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Any suggestions?
Now I know Avante Toronto does a good job of keeping existing clients happy. I'm not sure how they'll treat somebody who's never went there for an oil change, considering you expect the dealer to honour the replacement if it breaks...
I can also recommend Scarboro Mazda (Warden/Lawrence) - that's where mine was replaced b/c Avante (North Toronto at the time) did not have any left in stock.
You might want to have your bro call a few other dealers and ask what happens if the new unit breaks soon - say within a month or so. I don't know how service is at Morningside Mazda, but sales wasn't their strong point!
Dinu
I'm pretty darn envious of those of you who just have stereo issues!
I only had the stereo replaced and the spoiler's LED (3 lights burned). Otherwise the car has been superb!
Dinu
8/00 Replaced differential due to "internal failure"
9/01 Replaced EGR valve (car was idling roughly and almost stalling)
4/02 suspension issues and oil leak fixed by tightening bolts etc.
9/02 Replaced ignition wires, battery, catalytic converter, and did coil ignition recall work (this was after the check engine light kept coming on, and car was running roughly)
1/03 Replaced rear stabilizer links
This just seems like too much for this car. The car hasn't been modified in any way, and I am a fairly conservative driver. The check engine light problem, however, did only start after my husband foolishly parked the car sideways on a very steep, muddy hill, and the car was not the same afterwards. (don't ask; if I'd been with him at the time it wouldn't have happened!)
Here's the deal: I expect to be able to get another car by late summer. I *want* to go with another Mazda (possibly a P5) but I'm worried about the same thing happenning again.
Unfortunately, it sure looks you got a REALLY bad one. Same thing happened with my previous car - a 93 Civic that blew headgsakets, cylinder heads, radiators, the A/C, and the auto tranny was on its way out too. Not to say Civics are bad cars, but I just got a REALLY bad one... So I guess bad cars exist among even the most reliable brands.
I would not hesitate buying another Protege today if I had to. I also understand why you have reservations towards this car, considering the hassles you've gone through.
If you do, get one with either a 5spd or regular auto tranny - no manumatic. Just my suggestion, based on reading the PRO and 6 boards.
Good luck!
Dinu
EGR valve going bad is another very odd failed part for a mazda. Sometimes an egr code in the pcm is brought on by a failure other than the valve itself, and could have been misdiagnosed.
Those sway bar links have been an issue with most of the newer pros. If you hear any clunking from your suspension, front or rear, you probably need at least one sway bar link. Job security for me, pain in the neck for car owners.
All in all the pro is an excellent car and is probably the most trouble free in the mazda lineup.
At this point, because I have extended warranty coverage and access to another car if I need it, I will probably keep the car... until the warranty runs out (I can't remember when, either 75K or 100K miles). It's a good car; I can deal with minor hassles like this as long as they don't come too often...
Now, I was out of town for nearly a month, and here in Philly it's been cold. They've been dumping salt and brine like never before, and I think I am noticing something on the struts. Every time I go over 'wide' speedbumps, I hear a 'gronk' (similar to what you would get if you jumped on an old, rusty, spring mattress). My guess is that the salt did a number with either the springs or the struts, and they would need replacing sooner than later. Could it be something else?
Also, I am not used to '10s and 20s' in the morning, and we've had them. Thus, I have to let the car idle for several minutes before getting out (or at least I think I have to do it). Milage is ~ 28 mgp. Is that reasonable?
TIA, G.
Of course, it doesn't hurt to flush out all that salt when it's above freezing, which I did this past weekend. Of course, we got 4 inches of snow and temps of 1F the day after, naturally.
I have a '98 LX that that when the clutch is pushed in (in gear or not)the engine goes down to zero, the car rumbles and lights dim, then it fixes itself and idles at 500 (or so). About 1 in five times it will stall. This happens at stop lights, in parking lots, and anytime I push the clutch in.
Now get this, it's been happening intermittently for 40,000 miles. At first it was an annoyance, now at 67,000 miles it is constant. I've taken it into 2 dealers, one of them twice, only to be told they can't find anything wrong, perhaps its the gas I use. Anyway, I doubt its the gas and it has been serviced regularly as per Mazda's reccomendations.
Any ideas as to a solution would be most helpful. Thanks.
MaltB: Any ideas?
Dinu
Yours sounds like it might be due to a missing or damaged engine mount as it gets worse as you accelerate.
Also, taking out the squirrel cage of the fan blower was very simple, and I found two (2) oak leaves in there. Amazing how much noise they made...
Cheers,
G.
I also own a 2000 ES 5-speed. I now have 49,900 miles on the car. I have had none of the problems you mention other than the coil replacement which was a recall -- but my CEL was not coming on, nor was the car idling rough. This Protege, my third since 1991, like the other two, has been pretty much flawless.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune.
My wife drives a 2002 Protege5 we bought thirteen months ago. At 16,000 miles, it too has been flawless.
Meade in Virginia
How do these leaves get in there anyway? It appears there is some kind of foam rubber filter under the cowling to prevent this sort of thing. But just like you I had a leaf in the blower that caused all kinds of racket.
A hose has come loose behind my glovebox (2000 1.6SE), its an opaque white flexible hose, one end is attached to the A/C cooling unit, the other may go into the HVAC fan, does anyone know where it attaches to?
That's what it was in my '89 323 (hose was black); I had to unplug it to clear the line and drain the box under the cooling unit (water backed up into it and overflowed onto the floor...I think some spider crawled into it and clogged it with webbing). I'll check my '99LX tonight.
Now, you have a 2000, and the body changed considerably between 96 ans 2K. In any case, I did not have to work much. Hope this helps,
G.
http://web2.airmail.net/emann/protegefaq/tsb/01-004-03.html
I replaced the front brake pads at 50k, tires at 30k and 70k because I drive hard and the tires are v and H rated. 73k and the car drives and looks like new except a couple of paint chips on the front and rear bumper. I have a dashbulb loose that sometimes goes out (until I tap the dash or hit a bump then it works fine), that started at 70k. No major problems. No problems with my previous two Protege's either (94 & 98).
You and I must be kindred spirits. This is also my third Protege, although my first and second were both '92 LXs. (Read my profile for more info on why.) I guess you could say I've owned four, because my wife currently drives a 2002 Protege5 -- and at 15,000 miles, it's doing fine too.
Good luck!
Meade
Luckily, it's covered under the extended warranty Mazda gave me for the MAS. Unluckily, no zoom zoom while they have it.
Anyway, it's "zoom-gasp!-stutter" to the dealership service bay...they better treat my baby well....
Knowing my local dealer, they most likely will not, judging from their attitude last time I brought my car in.
I was hoping to get my Pro back this afternoon (but I uncovered my 323 just in case), especially since I'm supposed to pick up my kid this afternoon from an after-school activity.
I thought it was the MAS going. I checked my plugs, wires, battery just in case though. The hesitation & unsteady idle are getting too frequent now...kind of scary thinking the engine may stall at any intersection. That happened to me too many times in my father's Olds Firenza...scary when it stalls in the middle of a left turn in front of oncoming traffic. At least I know the drill: shift into N, restart, rev a bit and shift into a forward gear to scoot out of the way. Geez.
I got a letter from Mazda on the warranty extension about an year ago. According to the letter, in case we have had it replaced earlier at our expense, it would be "reasonably" re-imbursed.
-Hari
The problem is also more apprent when putting it in reverse. Also see this happening when the car comes to stop at a traffic light.
Any ideas what is going on?
You might want them to diagnose the issue. It only took the technician working on my car about half an hour. They charge $75/hr, so it was about $38 including some consumables and new parts. It might be you just need to have the idle adjusted or the throttle body cleaned (they did these to eliminate these as causes).
BTW, anything that causes the MAS to read low will cause your mpg to fall (I was getting something like 22-25mpg...I usually get 28mpg on mostly local driving). The fuel/air mixture is too rich. This isn't good for your catalytic converter or oxygen sensor either.
When I went in to the dealership after my CEL came on, the service manager told me that I "could've" got it replaced earlier.