Mazda Protege5

sunbyrne · August 2001

My wife drives a 99 LX and I just got a Pro5, and I must agree with jstandefer: the 99 LX has a better stereo.

Mazda changed both the head unit and the speakers for 2001/2. Based on some other comments on this board, I think the bulk of the blame goes on the speakers, not the head unit.

thel · August 2001

The Pro5 will not tow 1100 lbs. My wife's CRV is only rated for 1,000 lbs if that gives you any context. To tow this much you will probably need a V6.

elec3 · August 2001

The stock speakers are not terribly good. As others have said, the factory head unit isn't too bad but the speakers lack output and clarity. Bass is very mediocre. I recently added an 8" 100 watt Bazooka sub which is relatively small and low power and it makes a very big difference. I can crank the bass back and the midrange and treble way up and get more powerful sound that's still balanced (because the speakers don't really have to put out much bass with the level low, and the sub makes up for it). Don't bother with two subs unless you're a bass freak or do decibel drags or something, this is really a small car and the hatch area is just about the right combination of open and enclosed that you get lots of bass amplifying reflection that easily makes it into the cabin.

There is something else that concerns me about the stereo. I'm a headphone fanatic and therefore am very aware of harmful volume levels (good headphones and an amp can easily produce insane levels) and I notice that when driving with the windows and/or moonroof open, I have the stereo volume at least to 50%. When I come to a stop, this is shockingly loud. You may not be able to hear it over wind and road noise, but your stereo is still this loud. The SPL's may well be doing damage to your hearing, and once you've got tinnitus or hearing loss, you're stuck with it. Higher wattage systems usually allow for better clarity at lower volumes so better replacement speakers may well make this less of an issue, but please be careful with your hearing, prolonged exposure to loud music and wind noise from an open window can destroy your hearing so slowly you won't notice - until you're stone deaf.

pro5girlie · August 2001

I give up. Some of you will remember my ordeal with waiting for my P5. I ordered at the end of May, and still no car. I was told a few weeks, then a few more, etc., etc. I was told that my car was in, then it wasn't (the salesman made a boo-boo). I was told the first week of August, then after calling on Friday, it wasn't in, but "soon". I said screw it, and went to another dealer. Found the car I wanted, sans ABS/side airbag combo, and I'm picking it up today. I'm ticked cause I've been putting miles on my trade for 2 months now, decreasing the value even more. Grrrr.

I'm going to try for 3% over invoice plus destination chg of about $275. Invoice is $17123, I'm going for $17911.69 before tax, title, etc. Let's see if it works.

tcda · August 2001

I don't know where you live, but a dealer in Texas accepted my offer of $15,315 (no ABS). A Mazda dealer in Irving,TX is offering 1,500 off of MSRP for all Mazdas (incl. P5). I have no idea why, but who cares :-)

vanderwe1 · August 2001

I have a question pertaining to how dealer incentives and rebates work. I will use the protege 5 as an example in my hypothetical. The invoice is 17,000 and the MSRP is 19000. There is a $1000 dealer incentive or rebate on the protege 5 and I buy the car for invoice $17,000 after the rebate or incentive. Does the dealership make money from the MSRP dealer hold back plus $1000 or would they just make money from the MSRP dealer hold back? Basically is the incentive offered by the manufacturer, and does it have an effect on the dealers profit?

Thanks
Andrew

jstandefer · August 2001

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. Unfortunately, supplier problems have really slowed down production of the Protege5, which has hurt the regular sedan since they cut production to produce a bunch of Pro5's. Good luck with the other dealer! I doubt you can get the destination charge reduced. That is pretty much a fixed charge and the dealer makes no profit on it. It covers vehicle shipping and pre-delivery inspection procedures. Coming from Japan, it barely covers it!

dudette3 · August 2001

I am thinking about purchasing a protege5. I know the proteges in general are well known for reliability. I too, thought this new one, the p5 was going to be built in japan. however, on the edmunds site it lists build location as St. Louis, MO. What is done at that plant? I am concerned that not being built in JApan, it will have an affect on the reliability of the vehicle. Any thoughts will be truely appreciated.

jstandefer · August 2001

Edmunds and Carpoint are wrong. The Protege, Protege5, Miata, Millenia, and MPV are still all built in Japan. The Protege and Protege5 are built in the Hofu plant just outside of Hiroshima. These are the last of the true Mazda vehicles. Everything after this will be incorporated with Ford products! :-(

peteach_3 · August 2001

Can you explain that info about the production. Are they really built in Japan? And when will they start coming from the US? Where can I read more about this topic? Thank you for your help.

jstandefer · August 2001

The next time you are at the dealership looking at the Pro5, look at the factory sticker. There is a box on the upper-left half of the sticker that's titled Parts Content Information. That box will tell you the engine country of origin, transmission country of origin, and final assembly point. All three of these are Japan. It will also give you a break down of non-US/US parts content. I believe the Protege has a 95%-97% Japanese parts content.

For 2004, the Protege will move to the Ford Focus platform. I have no idea where it will be built. The 2004 engines (2.0L DOHC & 2.3L DOHC) are joint Ford/Mazda designs and are built by both companies in Japan, Europe, and the US. A good place to read about it is Motor Trend's website. On the left menu, select Future Vehicles, and then select 2004. Three Mazda's are listed for 2004, the redesigned Protege, redesigned Miata, and the new cross-over vehicle (like the NexTourer and MX Sport Tourer concepts). All of the new Mazda's starting with the 2003 626 and 2003 RX-8 will begin a new design trend for Mazda. Interiors will be significantly different and should begin to resemble the quality and design of the interiors we see now from Audi.

There is a new screensaver available from Mazda. It is a great look at the RX-8 and you can get a good look at the future of Mazda from it. You can get the screensaver here.

You can also check out the RX-8 picture gallery here. Click on the RX-8 link and then View Gallery. This vehicle is very close to production and we should see it in showrooms in a little less than a year.

protegextwo · August 2001

Teresa, jstandefer is a great guy, is 100% correct about part content and really knows his Mazda stuff! I would like to add the following. There is another way to know where a vehicle was assembled. Look at the VIN # on top of the dash on the drivers side. If the VIN # "starts" with:

"J" the car was assembled in JAPAN.
"1" the car was assembled in the USA.
"2" the car was assembled in Canada.
"3" the car was assembled in Mexico.

I'm glad my pair of 2000 Protege ES sedans were manufactured in Japan. However, if quality control programs are upheld and company build quality programs are vigorously maintained, I'm sure Mazda can produce top-box build quality in most countrys. Honda and Toyota already do this very well. Nonetheless, most Mazda enthusiast are concerned about the affect that Ford will have on future quality of design, and final build fit and finish. Teresa, only time will tell?

Respectfully,
Larry

pro5girlie · August 2001

Well, I picked up the car. Didn't get the greatest deal, but I had to have a car. My Saturn had just tripped over 130K miles. I got $1000 for it (KBB was $1130). Took a couple hundred off MSRP, so I'm happy. I love this car!!! It handles perfectly, feels great, etc etc etc...

I called and left a message for my salesman, told him to cancel the other order, and I would be sending my boyfriend by for the deposit (it was on his credit card). I don't anticipate any problems. Well, gotta get to work, so I better zoom!

sunbyrne · August 2001

Congratulations, Aimee! I've had mine a few days now and the hardest thing about getting a new Pro5 is waiting the 600 miles of break-in...

dudette3 · August 2001

Thanks for your insight, I really appreciate it...

ponyup · August 2001

Ordered a Black 5 spd on 6/27, car was due 7/30 and has yet to arrive so we gave up and took delivery of a Red P5 in same configuration that DID arrive on time (7/30).

Anyhow, just drove it home and am REALLY impressed: pretty peppy, very quiet at idle and smooth acceleration. Fantastic braking and handling (very firm tho). Im still wonderin how they can have so much room in such a small car (we traded a Cadillac STS for this). But best of all, the build quality is superb.

We looked for a 16000 car and narrowed it down to an altima, sentra SE, VW golf, 626 or Protege (in any form). The P5 is easily the best but for those on a tighter budget, go for the Protege lx 2.0. After ten minutes of driving, we are convinced that we will own this one till the wheels dont spin no more....which wont be for a VERY, VERY long time.

This forum made a difference in my decision...thats why I contributed. Im not just gaga over our new car here, but if your looking for a 16K car, my advice is to definitely drive a protege. The dealers can be a pain (like most others) so be prepared.

pro5girlie · August 2001

pro5girlie · August 2001

I asked my dealer about this supposed break in period. He said don't worry about it. It was meant for older cars, and we don't need to follow that now. If you look in the manual, it just says not to drive at "racing speeds", not to drive for long periods of time at one speed, etc. I haven't bothered with that.

maltb · August 2001

Stick with what the manual says and you will be fine. Enjoy your P5!

chiangj · August 2001

Hi, did anyone buy the P5 recently in Toronto? I would like to check what the current invoice price is in Toronto, Canada. Two months ago, I checked with one dealer and he quoted me around $26,500. Thanks.

mdaffron · August 2001

MAPP II -- The Sequel

The second-annual Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic (MAPP II) will take place Saturday, October 6, 2001, at a park in Northern Virginia. For those of you who attended last year, it's the same place as last year. For security purposes, we're only going to share the location with confirmed attendees via direct e-mail.

I would like to greet our new friends on the Protege5 topic and hope that some of you might come over to the Mazda Protege topic and introduce yourselves as I'm doing here. I own an Emerald Green Metallic 2000 Mazda Protege ES 5-speed. It's the third Protege I've owned; Protege No. 1 was a 1992 LX that was totaled in a hydroplaning accident in August 1992. (I walked away from it!) Protege No. 2 was another 1992 LX that took me for more than 80,000 trouble-free, zoom-zoomin' miles. My 2000 now has just shy of 24,000 miles on the odometer and is zooming happily.

Back to the picnic ... Last year's was attended by nine people in five Proteges. We came from as far south as Richmond, Virginia, and as far north as Lancaster, Pennsylvania. If you'd like to see some pics of last year's premiere event, check out this link:

http://www.geocities.com/negatize/mapp.htm

(Due to some of Edmunds' quirks when it comes to geocities links, you may have to copy the link and paste it into your browser's address window for it to work.)

This year we already have the possibility of a better showing. So far we have 8 possible Proteges and 15 people from as far south as Atlanta, Georgia (believe it or not!) and as far north as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It'll basically be an afternoon's get-together in a beautiful setting (accompanied, I might add, by a beautiful drive in the mountains that you and your Protege will LOVE). Food is a major part of our event, as you undoubtedly noticed when you saw US in the above link! Therefore everyone will be expected to bring something. The park we'll be visiting includes a shelter that will seat several dozen people out of the rain (god forbid), and a pedestal grill. Restrooms are close by.

I organized this picnic last year so some of us on the Mazda Protege topic could get a chance to meet in person and spend an afternoon sharing our common trait ... love for our Proteges. If you're interested in attending or finding out more, please post a message on the Mazda Protege topic or e-mail me directly at the following address:

mdaffron@the-rma.org

Let's make "MAPP II: The Sequel" something for the history books!

ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM

Meade

razorrabbit · August 2001

Before I bought my P5, I can drive my 2000 Toyota Corolla for 345 miles before the fuel light comes on, averaging around 34 MPG for an 11 gallon fuel tank.

With a full 14.5 gallon fuel tank, my P5's fuel light came on at 285 miles. Fuel efficiency for the P5 is no comparison to the corolla.

I want to know if I can do anything to improve fuel efficiency.

I'm thinking about using synthetic motor oil such as Pennzoil Synthetic w/ Pennzane for my first oil change?

Also might change the air filter to a K&N high flow air filter...

Any other enhancements I can make to improve fuel efficiency? Any thoughts anyone?

sunbyrne · August 2001

Hmm. I just put my very first tank of gas in my Pro5 yesterday, and the fuel light didn't come on until some 320 miles--and I wasn't driving in the most fuel-efficient manner possible. :-) I wonder why your mileage is lower...

pro5girlie · August 2001

I would get that checked out if your fuel usage doesn't improve. My fuel light came on around 325 miles or so. I still had about 1/5 gallons left too, after filling it. I just got the car, so of course I was "testing" it. Keep your eye on it. It should be doing better than that.

applefan · August 2001

Is there a $1000 rebate on the Protege5. I haven't seen that listed anywhere before.

peteach_3 · August 2001

Thank you larry for your help. I am looking at a price of 16800 for a silver p5 with auto. trans. is that a good price from the dealer? thank you again and i sure do enjoy readinf EVERYONE's comments.

mmdorf · August 2001

I purchased my Protege5 on 7/28 : Vivid Yellow, Auto Trans, ABS/Side Airbags, Moon roof, Chrome Rims for $19,500 in Southern California. I was able to knock off $400 for recently graduating college (Grad Rebate) and financed for 5 years at 4.9% through Mazda Credit.

This is my first Protege purchase, and am just amazed as to how much fun this car is to drive.

I don't know if this was just another pitch the sales manager was using in convincing me into buying the car, but he stated the Vivid Yellow was a limited color, and that Mazda would be discontinuing it come this Fall. Is this true? I hope so!

Also, I haven't scene another P5 on the road since my purchase. Are they rare? Is Mazda only producing a limited amount similar to the MP3?

According to the manual, Mazda recommends changing the oil every 5K-7.5K miles. I've always changed my oil every 3K (93 Toyota Celica) and have never had car trouble. Are today's cars more advanced and able to go longer without an oil change? What mileage are you all going follow?

I love this Town Hall Feature, no where else (Motor Trend/Car and Driver/Road and Track) can you get true, real life reviews on your car.

Thanks Edmunds!

benee · August 2001

I got my silver automatic for $17,695 in Florida. MSRP period. The dealer even tried to get me to pay a $1,000 extra for their "area markup." I think you've been offered a very good price. It's a great car for the money regardless.

iamz · August 2001

My fuel light comes on around the same point yours does but I can routinely drive to 350 miles or so and still have about 1.5 gallons in the tank at fuel-up. I have been averaging about 26-28 mpg so far, doing mostly highway (60-70 mph)in mid 90 F temps with the AC on most of the time.

As far as oil is concerned I will run conventional to 3000 miles change oil and filter using conventional one more time up to 6000 miles. At that point I will go with fully synthetic Mobil 1.

I switched to synthetic too early on my 97 protege and the engine didn't start to get decent MPG's until around 15,000 miles on the engine.

Just my experience for what it's worth.

jstandefer · August 2001

I haven't heard they are discontinuing Vivid Yellow, but they are hard to come by, particularly with the chrome wheels. Congratulations on your purchase!!! Protege5 production is not limited like the MP3. However, availability is still scarce. Wait a few months... I think you'll start seeing them!!

the_rock73 · August 2001

Vivid Yellow maybe discontinued this Fall and replaced with the color White?

jstandefer · August 2001

White is already available on the Protege5. More than likely, Mazda will keep Vivid Yellow, albeit in limited numbers. It is the color they advertise and really matches the sport look of the car.

iamz · August 2001

After talking to a former Vivid Yellow Miata owner, he explained that on both the Miata and the RX-7 3rd generation, Yellow was only offered the first year.

Anyone know otherwise?

deejayspinz · August 2001

I called Mazda Canada a week ago asking about various things. I was told that they have requested that dealers stop making commitments on the yellow as it is backorded until March of 2002...

On another note, I finally got my VIN # yesterday... From what I am told, this means that there is another batch of Protege's that have left port overseas and is on the way. I was told that VIN #'s are assigned sometime during the journey to Vancouver. Typically, a week or so at sea... That puts arrival time somewhere near 3-5 wks.... I have my entire new stereo system sitting on my floor waiting to be installed... I will be creating pages on my website when I do this. They will contain pics and how-to notes based on my experience doing the install... From what I have read, there looks to be some challenges with removing the door panels and getting the head unit out... So far none of my local audio shops have a replacement adapter plate for the DIN sized head unit... May have to get some custom work done...

draek · August 2001

Have my VIN# now and called Mazda Canada to see if they had an idea where my silver P5 was. They had it listed as still being at sea. Exactly how long does it take to sail from Japan to Vancouver? They told me to phone back at the end of August and see where it's at then. Ordered it last week on June...taking forever.

deejayspinz · August 2001

I to ordered a Silver P5 5sp. July 2. I suspect we will get ours at the same time.. I am told 3 -5 weeks from this week... That puts us from Sept1 to Sept 14 ish... Sucks! What area are you in? I am in Burlington ON. I suspect those out west will see theirs closer to the 3 week mark...

vocus · August 2001

Seems like there is alot of trouble getting ordered vehicles in Canada for some reason. I wonder why? I went to a lot here in Maryland the other day, and they had 2 P5s, a silver and a red one. The silver one was loaded with everything but chrome wheels, and the red didn't even have ABS or sunroof. I like the P5 alot, but just bought a 2001 Protege ES sedan that I plan to keep for a good while. Wish I would have waited for the P5 now!

captcanuck · August 2001

Hey All,

Just wondering anyone else has been experiencing a distinct wind rattle (sort of a snap, crackle, pop) form the moonroof at high speeds (65 MPH +) with their P5? Is there anything the dealer can do?

Thanks,

timbone

razorrabbit · August 2001

Actually I do get the fuel light with 1/5 gas tank left. I always like to drive as close to an empty gas tank as possible before refueling with Sunoco 94 Octane ;-) So if there is 1/5 gas tank, I think it should be safe to go to 325-335 miles.

razorrabbit · August 2001

For some reason, the wind rattle doesn't bother me at all and does for everyone else...;-)

bluong1 · August 2001

My 5-speed P5 has 3000 miles on it, and I systematically fill the gas tank every 370 miles with about 13+ gallons. That's about 28.2-28.4 mpg with 70% Hwy driving at around 80mph, with window wide opened or AC on.

Here in Houston, Texas, I have seen 2 Silvers, 1 Red, 1 Black, 0 Blue, and 1 Yellow P5 (mine is yellow too).

P5 is truly the King of curve ramps and sharp corners in Houston road.

Zoom-zoom

Bruno

cmulqueen · August 2001

Hi everyone,
I don't suppose there's anyone out there who has owned (or driven) both a Protege5 and an Altima? I'm strongly considering buying the P5, but haven't yet driven the Altima. I loved my test drive of the P5, both the automatic and manual. There are a couple of issues guiding my decision. Price: The 01 Altima is attractive because there is a $2000 rebate and they're trying to get rid of them to make way for the newly redesigned '02 model. I can probably get a nicely outfitted GXE for $15,500 or maybe even a little less (if Edmunds is accurate). This is about $1500 less than the P5.

The other issues are performance, reliability, and space. As I said, I haven't yet driven the Altima (will do so this weekend). From what I know, both cars should be reliable. The wagon is a nice alternative for the extra space, but I'm also considering the Protege ES sedan.

Any input into the comparison of these two cars would be greatly appreciated!

Also, any opinion about the difference between the P5 automatic vs. manual? I liked the manual but might end up hating it in DC traffic!

jstandefer · August 2001

94 octane? Where are you finding this? The highest I have seen is 92 octane! If you are, in face, filling you Pro5 with 94 octane, that may be the reason you are getting such terrible mileage. The Protege5 is designed to run on 87 octane. It has a knock sensor that will retard engine timing for low octane, but it will not advance the timing to take advantage of high octane fuel. The higher octane rating fuel has, the more resistant it is to detonation. You Pro5 may not be getting the detonation it is designed for and could very possibly be injecting more fuel to compensate!!

jstandefer · August 2001

Unfortunately, since the Pro5 is so new, discounts are hard to come by and rebates are nonexistant. The Pro5 has much sharper handling and quicker response than the Altima. The Altima probably has a slight advantage in acceleration from it's 2.4L engine. But, the rebate is nice.

If you are really looking for a great deal, you can get the Protege sedan at 0.0% financing. That will easily put your payments lower than the Altima. If you can get on the S-Plan, you can get 1.5% BELOW invoice on the Protege sedan and possibly the Pro5. I am not sure about the exact details of how to get on the S-Plan, but others out there know and I'm sure they will pipe in.

deejayspinz · August 2001

I don't think it is so much a problem getting P5's in Canada. It is getting a model with moonroof / 5sp that is the problem. Every P5 I have seen on the lot in my area is an automatic. I think that Mazda underestimated the popularity of the 5sp Yellow/Silver models w/ moonroof and made more automatics first... or they just tooled the assembly for automatics first... who knows...

I want my p5!

razorrabbit · August 2001

Yes I have been using Sunoco Ultra 94 Octane. I thought the higher the Octane is better. Most cars suggest a minimum of 87 Octane to use. I don't understand.

razorrabbit · August 2001

jstandefer! I think you're right!!! I will switch back to 87 octane immediately! Doh! I'm one of those uneducated consumers!

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/octane.htm

vocus · August 2001

The Altima is definitely roomier inside than the P5 or Protege ES sedan is, but not by that much. The Altima is boring to drive, unless you get the SE trim level. Then, the prices between that and the P5 are comparable. The Altima's rebate is attractive, but the P5 handles alot better than the Altima does and is alot sportier. If you crave that sporty driving feel from the P5 or Protege, you aren't going to be happy with the Altima. Also, I suggest you drive the Altima yourself. That's the only way you will be able to make an accurate decision.

S-Plan: To get the S-plan, ask your dealer if they take it or not. Then go to the EAA (http://www.eaa.org) and join for one year and $40. Get your PIN# on the Ford/Mazda S-plan and take it to your dealer. They will give the car to you 1.5% below invoice, which is rougly $300 on a loaded Protege ES (what I bought and used the S-plan to get). Definitely worth spending $40 to save a couple hundred.

bluong1 · August 2001

There is several (at least 2) standards of measuring octane index. The other method will give you 94, 97 (instead of 89 92). When you look at the gas pump, it should precise which method to rate the gas.

Otherwise I don't you are right about the argument of fuel consumption going up with in octane. Here is why:

The octane rates the maximum pressure and temperature under which the fuel molecule is not breaking. When it breaks under pressure, it's release extra energy, thus makes the compressed fuel burn BEFORE the spark plugs ignite, and it's not good. It's has nothing to do with "resistant to detonation". The higher compression ratio the engine has, the higher octane index it requires to avoid the uncontrolled burning. But engines with lower compression ratio can use, without any disadvantage, fuel with higher octane index than it needs. The P5 engine has compression ratio of 9.1 to 1, and that's pretty low. Normally one don't have to put 92-fuel (your method) to the engine. The only advantage it can bring is there is a little more additives in the 92-fuel which help to keep the engine cleaner at long run. I think the best way is to use most of the time 89-fuel, and once for a while 92-fuel to flush the engine.

Bruno

vocus · August 2001

I always heard when you use higher-octane gas and it's not needed, it could cause carbon build-up in the engine. I have a 2001 Protege ES automatic, and I usually throw in mid-grade gas every 10th tank or so, to keep it cleaned out. I just turned 12,000 miles on it (mostly highway driving) and no problems yet.

Also, had a 1999 Protege DX before this 2001 ES. I used regular in it all the time, prodded it like an animal, and drove it 37K in 20 months. Never a problem at all with the engine, and that car saw one tank of mid-grade its whole life.

Mazda Protege5

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