![]() ![]() Outside, they’ve lowered the Protege about an inch and added two spoilers, side skirts and rounded headlamps that make it seem more attacking in its stance. In the MP3 that means Tokico shocks and a tight ride that will have you bouncing to the music, even if you don’t want to. What helps out are the upgrades that come courtesy of Racing Beat in Anaheim, Calif., a company that loves to turn Honda Civics into Honda Un-civils, with aftermarket ad-ons. Not great power, but decent given the vehicle’s weight.Īnd because what’s around the engine is tuned so tight and lightweight – supportive bucket seats, a shifter with a short throw and an engine that wants to rev – the MP3 maneuvers and grips the road, eating up challenges. ![]() Handling is responsive and the 2- liter twin-cam four-cylinder gets a boost of 10 horsepower (140 total) and seven pound-feet of torque over previous models. With 17-inch wheels tied to a leatherwrapped three-spoke steering wheel, it is truly form and function melding into one. With revised steering this year, the MP3’s roadability is still topshelf, and maybe slightly above the other Protege’s we’ve driven. Fortunately, when the designers tweaked the sound system they also bolstered a few other parts. It clobbers the compact sedans and valiantly spars with the bigger boys, and for good reason: It’s fun. The Protege has always been a critic’s friend. Modified from an original auto manufacturer’s show car (called the MPS), Mazda took its traditional Protege, spruced up the exterior like a tricked-out street racer, added fatter, 17-inch wheels, a spoiler and (did we mention?) the radio. Topped out and loaded at $18,530, it might be hard to get either away from it. The sales folks at Mazda thought it would be a good idea to build a niche vehicle, something appealing to either the teen-age son in the family or the father who hadn’t yet lost his hearing, but wanted to. They’d like you to believe, in this case, a good car starts with a great set of tunes, ergo: the MP3.Īlthough you’d have reason to believe Mazda brought in a set of 16-year-olds to tweak its Protege, the MP3 idea actually came out of a meeting with straight-as-plaid sales managers. The MP3’s real charm is in its firmer springs, stiffer control-arm bushings and an upgraded engine that keeps it fun even when your only musical selection is tires on pavement. Sure, the MP3’s 280-watt Kenwood Excelon Z919 head unit is a disco ball of flashy electronics and fancy buttons all hooked to a thub, thub, thub of a subwoofer better suited for Rage Against the Machine than Ray Charles. It’s 20 teen-agers in a 5-by-9 cell with ‘N Sync. ![]() But to say it’s just a stereo is to say sled dogs generally prefer red meat.Īs one auto critic noted, the MP3 isn’t really a vehicle. Hence, the name of the car, and a sizable understanding why it’s $2,000 more than a Plain-Jane Protege ES. New for 2001, in what Mazda calls its Performance Series lineup, the Protege is a decent ride with a stadium-sized radio that can handle anything you throw its way – either Memorex or MP3 digital audio burned in your best friend’s basement. Welcome to the jungle and goodbye acute hearing. Depending on your point of view – and likely your age – about 60 ticks in the cross hairs of the MP3’s fury will give you all the ammo to know this midsize, unassuming, sporty sedan is really Axl Rose in disguise. If you are having problems with the transmission in your Protege, such as clunky shifting or hesitation, check the fluid level first - it is amazing how many drivers pay thousands of dollars for transmission work when a half quart of transmission fluid would have fixed the problem.You don’t need a week in the new Mazda Protege MP3 to draw some decent conclusions. When adding transmission fluid to your Protege, be sure to add it slowly as it will fill up quickly and is difficult to remove excess fluid if you overfill. If the transmission fluid level in your Protege is low, you need to add transmission fluid through the dipstick tube or the check plug hole. The transmission check plug will typically be on the bottom or the side of the transmission and may also be next to the axle. The transmission dipstick will typically be in the engine bay or on top or even the side of your Protege transmission. Your Protege will have either a transmission dipstick or a check or fill plug to perform a transmission fluid check. The video above shows where the transmission fluid dipstick or the transmission fluid check plug is located in your Protege and how to check the transmission fluid level. The engine in your 2002 Mazda Protege should be running when you perform a transmission fluid level check, otherwise it will be inaccurate. ![]()
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