Looking for a Protege5

[salguod]

Hello all, I'm new here (obviously ). I've been drooling over a P5 or a new Mazda3 for a while, just waiting for my Escort to die. Well, this week the clutch went out at 181K, so I've been shopping. A 3 is out of my price range as I'm still paying on my minivan, so I'm looking at P5's.

I drove my first one today and wow, I loved that thing. It's an '02 with 26K for $12K. Seems a smidge high, but not too much considering the mileage.

Anyway, I have a few questions:

1. This car had a red strut bar. Is that stock?
2. I noticed that the side mirrors are really small and don't adjust out very far. I usually adjust them almost all the way out so there's no overlap to the windshield mirror (really helps eliminate blind spots), but I couldn't. Is this true for all or was there something wrong with this one?
3. What should I be looking for as I check them out. Any known problem areas or issues I ought to be aware of?

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll have plenty more.

 

[salguod]

Thought of another one already.

What is the difference between the '02 and the '03?

 

[aMaff]

This car had a red strut bar. Is that stock?

yes

I noticed that the side mirrors are really small and don't adjust out very far. I usually adjust them almost all the way out so there's no overlap to the windshield mirror (really helps eliminate blind spots), but I couldn't. Is this true for all or was there something wrong with this one?

no. Turn your head more

What should I be looking for as I check them out. Any known problem areas or issues I ought to be aware of?

on the 02? Weak shift fork, but I believe there's a TSB or recall on that. That's the only problem area I can think of.

What is the difference between the '02 and the '03?

Side marker lights, wheels, shift knob...and the 03's like to ingest screws from the intake manifold (there's a recall for that, but it's an 02, so u don't have to worry abt it). It's all aesthetic stuff. Oh, 03.5's have a sub

Hope you find one. There's 1 at the dealership here in Macon, GA. If only you were in Columbus GA, not OH

EDIT: Shift fork, not shift linkage. 02.5's didn't have that problem. Not sure abt the exact production dates.

 

[awsmp5]

Oh, 03.5's have a sub

wait seirously? i thought mine was a 03.5... guess not

 

[aMaff]

wait seirously? i thought mine was a 03.5... guess not

ya, they do.
EDIT: salguod, ur thunderbird looks awesome dude. However, in that pic it looks like it has a mailbox sticking out of the trunk lid (hah)

 

[salguod]

salguod, ur thunderbird looks awesome dude. However, in that pic it looks like it has a mailbox sticking out of the trunk lid (hah)

Heh.

Thanks for the compliment. That pic was taken the day I got the rims and it's the only good one I've got thus far. Right after the rims went on, a hydraulic cylinder in the top went south so I couldn't get the top down. There's no air, and I haven't gotten the power windows working yet (new wheels, working windows, you've gotta have priorities ). It was late in the year, so I never got it fixed so I could enjoy it.

Old cars are a lot of work. After 46 years, things tend to break. A lot.

Here's the before shot from the same angle:

Thanks for the help. I don't think I'm going to get that '02. I ran a carfax and it's a one owner car, but that owner lived in Lafayette, LA just west of New Orleans. The car seemed clean, but I'm not willing to take a chance.

There's a one (local) owner late '03 (First registered in Jan '04. An '03.5 maybe?) with leather and a sunroof and a few more miles (and no noisy roof rack) in Cincinnati for about $13K. Hopefully it's still available.

aMaff - You said 'no' on the mirrors. No, they all work like that or no there was something wrong with that one?

 

[aMaff]

Well, if you got them as far as they'd go, and it wasn't enough, then I doubt there's anything wrong w/ em. They are kinda small, but they get the job done IMO. Anyway, if you go check out the car in Cincinnati, to tell if it's an 03 or an 03.5, look at the spare tire. If there is a subwoofer sitting inside the spare (it's bizzar, but it compliments the stock unit pretty well...my .02), it's an 03.5.

 

[salguod]

Thanks for the clarification and the tip on the '03.5. If that's the case it's a real bummer. I've driven like this for 10 years since I learned about this trick. Once you learn to trust it, you can drive with very little head turning to check your blind spots, because there are almost no blind spots.

It will take some getting used to, but probably not a deal killer. I can't think of a vehicle that I'd be interested in near as much. That thing was just too much fun to drive.

 

[aMaff]

I enjoy mine...she's kinda banged up right now (click the link in my sig...if you dare), but I'll have her better than new by the end of the week. Anyway, try the mirrors on this other one and if it does the same thing, you'll know what's up. My 1st wreck (2 years ago...) was cuz I didn't turn to look, now I always look. The P5 has awesome visibility, so that's not really a problem

 

[CTt3P5]

Hello all, I'm new here (obviously ). I've been drooling over a P5 or a new Mazda3 for a while, just waiting for my Escort to die. Well, this week the clutch went out at 181K, so I've been shopping. A 3 is out of my price range as I'm still paying on my minivan, so I'm looking at P5's.

I drove my first one today and wow, I loved that thing. It's an '02 with 26K for $12K. Seems a smidge high, but not too much considering the mileage.

Anyway, I have a few questions:

1. This car had a red strut bar. Is that stock?
2. I noticed that the side mirrors are really small and don't adjust out very far. I usually adjust them almost all the way out so there's no overlap to the windshield mirror (really helps eliminate blind spots), but I couldn't. Is this true for all or was there something wrong with this one?
3. What should I be looking for as I check them out. Any known problem areas or issues I ought to be aware of?

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll have plenty more.

First off - welcome to the forums! They can be addicting to drive. Not the fastest on the road but damn it can take corners and look sexay doing it.

As far as price....in my experience shopping for one, that is good! I saw one on ebay for $9000 with 97k...and in the Philly area I have seen prices in the low 11's to high 12's with 40k to 50k.

As for the mirrors, I don't have a problem. I always take a glance over my shoulder anyway so it hasn't really bothered me.

Biggest problem I have read about on the forums seems to be the Vcts/Vtcs...right now I don't remember which. I haven't read that much about it, but you can find it using search.

Good luck with your decision....and hope to see pics....and more pics of the Thunderbird, even if it does have a mailbox in the trunk. (hah)

 

[Mazda P5 driver]

Hello all, I'm new here (obviously ). I've been drooling over a P5 or a new Mazda3 for a while, just waiting for my Escort to die. Well, this week the clutch went out at 181K, so I've been shopping. A 3 is out of my price range as I'm still paying on my minivan, so I'm looking at P5's.

I drove my first one today and wow, I loved that thing. It's an '02 with 26K for $12K. Seems a smidge high, but not too much considering the mileage.

Anyway, I have a few questions:

1. This car had a red strut bar. Is that stock?
2. I noticed that the side mirrors are really small and don't adjust out very far. I usually adjust them almost all the way out so there's no overlap to the windshield mirror (really helps eliminate blind spots), but I couldn't. Is this true for all or was there something wrong with this one?
3. What should I be looking for as I check them out. Any known problem areas or issues I ought to be aware of?

That's all for now, I'm sure I'll have plenty more.

my 03.5 has leather as an option. 02 didn't. abs/ebd, 6 disk indash, free sub in trunk, side air bags, polished wheels, polished valvestem/caps, moon roof, wheel locks, optioned for the roof rack as well. Roof rack for the 03.5 at least had the cross bar changed to limit the air rush noise. Most P5's you will find are prolly strippers.

oh, and the 03 and/or 03.5 got the new 4 year 50k mile warranty. the 02 did not.

 

[Mad Hatter]

103,000, and not a single problem yet(knocks on wood). And drive my car hard as hell! Well the tranny is slipping just a little bit, but that's been going on for 50K.

 

[bratliff]

I dont know if its still there but Paul Miller Ford in Lexington KY, had a yellow one with chrome factory wheels, a few weeks ago. I believe it was an 03.5 but I did not stop and look at it. I would love to have a yellow one. P5's are a little rare, apparently yellow is even more so .. at least around here.

 

[salguod]

Well, I never got around to Cinci to look at that '03. Sounded like a great car, 30,500 miles, silver, chrome wheels, sunroof, leather for $13K. Guy was the original owner, selling it himself. He said he did all his own oil changes with nothing but synthetic. Sounds like a great car if you're looking for one, you can find it on Auto Trader here.

Anyway, the reason I didn't go is that I have a friend who works in marketing at a local Mazda dealer. He was able to get me $3K off MSRP on the last 2005 Mazda3 door stick in the state (I checked). It's a base 5 door, silver with the 6 disc in dash and the Appearance Package 1. Not how I would have optioned it, but it was a good deal.

So I'm now the proud owner of this:

 

[Mad Hatter]

Well, at least you kept it in the family Congrats!!

 

[fonzinator]

For what it's worth...

I just bought an '03 silver Protege5 (manual) on Saturday. I purchased it from a dealer. Car has 26K miles so it is still in warranty, cloth interior, no side air bags, no sunroof but has all other options. I paid $12,240.

 

[RaiderMS3]

Sounds like you are ready to go have fun. Welcome to your addiction. I got a sticky about modding in this section, and there is 20K people here to help!

One thing about 03 Protege5s, is a recall. It is in this section.verify your VIN number, as it might be recalled. Some screws on theintake manifold are known to come loose on a certain amount of cars, and they do not good things when bouncing in the engine.

 

[fonzinator]

Thanks for the heads up Raider! I will check out my VIN on Mazda's website tonight.

 

[bazooka joe]

welcome, nice car...better color!!(thumb)