Mazda Protege Basic Maintenance Questions

Karen_S

How do you baby your Protege? Please share your care and maintenance regimen here.

KarenS
Host
Owner's Club

nikecar

Well ours is new, so just washing it so far. it still has that new car smell!!! The wife drove it through one of those car wash places where its staffed this week. I was miffed. but what can you do.

There's a local shop here that has tons of car care products and I might go and get some in about 2-3 months to redo the entire wax and stuff.

the_big_h

Anybody used this thing before? Last week I tried to use some touch-up paint to fix a little chip on the rear door and, predictably, ended up with a pretty ugly blob of paint. I searched on the web the next day and I found this Langka thing (www.langka.com). Seems like too good to be true. Any suggestions/opinions/comments?

H

theparallax

I'm almost at 15,000 miles, and I'm thinking about doing the 15,000 mile maintenance from the Owner's Manual. Does anyone know how much it will cost? I'm also thinking about getting it filled w/ synthetic oil this time...I've heard a
lot of good things about it.

What's everyone's favorite wax? I've used Turtle Wax Finish 2001 (not very good) and Meguiar's Gold Class. It has a good shine, but doesn't last long at all! Once I run out I will buy some NuFinish, we'll see how it works!

nikecar

I have to change the wife's oil soon. its at 2500, and I'd like to replace it with dino oil until the 5K mark. After that it will go to Mobil 1 at 5K intervals.

as for the waxes.. Zymol is good.

gamejunki

Nikecar listed the best waxes from Consumer Reports in the "Mazda Protege" forum on post #108. Hope that helps.

nikecar

nice... thanks.. i dreaded inputing all the info back again!!!

pcalvin

I asked in the pro-discussion if you could get one for the 01, but I forgot to ask if anyone had one, and if so, how well it worked and looked.
So...how does it look and work? Any model info will work.
Thanx

conheady

Chances are that it's just an minor abrasive cream.
Which means: Lots of elbow grease &
Damage to your surrounding clear coat (even if it says clear coat safe) If it's abrasive enought to take out a blob of paint, it's also wearing down your clear coat.

wang_n4

Especially in the rainy day.
Is this a common problem of Pro?
Any suggestions except AC on?
I don't think turn on AC while outside temp. is 25 is a solution.
Besides, it didn't help much at all.

Thanks in advance!

Sean

speedypt

Change your air selector to "outside air" instead of "recirculated air" and use full heat with the A/C compressor on. It WILL dry out the foggy windows. I used to have the same problem with my '92 and that worked great.

REgards,

Pete

conheady

I bought some of that anti-fog stuff from rainx. It works, well, but it's a paint to install. You have to really whipe it on good, let dry to haze and then whipe off with a clean towel. The wiping off takes a lot of work, because the haze really likes to stick to the glass.

Then when the windows fog up in only a few small places, you'll see all the spots you missed.

Don't get any of that stuff on plastics, because it may change the color. Also use in a well ventelated area.

protegextwo

Has anyone tried the RainX window washer fluid? I am not talking about the small bottle of RainX "booster" designed to help maintain the RainX windshield application. The stuff, I saw at Auto Zone was on sale for a $1.99 a gallon and was sold in the same section as other window washer/de-icer fluids.

Matt, is the RainX anti-fog applied to the inside of the windshield? Also, have you or any other Mazda Protege owners tried the original RainX?

Respectfully;
Larry

jh1017

Hi , i'v tried both rainx anti-fog and the rain repelling one.
all i can say is the repelling one is excellent, i don't really need to use my winshield wipers.
as for the anti-fog, i didn't really help much, i guess i didn't wipe all the excess off...
jeff

gamejunki

I have tried the Rain-X Washer fluid and had the notion it would repell water just like the other Rain-X product, where in fact it works just like regular washer fluid. Ohh and its pink.

conheady

You apply it to the inside. Be very generous. And the hardest part is wiping of the smudges it makes when it dries.

I have used the Pink fluid. It works great for easily coating your windsheild with Rain-X, but it's a poor window cleaner. Try getting the additive and put that in a high quality window fluid.
I bought regular RainX, additive and antifog in a 3 pack for $8 at SAM's Club - great deal for three big bottles.

nikecar

I use the pink fluid.. works great and gets the love bugs off too. also I use the RainX window cleaner. its clear with a blue label I think, like Windex. its safe on tints and works like any other RainX product.

the_big_h

I was searching for other ways to remove unsightly touch-up paint jobs on Edmund's main care and maintenance board in addition to Langka (which I asked about on this board recently), and fell upon a posting saying that nail polish removers will remove touch-up paints easily without hurting the original clear coat. So I tried it, and guess what? It worked perfectly! Now I will no longer have to endure a bad touch-up paint job anymore!

hope this little tip helps.

H

chikoo

Upon extended use, you will find your wipers chattering when sweeping across your windshield.

my 22 dollars worth of advice.

conheady

will cause extra glare at night.

nikecar

the only time I hear that is when the blades are old (like now) or if the glass is dry and I still have the blades going

protegextwo

Have you tried the RainX windshield washer fluid? I mean the pink stuff in the gallon bottle.

-Larry

conheady

My girlfriend uses that. seems to work the same as the additive, but not as good as the stuff you apply manually. I have never had any problems with my wipers (though they are Bosch Micro Edge- awesome wipers).

protegextwo

Thanks for the feedback, Auto Zone has it on sale for $1.99 a gal. I would like to try it.

Larry

conheady

getting the additive. Then you can use more potent washer fluid and then have some RainX in it. You get more bang for your buck, since a typical bottle of additive will run you $5 and last 8 gallons.

theparallax

So, does anyone know the approx. cost of it?

maltb

That varies by the servicing facility. Your best bet is to get out your owners manual and look what Mazda says is part of the 15K. Many dealers/shops like to add and delete as they see fit.

inkmanmac

can anyone suggest a good set of spark plugs and wires. why is it that you can buy a set of wires for $45 and for $90 , is there huge difference in the quality..? I got 93000 from the original set on my LX, maybe I should stick with oem set. i. would like to get some more zoom zoom out of my 1.5l ( i. dont know if thats possible lol)i. would think going with better grade of spark plug and wires would help..? any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks.

chikoo

I used Rain-x only..previously.

then I started having chattering problems - when the glass is cleaned squeaky clean by my wipers..not when the glass is wet.

brought a new pair of wipers...same problem.

Then some mechanic on the net advised me to clean my windsheild with windex..take out all the Rain-x from the container and replace the fluid with standard prestone, etc.

Works great now...even with my old pair of wipers.

not a chatter since last six months.

(that is why I said 22 dollars worth of advice..cost of new wipers:) )

protegextwo

I will hold off on the RainX windshield washer fluid.

-Larry

kramets

I own a '00 Pro ES w//almost 10K miles, and have enjoyed every minute of driving it. I prefer to do oil changes myself, but need to find a set of good car ramps that won't catch the front spoiler when driving up them. Any help? If not, I can always resort to the floor jack/jack stand option.

nikecar

I use my parents.. they got it at Discount auto I think...

h109

excuse me if these are basic questions. i am new to cars. bought a 2000 pro. no regrets :-) . right now at 2500 miles/2 months.

1) is this the right time for an oil change ?
2) what is the minimum/maximum tyre pressure allowed for safety & stability ?

thanks for the info.
-hari

vocus

The correct tire pressure should either be located on the label on the driver's side door or in the owner's manual. And the right time for an oil change is 3 months or 3000 miles unless you wanna change it now for the first time. That's up to you.

nikecar

Change it now... then you change it again at the recommended interval of 5K and at that change switch to Synthetic and keep the 5K intervals.. there is no way I'm running 5 K intervals on our 00 ES.. Going to do a change hopefully this weekend (3K) then again at 5K and switch to Mobil 1 for good.

protegextwo

I run 32 psi in my tires year round. When, I took my 2000 ES-PRO's into the dealer for regular maintenance, I noticed sometimes the different service techs filled the tires to 30 psi and sometimes 32 psi. I did not like this haphazard variation, so now I specify 32 psi at check-in. It seems to give me even wear and the extra 2 psi can't hurt fuel economy.

-Larry

protegextwo

Victor, have you used synthetic oil before? What is the upside in switching and is there any down side? I have never used Mobil 1, myself. I have heard Mobil 1 is top box in the synthetic oil world, what do you think? The folks at the Edmunds Town Hall Oil discussions, seem to think switching is a win\win situation. I am kinda of conservative, when it comes to change. I am really on the fence, I like the 3000 mile dino oil schedule because it reminds me to have other regular maintence completed. I think I'm ready to change, however one thing bothers me. I heard once you start synthetic oil you can never go back to dino oil? True or false, Vic?

-Larry

nikecar

well from what I've read around and from the Synth room here, that was true way back, or on cars with high mileage that the seals and gaskets are old and worn. The Synth will scrub away deposits that may have been blocking leaks. However, our cars are still new, so it shouldn't be a problem. The benefits I've heard is that if you are in cold weather, the oil flows freely at lower temperatures and won't freeze up. Also, its able to withstand higher operating temperatures, good ifor hot climates.

the folks over in Synthetic Motor oil room say they've gone 12K on Mobil 1 and up to 25K on Amsoil, but I wouldn't go that far. they do change the filter more frequently though. since I live in Florida, i like the idea of Mobil withstanding the hot temperatures. That and i could go to a 5K interval (maybe 7500K if the car runs fine after several 5K changes). saves hassle of changing the oil.. but get a better filter though.. The PureOne or Mobil1 Filter..

And for switching back and force, I wouldn't recommend it anyways unless you aren't impressed with synth, but don't go every other change switching back and force. But again, that idea of not switching was due to previous formulations that cause the leaks... shouldn't be a problem now.. my Altima has 29K and at 30K I'm switching to M1 (been saying that since 21K though!!!) and the Protege WILL switch at 5K.

protegextwo

try Mobil 1 in one of my Protege's and keep dino oil in the other for a year. See if I notice a difference in the summer heat and the winter cold. I have the perfect test situation. I need to check out the cost difference. My wife and I put aprox. 18,000 miles on each of our Protege's last year, we switch them occasionally to keep the mileage close on the cars.

Dino oil: 18,000 miles divided by 3,000 mile change intervals, equals 6 oil changes a year.

Syn oil: 18,000 miles divided by 5,000 mile change intervals equals about 3.5 oil changes a year.

So, even if the cost is double, I still almost break even at my self-imposed change intervals. Not to mention the, time and effort to do the change out? Victor, what is the difference in price between a good quart of dino oil and a quart Mobil 1?

Thanks in advance;
Larry

nikecar

Well I am now paying $1.44 for Castrol. Mobil 1 I see around $4, and I've seen as low as $3.25.

I don't know if you might notice a difference straight away, but the most important thing, is change the oil regularly.. you also might want to look at taking samples of oil from both cars before the switch and after for each change to see since you both have the same car. Go to the Synth room as ask what are the sites for sending sample.. i have no clue.. i think that will also be wise.. seeing what the levels of contaminants are before and after..

protegextwo

I have tried and really like a couple of products from Meguiar's. Final Inspection 34 and Quik Detailer are mist and wipe products that really help a dark colored car maintain it's gloss between wax jobs. It also comes in handy for the occasional bird poop attack or bug splat. For the bird poop/bug splats, just spray it on the fairly fresh offending stuff and wipe off the yukey stuff, with a towel. The Meguiar's products make touch ups between car washes a breeze. It takes about 15 min. to mist and wipe your Protege and it looks like you just waxed and washed your car. Caution, you can only maintain a fairly clean car this way, for heavy dirt you need to wash, first. But, it is a great product for a fast detail after a rain storm, a dusty drive, over night pollen coatings and water spots from a hand wash. You can get the products at Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc. for aprox. $5.00 a bottle. I have tried, the Quik Detailer and the Final Inspection 34 and both are very easy to use and work very well.

Respectfully,
Larry

protegextwo

Victor,thanks for the insights and suggestions. You and Speedy Pete are great resources for info on my Protege! Thank you guys for your time and effort.

-Larry

chikoo

I have been using Castrol Syntec since the 7000 miles breakin. Runs great. 5000 miles between changes. But i can never get synthetic (mobil-1 or castrol syntec) lower than $4/quart. average = $4.25/quart.

thus cost of oil change is

oil filter + labor = 12$
oil 5 quart@4.25 = 21.25

total = 33.25 / oil change.

( i don't even remember what dino oil change would cost!! )

tomciviletti

tomciviletti

My '99 es gets arco 87 octane, castrol syntec 10w-30 [I'd use 5w-30 in cold winter areas], zymol wax and recently nu-finish. All have worked well. I'm about to use an injector cleaning additive as a precautinary. I'll report on any noticeable effect.

nikecar

your welcome.. glad to see I help someone out.. usually its the ther way around!!!

as Chikoo said, its rare i see M1 under $4. But i did see Target I think once at 3.50, some folks have said they've seen it on sale either there or Walmart for cheaper (ocassionally).. Everytime I go in those stores I check to see.. but I've yet seen a store carry the filters..

here's a site that has a study on the different filters..

http://members.nbci.com/minimopar/oilfilterstudy.html

sylviaprotege

Does anyone know how to protect the paint of a silver Protege against abrasion? I live in what has recently become snow country and my car is suffering from scraper/brush trauma. For scraps on the paint near windows and the edge of the hood, is touch-up paint an option (I have never tried this and don't know if I should attempt or have a professional do it, especially with metallic paint). How can I protect the paint better in the future? I use the utmost care, but can't avoid the scrapes, unless I let the sun do the work! Thanks for your suggestions.

protegextwo

I can't wait for the weather to warm up just a little bit more, here in south central PA. The first day of spring is just a week a way. I really enjoy waxing the PRO's I need to stop by AutoZone for some good stuff, hehe.

-Larry

chikoo

I am now at 26,500.

anybody have some valuable tips for the 30,000 mile maintenance?

newcar31

I changed the oil on my 01 ES at 400 miles and 750 miles with Valvoline 5w30 and Mazda oil filters. I also replace the drain plug gasket (aluminum crush) every time because it helps you to not overtighten the plug if you don't have a torque wrench. I like to use meguires (sp?) high tech yellow carnuba wax on all of my cars because it lasts long and it is easy to apply.

newcar31

You can do a lot of the stuff yourself. Change the coolant and the transmission fluid. For manual transmissions, there is a drain and a fill plug on the transmission, pull the fill plug first. Pull out the drain plug and drain the transmission and flush new fluid through the fill plug hole. Put the drain plug back in and fill the transmission up until it comes out of the fill hole, let it settle, then put the fill plug back in. For automatics, pull the drain plug on the transmission pan, flush new fluid through the transmission dipsick. Put the drain plug back in and fill through the dipstick tube (not sure how much). Start the car and run it through the gears, then put it in park and check the dipstick with the car idling, fill if necessary. Coolant changes: There is a drain plug on the bottom of the radiator, drain it. Start the car up with the drain plug out for about a minute, this will get everything out. Put the plug back in and fill the radiator with the car idling, wait till the engine is warmed up the put the cap back on the radiator.