Why did you buy a Protege 5?

[jjac28]

consumer reports is all about comfy rides. they always test automatics, never manual unless it's a sports car.

on the other hand , car and driver always test manual and they choose performance over most other things.

no wonder the protege is always on top of their list!


the protege5 has looks, style, peppy performance and excellent handling.
the car looks very sport and drives like a sports car.


it's a joy to drive!(first)

 

[SilvrProtege5NJ]

I was actually set on buying a Matrix. But when I drove the P5, for the money, I couldnt see buying anything else....

From the handling to the styling, its a excellent car...
6 months and 11,000 miles later..
I still love it..

Thank God I didnt buy that bad matrix...

 

[SilvrProtege5NJ]

And the 0% financing sealed the deal....

woooooooo

 

[ottawaP5]

In early january 2001 I went to the ottawa auto show and saw mazda was annoncing the concept of the P5....I was immediately hooked on the car. Finally, a hatch I liked. I told myself I would buy it once i graduated.

Then the other companies came out with their competion, but they could not beat the looks of the P5.

I finally bought it last March and never looked back! I have yet to drive a car that offers the same driving feel (In its price range of course).

 

[Monstermile]

kinda exclusive only released 02-03

That is another good reason. There will never be a ton of them on the road. I can actually go for a 1/2 hour trip w/o seeing 10-20 of them. In fact I might see 1 or 2 in a weeks worth of traveling.

 

[dugrant153]

Anyone test drive an Impreza and like the MP5 better?
and if so, why?

 

[joka1]

i bought an es because the mazdaspeed wasnt out yet but i bought a protege because .....well i like to have a diffrent car than every body else(i.e. honda or acura) to hook up and see what it can do!!
http://members.cardomain.com/joka1
and so far i am doing allright..i will be boosted in october and i already won 2nd at global import nights...............with no ground effects or even showing my engine

 

[mp5]

dugrant153,

I actually was looking at the WRX wagon before the P5. I wanted the car so bad, awd 227 hp, what's not to want. The problem I ran into was the interior volume. I'm 6'2" and I could never get comfortable in the car plus when the driver seat is all the way back not even a child could fit in the back seat. The P5 on the other hand fits me like a glove and even with the front seat all the way back, a real person can sit in the back. I only wish the P5 was available with awd and 200+hp.

 

[1sty]

Anyone test drive an Impreza and like the MP5 better?
and if so, why?

Yes I did, The WRX actualy. Its was just to soft for my tastes after driving a MP3 for 2 years.

 

[PeaB0dy]

I needed a reliable car (coming from a neon, even the focus with all it's recalls looked better..)

I had 3 cars on my list, practicality was a major thing for me..

Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Protege ES.

I got in the Corolla Sport, felt like s***, and the pedals were so close, I wes hitting 2 peddles at once..

The civic I test drive was a DX, but was looking @ getting the LX, well same engone and trans, just features. Drove it, and ewww..

I tried my friends 2 door civic, felt much better, but I hate 2 door cars that aren't true sports cars, cause I drive people around. I DO NOT want to have to get out or move the seat forward s*** to get in and out..

Just for kicks, I tested the Vibe, eeewww, nuf said..

then I went to the Mazda Dealership, and the showed me the diffs between the ES and the 5, like the skirt package, strut bar, and so on. I saw the headlights, almost sold. They gave me the keys, and said go have fun, and boy did I ever..

Pretty much put the same smile on my face as a 95 Mazima did a while back. Was just fun to drive.

The P5 is also more refined then the other 2.

 

[Red Baron]

Why a P5?

After 12 years driving Civics, and the latest generation being a major engineering piece of crap, and the fact that they stoped making hatchbacks, I went to get a closer look at the P5 and couldn't stop drooling : Price, looks, standard equipment, etc. So I got a good excuse a few days later, after my wifes car broke down IN the Ville Marie tunnel in Montreal and we got rid of it right away. Gave the 2000 Civic EX to my wife, bought the P5.

The rest is a love story. Two of my close friends bought their own a month later.

 

[hazardcountykid]

Looks, preformance, looks, handling, looks, dependabilty,did I mention looks? It has been described in 2 words, ZOOM-ZOOM!

Grant

 

[1sty]

(hi)
hazardcountykid

Welcome to our happy little corner of the net.

 

[dugrant153]

My one concern is the 130hp. I guess it ain't drag racing stuff... but it's good enough to pick up speed and corner well, right?

 

[johnjay5]

I bought mine because of the looks!! Stupid me, I allowed it's beuty decieve me... I really really really really really really really really really really really really regret getting this car because of it's poor quality! JJay

 

[YellowBaggedP5]

Looks was the main reason, i saw a commercial one night and fell in love, the next day i bought it. I already had a down payment on an is300.

 

[1Canuck2]

First: looks - it is a sexy beast, especially in the Laser Blue
Second: performance (handling wise)
Third: features (4 wheel discs, 16" rims, etc)
Fourth: price
Fifth: Financing at 1.9%

I had a stock V6 Contour before this and it handled like a boat (although it had a way gutsier engine) but I never loved it. Plus, the Protege5 has a bigger interior than the Contour and just as much trunk!

I love my Protege however and it is a fun drive, even if a little slower than I'd prefer. Its the reason I am here, I wanted to see what I could do to squeeze a little more out of it. I want there to be a Mazdaspeed Protege5.

Robin

 

[kolashaker]

Hi from Jersey, I am a newbie here, and this is my first post. Just got a 2003.5 P5 black mica yesterday--good to see so many Pro5 drivers here.

Anyways, it was seeing it on the road that first sold the P5 to me (plus the price, ~$500 under invoice, not bad). I remember seeing a yellow one pass my 94 Sentra on the left side of the NJ Turnpike one cloudy Sunday whilst driving to IKEA in Elizabeth for a new computer desk. I thought to myself, damn, that's a sweet looking hatch!. That car just seemed to cut through the factory smog and soot like a ray of sunshine, I tell ya .

I've always been into hatches, but seeing as that 1) every damn friend of mine as well as my sister has a GTI, 2) everyone else has a Civic or a Focus 3, 3) knowing full well C&D picked this car over Matrix/Vibe/Focus 5/PT Cruiser, and most importantly 4) the test drive and the overall sale experience was absolutely amazing, I had to get one. I would've waited for the 3, but my Sentra was just about to give up, plus I was getting a great deal on a great car.

So here I am...howdy .

ks

 

[Fin]

Well that's an interesting and similar story to my own, I saw my first P5 on my way home from an Ikea store I was building (I'm an electrician) late in the year 2001. It was yellow, it looked fantastic, and I knew that despite being a 4 door (not what I was looking for) that this would be the car I'd own. Now, not being a hasty person, and being a careful consumer (actually I'm fricken' cheap) I did LOADS of research and this car was bulletproof except for the power (gettin' a turbo like so many others) and the long shifter throws (got a TWM shorty, luvinit).

 

[ELEmental59437]

0% and 0 down got my attention, the car then sold itself.