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Mazda Protege5
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I was a lil upside down on the Runner, but getting the 5k off sticker washed all that away... plus I didn't have to pay any sales tax and the plates were 1/2 the price of what the Runner plates were going to be to renew next month. Got a great rate of 3.84% at my credit union.
I'm a very happy camper & am glad to own the last P5's. They are great cars and will be rare (as they were only made for 2 years).
Glad to be back!
ZOOMZOOM
Wayde
Again the P5 is an excellent car formula.
I was researching the 5 until I heard the 3 is taking its place
The 3 is a new model replacing the Protege. So it just happens the P5 run in the US was short lived.
In less than a week, I have put over 500 miles on the odometer. Normal driving for me would be about a third of that, but I can't keep myself from just looking for an excuse to drive. I work near an area that has really twisty, hilly, two-lane backroads and find myself taking joyrides during lunch hour, just to have fun.....that's something I've never done before.
I've heard in some P5 threads that gas mileage is not that good for such a small car. However, I'm quite pleased with it. Now I've been doing some spirited driving, probably a mix of 30% city, 20% back road twisties, 50% highway. No redlining for me, but I do get the revs up and vary things a lot. I have the 5-speed, and my first tank averaged 29 mpg. My second tank is currently at 1/2 full with 250+ miles on the O.D., so it looks like that will be pretty good as well.
Favorite things about the car:
1. The way it grips the road and handles curves with what seems like very little effort.
2. Seats are very supportive and "push" you into having good posture while driving (the bottom cushion is a bit on the firm side though).
3. The 5sp/clutch combo is a blast to drive and gives the car very respectable performance (not talking "tire screaching" though!)
4. Great gas mileage.
5. Killer looks (red) - get's noticed a lot. It also has good visibility outward.
6. Relative exclusivity. I rarely see others around here.
7. Seems like a more expensive car that it is. I'm amazed at the build quality.
8. Auto-dim/compass mirror is great, as is having a sunroof (I like open air driving over A/C).
Least favorite things about the car
1. Console/armrest is too low/too far back.
2. Audio system has a kind of "muffled" sound - it's not very crisp. Not sure if it's because of the unit itself or if it's the speakers. Any comments on this one anyone?
3. I'm still trying to get used to Mazda's HVAC controls. Things like running the A/C compressor in the "heat" setting seems strange to me.
4. Not a lot of sizeable storage areas/pockets (my last car had quite a few of these so I was probably just spoiled by that).
5. I don't consider this next point a negative for me, but might be for others: You do feel bumps in the road and will hear some tire roar on the highway, but really it's not that much and doesn't bother me at all. It fits the car's personality. But if your coming from a Lexus you'll certainly notice it!
Bottom Line: Great Car - good performance all around, classic looks, economical, great build quality & price. Buy one if you haven't already!
I agree with #1. There isn't much storage in it either.
#2 do a search on speaker topics in this discussion group. Mazda offers an upgrade on the front speakers, and many months ago, someone wrote step by step instructions if you want to replace them yourself.
#5 If the road is rough, so is your ride.
I was tempted to look into the auto-dim mirror, as mine did not come with it, but the part alone is $200, plus install. Do you feel it blocks your vision at all?
1. My last car (93 Civic) didn't even have a console, so it is fine with me.
2. I bought a new head unit for around $150, and the sound improved greatly. Plus I now have MP3 and a storage place for my cell phone (for recharging, not talking!) Speaker are on my shopping list, but the sound improved so much that I am not in a big hurry. This was a half hour upgrade.
3. Nothing to do with heat, but for around $75 you can get the wiper stalk from the minivan and have variable intermittent wipers. If it rains much where you are, this is worth every penny.
4. No comment!
5. With the rough ride and bad rodes here (in Memphis) some interior trim shook loose quickly, and I had several pretty bad rattles. I was able to find and fix most of them. Also, although it had more rattles at 20K miles than I would expect, it now has 50K miles and they haven't increased, so they don't seem that bad. Besides, my wife's new $30K Passat has more rattles! But that is another story.
My first set of tires seemed to ride smoother the more wear they got, which seemed strange because I would think the opposite would be true. It also seems to be much better with a passenger or load, which is why people ususally say the ride doesn't seem too bad.
My gas mileage has been right around 29, with the low being 26 and the high 33. I tend to be a lead foot, so this isn't too bad. In my case, though, I get better mileage in the city than on the highway, where it seems to need a 6th gear.
I too have a red one, and it is almost shocking how great it looks when it is clean. The paint has held up nicely and still looks great, and I only wax it twice a year.
Overall, I thought mine was a bargain two years ago for $16K. Now for $13K they are a steal. Get them while you can!
It seems that kit was made by Bell Engineering, an outfit not far from my house. I am new to this whole 'car enthusiast' thing, so just wanted to ask questions regarding the kit and such.
Mr. Corky Bell gave me the tour. Seems to be a genuine nice guy. They had no mazda's in the building, but were spec'ing out a Honda S2000. They also had a MEAN shelby cobra, (yellow)Small little turbocharged V8 they've been playing with. Said it was spinning tires in 4th gear, 6-700hp? I never think of 'musclecars' having turbos....ie carburetor + turbos...not fuel injection etc etc
Anyhow, I learned that I'd rather buy an aftermarket exhaust than a cold air intake (as the intake would be replaced should I ever actually get a turbo...pipe dreams so far).
I also bought his book "maximum boost"...definitly learning alot. (he signed the book for free!! )
I recommend it highly. It's thorough, and doesn't just talk over your head. (he also wrote one on superchargers)
He said he owns a protege himself, (hasn't taken the time to boost it yet.) and was surprised the deal I got on my Pro5.
Of course a turbo voids factory drivetrain warrantee, but his book offered an alternate view to my 'wait til it runs out, then add a turbo if i can afford it' mentality, namely:
Many drivetrain warranties exclude 'turbo induced' failures. (even cars that come with them). In essence, if it breaks, I'll have to pay for it. Same with aftermarket turbos.
"which means that waiting out the factory warranty before installing a turbo accomplishes nothing except insuring that the mechanism is one-third used up pre-turbo"
also figuring that modern cars rarely have drivetrain problems within there warrantee periods and those that occur are usually minor.
Ultimately, he suggests checking with your local dealer/tech and asking them the kinds of drivetrain/warrantee issues they see regarding the vehicle your driving.
Good thing our mazda's seem pretty reliable.
Anyone on this board happen to have a Flying-miata turbo kit installed?
Finally, just as a rough guide, he said to try this: Get in 3rd gear, around 4000rpms and get used to driving there for a bit. Then, mash down the gas. That's an approximation of the 'pull' you'd feel in 5th gear turbo'd.
Sorry for the long post, just recounting the experience.
Jason
"to have an experience, and not to transmit it, is to betray it"
PS. Going to Ireland on Monday for a week of traveling....spent half a turbo on it. ::grumble better be fun:: hope my rental is a VWgolf to try it out.
Has anyone added an after market roof for P5?
The stock one is tiny anyways.
If not how can I search beyond what Mazdausa.com will let me?
1. Is this car really as rough riding as I have read?
2. Is this car's interior as loud as I have heard?
3. Is the Protege ES basically the same car and do both the P5 and ES drive and feel the same?
4. If yes, why does edmunds give the trans and engine a lower rating on the P5 than they do on the ES??
5. Why did edmunds give the trans and engine of this car such a low rating?
I know it sounds strange, but I am choosing between the P5 and a Honda Prelude, does anyone have any opinions? The Prelude would be about three thousand more, but I think maybe it is a smoother ride and an a more refined engine.
I have found a used P5 with 15000 miles, silver, 5 speed, leather seats, moonroof, 2003 model and they are asking $13500.
The Prelude I have found has 19000 miles, is silver with a 5 speed trans, 2001 model and is $16500 or best offer.
** are these good deals?
Second, you can do better on price. I was in your exact situation 3 weeks ago. Was going to buy used, but found I could buy new for equal or less money and get exactly what I want. That is true for the most part, provided you're willing to negotiate with the dealers you find from MazdaUSA site. I bought new (75 miles on it), red, 5sp, Sunroof/6cd, sunroof deflector, auto-dim mirror, wheel locks, cargo net, sub-woofer (2003.5 models only, I think.....the early 2003 models came with a luggage rack instead of subwoof). I paid $13,500 (plus tax/tag/title) and am infinitely happy with the car. They even delivered it to me (350 miles away) for $150.
Now to answer your other questions:
1) I agree w/ jimmcknight...it's a sporty feel, but I don't think of it as harsh. If your roads are riddled w/ potholes you will feel the roughness, but on relatively good roads, no issues at all. Speed "humps" (the large, rounded ones) are handled very smoothly.
2) I don't think the interior is really that loud either, even though I wouldn't consider it quiet. However, I drove a Honda Oddyessey (still can't spell it!) before, and it was definitely noisier, especially the engine. At idle, the engine is very, very quiet. At speeds over 65mph, it gets louder as road noise starts to intrude more and it revs higher, but even at 80mph it's quite liveable.
3&4) I can't answer because I've never driven a Protege ES.
5) I don't know how Edmunds rated it, but it's certainly not a bad engine/tranny combo in my opinion. Although, I did feel the automatic was too sluggish for me, even with sport mode.
I've never driven a Prelude, but I think the driving experience between the two cars will probably be quite different. Please do yourself a favor and test drive each first before you make a decision. Everyone has different requirements. I know Preludes are good cars, as most Honda's are, and I'm quite sure the engine/tranny will be more refined, and the noise level probably at least a little lower, although keep in mind that it has 3 years of use on it and no warranty left. The P-5 has 4yrs/48k bumper to bumper & roadside assistance on it. I really don't think of the P5 as "unrefined." I think the car is solidly built, has stellar reliability, is way fun to drive, economical (I avg 30mpg on regular unleaded), and hauls people & things quite conveniently, having 5 doors and all.
I wish you the best of luck in finding the right car for you. Let us know if you have any other questions. And did I mention......I love my new car!
Well, I guess I will have to just do my best. If anyone knows of a dealership that still has the maual P5, please let me know.
Someone has just told me about a good deal on a 2001 Solara with low miles, but this was not the car I was planning on getting.
I echo many here in this forum about what a great car the P5 is. I got the 5 speed and love the car. It is such a rush to drive! You really do feel connected to the road. To me, the rev and buzz is the pulse and racing heartbeat of the car. You're aren't isolated or disconnected (yawn) like riding in a boat.
Good luck with the hunt. You won't be disappointed if you get one!
bballa, I had just a little of that sticky stuff but it was on the headlight of my p5. However, I did encounter quite a bit on my wife's new '03 Subaru which is a "seamist (pea) green."
They are asking $13500, is this a good deal?
I would also like to ask if anyone prefers the P5 over the Mazda3 and if so why?
Oh, and one more thing. Is the Protege ES quicker than the P5? I thought maybe it was lighter in weight and ...
P5 vs Mazda3s (hatch, I presume). I own a P5 and just recently test drove the 3s hatch. I prefer the P5. Although the 3s had a bit more power, it just felt too bulky for my tastes. The interior felt cramped compared to my P5.
But, if I had to get a new car today, the 3s would probably be it.
I have a P5 and have test driven a 3 hatch four times so I'm pretty familiar with it. I like both, but for different reasons. The 3 is more refined in general, little more quiet (not that much though), more powerful engine, more up-to-date dash/interior layout. Its looks are more polarizing (hatch anyway) which can be good or bad. The 3 "feels" bigger or heavier to me, but at the same time it feels more constricted inside than the P5. In general the 3 feels like a bigger car than it is, even if it offers no extra room (or even a little less).
The P5 on the other hand feels like a small car to me, yet appears to offer a little extra space and seems less confining than the 3. It still has a nice interior - it just doesn't look as flashy or contemporary as the 3's interior. The seats in the P5 allow you to adjust the bottom cushion angle, which the 3 does not....that could make it more comfortable for some people. The P5 feels very open and good visibility, maybe because the beltline of the car is lower than the 3 (and most other cars nowadays). The P5 overall has a bit more "fun" factor to it....almost like a go-kart. It may not be as fast or flashy, but you really feel connected as a driver, moreso than in the 3.
Now if you were insistent upon having an automatic transmission, I might steer you toward the 3 because I just didn't find the P5's auto exciting enough for me, though it's fine with 5sp manual. The real swaying factor for me was the price. At roughly $4-5k less than a comparable 3, the P5 is a real steal right now. Also, they only made the P5 for two model years (in the US) so it will also be a bit more exclusive over time than the 3. Hope this helps in your decision-making process.
I test drove a P5, but they only had it in an auto trans. It does ride a little rough, and I wished it's interior was a little quieter. I would really like to try the 5 speed, but none to be found in my area.
I guess the price of $13500 was not too good??
I was hopeing that was a good price for that car. I was going to offer $12000 and see where it went from there. It was exactly what I would want in the P5, stick, leather, silver, moonroof, and no roof rack, which I was told makes wind noise worse.
Well if anyone else has any more input, I am all ears.
Oh, and I had read a few posts where people had bragged about the Mazda6 and I had seen how one shopper for the P5 could not resist the Mazda 6 after he took it for a drive. Well, I have not driven one, but I saw that Edmunds rated it quite high. So, my next step was to see what owners of this car were writing. I was very surprised to see so many complaints?! Rusting doors, squeeking breaks, and ...
I thought that maybe this would be the car for me since I found the ride of the P5 a bit harsh and loud, but after reading about all the problems...??? J.D. Power ratings were not so great for the Mazda 6 either?? Confusing.
Maybe I should see if the Prelude I originally looked at is still available?
P.S. I thought the Mazda3's looked great in pictures, but they did not seem quite as impressive to me when I saw them on the lot, I think it is the front end. Anyway, I was surprised to find that I actually like the P5's look better.
As far as the 6. I think they look nice, but I have never sat in one, let alone driven one. The 6 was never a consideration for me because I had zeroed in the p5 for it's discounted pricing, the great reviews and the great build quality.
Speaking of quality, the p5 was made in Hiroshima, Japan. One of the reviews that I have speaks very highly of this. As I recall, the 6 is made or assembled in Mexico.
--------------------------------------------------
Compared to the P5, the 6 has (quality) issues.
If you thought the P5 ride was harsh, try a 3 with the 16" wheels. I know you said the front end doesn't; do it for you, but it is MUCH quieter that the P5, although you lose a bit of that fun to drive trademark of the P5/Protege.
Dinu
Incidentally, we were also looking at a Jetta wagon before we decided on the 3. Checked the specs and the 3 is actually bigger (longer wheelbase, longer overall, slightly higher off the ground, etc) than the Jetta wagon. We were a little surprised.
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There are not a lot of tires in the stock size. A lot of us have gone to 205/50-16 to get more choices. Also, a few of us have put on Falken Ziex 512's. Although after 10k miles I don't think they will last much longer than the Dumflops. But at $75/tire they are much cheaper.
Kuhmo has some tires more reasonable priced also.
Have fun.
The Dunlop's look great on the P5 but man, what a piss off to only get 20000kms on a tire for a $20,000 car.
My tire dealer recommended Hankooks for me as well. They were well reviewed by some auto mag, and apparently great value for the money. The tread pattern on the Ventus K102 (I think that was the model) was awesome, if that matters to you.
Other friends have also recommended the Kumhos. These get good reviews as well, and are even better value. These friends all drive slammed Civics; I don't know if this means anything, tho.
I decided to go with the Toyo Proxes TPT. It is a bit more expensive, but it gets even better reviews than the others, and I'm directly familiar with and like the Toyo brand. They are V-rated and have a 400/A/A rating. I got them in the stock 195/50R16 size.
So far in my 2 days driving on them, the TPT's seem equal to the Dunlop's in the dry, and far superior in the wet. The turn-in seems just a touch less sharp than the OEMs, but the ride is more compliant. Straight line tracking is fine. I realize it's really difficult to compare my subjective 3-year old recollections of the Dunlops when new vs. the Toyos today... the turn-in disadvantage may just be because of the "shaved" Dunlops.
I expect the Toyos to last longer, since they have a 100K km treadwear warranty. Also until May 31 Toyo will send you a $50 Roots certificate if you buy a set of 4 tires. (FWIW, I didn't even know about this bonus until I was paying for the tires, so my purchase decision wasn't affected by this).
One final item: The original balance weights left a big scar on each part of the rims where they were removed from. Look like big paint chip-outs, exposing the metal underneath. Anyone out there with ideas about how to refinish just these spots on the alloys? It's not enough to bug me (yet), but I'm worried about corrosion.
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I'm not surprised at people getting 38000 miles out of their tires. I'm currently at 62000 km on my 2002 Protege5, and my tires have 4/32" of treadwear left. It's all about driving style, and I guess I'm not zooming quite as much as other people...! I figure I can still wait until next summer to change them. The stupid dimension Mazda put on this car means tire replacements will be expensive, but I'm hoping that the longer I wait, the more cheaper choice there will be as new manufacturers are getting into this market. Hoping to pick up 2 sets (summer and winter), since winter driving in Ottawa is no fun on all-season tires...
Now, I'm hoping people can help me out with something. My comprehensive warranty expires this summer, and I want to make sure I don't get any nasty surprises after the fact. My experience with Mazda dealers has been shoddy at best, and I want to take the car to an independent mechanic for a complete check-up, and then go to Mazda to get them to fix anything that is covered. So far I have had very little problems with the car - changed ventilation fan under warranty, and had to pay to change discs and pads on the notoriously weak rear brakes (now making sure the sliding pin is lubed at all times!).
What in particular would you recommend I get the mechanic to take a look at? Anything you can suggest would be greatly appreciated!
The first thing you want to do before you even go to the mechanic is have the engine compartment and entire underside of the car professionally steam cleaned. This way, the mechanic can quickly see even the smallest fluid leaks.
You want to have all vital fluids analyzed for color and smell (there is spec to that, each has a specific color, and nothing should ever smell burned). You also want them checked for debris content... metal shavings can mean bad news.
Have the electrical system thoroughly tested for consistent voltage - electrical and electronic items are the most common failures that will cost you the most money short of the powertrain.
The suspension should show no signs of fatigue. Alignment is not covered, but the springs and heavy-metal parts (control arms, etc.) should last the life of the vehicle.
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In addition to checking for leaks from the engine, have the transmission checked out as well. Flush the fluid and look for any symptoms of damage. Proteges don't have a history of bad transmissions, but if yours does, it could be costly to fix.
Then again, she drives it, and she's easier on her tires than I am on mine.
mazdafun, I understand you being happier with an aftermarket stereo since the factory one is crap. I've heard that just changing the speakers can make a big difference, though. What does the dash look like with an aftermarket unit? Personally, I think the interior of the P5 is very nice, and I really like the big buttons and clean look of the factory stereo, so I've been a bit hesitant about checking out other stereos, which often only have push-buttons instead of dials. Any tips?
I have had the luck of a clean engine compartmnent save my buns a couple of times when I *thought* something *might* be leaking... and spotted a leak before it got serious.
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