Suddenly a lot of people seem to be mad at Mazda with the Protege...Why?

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Ok, I've noticed a trend on this board, and on the other board with this serious issue of basshing Mazda for one reason or another, and bashing the Protege for one reason or another.

Why???

People are mad at Mazda for the apparent lack of service being given by the dealership. The dealership is its own entity, not owned by Mazda. If you are mad about service, take it up with the dealer, don't be mad at Mazda. Go to a different dealership if possible, or an independant mechanic. Mazda has nothing to do with what a service department does at a dealership.

As far as being mad at the Protege and calling it a piece of crap, why did you buy the ******* car? Did you not know what you were buying? Did you not test drive it before hand? Are you having buyers remorse? If you hate it that much, sell it and go buy something else, otherwise, quit whining.

People say the tranny is crap. If you abuse it, yes, it will break. I have had zero problems with my tranny. I don't baby it, and I rarely abuse it. A crappy tranny can't do what it does on the SWC cars, which are running the stock transmission with a different gearing ratio...

The Protege is not a "piece of s***" car like a bunch of people continue to say. It is a very reliable car that does a lot for the money. And quite frankly, it is the best offering out there in the econo-box market that offeres slightly sportier performance over other cars in the same market.

I'm sorry, but I'm tired of hearing people complain about this car and it's "problems." All I'm saying is if you don't like it, then sell it and get something else. Stop ragging on the car because it can't provide Miata-like performance. If you wanted Miata-like performance, you should have gotten that instead. If you wanted SE-R performance, you should have gotten that instead.

I for one didn't get to test drive my car before I bought it. I have been very happy with the performance it has given me since day one. It is a very capable car. I was happy with the Protege 5 that I test drove a few times. I drove a number of cars before I settled on the car I bought. Nothing impressed me like the Protege, not even the Jetta Wolfsburg.

Ok, I admit the turbo in the Wolfsburg was fun, but didn't out wiegh the benefits of the Protege. The Toyota Corolla was a piece of crap. The Focus was all right, but I didn't want to deal with all the recalls.

So, I got a Protege, and I was lucky enough to get an MP3.

I'm done now. Sorry for the length.
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I too am tired of hearing the incessant tears and "pity me" remarks on this board. I for one do not think that the transmission is crap - the people I have talked to who have ruined their trannies (on Mazdas and otherwise) have done so through beating the hell out them. I love reading the posts about the guys who 100 shot of NOS and whine when the engine shoots a rod or the tranny locks up on them. Suck it up and deal with it.

As for the Mazdaspeed delay, its a true pisser, ain't it? Let's put things into perspective here - enthusiasts waited months for a 1984 Corvette that never ever materialized. The car never even came to exist. People doled out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a Jaguar XJ220 and a V12 only to find out the engine had been switched to a turbo SIX. Half the car for twice the money. We're talking about a $20,000 car here folks - there are plenty of other options out there. If you don't have the patience to wait, don't wait and don't bother us with your "Mazda SUXX I am going to buy WRX now RoXorZ" posts.

First, its already a limited issue product. Second, blame your local dock unions for striking and closing the ports. And before you climb up my ass and die on that thought, the closing of those ports has backed up everything. Alot. My company (Walgreens) planned thier holiday ad months in advance, and the strike has backed things far enough up that merchandise we have advertised right now is either still sitting in China or in some damn crate on shore. Yes, Virginia, things are still that bogged down. There is going to be a delay, so again I say to suck it up and deal with it.

Life is too short to go off the deep end over a few month delay on a car's release. Buy it or don't buy it. Either way, you'll make yourself happy with a purchase and us happy by not ranting.
 
turbolsd said:
the people wanting the mazdaspeeds had to wait a long time which triggered their anger.

I can understand that waiting for something that was supposed to be released at a specific time and wasn't can be frustrating.

How many things on this planet were "supposed" to be released at a specific time and weren't? I know plenty of software companies who have done this. Not to mention car companies, hardware companies, magazines etc. It happens all the time.

Problems come up at strange and often inoppertune times that prevent something from being released to market on a scheduled date. I would rather see the company fix those bugs/problems before shipping the product to market. It'll mean a better product when it finally hits the market, and you won't have to take it back to get a new one, or to get a problem fixed later on.

And if that means having to wait a few more weeks to get that product, then so be it. Is it Mazda's fault that they couldn't get the MSP to dealers "on time"? Yes. Are there perfectly reasonable answer as to why it has taken longer? YES!

I waiting to see how FM figures out the best way to deal fuel and timing issues on their turbo kit (the "device" works great for six psi, but there is a better way). It takes a long time for that to happen. I'm waiting. I'm not bitching about it, and I'm not going to worry about it, becuase in the end, it'll mean a better product overall. It took them a long time to get to the point they are it with the Miata turbos they sell, it'll probably take almost as long for them to get there with the Protege.
 
Better to wait than to receive a beta or alpha product... (microsoft anyone?)

Imagine the Mazdaspeed without the turbo, or with the turbo but not boosted, that you have to wait more time to get it set?

At least we know is complete and its out there.


patience is a virtue

and, stop it there, we here are not receiving the mazdaspeed unless a local dealer import it for us and inflate the price.
 
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8 months out of the year, I will preach for the case of my car, and I baby it and love it. But the other 4, I realize that its an 18k car, and deal with it..BUT, I DID test drive it (when the weather was 60+ degrees) and loved it...I couldn't ask to wait until it got to be 30 degrees before I bought it, like I'd be able to predict what cold/wet weather would do...I've been in 10k Geo's that don't make any noise at the most miniscule lump in the road...and I don't accept that whole "its a performance suspension, its supposed to make noise" That's s***. Quite simply, its a love/hate relationship. I love what it can do and the cost that I got it for, but I hate that simple things like driving in cold weather make the car a POS between the sqeaks, the clunks, and the rattles (I don't care if you paid 10k for the car new, it shouldn't make the kind of noises My car makes...) Bottom line is, it is a generally available production car that should not have certain problems...Any Joe off the street could have bought one not understanding performance parts' quirks and nuances...he shouldn't have to deal with that. Now, if this car was sold with a bigger aura of exclucivity, and the sales people knew what they were talking about and told the potential buyer all of these things before the sale was made, then, I'd be 100% on your side...but its not...so I'm only about 60% on your side...
:)
 
I have no complaints about the car... i love it to death... i know this thing will last me 500,000km. It will become my grandshildrens winter beater.........
 
I agree with Chris, the Protege is a great little car. We have a large number of kids on the board that are learning the hard way that trying to beat the last little bit of performance out of a car will cause things to break.

Slamming ANY transmission from gear to gear will cause it to give you problems sooner than later. Abusing your car doesn't make it faster, just abused.

Of course, I remember finding this out myself many moons ago. Good thing I worked on my own cars, since none of them had a new car warranty.

I remember over-hearing someone telling a newbie (his friend) how to leave the line when racing: "Bring the tach up to the redline and when the flag drops, let out the clutch." I don't remember which sound was louder - the laughter or that of the rods leaving the bottom of the V8 after the rear tires stuck.
 
BondoBob said:


I remember over-hearing someone telling a newbie (his friend) how to leave the line when racing: "Bring the tach up to the redline and when the flag drops, let out the clutch." I don't remember which sound was louder - the laughter or that of the rods leaving the bottom of the V8 after the rear tires stuck.

omg, i bet that was a roit....I REALLY wish I could find a picture I use to have...it was priceless...it was of a dragracer....but of a VERY modified gasser...and the shot was just as the car launched....and the engine litterly blew the gutts out the bottom....the car was from the 60's...and sat pretty high...you could actually see the driver and he was looking down...and you could actually see the crankshaft/rods/pistons bouncing off the pavement under the car!!! lol the timing of the photographer was PERFECT....god I wish I still had that picture.
 
Personally the protege was the only car I wanted and I am happy with it in every way. I wouldnt change anything about it. I could have gotten other cars because I had a good down payment, but this is the only car I wanted looked, sat in , tested drove thats all she wrote. Every day I love my car more, as much as my past probesr even more. Just thought I would give a good note.
 
Why would I be on this site if I didn't love my car? Sure it's not a rocket, but where can you drive a rocket in city traffic? Sure it's not a Lexus, but I don't think you have to pay a shitload of money for a car to drive and enjoy. And obviously your car gives you back what you deal it. If you want to race, eventually you have to replace....

Do you think that any race car on any circuit hasn't needed new parts after the strain that's put on them? I think any racing team would love to have a car that they never had to change out parts on due to wear and tear. Then they would really be in the money...

but as always...that's my 2 cents...take it or leave it.
 
Although my car only has 1800 miles on it so far I am really enjoying it. The only thing I have noticed that I think should not be there is the car will intermitently refuse a 5th to 4th downshift.
I will grind like a b****.
Has anyone experienced the same thing?
 
The tranny is crap. I have a long list of tranny problems and alot of the people have stock cars. Both my tranny's ****** up when I was driving them normally.

The SWC cars do not use stock tranny's. Well they do, but with tripoint gear sets which are alot stronger and about $800 each set if I am not mistaken.

Since I have rebuilt mine with the G15 gears it is alot stronger. The G25 is crap, hate to say it. I am not whining about it, just stating fact. I have been through the tranny twice now and I know 1st hand.

And you guys can't use the test drive excuse. Any car will seem great the 1st time driving it. If the dealer allowed a 20K mile test drive then alot of people wouldn't have bought it.

If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have bought this car. I have had so much trouble. Not just with the tranny. My wheel bearing recently went out and it was not covered under warranty. They said my ground control springs caused it, but I noticed the wheel bearing while I was installing the springs, ******* dealer. That came from the regional service manager too.

Why am I drving this car? Cause I really don't care hehe. I am going to throw a turbo on it, get it looking great, go to a few shows, then sell it and get something else. It is looking kinda rough now cause I am in the process of getting it rdy for the show season.
 
NC_MP3 said:
The tranny is crap. I have a long list of tranny problems and alot of the people have stock cars. Both my tranny's ****** up when I was driving them normally.

The SWC cars do not use stock tranny's. Well they do, but with tripoint gear sets which are alot stronger and about $800 each set if I am not mistaken.

Since I have rebuilt mine with the G15 gears it is alot stronger. The G25 is crap, hate to say it. I am not whining about it, just stating fact. I have been through the tranny twice now and I know 1st hand.

And you guys can't use the test drive excuse. Any car will seem great the 1st time driving it. If the dealer allowed a 20K mile test drive then alot of people wouldn't have bought it.

If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have bought this car. I have had so much trouble. Not just with the tranny. My wheel bearing recently went out and it was not covered under warranty. They said my ground control springs caused it, but I noticed the wheel bearing while I was installing the springs, ******* dealer. That came from the regional service manager too.

Why am I drving this car? Cause I really don't care hehe. I am going to throw a turbo on it, get it looking great, go to a few shows, then sell it and get something else. It is looking kinda rough now cause I am in the process of getting it rdy for the show season.

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You noticed the wheel bearing when you put the spirngs in and didn't get it fixed right then? Your fault, not the dealers. The service manager made the decision he felt was most correct. How do we know what you are saying is ture. If it was going out before you put the stuff in, you should have fixed it then.

The tranny is not crap, get over it. Abuse causes premature tranny failure not normal driving and you know it...

This kind of attitude is exactly what I was getting at in my original post.
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I apologize if I piss anyone off, I'm having a rough time right now with other things.
 
Something interesting to note, the G-25 and G-15 use the exact same parts, the only difference is the gear ratios.

So, the G-15 isn't any stronger than the "weak" G-25...
 
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Original post was right on Stutters, thanks for speaking up this is a frustrating thing to deal with while reading other posts! :cool:
 
Hi ppl.

Ok..let's put it that way....
I bought a new 03 p5 few months ago here in Canada...

I tried se-r, vibe(matrix wasnt available for a test drive), corolla, civic and all the rest in that "econo-range"

I must admit, i was no fan of mazda at that time. I wanted a Nissan real bad... But when I tried the P5. That was it. I knew that's what i wanted.
Why Nissan? Because we had a 92 Stanza and I still love it!!! piece of crap? if you say so...I dont care...
And I'm very happy about it.

Sure the P5 comes with things I dont like much. Like the doors "lock/unlock" button wich is in a weird position.
But there's nothing perfect in this world.
Oh yes, maybe it's not a fast car, but i was award of that when i bougth it
And I live happy with it
Sorry for my english, hope you guys understand a little bit what i was trying to say.

I guy who love is P5:D
 
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