What made you choose Mazda?

[jrodhotrod]

My Protege5 is my first Mazda.

At the time that I bought I wasn't actively looking for a car, but more of a passive interest in getting something more comfortable and that got better mileage.

My previous cars:

1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (A BOAT!)
1995 Nissan Pickup (Bare Bones, not a single option)
1996 Nissan Pickup XE

I had grown tired of driving a pickup and found myself using it less for truck like stuff then I had in the past and would much rather have the ability to take 4 people in the car without sacrificing all that cargo space and still get much improved gas mileage (70 mile round trip commute every day).

I really liked the Sport Wagon genre and after looking around decided on the Protege5 I had friends with Mazdas and they all said good things, and the icing on the cake was I work for a company that is a Mazda partner so I could get S plan pricing on a brand new 2003 Protege5 in September '02. It had 1.6 miles on it when I drove it off the lot.

I am now totally sold on Mazda and it's what I'll be looking at first when it comes time for future vehicles (RX-8 perhaps ) probably sooner rather then later, because I made the mistake of getting the sport auto, I never thought a car could be this much fun to drive and I kick myself daily for not getting the stick, especially after driving the mazdaspeed at Rev It Up and seeing how easy the clutch was on that compared to the effort it took in my pickup. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[AbbyVonNormal]

My very first car was an '82 Mazda 626.

Back when i was a lad, it was a sweet car. The only thing that sucked was the paint.
(go figure)
It was a stick & I never drove a stick before. I had to teach myself how to drive one on the way home.
The car was so much fun to drive, and it actually felt like it was teaching me how to drive a stick. It was so smooth on the highway, and actually took off pretty well when forced!!!
So that day, i decided that when the moment in life came to decide a car for long term, it would be a mazda. Then the MP5 came out, and the rest is history!

 

[Mazdaspeedgirl]

'82 626?! You know how much money that would be worth in good condition? Well, to me at least.... You go Boy!

 

[JOS3]

i didnt choose mazda........mazda chose me..........
when i was shopping for a new car i originally wanted a honda or toyota cuz that was all knew about........then my fiances brother came home with a red p5 and i said 'holy s***, i gotsta get me ones of dem' (i think in those exact words)....a week later i came home with a p5 of my own.........

 

[ZoomZoomH]

my Protege is my first car, EVER (I had a bike back in college, does that count? )

I think I have been spoiled by Mazda's fun-to-drive cars, all other cars now feel kinda 'blah' to me now

and then i picked up an FC, now I'm never going back to pistons, ever!

hello RX-8 in 2005!!!!

 

[Dexter]

my first car was a 92 protege LX. i just love how mazda makes thier cars and they arent as popular as honda or toyota. i dunno i just love that.

 

[7th_Shadow]

I love my mazda its the best even tho i didnt add any performance parts yet! My last car was a 98 civic ex 2dr it was totally fixed up with CF, boosted and just about everypart that could be changed was. It was cool i took it to shows and had a good time i went racing at tracks etc. I drove it till a little before 90K when the engine semi-exploded while driving home from school one night. It never ran right after that. So...After one month, 3 trips back to the garage and $5K later i sold it. The car was just bleeding money. Looking for a new car i had a few criteria: not american, fun to drive, 4 doors, useful and affordable. When shopping for a new ride the Pro5 was the only car i tested out of 6 to meet and exceed my criteria. Other cars just dont compare plus some are downright ugly too. Its been the most fun six months driving my Pro5 so far. I cant wait to drive everyday. No regrets tossing the civic at all.