Mazda Protegé

sunbyrne · August 2001

Bruno, who in CS did you hang out with? My field is cognitive sciences with psychology as my home department but I interact with CS folks from time to time.

You and a lot of other people lost cars in Allison. And the way it's been raining today, I think a few more people will be out there with the flooded car problem...

I have a manual Pro5 as well, Bruno--we bought from the same dealership (Jeff Haas), I believe...

yooper53 · August 2001

Last job aircraft dispatcher for American Eagle. ATR-42's and Shorts 360's. American decided to move all Eagle dispatchers to DFW,TX. Having spent enough years in cities St.Paul, Milwaukee I didn't make the move.

newcar31 · August 2001

I finally REALLY opened up my Protege today. Compared to my old Integra, it doesn't seem very happy in the upper parts of the tach. Actually, it behaves more like my old 5.0L mustang; it has decent low range power, good mid range power, then it poops out. It is the complete opposite of the Integra which had NO power down low, then BAM, it took off like an Albanian refugee once it hit 5000 rpms. The Integra kicked serious butt on the highway, but the Protege is easier to drive around town. Anyways, when I was at White Castle (the only food that smells like a fart BEFORE you eat it), a bunch of the Honduh boys walked up to my car in the parking lot while I was inside. They walked around it, pointed at the rims, bent down to check out the tires, and looked inside. Either they wanted to rip it off, or they were just jealous and admiring my car, or both. I don't care though, it wasn't anywhere near where I live.

speedypt · August 2001

I finally got to drive the P5! Black, 5-speed without many extras. Okay, I did it for two reasons: I want one and I got a certificate for a free web-cam from Mazda if I took a test drive. My impression...

Power...better than expected up to about 3500 rpm, then tapers off too much. I agree with the previous comments about the motor not being as happy revving as previous motors, especially my '92 Pro's 1.8, and a little less than my 2000 ES's 1.8. The clutch is very linear but seems to engage very far out. Shifter was great, not at all sloppy or vague like I had read.

Looks...what can I say...it's better in person than the pictures show. Simply put...one of Mazda's BEST styling efforts yet. It just looks so well-proportioned and sporty, a real head-turner! Didn't care for the black really...the white one was nice though...

Interior...not that different from the 2000. Loved the leather steering wheel and three-spoke design. Seats good and comfortable, again much like the 2000. Stereo...EL STINKO! Compared to the one in the Protege sedan, it just sounded flat and lifeless. No bass, tinny treble...BUT...easy to use knobs and much more attractive design than my 2000's unit. Visors were a little improved in quality feel over my 2000's flimsy visors (I will admit that mine are still in perfect shape...)

Handling and ride...VERY nice. Much more predictable than '92 Pro, a noticeable improvement over standard 2000 ES, but not very different from MY ES...possibly because I put the same strut bar in my 2000? Nah...probably the 16" tires and rims and reinforced strut tower sheetmetal on the 2002 P5. I would say the handling borders on MAGIC, you feel the limit coming on, but you know exactly how much you have left before it breaks loose...Yes...I tried to break it loose a bit.

Looks...Uff Da!

Price...at nearly 1800 more than a loaded ES sedan, and much more expensive financing (5.9% 48 months or 1.9% 36 months on P5 --- vs. --- 0.0% for 48 months on P-Sedan) it's just too darned expensive to justify the appearance-factor. I want one bad, and if the sales manager at Roto had been able to match my current payments, I would have driven one home tonight, the best he quoted me though was 330/mo for 60 months with my 2000 traded in. I'm NOT upside-down on my car loan, but the depreciation on my 2000 ES was higher than I expected. Soooooooooooooo......

I'll be driving my 2000 for a while I guess. Not that it's at all bad...I still love the car...but I have this itch to drive a P5 everyday.

Other stuff....

My 2000 in the shop for allignment tonight-tomorrow. I only have 18k and it needs it already. Might be from when they fixed the clunk in the right front suspension in March. If it is, the service manager already agreed to reimburse me for two new front tires (both now wearing unevenly...but only started happening since they fixed it...hmmmmmm) and I'm still on the RE92 Poortenzas. I asked if they would be buying me the tires, he said it would be up to me...I could get new RE92's from them or he would write me a check for $200 and I could go buy my own tires. Again...only if they say it's from their mistake. Other than that...no problems from the 2000 ES.

CAPP...are there any interested readers for a Chicago Area Protege Picnic to be held in September or early October? If we have even three volunteers from here I will handle all arrangements...please post reply here or email me if interested:

peter_rollins@hotmail.com

Regards and Zoom Zoom to all,

Pete

grubbs1 · August 2001

Bank Manager.

Love my Protege! The tint looks great, BTW.

mdaffron · August 2001

Shorts 360 ... the Greyhound Bus with wings! I flew in one of those (yes, American Eagle) back in 1994 from Richmond to Raleigh, N.C. I felt like I needed a scarf and a bomber jacket, lol! It was a fun ride -- I felt like I went back in time. As we climbed after takeoff, I kept having this feeling that we were about to slide backwards back down the wire to the airport. And I couldn't help noticing (or hearing!) that big prop spinning right outside my window. Small, funky airplane! I haven't seen one in a while. Do they still use them?

Meade

musicmom · August 2001

We're considering replacing our 123,000 mile Civic with a 2001 Protege (LX 2.0). Can anyone tell me about the car's handling in snow? We live in Northern Virginia-and usually only get a couple inches at a time, but it can be slippery.

mdaffron · August 2001

My three Proteges have handled pretty well in the snow, much like any front-wheel-drive car. Of course, a lot of the handling characteristics depend on the tires, and I must say that the Bridgestone Potenzas that came on the 2000 ES are not very good in the snow. (Luckily the 2001 models do not use these tires!) My earlier Proteges (1992 LXs) had Toyo tires and got me back and forth from Richmond to Lynchburg in the snow several times. The Bridgestones are now nearly treadless and I plan to replace them with decent all-season radials (Yokohama AVID T4s) next month.

By the way, if you're new to the topic, you may not have heard about the upcoming second-annual Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic on October 6. A group of us (looks like about 10 right now) will be meeting for a picnic at a Northern Virginia state park that Saturday. If you have your Protege by then, or even if you don't and you want to meet some of us and get some questions answered, drop me an e-mail and I'll send the location info to you!

And welcome!

Meade in Richmond
mdaffron@the-rma.org

twistinmelon · August 2001

I have questions about that too. I came across this item from a review of the 2001 ProES:

<<The Protege offers excellent handling and decent acceleration performance. It's an affordable sports sedan. We tested the Protege during a wintry week in Detroit. Not all compact cars handle snow particularly well, but the Protege was able to plow its way out of a foot of snow -- with no prior shoveling.

Out on the highway, whether the pavement was wet, dry or covered with snow and ice, the Protege offered predictable handling and good grip.>>

You can see the whole article at

http://www.carbuytip.com/reviews/2001_mazda_protege.html

So now I need something else to be obsessed with. I think I've found just the thing -- the same review also says

<<The seats are comfortable and supportive, though we found it a bit hard to turn the knob to adjust the angle of the driver's seatback.>>

Now I'm sorry guys, but I'm not spending $16k on something with a stiff knob I will have to turn once when I buy the car and then forget about for 10 years. ;-)

twist

mdaffron · August 2001

Don't you want the knob stiff so it doesn't move over time all by itself? Sometimes I wonder why reviewers feel compelled to share these little nitpicks.

Interesting -- my 2000's seatback angle isn't adjusted with a knob, but a more conventional lever that you pull up, adjust the back, and release to lock. Now, my seat CUSHION has a few knobs to raise and lower the front and back of it, and they're kind of tight -- but rightfully so; I don't think I've adjusted them in over a year now.

BTW -- it appears the reviewers made a boo-boo in the second line of that review. Didn't they mean to say "Protege" instead of "Miata?"

Meade

mdaffron · August 2001

The reviewer picks on the rear-seat headroom, saying at 5-11 his hair was brushing the ceiling. I know why -- he obviously was reviewing a Protege with a moonroof, and that's why I opted out of getting one with a moonroof. The moonroof really takes away from headroom, especially in the rear seat because that's where the "tunnel" is for the panel when the moonroof's open. I am 6-0 and weigh 275 pounds -- I'm a real buffalo of a guy -- and I have plenty of headroom in the back seat of my moonroof-less Protege. Maybe this guy had a 'fro or something too!

Meade

yooper53 · August 2001

The standard joke was that they put wings on the box the rest of the a/c came in. At the time I was there Eagle was the world's largest operator of 360's. Though they were flying them when I left in '91 I can't say whether they still do. There's been a big push among the feeders towards regional jets. The hoans (vernacular for passengers)feel they're safer in pure jets. Hmmm.
Cost per seat mile just can't compare w/turboprops. I read about a case in Flying magazine where a pilot flew a 360 out of a microburst. Bloody awesome. It was designed such that the cargo version can handle standard cargo containers. Box within a box hey?

vocus · August 2001

I saw that review almost two years ago. It was for a 1999 LX 1.6. I remember reading it before I got my first Protege, a 1999 DX. And that car was pretty good in the snow. Hope my 2001 ES is as well.

Meade, I have a moonroof in my 2001 ES. I have just enough head room in the front to be able to fit. But in the back seat of mine, the roof is pushed up a little right by the top of the rear window. Like space there for your head to be without interfering with the sunroof's "tunnel". A good friend of mine is 6'3 and weighs about 250 lbs., and he rode in the back seat of my Protege for 70 miles and nary a complaint. So there is definitely room there. Also, I have ridden in my own back seat and found it quite comfortable (and I am not a small person either).

vocus · August 2001

The window on my car is still sticking. I found sometimes if I open the driver's door and slam it hard, the window will go down. A pain in the butt!

My tranny is making this funny squeaking noise, like the notification sound when arming a car alarm. I don't get it. And it only does it when downshifting from 3 to 2, but no other time. Hopefully, Mazda will hear it when they drive the car and diagnose it. I am going to be a little upset, as well, if my 6 month old car needs a new transmission. But that remains to be seen.

auerbach · August 2001

Hi everyone,

I've been "lurking" here for awhile as I'm looking to replace my very trusty 91 Accord Coupe with a Protege. The car has been 100% reliable - but its starting to rust here and there and with two kids a 2-door just isn't practical anymore.

We have another Mazda in the family - a 2000 MPV which we are very happy with

I'm very interested in the "how I fit inside" comments, as I'm 6-3, 240 lbs.

I've sat inside a number of ES' and Protege5's and they all feel pretty comfortable.

I won't even consider a sunroof because it just takes up too much headroom.

My only complaint/worry is with the seat belt latch position - in the ES it seems to dig into my right hip and in the 5 it seems to be ok.

Has anyone else felt or noticed this? Am I being paranoid - or should I just lose a few pounds : )

Thanks!!

mdaffron · August 2001

Paul hates his car again! Who was it who said Wednesday or Thursday that "at least no one has complained about their car this week" or something similar! Oh well, you spoke too soon!

Paul ... I wouldn't recommend slamming your door all the time. You might break something else.

And why are you doing all this downshifting from 3 to 2? Are you gonna be like jstandefer and ruin your car as well? Can you say, "shoulda bought a 5-speed?" There is some seriousness in what I say. My older (and lead-footed) brother nearly ruined the automatic transmission in my dad's Volvo by treating it like a manual all the time.

Meade

mdaffron · August 2001

The latch in my 2000 ES does contact my right thigh (I have a 46-inch waist!!!), but I've gotten used to it. I wouldn't say it's "digging in" to me, but it does rest on my thigh. It doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the car though -- besides, at my size, I'm used to feeling big in a lot of car seats. What impresses me the most is that I can put the seat where I like it and still have extra legroom (most car seats don't go back far enough for me; I still have travel left in the Protege). But even more impressive is that I can then get out and get in the back and not be eating my knees! The Protege has a very usable rear seat! My 67-year-old parents have been back there for a 200-mile trip and found it very comfortable!

Try THAT in a freakin' Sentra or Civic!

Meade

black01coupev6 · August 2001

late for work!

As usual I am coming up on the hind end of the conversation but let me try to catch up.

On the insurance thing, believe it or not, the Protege is MORE expensive to ensure than my 2001 Honda Accord EX V6 Coupe!! I couldn't believe that. I am paying $1,000 every 6 months vs $800 for the Coupe. It's more than my fiance's LS400! But oh well, I guess you have to pay to play. Not that upset about it just a little shocked.

For the age and occupation thing, I am 22, currently majoring in marketing, but about to majoring in information systems. Big change but I finally figured out that marketing was not for me. I am currently employed as a manager-type person in the business office of Carmax, don't know if you have ever heard of them or not. I have a love/hate relationship with that place.

Okay, I think I am caught up now. Maybe I can find a free second to sneak on at work so I won't have to wade through 70 posts tonight

mdaffron · August 2001

Well, I do know about CarMax! Circuit City owns them, and they're based in my city! I'll never buy a car from them though, after the experience my dad had with 'em!

Meade

chikoo · August 2001

congrats meade...on living upto the ZOOM..ZOOOM.

I thing I never get to understand is:

Why the hell does one need tire that will plough through snow?

Doesn't your city corporation clear up the snow from the road?

and anyway, if the snow is so much high up, would it not have been declared an emergency situation...and stay home?

WHY do you need to go out when it has snowed 2 feet? cna you really get anywhere with so much snow? and assuming that you would, will anybody else show up in a snowstorm situation?

BTW, I stay near Phila, work in Phila....never had any problems in winter....

auerbach · August 2001

Thanks for the reply -

I'm very picky about how I sit in car. I don't like my head to rub the headliner or my legs to touch any panels - the Protege seems to be good on both counts for me.

I'll have to investigate more about the latch.

Also, do you have to get the moonroof if you want ABS in the ES like you have to in the 5?

I think that is a rather strange combination.

What was Mazda thinking???

twistinmelon · August 2001

I wasn't here for Mazda Protege boards 1-6, so forgive me if I'm covering ground already well traveled by the old-timers.

I got curious as to why membership in the EAA would entitle one to participate in Mazda's S Plan. (truly an amazingly good deal)

A little Googling around the web suggests this:
Mazda is making a big push to get experimental aircraft builders to use Mazda rotary engines. So Mazda is apparently a supporter of the EAA, with the hope that the good PR will lead to sales of Mazda engines to experimental aircraft builders, who will love their Mazda engines so much they will buy Mazda cars. Or something like that.

Well, that's my detective work for today. Back to the real job.

twist

protege_fan · August 2001

Oh man....come up to Calgary, Canada around late January. You'll see so much snow you'll think Santa Claus lives here! The City does put out ploughs, but there are only so many ploughs and too many roads to cover.
And No, it's not an emergency if there's that much snow!! When I was a little kid I had to walk to school thru 2 feet of snow in -30 degree C weather (man..that sounds like a "grand-dad" story...). When you have snow 6-8 months of the year, you get used to it, especially when it's possible that it can snow in the middle of August!

PF

jstandefer · August 2001

Did you have to walk to school uphill? Both ways? LOL, I used to love my dad's stories about walking to school in the snow uphill both ways. Of course, he grew up in Burbank, just outside of LA...

Now Meade, don't get me started again. I have always driven like this and I will always drive like this and the Protege is the ONLY car I have had that hasn't been able to handle it! Maybe I should run back to the most reliable cars I have owned, Fords. Oh wait. The Protege is a Ford!! Duh!!!

edmund2460 · August 2001

I believe the 2000 Mazda had a horrendous repair cost for a 5 mph rear impact test. Don't know about the 2001 but that might be the reason other than your age and geog. area. When I was with Allstate two weeks ago I paid about the same as other cars that I have and have had when new($389 or so for 6 months for my 2001 ES). It dropped to $230 something when I went to AIG. I have a multicar policy tho and am a GOOD deal older than you. (Eat your heart out - there are some advantages when you put on some miles - unlike cars)

fowler3 · August 2001

The 2001 doesn't have a knob for reclining the seatbacks, Mazda changed it to a lever that works just fine.

There are two knobs for raising the seat cushion front and back, better adjusted upward out of the car and then sit on the seat as you lower either setting. Altough, I did find that you can raise the front angle while seated. That adjusts leg support.

fowler3

edmund2460 · August 2001

Looks like someone asked for a survey here, but I work for a very well known energy company and do IT work which I've been doing for some 20 plus years. Do a lot of SAS programming and some VB (if it rings a bell with anyone), Nothing that I studied in school (Chem Engg, Mgt Sci) pepared me for what I do now. I guess I've been something of a dilettante Or i'm well rounded

vocus · August 2001

I did not say in any form that I did not like my car. I just said I have those two little problems with it. Hey, that's what warranties are for. I will have it looked at along with the brakes when I take it on 9/24. I just thought it to be weird with the tranny sound though. And it's when the car shifts the transmission. I am not doing it manually, but can tell what gear I am in by the way the car shifts and drives.

Cindy: We have Carmax here in Maryland too, but I find them way overpriced. I applied for a job there in the business office too, but they wouldn't meet my pay standard. Too bad, because I would love to work around cars all day.

Edmund: VB is visual basic. I didn't think anyone used that anymore. And the only reason I know about VB is because every darn time a computer virus comes through my company's e-mail, it's always in VB format.

Auerbach: I am 6'3 and 280 lbs., and fit fine in the Protege. The seatbelt buckle doesn't rub my thigh alot, but it does a little. Doesn't bother me at all. And you do not have to get the moonroof in order to get ABS on the Protege sedan, only on the 5. Weird to me too. Oh well.

yooper53 · August 2001

re: winter. You're kidding, right?

mdaffron · August 2001

Funny how the topic seems to die when I disappear for a while. Well, I guess it's gonna really die now. I'm off on vacation, and you won't see me back here again until September 10. Have a great Labor Day weekend, and keep zoom-zooming! And keep talking up...

MAPP II ... The Sequel.

See ya!

Meade

jstandefer · August 2001

Have a great time on your vacation!! And don't zoom-zoom too much (unless, of course, you come across another Mercedes...)

pjd58 · August 2001

a Millennum Red 01 LX 2.0 Pro, I'm picking it up Wed. Red was a tough color to find, but found it calling a dealer 100 miles away. I hardly ever see any red pros on the road. I'm getting 0% for 48, auto, no charge moonroof and alloys, Lx comfort pkg, rear spoiler and Moonroof def. I really wanted a 5 speed, but my left knee has been acting up. This will be the first automatic I've ever owned.

This will be my third Pro(91DX & 96DX )and my Wife bought a 01 MPV last April. Thanks for everyone's posts, it's been helpful.

Pete......another one

maltb · August 2001

I must say that your garage will be a blessed place to be. Now if I could just talk my wife into liking the P5, I'd join you on that one.

vocus · August 2001

I was sitting in the parking lot of a supermarket in Baltimore, Md. tonight, waiting out the heavy rain we had so I could go in without getting drenched. A black Protege5 with fender-mounted marker lights (looked neat too) passed me by. Then about a minute later, here comes a late-01 (body-color mirrors) ES in Sandrift. I was in amazement. Two 2001 Proteges in less than 5 mins. in the same place. Well mine made 3.

black01coupev6 · August 2001

Meade: If you don't mind me asking what happened to your dad at Carmax?

vocus: Carmax does not pay as much as other places but alot of value lies in their scheduling for me, especially since I am in school, and their benefits/car discounts. And since I have been with them for 3 years, have had multiple raises, and have a very good shot at being promoted again in the near future, I can't really complain too much about the pay.

I do agree though that on some cars Carmax is overpriced. However, you don't have to play the 5-6 hour haggling games and there is no other dealer out there who will just make you a cash offer for ANY car and acutally buy it. Also, factor in the guarantee against any frame damage or even more than 2 consecutive panels of paintwork , and the inexperienced buyer who does not know what to look for would be much better off buying at Carmax vs. another used car dealer.

protegextwo · September 2001

http://www.kiplinger.com/php/cars/2001/detailprint2001.php3?passID=22

Resale and insurance costs for Protege ES are not segment leaders, however, I'm comfortable with them.

-Larry

glideslope · September 2001

Hi all. Hope everyone is well. I have not posted here in a long time, but I do check the boards every couple of days. 15,000 on the 00 ES. She still purrs.

Anyway, driving home last evening on the interstate. Four lane wide stretch. Going 70 mph. Boxed in by cars to the left and right. Quickly notice a large plastic waste can in the expressway, and a late model Olds Cutless heading right for it. (Everything now turns to slow motion.) Olds hits can head on 100' in front of me and in the lane to my right. Can becomes airborn. Being that I had a fairly productive week at work my mind is sharp. The instant calculation is numbing. It is backed up by the sight of the can heading directly at the pristine front of my beloved ES. Now the amazing part. The person to my right and behind brakes heavily and allows me to change lanes in an instant.

We exchange brief smiles. They exit soon after. Will we ever meet?

Zooming in NY,
Mark

yooper53 · September 2001

Wow!! Must have been Jimmy Vassar to your right and behind. Some really heads up driving on his part.

nematode · September 2001

On a recent trip my friend in a BMW 325i who was following me said I was doing 95-105mph by his reading. BUT the strange things is that I never was over 85-90mph according to my reading. Thats a 10-15mph difference in readouts!!! I know that BMW reads a little high but a 15mph difference? Most of the time I had curise set at 85mph and he claims I was at close to 100mph. No way I was close to 100mph unless everyone else (very few people on overnight drives) on the road was doing 90mph. Something strange is going on. I have the stock Dunlop SP5000s and I was running 37psi on that trip. Is the Protege calibrated for the LX and its slightly higher profile tires? That still does not explain the huge difference.
Possibilities:
1) his is reading high by 5-7mph AND mine is reading low by 5-7mph.
2) his is a full 10mph fast and the rest is profile error.
3) mine is a full 10mph slow+the error from the tireprofile .
There are others.....
Anybody know? This is the second person that has told me I'm driving faster than I think. The car is so stable its really hard to tell. I dont want to wait to get nailed for speeding to find out exactly what the error is.

By the way, regardless of the exact speed I was going, I still got 24mpg on the way out and 25mpg on the way back. Thats just amazing to me. I did the same trip in my wifes Outback and got 18mpg both directions driving the same way. The engine does not seem to care that I had it 3k-4k rpm for 3-4 hours a pop. It seemed really happy. Radar detectors only went off 2 times(both false alarms).....weeknights are the best time to travel.

dinu01 · September 2001

Had to do an allignment on my 01 ES (from Canada too) after 1 week after picking it up. The mechanic did it (I watched) and everything seems OK for a few weeks, but now I noticed during last week's trip to Montreal (from Toronto) that it pulls to the left on the HWY and at about 60km/h to the right in the city. What's up with that? Anyone else had these issues. My onlt concern is not to wear out the tires unevenly and then have to pay $100x4 or so for a new set of tires out of my own pocket. Also, how are the Potenzas (15') in the snow? They look fine for rain, but don't seem to have too much thread for 10cm of snow, let alone the usual 20-30cm for a snowstorm.

newcar31 · September 2001

It could be the crown in the road that is causing that.

ctzoomguy · September 2001

I'm new here, but have been reading what you guys have to say about your Pros for some time now (and finding it to be very helpful, I might add...). I bought a silver ES '01 5 spd on August 1st, with the free Moon Roof, 0% 48 months deal, not 1 penny down, and got a 90 day deferred payment on top of all that - 1st payment due on 10/29/01. It's 1200+ miles young, and I've been averaging 30-31 mpg - took it up to Fenway Park a couple of times to see the Sox lose, etc. I'm curious about one thing though - I had charcoal leather seats and door trim installed NOT at the dealer where I purchased the car but at "a shop they do business with which is close by..." Anyway, I never found out where the job was done, but they embroidered the Mazda logo on each of the front seats in silver thread, and it looks absolutely spectacular! I also have a leather pocket behind each of the two front seats, so that my kids can throw all their garbage into them when we go an a trip. The thing is, I got them to include the price of this "option" ($1180) into the zero financing deal. Don't get me wrong - I think that's great - but has anybody heard of this type of thing before? I was thinking that they would require me to pay for leather seperately, when I told them I was interested. BTW, I've had 5 people - 2 total strangers - tell me how sharp the car looks. I have to admit, I totally agree with them!!! My wife even loves the car, and we sometimes talk in the morning about which one of us gets to drive it into work that day. ZOOM ZOOM!!!

edmund2460 · September 2001

VB is the world's most popular application development tool with several hundred million users and is shortly to be released in it's seventh version. You build applications in VB (software) to meet specific needs. So it's not a file format.

jstandefer · September 2001

Nematode... Each trim level is specifically calibrated for the tires/wheels that are on the car. Even if they weren't, the diameters of the DX, LX, LX 2.0, ES 2.0, and MP3 are extremely close:

DX 1.6 185/65R14 = 23.47"

LX 1.6 185/65R14 = 23.47"

LX 2.0 195/55R15 = 23.44"

ES 2.0 195/50R16 = 23.68"

MP3 205/45R17 = 24.26"

If your ES 2.0 was calibrated for the LX 2.0 wheels and tires, your speedometer would read 79.2 mph if you were travelling a true 80 mph. If your ES 2.0 was calibrated for the LX 1.6 wheels and tires, your speedometer would read 79.3 mph if you were travelling a true 80 mph. If your ES 2.0 was calibrated for the MP3 wheels and tires, your speedometer would read 81.9 mph if you were travelling a true 80 mph. Also, most Protege ES models with a manual transmission will read an rpm of 4,000 at 80mph. I don't know what the automatic reads, but I'm sure automatic owners will pipe in. However, if you are really concerned about it (I would be, imagine the speeding ticket potential!), take it the dealership and have them test and, if needed, adjust the speedometer. It's all under warranty! Good luck!

dinu01... If your alignment is bad, the car would pull only in a single direction. It will not pull in two different directions. Like newcar31 said, the road is probably crowned and/or not quite level, causing the car to travel to towards the lower section of the road.

ctzoomguy... Congratulations on your Protege! The leather sounds gorgeous, especially with the Mazda logo emroidered in them!! I have been looking into putting leather in mine, but I may be trading it in next year on a 2002 turbo MP3 or 2003 Mazda Antheon (626 replacement, click for picture). To your question... it is perfectly normal to roll extra accessories such as spoilers, extended warranties, leather, etc. into the financing. It is much more convenient for the customer and cheaper to; it's easier for the dealership to make more money, in other words. But, you absolutely must take pictures of your Protege, especially the interior, and post it or e-mail it to us!! I am sure I am not the only person that would love to see what a leather-lined Protege looks like!! :-)

yooper53 · September 2001

I was in getting gas today and saw a silver P5 pull up and park while his old lady went in the store.Really sharp and although I like silver on certain cars I really didn't care for it on that. Anyway I went up and started talking. It was an '02. I've gotta say I'd have expected more enthusiasm from the proud new owner of a used Ford Pinto. Not likely we'll see him here!

yooper53 · September 2001

re:Antheon pic...Lookin' good!! Aside from the color that is. How many trim levels? Any idea if its offered with suspension comparable to the Pro ES? Any idea what the engine options are?

jstandefer · September 2001

Well, Antheon is just the name that's being tossed around right now. We probably won't know the official name until the Tokyo Auto Show coming up. It will be another world name like Tribute (in other words, the Tribute is sold as the Tribute in every market, unlike the Protege which also goes as the 323, Familia, and Protege). I have no further details except that their will be a late spring introduction and the engine choices will be a 2.3L DOHC Duratec 4-cyl with about 145-150hp and a 3.0L DOHC Duratec S-VT (Sequential Valve Timing) V6 with 215-220hp. It is supposed to start yet another "rebirth" for Mazda with an evolution of the Contrast in Harmony design theme along with a totally new interior theme that will set the pace of all new Mazda models after that. All I know is that Mazda has said: "The new models will have beautiful interior themes - unlike anything you've seen previously from Mazda," says Phil Martins, Managing Director, Mazda. "And the craftsmanship that you will see on the interior of these cars will be far, far greater than you've ever seen on Mazda vehicles. "

protegextwo · September 2001

Mark:
Close call my friend! :-0
Glad to here you and your Protege are doing well!

ctzoomguy:
Welcome to the discussion, please post often. The leather sounds awesome, good deal also!

Jerry:
Thank you for all the great info!

-Larry

draymond2 · September 2001

I know I'm on the protege board, but getting no response on the Tribute board.

My wife is looking to replace her SuperCrew, too big, too thirsty. Have been looking at the Tribute. No local dealers "metro Louisville area" are willing to accept S plan price, they wont come off of sticker. I'm willing to travel if I have to.

By the way I have a 1 month old silver Protege ES and love it. It has approx 1500 miles, I am getting 25mpg in mixed driving, should I expect this mpg or should I be getting more? btw I don't have a heavy foot.

pjd58 · September 2001

try King's Mazda in Cincinnati, I'm picking up my 01 Protege LX 2.0 Wednesday. I couldn't find the color I wanted in Columbus and called King's and they were able to locate exactly what I wanted. Dealing with Don Gary, very straight forward and very helpful. Maybe he can work something out for you. They are closed till Tuesday, due to the holiday weekend. Tell Don, Pete from Columbus sent you.

Good Luck,
Pete

Mazda Protegé

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