Mazda Protegé

jstandefer

Perhaps an alien ship entered our atmosphere and abducted all of the beings of higher intelligence that drive Protege's... Probably explains why I'm still here...

Hello? I don't think I've seen the board this empty once in the three years I've been coming here...

Anyone there?

-Jerry

gladichecked

I made the following post late last night in the Protege Problems forum:

After getting my 2000 ProEs back without the dealer finding the problem (see earlier post) the problem didn't reoccur for about a week. Now it's back. Took the car by Saturday afternoon and happened to catch the service manager. He was aware of the mystery problem from the 1st visit. I mentioned the "S" word (safety) and I will be taking the car back in Tuesday. I also have noticed that the car seems to be idling lower than normal (about 500rpm vs 800rpm). I was able to sit in my driveway tonight with the car running, give it a little gas, and the lights would get brighter and the battery light came on. I drove it around the block a couple of times and pulled back into the driveway. Now the car was idling closer to 800rpm and I couldn't reproduce the problem. At this point I'm thinking the car may be posessed!

Here is what happened when driving today:

Hopped in the car to drive over to my parents house (4mi). I started the car and the battery light stayed on (previously it would come on and go off intermittently). Then the air bag light came on and started flashing on and off continuously. I drove the car around the block and pulled back into my driveway and battery light was still on and air bag light was still flashing. I turned the car off, then turned it back on. No battery light and no air bag light. Drove the car to my parents with no problem. On the way home every time I slowed down my headlights would brighten and battery light would come on. When I sped up the lights would dim and battery light would go off (no air bag lights this time). Got to a stoplight and the battery light came on and car started to idle at ~200-300rpm. The light turned green and when I gave it some gas the engine revved but the car did not move for several seconds, then started to move but kind of jerky. When I got to my street I stoppped and started several times with the same results.

What is wrong, my zoom zoomer is most definitely sick, but the (car) doctors can't seem to make a diagnosis. Everyone who remembers me from the past on this forum knows how much I love my Protege. I was lucky that my new job's start date was pushed back a week, but I'm running out of time. I HAVE to drive 500+ miles this Friday as I am relocating to Nashville for my new job. I am desperate to give the dealer any clues so he can put the zoom back in my zoomer.

Thanks,

Bryan

jstandefer

Hmmm... electrical demons you may have...
It is definitely related to the vehicle's charging system. It still sounds like the voltage regulator. The air bag light is strange, but I wonder if it will come on when the vehicle's voltage is too low. Definitely mention the air bag light. A big safety issue should get there attention and may help them pinpoint the problem. That sucks! Good luck!

-Jerry

chikoo

I am darn pretty sure it is the voltage regulator.
Best bet is to change the alternator+regulator duo to eliminate any problems.
Airbag light flashing? it sure could be indicating insufficient voltage to operate.

SAFETY - is the key word.....

maltb

protege_fan

The alternator is the regulator...

maltb

Don't be bringing the star wars force shi...er...stuff over here.

protege_fan

Sorry...I just HAD to say it! Besides, it is sooooo slow in here lately...you'd think people went and got real jobs or something!

BTW, please, Americans stop sending your tree pollen from cotton trees up here...the crap is EVERYWHERE including all over my Pro. Clean up is gonna be a pain!

shrique

Little did you know that it's actually a secret plot for the Americans to take over your country. First we are going to populate your airwaves with our "pop" music which containes hidden messages to make your believe it's cold. Then we are going to clog your streets with cottonwood fluff so that we trick you into believing that it's winter. That way we can sell you warm clothes and snowtires all year round. (mooohahahahah)

chikoo

my suzuki had the regulator within the alternator, In india.

Here my Ford Taurus has a box outside the alternator on the sidewall that is called a regulator. So i figured, in the US, that must be the norm

maltb

Most cars built after the mid-80s use an internal regulator for the alternator. Some may be a small box mounted on the back of the alternator itself, but I can't think of any maker that uses a remote regulator these days.

protege_fan

LMAO!! I knew it all along!! Oh well...as long as you can keep Britney dancing on my TV, then you can take over whatever you want.

Oh...wait...this isn't Protege Posse....umm...
Does anybody have any good ideas for cleaning cotton outta all the cracks? Seriously...that stuff has managed to wedge itself into some tight spots on my Pro.

mazdafun

Toothpicks and tweezers?

You could try a wet/dry vac for the big stuff first.

protege_fan

I don't trust myself enough...I'd end up just nicking the paint somehow, scratching it. I'll see what hosing it down does first and then washing. If that doesn't get it then, I'll have to get more creative.

protege_fan

Just thought I'd pass this tip along...

So a long time ago, I managed to get wax on my door handles and on my side mirrors. I've got the LX so these pieces are just plastic. Anyway, they got stained really nicely and looked stupid. I covered them up with Mother's back to black, but all the rain has washed that away.

Anyway, I heard that a vinyl eraser can help, so I finally remember to pick one up yesterday. OMG! I literally erased the wax stains away! It was great!

So, if you ever manage to stain your trim with wax, try erasing it!!

pjd58

I use Peanut Butter, no Jelly:) It works great to remove wax off plastic trim.

Pjd58

protege_fan

I've heard of that working, but didn't want that goop near my paint.

theparallax

Just 20 minutes ago, it was a sunny, hot Florida day. I had my car wash tools out and ready to go. Got the entire car all soaped up...out of nowhere the clouds started getting dark and it is now POURING RAIN.

Great.

protege_fan

I don't know how many times I've JUST finished washing my car, no rain forecast and BLAM! The heavens open up and it starts to rain...sigh. It's a conspiracy I tell ya!!

sandman46

Funny, same thing happened earlier up here in west Broward but only had the hose pulled out to the front of the house, so will wash it tomorrow.

The Sandman

fowler3

Sheeesh! It took forever to find the board again! First try my screen froze, second try Navigator quit, third try I finally found it burried deeper than Death Valley! And NO URLs to copy!

Too much junk we don't need!! Simple is always better.

Meade, buddy, don't knock my LX!! It's just as good a car as your ES. Better in some respects IMHO.

Ron, sorry about your knee. I drive an AT these days because of leg cramps, mostly my left leg and foot. If you have ever experienced cramps while driving it ain't fun. Your first impulse is to stand on the foot, but can't in a car. And a clutch would be out of the question while trying to pull off the road.

I have found the disc/drum brakes to be just as effective as 4-wheel discs were on my previous Honda Odyssey, which were very good. In fact, a road test online, think it was New Car Test Drive, said they saw little difference between the LX and ES brakes. A couple times I have had to stand on the brake peddle in a tight situation and it stopped quickly.

Believe me I appreciate good brakes! When I was flying light aircraft one scary flight taught me a lesson about brakes. I was getting vertigo, dizzy, and told the tower I wanted DOWN right now! Cleared to land I touched the runway at the plane's cruising speed -- 115mph! The tiny brakes had no effect, I had to stear the plane off the runway into the grass to scrub off speed, and still ran off the end. It was a 5,000 foot runway.

So, now, I am very careful to allow plenty of distance for stopping in all types of vehicles. That's your best bet, not how good the brakes are. Always allow for the possibility the brakes might fail.

fowler3

fowler3

is going to be a mid-size with more power. Are you saying the Protege is a temp car one buys until they can move up to something better? If so, that is bashing a fine little car. And those who also have the Pro5, one would think they could afford a mid-size car today.

I have looked at other cars, too, and decided the difference in cost, not size, isn't worth it,considering the little driving I do. But you may have different needs. For example, the Audi A4 has about as much cabin room as the Pro, bigger engine, better built. But who really needs the higher price, higher service costs, lower fuel economy, and higher insurance premiums? And that car has problems. My Pro has NO PROBLEMS.

Let's qualify "better built": Meaning closer tolerances, right.
No gaps between sheet metal parts and bumper caps; closer tolerances in the engine/drivetrain parts. Leather seats are an expensive option when the leatherette seats are just as good, better for many drivers.

You get what you pay for, but do you really need it?

fowler3

gladichecked

Told the service guy taking care of me about all the new weird symptoms this morning over the phone. He is overnighting a new alternator and voltage regulator. On the way to drop the car at the dealer this afternoon the battery light came on, air bag light, and was idling very low. I got to the dealer and it wouldn't do any of those things...ARGGGGGGGGGGH!

I had talked to the service manager on Saturday and his plan was to just change the voltage regulator (he thinks it is sticking, thus the intermittint problems). Last week when I originally took the car in, I told the service guy assigned to me (not the manager) that I thought that was the problem based on the symptoms, the reasearch I did, and the responses I got from this forum. Since they couldn't reproduce the problem I have been driving around for close to 2 weeks with this problem. My question is, since the symptoms have gradually gotten worse is it possible that the alternator is now damaged? How has this constant drain on the battery affected the battery?

I realize that the dealership can't just throw parts at a car under warranty, but given the symptoms I described almost 2 weeks ago, you would think they could have come to the conslusion that there was a high probablity that the voltage regulator was the problem. This part is very inexpensive (relative to a new alternator), and given the fact that I was about to move it would have eliminated the high stress and inconvience it is now causing me. For their sake I hope they do the right thing and get this problem fixed, as I have already received the survey that they practically beg you to fill out with all excellent marks.

pjd58

Fowler...I agree, I prefer my LX 2.0 with alloys and moonroof over the ES. I can't stand the dark upholstery and chrome dash. I also prefer the LX's suspension. The 15" wheels do the job and handle twisties just fine. The ES felt like I was riding on a horse.

Sorry Meade, you can keep your ES:)

Pjd58

protegextwo

Which is the best ultra-high-performance tire?

High-performance tires have grown up. They were once primarily purchased by sports car owners and racers who were looking for on-track thrills, but their appeal has been broadened by the advent of all-season performance tires, which are used on even quite ordinary family sedans....

by Kevin Clemens

http://automobilemag.com/features/447.html

Rankings Best to Worst:

1. BF Goodrich T/A

2. Dunlop Sport SP

3. Michielin Pilot

4. Goodyear Eagle

5. Yokohama Advan

6. Pirelli Sport 7000

7. Bridgestone Potenza

speedypt

Quick retort to Automobile Mag's tire test. Only somewhat applicable to Proteges. Tires were tested on a high HP, musclecar. They didn't test the latest tires (S-02 vs S-03) and the ones they did test were not in sizes similar to our cars.

I can only compare the S-03's to the RE-92s I took off my Protege, but I will say that I can take the same corners at 5-9mph faster on the S-03's, with much less squeal and much better predictability. They are truly amazing in the rain and it's tough to break them loose even on wet roads.

I think a better measure (even if not as scientifically valid) is the feedback on TireRack's site. The S-03 gets a 9.0 feedback. That's one of the highest scores I could find on the site. I will be buying another set of these when I wear out my current set.

Incidentally, I got a little brave on the way home and took some really twisty ramps and roads. Got the tires nice and warm. These tires start to grip like epoxy once they warm up! I have been driving them cold most of the time and once they warm up they are simply amazing!!!

Regards,

Pete

mdaffron

You and chikoo did NOT purchase that tire, you purchased another model tire from the same manufacturer. Just as the Dunlop SP Sport listed as No. 2 is NOT my tire either. Just because one BFG T/A (the top-of-the-line, which you DON'T have) ranked well in this test, it doesn't mean yours is as good. Or were YOUR tires $250 apiece?

Let's wait for a comparison that actually compares the tires we bought before you go spouting off that your tires are better.

Meade

mdaffron

Thanks, I will.

BTW, my ES is a 2000 -- no dark upholstery, no chrome dash. And the wonderful 1,849cc engine they used through the 2000 MY until they replaced it with the asthmatic 2.0. Yes, I will keep my ES. There's no Protege like it now, and the future looks bleak once the Focus comes to bed with it. My next car will probably be a 2004 or 2005 Mazda6. Unless, that is, Ford decides to Taurusize it.

Meade

mdaffron

that's going to oversee the operation of Mazda for the foreseeable future?!

http://www.auto.com/industry/iwira12_20020612.htm

Oh great. I see lots of quality ahead. Job One, you know. If anyone HAS a job there, that is.

Meade

chikoo

I was jumping a t first, then I realized they are talking about the G-Force which is THE best tire.

Aanyway, as regards to sticky tires, I dunno but I have grown to love the tires like my BFG T/A VR4 that DOES NOT stick like glue and may prove dangerous in wet G-STUNTS, but allows for a very controlled slide of the rear end when taking sharp turns in DRY conditions....nicely letting your OVERSTEER....ahhhh feeling like world rally car.
But mind you traction during braking in WET condition in a STRAIGHT line is excellent, no hydrolaning....tested it out coming down on the Platt bridge which is at an incline(decline) of almost 15-20 degrees....actually I hydrolaned using my poortenzas on this bridge and I ran the very next day for a better tire...any...and got the BFG. Then I tested these tires during a heavy rain on the same bridge with my BFG and they stuck like glue in straight line braking.
I tried the same on a curved ramp during rain, and it was scary. But during DRY, it feels wonderful to have some controlled oversteer.

All in all, good tire. But don't pull G-stunts in wet. Enjoy the Oversteer during dry conditions.

mdaffron

In the wet. Straight-line, cornering, etc. Very confidence-inspiring. And as you all have read countless times, wet traction is top priority in my book because of what happened back in August 1992. These Dunlops make you feel like you're on rails when it's raining, unlike the Poortenzas, which made you feel like your tires had just been sprayed with Pam and placed on a Teflon road.

Meade

mdaffron

Did you finally get your car back? All fixed now?

Meade

chikoo

But like I said, the oversteer during dry conditions is very addictive. nice control.
and braking in straight line is as good as it gets. taking turns in wet is also not a problem. Just don't brake on the curved ramp. Then it is not so good...you can feel the rear end coming out faster than u might like, but i did not do a 180 like poortenzas. so be careful is what i say.

Hey and what good is a sports car without the feeling of a sporty oversteer? That is the charm of driving a sports(??) car.

pat

It sounds like your method of getting here is to start on the Welcome Page, pick Sedans (which used to give you the list of all discussions on this board but does not now) and then pick this topic? If so, you can still do that.

On the Welcome page scroll down to Sedans under Browse by Message Board and click on "View All Discussions" - this is exactly the same view and the number of "clicks" as I described above.

Or if you'd rather, you can use this link as a bookmark: /direct/view/.ee9e22f - that will take you directly to the Sedans main discussion list (all discussions).

You cannot now and never have been able to directly bookmark (within a browser) a discussion itself *and* be able to start reading where you left off last time. This is a Web Crossing "feature" that we can't do anything about.

But you (or anyone) may also want to check out the "new" method. If you pick "Sedans", then "Mazda", there are some other very interesting ways to find topics of interest. Just a thought, but certainly use the method you like best!

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Pat

mdaffron

Meade

shrique

way is to have a subscription to it in your message center. That way it always tells you when you have messages that you didn't read. Two clicks and your at your list of stuff to read.

pat

Hi Meade. You haven't been around much lately - you okay?

pat

Yes shrique, I agree. But lots of people prefer to come in through the Welcome page, and I am seeing all over the place that the "old" way to do it is not very intuitive. Lots of folks were getting as frustrated as fowler.

But indeed, I much prefer using Read Subscriptions!

mdaffron

Just been a little busier than normal here at work lately. But I'm here in spirit! Been doin' a little lurkin' on other discussions too.

Meade

dsm6

To each his own. I like the white faced gauges much more than the grey, and especially now that my ES is broken in, the suspension feels a bit soft to me with a bit too much roll for my tastes. Fortunately, it's only a problem under hard cornering. I'm glad my 02 ES has thicker stabilizer bars and beefier suspension supports compared to that crummy pre- 01 Protege suspension ;-) - better steering feel too.

By the way, I own two horses - so I can tell you from experience that the Pro, in ES or LX form, is no where near as comfortable as a horse. ;-)

lelva

Hi all.....I'm new to the protege board, after spending some time on the fence re: the Protege vs. the Elantra. After last saturday's test drive I have definatively decided that the Protege is the car for me. It was love at first sight, and it only grew more and more after sitting in it and test driving it. It was the best! But I digress. I am going to get this car, but I am a little apprehensive, since we are so close to July 4th. Does anyone know if Mazda offers any deals around July 4th? Is it worth the wait. Until the end of June I could get 3.9% financing, but I don't know if it's worth the risk to wait and see if there is a July 4th sale. If there isn't and the low finance rate goes up then, I'd feel pretty stupid. Help! Thanks you guys.

mdaffron

Let me be the first to congratulate you on a great choice of car! I drive a 2000 ES and my wife drives a 2002 Protege5. Counting those, I've had four Proteges since 1992. Great, great cars, and I've never had any unscheduled maintenance problems with any of them.

That said, I don't know what the current state of incentives & rebates are; I do know that Mazda typically jacks up the rebates toward the end of the model year. Maybe maltb or one of our other "insiders" here can offer some help in this area.

Again, great choice -- and welcome to our discussion. Please don't be a stranger!

Meade

newcar31

and my oil looks like it's still going strong. I have 18,000 miles on my 01 ES and this will be the first extended drain interval. I can't believe that the oil looks so clean with 3000 miles on it. My Integra would turn the oil black in 3000 miles. Must have been all the trips to 8000 rpms. Now that I have a car with low-end torque, I think the oil will stay cleaner because the engine is much more relaxed.

On a different note: My brother just bought a 2002 Civic EX coupe. My friends asked if I was jealous of my brother's brand new car. I told them I'd only be jealous if it was a 2002 Protege ES because it would be newer than mine. I tell them I feel bad for my brother...

protegextwo

"Larry ... what a liar you are..."

"you go spouting off..."

"BFG T/A (the top-of-the-line, which you DON'T have...
by Meade

Meade, I purchased a set of four BFG T/A VR4's. Not their VERY best all-season ultra performance tire, however their VERY best all-season high performance tire. The T/A's still beat the junky stinky cruddy rubber Dunlap tires you over paid for, a couple of months ago! Your Dunlopes (rhymes with dopes) are prolly ready to be replaced soon? If you can't afford to replace them with a set of high quality B.F. Goodrich T/A's why don't you get a set of Bridgestones Poortenzas S-03's like Speedy Pete, their bloody "amazing!!!"?

BTW, I coming to Richmond very soon, lets just say it's almost "go time"; buddy!

IF ANYONE NEEDS TO REPLACE THEIR MAZDA PROTEGE OEM TIRES, LISTEN TO CHIKOO, KEVIN CLEMENS from AutoMobile Magazine, http://automobilemag.com/features/447.html AND PRO-2! BUY THE GOODIE T/A's!!!

-old head

chikoo

for the oil to turn dark brown.

In fact i used AMSOIL 5w30 on 3rd change and ran 10,000 miles w/o any problem. oil was great but decided to change since car is under warranty.
Got it filled by dino pennzoil at the dealership.

protegextwo

Meade, you haven't posted a link to the pictures of your horrific crash or re told to us the tedious boring details of the events of 9/92 in at least a week. How about telling us again for the hundredth time about your death defying crash? Perhaps, we will once and for all understand why you apply STICK-UM to your Dunlopes Sports before driving anywhere?

-old head

jstandefer

Unless, that is, Ford decides to Taurusize it. - Meade

Actually... The next Taurus will be based on the Mazda 6 platform, as well as most of Ford/Mercury/Volvo/Jaguar/etc. midsize sedans. Mazda is the "global excellence" center for 4-cyl design, compact platform design, and midsize platform design. Go Mazda!

-Jerry

jstandefer

I have changed the date of the California Mazda Protege Meet so that it doesn't fall on Father's Day... Are you coming? Don't make me come up there and drag you out by your ear! LOL

California Mazda Protege Meet

-Jerry

On another note, I am planning on organizing an official club for California with San Diego, Los Angeles, Central, and Bay Area chapters. I want it open to all generations of Mazda's 3-series platform: GLC, 323, Protege, 3 (future). What do you guys and gals think of California Mazda 3-Series (CM3) Club? Too corny?

mazdafun

They're focused on their niche instead of trying to be all things to all people. Zoom zoom.

And hey, I happen to like my Dunlop Sport A2s. I think they're excellent performance all-season tires and decent on light snow. I've had them on since about 11,700 and I'm now on 27,000 miles. Slight wear, so I expect about 45,000 to 50,000 miles out of them before I will be replacing them. And, no I don't wait for tires to go bald before I replace them....too scary on wet roads.

vocus

I don't wanna talk about the car right now. I have it back though.

And I do have one of the best tires. The Michelin Pilots. For $213 EACH, they better be the best!