This 2003 Mazda Protege5 Manual Is The Definition Of Cheap, Slow, Practical Fun

Mazda’s in all probability making more cash nowadays promoting sporty-ish crossovers with impressively luxurious cabins, however man, the Mazdaspeed days had been so cool. At least till the guarantee ran out, and also you realized simply what number of issues a Mazdaspeed6 may have. But whereas Younger Me would have killed for a Mazdaspeed Protege, with age comes knowledge, and nowadays, I’m fairly certain my favourite non-Miata Mazda from that period was much more fundamental Protege5 with the five-speed guide. A hatchback that Cars & Bids so kindly just reminded me nonetheless seems to be excellent.

Come on, inform me that is not a severely good wanting little hatchback. It is not making an attempt too arduous. Nothing about it’s shouting at you. And but, it is nonetheless engaging and would not actually even look all that dated, particularly contemplating it is greater than 20 years previous. Okay, so this specific Protege5 seems to have beforehand been wrecked, and the repaint is not precisely what I might name “equal to or better than OEM spec,” however it’s advantageous. The automotive’s sufficiently old to vote, and it will in all probability promote for cheap-ish used bike cash.

Now, when you’re in search of a straight-line pace machine, this isn’t your automotive. The transmission’s a five-speed guide, certain, however the engine is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder that solely made 130 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque when it was new, all the best way again when Nickelback was on the radio. My brother truly owned one, and whereas I do not bear in mind the precise yr, it could not have been greater than 10 years previous at that time. Even then, that automotive did not really feel fast.

That wasn’t as a lot of an issue near sea stage, however when you wished to, say, head as much as the mountains to benefit from the best driving roads the Appalachian Mountains needed to provide, no turbo principally meant no energy. Except you could not get mad as a result of that low-cost, sensible, fashionable little hatchback was nonetheless a hoot within the twisties. And even with solely 5 speeds, the guide transmission was nonetheless glorious. Three pedals superb.

Most of you’re in all probability sufficiently old to already know this, however when you’re slightly youthful, I’m sorry. A automotive that felt gradual throughout Obama’s first time period is assured to really feel even slower at this time, particularly when you’ve by no means pushed a automotive bought earlier than turbos and gasoline direct injection went mainstream. But who cares? It’s obtained a stick, the stick is sweet, and it is enjoyable to drive. The precise drawback with the Protege5 at this time is that fashionable engine tech added higher gasoline mileage in addition to extra energy, so this automotive will get an EPA-rated 24 mpg mixed and solely supplied 28 mpg on the freeway. 

If you are going to drive a gradual automotive, it ought to no less than get good gasoline mileage, and I really feel like 30 mpg actually is not an excessive amount of to ask from a 130-hp inline-four. I imply, it was again then, once they could not but justify the upper price of a six-speed guide. I’m speaking about at this time, when the common gallon of gasoline prices greater than $4.50. But, you realize, there isn’t any reserve, so if the tough paint, earlier wreck, and odometer with greater than 200,000 miles on it maintain the bids low, you may have the ability to snag this factor for thus little cash, the bad-by-modern-standards gasoline mileage may not even matter. 

Wait, what’s that about an exhaust leak? Oh, I’m certain it is nothing. That’s in all probability no huge deal, proper?