Mazda Protege5

mazdafun · May 2002

I think the non-interfering means that even when the valves are completely extended, the piston still won't hit them.

mazdafun · May 2002

That the 2.0 engine is also non-interfering. A little extra mpg means little when you're facing a repair bill for wacked valves and/or pistons.

cdnp5 · May 2002

I just finished a trip of 3200 Km (2000 Miles) and kept track of my gas mileage to see what kind of mileage I would get on a long trip. Below are my number in Ltr/100km, MPG Cdn and MPG US and my p5 has 15,000km (almost 10,000 miles) on the odometer. I went hiking in NC, WV and Kentucky and enjoyed every bit of it. The best section of highway (read: most fun) that I drove on was between Little Switzerland NC and Marion NC on hwy 226A which was 15 miles of nothing but turns, more turns and then even more turns with hardly a straight section to be found. I drove most of it in third gear (rev up to 4500-5000 rpm and back down to 2000-2500 rpm, turn and repeat) with the odd slower second gear corners thrown in. Since I had a friend in the car that doesn't do very well as a passenger (mild motion sickness) I didn't get to go full out through the corners but still took most of them at good speeds. The car handled amazing (which we all know it does) and put a silly grim on my face for hours. The worse section of road was in Detroit MI on I94 or I96 (can't remember which one from all the banging around) just north of the I75 turn off towards Port Huron. This is the worst road I have ever driven on, worse than going down a logging road! The good news is that P5 held its line over every bump, hole, missing section of the hwy, love that independent rear suspention and I didn't lose the car/tire in any potholes (don't know how though).
The numbers....

Tank Ltr/100 Cnd MPG -- US MPG
1 -- 6.80 -- 41.38 -- 34.81
2 -- 6.92 -- 40.61 -- 34.16
3 -- 7.42 -- 37.89 -- 31.87
4 -- 8.17 -- 34.40 -- 28.94
5 -- 7.18 -- 39.16 -- 32.94
6 -- 7.91 -- 35.54 -- 29.89
7 -- 7.22 -- 38.94 -- 32.76

Avg -- 7.38 -- 38.10 -- 32.05

I was very impressed with my first two tanks of gas. I use cruise at 120kph (72mph) and didn't need the A/C until the third tank (which was the only tank that the A/C was on) . Tank 4 was in the Blue Ridge Parkway plus back highways with lots of revs being used which should explain the lower number. Don't know what happened to tank 6, oh yeah, that was getting through Lexington Kentucky with the pre-morning rush hour traffic. Most of the slow lane of traffic was moving at 130kph (80mph) and faster which helped get us through there very quickly. The only thing that bothered me was the number of truck on the freeways. In the higher density areas it usually left only one lane for cars as the trucks would take up two and sometimes three lanes of traffic. I don't have a solution for this so I will say nothing more on that.

cheers.

ps. Sorry for all of the --'s as I couldn't get it to align properly in here.

protege_fan · May 2002

Great info! Thanks. Glad to hear that you had a good trip.

bluong1 · May 2002

Thanks for the detailed report. Could you please tell us if your car is auto or manual? I think it's important even if you were mostly cruising, as the auto one will run at lower RPM at the same speed.

Bruno

mustang87 · May 2002

"I'd never buy a car with an automatic transmission, but if I had to suffer with one, the manu-matic is the way to go. "

Today I spent 1.5 hours driving the same distance it usually takes me 5 minutes. NO LIE. Damn, fuel spill on I-95. I am glad I had an auto

mustang87 · May 2002

thanks for the info maltb and js9297. btw, jas i emailed you at the hotmail address. i'd appreciate if you forward that info to me. i might be there on friday for an oil change. also i think i will tell them to check it on the computer of something. i want better mpg

btw, bruno, i disagree that auto runs at lower rpm. auto is a 4speed and manual is 5. so when you are at 80mph in 5 gear, your rpms will be less than 80 in 4th. at 80, i am at around 3600.

bpi · May 2002

The engine will run slower in 5th gear in a 5-sp than in 4th gear (same transmission). Whether it runs faster or slower in 5th gear in a 5-sp than in 4th gear in a 4-sp auto depends on the gear and final drive ratios. In every case I've seen (can't say I've checked them all), the engine with a 5-sp manual (top gear) runs faster than the same engine with a 4-sp auto (top gear) at the same speed.

For the Protege5 (and the Protege ES):
The 5th gear (5-sp manual) has a ratio of 0.755 and a final drive ratio of 4.105. The overall ratio is 0.755*4.105=3.100.

The 4th gear (4-sp auto) has a ratio of 0.725 and a final drive ratio of 3.904. The overall ratio is 0.725*3.904=2.830.

Since they use the same tires, the engine mated to the 5-sp will run 10% faster than the one mated to the 4-sp auto (assuming the lockup torque converter is engaged) at the same speed.

dsm6 · May 2002

I think it's typical to gear an auto taller than a manual for a given model. I think it's primarily to make up for lost fuel efficiency. A double whammy against the auto, as far as I'm concerned - it gets less power to the road, and is geared taller at the same time. Then on top of that, you lose a gear with which to keep the engine in the power band.

Of course, it is more convenient. Makes it easier to drive while talking on the cell.

If I want convenient, I'll take the bus. ;-)

(Note to auto owners: I'm pulling your leg. The difference isn't that big.)

bluong1 · May 2002

"If I want convenient, I'll take the bus."

what's bus? Don't know in Houston!

Bruno

dsm6 · May 2002

Gee, I'm surprised. Houston is known for being so environmentally friendly. You'd think it would be over-flowing with alternative transportation. Must be the influence of that no-good ex-governor. ;-)

bluong1 · May 2002

And BTW, where you get the idea Houston is environmentally friendly? Look, we have a biggest proportion of pickup truck using 6l V8 engines, we don't know what means "recycling", the bus sucks, we own absurd or inexistence lanes for bikers, we are constantly on the top three of cities who have the most pollution, etc... Try to get to the east side of the town, one can hardly breath with all the smoke and chemistry stuff release in the air by refineries!

Bruno

bluong1 · May 2002

to mustang87: that's surprising isn't it? You can check the gear ratios in mazdausa website.

Bruno

dsm6 · May 2002

I'm pretty sure I was joking. ;-)

silver_bullet · May 2002

I've lived in Houston since 1969, and things have gone from bad to worse regarding traffic and air quality. In this town, busses are looked upon as second class transportation for people who can't afford cars. "Alternative transportation" means taking your spouse's Lincoln Navigator to work while your pickup is in the shop having chrome "bull bars" attached to the front

This is not a friendly place for people like me who actually walk and bike as much as possible, and save the gas burner for those times when you really need it.

cdnp5 · May 2002

Since I love to feel like I'm driving I selected a manual plus I feel more control over the engine. One thing I forgot to say was one day when I was coming back from a hike and taking the Parkway I saw about 30-40 Porsche 928's cruising down the parkway towards me. I was quite excited when I saw three in a row but they kept coming and coming.

cheers.

sharonf · May 2002

Hey Jerry....I just realized that the Cali meet is on Father's Day.....chances are I won't be able to make it.
sharon

maltb · May 2002

That puts me out too...

thanks for the reminder Sharon.

boopoppa · May 2002

can someone tell me briefly what the difference is between CART, Indy, and F-1

silver_bullet · May 2002

F1 drivers are smaller, snobbier, and richer, live in Monaco, and almost never hear the Star Spangled Banner during the racing season. CART and IRL drivers are slightly larger with slightly smaller egos, don't earn quite as much, and mostly live in the U.S. It is difficult to tell any of these drivers apart at a cocktail party because most of them seem to be from Brazil.

mustang87 · May 2002

haha, thats funny. seems to be true.

btw, maltb and js9297, the s-plan document states that a dealer cannot charge a "document fee".
when i bought the car i paid the document fee and the dealers fee. the document fee is required in the state of florida and its a percentage of the vehicle price. the dealers fee is the fee printed on the buyers order. so does the document fee that s-plan refers to is the dealer's fee or the state document fee. please help. also the dealer never gave me all the s-plan papers like stated in the s-plan rules.

jstandefer · May 2002

Doh!

I didn't even notice that! I would change the date but I think it's too late as I already have a dozen RSVPs including two people from out of state (Arizona and Texas!). I will try to plan it better next time... Sorry about that.

-Jerry

jas9297 · May 2002

Mustang87:
Since FLA is wierd and has a state "doc" fee, :-) I would focus on the "other" language in the S-Plan brochure.

Although called a "doc fee", I imagine the state fee is more of a tax, registration, or similar type fee. Most states charge a sales tax (or special vehicle sales tax), which is a percentage of the vehicle's price, plus registration fees, which are set amounts.

When your dealer charged a "dealers fee" you SHOULD ask him what it is for. You might want to do so before you show him the brochure!

In the brochure, it says: "The dealership may not charge separately for document preparation or other administrative services incidental to the delivery of the vehicle."

On the last page it says: "My dealer insists on charging a 'documentation fee.' Is this allowed? No. Fees for document preparation or similar administrative services are not allowed."

I don't know what your dealer will claim the "dealer's fee" is for, but I bet you it is for some "administrative" service. This is not allowed, despite what he calls it. If you ask him to explain the fee before you show him the brochure, he cannot weasel out of it.

In my opinion, the language is very clear: those types of administrative fees are "not allowed." I would therefore focus on the language beginning with "other" and "similar", instead of the exact name of the fee.

BTW: my fee was called a "processing fee", not a "documentation fee". But it was clear the fee was for document processing and other services incidental to delivery. They have agreed to refund it, and have already cut a check.

dagpotter · May 2002

May be a stupid question...the dealer said my pre-refresh P5 had daytime running lights. The manual seems to indicate only Canadian cars do, but is not entirely clear. My car doesn't. Is this a mechanical problem, or do only the CA cars have them?

protege_fan · May 2002

I've got DRL's as they are mandatory up here in the Great White North. What's the law in your area?

I know that if the parking brake is pulled up one notch, then the DRL's will turn off.

For the record, I think DRL's are a great idea. I still don't understand the opposition to them.

dagpotter · May 2002

Not required in Virginia. The car is a California car, so I am assuming it doesn't have DRL.

protege_fan · May 2002

There are some others from Virginia...wait till tomorrow as they can let you know whether they have DRL's or not.

scozim · May 2002

Since I'm newer to this discussion, I'll apologize if this has come up in the past. Has anyone lowered their P5? If so, how's the ride now? How much improvement did you see? What mods did you make? Thanks.

the_big_h · May 2002

go to http://www.protegeclub.com/forum, there are a lot of P5 owners there that have lowered their cars with H&R, Eibach springs, or Ground Control coilovers. Most of them really love the look and the ride of the springs.

but please go to that forum to get first-person feedback of these lowering springs.

good luck!

sharonf · May 2002

I'm curious about that too. Something I'm considering doing in the future....after I take care of some expenses around the house! I've read of alot of people using Eibach springs....from protege5online.com. I'm really just interested in them for asthetics....but wonder how the ride is affected.
Sharon

alternator · May 2002

Before daylight running lights were available, I always had my parking lights on during the daytime as I felt it gave me an edge in being noticed, including from the rear. With the adoption of DRL however I don't understand why the rear parking lights aren't illuminated as part of the package. I still switch my parking lights on to cover my rear, so to speak.

shrique · May 2002

if anyone cares I came up with a cheap cargo mat this weekend. It's less than half the price but not as pretty as the Mazda one.

Go down the Home Depot (or anywhere) and buy a 3'x5' rubber backed carpeted door mat. It's about $20(us). Take your factory hatch carpet out and flip it upside down on top of the door mat. Chalk the outline and cut it out. I used a propane torch to melt the edges of the carpet to make sure it wouldn't fray out (you just have to pass it over and the carpet melt). If you like you can even cut the slots for the cargo tie downs. Again I used the torch to melt the carpet around the tie down slots.

I was going camping this last weekend and I needed something to protect my baby. (GRIN)

reitrof · May 2002

Since there were some posts on mileage I thought I would post mine from the holiday weekend drive. Boston, MA to Ontario and back. 30 MPG going up and 32 coming back.

Up was mostly "spirited" interstate driving and coming back was a mix of Highway, city and cruisin thru the Adirondacks at again a spirited pace. Man I love this car.

tgif888 · May 2002

anyone bought the Mazda extended warranty and how much does it cost?

protege_fan · May 2002

I bought 1 extra year of extended warranty for about $200 CDN.

IIRC, the 7 years was just over $1000 CDN.

mustang87 · May 2002

thanks, but another question. does mazda know that you bought a car on the s-plan? my dealer never did give me s-plan documents and never did write on the order that the car was bought on s-plan. it is however the right price since they did show me the invoice with this price. thanks.

limpyboy · May 2002

Maybe somebody can help: I received today a large white envelope from mymazda.com containing a copy of the Mazda magazine, a "Quick Reference" to my P5 and an accessories pamphlet.

The front of the envelope, which had either accidentally or intentionally been opened before it got to our house, said: "Careful: Glass enclosed"

Anyone know what the missing glass is?

Thanks

--Chris

mnkyboy · May 2002

Is this the "Welcome Package" that you are talking about? Mine came in a flat box, and it contained the items that you mentioned, PLUS a bottle of touch-up paint. That is the "Glass" part. Maybe they forgot to put it in the envelope? I would email www.mazdausa.com about this. They will send you another package most likely. After hearing about other people who recieved the "Welcome Package", I emailed Mazda USA about it (about 2 mths after I bought the car). About a week or so later, I recieved (2) "Welcome Packages". Now I have (2) bottles of touch-up paint.

Sporin · May 2002

I'm averaging a solid 30 MPG in my manual P5 with just over 17k on it. This weekend's 3-state trip brought me 34 MPG. All on 87 octane btw.

Sporin · May 2002

Who has the highest mileage Protegé5??

My silver beauty was purchased 9/1/01 and I have just over 17,000 miles in 9 months.

clayman1000 · May 2002

Here are some good sites to shop around for cars and financing;

www.edmunds.com The best?
www.intellichoice.com Value ratings and reviews.
www.digitalcars.com Model Comparison Financing
www.carbuyingtips.com Help avoid scams,do I really need that $500.00 prep fee?
www.pricecentral.com Online loan comparison
www.consumerguide.com Crash course on Financing

badboyeee · May 2002

MNKYBOY - whats the email addy? i cant find one on mazdausa.com

i just got my welcome package, its the same as limpyboys. i too noticed the label saying "Caution, glass enclosed!"

ive heard most people got touch up paint. i want some too!

mnkyboy · May 2002

CALL 1-800-222-5500 or

EMAIL MM@mazdausa.com

For more information, see this thread on protegeclub.com. I posted the same info there. Hope this helps.

http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1519&highlight=mazdausa+email

meinrad · May 2002

I bought touch-up paint, then got a bottle in my welcome kit, then got a bottle in the mail from my dealer. LoL. Now I've got 3, I can repaint the whole car!

jas9297 · May 2002

"does mazda know that you bought a car on the s-plan?"

-Yes, I identified myself as being eligible for the S-Plan. There is nothing special on my order or invoice, but they showed my the S-Plan price on the invoice, and gave me the discount. The invoice is written showing the MSRP, and then discounts off that to get to the final price. Again, no specific mention of the S-Plan, but they knew I was buying it based on that price.

fgaydos · May 2002

What's the S plan?
Student?
TIA

mazdafun · May 2002

The Mazda version of Ford's X-plan. Both are made available to fleet customers (or to organizations that negotiate this with them; if your employer offers Ford's X-plan, then they likely offer Mazda's S-plan). Typically, a little to a lot (<$100 to several hundred dollars) under dealer invoice.

iamz · May 2002

21,737 miles. Picked up July 2001.

ggilliom · May 2002

New topic: paint.

I've read complaints on other P5 forums that people with Red and Yellow paint complain that it chips very easily. I haven't heard that complaint from people with the metallic colors (gray, for example, and I think the blue is metallic, too).

I have a 93 MX-6, and my only complaint over the years was that the bright red paint seemed to chip easily, and has severely faded/"chalked" over time. I mentioned this to some other Mazda fanatics online a few years back, and they commented that the non-metallic paint Mazda uses looks fantastic (and almost wet) brand new, but is considered a "soft" paint and not terribly durable.

Based on early to mid-'90s MX-6s and 626s I've seen with metallic paint, they seem to have aged much better.

So...all this said, do any of you older Mazda owners agree? Any idea if the newer glossy paints are more durable?

I LOVE the red P5 paint. It's the color I really want. But I'm wondering if the white or gray might age better.

Thanks!

protege_fan · May 2002

All the paints chip easily. I believe most, if not all auto manufacturers are now using a water based paint that chips hella easy. It sucks

My friend's '02 Subaru Impreza TS wagon (blue colour) has way more chips than my '01 black mica Pro.

Mazda Protege5

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