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Mazda Protegé

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Comments

  • edmund2460edmund2460 Member Posts: 293
    First I think it's important that Pro owners post when they have problems so Standefer's complaints should be welcomed. I follow the posts here and I seem to read very little complaints here compared to other rooms. Some comments about JS's post are:
    My 98 Escort is at 50,000 miles with no problems and I believe that car became a solid car AFTER sharing Mazda components. You need to look at total cost of ownership over a longer period. Unfortunately sometimes when problems crop up we assume they will never cease. I went through a period of that with my 82 Jetta Diesel. It now has 235K. I'll admit it's not much of a car in terms of comfort, but it is reliable as the sunrise. I spent 10K buying it and about 5K in maintenance costs (not counting tires and oil change costs). It probably gave me back 2K in gas savings. If it runs another 30K which I have no doubt it will, it will be worth it. I personally won't buy another Ford after having bought 4. So Standefer, go there if you must. It's a company that won't admit a car's problems till it becomes a class action suit. My 93 Sable has had a head gasket, new trans and new A/c and other problems that probaby add up to an A/c within the first 100K. But the engine still runs well and if it gets to 175K which I think it will, it will still be worth it. OK that's my 2 cents. THe other thing is that the Pro and the Aspire do share the same little midget size filter. I checked the catalog on Purolator. (I have an Aspire too). I'm miffed.
  • edmund2460edmund2460 Member Posts: 293
    In case you didn't know this JS, a JD Power study shows Ford assembly plants to rank dead LAST in initial quality of cars they produce of all American manufacturers - so where does that put it on a global scale. And I repeat, this is a company that brought it's problems on itself. I know from my own head gasket situation that they knew about this problem for years and did nothing, so I was not surprised about the Firestone incident. They have a bean counter running the company and I think William Clay would like to get rid of him ( his family owns a majority of the stock I believe) but the board still likes Nasser. I don't think Nasser has ever cared about customer satisfaction except when it became a crisis.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Just about everyone I know who has those new Focuses is wishing they never would have bought one. Ford quality has never been what it should. I can attest to the Escorts' reliability though. A company I used to work for had only Ford Escorts and Tempos, and they lasted right up to 150K being beat around with no problems, or little. Don't get it.

    And like I said, I never had half the problems with my DX as you have had with your ES. Maybe it was the early production thing. Sorry to hear your problems though. They have truly ruined a great little car for you.
  • irishbobcatirishbobcat Member Posts: 6
    my 1990 ford probe just went over 220,000 miles
    this past week...best car I have ever owned...
    it's finally wearing down bit by bit...
    I hope my next car will last as long and run
    trouble free...
  • snagy1snagy1 Member Posts: 55
    thanks for info on bras, i agree the normal bras of yesteryear rubbed paint off, lately have seen these magnet ones by monsoon offered and they seem ok per the owners. thanks
  • fowler3fowler3 Member Posts: 1,919
    When Protegés are bad they are VERY bad, but when Protegés are good they are VERY good. Let's face it, you didn't buy your cars to last a lifetime. I certainly didn't. It's a temp car at best. I may drive it two years, maybe more, but it will never get to 50,000 miles while I own it. The last five cars I owned didn't and they were Hondas. I always trade them off while they still have a lot of value ($$$). Makes the next payments lower.

    The car I REALLY want would be small or medium size; has beautiful styling; a great interior and dash; gets reasonable fuel economy; and rides like a Lexus LS 430. No company makes that car, yet.

    Frankly, I think sports suspension sucks. When all cars, regardless of size, can be made to ride smoothly and still have good handling.

    And last, but not least, my relatives drive Ford products: 2002 Ford Explorer, 2001 Lincoln Navigator, Ford F-150 pickup, Ford van, plus a BMW 740i and a Porsche 944. When deciding on a small car to buy, and wondering what they would think if I got a piece of crap temporarily, the Protegé was the only small car I had no problems driving up in.

    Their remarks: "We love your car." and "That's a nice looking car and all you really need." (The Corolla was definately out and so was an older Civic.) The Corolla, in particular, looks like the buyer does't give a damn what they drive as long as it gets them to their job at MacDonald's ontime. ;)

    fowler3
  • pjd58pjd58 Member Posts: 366
    a Mill. Red 01LX 2.0 Protege. Is this a tough color to locate? I really want to take advantage of Mazda's 0% for 48 and no charge for alloys and moonroof. I really don't want to compromise on another color, but may have to.

    Also, is approx $500 over invoice, with 0% and free moonroof and alloys a good deal?

    Thanks
  • black01coupev6black01coupev6 Member Posts: 195
    The debate about Mazda vs. the world could go on endlessly. I have had several Honda products and all of them, regardless of make/model or mileage, have been darn near flawless. The Toyotas we have owned have been the same. My one experience with something non-Honda/Toyota was my first car, a 1989 Ford Probe GL. It had 160,000 miles on it when I sold it and other than burning oil the car ran great.

    Even though the one Mazda/Ford product I had didn't give me any major problems if I knew I had to buy a car and keep it for more than 3 or 4 years, I would buy the Honda or Toyota. You can flame me if you want but in my experience I would be more comfortable in a 100,000 mile Honda vs. a 100,000 Mazda or almost any other make out there.

    One thing about Hondas and Toyotas is that their basic designs seem to stand the test of time better as well as all of the "hardware" like knobs, switches, and power accessories. This Protege may change my mind, so we'll see.

    fowler: The one thing that kills me is that if anybody else my age at work had purchased the Protege everybody would be like "nice car" "congratulations". But with me they are like "uboughtawhat" "huh" "from an Accord V6 to a..." and "no way".
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Check out the Stonguard (sp?) products. They're transparent urethane film (0.060 and 0.040in thick, for headlamps and sheetmetal). that you adhere to your car to protect its finish.

    I've had the headlamp protectors on my '99 Pro since early spring of '99 and don't have a single chip in them. Some dirt does accumulate around the edges though.

    Supposedly you can peel them off w/o leaving any glue, but I haven't done this myself.

    I think they now have pre-cut kits for the Protege, first time ever. Guess there're enough Pro owners asking for the stuff. The only Mazda products they offered pre-cut in the past have been for Miatas.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    We should alert each other to potential problems with our Pros. The earlier the better, to try to nip these problems before our warranties expire, and to make sure we all make Mazda aware.

    Anyway, the discussion recently has been interesting, to say the least. :)
  • logger1logger1 Member Posts: 14
    Earlier posts indicated this a delay factor. I'm trying to get an LX 2.0 with these features. The dealer does not seem to have visibilty on when they will be in the delivery flow .. weeks, months, this year. Any info out there on delay factor?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I took a whole role (25 exp.) of pictures of my Protege today, and will post them when I get them developed.
  • hkchanhkchan Member Posts: 420
    "I always trade them off while they still have a lot of value ($$$). Makes the next payments lower." People buy what they want and as often as they want but I hope you didn't think "making the next payments lower" was a valid reason to trade in a car every two years.
  • mhallackmhallack Member Posts: 32
    >"I always trade them off while they still have a >lot of value ($$$). Makes the next payments >lower." People buy what they want and as >often as they want but I hope you didn't think >"making the next payments lower" was a >valid reason to trade in a car every two years.

    Yes, I had my last car for nine years. Five years of $0 payments would seem to be lower overall than trading the car when it still had a lot of value.
  • mhallackmhallack Member Posts: 32
    My pitiful attempt at quoting in the last message obviously didn't work, but thats not why I'm writing this:

    The day my first payment was due on the MP3, I was hit by a Ford Explorer. They decided that their lane wasn't large enough and they needed part of mine. I thought they were going to pull over, then they dove in front of some oncoming traffic and got away (while I was stuck in 3mph rush hour). Got their tag, but it was stolen.

    Fortunately, they mostly hit me with their tire, as I have buffed a lot of it off and left what appears to be fairly superficial damage. The Racing Hart wheels in particular took a lot of their tire out without, evidently, being scratched. Not that I actually wish this on them, but if they are riding on Firestones and they don't take the vehicle in, I may not have to find them: they could end up in the paper.
  • yooper53yooper53 Member Posts: 286
    Ouch! That's got to hurt. But their utter disregard for the oncoming traffic is criminal. As long as no innocent parties are hurt I'd just as soon see people like that "end up in the paper!!!" Makes the roads safer for the rest of us. Its as simple as that. IMO.
  • fowler3fowler3 Member Posts: 1,919
    I agree about the Honda cars, had only one Toyota and it was a lemon (1971), but Toyota makes better cars now. My last Honda was a 1998 Odyssey which had 18K miles on it when I sold it -- no problems in the three years I owned it. The one before that was a '98 Honda Accord, had it 30 days. Quickly grew to hate that car, it's seats were painful and I got rid of it. Also disappointed in the finish.
    I traded in a '97 Accord on the '98. Nothing wrong with it, I, like Paul, bought the wrong color. It was dark blue with grey trim.

    I sold the Odyssey because I had a lot of equity in it and that gave me a good downpayment on the Protegé. When interest on car payments was tax deductable they weren't so bad; now, it's wasted money along with depreciation.

    Hindsight is perfect vision; The money I have thrown away on cars since 1967, if invested THEN would have grown to over $3 million today, without investing another dollar. :P Think what I would be driving now?

    The big mistake young people make, and I made it then, is telling themselves, when they have jobs and disposable income,"I want to enjoy it while I'm young!" You will also enjoy a new car when you are older, IF you save and invest now. When I was your ages most cars cost only $2500 to $3000 with AT,AC and power windows, etc. By the '70's big cars were still only $6500 and luxury cars were $7500 up. I remember a BMW I almost bought for $6500, in the 5-series. Glad I didn't.

    But $15K for a small car today is still an outragious price, IMHO, and so is $50K for a Cadillac or Acura or whatever. That's what inflation does and in the years to come they will go even higher. Plan for it now.

    black01coupev8, the last Acura CL I rode in my impression was, 'This doesn't ride any better than an Accord.' It was noisy and not at all what I expected.

    fowler3
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    you are lucky that your Escort lasted so long!!!

    I have driven a rental Escort and they shake and rattle(10,000 miles ) so much that I feared that it will break apart. I even took it back to the rental agency just to make sure that this car will not breakdown in the middle of the i-95.

    tough luck Jerry. Too bad you thought you had bought a Tank....
  • grubbs1grubbs1 Member Posts: 69
    I test drove an ES last year and loved it but I opted for a pickup due to the utility (OK and the he-man feeling you get driving one). Anyway, it's that time again and this time we will be getting a sedan. I test drove a deeply discounted Altima, a Sentra SE and a Protoge ES with auto. The Altima is OK and the engine is pretty good but the car seems too big for a four banger. Also, IMHO, it is getting old. The sentra was OK as well but I just didn't get that feeling. The interior was weird, especially the skinny stereo. When I drove the Pro, I loved it! I don't like the color of the plastic around the center dash components but hopefully it can be replaced with the LX's. The response of the engine was impressive and the brakes felt precise. Also, the overall quality was impressive for an 'econobox'. We will probably have that black beauty in the garage by tomorrow. I would like to hear from owners as to their level of satisfaction with their Pro's, pluses and minuses, etc. Thanks!
  • grubbs1grubbs1 Member Posts: 69
    My last 'Mazda' was a 1989 Mercury Tracer. I owned this car for eleven years and racked-up over 144,000. I had no engine or tranny problems. When I sold it, it was still running great. Also, the integrity and build quality of the car was sound as everything was still working great. This car was built in Hermosillo, Sonora. Too bad this plant now builds the (out of) Focus.
  • yooper53yooper53 Member Posts: 286
    I've been reading posts here regarding Ford's plans to share chassis, components with Mazda around 2003.
    Here's some food for thought. Ford's huge losses from the Firestone/Explorer debacle have got to be taking a huge bite out of funds that would have been better spent on R&D. If that's not bad enough they're now asking (demanding) further price cuts from their vendors. How can vendors cut prices without cutting quality? They can't!
    Certainly litigation and defense will have a great impact on Ford's design and engineering efforts as well.
    Poor Mazda. There it is!
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    I bought a new Pro LX 2.0 5-speed manual about a month and a half ago. I love my car. I've taken it on a 2 long trips (about 1200 km round trip each time) and it performed excellently. It's been good on gas and it hasn't been lacking any power when I needed to pass.

    I haven't encountered any cons yet, but there are some people in this thread that have recently had some problems with their Pros and have expressed dissatisfaction.

    The only problem I've had so far is keeping my car clean because it's black. It looks great when it's clean, but it looks the dirtiest fastest.

    At any rate, I love my Pro. It's fun to drive and it looks great. Hope this helps a little Grubbs.

    Regards,

    Pro_fan
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    I did NOT get an E-Mail from you, lately.

    -Larry
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    First of all, I realize, I've been pegged in the past as fanatical PRO-ES supporter. Nonetheless, my pair of 2000 PRO-ES's have almost 27,000 miles on them and I have had ZERO ZERO ZERO problems with them! BTW, Chico has been to my home and can verify, I own a pair of 2000 PRO's. Chico, sat in them and drove in them. He can verify I'm a real person! If anyone else would care to visit my home, I'll be glad to provide directions, if you would care to personally confirm my truthfulness.
    The Mazda Protege is without a DOUBT the best small sedan for under $16,500!!! I owned two Ford Escorts and a Toyota Corolla in the last twelve years, all fine small sedans. However, NONE of them have given me more pure pleasure and pride in ownership! It will be a very very cold day in Hades, before I park a Hyundai Elantra or another Ford Escort in my driveway! The OME Bridgestones' on both my PRO-ES's have almost 27,000 miles on them and have at LEAST another 10,000 miles! Neither car creaks, rattles or groans. Nothing has fallen off and they are as "tight and right" as the day, I took delivery! At my 25,000 mile service performed by Lancaster Toyota Mazda, they rated my tire condition on all 8 wheels as "7". They inspected the break lining on both cars, Lining Thickness: "10" on all left/right fronts and "5" on all left/right rears! Battery condition rated 100%. No fluid leaks, wipers still good and all drive belts and steering and suspension components rated top box.

    Respectfully,
    Larry
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    I have compassion for Protege owners who have rolled negative equity into there Protege and now feel remorse. I have compassion for Protege owners who are not consistent with completing all of the recommended service on a timely basis. I have compassion for Protege owners who were so enamored in the Mazda sports-car heritage, that they abused their Protege. I am NOT accusing any regular at this discussion of doing any of those things! However, we are all adults and we all must take responsibility for our actions. If we beat are Pro's, if we skipped some needed service, because money was tight, well so be it.
    Nevertheless, there are consequence for everything in life. All automobiles are kinda of like, a can of shaving creme. There is a finite beginning and end. How fast we use up the contents of the can, will determine the life of the product. If you dispense more product each use, then is needed to lather up your face, well...the shaving creme will run out faster then necessary. Don't get me wrong. I love to put my Protege's thru their paces, and these are pretty willing econo-boxes. Hey, the Protege's are drivers cars compared to Corolla's or Civic's! But, never for a minute think that V-rated high performance tires are going to last as long as a well built all-season touring tires. Steering components, disc brakes, and chassis tightness will be effected by spirited driving. Personally, I pick my spots and the proper time to enjoy the zoom zoom zoom life style.

    Respectfully,
    Larry
  • grubbs1grubbs1 Member Posts: 69
    Thanks Protoge_fan. Thanks Larry, too (if indeed you were providing an update on your Pros).

    Anyway, I bought the damn thing! This is what I got: 2001 black ES with auto and a moonroof. Everything else came standard(spoiler, 16 inch alloys, AC, CD, fog lights, rear disks, darker seat coverings, etc.).

    This is what I paid: $15,800 plus $280 for accesories(mud guards, wind deflector, bug shield and cargo net), and $295 for the teflon and interior treatment (possibly a bad decision). Total price including tax, title, etc.: $17,801 - $1,000 rebate - $2,000 down = $14,801 amount financed. I got a 6.49% rate through the dealer at a local credit union. How did I do?

    My first impressions of the car are similar to Larry's: it is a great small sports sedan. The quality overall is very impressive. I live in the 'sticks so I have already racked-up over 150 miles in the first day. Even with the sports suspension and the low profile tires, the ride is smooth and confortable in both the city and the highway. I love this little car!
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Wow, I come back to work here, early Monday morning, and BAM! Almost 40 new messages to read! Wow, I must know how to touch chords and funny bones!

    I've just got to reply to Jerry's comment that we should all wait until we have 48,562.3 miles on our Proteges and then comment. Well, like I said Mr. Standefer, my '92 LX had 83,000 miles on it when I traded it for my Mazda-built-not-Ford-tough B2300 pickup (worst mistake I ever made). That '92 LX was flawless! FLAWLESS!

    I had many cars to choose from when I went to make my most recent purchase in May 2000 -- and the gods of employment had looked favorably upon me, and I could've spent upwards of $25,000 -- but I went back to my old Protege BECAUSE OF MY GOOD LUCK WITH THEM!

    Other than that pickup, which I had from December 1994 until May 2000, I've had nothing but Proteges since September 1991. And I've never, ever regretted my decision!

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    My monthly payment is $284. Would've been $270, but I opted for the 7-year, 100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. A little peace of mind, JUST IN CASE, for the price of three Big Macs 'n fries a month. I drive a 2000 Emerald Mica ES 5-speed with everything but the sunroof and side air bags.

    Larry -- I'll re-send that e-mail to everybody today.

    Meade
  • jbnahantjbnahant Member Posts: 3
    I want to buy an ES or the new PR5 using the S- Plan. Does anyone know a dealership in MA, NH or ME that accepts it? 1.5% over invoice would be a great deal especially with 0% financing.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    Due to my great experience with Mazda on my Protege, I think I am going to get a 626 ES-V6 for my wife. I hate to ask since I know it is somewhere in these 3800+ posts, but what do you have to do to get the S-Plan pricing? I know you have to join some group and there is a small fee. Is there a URL to sign up online? Any help would be appreciated.

    Also, I had a pretty good collision with my 99 ES a couple of weeks ago. Messed up the rear of my car pretty bad, but not only did I walk away (with just a seat belt bruise to show for it), but I was able to drive away. The shop I took it to and State Farm were both amazed considering the damage to the body. I guess the good news is I'll now have two new rear quater panels, trunk lid and bumper!
  • black01coupev6black01coupev6 Member Posts: 195
    The bad news for you protegenic is that your car just lost value because of the accident.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I was planning on keeping it for a while anyways, so that really isn't too big a deal for me right now. I still hate it though.

    BTW black01coupev6, I have a question for you. They two cars my wife is looking at are the 626 and the Accord. While we both really like the Accord EX, there is difference of $3K and we are trying to watch our costs. So, if given the choice between a loaded 626 ES-V6 and a LX V6 Accord (which is comparable in price when all is said and done), which way would you go? I know everyone raves about the Accord V6, but my wife actually liked the 2.5L in the 626 better. She didn't like the VTEC's dual personality.
  • manavimanavi Member Posts: 150
    The S-Plan lets you buy for 1.5% below invoice, not 1.5% over invoice.
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    I see that the filter for 626-v6 has the same diameter and thread(am i correct?) and is longer than the PRO filter. Any problem if I use that filter in place of the tuna can filter for the PRO?
  • laurakatlaurakat Member Posts: 69
    Does your wife like to drive a stick shift? If so, you can't get a stick in the Accord V6, but the 626 V6 5-spd is a nice combination!
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I like the manual, but she prefers the automatic. Since it will be her car, she wins! The sad thing is I can't seem to find a 626 ES-V6 with ABS. Mazda is really dropping the ball here in my mind. It might cost them a sale in this case as I don't really want to buy a car without it anymore.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Ok, I just waxed my car over the weekend. It looked great for the 2 seconds that I was able to look at her before I had to leave..now I get back and my Pro looks like crap! Covered in dirty water spots from the rain. I am sooooooo tempted to take it into one of those touchless car washes....Please, can somebody convince me not to do it?? I want it to look clean but I really don't have time to keep on washing it by hand.
    Any suggestions on a quick clean?
    Please help!!

    Regards,

    Pro_fan
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I posted a bit ago, but I really need some direction on how to get set up to get the S-Plan pricing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    The funny thing is that I had practically the same truck as you did. It was a 1996 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab with the 2.3L 4-banger. I sold it to my father about three years ago and it now has about 80,000 miles on it. How many problems have we had with it? Zero. Not a hiccup, not a rattle, nada... It is the best vehicle either of us have ever owned.

    We both drive it hard (is there any other choice with a little 4-cyl moving 3,300+ pounds?). It has been absolutely flawless! Brakes were replaced at 50,000 miles, oil and filter change every 5,000 miles, and new tires at 45,000 miles. Except for a Rhino-Lining application to the bed, a wind deflector for the hood, maintenance, and gas, we have not spent any money on the truck at all.

    I'm sorry, but when I compare the two brand new vehicles I have owned (the Ranger and Protege), the Protege has not stood up to my expectations. Like I've said before, I admit I abuse it, but I've abused every single vehicle I have owned and except for the MG (Lucas electronics are evil!!), I have never had as many problems as I have had with the Protege. I don't mind a few rattles, and I expect extra wear on the brakes, clutch, and tires, but this vehicle has exceedingly disappointed. I guess it truly is an economy car built with economy car parts. Perhaps I expected beefed-up parts with the ES just like my Escort GT had. Or perhaps I just expected to Protege to stand up to spirited driving like the 17 year old RX-7 did. Oh well... I guess I'll just have to get a Miata or a "real" sport sedan that's actually built for sport...
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Take it to one of those wash-yourself places. Don't use the brush. Just use the high-pressure hose to knock off most of the dirt. I do this between hand washings to knock off the dirt spots my car gets from gentle sprinkles.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    You'll occasionally find a good Pinto or Chevette too, although that WOULD be hard to do. :)

    The 2001 Pros use heavier-gauge metal in the suspension parts and thicker sheet metal in the body where they attach. Probably would've been better for jstandefer, but that's 20/20 hindsight.

    My 99 is still doing fine. Some creaking noise like vinyl rubbing against itself coming from my seat, but I weight 195lb, so I'm not surprised. Other than that, it's rattle-free.

    Screws will work themselves loose with regular use (and abuse). Maybe your garage could tighten any loose fasteners on the body. I just went through my '89 323's interior and found a number of loose screws on the trim panels that I snugged up. Helped to reduce the rattles.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    This may sound weird, but I have noticed it. When I am first taking off in my 2001 ES, I notice this little squeak when the transmission shifts. It sounds like a little mouse squeak, but it is there. Weird. :)

    Going to bid on the 3rd Generation Altezzas on Ebay and have them put in probably. Got the tints and fog lights done Saturday. Probably going to do either the perimeter alarm next, or the 6-disc CD changer (although it's $500, and that is a little high). We will see.

    Meade, I did not get any e-mails about the MAPP either. Send it to the work one you have for me, or to the one under my profile here.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Thanks. I'm ok now...just had to rant to you guys. I was just a little frustrated this morning seeing it so dirty after all my hard work to clean it. Thanks again.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    The same thing happend to me yesterday morning. I spent like an hour washing, cleaning, vacuuming, and polishing my Protege and it freaking rained on Saturday evening! I was mad, but now I get to do it all over again. Still trying to bribe one of my friends into waxing my car, but not having any luck as of yet. :)
  • tcdatcda Member Posts: 9
    Go to www.eaa.org, join their organization for $40, and you'll get 1 percent or so off of the invoice price.
  • jbnahantjbnahant Member Posts: 3
    protegenic. I just found out about the S-Plan through reading the P5 Hatchback message board. go to www.eaa.org where you can join for $40. and be eligable for for a 1.5% below invoice price for a Mazda or any other Ford associated auto. It's up to individual dealerships to honor this. I asked one dealership in my area if they accepted this and they said they wouldn't. My next step is to call other dealerships. It's called the EAA Partner Recognition Program. Check it out and keep me posted.
  • laurakatlaurakat Member Posts: 69
    Test drove a couple of ES 5spds this afternoon. The first one I tested had a very strange grinding noise coming from the rear. The sales guy was a little embarassed. We both agreed we shouldn't drive that one much further, so I turned around and went back to test another one. Very fun car to drive (except for the grinding noise in the first one!)

    Anyway, we sat down to crunch some numbers. We were about $800 apart. The hang up was my trade. It's a 97 Intrepid with 98k on the clock. The car is immaculate, paint shines like new, interior looks new, the tires have most of their tred life left, it runs nice and tight (for a Dodge, anyway). Kelly's BB values range from approx 4400 to 4800. Edmund's between 4700 and 5300 trade-in. They offered 3700 at first, and eventually creeped up to 4100. I know I can sell it on my own for well over 5k, based on the local paper and autotrader.com selling prices. Looks like I'll have to take that route. I'll check another dealership closer to home to see what they can do.
  • black01coupev6black01coupev6 Member Posts: 195
    protegenic: Given the choice between an Accord LX V6 and a 626 ES V6 I think I would probably have to choose the Accord. While there is nothing wrong with the 626 and it does have more options for the money, I personally prefer the Accord's styling and interior. And even though the Accord is $3,000 more it will hold it's value better and maybe be easier to sell if you choose to go that way. What about an Accord 4 cylinder EX..it has a 2.3L 150HP vs. the 626 2.5L 170HP... and will have 6-disc changer, steering wheel controls, ABS, and pretty much everything else the 626 has, but you may be stuck on getting a 6 cylinder car.

    However, as my fiance just pointed out, if the 626 has 0.0% interest then maybe that's the way to go. If you are financing at a normal rate or paying cash then the Accord seems like the best choice.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    For the price of the Accord, I would take a long, close look at the Millenia. The base model (which has leather, moonroof, and just about everything else) is powered by the same engine and transmission as the 626 V6. The Millenia S has the 2.3L DOHC Miller-Cycle V6 which produces 210hp and 210lb-ft of torque (more power and torque than the Accord V6). There is a generous $4,000 rebate on the Millenia right now, making it quite a steal. You should easily be able to pick one up for the price of the Accord. The price of the Accord EX-V6 starts at $25,100 before destination and no other options. You can easily pick up a $32,500 Millenia S for that price after rebate and discounts. The Millenia competes with the Acura TL series, Lexus ES series, and Infiniti I series. Although it is not quite up to par with those vehicles, compared to the Accord, Camry, and 626, it is a step above.
  • black01coupev6black01coupev6 Member Posts: 195
    But even though the Millenia has 210HP it can still only muster a 9.0 or so 0-60 vs. 8.0 seconds or less for the 200HP Accord.

    You can get a Millenia for $25,600 according to Carsdirect.com but an EX V6 Accord can be had for $22,600 and it's resale value will be eons better than the Millenia's. And the Millenia has not had a major redesign or engine upgrade in 6 years. So it is a very dated platform and even though it was designed as a luxury car, on such an old design it is probably no better than the family sedans of today.
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