Mazda Protegé

chikoo

u took the car to a rally, ur warranty is gone....

the_big_h

though it is one of the better sport mascots in recent years.

but the Detroit octopus still tops it all :-D

and Todd, you are allowed to run over as many rally monkeys as you wish, given the circumstances ;-D

newcar31

"and Todd, you are allowed to run over as many rally monkeys as you wish, given the circumstances ;-D"

Yeah, I might need to get a rally monkey bar for the front of my car to prevent further damage. Would that look weird on a Protege?

vocus

Would it look anything like a brush guard?

newcar31

Yeah, kinda like a brush guard, but a little lower and more heavy duty. Luckily, the Rally Monkeys that I ran over were only the size of racoons, but I have seen some that look like small deer. I'll try to avoid those.

chicagopro

Okay, for anybody else who has been living under a rock all summer (like me), and didn't know what the heck a Rally Monkey was:

http://veederandld.20m.com/primnews/7800.html

ashutoshsm

It had something to do with that boring game and the playoff series on now, but didn't want to waste any time trying to figure it out

vocus

I have hit a racoon before in NC with my rental truck (thank God it wasn't my car!). Does a rally monkey smell as bad as a racoon on a hot grille?

maltb

Hitting rally monkeys is grounds for immediate warranty invalidation.

Let's see... J M 1 B J 2 2 5 6 1 0 4 0 ..... Branded - Total Loss Vehicle.

newcar31

"Does a rally monkey smell as bad as a racoon on a hot grille?"

Rally Monkeys smell worse and that's before you hit them. They smell like a cross between a 4 day dead skunk and an Orange County resident. I washed the carcass off my car right away, but it still smells. I might need to pick up some barf bags for my passengers because there are many more Rally Monkeys to be ran over.

Maltb, I talked to my dealer and my warranty is only invalid in CA, so I'm safe.

vocus

You all are too funny!

dinu01

I once hit a squirel (the sp. is wrong, I know Dale) in Mtl with my Civic a few yrs ago. Stupid rodent didn't realize I wasn't gonna trash my car for his cheap fur. That and I was going 80km/h (50ish mph?) on a city street. Heard and felt a small bump, all was good - except for Skippy of course. The guy behind me finished him off.

Dinu

fowler3

hitting a skunk, for a smell that lasts for weeks! Washing your car makes it 10X worse. It has to wear off -- slowly. Pheeew.

I think we have some Rally Monkeys in here! They are the ones that get up on their sofas and jump up and down when Mazda Zoom Zoom commecials appear on TV. LOL!

Thought I saw an MP3 on growth hormones today, turned out it was a Mistsu Gallant in Laser Blue with a huge spoiler on the trunk lid.

fowler3

chicagopro

...but shame on you for running over poor, defenseless squirrrrrrrrrrrellllllls.

Hey, Fowler...good to see ya!

--Dale

vocus

I went to this Saturn ION intro drive tonight at FedEx field in Landover, MD. They had 3 IONs, along with a Focus, a Civic, a Corolla, and a Jetta 2.0, but no Protege! Can you believe it? They didn't have a freaking Protege! I was shocked that they didn't. I heard people saying they liked the ION and the Jetta the best. I know the Protege would have been in that pair had it been there though.

I wonder if they didn't have a Protege because it isn't one of the most popular regionally? That would have to be the only thing to disqualify this car.

bluong1

then most of advanced technological and renowned companies study the problem... they came up with this solution: wheels with flat spokes, sharped like a knife. ;-)

vocus

Ewwww! I didn't need that image in my head before I went to bed!!!!

dermen

I broke a door panel fastner. The ones that have the center part you pull out a little and then the hole thing comes out. I stepped on it after I removed it. Is there a part number or should I just call the dealership and try to explain.

chikoo

if ur car is pulling, it's not a warranty issue.
Its an aligment issue.
and warranties do not cover alignments.

vocus

He was kidding. Alignments are covered for 12 months/12K miles (adjustment period), but that's it.

chikoo

u drove a 2002 civic last night.

can u describe it?

newcar31

I drive a 2002 Civic EX all the time. My brother has one and he always wants to trade cars. I trade just to be nice because I feel bad for him It seems really low on torque and handles like crap compared to the Protege ES, but it gets much better gas mileage. It rides a little smoother, but it's still on the stiff side. The steering wheel doesn't feel as nice because it's not as fat. It's a good car, but I wouldn't buy one. It DOES NOT feel like it is put together better. The doors shut much more solidly on the Protege.

BTW, I finally got to read the new C&D article. It says some pretty nice things about the Protege. Can't wait till my brother reads it....

boggse

Has anyone done their own spark plug replacement on a 2.0L engine?

In the workshop manual for my Protege, it says "Disconnecting the ignition coil and plug cap can tear the plug cap off cause damage to the connecting part. Disconnect the ignition coil and plug cap only when each component needs to be replaced, and be careful not to tear and damage them."

Exactly how careful do I need to be? I have never replaced the spark plugs on this type of engine. TIA.

newcar31

I did them on my 2001 and it wasn't hard at all. Just use a little di-electric (sp?) grease and anti-seize on the new plugs. Don't force the plug wires and coils off the plugs, just be a little careful---like you would with any car.

boggse

Hopefully, I won't botch it up too badly.

newcar31

I was nervous too when I replaced mine. The coils feel like they're on there for good. I just had to wiggle them off very gently and all was well.

protege_fan

Just went out and ordered my Nokian NRW's tires.

Check 'em out here:

http://www.nokiantires.com/html/NRW.html

And here:

http://www.kaltire.com/retail/about_your_tires/index.php?page=retail&section=wintertires

vocus

I hated the Civic! It was slow, had sloppy handling, and felt very cramped inside. I would pick the Protege ES 10 times over instead of any Civic! This was the LX I drove, BTW.

boggse

I'll keep these in mind if I ever have to move back to the snowy regions. They look pretty nice.

dsm6

Do any of you folks have special routes around work which you like to drive over lunch time, just for fun? I have a few such routes. I'm blessed with living and working in one of the best (and most beautiful) driving areas in the country - Colorado.

The place where I work is right up against the foothills of the Rockies in Fort Collins, CO. Today is such a beautiful day, I decided to eat my lunch early while working and use my lunch "hour" to go take one of those drives. It turned into more like a lunch hour and 45 minutes. Oops. What a terrific drive though! The Pro really makes mountain roads fun, especially with a manual tranny. You can drive a good amount below the car's limit and still have a blast. I got stuck behind a logging truck at one point, a Ford Ranger at another (he thought he could keep up after I passed - not), and a BMW motorcycle at another. Eventually I got passed each and continued on zoomin. The motorcycle was the worst - every time we hit a straight where I could pass, he'd use his bike's speed to pull away - only to slow me down again in the curves. Oh well. I tried my best not to be obnoxious, so he eventually pulled over to let me by. More passing power would have helped, but you can't have it all.

If you ever get a chance to drive the Rockies, take it. Just make sure you don't over-cook turns by too much. The penalty for going off the road can be "steep."

Zoom-zoom! (All this for $14,200?)

ashutoshsm

I miss living in Salt Lake City - same kind of roads to drive on as the Colorado Rockies, and a little closer to town, if I might say so! And the side roads are a lot of fun, but around SLC, even some of the Interstates are great! They pass through canyons, and gorges, and there is a lot of elevation change - especially entering along I-80 from the North. If anyone gets a chance, drive into Salt Lake City along I-80, Eastbound, at dusk or dawn, and right after Park City (4 miles, perhaps) you come around a bend and can see the sity spread out in front of you, lit beautifully, and th Great Salt Lake in the Far (West-North-West) background. Oh yeah - and the sun setting behind the lake! The inversion (pollution that keeps the pollution held in close to the ground) makes sunsets particularly spectacular! Gets the goose pimples going every time!

Driving on curvy mountain roads is the one thing I miss most, here in the North East! And having driven a bit in the Boulder/Denver/Fort Collins area (two trips) including the drive up Pikes Peak (busted CV joints and overheated engine - I was a bit too enthusiastic!) - I know exactly what you're talking about.

Today, I decided to grab a quick sandwich for lunch, and pick up some new tennis balls for my evening session - and the side entrance to the new DIcks' Sporting Goods strip mall here has a nice, newly paved curvy patch - barely 500 yards long, that I really enjoy taking at a good clip - that's the kind of thing I have to be satisfied with now
Although driving up to upstate NY on the same trip I went to the NY Auto Show earlier this year was a lot of fun- Fishkill or Catskill mountains (loved the name!) as well.

Zoom Zoom! (All this for 5.7K + sundry upgrades!)
(Sorry - couldn't resist!)

dsm6

I remember some fun drives on some deserted forest roads of Northern Michigan and Wisconsin. The key for the Protege seems to be curves. The more curvey the road, the better.

meinrad

nothing makes a man happier than curves!

dsm6

ashutoshsm

Now, to get bck on topic, what kind of air pressure do those of you with low profile tires/wheels (55 or lower, I guess - so ES, P5 or aftermarket) maintain? Normal street driving, with occassional bouts of Zoom-Zoom-induced enthusiasm, of course.

I find that my new wheel/tire combo does better - in terms of handling, noise, comfort (intangible degradation, so I'm calling that about even) and gas mileage with 2-3 lbs/sq ft extra air pressure. ie: with 34-35 instead of 32.

Any opinions, people?

I know the whole "max rated pressure for tire on sidewall is NOT the max pressure to use" as well as the detrimental effects on tire wear from excess bulge (under) or over-inflation. Just trying to get a bit of a poll (again - I know this popped up recentl as well) going!

protege_fan

I've only had the stock potenzas (195/55 R15) and ran them at 32 psi all the time.

I'm gonna run these Nokian NRW's at 32 as well.

What exactly are the effects of adding more or less air?

dsm6

I keep mine the same as yours (except in units of pounds per square inch ;-) ) for my stock Dunlops on 16's (Pro ES). 17,000 miles, and no signs of uneven wear. This is a pretty modest increase over recommended pressure.

ashutoshsm

lbs/sq ft would be SO much more moderate

Thanks for the correction, I don't know why I typed 'feet' (maybe coz I was cussing the American insistence on using the FPS system, in my mind, as I wrote that!)

I agree, 2-3 isn't much, just curious whether people have uneven wear issues from different air pressures. So far, the tally is
No effect: 1
Detrimental: 0
Newbie: 1

Mike - the effect, in a nutshell
Low/Under inflated: cushy ride, wear along edges of flat section, cracks in sidewall, lower gas mileage, better road handling (except at the limit, when sidewall rigidity is lower than needed)
High/Over inflated: Firmer ride, more road feel, excess wear in center of treads on tire, better gas mileage.
(Others - correct/qualify/explain as needed, please!)

protege_fan

I don't see any real benefits listed above....
Again...WHY would you want to do this? What's wrong w/ manufacturer's recommendation???

alternator

by Car & Driver's long-time editorialist Pat Bedard can now be viewed online at

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/comparisontests/2002/november/0211_comparo_smallsedans.xml

Enjoy, and save thge information to show prospective buyers when you eventually sell your Pro

With all the lauditory info, reviews, road tests etc. in the Portege name, how can Mazda ever consider changing said name to Mazda3? Bad, bad move IMO.

protege_fan

Sorry to bore you guy more, but I just gotta say that the NRW's are much better than the Potenza's (IMO). The road noise so far is much less and turns that I'd normally get tires squealing from are no problem now.

Now, if the winter performance is anything like they say it's supposed to be, I'll be laughing!!

bluong1

I try several pressure configurations on my Protege5 (P195/50R16) and I like to run 34 psi in front and 32 psi on the back.

Tire pressure affects the slip angle (i.e., the difference between the tire contact patch with the road and where the median of the tire is pointed.) Higher pressure reduces the slip angle and vice versa. Thus increasing the pressure in front will reduce the understeer of our FWD Protege. However, the higher pressure is recommended only for driving on a dry road. In a wet road, better lower the pressure of all four tires a little bit.

Bruno

mdaffron

Even though I'm a C&D supporter, as most of you know, I get irritated when a magazine contradicts itself. Now, we all know (dont' we?) that the interior of the third-generation Protege (1999-2002 so far) hasn't changed except for some minor trim adjustments. The mechanics of the interior, such as the way the seats are mounted to the frame, has not changed in the Protege since 1999. So ...

In the November 2002 comparo, they write, "The seat is park-bench hard, and footroom under the front seats is on the tight side."

Yet in a similar comparo (again won by the Protege) in 2000, they wrote, "For both two and three occupants in the rear seat, the Mazda ranked just behind the Focus. Both of these sedans have high, firm rear benches with good thigh support and excellent footroom under the front buckets."

HEY, C&D, TAKE OFF THOSE BIG POOFIE YELLOW MICKEY-MOUSE-FEET BEDROOM SLIPPERS WHEN YOU DO TEST DRIVES!!!

I think after all these years, I finally have enough fodder to go head-to-head with the C&D editors in a letter to the editor (those of you who read the mag know what I'm talking about) ...

Meade

mazdafun

But they do seem like to like the same kind of car I like (except they pay scant heed to reliability).

mazdafun

I keep my Dunlop SP Sport A2s at 34psi at all four wheels.

Response to turn-in seems to be a bit faster. Ride is a little firmer, a little better on mpg (on the freeway...I take curvy roads way too enthusiastically much of the time, which drops my local mpg figures). No noticeable uneven wear so far, except I don't seem to roll over onto the sidewalls as much as when I kept the tires at 32psi.

meinrad

dinu01

34 front (heavy part of the car)
and
32 rear (lighter)

cause any tire damage, or the PRO to handle badly?

I had this set-up for 1 week and it was good, but I changed it to 32x4.

What do you all think?

a) 32 or 34
b) 32 F and 34 R

Dinu

boggse

I keep mine (195/50R16) at 34 front and 32 rear. I saw no uneven tirewear on my Dunlops when I replaced them. They were worn evenly right down to the wear bars. I do think keeping the fronts a little higher helps unersteer a bit.

vocus

C&D has a habit of contradicting themselves. They really should be careful on that, because it makes some readers mad.

I work in PR, so I can get their office number for you if you wanna... (just kidding)

chikoo

Tire pressure:
After a lot of experimenting over the 3 years of ownership, I have found that 30 psi on all 4 tires gives me the best of all the worlds, namely good handling(no squeal) and comfortable ride on my 205-55-15 BFG v4 tires.

Lunch drives: I have a stretch of road next to the airport that goes to the UPS terminal(6-8 miles). Completely empty during lunch hours. Lotsa curves rated at 25mph that I can take at 50-55 wihtout worrying too much since the road is empty. as a side serving, you can enjoy Fort Mifflin on one side and the Delaware river on the other side of the road.

Pro has less space under the front seats: that is 'cause in 2000, the civic and corolla were low seat cars. This year, its different, The corolla is very high and so is the focus. It's matter of reference, my dear friends.