In Canada we get ABS and AIR BAGS as standard features


In the US you get bigger speakers, roof rack and A/C..
and leather stearing I think ??

 

Quicksilver: Yep, I know where Angleton is. I actually live in Pearland, so Angleton isn't far at all.

As for ABS, despite people's personal opinions, the data are pretty clear that ABS is generally a legit safety feature. Insurance companies are generally not interested in giving discounts on things that don't actually decrease their payout rate, and ABS has been around long enough that the data on this is pretty solid. This may indeed be in part because most people don't really know how to brake in slippery conditions anyway, but that doesn't change the fact that for most people, ABS is safer.

The other thing to remember is that on the Pro, ABS also comes with EBD, which does, under most circumstances, reduce your stopping distance on dry pavement. This is worth it.

 

Hehe, knowing how to brake is one thing. Whether you can use what you know during a panic situation is a totally different issue (ask yourself, how many times have you done stupid things because you panicked and didn't think?)

Yeah, everyone knows you don't stomp on the brake so that the wheels don't lock and you don't skid your a$$ off, but if a deer dashes 50 feet in front of you while you're driving 60mph... will you still pump your brakes?

If you answer yes right away and really envision yourself doing it, then forget the ABS ans save some money, but make sure you practice your reaction so that it's 2nd nature.

If you thought about it before saying yes, then ABS might save your life.

And Sunbryne is right, ABS works best on dry roads. In slippery conditions, YMMV because ABS won't know exactly what type of road condition you're driving on. It will react based on the amount of wheel locking that occurs.

 

Actually, I had this exact same situation happen a few years ago,except I was doing almost 70. Never locked the brakes (in fact, barely used them) and managed to steer around Bambi. But you've made a good point: if you not willing to practice proper driving technique (and that goes for a lot more than threshold braking) you need every safety device you can get. In fact, you should probably be wary of venturing over the speed limit. Really.

And I would disagree with any statement that says ABS works best under XXXX weather condition. ABS works best when driver error causes the brakes to lock.

 

Does any1 know what size speakers are in the Canadian version of the Pro5? I know the US has 6.5" up front and 5x7 in the rear. What does Canada have? Thanks...

David
'02 Protege 5 (Midnight Blue)
K&N Drop in
Tint
Yada yada

 

I drove a delivery van (Chevy Astro, a whoop *** winter machine) for several years in the Colorado Rockies, where it does snow a bit. I drove over Vail Pass (11000+ feet, ~3400meters) and various other passes daily (sometimes many times a day and nightly when I was working the night shift). Yes, you should first avoid situations where you could slide.... I can't tell you how many SUV's I saw in ditches (probably 90% of vehicles in the ditch were suvs). They'd jam it up the hill, crest the summit, not slow down, and then ping-pong down the other side of the mountain, bouncing off the Jersey wall and the cliffs on the other side. Probably a dozen or so a day would do it.

Anyway, I became a firm believer in ABS. It saved me many times, not necessarily by shortening the stopping distance, but by allowing me to decide what I wanted to hit. A soft soft bank was much better than a cliff, tree, or the rear end of a cop car or Rockies size plow truck. ABS was also great when in a hurry and trying to find an address: see the turn you need going by, its snowy, just stomp on the brakes and turn the wheel where you want to go.... Way better than NonABS.

 

That's because most SUV drivers think their SUV is indestructable or something. They feel it looks tough, rides higher above than anyone else, so it surely can defy laws of physics

 

Pump your brakes??? No no please don't do that..
C'mon people it's called threshold braking.
No wonder car companies want to put ABS on everything.

 

Is it worth getting the ABS Brakes & Side Air Bags?

Not to me.

First off, you can't get either one without getting the moonroof which I did NOT want due to headroom issures. 2nd, I didn't want side airbags because I am a big guy and sit right close to the door and don't feel they are safe for someone my size. (Then again, neither are cheeseburgers.)

I go back and forth on ABS. Of all the cars I have owned, only one had ABS and it only came into play once or twice. In neither instance was it either a big help or a hinderance. If ABS was a stand-alone option, and I could have had it on my otherwise stripped 5-speed Pro5, I probably would have bought it.

Another thing is that I plan to own this car a VERY long time. So the fewer expensive electronic gizmos to break the better.

The insurance benefits at this stage in my life are minimal. Something like $50 a year which is hardly a strong financial incentive.

 

I believe I saw someone mention 5 1/4's front and back. Pretty decent speakers, add an amp and a sub and you're good to go.

Stocker

 

I was going to get the ABS brakes on my P5, but the dealer just couldn't get one soon enough, and I settled.

Looking back, I'm glad I didn't. I've done PLENTY of wintertime driving in my time, and I have absolutely learned how to reasonably control a vehicle in the snow. I don't claim to be an awesome driver - just experienced, and that counts for a lot. First off, the best thing is just not to drive. But if you must, stay the hell awayy from the guy behind you, as well as the SUV asswipe who thinks it's safe to do 70 mph.

Pumping the brakes during an emergency situation can easily become reflex with a little practice. I have saved my own *** (literally - the *** of my car) with proper braking. I can't count how many times I've had to brake heavily in rain or snow, and - by using the brakes properly - been able to steer away from the guy in front of me, who I surely would have hit had I just tried to stop. The best ones are when the guy behing ME (I ALWAYS check the mirrors quickly during heavy braking) hits the guy I avoided. The meat of that sandwich would have been ME.

I think we should all be REQUIRED to go have some fun in a snowy parking lot with our cars. I've learned so much about how to handle a vehicle in bad conditions, just by blasting around doing unsafe things in a VERY safe place.

Now if the cops who throw me out of those parking lots would only listen to reason.....