A tribute to my last car (now sold)! This was a 2001 Mazda Protege ES 2.0 sedan which I bought brand new in September of '01. I sold it in order to save money toward the purchase of another new car. To get me by I ended up buying a 1990 Geo Prizm GSi which I've opted to keep as my sleeper vehicle since picking up my 2007 Accord EX-L. Underestimate this Geo, not!
Per my usual preferences, my old Protege was also all-stock, except for a full sound proofing project where I covered all interior surfaces (under the trim & carpeting) with sound dampening AND absorbing materials.
I always thought the Protege ES was one of the greatest looking small cars anywhere, although I wasn't especially happy with its engine performance and refinement level.
Mirror shine, as I like to keep all cars I own!
Being a gadget lover, I personally installed a Mazda OEM (made by Donnelly) electrochromatic rear view mirror with temperature and directional heading indicator. Was nice to have!
Showroom clean!
This car had
every available factory option.
I found the Protege was the best handling car I'd ever driven, stock (except for a Porsche Boxter S I was lucky enough to try one time!). That said, it was tiring on road trips due to its punishing ride character, which made it tough for me to live with (since I love the open road). I also found, unfortunately, the FS-DE engine unrefined and inefficient, delivering at best 30 MPG (which true isn't too bad). Comparatively speaking, I personally feel the Toyota 4A-GE engine in my decade older Geo Prizm GSi a far better power plant, delivering the same horsepower yet being smaller (1.6 vs. the Mazda's 2.0 liter), and the Toyota engine has routinely returned 38 MPG on the highway-- A few times I've secured 42 MPG! The 4A-GE also sounds more refined-- It runs smoother and revs higher than the Mazda FS-DE. No offense to anyone who has this car, but I was embarrassed every time I started it up from a cold state, as it clattered horribly and, seriously, sounded like a diesel. This I found unacceptable from a car I paid $17 grand for and was a 21st Century offering. I must say the MZR engines in the newer Mazda3 and Mazda6 are leagues better than the old FS-DE, at least.
But no doubt about it-- The Protege was a blast to drive on twisty roads and short, around town trips. Elements of that, true enough, I miss!
