Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Mazda Protege5
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I can't imagine not buying the car I truly prefer just because another car wil get me 5 or 6 more MPG.
If MPG is that important to you you should be in a VW TDi, or one of the Hybrids.
The next day the rears came off no problem but both fronts I had to tap a couple of times on the tires(not rims) with a hammer and they came off easy.
Cleaned up the car and washed it and it looks great. Love that yellow color and I am still getting comments about it
I say pic because that is the only time I've ever seen a yellow one...The only others I saw on the street were red, silver (ICK BORING), black.
WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE have done to the radio
As for the radio, I equalized it to sound better, installed a small sub in the hatch, and said "Eh...good enough for now."
As for the stereo, I'll probably keep the HU because I like the large knobs and color match, but the factory speakers have got to go, probably in May I'll have time to do it. Right now I'm leaning towards Infinitys, and maybe adding a small amp, but no sub--I need that cargo space!
Meade in Virginia
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mazdaprotege/
Meade
Where do you spray the WD-40?
-juice
whats the big deal about mp3?. its a beatiufl car and package as a whole but there is no "engine from the mp3".
-juice
Price was about $31.00
krotine
Just like dsm6 said, right around the open center of the rim which you can see the metal hub. Spray around where the steel rim touches the hub. You don't need much and I let it sit overnight. If not then spray again and let sit for another day.
Next time I think I will put a little lithium grease on the hub before mounting the steel rims next time.
Colors. I saw the yellow on the TV ad's and was hesitant till I saw one in person. In NorthEast car colors are pretty boring. I have yet to see another yellow on the road aside from the dealer's demo. After a long day at work just seeing the car gives me a lift. Defintely haven't lost it in the parking lot!
http://www.adconn.com/concoursmotors/catalog.asp?action=subcat&ID=69
krotine
Meade
ETA is mid year :-\
http://www.jadetech.com/~jhill/car.htm
vf
Anyway, does anyone know how easy it is to get a new one from the dealer? How much would they charge for that peice of plastic?
The only consolation is that the front badge is mounted on the plastic front grill. Therefore, when the silver badge was removed, now you see the black plastic outline of the badge. So it looks like a mazda symbol in stealth mode. Kinda like it a bit, but I'd still rather have my silver badge back. I'm just happy they didn't wreck my paint or otherwise damage my car...
Try http://www.trussvillemazda.com/, they are a wholesaler with pretty good prices. My local dealer charges outrageous prices, a gas cap for my Miata was $28!
-juice
Hope they didn't damage your P5 while absconding with your logo.
Still, nobody better attempt to take my logo.
Check out their cars (Protege, Millenia, 626, Miata) and the MPV and you'll note they're all above or well above average (half or full red circle).
WIth the Tribute being, essentially, a Ford Escape in different clothing, how is it exactly that it is "Mazda-designed mostly??"
You are right though, the B400 and the Tribute ar bringing down the curve. The Protege is a CR Best Pick and has carried very high scores in it's reliability testing for many years.
BTW... the Protegé5 beat the MP3 through the slalom in a Motor Trend test. Better weight distribution or something like that.
WIth the Tribute being, essentially, a Ford Escape in different clothing, how is it exactly that it is "Mazda-designed mostly??"
You are right though, the B400 and the Tribute ar bringing down the curve. The Protege is a CR Best Pick and has carried very high scores in it's reliability testing for many years.
If you check around, the Escape/Tribute is derived from the Mazda 626 platform (a variant of which -the Capella, a narrow version- is the basis for the current gen3 Proteges). The chassis was designed by Mazda engineers, but the tranny and engines (the 6cyl for sure, not too sure about the 4) were from Ford's parts bin (probably had too many lying around nobody else wanted). Also, Ford retuned the suspension on the Escape to handle more softly than the Tribute. However, they're all built here in the US. Don't know why the Escape/Tribute are so c*****y compared to the 626 since at least some 626s are also built in the US now.
From Auto.com
"In this case the underpinnings owe at least some tribute to the Mazda 626 sedan. Just how much is hard to say, because both Ford and Mazda have waffled on this issue. The answer is something like this: not as much as we were first led to believe but more than the two companies are now willing to admit."
I was under the impression is was based on the last-generation Mondeo platform but that may have been derived from the 626 platform.
Still, the problems they are having are very Ford-like. :-(
Look at the MPV - though it shares similar Ford parts, it's built in a Mazda plant and not a clone of any Ford, and reliability is much better.
That says a lot to me.
-juice