Mazda Protegé

1176177179181182453

Comments

  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    That was me. Although I do not know why it posted twice. Now, if only my Protege was as fast as the deletion of Meade's post.
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    not only draconian but fast too!
  • rbrooks3athomerbrooks3athome Member Posts: 31
    I've tested to make sure the rear speakers are in phase. I also spoke to the very helpful tech people at Rockford Fosgate. Here's the end result and something for all of you who are thinking about just changing speakers to know: The factory head unit from Mazda, at least on the '02 models is not able to power these speakers. They are 6x9 model 2269. The mids and highs actually sound fantastic, but there's a great lack of bass. So, my choice is to either put the factory ones back in, not a choice, or get a small amp for the rears. Nothing big, maybe a 35x2 amp. So, looks like my great deal on the price of my 4 new speakers will now have to absorb the cost of a $69-79 amp plus installation. I'll tell you, I wish I knew this going in. Thank you all for your advice along the way. Looks like I'm going to be into this for another $120-140. My only saving grace is that I got the rears for 50% off due to Best Buys' buy one pair and get 2nd at 1/2 price sale.

    I'll let everyone know how it turns out after the amp is installed.

    Ron B.
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    Happy Second Anniversary to you and your car! Wishing you many more years of happiness together!

    --Dale
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    I don't know about that wish though - I've really started racking up the miles since my move!

    However I'm certain that in less than a year from now, this little 95DX will be chugging along, putting smiles on someone else's face for a few years ;-)

    The new Mazda 3' and 6's should be out soon, and I can't wait!

    It got an oil change yesterday, and a drive-through (but brushless!) wash'n wax is on the cards for today.
  • lgblgb Member Posts: 30
    I just passed 30,000 miles and had to replace my tires (00 Protege ES). I lost two tires to flats within days. So I couldn't wait for mail orders, back orders, etc. It seemed that Bridgestone and Michelin were both out of stock in the 195 55 15 V Rated tires the week I was looking. The least expensive major brand tire that was available in a short time frame, which I ended up with, were Dunlop W-2s (V rated). The shop I used (Tom's Tires in Signal Hill, CA) had two in stock which came at a price of $199 for two tires installed, including sales tax. The first two I had installed on the rear axle. No noticeable difference in handling. Then when they were able to get two more from the warehouse, I had them installed on the front. I also had a 4-wheel alignment done at the dealer the next day. I feel that the car no longer tracks in as straight a line as it did with the Bridgestones. In 5,000 miles I will take the car back to Tom's instead of the dealer for another alignment and see if that helps. The tires are perhaps marginally quieter than the Bridgestones. I haven't pushed them but I doubt that they will corner as well as the "Poortenzas". Otherwise, my Protege is still fine and dandy...
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    dinu01, please check your email.
  • dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    The mailman didn't pass by today :)
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    hotmail is the account you have on file - if that is incorrect, please click on my profile and email me - thanks.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
  • dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    "orez"
  • zoomzoom79zoomzoom79 Member Posts: 272
    One day and 45 posts .... you guys must go through keyboards like you do underwear.

    Today was a good Protege day. It was sunny and in the 60's here. Boy do these tires like warm weather ALOT more than cold weather.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    The mailman didn't pass by today :)

    ;-)))

    -Larry
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mazdaprotege/


    check out the "files" section for an eXcel sheet comparo of various tires and sizes for 99-00 ES (15")


    BTW, I had the poortenzas replaced by BFGoodrich touring T/A VR4 "205/55/VR15" 'cause I got a great deal at BJ's wholesale..saved 150 bucks compared to Avellinos.


    They are noticeable quiter on rough roads, absorbs much of the little sharp bumps and also takes sharp turns without screeching.


    My advice: don't go for soft and/or smaller sidewall tires like a T-rated or 50(or less) series 'cause in case u have a flat, the 55 series v-rated tires have enough rubber on the sidewall & strong enough to keep the alloy from touching the ground....my personal experience on the RE-92....picked up a nail on right front tire on the I-95......drove 5 miles before going in to a garage with near "ZERO" air pressure and nothing happened to my alloys....saved $$$$


    my version of RUNFLAT tires :)

  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    205-55/15 is indicated as "Plus ZERO" size for the 99-00 ES as per the Michelin/BFGoodrich Tire Selection Handbook I found at BJ's.....go figure..
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    In fact, they're even closer in size to the originals than 205/55/15s.

    Meade
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Mid-60s today, and no precipitation until tonight.

    Also good for playing that stereo with the windows down. Ron, you'll really enjoy your upgraded audio system when you're done. I only upgraded the speakers, but I really get a kick out of them (of course, my head unit seems OK with them).
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    why don't you post

    1. a comparo between the ES and P5
    2. Auto and Manual Pro
    3. Dunlop SPsport A2 Vs. SP5000

    u are in the best position to do so.
  • rbrooks3rbrooks3 Member Posts: 174
    Ye Gods o' Sound have finally smiled upon me and let the heavens rain forth bass in my Pro once again! I want to thank Alternator and the people at Rockford Fosgate for getting me to the point where the problem is solved. It ended up being a Mazda error!

    Here's how it went:

    The RF people talked me through the same 9 volt battery deal to test whether the rear speakers were in phase. It involved attaching by wire for an instant, the + side of the battery to the + side on the speakers and - to -. The cones moved out as they should. Then it got me thinking along with what Alternator had said. Using this test just means that I know which side of the speaker connections are + and -. It doesn't tell me anything about whether the system's wires are connected properly.

    I went back to square 1 with RF's people. They asked how I determined which wires were + and - on the factory wiring. I said the internet from this group AND I called Mazda myself and their people looked it up and said the wires on each side of the rear have one with a continuous stripe and this was the ground or - wire. The RF guy thought for a while and said, well, Ron, this is a long shot, but it's possible that while the striped wire is SUPPOSED to be ground or -, when my particular car was built, it might have been inadvertently connected to the + output on the head system. He said that or maybe it was connected correctly at the head but flip-flopped at some point down the wire if there were other connections between the head output and the speaker. He said he did not know whether Mazda ran one single unbroken wire all the way or not so this was a possibility.

    He said there are devices used to determine whether a wire is putting out + or - but I didn't have one. I went out and swithed the wires to both speakers. No bass. I then put the passenger side back to the way they were before. No bass. I then put the driver's side back to what I thought was correct (striped wire to - as Mazda said) and hooked the passenger's side with the stiped wire to +, which Mazda said would be wrong. BINGO !!!!! It was night and day.

    Apparently, the striped wire on the passenger's side on my car is putting out a + signal! It's not supposed to be that way, but that's what's going on. Now the car sounds great. I can truly say it was worth the effort in the end, but HEL_ getting there!

    So, my problem is solved and I'm enjoying the sound finally. My thanks to you all for the input along the way. Zooooooooom!!!

    Ron B.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Ron,

    Glad to hear it. You had me worried for a while there. I really didn't want to add an amp. I'll be sure to look out for that potential problem. So, it sounds like the clearance above the rear speakers is fine with the model 6x9s you purchased. I am not sure I trust Crutchfield's assertions about that anyway. When I go to install, I am going to measure it myself and let them know if they are wrong. Wish me luck!
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    You get a gold star for persistence!

    :)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    If you remember who you spoke to at Mazda, you should call back and let them or their supervisor know that they gave out false info. If they actually took the time to look at the wiring diagram, it clearly shows what you found.
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    Before you button that thing up LABEL IT!!! (GRIN)
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Vocus,

    I do not know which Jetta engine you have. I thought about it and realized that the 4 cylinder engines would probably not have to be removed to replace the water pump like my VR6 had to. So if you have the 1.8T or 2.0L, you are cool (probably). BTW, I understand that on the 1st Gen Grand Cherokee V8s they had to do the same thing. It comes from putting a large engine into too small a space.
  • boggseboggse Member Posts: 1,048
    Here is a link to a gallery that supposedly has a picture of the front end of a Mazda 3 at the Geneva AutoShow:


    http://specials.carview.msn.co.uk/autoshow/geneva/photocats/Day_One/default.asp?selected=DayOne


    Picture 7 is the unveiling of the front end. In pictures 10 & 11, you can see the rear end in the background.

  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Orez
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I have the 1.8T. The reason I got it was because it seemed to be the most reliable engine available. The 2.slow burns oil at a quart per 1000 miles (and this is normal???), and the VR6 has a glitch in its PCM that causes a hesitation (my co-worker has one with the glitch in it). So I got the best engine, I think. It's one of Ward's ten best, so it's doing something right.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    What's the deal with "zero" backward?

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    What did THAT post mean?

    Meade
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Ok, it is literally freezing up here in Calgary! The air temperature is about -31 C, and (about -24 F) and with wind chill it's somewhere near -40 C (-40 F)!!

    When I got in my Pro this morning, my g/f had to put a box in the trunk. It opened alright, but when I shut it, the trunk just popped back up! It is so cold that the latch wasn't catching!! Well, she eventually pushed down hard on the trunk and it stayed shut.

    The Pro started great, but all the buttons on the dash were so cold that they were barely able to move. For example, when I pushed in the defrost button, it felt like I was pushing on jello or something like that. Also, the temperature dial moved very sluggishly.

    So what's my point? My point is that it's freaking cold up here!!!
  • duh_sterduh_ster Member Posts: 102
    i concur with PF...the current temperature has led me to believe that HEL_ has, in fact, frozen over!

    pf: do u plug your car in at all?? this morning, i plugged it in for an hour, and it was STILL a bit sluggish to start! btw, do u go to kramer to get your oil changed? or do u do it yourself? i've got my 2nd coming up and i don't wanna hafta drive all the way to north hill to get it done...

    'duh'
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    I'm renting right now and we don't have to pay for utilities, so I plug it in all night long!!! No problems starting for me!!

    In regards to oil changes, I get mine done at Midas...remember that whole oil changes for life deal? Unless the dealership is offering free oil changes that is. My last oil change was done at the dealership solely because it was free.
  • shriqueshrique Member Posts: 338
    Man I minnesota had cold winters. Well not this one but in the past at least.

    Shrique
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    orez
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    So Ron should notify Mazda that they goofed up, hmmmm?

    And what should he expect in return for them making him waste a bunch of time?

    New visors? A couple of oil changes? A t-shirt?

    Nothing, because it was 'an honest mistake'?

    Just trying to figure out how this whole thing works....

    --Dale
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Eat your hearts out, Canadians! :) I am in the Maryland/DC area, and it's going to get to 72 degrees today! There are people in my office who are wearing shorts, halter tops, skirts, and t-shirts. I love it! Can't wait to get into the car, open the roof and windows, turn up the music, and hit the road at 5:30 when I get off! :)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    That's funny. What ever came of the mess they made of your car anyway? I am so sorry, but I would have simply lost it right there in front of everyone.

    I don't know what the big deal is with correcting mistakes though. They fixed something totally wrong on my mother's car once. She took it in for the driver's seat motor, and they replaced the one in the passenger's seat instead (the part was like $400 or something). She made them take the car back right then and there, give her a rental, and got the problem fixed. They never even gave her as much as a courtesy call after the car was ready.
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    The new wipers work fine...I think the new windshield rattles a little :)

    Yep, things seem to be finally thawing out here, as well. After that wicked weather we had over the weekend, it's about 50 here today...contemplated opening the roof on the way to work, but then reminded myself that 50 isn't 70. :)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    To let them know...

    Otherwise, they will keep giving out bad info and that person will think they can always slack off and guess at it.

    I used to let things slide all the time, but that just means things never get better. Give feedback.Just like telling the folks at crutchfield that they were right, tell the Mazda folks they are idiots.

    N E way, why does a person always want restitution when none is due. Maybe we've forgotten the meaning of "I'm sorry" and "I was wrong".
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    orez...thanks orez for orez your orez explanation.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    That was no small potatoes!

    Meade

    P.S. Scion
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    even though I was there I still don't understand where the word came from.

    So what do we throw around here when someone gets married in a Civic? Mashed Potatoes?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Would that be the powdered flakes or the prepared mix? I mean, there's a whole different verb usage there! One you throw -- the other you "slop."

    Meade
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    Actually, I was thanking you for post #8959.

    I'll email you about 8962
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    When it's a little nippy but still sunny and pretty outside, I usually open the sunroof in the vent position, and turn the temp knob on the climate control around to mid to hot, and then warm air flows through the cabin (as long as you have the slider on fresh air) and it feels good.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Was it you Dale that had the windshield wiper accident by the dealer? Well for whoever that was, I was looking in my manual last night and came across a page that explicitly said:
    "Do not let the windshield wiper fall and hit the windshield" (Or something very close to that). I thought that was quite humerous as the mechanic did the exact opposite of that. Anyway, just fyi.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    I am really jealous right now....I've been in the office for 3 hours and I still have my coat on becasue I'm still chilled!!
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I can't believe they re-released the Bob & Doug McKenzie "Great White North" album on CD about a year ago. I came across it in my local Best Buy. I had bought the album (you know, you youngsters, VINYL?) back when it came out in 1980 or whatever, but I let someone borrow it in college and never saw it again. When I found the CD last fall, I had to buy it immediately ...

    This past Christmas, after at least a decade's hiatus, I finally got to sing "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me ... a beer" again, and then we all sat around for a rousing game of "beer hunter." And instead of reciting "The Night Before Christmas" at bedtime, we all listened to that sad but redeeming tale of "Ralph the Dog."

    I bet I've got more than a few of you saying, "HUH?"

    Hee hee ....

    Meade
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.