Took the plunge

[mts3]

Well exactly two days after selling my MX-6, I bought a Protege5. It's pretty much exactly what I wanted....only option a moonroof. It's black mica, 5 speed, moonroof, wheel locks and wind deflector and floor mats of course.

Sweet little car...This one was the mid-year refresh. had 2 miles on it!!

I hope to have pics up soon.

Tyson

 

[derrick1623]

yet another happy mx6 convert, welcome home, although you have 17 posts, im sure your familiar with things, by now.

 

[Claeren]

Can't wait for the pics!

I am so jealous!!!!

Claeren.

 

[mts3]

derrick1623> Yep I've been over at MX6.com since it began so I'm pretty familiar with how these little boards work. The community over here is certainly different and there's less traffic but I could tell I was going to like it even before I bought my P5.

Claeren> Believe me....I wanted to wash it and take pics the second I got home, even though it was 9:30 p.m. and raining! I should get to tomorrow. I gotta do some rearranging on my web page too; it still thinks I have an MX-6 and I have the wrong wheels on all the pictures of my MGB.

I decided to drive to a dealer that had a car that I wanted rather than using a dealer I'm familiar with to locate the car for me. I'm super picky about brand new things and especially how a car is broken in. I didn't really want someone driving to get it plus I wanted to inspect the car for dings/scratches. The very first P5 I test drove had a dent in it.

My black mica one that I just got...it had all of two miles on it, likely from being driven to the truck and back. This dealership's standard test drive loop is about 3 miles so I know it hadn't even been test driven.

Oddly...this car has the moonroof deflector (which I wanted) but it's not listed on the window sticker. I'm not complaining!

To everyone else that got a P5...how many keys did you get? I got two: a plastic-headed one and a metal one. I got two remotes though. Two keys sounds kinda low to me; when we bought our Millenia new last November, it came with like 5 or 6 keys.

Tyson

 

[derrick1623]

dunno if you guys remember me from mx6.com, but it was the same screenname(derrick1623) 93 ls v6...loved that car...boohoo, anyhow, im just happy that so many mazda owners are helping to stay in the family (mazdas) and help make our car blow up the whole scene for cars, and engine work, and aftermarket parts...etc.

 

[TexP5]

Welcome to the board. You'll love the car and the folks on here. I think traffic on the board has slowed down over the summer so don't think we're slackers.

As for keys...I've never gotten more than two keys to any new car I've ever purchased? I got two plastic headed keys for the P5. Why on earth would you ever need 6 unless you bought a good old GM product where they still think it's cool to have a separate door key. I never could figure the logic to that.

 

[mts3]

Our Millenia has reverse-cut keys so I guess that's why they give you so many. It came with three plastic headed ones, one metal one, and one valet.

The Protege5 only came with one plastic-headed one. I'll give the dealer a call and see about getting another one. My wife wants a pretty plastic key too

Derrick....I definitely remember you from MX6.com. I remember when you bought your MP3 as well. It was right when they came out if I recall correctly. Back then we had a Mazda dealer here in this town; they had one MP3 and one Protege5.

Really this was about the only new car I liked for the amount of money I wanted to spend. I've always liked Proteges but I like the distinctive looks of the 5 as well as the added usefulness of the 5 door body. The engine isn't as sweet or as torquey as the KL V-6, but the car makes up for it in handling

 

[derrick1623]

gosh, its like a reunion in here... the handling is what sold me on the mp3 for sure, though i drove a p5( test drive) before i even knew what the mp3 was.

 

[Don]

To everyone else that got a P5...how many keys did you get? I got two: a plastic-headed one and a metal one. I got two remotes though. Two keys sounds kinda low to me; when we bought our Millenia new last November, it came with like 5 or 6 keys.

There are several little "odds and ends" you can get a dealer to throw in for free when you're buying a new car - You just have to get them to agree before you put your John Henry on the dotted line on the contract.

I got an extra set thrown in when I bought mine (they just run over to the parts department and have someone make them up) as well as a set of free floormats (the sales rep stole these from another P5).

Don

 

[mts3]

Don....it did have a moonroof deflector (which I wanted) but wasn't included on the window sticker. I guess I can consider that a freebie!

 

[fastdrvr23]

Tyson,
Congratulations on the purchase man! I saw an ad in the Tradewinds sale paper for a MX6 in Grenada, and wondered if it was yours. Oh well, which dealer did you end up going to?

Anyways, you need to get you some poly shift bushings from kart boy, and you'll be all set. If you need one to drive as a comparo, let me know... It is rediculous the amount those bushing help, it makes the factory shifter feel like a sloppy mess. I will be joining a hunting lease with a friend of mine from work in Grenada and should be going up there pretty often. Anyways, congrats again, I bet the car looks great! (I know what you mean about the rain...I washed my car saturday, and it rained about an hour later, then this morning as well... Argggggggh)

Later,
Will

 

[fastdrvr23]

derrick1623> ...
To everyone else that got a P5...how many keys did you get? I got two: a plastic-headed one and a metal one. I got two remotes though. Two keys sounds kinda low to me; when we bought our Millenia new last November, it came with like 5 or 6 keys.

Tyson

Oh yeah, I forgot... Mine came with the exact same.
Two remotes, one metal and one plastic key. Those cheapskates!
lol.

 

[mts3]

Will...that was my MX-6 in the tradewinds. Sold now. I ended up going with Gosset in Memphis. The salesman was great. They had the car I wanted in black equipped just how I liked. They had a midnight blue but it had no moonroof.

They took out all of the hassles of buying out of state...they took care of the sales tax (included in loan) and first year tag (ditto) so I won't even have to go to the court house. They also notify my insurance agent with the VIN.

All in all a very pleasant buying experience. The finance guy was kinda arrogant but it was like 7pm by then and we were all ready to go home.

Pics tonight I hope...I'll put up a URL in this thread.

 

[adragonfly]

Congratulations! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist... What happened to getting a blue one?

 

[mts3]

adragonfly....There wasn't a blue one around with a moonroof only anywhere near Mississippi. Black was my second choice.

 

[Claeren]

Derrick: I totally remeber when you bought your car too! You still came around after you bought it but i haven't seen you there much lately (at all actually)...

This is great watching you buy the car because it reminds me of all the little things i need to remember, like asking for a couple extra keys...

I am still divided on the sunroof deflecter thingy - i like as much light and wind getting in as possible but at the same time reduced drag and the ability to have the roof open a crack in winter for some fresh air are both brought on by the deflecter. Oh well, i guess i will see if i can get it for free.

mts, did you get the roof rack?

Claeren.

 

[mts3]

I got the roof rack. It's standard on US cars; I've heard it's different in Canada. I plan on keeping the roof rack and deflector on. I got up to 70 on the way to work today with the roof closed and the whistle wasn't bad.

Knowing that I got it and it wasn't on the sticker, I don't feel too bad about having it.

I hope to wash it and take some pictures in about 3 hours...I can't wait to see how photogenic it is

 

[Protege Type 5]

Black was my second choice too..another dealer had a blue one but they wanted 3k more, no matter what..so i got the mica black..
but I can't say I regret it, I think it looks awesome...when clean..
which is why I'll be converting to Porsche PPG Arctic White soon
=)

 

[mts3]

I've never owned a black car. My MX-6 was white as is my MGB. Two white cars is enough to never want one again. Her Millenia is silver and looks stunning whether dirty, wet, clean. Nothing shows up on that car!

I've also had a green and a red. This is my first black. Hopefully it'll look awesome clean. It looks terrible after driving it in the rain. What I like about the black mica is that it isn't black. It's more of a dark gray with metal flakes...very neat.

 

[mts3]

Well I've decided that with 5 doors and a roof rack, these cars are a little harder to wash and dry than an MX-6. But it looks awesome when clean.

Here's a makeshift page of pictures. Dial-uppers beware.

http://www.cableone.net/dsherman/protege5/