Protoge'5 or Mazda 6?? Newbie!

[SW SHO]

Hello,

I'm new here and wanted some advise. My wife and I have a 3 year old and want to trade in our 97 Integra for either the Protoge 5 or wait for the new Mazda 6. I personally want to wait for the new 6, but there are some great deals on leftover 2002's.

I guess I'm asking if the Protoge 5 has been a reliable car? I'm am nervous about buying a new model car due to bugs not being worked out and the like.

Any advise?

Lance

 

[SW SHO]

Goofed my sig.

 

[prost]

P5 vs. 6

Welcome to the board. I am sure you will get a greeting for Sir Nuke. I have had my P5 for a month and have been extremely happy with it. I looked at the 6 also. The 6 basically has more power and is more money and has the option of a V6. It does look nice but I didn't want to spend over $20k. Here is some info in case you haven't seen it:

http://www.edmunds.com/future/2003/mazda/6/4drsedan/preview.html?id=lin0830

 

[SW SHO]

Thanks for the welcome. I've seen the M6 site from www. mazdausa.com and really like what I see.

I'm more of a sedan guy and the wife doesn't have an opinion. (go figure). She's driven the P5 and really liked it.

I'm good friends with the owner of our city's Mazda delear. He won't get is first M6 until mid November. I don't mide the price so much as the "newness" of the model. I've had new model years and sometimes the engineering isn't all there yet.

I haven't had time to read all the threads on upgrades to the P5 in reference to power upgrades. What are the best bolt on upgrades to increase the power of the P5? I ask cuz my wife is a New Yorker and can't and won't learn do drive a 5 spd, so we have to get the ATX.

Lance

 

[Sir Nuke]

SW SHO, Welcome to our happy little corner of the net, and to our Club. There are TWO BIG fridge'S in the corner with anything you can think of in them...help yourself...of course only take what you can LEGALLY have. (stash)

make yourself at home on one of the big fluffy couches, kick your shoes off, put your feet up on one of the tables, yes we are allowed to do that, mom don't care....and take it easy.

oh...btw....every once in a while a food fight breaks out...so you may not want to wear nice clothes here.

Welcome!! (stash)

as for the reliability of the car...its great...and its not a NEW car...as in this is its first year, it just is the first year that its been imported into North America...its actually been made for quite a few years...so no need to have any worries about first year bugs.

As prost mentioned....there is a $$ difference...and which do you REALLY want...a hatch/wagon...or a sedan. personally I don't think you can go wrong with EITHER....

 

[prost]

...I don't mide the price so much as the "newness" of the model. I've had new model years and sometimes the engineering isn't all there yet.

I haven't had time to read all the threads on upgrades to the P5 in reference to power upgrades. What are the best bolt on upgrades to increase the power of the P5? I ask cuz my wife is a New Yorker and can't and won't learn do drive a 5 spd, so we have to get the ATX.

Lance

Well I know what you mean about a brand new model. I think the 6 will have plenty of engineering so that is not as big a concern as with most American manufacturers. Power and the P5 don't have a lot in common. I wish it had more. That is the only reason I would get the 6. I like hatchbacks so I will be interested to the what the model 6 in five door trim would look like. For my P5 I have a Injen CAI and will be getting a Racing Beat cat-back exhaust. The most this would add is about 15hp. ASide from a turbo kit or N2O that's it I think. I have the sport auto and I do like it very much. I drive it like a manual most of the time since I am almost 100% on surface roads traveling less than 50 mph. I got it because traffic in Atlanta is the worst. If money is not an issue then wait for the 6 to compare. There might even be rebates on the 2003 P5s by the end of the year. Goo Luck and good weekend.(drinks)

 

[WaatDaHell]

Well, comparing the Protege5 to the Mazda 6 is like comparing a let's say, Civic Wagon and and Accord Wagon. That is if they both existed here in the U.S. It really depends on the options, power, and space that you want. When it comes to reliability though, there's no need to worry. Though the Protege5 is new in the U.S. it has actually been around a while all over the world. So it's not exactly a "brand new" model with a lot of bugs. The Mazda 6 will be though. Especially considering Ford had a lot to do with the production of the new 6. Sharing parts and platform, I'm not sure. I think it's the same platform as the Ford Mondeo, but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else can clarify that. But in the end, Mazda's best reliability record has been for the Protege sedan. Just check out all the reliability records for the Protege sedan and you'll get your answer: Excellent. I have always been with Honda and worried about going over to Mazda. But after finding out how well the Protege's reliability matched up with the Civic's reliability, all worries disappeared. So far, no problems, just an endless joy of driving such a wonderful machine that looks so good. Did I mention how good of a value it is too?