u tinkin bout buyin a sport20 foreign used or second hand???
i know sumone who sellin theres... let me know if u interested
here is d basic specs for it (jus the us version - protege5 limited to 130hp engine, japan version - sport20 160hp engine)
http://www.internetautoguide.com/car-sp ... index.html
an sum rewiews
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2003 ... 58251.html
http://www.automedia.com/2002/Mazda/Pro ... 011001mp/1
http://www.automallusa.net/2002/mazda/p ... views.html
2002 Mazda Protege5
Feb 21 '02
Author's Product Rating
Product Rating: 4.0
Reliability:
Seat Comfort:
Quality and Craftsmanship:
Roominess:
Pros
Great handling, impressive features, very comfortable, decent gas mileage.
Cons
Sport suspension good, but rough, needs a few more HP, CD/radio not up to par
The Bottom Line
Mazda, which makes an excellant car in general, has a good, well-balanced and fun vehicle in the Protege5. Can't wait to really wind it out this summer!
Full Review
The 2002 Mazda Protege5 is an impressive little hatchback, geared towards the 20-something audience. At the outset, it comes fairly well loaded with sunroof, CD player, 16" tires, chrome trim, power locks, windows, and other features for a very realistic price. The outside is eye-catching, and sports European-style lamps and styling. The inside sports cloth seats, a moon roof, a CD player, a well laid out and lit instrument panel, very comfortable seats, and a well thought out configuration for the cabin. It is not a large car, nor are the back seats big enough for most on long travels. However, there is more than enough room for a dog, baby, or groceries. The cargo area in the hatchback is good for groceries or overnight bags, but is not overly large.
It is also typically Japanese, with small pedals, door handles, and a short throw ratio on the shifter. This is certainly not bad...just different for those who drive American or European cars.
Performance from the 2.0L engine is, in short, pretty darn good, particularly compared to other compact cars. It could really use about 30 more horsepower, but coupled with a very stiff suspension, it handles curved roads with ease, and can really speed up quite quickly. On the freeway, it has no problem maintaining upper freeway speeds, but you do feel the bumps with the suspension, particularly on rougher roads. This is a car really more suited to blacktop country roads, where it shines; I regularly can take curves near my home at 65 in the Mazda compared to 35 in my old car. Gas mileage is also fairly good; I'm clocking just about 28 HWY. Finally, I would not even think about putting an automatic in this car; Mazda has done a great job at making a sporty, high-mileage, fun car with a stick; putting an auto in this car would destroy everything (mileage, sport driving, and the experience). Road noise is less than I expected, but I'd still like a little more insulation, particularly when "exceeding" the speed limit.
On the downside, the CD system blows. I don't pretend to be an audiophile, or even have good hearing, but it's almost impossible to balance the system, and my Ford F150 provides better sound. It's nice to have a CD, but I'm thinking that some aftermarket Cructhfield work is in order to truly make this a better vehicle. Also, my understanding is that the tires for this car are only made for this car; although they're good, and big...that could lead to problems should you need a tire fast, particularly since the spares one of those little munchkin things. The only other caveat is that the standard roof rack that comes with the car should basically be removed; unless you actually use it, I found it to considerably drive up wind noise on the freeway and reduce gas mileage.
Oh...as for reliability, I have had no dealer work done; I currently have 17,600 miles on it, and change the oil and rotate the tires (as instructed in the manual), every 5K.
Recommended:
Yes
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Protege5; sport hatchback
(epinions.com)
