So I drove my first mp5 today..

[Ilikemazda]

I test drove my first protege5 today. I have been looking for a new car and my gf suggested it to me. And I must say WOW. This car was much better than I have expected. My mind was actually set on a civic si, till today that is. There were a few few things that really stood out for me...
First was the steering, it was fantastic, the responsiveness was great. It felt like manual steering. The smaller 3 spoke steering wheel helped a lot to.
Second was the cars general fit and finish. All the panels were very close and tight fitting. I didn't expect this from an economy car. On top of that the car it self felt very solid. Very reassuring and confidence building. I dunno I think I am gonna have to buy one now. I just had a few questions about it though.

What is the suspension setup front and rear? Is the front independent wishbone style or macpherson strut or some other type? What about the rear? Also how stong are the shocks relative to aftermarket springs and sleeves over them. How is their longevity?


Also how is their reliabilty? I have never owned a mazda before and was wondering what to expect. Thanks

 

[Mmmmmken]

Check out a Consumer Reports annual auto issue for reliability. They LOVE the Protege' in general, and rate it a Best Buy. Great reliability... great looking and fun to drive. Probably why most of us started out getting ours. (wrc)

 

[NegatiZE]

4 wheel independant MacPherson front strut and Twin Trapezoidal multilink rear suspension.

Don't be turned off by the MacPherson struts - just read any review of the Mazdaspeed Protege and they all praise its handling ability ten fold.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

welcome to the forums, you will not be disappointed with a protege5 at all

 

[p5power]

i've owned my p5 for just over 6 months and i have nothing but good things to say about it. i was probably the last person in the world who thought i would end up buying a yellow car...but i don't regret it one bit. this car puts a smile on everyone's face...and it's a thrill to drive. i even had my "trucks only" buddy admit it was cool (and from him, that's saying something). i actually look forward to the long drives now...what can i say...i love my p5!

some things to remember: 1.) don't buy this car if you want speed. However, the circles you will drive around others will make you forget about that. (you've always got the turbo route, though...) 2.) not a single recall on these cars, at least from where I've looked. in this day and age, that is quite a statement to it's quality. 3.) in my opinion, the interior is awesome, but you have to get used to the random squeeks and rattles 4.) most importantly, if you do end up buying a p5, be prepared to become a mazda freak for life!

oh, and welcome to the boards...this is an awesome place to get great deals, meet great people, and to find the answers to all of your questions! enjoy!

 

[Ilikemazda]

These are all very good things to here. I understand that this isn't a car for speed. This will be my daily driver with a few modifications. p5power I do agree with you on the interior being awesome. I love the layout especially the stock radio. It seems very ergonomic and its placement above the climate control is a plus. I also really like the vanilla flavored guages as well. Since this car is MacPherson front, does that mean that a decent sized drop can be done without throwing camber or toe way out of wack?
Anyway I am currently waiting for my truck to sell. I have to wait to it does till I can buy my mp5. :mad: (sad1)

 

[mp5racing21]

I've had my P5 for about a month(on the road) now and thanks to this forum its been more than just a car I was planning to fix up and sell, it actually is more than that. Too bad I have to sell it anyway to finance my latest purchase. But in my opinion, after driving preludes, civics, and some other cars I find the P5 the most fun.

 

[eljefe305]

after just under a year of owning the car, i'm still absolutely amazed by it. everytime i park the car i always walk away and do a double take looking back. everytime i go back to drive it away, i always have a huge grin on my face. this car is by far the most amazing car i've ever had

 

[DE31]

Ive had mine since 2003 bought it new. well my mom bought the car and drove it for 2 years and now its mine. the only complaint i have is that my mom didnt get the manual. i got the sports shift auto but i long for a manual. theres no mechanical problems with the tranny its just i was hoping my first car would be a manual. sigh.....

 

[Lord_Zath]

(werd) you'll be very happy with the car and these forums. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

 

[NJP5Guy]

Welcome. if you have about 5grand sitting around and want to stay N/A like very few of us you could turn this car into something special. dump half of the money into suspension and wheels and everyone will tell you that a great handling car gets even better.....mind you the mp3 was rated as one of the top 8 cars for best handling all time by road and track. now that says something about this chasis.

 

[Protege52003]

welcome to the board!



2.5 years (almost 50K) under my belt and i just can't seem to get rid of my P5........

 

[DeanSweet]

Love my P5, 2.5 years, ~30k miles and not one complaint that deals with Mazda.
If you live in the Dayton, Ohio area there is a used yellow '02 model at Castrucci Mazda by the Mall that has been there forever... I'm sure they make you a deal.
Post some pictures after you get one!

-Dean

 

[Brian MP5T]

welcome to the board!

 

[NegatiZE]

Since this car is MacPherson front, does that mean that a decent sized drop can be done without throwing camber or toe way out of wack?

Exactly

 

[ghettobubba2001]

i love my mp5 too im new to the modding n stuff but its all good this is what the forums are for! - i have to hide my keys from my dad otherwise he will take it out for a spin

 

[Replica]

Wow, do a search about people having STOCK motors blow up. A Protege is NOT reliable. Also do a search for TSB's on the P5. The steering is nice and yeah...it has a pretty steering wheel but don't let the slick build quality fool you into thinking it's a quality car. The Protege5 is kinda like a Jetta, the test drives are wonderful, but 6months to a yea later the grim reality of the car sets in and suddenly you can't get rid of it as the resale falls off of the end of the earth.

 

[iLisa]

Wow, do a search about people having STOCK motors blow up. A Protege is NOT reliable. Also do a search for TSB's on the P5. The steering is nice and yeah...it has a pretty steering wheel but don't let the slick build quality fool you into thinking it's a quality car. The Protege5 is kinda like a Jetta, the test drives are wonderful, but 6months to a yea later the grim reality of the car sets in and suddenly you can't get rid of it as the resale falls off of the end of the earth.

6 months? mine is way overdue then I guess.. lol.. and about the resale, I know people are getting at least 10 for them.. (shrug)

 

[Prodigy]

Wow, do a search about people having STOCK motors blow up. A Protege is NOT reliable. Also do a search for TSB's on the P5. The steering is nice and yeah...it has a pretty steering wheel but don't let the slick build quality fool you into thinking it's a quality car. The Protege5 is kinda like a Jetta, the test drives are wonderful, but 6months to a yea later the grim reality of the car sets in and suddenly you can't get rid of it as the resale falls off of the end of the earth.

Did you get my PM's?
Edit: **** it.

 

[rjmhotrod]

Wow, do a search about people having STOCK motors blow up. A Protege is NOT reliable. Also do a search for TSB's on the P5. The steering is nice and yeah...it has a pretty steering wheel but don't let the slick build quality fool you into thinking it's a quality car. The Protege5 is kinda like a Jetta, the test drives are wonderful, but 6months to a yea later the grim reality of the car sets in and suddenly you can't get rid of it as the resale falls off of the end of the earth.

Any given car manufacturer will have problems with a few cars from any particular model. The fact of the matter is that the protege is an economy car, but a pretty darn good one. They were produced for over a decade and were pretty reliable. Mazdas as a whole generally offer average reliability (behind toyota, honda and prolly suburu). As far as their value is concerned, the fact that my three year old economy car is still worth 12K says something for Mazda. Trying buying an economy car from Ford, GM, Chrysler, Saturn, Kia, Hyundai, etc and see what happens in 3 years.

I'm not trying to discount Replica's experience - it is valid. Do the search as he suggested, but remember there are a whole lot more of us with no problems (not to mention all those who are not part of our forum).