Mazda Protege5

iamz · October 2005

I agree with everything autonomous and Meade said on the quality and appearance of the Traction T/As. The only thing I did different was to go with 55 series (205/55/16) and I think H rated.

autonomous · October 2005

The only thing I did different was to go with 55 series (205/55/16) and I think H rated.
You're right: the 205/55/16 are H rated (210 km/h); they're about 10% cheaper than the 205/55/16 V rated (240km/h). So, your H tires are not only great performers but also a great value.

flipmack · October 2005

the only problem with 205/55/16 is that you're running a taller sidewall, which will affect performance for the sake of a better ride.

your steering probably is not as 'crisp' as before either...oh, and your speedometer is going to be off by more than 15%.

nobody88 · October 2005

I had my tires of my P5 replaced 3 weeks ago. I wished to go for BFGoodrich Traction T/A but there was no 195/50R16 and I didn't know that 205 fits. I got the Toyo Proxes 4 instead. They are great tires, very good dry and wet traction, good handling, comfortable and quiet though with some noise in highway. However the road feel becomes more sedan like because of the softer tire. I also noticed that the gas milage dropped by about 5% and the transmission(Automatic) engaged in the 3rd gear for longer time before it switches to 4th gear. May be this is the reason for lower gas mileage.

mdaffron · October 2005

Here's an excellent online tool for calculating speedometer error.

http://www.paspeedo.com/calculator.htm

Meade

mazda6iguy · October 2005

Was Kumho ever used as an OEM tire on the 2002 Protege's? I'm asking because we are thinking of buying a used Protege and it has Kumho tires on it (44k miles).

erics6 · October 2005

Nope. OE Dunlops, at least here in the states. I've got some Kumuho's as replacements on my 02. With 44k miles, the tires should have some decent tread left.

autonomous · October 2005

thinking of buying a used Protege and it has Kumho tires on it (44k miles)

Can you check the sidewalls to see which model and size of Kumho tires you have? If the ones on your prospective car are 195/50/16 with a rating of V (150mph) then they match the original Dunlops. The Kumho Ecsta ASX or Ecsta Supra are two examples of excellent models. I have noticed that Walmart sells some very inexpensive Kumhoes.

iamz · October 2005

Actually, the speedometer error is only 7.2% according to my GPS (checked multiple times). The ride improved quite a bit, as I expected, and oddly, cornering still feels almost as crisp as the Dunlops. No noticeable decrease in acceleration either. I'm sure it's there, I just can't detect it. Fuel economy has improved by about 3% which allows me about an extra mile per gallon.

The real reason I went with the 55 series was so that visually the tire fills out the wheel well more fully. And as a bonus the car sits off the ground just a bit more, which can't hurt here in the snowbelt.

flipmack · October 2005

your extra 1 MPG may be a false reading due to the taller sidewall and the affected speedometer error.

sorry about the 15% mistake. it was just my personal approximation.

either way, your speedo is off 7.2%...and that's a lot.

autonomous · October 2005

http://www.paspeedo.com/calculator.htm
Cool tool! Thanks Meade.

iamz · October 2005

The extra 1 mpg is actual. It's an average over many tanks and and takes into account actual distance traveled vs indicated distance traveled. It comes from the fact that the engine does not work as hard (lower rpm) at a given speed.

The speedometer error is easy enough to live with. As a motorcyclist, I'm used to dealing with speedometer error of that magnitude. Only on bikes, the speedometers are always optimistic by 6% or more.

On the car, I just keep a few conversions in my head. So for instance, if I want to drive 62, I keep the speedo at 58. If I want to keep the car at just under 70, I drive 64 to 65.

ripcord · October 2005

Does anyone have any experience with the Iridium spark plugs? My P5 was getting great gas mileage, until I changed the to synthetic oil, a new K&N air filter and Iridium spark plugs. Several websites on the internet mention using the V groove plugs instead of platinum or iridium because of gas mileage. Doesn't make sense to me, but I am open to any thoughts anyone can add to this. Thanks.

iamz · October 2005

Your best bet is to go back to the factory plugs. I know of no one who actually experienced a measurable performance increase from upgrading their spark plugs. And by measurable I mean at least four separate runs on a dyno. First with new factory plugs followed by the so called "performance plugs" and then once more with the new factory plugs and again, the performance plugs.

I do know of people who have had their vehicles clearly run like crap after putting in aftermarket performance plugs.

mazda6iguy · October 2005

How does the P5 perform in the winter? My friend is still thinking of getting the P5 with 44k on odo. Not sure if the car has ABS. I know it has Kumho exsta..somthing tires on it. I have to take another look at this car before the final decision is made. Hope this winter is mild compared to last year!

ripcord · October 2005

Thanks for the reply. I think I will put the NGK V-groove plugs in it tomorrow and see if there is a difference. It is definitely not running as good as I would like it to with the iridium plugs. I will report back to let everyone know what I found after putting in the V grooves.

ripcord · October 2005

Has anyone used the NGK zfr5f-11 long reach plugs in their 2.0l P5? Apparently these are the stock plugs for these cars in Japan and also in the 1.6l engine. Causes the fuel/air mixture to ignite earlier which in turn causes the engine to run smoother etc etc... Apparently no issues with piston damage which makes sense due to the non-interference engines.

limate · October 2005

I recently bought a 2002 protege5 with auto tranny. I feel the car is slowed down quickly on the flat road if the acceleration pedal is not pressed after reaching certain speed, eg, 40 mph. Has anyone similar experience? Is this normal for protege5 or I need to do something to make it smoother?

autonomous · October 2005

slowed down quickly on the flat road if the acceleration pedal is not pressed after reaching certain speed, eg, 40 mph. Has anyone similar experience? Is this normal for protege5 or I need to do something to make it smoother?

No, this is not normal. How many miles on your P5? What kind of maintenance has been done on the car to date?

limate · October 2005

My P5 has just past 30K miles after my purchasing for 2 weeks. The tight driving feeling is compared to my former Toyota Camry driving. Maintenance is regular oil change every 3000 miles from the former owner. Any suggestion for the reason of the tight driving is highly appreciated. Meanwhile I am watching the gas mulage to figure out what I should do.

autonomous · October 2005

30K miles for a 2002 Protege5 is relatively low (average would be closer to 45K); and 3K oil changes sound good.

When you say tight driving I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you mean the feeling of the car is stiff, and it reacts to road bumps more than your former Camry? With the P5's tight suspension bumps get transmitted readily and one "feels" the road. Personally, I love that feeling. If you're used to a soft floating ride, then driving the P5 may be quite a shock.

Or do you mean, that the acceleration is very abrupt? This "quick off the mark" feeling for some drivers is disorienting, the car feels as if it's rocketing from a stop before it calms down. As above, I love this about the P5.

If neither of these describes your situation, then the car may or may not be having a problem which can likely be determined by visiting a Mazda dealership. Did you have a mechanic check the car before you bought it?

limate · October 2005

Thank you so much for the kind description and comments.

First, I skipped mechanic check when buying this car because I liked it very mcuh and felt very good in the test drive. The seller is also honest to me.

Second, the tight driving means my P5 decelerates somewhat fast on a flat road without pressing brake padels. For example, it does not slide for a long distance on a flat and smooth (not bumpy) road without pressing the gas pedal after reaching certain speed such as 40 mph.

I also likes the tight suspension system. But I am concerned about this slow-down phenomenon. If this is related to the P5 tire? I want to get some clue before bothering any dealer. That's why I want to check out fuel efficiency.

flipmack · October 2005

does the P5 that you're driving have an automatic transmission or a manual transmission?

I've never driven the automatic transmission, but this sounds like it may be a transmission issue, since there shouldn't be anything that will slow the car down on a flat surface other than brakes and drag...and if you're not stepping on the brakes, then the transmission or something in the drivetrain (flywheel?) may be to blame.

Underinflated tires may also be culprit.

Again, I'm not sure. Definitely have it checked out by a professional.

autonomous · October 2005

The seller is also honest to me.
Did you ask the seller about the deceleration?

my P5 decelerates somewhat fast on a flat road without pressing brake padels. For example, it does not slide for a long distance on a flat and smooth (not bumpy) road without pressing the gas pedal after reaching certain speed such as 40 mph.

This may be due to a locked brake caliper. Basically, one or more of your disc brakes may have frozen into a position where it's constantly rubbing against the brake rotor. My understanding is this could happen, for example, if you did not drive the car for a while and the brakes get rusty and don't move properly. Check to see if any of your brakes look different than the other three. A simple fix would be to drive somewhere where you can test your brakes and apply them very hard a few times to see if you can unlock them. If that does not work, you may want to have all your brakes cleaned and the calipers lubricated. Here's another idea: go to a Mazda dealership and see if you can test drive another P5; if the other P5 handles the same as your car likely there is no problem with your P5.

limate · November 2005

I went to a local dealer, but could not find any available model of P5 for test drive. I tried a 2006 Mazda3 instead, and found it is somewhat smoother than my P5. The seller cannot tell me anything about my question.

Then I tried the dealer service department. I have no idea of the reputation of the service, so I asked for a regular oil change. But I am very disappointed with their service because they did not perform whole circle inspection and brake inspection on the checklist. They anyway checked my brake by vision after my complaint, and seemed nothing wrong with the brake system.

mazdafun · November 2005

Some P5 and 3 hatch have experienced frozen parking brake cables, which causes the rear brakes to stay engaged, which hurts fuel economy, creates lots of brake dust, and wears down the brake pads quickly.

The fix is to spray some lubricant in there and make sure the boots are working (or if they're even installed). If you look at the way they curve upwards, you can see how some grit and water can get stuck in the parking brake cable conduit.

autonomous · November 2005

The fix is to spray some lubricant in there and make sure the boots are working (or if they're even installed).

p.s. careful not to grease up your rotors when you spray lubricant; that will make braking very dangerous.

mazdafun · November 2005

JK

mazda6iguy · November 2005

Can you check the sidewalls to see which model and size of Kumho tires you have? If the ones on your prospective car are 195/50/16 with a rating of V (150mph) then they match the original Dunlops. The Kumho Ecsta ASX or Ecsta Supra are two examples of excellent models. I have noticed that Walmart sells some very inexpensive Kumhoes.

I checked last weekend... they are Kumho Exta Supra P195/50/16 84H tires. Will these be ok for winter driving? Or are these strictly summer tires?

autonomous · November 2005

Kumho Exta Supra P195/50/16 84 H
According to the Kumho site the Ecsta Supra P195/50/16 84 are a W rated tire.

Maximum Speed
H= 210 kmh / 130 mph
V = 240 kmh / 149 mph (the stock tires for the Protege5)
W= 270 kmh / 168 mph

All of these can be considered in the perfomance category, which is another way of saying, not for snow or slush. If there is more than a sprinking of snow, I would be careful driving any performance tire. You might be able to get away with them if they are brand new but after a while they may get iffy. I liken performance tires to track shoes and winter tires to boots; which would you rather wear in January?

camarillobrill · November 2005

with 201k on the clock....needs a clutch, motor mount and shifter...otherwise the car is spotless. classic red with a roof. I fix these things for a living so it wont break me to put the parts in. I paid $4500. I consider it a steal.

jautomatic · November 2005

I have a 2002 mazda pr5, and i havent had any problems with it. But i was wondering if anybody else had a problem with the belts, referring to a screeching noise when you first start the car, and usually when its cold outside. If anybody hs had the same problem, and was able to fix it please let me know. The sound is very loud, but usually lasts until the engine is warm. Also has anybody replaced the brake pads? Is it easy? Please let me know

ripcord · November 2005

I have the Kumho Ecsta ASX tires on my 02 P5. According to this website http://www.1010tires.com/tirereviews/Kumho_Ecsta_ASX_tire_reviews.html some reviewers feel they are pretty decent in the snow. Since the snow season is soon upon us in southwest Ontario, I will have a chance to "test" them out.

autonomous · November 2005

Since the snow season is soon upon us in southwest Ontario

Timely! We had a one day blast in eastern Ontario when you posted this; it's all melted by now but give it a couple of weeks and we'll all be in the thick of it.

p.s. last month you were asking about winter tires and rims also, did you decide against them?

dwryter · November 2005

Just a heads-up that the Dec (current) issue of Car and Driver has a review of performance tires, including the Kumho, Pirelli, BF Goodrich, and Michelen models some of us use. The tire size is different, so the comparison won't translate perfectly, but it does give a good idea of relative performance.

If you don't subscribe, you can find the issue at your local library.

Happy reading.

mazdafun · November 2005

I used to subscribe to C&D (I found their reviews to be somewhat akin to my perspective). However, I got tired of the rantings of Yates and Csere in their columns (too often ill-informed, biased and just plain nasty in tone), so I decided to vote with my checkbook. :P

ripcord · November 2005

p.s. last month you were asking about winter tires and rims also, did you decide against them?

Actually, I have 2- 2002 Protege5's one is mine and the other is my wife/daughters car. I found a used set of winter tires and rims for my car since it had true performance tires (Nexen 2000 I believe) that were horrible in the rain, let alone the snow. I am debating on buying them for my wife's car, as they are brand new and I want to see how they perform in the snow. If they are not very good, then I will look at getting some tires for it. I am keen on using my stock rims with winter tires and then buying some new rims in the spring from www.tiretrends.com . We are getting snow right now on the lake Huron coast, supposed to really drop tomorrow.

pciskowski · November 2005

I have the stock Dunlops on my car, and I am looking for something less "entertaining" in the rain. We don't get much snow in Memphis, so snow/ice traction is not important. I have read the thread about the BF Goodrich Traction T/A, and they seem like what I am looking for. However, I also have a pretty new set of Toyo Proxes TPT in the stock size. Does anyone know how the Toyos would compare with the BF Goodrich? How much better are the Toyos than the Dunlops? My real question is should I put the Toyos on or buy the BF Goodrich? Again, my main concern is wet traction.

isseyvoo · November 2005

We've put about 20K on a set of Toyo Proxes TPTs and so far they've been great.

autonomous · November 2005

Toyo Proxes TPTs and so far they've been great.
Agreed, they sound like excellent tires. My brother has had them on his Camry. Rated for 100K km / 60K miles by Toyo. May be pricier than the BFG Traction T/A. Option to go to 205/50/16V or continue with 195/50/16V.

mdaffron · November 2005

... on my wife's Protege5 for about a year and a half, or about 25,000 miles. Great tires. $104 each at Sears last summer.

Meade

PF_Flyer · November 2005

Time for our weekly session. Looking forward to another lively session!

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thel · November 2005

I bought it this weekend. It's a red 2003, 5-spd (of course), moonroof/cd-changer and 73,000 miles. I paid $11,000...$900 below Edmunds retail. The car is really clean and handles better than the 02 I had a few years ago (probably due to the 205 tires the P.O. put on it.

After driving several different cars between these 2 P5's, I have to say that this is the most like a Miata of all the cars I've had, which is why I bought it after smashing my 90 Miata.

erics6 · November 2005

I've got both. 02 P5 and 93 Miata. Both great handling cars! Totally different feel though. P5 feels glued to the road, but does understeer. The Miata has such great balance in the corners and yet isn't as solid feeling on the straights. The only other FWD car besides the P5 or 3 I'd own is the Mini, but I prefer Mazda's reliability.

thel · November 2005

When I get my truck paid for I hope to get another Miata...probably a 99 or 00. I like the NB interior but these years run well on 87 octane.

greenmazd · November 2005

I'm looking for a spare wheel with tire for my Mazda Protege 5 (5 door) and I can't find the exact size I need.
Can someone share the correct size for Protege 5?

dwryter · December 2005

OEM was 195/50 16 Dunlop SP5000. I have two extra of these tires, one with 11K miles (like new) another with around 23K (good shape). If you live near San Diego and want one or both, lemme know. I don't, however, have any extra wheels.

iamz · December 2005

I think he needs the rim width, hub offset, and bolt pattern dimensions. I'm not sure where those could be found.

dwryter · December 2005

> I think he needs the rim width, hub offset, and bolt pattern
> dimensions. I'm not sure where those could be found.

1. Tirerack.com
2. Parts Dept of the local Mazda dealer. They can look it up.
3. Letter to Mazda.

PF_Flyer · December 2005

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Mazda Protege5

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