The autodim mirror is a great feature. You will see many posts from people who have it and would never have another car without it....I order it on alot of our cars for inventory....
It's a little tricky to install but if you have some mechanical abilities you can do it.
I'm not really trying to start an argument here, just wondering what excatly is the difference between the two, aside from the look and the anti-sway bar thingie
There are few differences. The ones that come to mind are:
1. The ES does not come with a strut tower brace. 2. The P5 has a different front bumper, head lights, and fog lights than the ES. 3. The P5 comes with side skirts. 4. The ES has 6x9 rear speakers while the P5 has 6.5s. 5. The P5 weighs a little more.
6. The P5 is shorter by 4-5in 7. You can shove more into the P5 than the sedan, nonetheless. 8. There's more headroom in the rear seats of the P5. 9. The rear outboard seats in the P5 have adjustable headrests. 10. P5 has a rubberized whip antenna (more durable?). 11. P5 now has a subwoofer mounted in the spare. 12. P5 has a rear wiper & washer. 13. You can put the MPV wiper stalk into the P5 to get variable intermittent wipers while you have to import the old Canadian 626's stalk to do the same in the ES. 14. Look under the front suspension. I know the P5 has a stiffener brace in addition to the stabilizer bar (the brace does impede access to the oil filter), not sure of the ES though. 15. You'll probably hear more noise from the cargo area in the P5. 16. The P5's rear bumper cover is different as well.
I test drove two manual P5's last week. Both had significant vibration in the stick shift. One was so bad (in all gears and in neutral) that my hand tingled afterwards. (By comparison, my 11-year old Accord has no vibration at all in the stick...never has.) The vibration is keeping me away from this car for now.
When do you think we'll know how the 3 will be equipped? (Wheels, engines, airbags, headlights.) I'm tempted to look again at the P5 since they're getting so cheap (2250 incentive is available here in St. Louis), but if the 3 hatchback will be available with side curtain airbags then I'll wait another year and get one of those.
The local saleswoman I've talked to says that Mazda is very secretive about their new models compared to other companies.
"In the northeast the P5 incentive is dealer cash and not a consumer rebate."
I live in the Northeast, and know exactly what you're talking about. I've never actually bought a car when incentives of any kind were available. I know how factory rebates work. Can you please explain how dealer cash works? More to the point, if I'm qualified for the S-Plan will they subtract the dealer cash from my S-Plan price like they would with a factory rebate?
I'm trying to estimate prices right now so I can convince the wife that the P5 is worth $50 more per month than a ZX5. She already knows that the 6 is worth the extra $70-$100 per month, but that may be too much with a bambino on the way. Being able to take advantage of both the S-Plan and the dealer cash would be a big plus.
Baggs, any incentives are added on top of the S-Plan price. It may be tricky getting the dealer to give up his dealer cash but, customer cash is a different story.
boxfan....I suspect we should get some details about 60 days before the release of the MZ3.
baggs....Dealer cash turns into customer cash on an S-plan sale...At least that's how its supposed to work...Most dealers won't give you a hard time on the dealer cash..the P5 is selling well but its not in massive demand and short supply.
Thanks for the pricing help guys. Getting the dealer cash too will take a (the one I drove) red P5 5-speed with leather, SAB/ABS, bumper guard, and perimeter alarm down to the same price level as a ZX5. The P5 is definitely a nicer car.
I think we'll still wait a few months to see what happens with MZ6 prices though. I really like that car.
Oh, funny story about that red P5 mentioned above. The salesman went back to get it for us to drive and was taking a long time so I decided to look out the window and see where he was. Lo and behold, he's got the hood up and a battery pack in his hand. It seems that that little red P5 hadn't been started up in quite some time and the battery was dead!
Couldn't be happier!!!! Have absolutely NO complaints at all. No rattles, getting about 26mph (mixed city/highway) so far. A/C works GREAT, (FL can be very warm and humid you know). Oh and btw, no vibrating stick shift in mine at all, it's smooth as silk.
Only one small nit-pik item though: wish they would replace the cig lighter/ashtray setup with maybe a cubbyhole for the cell phone &/or change holder. No big deal.
I would also like to remove the license plate holder contraption (if possible), but I can live w/it as is. No big deal, (maybe too involved/complicated ordeal, ummmm...think: lazy). <g>
Not a lot of P5's around here, so it's kinda nice driving something "different". When at the car wash or shopping, several people have ask me "is that a new car? Who makes that?", and "nice car!". I appreciate it.
Thank you Mazda, especially for the smiles per gallon!
But I can't really take credit for the "smiles per gallon". I read it sometime ago/somewhere ago on this(???) board. many moons/msgs ago.
Didn't you just move to France? How do you like it? I hope they are "treating you well". We were in Paris 04/2000 and loved it! (Joe Allen Restaurant has great food, btw). Do you see many/any Mazda's or P5's there?
yes, I'm in France right now, in a small town in South-East sandwiched by three Alpes mountains. The town is called Grenoble. My P5 is still on the boat somewhere in the Atlantic and it will join me end this month. I feel P5 would be the perfect car for the curving and scenic countryside and mountain roads here. I have testdrove few french cars when I was visiting here last Xmas. The Peugeot 307 are very nice but weighty and nowhere comparable to the vivacity of the P5. The new Renault Megane has an eccentric shape, probably too modern, even for me. Also I have seem an Alfa-Romeo that strikingly resemble the concept Mazda3. The only Mazda I have seen so far on the road is the Mazda6, both sedan and hachback. The M6 is highly praised by local media. Protege5 is named Mazda 323 in France. They are equipped with 1.3l gasoline, 1.6l gasoline, or 2.0l diesel engine. The yellow color is not available. I'm afraid my bright yellow will turn a lot of heads on the street. Oh last thing: the food is trully excellent...
WOW! Thanks for the peek of your "adventure". Sounds awesome! I agree, the food is great, and what is nice, they generally don't serve you huge portions like they do in the states. Just enough, so you are full/content. I really noticed that a lot of people over there are not overweight like they are here....
When I first got my P5, it reminded me a lot of the Volvo V40 5 spd I drove in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Fun little wagon, and it had great pickup, (almost seemed like it was a turbo!). Too bad the V40 only comes in AT for the states, I just might have considered it if had a MT.
Once your babe arrives, please keep us posted on your road adventures!
Sounds like fun. I spent a couple of weeks in southern France a couple of years ago. A week in Oppede, one in Nice (actually, just outside of Nice on the Var) and three days in St. Martin Vesubie. Had a fantastic time. I know what you mean about those mountain roads. And the P5 will definitely be fun on them.
Personally I found the meals to be HUGE. Of course, if I had the 5 course lunch (and a pastis) , I didn't have a big dinner. Had a lot of chevre but never saw a goat. That was a big joke with my wife and I. Find the mystical goat and get an hour long message.
Yes: Entrée, salade, plat principal, fromage, dessert, fruits, café. And the whole thing with accompanied by few bottles of wine. That's our way of lunch during the weekend among friends and family. The whole thing can easily last several hours! Unfortunately, during the week, we are forced for a much smaller lunch. Strikes and manifestations take a lot of time, you know... ;-)
To be on topic, P5 is really nice and the mileage should be good enough for the high price of gas here.
I was fortunate enough to go to the time trials on the Thursday prior to the actual race. The train from Nice to Monaco was quite an adventure.
It was really a blast. I couldn't believe the things some people did to see the race. The entire hillside next to the palace was covered with spectators. All of whom, the Jaguar fans were convinced, were Germans rooting for Schumi.
Quite an event. My wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law weren't as excited as me. They just wanted to see the city.
Ecstatic new owner of an ’03, vivid yellow Protege5 manual. Picked it up last Thursday and have really enjoyed tooling around town, especially after driving an S10 Chevy PU for the past 11 years. After more than a year’s research and test driving Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Chevy, Ford, etc. there was no question the Protege5 was superior. No real complaints so far just praise for this spunky, practical and exceptionally well-built auto. Do have a question, however. I’m not real delighted with the tires that came with the car. Would like recommendations on replacements to enhance handling and ride. Recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks.
Your Dunlop SP are still brand new, what are you going to do with them? I replace mine with the Michelin Pilot Exalto 205/40R16. Not sure that the handling would enhance (but not worse either), but ride is definitively better, even though the sidewall reduce a little.
Hiyas...I'm trying to lock in a deal on a MP5 but my dealer has been telling me that all MP5's have roofracks on them. Maybe it's a northeast thing but to me, if it's an option, I don't want it! Did anyone else have this same problem when shopping for their MP5? btw, as of now, the dealer was actually going to refund me back my deposit b'c he could not find what I was looking for.
dealer told me that the roofrack cannot be removed. He said I am able to remove the cross bars on the rr but not the actual rack itself. I'm trying to figure out if he's lying or not!
btw, rr was not part of the standard equipment. if i was to get it, i will have to pay for it just so I can take it off and not use it!
Roof Rack is now an option as they made the subwoofer standard.
When I was picking my car up the other day I went through the lot and some had the rack and some didn't. And when I say didn't, I mean no rails at all, not just removing the cross bars. I really like it without rails, but I'm not willing to tear out my headliner to remove mine.
Now here I may be wrong, but I've read that even though it's an option, that it's a dealer ordered option and that if it has the rack the dealer doesn't take it off and if it doesn't the dealer doesn't add it. (and just to be clear, rack means the cross bars and side rails, not just cross bars).
Meinrad, I think you are correct. the way I was thinking that it was an option, I told the dealer why not just take it off and he couldn't. He did a search for my specifications in Black or dk blue pro5, leather, abs/sab, and snrf on an auto and just couldn't find anything! nonetheless, I'm going to try another dealer just to see if he was bsing me.
What are the prices going for on Pro5s? Not to be funny but would invoice - the full $2250 be a good price or is there another rebate that I don't know of?
Comments
It's a little tricky to install but if you have some mechanical abilities you can do it.
Rich
1. The ES does not come with a strut tower brace.
2. The P5 has a different front bumper, head lights, and fog lights than the ES.
3. The P5 comes with side skirts.
4. The ES has 6x9 rear speakers while the P5 has 6.5s.
5. The P5 weighs a little more.
7. You can shove more into the P5 than the sedan, nonetheless.
8. There's more headroom in the rear seats of the P5.
9. The rear outboard seats in the P5 have adjustable headrests.
10. P5 has a rubberized whip antenna (more durable?).
11. P5 now has a subwoofer mounted in the spare.
12. P5 has a rear wiper & washer.
13. You can put the MPV wiper stalk into the P5 to get variable intermittent wipers while you have to import the old Canadian 626's stalk to do the same in the ES.
14. Look under the front suspension. I know the P5 has a stiffener brace in addition to the stabilizer bar (the brace does impede access to the oil filter), not sure of the ES though.
15. You'll probably hear more noise from the cargo area in the P5.
16. The P5's rear bumper cover is different as well.
Seriously, what's the color of the gauge and interior light on the ES?
Question: Is this common in P5's? Thanks!
DX and LX Protege's have green.
Hummm mine are white...
Bruno
Now, 21K miles later, it has settled down/broken in considerably, as has the entire tranny and powertrain.
I predict $3000 by fall.
The local saleswoman I've talked to says that Mazda is very secretive about their new models compared to other companies.
They try, but I think Honda manages that better.
And it's actually a really nice sunny day for a change. Rain again tomorrow but at least for one day I'll have a clean car.
I have really missed the P5. Been driving my dad's CRV, which I really like, but it's just not fun to drive.
I live in the Northeast, and know exactly what you're talking about. I've never actually bought a car when incentives of any kind were available. I know how factory rebates work. Can you please explain how dealer cash works? More to the point, if I'm qualified for the S-Plan will they subtract the dealer cash from my S-Plan price like they would with a factory rebate?
I'm trying to estimate prices right now so I can convince the wife that the P5 is worth $50 more per month than a ZX5. She already knows that the 6 is worth the extra $70-$100 per month, but that may be too much with a bambino on the way. Being able to take advantage of both the S-Plan and the dealer cash would be a big plus.
Thanks!
baggs....Dealer cash turns into customer cash on an S-plan sale...At least that's how its supposed to work...Most dealers won't give you a hard time on the dealer cash..the P5 is selling well but its not in massive demand and short supply.
Rich
At least for now anyway. I guess things can change as the time goes on.
I think we'll still wait a few months to see what happens with MZ6 prices though. I really like that car.
Oh, funny story about that red P5 mentioned above. The salesman went back to get it for us to drive and was taking a long time so I decided to look out the window and see where he was. Lo and behold, he's got the hood up and a battery pack in his hand. It seems that that little red P5 hadn't been started up in quite some time and the battery was dead!
Not a good sign, but understandable.
Only one small nit-pik item though: wish they would replace the cig lighter/ashtray setup with maybe a cubbyhole for the cell phone &/or change holder. No big deal.
I would also like to remove the license plate holder contraption (if possible), but I can live w/it as is. No big deal, (maybe too involved/complicated ordeal, ummmm...think: lazy).
<g>
Not a lot of P5's around here, so it's kinda nice driving something "different". When at the car wash or shopping, several people have ask me "is that a new car? Who makes that?", and "nice car!". I appreciate it.
Thank you Mazda, especially for the smiles per gallon!
Allen
Ditto and very clever!
Didn't you just move to France? How do you like it? I hope they are "treating you well". We were in Paris 04/2000 and loved it! (Joe Allen Restaurant has great food, btw). Do you see many/any Mazda's or P5's there?
Allen
Cheers,
Bruno
When I first got my P5, it reminded me a lot of the Volvo V40 5 spd I drove in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Fun little wagon, and it had great pickup, (almost seemed like it was a turbo!). Too bad the V40 only comes in AT for the states, I just might have considered it if had a MT.
Once your babe arrives, please keep us posted on your road adventures!
Allen
Personally I found the meals to be HUGE. Of course, if I had the 5 course lunch (and a pastis) , I didn't have a big dinner. Had a lot of chevre but never saw a goat. That was a big joke with my wife and I. Find the mystical goat and get an hour long message.
Yes: Entrée, salade, plat principal, fromage, dessert, fruits, café. And the whole thing with accompanied by few bottles of wine. That's our way of lunch during the weekend among friends and family. The whole thing can easily last several hours! Unfortunately, during the week, we are forced for a much smaller lunch. Strikes and manifestations take a lot of time, you know... ;-)
To be on topic, P5 is really nice and the mileage should be good enough for the high price of gas here.
Bruno
Did you get to go to Monaco for the GP?
It was really a blast. I couldn't believe the things some people did to see the race. The entire hillside next to the palace was covered with spectators. All of whom, the Jaguar fans were convinced, were Germans rooting for Schumi.
Quite an event. My wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law weren't as excited as me. They just wanted to see the city.
Ohhhh how I long for a pain bagnet.
I love my P5 (on topic).
Bruno
Personally, I love the OEM tires and wouldn't change a thing.
you can easily take them off, however :-)
btw, rr was not part of the standard equipment. if i was to get it, i will have to pay for it just so I can take it off and not use it!
When I was picking my car up the other day I went through the lot and some had the rack and some didn't. And when I say didn't, I mean no rails at all, not just removing the cross bars. I really like it without rails, but I'm not willing to tear out my headliner to remove mine.
Now here I may be wrong, but I've read that even though it's an option, that it's a dealer ordered option and that if it has the rack the dealer doesn't take it off and if it doesn't the dealer doesn't add it. (and just to be clear, rack means the cross bars and side rails, not just cross bars).
I can't say if it's 100% accurate, but might give you an idea if your dealer is hoping you'll just buy off his lot.