lookin' to buy Qs

[amm888]

hey guys, i'm thinking of getting a p5 to haul my 5 dogs around (had an expedition, but man does that suck gas). i'll be doing mainly around town driving - what do you think i'll be getting in terms of mpg (is 25+ realistic for just city driving?).

also, any suggestions as far as what to look (look out) for while shoppin' the used p5s?

thanks
alex

oh yeah, and what would you say are the advantages of a stick/auto

 

[khaosman]

25mpg or more should be pretty easily attainable. I don't think I've ever dipped below (or much) the 25mpg mark, although I do a combination of city and highway driving.

A stick is much more fun than an auto As for problems to look out for... just make sure it looks like it is in good condition and have a mechanic look over it. Also, do NOT buy it if you hear a machine gun sound coming from the engine

 

[-pixy-]

my dogs love my p5

i get 27 - 30 mpg around town (2thumbs)

 

[AbsoluteSwed]

how you planning on fitting 5 dogs into a p5? 5 chihuahuas maybe. what type of dogs

 

[amm888]

thanks for the replies, how loud is this "machine gun sound"? i drove a car today that had a slight ticking sound coming from the engine while in idle (heard it while looking in the engine compartment, not from inside the car).

have any of you done anything to make it a quieter cabin ride in general?

al

 

[amm888]

actually i have four dogs, i must've just got a bit '5' key happy in my first post. two are 80lb+ one is 40lbs and the other is rat-sized. i plan on having the seats folded down 90 percent of the time.

 

[nealric]

Machine gun sound is not normal- I would look at a different one.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

The reason I love our new P5 is....our Basenji's full size cage fits right into the back w/ him in it so I dont have to fold it up

 

[-pixy-]

have any of you done anything to make it a quieter cabin ride in general?

al

i turn up the radio... lol

but i have had 4 dogs in my p5... one beagle, one lab, one dalmation and an english sheepdog, just put the seats down and they are alright.

 

[WetsuitxNinja]

Look at the heads of the bolts in the engine, easy way to tell if the car was modded...(if that matters to you) you could always haggle more.

 

[ottawaP5]

thanks for the replies, how loud is this "machine gun sound"? i drove a car today that had a slight ticking sound coming from the engine while in idle (heard it while looking in the engine compartment, not from inside the car).

have any of you done anything to make it a quieter cabin ride in general?

al

The ticking sound is perfectly normal...they all tick at idle.

 

[amm888]

The ticking sound is perfectly normal...they all tick at idle.

cool, that's what i was thinking.

still haven't decided for sure to go with the p5, but that gas mileage is really appealing. have any of you driven the matrix? know how it compares? (besides being uglier)

 

[nate0123]

I've driven the vibe, which is the same as the matrix

if you get the gts, or whatever the 180 hp version is, the upper RPM power is nice thanks to the VVTL, but the all the controls are very rubbery and not at all sporty or communicative

the p5 / protege is by far a more fun car to drive, even with less power

if you're considering the base model matrix, don't even bother

 

[nate0123]

you might also look at the new Mazda5, you'd have more room for the dogs but a much more trim package than a minivan

www.mazda5.com

 

[Lord_Zath]

forget the matrix. mazda 5 if you need the room. If you think you have adquate room, p5 all the way.

 

[bazooka joe]

here's a really nice looking p5 with lowlow miles for an 02...http://sacramento.craigslist.org/car/114359512.html

 

[amm888]

b. joe - that is a nice looking car, though a bit too 'cool' looking for me. plus i'm looking to spend less. b.joe, does your turbo effect gas mileage much?

nate - i'm not really interested in a minivan - if i can't get 25mpg i'm thinking of just going back to the expedition.

thanks for the replies - you guys are awesome, i've been on a bunch of car forums, but none have been as responsive as you all.

 

[aMaff]

That's cuz we're just cool like that

 

[ottawaP5]

if you're considering the base model matrix, don't even bother

I agree. I drove one, the pedal and steering positions were all wrong, and it was like driving a van.

 

[amm888]

http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?c...ed=&end_year=2006&max_price=&cardist=2#vdptop

think i can talk him down to ten (thumb)