test drive it, it's so fantastic that I can get everything lined up to go buy it Aug 11.

TIA - OH, and thanks for the spoiler info - it helps me a lot!!! We need more moms on the board .

Julia

jstandefer · July 2001

I found this on a review of the 2001 Protege on MSN's Carpoint:

"Satisfaction: Overall, owners are satisfied, but complain of the rapid wear of clutch and brake linings, as well as the poor quality of some rubber pieces."

http://carpoint.msn.com/Vip/Heraud/Mazda/Protege/2001R.asp

It just makes me feel better that I am apparently not the only one complaining about the rapid wear of the brakes and clutch... rubber pieces? I have had no problem with any in mine, unless the tires count!

protegextwo · July 2001

Well, the pair of 2000 Mazda Protege ES's, my wife and I purchased in Feb. 2000 have hit the 25,000 mile mark. After almost 18 months and 25,000 miles what do we have?

THE BASICS-

VALUE: We own fuel efficient, inexpensive cars ($15,200 a piece) with up-scale amenities (moon roof, full-power, CD player, alloy wheels, keyless entry, cruise, etc.

RELIABILITY: We have a well built car. At 25,000 TROUBLE-FREE miles both cars have been completely stainless. Zero, zilch, no problems. Consumer Reports, a nonprofit 2001 Annual Auto Issue rates the Protege as follows; "The Protege is one of our top-rated small sedans. Overall, the Protege is a solid, refined car, with excellent reliability."

ROOM TO ZOOM: We have room! Great seat travel, cabin space, and leg room. We have the largest interior of any 2000 model year auto in the small sedan segment. With Mazda's "OptiSpace" interior design process, we have 95 cubic feet of interior room.

-Larry

vocus · July 2001

It says the premiums on the Protege are high for the class. Maybe that's why I am paying $195 a month for insurance on my 2001 ES then...

mdaffron · July 2001

Good to hear from you, my friend! Sean's now 2 whole months old, and he smiled at me yesterday! (Of course, it's a natural reaction for ANYONE who looks at me to break out in hysterics -- more on that some other time.)

First, let me answer your first question: Yes, bluff and jake are still there, along with some other cheerleaders and doomsayers. Of course, most of the really funny stuff can be found in the topic, "Daewoo Bankruptcy." But why am I telling you this? You won't get damned for going and taking a look for yourself.

Second, I'll semi-ditto your comment on your Proteges. I have 23,500 on my 2000 Emerald Mica ES 5-speed. I have taken it in twice for warranty work, but to be honest (forgive me Father, I have sinned) -- I think I was to blame for breaking the plastic clip that holds the trunk springs up under the parcel shelf (er -- snagged it with a tall box). I did encounter the early virus known as Squeakydooritis, but it was fixed painlessly and permanently while I waited.

Larry, have you noticed the wear on your Bridgestone Poortenzas? Mine are wearing thin -- getting close to replacement time, and you know I have a good reason -- unless I need to post the pic of my hydroplaned-and-totaled former Poortenza-clad Protege. I've been doing some research -- actually went to the brand-new Merchant's Tire & Auto about a mile from my house last week and checked out the Kumho Ecsta Supra 712. It comes in our 195/55VR15 size, looks really awesome, and rates pretty darn well considering the Michelin version (which admittedly is a superior tire) was twice the price. (The Kumho is $84 out-the-door, including valve stem, mounting & balancing, etc.) The tire almost looks like a Goodyear Aquatred when it comes to water displacement, with a huge groove running down the middle. And I'm, understandably I hope, VERY CONCERNED about wet-weather traction -- something our beloved Poortenzas DON'T have. Oh -- and the Kumhos have a treadwear rating of 340 -- more than twice that of our Poortenzas -- AND they have a traction rating of AA, highest in the business.

I'll probably buy a set by the end of the year -- certainly before bad weather arrives -- and give a report.

Meadeball

maltb · July 2001

Isn't it funny what we'll do for our kids? When I went to tire the wife's old Jetta some years back, I asked the guy for a set of Michelin MXV4s. His comment was, "nobody puts those on a car like this". Well, I was thankful I did on more than one occasion.

protegextwo · July 2001

A great source for ownership costs is Intellichoice Car Center.

http://wwwintellichoice.com/

I checked their 5 year ownership insurance projections on several different small sedans.

2001 Mazda Protege ES $9,240

2001 Ford Focus SE $8,390

2001 Dodge Neon Highline $9,240

2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS $10,034

2001 Honda Civic EX $9,005

2001 Toyota Corolla LE $9,240

My 2 cents, insurance cost for the PRO-ES's is not out of line with other small sedans.

-Larry

protegextwo · July 2001

To be honest, the OME Bridgestones tires are holding up fine. However, I do a lot of straight line highway driving. I commute 64 miles round trip five days a week on Route #283 from Lancaster to Harrisburg, PA. I have rotated the tires every 5,000 miles and I think they will safely go another 10,000 miles or more. Nonetheless, I will slap snow tires, on my "twins" this winter. Last year, it got a little dicey driving home from work during a couple of different snow storms, late at night!

Meade, please tell Tammy; The Kline's said hi! Give the baby a hug and kiss for me.

God Bless,
Larry

mdaffron · July 2001

I'm not sure whether you're being a tad sarcastic there -- me choosing Kumhos over Michelins? Well, I thought Bridgestone Potenza RE92s were good tires until I learned better in a very personal way. Sure, the Kumhos aren't Michelins ... but they'll hold up a lot better than the Potenzas.

And I may be doing this for my baby, but I'm doing it for me as well. I don't want to experience that August day in 1992 all over again.

Want some visual proof of how 28,000-mile Potenza RE92s perform at 40 mph in the rain? Take a look at:

http://www.geocities.com/negatize/media/specialty/meade92_totaled.jpg

As I've said before, I *LOVE* going ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!!!! But I equally enjoy going STOP STOP STOP!!!

Meade

mdaffron · July 2001

I saw MaltB post it on the 626 topic earlier this month. It may have been here and I missed it; if that's the case, sorry for the repetition.

Meade

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010703/latu061.html

snagy1 · July 2001

on my 2001 lx 2.0 there are 4 speakers installed and appear to have two areas ready for install in the rear passenger doors, is it possible that two more could be installed ? thanks, 1,500 miles and average about 32 mpg, mainly highway, little a/c. paid 15,050 without tax on s-plan (little info for those of you who need it.)

maltb · July 2001

I was serious there...tires make a big difference and I subscribe to Michelin's tag line, "because so much so riding on your tires." If you've ever had to make a sudden lane change at 60 mph due to a clueless cell phone user, you'll know what I mean.

protegextwo · July 2001

Well, I have got to say, after 25,000 miles; I still love my Mazda's! I can't sing the praises high enough for this vehicle, it's build quality, drivability, economy and reliability are top-box. I'm not a Mazda salesman, BTW.

THE ZOOM ZOOM LIFE STYLE-

STYLING: My wife and I wanted a new car that looked great, pleasing styling. The Mazda PRO-ES has the handsome Euro-looking style. A fresh look, we didn't want to see two or three cars just like ours at every traffic light.

HANDLING:The Mazda "Kaansai engineering"(oneness of design and function), results in a nice little econo-performance sedan. The twin-trapezoidal link rear and stiff stabilizer bars keep my PRO-Es's on rails during hard cornering. BTW at 25,000 miles the car still feels nice and tight. No squeaks, groans or rattles yet.

Ok, I'm forty two years old and my wife is 6 years younger, however we truly love our "good little cars". IMHO, the Protege is a well thought out, comfortable, fun-to-drive car even at 25,000 miles.

Respectfully,
Larry

mazdafun · July 2001

Hey, they're worth it. I put Michelin X-Ones on my '89 323 at $75 each!

vocus · July 2001

That GeoCities link doesn't work for some reason.

rukeitha · July 2001

Hello, All! I'm seeking to purchase a Nissan Sentra 2001 GXE, a Honda Civic 2001 LX, OR a Mazda Protege 2001 LX 2.0 within two weeks but I haven't quite narrowed it down. I'll take all the advice you can muster.

Thanks in advance for your help.

protege_fan · July 2001

I bought a 2001 Pro LX 2.0. Mine is manual. I love my car. Period. It is great on gas, fun to drive, and it has great styling. If I were you, I would opt for the Sunsport package because it is not a whole lot more than buying the ABS, A/C, and keyless (like I did...shoulda got the sunsport...oh well!). Definitely get the 2.0 L engine. I test drove both back to back. There is an incredible difference between the two engines.
In terms of color, choose wisely! I love the look of my black Pro, but it is a pain to keep clean! But when it is clean, man does it look good!
Before I bought my Pro I looked at Civics and Corollas. In the end I chose the Pro because after the test drive I fell in love with it! I think that it's all a matter of personal preference, because the 3 cars you mentioned are all very similar in terms of preformance, etc. Of course there are areas where one car will shine over another, but that is why I say it is personal preference. Good luck with your decision.
If you have any particular questions ask away. It is much easier to respond when people have an idea of what kind of information you're looking for.

BTW, If you do pick a Pro, get ready to Zoom Zoom!!

Protege_fan

vocus · July 2001

I will do the liberty of breaking it down for you. The Sentra is small inside, the Civic is slow and boring, and the Protege is great!

At least consider the Protege hard, because it's cheaper than the other two while being more fun to drive and just as reliable.

djmax813 · July 2001

I have the original michelin mxv tires on my 97 Accord with over 50k miles and I can probably get another 5k-10k out of them. It appears that Pro's prior to 2001 were clad in Bridgestone Potenzas. I always thought they were good also. My 2001 Pro-Es has thes Dunlops but I only have 2500 miles so i couldn possibly tell the long term outcome. There seems to be a lot to choose from but given the choice you really cant beat Michelins for long term quality-imo.

djmax813 · July 2001

I was in the same position as you recently. I had to turn in my leased 98 civic. What to do. I didnt want to lease again (not right for my situation). I looked at everything and did a lot of research. When it came time to pull the trigger i chose the Pro. Why? Im 41 and going through a mid-life crisis. Just kidding. Actually I wanted a reliable, good looking, economical car with some perfomance and the Pro has plenty of it. So there you have it and good luck. Please let us know what your choice is whatever that may be.

mazdafun · July 2001

Civic if mpg is tops on your list.
Sentra 2nd in mpg. Slightly faster but rear seat is MUCH smaller. Front also felt cramped to me.
Protege (my choice) if you are willing to let a few mpg go in exchange for more lively handling and spritelier feel in local driving (thanks to lower gearing). I also think the interior is much better laid out, IMO.

patricesc · July 2001

VOCUS: regarding your message #3319 about Pro insurance. When I was car shopping earlier this year, I phoned my auto insurance company (USAA) & got prices on three 2001's: Civic, Jetta, & Corolla (comparable models). The Jetta cost the most of those 3 to insure.
I purchased my Pro 2001 ES manual on July 6th & the premium LESS than the prices I was quoted for the above cars = $313 (6 month premium). FYI: I am a 46 yo female w/an immaculate driving record.
(although I did get stopped for speeding the SECOND DAY I had my ES!! No ticket though. Whew.)
$195 a month is ENORMOUS!! Is your driving record clean? Got anyone under 25 on your policy? Deductable too high? (mine is $500)
coverages too high? (mine is 25/50/25 on everything).
PROTEGEXTWO: I really enjoyed Part 1 & 2 of your 25,000 mile recap. Thanks.
RUKEITHA: Totally concur w/#3332,3333 & 3336. I've had my Pro ES for 3 weeks but did homework for (I hate to tell the truth here) THREE YEARS. (I had a Toyota Corolla that just wouldn't die!!)
Obviously I am the Compulsive Type & I actually read ALLLLLLLLL 3000 posts at this site before I bought my new car. My summary: buy it & buy it soon because you are wasting time NOT DRIVING THIS GEM OF A VEHICLE!

protegextwo · July 2001

My posts were from the heart and my head. The Protege ES makes sense financially and every time I look at it or drive it, a get a grin from ear to ear. Honestly!
My mom was a nurse, I noticed from your profile that nursing is your chosen profession, God bless you. I know what a tough but rewarding job you have. Jumping into your Protege after a tough shift must be an awesome stress reliever.

Respectfully,
Larry

patricesc · July 2001

Three weeks of pure bliss with my Light Sandlewood Piece of Heaven & I want to get some accessories. Any websites that I can order from?

protegextwo · July 2001

Which Michelin tires do you recommend for the 2000 Mazda PRO-ES? How much should I expect to pay for a set of four decent Michelin's?

Thank you,
Larry

patricesc · July 2001

You sound like such a lovely person. I know what you mean about looking at it & feeling good. I got caught this morning: a co-worker spotted me turning around & SMILING AT my car as I was walking away from it.
You are correct: getting into this car IS a stress reliever. I get all excited walking up the ramp of the garage towards her. I've never felt this way about a car ... it's almost embarrassing. BUT after reading thousands of posts in this forum, I am not alone in my sentiments. (correct me if I am wrong -- aren't the majority of the posts in here from MEN?)

theparallax · July 2001

The Geocities link doesn't work because Geocities doesn't allow remote image hosting anymore unfortunately. Try copying and pasting the entire URL of the link into your browser, then it should work. Oh that reminds me, it's been almost 4 months since I've updated Prototech...better get to it...

mdaffron · July 2001

I just got back to the office this morning and got caught up on everything since yesterday afternoon. Yes, I noticed the same thing about geocities and found it worked if I did what parallax said. Just cut and paste the url into your address window and it'll work.

About tires:

Guys, I'm gonna change my tune, now that I've just made a major discovery! After hearing all of the rave reviews about Tire Rack about a year ago, I went to their site and looked around. Great prices, yep. But what about installation? At the time (summer of 2000), the *ONLY* installer their installer search engine recommended in Richmond (not too small a city!) was some seedy old garage in the not-so-great part of town. I got discouraged and started looking at local tire stores and got sticker shock. Well, to my amazement this morning, I went back to the Tire Rack Website and now there are about 10 installers in Richmond -- one of which is the Midas car care center about two miles from my house! I called up the manager and he explained the whole process to me. I'm sold on Tire Rack again, and I'll be looking at those Michelins and Yokohamas now!

Alas, but never again a Bridgestone ...

Meade

vocus · July 2001

My insurance coverages are 50/100/50 with $200/500 deductibles (comp./coll.) and I am with State Farm. The reason it's high is because I live in a city area, I am 23 years old, I am a single male, and I have one speeding ticket from my last Protege (a 1999 DX).

My agent told me to either move, get married, or slow down, and my insurance will drop.

I used to have $0/100 deductibles and my premium was $250 a month. Had to drop that REAL quick though.

Most of the posters here are men, you are right.

manavi · July 2001

I am looking at buying a 2001 Protege ES this weekend but I am having trouble deciding between two colors: Silver or White. Which color do ya'll think makes the Protege look nicer?

maltb · July 2001

It's been a couple years since I have purchased tires, but Costco used to sell the MXVs for about $80/tire so you may want to check them out.

manavi · July 2001

I am looking at buying a 2001 Protege ES this weekend but I am having trouble deciding between two colors: Silver or White. Which color do ya'll think makes the Protege look nicer?

the_big_h · July 2001

of those 2, my vote would be silver, although white is more rare and stands out more...

newcar31 · July 2001

I would get silver too, matter of fact, I did get silver. It's great because it almost always looks clean, even when it isn't.

protegextwo · July 2001

Paul, I guess I would purchase a silver and white, hehe!

PROx2

fowler3 · July 2001

Of the three cars you are considering, Civic LX, Sentra GXE and Protegé LX 2.0, the Protegé is the best choice.

The Civic LX is still underpowered and the seats are uncomfortable (too firm), back seat leg room not enough for the average adult. Black steering wheel no matter what interior color.

Sentra GXE has the 126hp engine which produces most of its torque at 2000rpm which means there will be precious little power available for passing at highway speeds. Back seat has NO leg room if two average adults sit in front. Poor build quality on interior trim (the glove box door fell off on the one I test drove, it's made of flimsy plastic with no real hinge).

The Protegé LX 2.0 has plenty of power for everyday driving and passing at highway speeds. Larger, comfortable seats and usable leg room in back even with a 6 ft.adult driving. Good fuel economy.

If you have to choose between high fuel economy and handling/performance take the latter, you won't be sorry. Nothing gets OLD faster than a car with no performance when you need it.

Manavi -- Buy the Silver Pro, it looks terrific with the alloy wheels! It will be almost as cool as the white and will get more attention, it looks like a classic. Another white car on the road is just another white one, lost in the crowd.

Patrice -- My insurance is $319 for six momths. Insurance rates also depend on the number of accidents in your area, if the rate is high the premium is higher, plus other considerations such as driving record, age, etc.

It's difficult to choose a small car considering there aren't many good ones available. There are more crappy ones that one should just ignore and not have on his or her list. You know the ones.

The Protegé LX 2.0 and ES offer the buyer a small car that has the power, handling, performance, comfort, styling, interior ammenities, and entertainment value found in more expensive cars.

And as you read here, pride of ownership is a HUGE PLUS! I,too, look back at my LX 2.0 everytime I walk away from it in parking lots. And look for it as soon as I leave a store. Sometimes just looking it over as if I had never seen a Pro before, risking being reported by other shoppers for suspicious behavior.

fowler3

chikoo · July 2001

on your air-condition woes:

1. open up your windows - all four and drive 1/4 mile before bringing them up.

2. start your a/c in recirc mode at '4'.

3. try to keep the engine RPM above 2500 (at 3000 it really freezes out my hands on the steering wheel)

4. if you are below 2500 RPM, you may feel it is not effective(comparatively, of course).

btw, I have the a/c on for 6-7 months of the year.
and it's a tad more than 2 years. Still chills as it did on day one.

my 2 cents on how I use the a/c.

protegextwo · July 2001

ALL-SEASON PERFORMANCE TIRES:
I checked Tire Rack last night. Here is my issue. I would prefer to compromise and go for a set of replacement 195/55vr15 All-SEASON PERFORMANCE tires. That way, I would enjoy the zoom zoom zoom capabilities of the performance tire and save the expense of the SNOW TIRES. The best bet with that segment at Tire Rack, seems to be the Michelin XGT V4. They seem to be a very good compromise, at a hefty $128.00 price? Remember, I'll need to change the OME shoes on both of my Protege's at the same time. With shipping, install, and nuisance fee's; it will cost me aprox. $1,379 to replace my 8 OME tires with the Michelin XGT V4's. I'm willing and able to do that, if the Michelin's are "all that"? Chime in Maltb at any time, your insight is always respected and appreciated by me! Meade, I did not see any other ALL-SEASON PERFORMANCE tires at Tire Rack worth considering, what do you folks think?

PERFORMANCE TIRES:
I guess with the extra choices in this segment at Tire Rack, personal opinions and price needs to play a roll. Seems to me after an hour or so of research at Tire Rack's web site a couple of PERFORMANCE replacement tires interested me. However, I pretty sure, I don't care to drive these very nice tires, thru a PENNA. winter. So, I will have to spring for snow tires, yikes. Chime in Maltb, Meade, Victor, Jerry or anyone else; I'm searching here? Nonetheless, in the PERFORMANCE tire segment; I valued tire wear and wet traction, and stability as need to haves. The two PERFORMANCE tires I found:

Pirelli P6000 at $83.00 each, and total to replace my 8 OME tires and install etc. $994.00 replacement cost.

Dunlap SP Sport W-10 at $70.00 each, and total, yada yada $860.00 replacement cost.

What our your opinions? Everyone feel free to share!

Respectfully,
Larry

Mazda Protegé

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles