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Comments
Serdriver: I am in Canada, but I do think the PRO meets Cali ULEV standards.
Larry: It happens and I do understand how you feel. Are your mirrors adjusted properly? j/k. I say keep the $20 so you can wash your PRO a few times...
Brian: The only Mazda emblems I remember are the old ones where "mazda" was on the front grille, the newer one where you have a small circle inside a larger one, and the current M symbol that looks like a bird to me (that's how kids draw birds...). So which ine is the one with the eagle on it?
P5-vs-sedan? I got the ES b/c it was cheaper than the P5. If the price was the same, it would be tougher to call. I LOVE the front and side of the P5, but looking at it from the back, I think the designers simply rushed into finishing the car...
Michael: Mazda started running ads in the Toronto Star showing the PRO ES with the AJAC designation next to it, but also keep showing the SE above it...The Tribute and MPV (I think) also have some sort of award...
I believe slight squaring of bottom of the wheel would facilitate climbing in and out. Probably very little effect on steering "feel" don't you think?
The web site I mentioned is a must see for anyone interested in concept cars and future trends. They have 10,000+ enlargeable, and printable, thumbprints of the cars shown at major auto shows 2000 thru 2002!
Another matter: Is it usual for recent model year Pro brakes to sink slightly under foot while car is at a standstill (possibly no more than two inches, but just doesn't feel right to me). This is my first Pro (2002 LX) and I've only logged 400 miles. Do I maybe have "new car paranoia?"
-Larry
Yes. :-)
It seems normal to me. I just checked my 2000 PRO-ES. About 3 inchs, right?
-Larry
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Dale: Snow in ChiTown? How much?
"Chicago today appears likely to come up short of breaking a 103-year-old record for late snowfall... The current record was set in 1899, when Chicago's first significant snowfall of the season did not take place until Jan. 17, according to the National Weather Service."
I change the oil in both our 2000 PRO-ES's every 3,500 miles. This is my maintenance standard. Perhaps overkill? Nevertheless, fresh dino oil every 3,500.
-Larry
I think the "Flame in a circle" emblem looks more like a toilet seat. The new one is cool, but it's too dang big. The one thing I like better about the pre 2001 Proteges is that the front emblem is much smaller.
When I was researching about a year ago I came across several gm trucks that called for 10K changes. Go figure.
Has anyone actually heard of cases of damage caused by too infrequent oil changes?
There was a lady on the MPV problems board recently who was denied warranty coverage on her blown motor because of excess sludge build up. She says they changed oil every 10k and the van had 29k or something like that.
The Mazda logo (trademark) on current models is a bird. The Japanese designers take nature seriously and adapt animals, birds and plants into logo designs. The previous one was a flame, which did nothing for Mazda cars since it was hard to figure out. The current design is used large taking a note from Mercedes and VW logos. Why be timid, if you are proud of your products -- make your logo stand out.
The downside to that is if the logo is ugly. Then it's time to change it. Car logos I don't like: Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler pentastar, Lincoln, Dodge, Pontiac, and Audi. Nicely designed logos: Saturn, Mazda, Oldsmobile, VW, Mercedes, BMW, and Mercury.
Designers say, when designing a logo, it has to work in black and white as well as in color. If it doesn't work in black and white, no amount of color will make it work. It also has to reduce to a very small size and still be recognizable. Logos are one of the hardest things to design, that's why they can cost up to $1 million.
fowler3
(No offense to anyone who has that vintage!)
I don't call my car anything other than a funny version of "Mazda," usually when I'm bending through some twisties or having some other kind of fun. It sounds kind of like "Mazzza."
Elec ... Before 1994, Mazda didn't have a logo. The name was the logo. (I had two 1992 Proteges. No logos. Just name badges.)
Larry ... I'm surprised I haven't heard from you. I'm red in the face this morning. I was sorting through a pile of junk mail, Christmas cards and other folderol on the kitchen table last night when I came across my UNMAILED check to you, in its envelope, stamped and all! I put it in the mail this morning. A thousand ... no, make that a million ... apologies, my friend!
Meade the Embarrassed
Did you get your AVIDs installed? If so, I'm dying to hear your opinion!
Meade
In my Passat it was every 5k so that's what I did but I used Synthetic for the extra turbo-protection. (High Heat, High Compression)
In my Pro5 it is 5k as well, so that's what I do. I'm sticking to regular dino-oil in the Pro though. (Normally Aspirated, Low Compression)
If you live in a dusty enviroment or do a lot of stop-and-go driving, you should shorten the recommended intervals.
Respectfully,
Larry
Meade
(At the risk of opening up an off-topic can o' worms ...)
;-)
Meade
(Wishin' I was puffin' on a good cigar right now; can't, I'm at work)
Larry, I wish I were a dealer GM. Nice try, but no cigar.
I am sick and tired of the Poortenzas' constant roar on the pavement. I remember when I replaced the tires on my '92 LX (which also were Poortenzas) with a set of Toyos that were touted as quiet tires. Man, what a difference. All of a sudden my stereo sounded nicer and not only was the car quieter from the quieter tires -- the quiet tires also mean less tire vibration in the car -- meaning less chance for things inside the car to buzz and rattle. Maybe my coin tray will SHUT UP once I make the switch!
I'm still recovering from Christmas, but I'll probably take the AVID plunge in February. Luckily we haven't had any bad weather since our little 8-inch storm back on the third.
Paul -- Thanks for the update buddy! I'm now at about 31,300 miles on the Protege and still haven't gotten it in for that 30K service (see note about Christmas above). That'll probably happen in February too.
We're still waiting for my wife's P5 to get itself across the Pacific. In the meantime, she's starting to look at some other cars, like the Focus. She's a little perturbed about getting what she calls a "station wagon" -- I'd kill for a P5, but different people have different tastes and I don't blame her. At this point I don't know WHAT we'll wind up with. I personally hope it's a P5, but before all you guys start in on me about selling her on it, think about this: I have to sleep with her for the next five years. I WILL NOT push her into something she's not entirely happy with, only to hear about it for the next half-decade. This is her decision. I know what I'd choose, but this isn't about me. She's gotta like it 'cuz she'll be driving it!
I'll keep y'all posted!
Meade
Stop those "cigar" comments. You're making me drool. Maybe I'll get home early and light one up. My father-in-law gave me some nice Dominicans for Christmas. One of those and a scotch sure would be nice right now.
I'm starting to count the minutes -- we're off Friday and Monday, thanks to our nation's insistence on recognizing racial diversity. I guess I can thank Mr. Lee and Dr. King for this, at least!
Meade
fowler3
I'll be there in spirit.
Anyone interested in a springtime MAPP3, BTW? I'm starting to get twitchy again ...
Meade
I've been on the Ford site looking at the new Focus ZX5 5-door. Nice looking car (looks like they took some cues from the P5 -- that's good since they'll be cousins in a year or two). Maybe we'll go test-drive one of them this weekend. I see it has a 6-disc CD changer standard ... that's up there on my wife's wish list. (Hey, she doesn't really care about what's north of the firewall as long as it runs and doesn't leak. She likes those creature comforts!)
I thought (hoped?) the Focus had improved since last year. Are they still being recalled left and right? Of course, we'll be getting an extended warranty no matter what we do, so hopefully any flubs will be the dealer's problem, not ours.
Meade
Meade: The Focus (winner of MANY automobile awards) is getting recalled front and centre 24/7 (almost, I'm exagerating). I wouldn't buy it just b/c of this relaibility - or lack of - issue and also b/c of the seating position that I hated when I test drove a 2001 sedan back in June.
Oil: I change it at 4000-4500KMS (2500miles??). I know it's very frequent, but
1. I do intend on keeping the car after the warranty expires and
2. I drive A LOT (will post next week this week's mileage tally) and 3. I have trips that take 2-3 minutes by car, or 30-45 mins by foot, so I must drive, even if it's not good for the engine.
I wish I had my own ramps to change it myself...maybe I'll get my own ramps in Feb. (that's a good idea!)
I use Castrol GTX (regular - aka dino - oil)
My wife in no way wants a "wife's car." I used to be a Toyota man myself, but even I wouldn't go look at a Corolla. How do I say it -- YAWN!!! Whatever happened to "Oh-oh what a feeling?" Now it's "Oh, I've lost all feeling!" ;-)
No, we both know our price limit (upper teens) and I'm going to take her around to all the car lots (minus a few, namely Daewoo and Chevrolet -- but she agrees) this weekend. Unfortunately most of the makes in this price range only offer one body style right now -- a sedan. That's why we're looking at 5-door hatchbacks now. Five doors because we have a baby who needs a car seat and therefore back doors, and the hatch because in most cases it appears a little "sportier" than the "boring" (wife's characterization) sedan look. I personally like the sport sedan look. She doesn't. That leaves us with hatchbacks and not much else.
This ought to be an interesting and hey -- fun four-day weekend. Time to go car shopping again. And we're guys -- don't we just LOVE doing that?
Meade
Meade
Enjoy shopping. I'm sure you're familiar with the usual 5-dr suspects in the price range (Elantra GT, P5, low-end VW Golf and Jetta 5dr hatch and wagon, Impreza 5dr, Saturn wgn, Focus wgn and 5dr hatch). Not sure about Suzuki bringing their 5dr hatches to the US.
Protege5: I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, this isn't my decision. :-(
VW Golf/Jetta: Unreliability history and cost of parts after the warranty expires. (Sorry Paul.)
Impreza: Don't know much, except that the styling is funky and I feel it's a bit overpriced. (Out of our range, at least.)
Saturn: I won't go there. Literally. Too many horror stories.
Focus: Looks promising. I figure I'd better start liking this platform since it'll be my Protege's stepbrother soon. It's fairly comfortable too, and the Zetec engine is SUPPOSED to be pretty good. I have yet to drive one though.
And BTW, my wife doesn't like car shopping. But I've managed to get through to her that if she wants her own new car, she's got to get out there and test drive 'em! They aren't gonna come scrambling to our driveway!
Meade
BTW, I just went to the NHTSA web site and researched the Focus' recalls for 2001. There were three, two of which dealt with faulty seat reclining levers and one that concerned a bad plastic wiper motor cover. Both were for cars produced in late 2000 and early 2001, and Ford had replacement parts for all. So I'd ASSUME (uh-oh) that whatever recall stuff may still occur will be minor. Nice to see it isn't anything major! (Like wheels falling off of Daewoos -- remember that?)
Meade