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2003 Mazda Protege
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Young or old this car is the best
Pros:
Quick, handles great, large community, lots of upgrades available, looks and feels great!
Cons:
Bushings, no factory boost gauge, shifter is short but needs shorter throw
The Bottom Line:
Get the extended warranty but this car is great, forget the Civics, with mild upgrades you will be very quick and a great everyday driver.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I recently purchased this car from a local dealer and after knowing there is small problems with it I didn't care, the car looked great sitting there at the lot and I couldn't resist.
I purchased an extended warranty with it to be sure i'd be covered and I highly recommend it to anyone not just for this car but a used vehicle in general.
I haven't had any huge issues other than the front swaybar bushings squeaking (common issue) and the factory Kenwood head-unit's CD mech going but again all under warranty.
This car has lots of power and can keep up with most cars on the street like the Civic Si, Subaru WRX (NOT Sti), SVT Focus, Nissan Sentra Spec-V.
The interior is very spacious and comparable to the Honda Civic Sedan in terms of roominess in the front and rear. The seats are very comfortable and very sporty with Alcantara (suede like) bolsters and yellow stitching around the seats. Cleaning and maintenance on the Alcantara fabric is easy by using a damp cloth to brush the fabric and keep it clean. Other special items include the leather shift boot with yellow stitching, shifter knob and the leather wrapped steering wheel.
In the rear the trunk has more then enough space for everyday items, however large tall items may have a little bit more difficulty because of the stereo system tray under the rear deck-lid.
In terms of 'touchy-feely' this car again is pretty close to its competitors and does not feel cheap. All dials and controls are in easy reach and easy to read without having to stumble around to find anything on the dashboard while driving.
In the options category the car comes fully loaded with a factory installed alarm system including a shock sensor and easy to use remote. Although I do feel like it should have a little more maybe cruise and a power trunk I am completely satisfied with the function of all the power equipment.
The stereo is above average and sounds great with all Kenwood car audio components including door tweeters, a 250watt amplifier and an 8" subwoofer in the trunk. Also comparable to Nissan's Rockford Fosgate or Chevrolet's Pioneer factory installed audio setups.
While cruising on the highway below boost (around 3,000 RPM boost kicks in) you get great gas mileage but for anyone who has a heavy foot when boost kicks in it will decrease your mileage quite a bit.
Suspension is stiff and handles great, i'm a young guy and i'm used to the stiff suspension but for older people it may get a little annoying if you arent used to sporty suspension.
This car turns heads anywhere I go and people always ask about it if they knew about the 'limited' production of them.
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