Mazda Protegé

mdaffron

You mean "Focege?"

Watch how you say it ...

;-)

Meade

dsm6

That's pretty good. How about Procus? Or Hocus Procus - watch as I change a perfectly good car into a pile of junk. Poof!

Oops. I promise not to be so pessimistic in the future, Mr. Ford. Don't forget to keep those windows open while your at that motorlodge on the highway to ... The fresh air might clear your head before Mazda completely vanishes - lost in Greenfield Village somewhere.

Oh, I'm just kidding folks.

bpi

I want to see Vocus' Procus.

newcar31

@ Focege and Procus.

Kirstie_H

A major daily newspaper is writing a story about collision damage insurance, and is looking to talk with drivers who have run into deer or moose. "In most states, such an encounter is not covered by comp. or collision damage insurance; you need special coverage. I want to talk to people who have had these collisions and learn how they handled them. Likewise, I'd also like to hear from people who were involved in some other sort of incident involving their auto and found out that insurance they thought they had was not there." Please respond no later than Monday, June 3 to paudel2001@msn.com and/or jfallon@edmunds.com. Thanks as always!

Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com

mdaffron

(BTW, where the heck IS Larry lately anyway?)

I miss you, Love Train!

Meade

gladichecked

Meade: good memory on my name. I will go over to the repair forum to check out your advice, thanks in advance for answering so quickly.

Chikoo: Here is the link. If it doesn't work, go to google.com and use the advanced search. Type Mazda Protege 2000 in the spot "with all of the words", and type electrical problems in the spot "with the exact phrase". Scroll down till you see the link called "LIVE WIRE". I couldn't get the PDF to open so I used html version, which is what this link should be.

http://www.google.com/search q=cache:BUP1PBmQqrIC:www.pprok.com/Aug2001LiveWir .Pdf+Mazda+Protege+2000+%22electrical+problems%22&hl=en&lr=lang_en

Sorry I couldn't make this a link because it it over 115 characters, and Edmunds prompt said it does not accept words over that amount.

gladichecked

They drove it for 40+ miles at different speeds (including highway) with A/C and everything possible turned on and could not reproduce the problem. If my alternator goes out during this trip I will be screwed. I've got movers to meet, a lease to sign, I'm starting a new job.

Any advice on how to elevate this situation at Mazda? If I didn't have this move coming up I would be patient and wait for it to get worse, but I feel like Mazda is setting me up for disaster because the car is under warranty and they don't want to replace something until the car breaks down.

chikoo

for a loaner?
because the Dealer is the final word....until the Mazda rep steps in.
Getting to the MAzda Rep would take even more time.

protege_fan

Or possibly get them to rent you a car. I would think it's going to be tough though, seeing how they haven't been able to replicate the problem. I hope all goes well...what about flying out there? That sound like it may be the most reliable option at this point

gladichecked

is that when I leave next week I'm not coming back. I am making the trip on 6/7, movers arrive on 6/8, and I start my new job on 6/10. So that forces me to make the drive and hope that nothing goes wrong.

I guess I could try to put a lot of miles on the car in the next few days (over the weekend) and hope that the problem either does not reoccur or that it gets worse quickly so they can fix it early next week. The problem with that is I'm very busy preparing for my move and preparing my house for sale.

No way around it, this is very bad timing. I bet if my car wasn't under warranty they would have already slapped a new alternator in the car and said it was definitely the problem.

number42

I was going up a road. I figure i was going about 25-30 (my wife says 40-45) I hit a rev at about 2100 rpm, and I started getting this buzzing noise that I hadn't heard before. for a while it was consistant, but it stopped. I fear it may be something in the xmission.

'02 LX, Auto trans, 2260 miles.

please let me know if i should worry....

dinu01

Hi Crew!

I ***MUST*** show that article to a VW guy here at work that can't believe a Protege beat a ferrari in a test.

It was from last year's Car and Driver Mag. I think.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post the link.

Thank you sooooo much.

BTW, I installed a nice 10-Cd changer in the PRO yesterday and will drop a K+N in about a mth.

Later peeps.

Dinu
Your TO-area PRO maniac

the_big_h

a lot of thanks to newcar31 for giving out the tip on how to loosen up a really tight drain plug. Now that the car's filled with Mobil 1, the engine feels SO SMOOTH and QUIET, I'm actually picking up other mechanical sounds that I haven't heard before!

thanks again for the help Todd!

and oh yeah, my car also reached 20k miles today, woohoo!

cpaulyee

Hi there everyone, love my 01 LX 2.0 and have 6,800 miles of Honolulu driving but I too notice that on moderate acceleration the auto trans will also give either a buzzing sound or you feel a shudder, but it doesnt happen if you drive gently. Anyone else notice? I havent told the Mazda dealer yet.
Also wanted to say hi to Fowler, who has been to Hawaii and has been to Anna Millers, I ate there the other night.

chicagopro

I'm gonna kick your behind!!

Where the heck have you been???

--Dale

mdaffron

Wow, between your comments here and on the Yahoo group, one would think you've finally cracked!

Meade

chicagopro

FINALLY cracked?? Where have you been the last six months????

{Figured I might as well say it myself...save the rest of you from fighting over it.}

vocus

You better leave my buddy and best tour guide alone! Don't make me come to Richmond and get you..

mdaffron

... and remember, I was HER tourguide FIRST, PAL!!!

Meade

(How's the car doing? Have they fixed that light and dashboard trim yet?)

mdaffron

This:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4940

And this:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4953

Meade

vocus

It's going back on Monday. I had a conference with the shop foreman, the CSR, and the dealership manager the other day. They said it's pretty safe to assume that if my car isn't fixed right this time, I will be driving home another one. We shall see I guess.

If I do get another one, it will be a 1.8T wagon. They are built in Germany, not Mexico.

mdaffron

Meade

protege_fan

Are you saying the place where the car is manufactured has bearing on the final quality? For instance, (to keep this on topic), a car made in country A will be made better (ie. build quality) than a car made in country B, which is also of lower economic standing than country A.

I'm just curious because I've heard that exact point refuted many times over in the Jetta board.

vocus

I am just saying that because I have heard the same thing about VWs before. I am not chancing it though. That's why I want the German built one. I could use the cargo space anyway for shopping trips with my friend. She always seems to fill the trunk to bloated capacity. Also, I wanna start riding a bike and need somehow to move it around.

newcar31

So Vocus is dumping his burrito burner for a kraut burner? I'll stick with my sushi burner.

vocus

I am not dumping anything. If they have to replace the car, I am just going to change the body style of it. That's it. And I like my kraut burner better than I liked my sushi burner, thank you.

chicagopro

Time to change the subject.

Hey, um,....so Mike's been getting on my case to wax my car. Yes, it's been over a year, two Chicago winters outdoors, 12,240 miles, and my Protege still has the factory wax. Or what's left of it. If there was ever any on there to begin with.

What's a good way for a beginner to get started?

And Mike, don't suggest that autopia site again...that was VERY overwhelming.

What's the shortest time it will take me to do this?

--Dale

newcar31

You have a burrito burner now. It runs on high octane beef or chicken burritos. I'm sure you don't use any of that Taco Bell crap either. ;0

the_big_h

any kind of wax that the dealer put on at delivery has already dissolved after couple months in the elements. That means your car's only protection against the elements is its clear coat!!!!

waxing for a beginner? couldn't be easier, get a bottle of Meguiar's Gold Class, get a waxing application pad, dampen it with water, pour some Gold Class onto it, apply on car in small circular motion, wait for wax to 'haze', then wipe off wax and buff car with 100% terry cloth towel. (this step is also known as 'wax on, wax off, daniel-san')

start from the rooftop, then the hood, then the trunk lid, and then work your way down to the bumpers. Don't forget to wax your alloy wheels too!

and yes, please wash and dry the car first before waxing.

meinrad

Do you really want to wax your car? Is it something you think you will enjoy doing or is it just because you've been hounded so much? There are plenty of places around my house that will do it for under $50, less than a trip to Kinko's. I know it gets the masses all riled up, but we don't all have to do all the work on our cars.
While it's easy and somewhat rewarding to do it yourself, it's not against the law not too.

Now if you do want to do it yourself, why not drive over to Pete's house and have a big waxing party. You could get a lesson and get your car waxed at the same time.

chicagopro

Two interesting solutions to my problem.

I'll have to consider them both carefully.

Thanks, Hank and Raymond.

Bonzai!

protege_fan

Wash: 20-30 minutes. Use a soap that is made specifically made for cars, unless you are totally stripping your wax. In that case, use Dawn.

Interior: Optional most of the time as I keep my Pro clean inside. Occassional vacuum and dusting.

Wax: Now this can vary. IF you just use some lame cleaner wax, it'll take you about another half hour. Nu-finish works ok too, but it didn't give off as great a shine as the stuff I use now.
PLEASE don't use Turtle Wax or something like that. Get some good stuff like Meguiar's or Mother's or 3M for now. <----I just mean store bought....If you're into mail-order, Klasse is supposed to be really great as our friend Old-Head can tell you.

IF you are nuts like I am, it took about 4.5 hours for my buddy and I to do his wagon and my Pro. We washed twice, used pre-wax cleaner, glaze and seal, and wax. We used all Mother's California Gold products.

For washing, use a sheepskin mitt, or 100% cotton chenille mitt, or Microfiber mitt. Do not use sponges as they can grab a piece of dirt and drag it across the surface of your paint!!

Use only 100% cotton towels for drying....there cannot be any nylon or crap like that as it will cause scratches. Actually, the best thing to use now (according to the hard-core auto detailers) are Micro-fiber towels. They are supposed to be more absorbent and won't scratch your paint.

To apply wax, you can use terry cloth applicators for cars. You'll know what I mean when you see em. Buff the wax out with Microfiber or 100% cotton towels.

You WILL notice a difference after you're done. I cannot stress how great the paint looks after you've done it all. It really is worth the effort.

protege_fan

I also use Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel. I love this stuff! Your tires look like new after you put this stuff on. It really compliments your wash and wax.

Oh...forgot to mention that Mother's or Meguiar's are probably going to be carnauba waxes and will only last 3-4 months. For a longer lasting wax, you need an acrylic like Zaino or Klasse.

Hank is right to....Factory wax is not from the factory. The dealer may wax it for you as part of the PDI, but it will be long gone by now.

Ray is also right...there are places that do it for you. But I like the satisfaction of doing the job myself.

vocus

Seeing the space at home you are working with (your parking lot), I would definitely recommend you take the car somewhere and have it waxed. You are not going to have enough room to move around the car in your lot, especially if there is a car on each side. Just take it and pay to have it done, it will definitely be easier.

vocus

Actually, my car runs pretty good on the hot and spicy salsa or the "fire" sauce from Taco Bell. That definitely befits its personality.

chicagopro

You guys should get together and write a book on how to detail your Pro like a pro. Thanks for all the answers...I'm going to save them (no, Mike, not in Notepad...in an actual Word document).

But Paul raises a good point. He actually got to see where I park my car, and it IS a pretty tight spot. I don't think there's any access to water out there, either...didn't stop to think about that.

What if I drove through the car wash (all windows up, of course), and then went to the park or someplace with the wax?

Or do you think I can trust a more full-service place to do a good wax job for me?

sfrat

I do that all the time. I live in an apartment and have no access to water. I run the car through just a regular gas station car wash, touchless of course, then I dry off the car at the station with a terry cloth towel, drive it back and wax it. If your car is as dirty, you might want to run it through an extra time. But definately use a terry towel to dry it off, because it gets a lot of the dirt that the wash leaves on.

Steve

vocus

You can't hardly even park in that lot, let alone detail your car there. Just break down and find a good detailing shop. I am sure there are plenty in the city around you. Look in the Yellow Pages or on the internet about it. Just make sure the place is located on the North side of the city, you wouldn't want your car to be sold piece by piece on the South side.

I think your car is pretty good looking now though, white cars hide alot of stuff on them that you can't see. It might help to wax it though, if the water still doesn't bead on the surface.

protege_fan

What about putting the car next to the curb and pulling the hose down to the car?...If you have a water outlet that is. You must...how do the lawns get watered?

Also, you can try this. If you have a car wash place that has one of those power sprayers, you can sometimes go in there, spray your car, and then use your own wash mitt on them. I know that the coin-op places frown on that, but there's a place I use sometimes that you take a ticket and pay $.50/min so they don't care that I'm using my own mitt.

After you wash your car in there, drive out and immediately dry off the car, otherwise you will get waterspots.

Then, if there's a parking lot close by, go in there and wax your car. People may give you strange looks, but who cares??

I abhor any sort of drive-thru wash. I did it once, just because it was the middle of winter and needed to spray the underside of my Pro. NEVER again. It did such a poor job of cleaning.

It's up to you to use a full service place. Your cash-ola

vocus

You never seen where Dale lives. There was no parking spaces within 4 BLOCKS of her house when we were there. As a matter of fact, she parked at home and we walked down a couple blocks because there was nowhere to park. I know she would be hard-pressed to find any street parking at all. Good idea though.

mdaffron

Sell your car and buy a pair of roller blades. After vocus' description, that sounds like the only thing small enough to park where you live.

Plus you'll never have to wax them.

;-)

(BTW, you already know (don't you?) what kind of wax I use. It usually takes me about two hours; I don't rush when I wax my car. And I prefer to wax it myself so I can take the time to do it right, hit every spot -- including the wheels and bumpers, by the way -- and so I can discover all the latest paint chips that I need to fill in with touch-up paint. Waxing is a love thing.)

Meade

protege_fan

Preach Brother Meade!! LOL!! I really enjoy waxing my car. Paint chips do suck, but it's good to take a look and fix em up ASAP.

chicagopro

Okay, smooches to all of you for taking the time to respond to yet another one of my crazy questions.

Paul is right...no room in my neighborhood to do it at the curb...so I'm glad to hear that Steve drives thru the wash and then waxes elsewhere.

Meade: In my time on this earth thus far, I've already suffered two broken ankles, one broken leg, and one broken foot. No roller blades for me

--Dale

dsm6

I've waxed right at the car wash place before. Didn't have room at home (an apartment). One stop shopping - wash, vacuum, wax, treat interior - oops, forgot to roll up those windows - dry interior off, ... ;-)

chikoo

u may wonder what is the relationship.
Trust me. I just found out one.

This memorial dya weekend, I took my car to the local car wash that uses Lamswool cloth(rather than rubber, nylon, etc). So it is very safe.
After the washing and drying, i took my PRO to the nearby KOHL's empty parking lot and started the polishing job. Took me around 1-1/2 hours. What a smooth polish!!(Thanks Larry) It is so smooth that after I finished polishing, I happened to put the bottle on the rear trunk...and before i knew, it was sliding down. I thought the rear trunk was flat, but no, there is a little crowning which I realized after this incident. Anyway, no damage since the bottle was tightly closed.

Next day at school, I do a street parking and drop the coins in the parking meter. When I come back, I see a ticket on my windshield for meter expiration.

I read the ticket and it says:

Make:MAZDA
Color: Black

My God. My car is emerald green, how did it turn black?

It appears that the polish is so deep and wet that the dark emerald green in twilight looks like BLACK!!

So u see the relation between Klasse polish and Parking Ticket!!

So the question is:
Should I consider this ticket as a compliment to the polish job?

I said YES.
What do u guys say?

protege_fan

Nice! See Meade...I'm not the only one that thinks that green looks black under low light!!

I wonder if you can get out of the ticket because the information is incorrect??

dsm6

Mine is green (oops - I mean Emerald; sorry for that huge blunder), the ticket says black.

I thought about trying the same thing when I got a ticket in my Pontiac that claimed it was a Mitsubishi. How could you be that far off? But the ticket had my plate number, of course, which identifies the car fairly well. ;-)

protege_fan

BUT, what if somebody had stolen your plates, put them on their car and then returned your plate (????)? It's all about reasonable doubt, right?

Honestly, as somebody trying to enter the law enforcement profession, I shudder to think of making mistakes like that.

newcar31

The Mustang I used to have was "deep jewel green" which was just basically dark green metallic. Depending on the light, it could look green, blue, or black. When I got a ticket for speeding and was clocked by an airplane, the guy or gal in the airplane thought the car was blue. It said "blue mustang" on the ticket. I thought about fighting it in court, but it was a couple hours away from my house.