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Comments
I'd add the Yugo, Suzuki Swift and Geo Metro to the list too.
I can still chip if I want to, even though my Jetta is automatic. It's strong enough to handle the extra power, unlike the Protege's tranny was (or at least I was told).
Blueguy...I think we all want as much car as we can get for as cheap as possible. There will always be give and take and one manufacturer will please some and another manufacturer will please others. Your best bet is to align yourself with a large faction of individuals and somebody will make the car you want.
Like old Henry said: You can have any color you want as long as it's black.
I DO take that as a compliment.
I hate the VW beam axle so I was really shocked to read in this month's Motor Trend that the GTI pulled through the slalom at 65 mph. Talk about shocking.
By the way, can you hit 200 HP and 240 lb-ft of torque (at 1950 rpm) with a simple $400-500 mod? Didn't think so.
Yes, the new 6 will have a full independent rear susension.
That said, for $3000 - $5000 you can give a Protege 200HP and 240Lb/ft. When you consider $500 for the chip + $X for the necessary suspension work, the Protege will still be the better buy.
Oh and yes, the 6 will have a fully independant suspension.
Also, what spot did the 2.0L Protege engine on the Ward's 10 Best Engines? Didn't think so.
When does the blasted 6 land on this side of the ocean? Is it out in the land of the rising sun already?
Martha Stewart? Didn't K-Mart (they carry her line of products) just go under? ;-)
The Jetta is in a different price category, has a higher center of gravity, less reliability, and requires premium fuel with the 1.8T. It's the polar opposite of the Protoge.
Yes, it has plenty of pros (interior materials, straight line speed), but that's for another topic.
-juice
Trust me, I tried on every car under 35k and the only remaining contenders were the IS300 (too lethargic and at the time saddled with an auto) and the WRX (no interior personality).
For those of us not inclined to blow 40k on a Bimmer yet, it's one of the few options. Maybe the Mazda 6 or the G35 will pop up as viable alternatives. I know I want to have another choice. Currently there's nothing out there.
I'm sorry, I just accidentally deleted the following message from blueguydotcom:I dunno on what planet you're on but a 1.8T with the sports luxury package has an invoice price of 20.1k. I paid 19.5k for my 1.8T wolfsburg with sunroof (one of the only options as no leather was offered ). And I couldn't stomach an altima (love the engine and handling) but the interior makes Legos look polished. Good grief, the Golf/GTI is popular in europe...so what? They also eat boiled foods in the UK and idiot Americans love their SUVs. Should we base all of our opinions on what others do?
If the 6 is really fun with a quality interior, then I may be there. I'll betting on the G35 really winning my heart (RWD and 260 HP from a good engine, the VQ), but I love Mazda handling and craftsmanship, so the 6 is definitely in contention.
Panama, to each his own. And if you had a 99 GLS I'm guessing, you bought a car with a 112 HP pathetic 2.slow (or did ya spring for the VR6). You blew your wad on that? They're fun cars with a VR6 or a 1.8T but the 2.slow? Good grief. I drove the Prot ES. It handled like a champ. It had zero power though. And to me the interior components, like 90% of the cars out there, felt chincy.
Could you guys lay off the Jetta v. Prot thing? Go to my site, http://www.blue-guy.com and see what all the Vortex and Jetta-lovers hate about me...I detest my Jetta. I will slam it in a second for being poorly made, rattling, having horrible handling and lousy dealer service matched by an incredibly wretched manufacturer's warranty. A million apologies, sometimes you just click in the wrong place.
If anyone else thinks the same, would you go over to our Comparisons - Sedans vs. Sedans board and fire it up?
As far as me showing up and fussing about staying on-topic - well, here is my perspective: All topic oriented discussions will wander off-topic from time to time. To me, that in and of itself is never a problem.
It only becomes a problem if the clearly off-topic stuff drowns out the subject of the discussion and/or if the off-topic stuff deteriorates into flames.
Heh, speaking of off-topic, this post qualifies!
Please continue! :-)
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
While I thought it looked great and had decent fit, finish and materials (with some leeway given for the fact that it is a preproduction car), I do have one major beef - the center console.
The armrest and the flip-up tray underneath are just plain flimsy. The radio & HVAC stack is made of silver colored plastic that IMHO looks cheap and will show scratches. I would rather have plastic wood than this stuff. The HVAC controls are a novel design but are difficult to turn because they don't protrude out far enough from the fascia. Too bad if you're wearing gloves or have long nails.
And here's the worst thing - the stereo controls are integrated into the fascia, so there is no way to ever install an aftermarket unit. If you want satellite radio, an MP3 player, or a "hearing-loss special" system then you're out of luck unless Mazda sells one.
Hopefully, Mazda will see fit to redesign this piece of the car before they release in the the US market.
I'm holding out for the hatchback, if my current one will last that long...
Did you know that Kia and Hyundai use struts now? I was impressed. The trunks also use the double-hinges instead of the goosenecks, like the Passat. Little things like that is why I want Mazda to target VW and not Honda.
How could you not like "In the Bedroom"? Spacek was great. It was a case of less is more, IMHO. A Forester was the topic of an entire scene, maybe that's why I liked it, LOL!
-juice
Sorry, just not drawn to spacek's laconic acting. For my money Berry is this year's queen of cinema.
Tadd, so was it spacious or cramped? How was the leather? Did the doors feel light or heavy?
What is with the uni-switch thingy anyway? as it is I hate the AUDIO button on some of these radios.
I read an Autoweek report and they claimed to be baffled by it. My only thought: the guys at Autoweek are idiots, the kind that look down at their cell phones to dial when driving.
-juice
Also, HVAC on the 7 is just one of the normal No-So-Ea-We moves. I don't recall which one. You push to once to get into it and then make your adjustment.
-juice
-juice
Personally, I am most interested in the hatchback and/or wagon - I hope one or both of these body styles make it to the states.
-juice
that's nice. how do the trunk lids sound when they are shut. try shutting the trunk lids of the mazda 626, altima or galant. they won't have that solid thump of the accord. i was impressed with how the new camry's trunk lid sounded when closed. hopefully, mazda won't use fords as the car to target.
IMO, the technology is fine, the the whole interior of the car looks like @#%*! Talk about boring and cheap.
Hopefully the 6 will look better. Actually, I thought it looked pretty good except for the "metal" surround on the center console.
To me the real test of solid construction is the IIHS offset crash test, not a door slam contest. For example, the Legacy aced IIHS tests, but slam the door with the frameless window half open and it rattles. Who cares? The Legacy is far safer than the Accord or 626.
Mazda has room for improvement in the IIHS tests.
-juice
what IIHS tests indicate that the legacy is safer than the accord? i know the accord did better than the legacy in NHTSA Crash Test Results.
My guess is at least some versions of the the US 6 will have clear lenses.
I hope all the necessary info on these cars will be out by late summer of early fall as I have a lease expiration in November and if I were to condsider this car it would probably mean extending my lease or buying my lease car and just waiting for 6 availability in late 2002 or early 2003.
The point is I don't want to do that if this car is not a sure thing for me and I will need to know that before my lease expires. Any Mazda dealer people around to help with this issue?
Thanks for the link, vocus, and I should correct myself - looks like the newer 626 actually did well, with a "Good" score. The Accord was "Average", but neither matches the Legacy, which was a "Best Pick".
Mazda ought to improve on the design, and hopefully they'll match the best. A new Honda is due as well, so they'll soon get another shot. But in the meantime, the Legacy with the rattle-slam doors still wins in my book.
-juice
-juice