Mazda Protegé

jstandefer

I'm sure topazmoon would be up for it. She is a very enthusiastic person and just loves her Protege!! There are a lot of Protege's here in Southern California. I wonder if a flyer campaign on their windshields would get more people here in Town Hall and one heck of a WCPP... hmmm...

mdaffron

You depend on the East Coast for your tax refunds, your news, your entertainment; hell, you can't even get up on time and had to invent that 3-hour delay just so you can hit the snooze bar a few dozen times. Now you're whining that you can't get together enough people to have a picnic. Maybe it WOULD be better if everything west of the San Andreas Fault slipped off into the Pacific ...

We affluent Mid-Atlanticans will move forward with plans for our second successful picnic.

Toodles.

Meadeball

vocus

Someone is in a good mood today...

mdaffron

Who?



See you guys tomorrow. I've got to go home and meet the guys from Verizon! We had another killer thunderstorm last night, and while nothing in our house got fried like it did in June, we had a strike in a neighbor's yard that took out ... ya ready? Our phone line!!!

Gotta go meet the repair guys so they can get to the service box on our property. See ya!

Meade

jstandefer

LOL!

Yeah, maybe we should get rid of the entire state of California (the San Andreas fault goes from San Francisco to LA, you'd still be stuck with me here in San Diego). :P But, just remember that you east-coasters rely on us for your agricultural food products and a significant portion of the US economy (if California was a separate country, it would be the world's fifth largest economy with $1.33 trillion last year, following the US, Japan, Germany, and the UK). Besides, if everything west of the San Andreas disappeared, so would Mazda North American Operations... now that wouldn't be so good after all, would it? :P

protege_fan

Ok ,this is the last thing I'm gonna say about the winter tire bit. It was said that "winter tires won't behave any differently on ice than any other tire ... because ice offers no traction possibilities at all. Winter tires help in snow .. not ice ... unless they're studded..."
My only point in showing the article that I did (and also mentioned in the article shown by Meade) is that winter tires DO behave differently on ice than normal tires.
End.

Regards,
Protege_fan

maltb

make sure I have air in my floaties!

jstandefer

I am house sitting for a friend right now, and she left me her 2001 Focus Wagon to drive around in. That thing is full of so much hot air, that surely it will float!!!! Attach a 300hp 20B rotary engine outboard motor to it and I'll come save you!!! LOL

maltb

have you seen those rotary watches? the dealers can order them...seems that it would fit you.

jstandefer

I have seen those watches, and it just happens that my Mazda watch just broke about a week ago. You know what I really want? One of those limited edition Seiko watches that came with the 10th Anniversary Edition Miata's. Stainless steel with a sapphire blue face (same color as the car) and the Miata "M" on the face. Each one was individually engraved with the vehicle's production number on it. I wonder where I could find one of those?

syd968

Will their be any changes made to the 2002 ES models? Will the colors be the same? I'm trying to find an 2001 ES model w/Manual transmission, but they are impossible to find. I might have to wait for the 2002 model. Thanks for any info.

edmund2460

Do any of you guys use fuel additives on a regular basis. My dealer recommends it every 7500. They use KREX injection cleaner which, I looked it up, sells only to dealers and make a full line of additives. They say that they started during WWII with their graphite oil lubricant that kept RR engines flying longer. Anyway, is this recommended to clean your injectors with some additive every X miles or so. I've also heard of a product called XR-1. The counterpoint is that they say all gasolines are treated to do this on a regular basis and it is a waste of money. I've never used it ony any of my other cars. Comments?

mhallack

I've done this periodically on the various cars that I've owned, but only when I felt there was a noticable dropoff in performance. Many times the additive not only cleans the fuel-injectors, but also helps remove water from the gas tank (which can cause a LOT of problems). So I wouldn't do it on a regular basis, but only as needed.

mhallack

Did anybody get a chance to catch the SpeedVision World Challenge Touring Car race in Portland over the weekend?  
I was quite surprised:  most of the cars running it were BMW 3-series and Acura Integras (that wasn't the surprise), but in
a close third were Mazda Proteges, including one MP3 and a 626.  Mazda posted finishes in the #9, 14, 17, 23 and 28 spots.

A guy named Espenlaub only finished #17, but they had some awesome footage of him dogfighting back and forth with a couple of the Integras.

Very cool stuff.

laurakat

Finally got around to washing my car tonight. I wanted to wash it last night, but my wife invited my brother and his family over for dinner. I was going to wash it tonight, but we just had our driveway sealed, so I took it to one of those do it yourself washes. Anyway, last night I was whining about a scratch I found on the door that, so I thought, went through the paint. Well, after giving my car a much needed bath, the scratch dissapears! I could have sworn yesterday it was a scratch. It must have been something from the road that made it look and feel like a scratch. Even my brother pointed out that my paint was scratched through. Now I feel stupid for letting this bother me last night and all day today. At least now I now there's no scratch, so I'm happy. Thanks to all who gave their advise on how to treat it, even though it was a non-incident!

By the way, the car looks beautiful after being washed on her one week birthday!

Mike.

grubbs1

I will be in San Diego tomorrow (actually in Escondido). I spoke with the general sales manager regarding how I felt that the paint sealant was represented in an inaccurate manner which led to my decision to go with it. He explained the product to me again but he ultimately offered to refund the cost of the service! Also, he said since the service was completed, I would still be entitled to the 5 year wauranty! I took a previous reader's advice and will have an alarm system installed. The normal cost is $215. They will still be refudning me about $80. This will go towards window tinting. Wow! I was very impressed by Cush's profesionalism!

Jstandefer, if I have a chance, I'll try to go by and pay you a visit. But, if it gets too late, maybe I'll see you and the other Protege owners at a gathering. A good idea would be to meet at Coronado. It's always fun rubbing elbows with the well-to-do's and their exotic rides.

grubbs1

Wow, the next time I post so late, I'll have to check my grammar!

mdaffron

I park in a deck and I get here before most of the people in my office, so I hardly ever get to see what my coworkers drive. (I know our IS guy next door drives a 2000 Tribute that he bought at the same dealership my Proteges came from.) Well, yesterday I was a little late and I saw another coworker arriving in a 2000 sand mica LX! We e-mailed later and she said:

Meade,

I love it, I have had mine since October, 1999. This October, 2001 will my third year and I have not had a moments problem with anything. It came with a CD player and I had them put in a tape player, so I have everything I need.

Chalk up another satisfied Protege owner!

Meade

black01coupev6

I had my Black ES washed/waxed this weekend and she looked just like new Then on the way home a big truck passed by and threw dirt all over the front end But then I rinsed it off and she looks new again

I am at 1500 miles and loving the car. It drives like crazy and the engine has adequate pep..just not as much as my V6 Accord..but hey it was $10,000 cheaper

On the trade-in value thing, since I work at a dealer I can just sell them the car so I don't have to depend on what a dealer will give me for my trade. When I went to buy my Protege I was trading my 93 Accord EX w/ 140k (this is what I was driving after I got rid of my '01 Accord), the dealer only offered me $2,500 for it. I was able to laugh in their face. I knew that I could get $3,500 for it where I work and I knew I could get even more by selling it on my own. Luckily I was in a position that I didn't have to get rid of it right then and sure enough last weekend I sold it to someone for $4,350..$1,800 more than the Mazda dealer offered.

No scratches or dings yet (knock on wood). I also park at the end of the parking lot and try to park next to a curb if at all possible so I can nudge up right against the curb and only have one side exposed to idiots. Last night as I was coming out of the store I saw a woman open her car door right into mine. As I walked up to the car she just cut her eyes at me. Luckily no dings or I would still be at the store beating her over the head with my Campbell's soup can.

laurakat

The first Mazda dealership I went to gave me a low-ball offer on my trade (97 Intrepid, mint condition, but 98k miles). Average book value was around $4400. I felt confident I could sell it for around $5000. They offered me $3700. I eventually started dealing directly with the sales manager. I could not get him above $4000 (unless of course I was willing to pay full MSRP for the Pro). I told them it just wasn't worth it to me to take that big a hit on my car. I said I'd be better off trying to sell it myself or keeping it for another year, so I walked.

Went to another dealership, and they offered $4500 right off the bat. I haggled a little bit to get the Pro below the Carsdirect price, but the negotiation at this dealership was quite easy. I told them about the haggling at the other dealer. They said they like to give a good price initially to avoid the 'games' the other dealers play. This is a new dealership, so they're probably trying to establish a good reputation. Anyway, I was very happy with the deal, plus I took the 0% financing. Payments are just a little over $200 per month.

Mike

protegextwo

I have used NuFinish in the past on my emerald mica PRO-ES. I only use this product on my alloy wheels, any more. Why? NuFinish leaves swirl marks on dark colors. It has done this to my car. That said, it is a very long lasting "POLYMER" polish product that contains no wax. I like polymer polishes/waxes for their durabilty. However, there are polymer products that are less abrasive.

Store bought-
"Prestone Bullit Wax": I have tried this and like it for a low end polymer product. Long lasting, however, lower gloss than NuFinish and carnauba based waxes.

Mail order-
"Klasse All in One"- I currently use this product, wait until you see this product on my car at MAPP 2! A tad pricy.

"Zaino"- I have never used this polymer polish, nonetheless I'm no fan of three-step multiply step systems. However, I've heard once you try Zaino, you will never go back. Pretty pricy$$$.

-Larry

protege_fan

Thanks for the info Larry! I was thinking about switching over to Nu-finish, but I cannot afford to get swirl marks...they would look terrible in my black mica!!

Mike

fowler3

The Meguiar's Cleaner-Wax has a label on the bottle, "Safe for Clear Coat finish" and has very light abrasives. But I will probably buy something different once we get a consensus here.

Previously, I always used Carnuaba paste waxes. Waxing anything is a chor, especially a car, and it's during the chor I appreciate having a small car as opposed to a medium sized one.

Meade, you were talking about snow and ice in Virginia. The reason I moved from southwest Virginia to North Carolina was to get away from 18-inch and 24-inch snow storms and 4-inch ice storms. Then, last winter we got 18-inches of snow followed a week later by an ice storm on top of the snow. Lasted two weeks before melting. I didn't leave the house for 12 days.

fowler3

peregrine_11

Does anyone have any experience with Paintless Dent Removal (PDR)? I had some lowlife put a ding in my rear passenger-side door the other day. The black smudge it left wiped away relatively easily, but there's about a dime-sized ding there, high up on the door (makes me think it's from some stinking SUV or truck or something...grrrrr).

Anyway, I did a bit of research on the web and I understand there's this PDR technique where small dings are "massaged" out from the inside, getting the metal back to about 99.5% of its former shape (in best cases).

Does anyone have experience with this technique? I understand a dent the size of mine would cost less than $40-80 to fix, which is worth it to me to see the light play smoothly over the side of my 3-month-old silver baby again...

Would appreciate some feedback. Also, can anyone point me to the post numbers where we discussed switching off the ES 16" rims for 15" so snow tires can be added? I'm in Wisconsin, and the thought of facing a Midwestern winter on "all-season" performance tires makes me shudder a bit.

Thanks in advance.

protege_fan

I just called a place that uses the 3M Panther (Dye) tint. They quoted me $365!!! For the high performance (metalized) they wanted $465!! I've been reading the tint forum and it seems that in the States, it's only like 200 bucks!! I know our dollar isn't as much as yours in the States, but come on!! That's ridiculous!! Any Canadians (or Calgarians!!) know of a good place to go or what price we should be paying?
Thanks.

jstandefer

We used it at the dealership all the time. The dings were not even noticeable at all. We used it on both new and used cars.

The way it works is that the technician drills about a 5/8" hole into the side of the door. He/she then inserts a rod with a small roller at the end and slowly and patiently rolls the ding out. They use several mirrors to cast light from several angles onto the ding to ensure its total removal. As long as the paint isn't cracked and the sheet metal isn't stretched too much (yours should be fine), it will come out looking just like new. Afterwards, they plug the drilled hole with a rubber plug that looks just like any other plug in the door. Absolutely outstanding and super cost-effective (we paid $30/ding, but that was a special price for the dealership as they would have to fix about 30 dings per week).

protege_fan

Ok, so I just posted this in the tint forum, but thought I'd get some answers here as well:

"I just spoke to some people and have heard 2 different opinions. One company said that they remove the windows to tint and said that this is how it should be done otherwise they would have to wreck the rubber to get the tint in properly. Another company said that there is no reason to remove the windows to do the tinting. Is there any harm in taking out the windows to tint?"

Thanks in advance

Pro_fan

maltb

not worth the expense or the leaks after the job is done.

twistinmelon

Some tinters remove the interior door panels, which gives them access to the full piece of glass, without even thinking about removing the glass itself.

for example...

http://www.mmtint.com/auto.htm

twist

scooti

On 8-3-01, we purchased an 01 ES 5sp, with moonroof, alloys, abs, cassette, spoiler at dealer invoice and got 0% @ 4 years. This car now has almost 1500 mi. on it and it is fabulous.
We are getting 28-30 mpg combined city/highway.
We love this car so much that we are picking up an 01 LX 2.0 litre Automatic this Saturday. I have a wonky left knee that acts up sometimes when shifting, so we are taking the plunge with the automatic. we will also get this car at dealer invoice. It has moonroof & alloys at no charge, though I will miss having abs. It seems to zoom just as zippy as the 5 sp. we just bought.
Just to show you all how crazy we are, our third car is a 2000 Mazda 626 ES V-6 5 sp. I can see the men in white coats coming to take us away.....

Bill

yooper53

I was probably the one you're referring to re: steel wheels and snowtires. I live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P., Yooper). My last car was the first I ever had w/low profile tires (they were all season)and they were completely useless in snow, so I have no reason to think my '01 ES oem will be any better. I just talked to tirerack and was told they're getting some 15 x 6 steel wheels that he guarantees will fit on our ES. He recommended some Michelin Artic-Alpine snows. They will mount and balance them so all you have to do is jack your car and put 'em on. The $$ are thus: wheels $32, tires $78=$108/corner plus shipping $57.24=$497.24 complete. Not sure if you've ever used snows on FWD but one really should go with 4 snows. My last car with snows went through snow like it was a 4x4. This is no s***! There are a couple other online tire places I have to check out including one in Canada, which with the exchange rate might be the way to go. Any info on this from the Pro owners north of the border would be greatly appreciated. Its a way bigger chunk of change than I care to spend BUT figure your expensive summer tires will be sitting in the garage all winter and will therefore last longer. Another concern I had with swapping out tires on my alloys every spring and fall was that some kid will ding the alloy wheels sooner or later. Sure enough, the local Firestone dealer ended up buying me a new alloy wheel! Too, figure you'll save about $20-$30 a year in swapout charges. Tirerack's phone is (888)541-1777. Hope this helps.
Dennis MI

fowler3

Two more and you can become a dealer. jk

But in some states a sixth license plates means you are a dealer.

Reminder: Tomorrow is Thursday and time once again for the weekly Mazda Protegé Owners Club chat! Come in and talk live about tires, wheels, waxes and questions you may have not have posted yet.

Log on early, it takes a while to click through.

By the way, I saw a white 1999 or 2000 Protegé LX tonight with a "sport" decal on the rear doors. What was that all about? spoiler.

fowler3

yooper53

re: your post of 29 June; assuming your suspension is mechanically sound what you've described is the "nature of the beast" for this wonderful ES suspension. My last car rode just like my Pro which is why I went with an ES. Just had to move down one class of car to keep all that I liked about my old one.

newcar31

Thanks for the info on the snow tires, I might need to get some of those. As far as mileage is concerned, my last 10 tankfulls averaged 28.7 mpg which is about 1.5 mpg better than what I have been getting. I think it might be due to me using synthetic motor oil and synthetic gear lube. That is the only thing that has changed in the last 10 tankfuls. I thought to myself that I now have a 100% synthetically lubricated car now, but I forgot about the axle grease, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and air conditioning compressor oil. If I switch to synthetic for those too, the men in white coats will be here to pick me up on their way to get scooti. Do they make synthetic windsheild washer fluid?

yooper53

Your humor is appreciated! I just switched to Mobil 1 on initial oil change and will be doing a highway trip Friday. I'm curious to see if there'll be a noticeable improvement in mpg. Won't be disappointed if there's not. Syn oil seems to be the way to go with these high-revving 4 cyl's. Whenever I pass on these two lanes I put it to the floor and don't lift til I pull back in to my lane. Don't think I'll go syn in the auto trans though. My Duratech Contour went 106K on the original fluid with no problems, though from reading various 'tour forums I wonder if I was just lucky.

black01coupev6

Is it me or do people really love their Proteges? It seems like everybody is buying them in bulk. Even my fiance wants a P5 for himself.

I can see why people love them so much. They are cheap, fun-to-drive, and good-looking. And they have "personality". Which a Corolla doesn't have and the Civic is losing. I think we have the best kept secret in small cars in our driveways.

fowler3

Compared to the new Civics, the Protegé is a luxury car in many ways. The Pro's interior trim is much nicer, by far, than what the Civic EX offers. The seats are larger and more comfortable, suiting many drivers of different sizes. It looks and feels like a much more expensive car. The Pro is a small car owners can be proud of, and most are. A buyer can spend more on others cars, but I doubt they will have the fun factor the Pro offers.

It isn't a secret, buyers of the Civic purchase those cars because "everybody else does". They are people who are afraid they will be critisized by their friends if they express their own tastes, so they go with the flow.

fowler3

giasol

hey all!

just bought a silver protege es w/ sunroof. i'm going to pick it up this friday and i can't wait! some friends and i will be breaking it in this weekend in northern washington. should be great!

i need to get a cassette player (have an mp3 player i want to use). the dealer priced it at $275 and i promptly turned him down. any suggestions as to where i could get an affordable one? suggestions as to what i should get? i went to cartoys.com and was overwhelmed with the options, so ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

yooper53

You two pretty much summarize what seems to me to be the amazing appeal of these cars.

yooper53

Do you suppose the Mazda bigshots peruse these and other car specific forums? If not they should.
Though in the case of the Ford Focus they can't be liking much of what they're "hearing."

vocus

That is the going price for the cassette. Should have picked a car with it in there already. Mine was $150 retail on the sticker.

notminehers

I can't believe it, have been lurking on this board for a long time and FINALLY someone from my area will have a new PRO!! Congratulations!! We have had our '01 ES for 6 months and love it - already have 10k and averaging 33 mpg. If I see a silver flash go by this weekend I'll know it is you......good luck!!
Greg

grubbs1

I'm going nuts with my Protege! (this is good, I think). The dealer indeed installed the alarm as a partial refund of the paint sealant. While I was waiting in the lobby, I started calling around for prices on tinting. The delivery manager overheard my conversation and suggested she try calling the people they use. It was a very good price and I got it done the same day! The cost for a medium tint in the rear three windows and a light tint in the front two was $164. This included a great guarantee. My wife is really on my case now since I am so thrilled with this car. Even my two dachshunds are jealous since I'm not paying much attention to them. When does this wear off?

mdaffron

Sorry it took me so long to reply; I don't have Internet access at home so I have to goof around at work.

Nu Finish doesn't leave swirl marks for me. In fact, one of the reasons I switched back to Nu Finish from the Meguiar's Gold Class is because the Meguiar's left swirl marks! Not to mention it smelled god-awful.

Larry, are you sure it wasn't too humid when you applied your Nu Finish, and you let it dry to a nice, DRY haze?

I've tried products from Meguiar's, Turtle Wax and Blue Coral, but I still keep coming back to Nu Finish!

Meade

mdaffron

This can be a topic at MAPP II. Larry, wax your car with your brand and I'll use my Nu Finish. We've both got the same color, so it oughta be pretty easy to see the differences -- if indeed there are any!

LOL, now we'll have to call it the Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic and Polish Seminar:

MAPPAPS!!!



Meade

twistinmelon

I guess there is no point in voicing disagreement with the mayor of the Protege Owners Club. Then again, it's the pointless detours that make life interesting.

fowler3 wrote: "buyers of the Civic purchase those cars because "everybody else does". They are people who are afraid they will be critisized by their friends if they express their own tastes, so they go with the flow."

IMHO, this is an absurd statement. Proteges are nice cars. Civics are nice cars. Civics have some advantages over Proteges. Proteges have some advantages over Civics. Owning a Civic does not make you Pat Boone. Owning a Protege does not make you James Dean.

I'm basically down to deciding between the Civic EX and the Protege ES. It's a tough call.

I'd get a nicer interior, bigger engine, sportier ride, better warranty, and, IMHO, more attractive exterior with the Pro.

I'd get (in my area) a better dealer experience, better resale, better availability of parts and accessories, better theft protection (chip in the key), and a higher safety rating from the Civic.

I have real concerns about the ProES low profile tires in heavy snows, the relatively slim pickings in replacement tires, the higher prices for parts, and the fact that Mazda dealerships are harder to come by -- and are rarely independent (something I value, which you may not) -- in my area.

I also know the Civic sheetmetal is thin and attracts door dings like Bill Clinton to an intern, that there are a zillion of them on the road, and that they had some serious problems with the first year of production of the newest generation.

Tell me, when I'm on my way to downstate Illinois to visit my wife's family with my two boys, will my inner satisfaction as an iconoclast (as evidenced by my purchase of a Pro instead of a Civic) make it easier to take the pain when the local tire merchant tells me it will be a day or two before he can get a tire in my ES's size, and we're stuck overnight in the Green Shag suite at the No-tell Motel in Paris, IL?

The Pro is a very nice car. I may own one within a few months. Resorting to schoolyard nonsense regarding a competitor is unnecessary and suggests insecurity.

Now I expect I will receive a visit from the online equivalent of the town fire inspector.

twist

vocus

I think Fowler was just expressing his opinion about the Protege. And it was just that, opinion. I personally don't like the Civic because they are smaller inside, have bland styling, and are seen everytime you turn around. That's my opinion though. Both are good cars, and deserve consideration though.

mdaffron

I agree wholeheartedly. Every car has its merits, and the Civic is one hell of a car ... otherwise it wouldn't occupy the top position in its segment.

But any topic called "Mazda Protege" is going to be full of people who own Proteges and are going to defend their purchases to the hilt ... just like the Civic owners on the Honda Civic topic. Don't blame us for being a little one-sided. We've all got our reasons for loving the cars we chose to purchase!

And I wouldn't worry too much about the tire size -- I thought the 195-55VR15s on my 2000 ES were hard to come by, and they are -- but I haven't been to a tire store yet (and I've been to Firestone, Goodyear, Merchants, even Sears) that didn't have something in that size. My next set of tires will be coming from TireRack.com. Besides, how often do you need a brand-new tire in the middle of nowhere? I never have ... just put on the spare and get the tire fixed at Goober's Fillin' Station and be on your way!

Let my experience help you decide on your purchase since many of those who post here are on their first-ever Proteges. I'm on my third ... the first, a '92, hydroplaned (let's talk about tires!) at only 8 months old and was totaled. I walked out of that crash and was so amazed at the safety features of the car that I purchased another '92 that I drove for 83,000 miles (in only a little over 2 years). Never had a problem. It was a no-brainer to get the 2000 ES, which has been a great car for its first 25,000 miles.

I can't speak for the Civic -- I never owned one. I owned a 1987 Honda Elite 150 Scooter, which was great! My brother had a 1991 Honda Accord LX, and it was trouble-free except for a $1,000 a/c compressor replacement he had to do at an early 60,000 miles.

Happy deciding; I personally (of course) hope you choose to zoom zoom zoom!

Meade

mhallack

>Owning a Protege does not make you James Dean.

You sound like a 'rebel without a protege.' ;^)

Sorry, I really couldn't help it.

mdaffron

Twist, here's a comparison of recalls between the Civic and Protege:

Proteges manufactured between June and December 2000 could have suffered a damaged brake line, and there was a recall to take care of that. (This included some 2000 models and some 2001 models.) That's the only recall on a Protege in the last two model years.

The Civic has had two recalls this year. Interestingly, both involve the fuel system. The most recent recall was announced yesterday:

"In a collision, without enough clamping force, the tube between gas cap and the tank could disconnect allowing fuel to spill and burn in the presence of an ignition source."

The other recall involves a fuel pump problem that could cause the car to stall, resulting in a crash.

Kind of ironic ... I know it's unlikely, but in a Civic you could be driving along, the car could stall, and you could crash ... which then could cause the fuel line to leak, causing an explosion!

Honda Civic = Ford Pinto!!!



Meade