Mazda Protege Basic Maintenance Questions

protegextwo · April 2001

>I think it is MORE important to avoid scratching your paint-work during the washing process then in the drying process.<

Well, post #252 needs clarification, hehe! IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO SCRATCH YOUR PAINT-WORK WHEN EITHER WASHING OR DRYING! However, it is probably more likely you will leave scratches and swirl marks in your paint during the washing process.

-Larry

nikecar · April 2001

exactly.. regarding the towel that is.. But in my experience, the towels never dry properly and they always leave the white fibers..

I do use one of those terry cotton covered sponges. And before I stick it back in the pail to get more watery lather, I rinse it off if its dirty or if I'm working around the bottom panels or rear bumper...

nikecar · April 2001

well, to be honest, there isn't much brake dust in our 00 ES.

the_big_h · April 2001

i dunno nikecar, i also have a 00 ES and there IS some brake dust build up on the front wheels after a few weeks, an becomes quite obvious after a couple months... no buildups on the rears of course, since they're drums...

speaking of brake dust, what are some good wheel cleaners that can get rid of tough brake dust buildups without me resorting to scrubbing by hand?

thanks

nikecar · April 2001

hmmm. i guess I wash mine more often!!

seriously though.. its not that bad at least on ours, but we don't go months without washing it.. any car after a couple of months will have bad brake dust and it can be a pain to remove later on. We wash ours either every week (if crap is on it) or every other week (most times). The only time its gone longer is almost a month due to the combination cold/rain we had months ago. it was never a good time to wash it on the weekends nor in the evening.

My brother uses Simply Green on his aftermarket rims and they come out clean. But I'll wager if you go months with buildup, you will still have some scrubbing to do regardless of your product..

vocus · April 2001

I have a 2001 ES with the 16" rims and 4-wheel discs. I notice some brake dust build=up on the front rims, but not alot. My boss' VW Jetta has alot more build-up than mine does. But the rears, I have noticed it there.

the_big_h · April 2001

I'm not as diligent as many of you in keeping my car clean all the time. Right now my Pro's covered with a nice layer of pollen from the trees in front of my apartment, a very nice shade of yellow on top of my midnight blue paint when you look at it from a distance.... NOT!

I will wash my car tomorrow afternoon, and see if i can do something about those stubborn brake dusts... might have to bring out my trusty ol' toothbrush...

fowler3 · April 2001

You have heard how the Japanese have trouble pronouncing English words with r in them, always pronouncing R as L.

2001 Pro owners manual, page 11-16....

Windshield wiper brades

LOL

fowler3

nikecar · April 2001

LOL.. hahaha too funny.

pcalvin · April 2001

Whenever I hear that mistake, I think of the Chinese restaurant on Christmas from the movie "A Christmas Story" Ra ra ra ra ra.... way too funny!

newcar31 · April 2001

All of my cars eventually had brake dust build up on the front wheels. I usually put a coat of wax on my rims. My 2001 ES has painted rims so the wax works real nice, I use the same wax I use for the car. It helps out a lot when it comes time to wash the car, the brake dust comes off much easier.

chikoo · April 2001

using some 3M liquid for Vinyl dashboard cleaning - with no shine....could you rewrite the details for me..please?

fowlerisgod · April 2001

Today I bought a Millenia Red Protege LX2001. Won't get my (clean) mitts on it until Wednesday.

Look forward to participating on this board, with questions and more questions.

My first question : I took a look inside the front door and made a note that the LX was manufactured in Dec2000. Does this mean it is subject to the Brake Hose inspection Recall I have read about here ? If so, how shall I bring this up with the dealer on Weds - ask him for proof that it's been checked. How could I prove if it's been checked ?

Cheers

nikecar · April 2001

you can't.. but if they say it was checked and it fails, you have a nice lawsuit where you can pay off that car..

if they say its fixed or checked, then take them at their word... no use getting hyper paranoid wondering if they've checked or not... enjoy the ride...

ps.. saw my second 01 ES today.. Silver.. damn it was nice, but I do like our green. just wish it was a 01!!! oops.. better say it lower so Little Zoom Zoom doesn't hear me...

the_big_h · April 2001

I was using the scrubber to remove some tough brake dusts on my front wheels, and after I wiped off the water, I realized I 'overscrubbed' and left scratches on the flat/smooth surfaces of the rims(they're 00 ES alloy rims). Anybody know ways to cover up those scratches on the rims?

btw, I bought the cali car duster, and IMO it's a very good product, makes keeping my car relatively clean between washes very easy.

newcar31 · April 2001

I mentioned that. I use "3M Scotchgard automotive protective gel" that protects, cleans, and enhances rubber, plastic and vinyl without leaving any shine. It is supposed to protect against UV rays too. It works good and it doesn't leave a funny smell like other products. (I like new car smell better than armorall odor) It cost about 6 bucks for a 4 ounce bottle.

digidave · April 2001

Try some scratch remover (as used on car body paint finishes). Had same problem on aluminum wheels a while back and though it wouldn't come completely out, it sure made it look better.

Dave

conheady · May 2001

may work on your wheels. It's just soft enough where you wont do any additional damage by trying it.

Those of you that have Alloy Wheels. Stay away from automatic car washes. After a winter of using them- my alloys have huge gashes left by thier coveyer systems. Should have listened to the owners manual.

chikoo · May 2001

is it available at PEP boys or Walmart or..?

newcar31 · May 2001

Red Rooster auto parts here in the Twin Cities. I don't know who else would carry it.

chikoo · May 2001

3M(TM) Marine Cleaners and Restorers

Outdoor Vinyl Cleaner, Conditioner, and Protector

Designed to clean, condition and protect marine vinyl and rubber components.

Part # Size Color Qty. per Case

051131-09023 8 oz. (Gel) 12

http://www.3m.com/marine/prod.jhtml;$pageID$-mwm-mcr-ovccp

newcar31 · May 2001

Maybe the stuff I have is old and they don't make it anymore because the only thing I saw on the site that is close would be the automotive vinyl protecter. They are scented now though. I believe they also have an un-scented version. That site is really impressive, they have a lot of products and 3M is good stuff. I might have to try one of their waxes out, maybe the airplane wax if they have it.

chikoo · May 2001

it's now got a brand name "REFRESH"

http://www21.3m.com/v2.0-img/operations/3mauto/image/0/3/5/03544_detail.jpg

protegextwo · May 2001

Turtle Wax makes a great product called CLEARVUE Professional Auto Glass Cleaner. It works very very well. It is ammonia free and safe for tinted windows. CLEARVUE is a foam and that makes it easy to clean the inside and outside of windshields and does a great job on mirrors as well. I reccomend you purchase a NicSand towel and dedicate it's use, as a window cleaning towel. The NicSand towel and ClearVue combo is so good nobody who gives them a try, would go back to Windex and paper towels! I wash my NicSand towel every third or fourth time, I use it. You can get ClearVue Auto glass cleaner and a NicSand towel at Pep Boys. The towel runs a tad more than $5.75 and a large can of ClearVue costs about $3.99.

Respectfully,
Larry

nikecar · May 2001

I like the RainX spray bottle. Its a clear spray with a blue label that also says its safe for tints..

conheady · May 2001

I've used the Clearview. Great product. I use FTL cotton white Ts to clean with. What's unique about the NicSand towel?

protegextwo · May 2001

It's hard to explain. The NicSand towels are something I lucked into at Pep Boys. They are a micro fiber towel, however they are really soft and do not scratch or leave residue behind after using. In all honesty if you buy and try one, you WILL be hooked. I have six, two blue, two green, and two yellow. I dedicate the yellow ones to window cleaning only. The green ones are used for wax removal, and the blue ones are used for general detailing and buffing. Well, that is how I use them. The NicSand company has there own suggested use for the different color towels on the packaging, however the towels are identical and only the color is different.

-Larry

vocus · May 2001

I used the touch-up paint I got from the dealer to cover up the huge scratch on my hood. It still looks like crap though, because you can still see it. Ugh!

Anyway, what are some things I can use on the dashboard (not Armor All, it shines too much and the dash blinds me) and interior to clean it up?

newcar31 · May 2001

Look at post #276. They have it in an un-scented version too.

rnd2 · May 2001

i found some nicsand towels today they only had white no other colors is there a difference ?

conheady · May 2001

I'll run out and pick up a NicSand towel after work. Thanks for the tip!

rnd2 · May 2001

i found a california car duster but couldnt find a dash duster or a water blade in my area we dont have a pep boys,can i use the car duster on the dash and the rest of the inside of the car ? i looked at wal mart,advance auto parts and auto zone

protegextwo · May 2001

Rich, the California Dash Duster is also packaged and sold as the Original California Mini Duster in the housewares/cleaning product section at K-Mart or Target. It is the exactly the same as the California Dash Duster! Might even be a buck cheaper than purchasing it at Pep Boys. ;-)

I have not seen the white NicSand Towel, however I'm sure the color does not really matter, it will perform well.

Respectfully,
Larry

protegecpe · May 2001

Hi friends,

1997 Mazda protege 60000 miles.

The check engine light is on and got the error
codes by a dealer.
P1170
P0176
P0505

Anyo suggestion?

gitarzan · May 2001

I picked up an Original California Mini Duster Saturday at Big Lots for $3.79! It works pretty well. It gets into those nooks and crannys real well.

I've had a CA Car Duster for a while and it's good for cleaning betwixt washes as long as it doesnt rain or gather dew. Once the dust is consolidated by moisture, cleaning seems minimal.

I'm going to have to get some vinyl cleaner soon. I used to use Armor All, but after all I read about it, I'm fearin' it now.

jstandefer · May 2001

That they call it the California Car Duster! Gitarzan is absolutely right about the duster... it works great unless it has rained or gathered dew. The funny thing is that everywhere I have lived in sunny Southern California (Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Ventura, now San Diego) dew is a way of life! Every morning I walk out to a dripping car!

Aaah, growing up in Port Hueneme... I used to drive by the port and see acres upon acres of Mazda's (dripping in dew!). Of course, I didn't even know what a Mazda was at the time (well, except maybe the Miata). What I was really looking at was next to the Mazda's. The big brothers to my little MG Midget I was driving at the time... Jaguars... Hmmmm...

maltb · May 2001

Were you in the military up there at Hueneme? That's actually a nice place to live. Of course SD can be pretty nice as well.

jstandefer · May 2001

Nope. Grew up in Oxnard just a couple of blocks from Port Hueneme. I wouldn't mind retiring up in Ventura... I would live there now if there was a decent job market. Of course, if Mazda had an opening up at the port... now that would be tempting... :-)

newcar31 · May 2001

Why would the port of entry for Jaguars be in California? Wouldn't they be on the east coast since it is much closer to England?

nikecar · May 2001

maybe they were the port of exit to ship them to the Pacific and Hawaii?

jstandefer · May 2001

A little research has turned up that the following marques are imported through Port Hueneme:

BMW
Daewoo
Jaguar
Land Rover
Mazda
Mitsubishi
Saab
Suzuki
Volvo

http://www.portofhueneme.org/html/body_autos.html
There's a pic of the port and down towards the bottom of the page is a pic of "The Great Sea of Miata's".

maltb · May 2001

... to bring the cars in by water for western states through the Panama canal than to ship them by rail.

The Japanese makes do the same. One boat will go to Tacoma, then Hueneme (California), go through the canal to Florida and on up to NY/NJ.

newcar31 · May 2001

I never knew that. Where do the Protoges come in? I think mine came from a port in Washington but I am not sure?

jstandefer · May 2001

The dollar amounts a manufacturer and shipping company save in terms of damage. After experiencing vehicles shipped by rail, I wonder why any would do it that way... vehicle damage is absolutely common on rail cars. It kind of makes you wonder just how "new" your new car really is... I remember we received a Dodge Durango that was apparently dropped onto another vehicle while it was being shipped! That was a big nightmare... DaimlerChrysler wouldn't buy it back, and the shipping company's wouldn't except blame for the matter, and we certainly could not sell it as a new car anymore with nearly $5000 (dealer cost, NOT RETAIL) of damage!

notminehers · May 2001

You are correct - the PRO'S come in to the Port of Tacoma, Wa. I mentioned in an earlier post that I had taken a drive down to the terminals there and ran into hundreds of new Proteges among other Mazdas. Both the wagon and the special edition were on the docks. Will take another drive by this weekend to see what is new!!
Greg

h109 · May 2001

hi all !

mine is a '00 sand mica pro'.

i am new to car maintenance. how can i get some tint on to the windows ? buy & do it myself, go to the dealer or any other place (pep boys, etc.). what's the best option ? also, can you tell me how much each of the above costs (approx.).

and, for sand mica exterior & biege interior, which tint color would look good.

any advice is welcome.

thanks,
-hari

vocus · May 2001

I went to get my 2001 Protege tinted, and they told me it would cost like $140-170 for the windows to be done. No matter what percentage you get, it costs the same anyway. Also, the dark tint would probably look good on yout Pro. If you like bronze glass (which I don't), you might wanna think about that. Try to get "samples" (if there is such a thing) and see how they look next to the glass.

nikecar · May 2001

take it to a shop and get the lifetime warranty.. there is a tint I think made by Lumar that at an angle is silvery and straight on is black.. not as replective as mirror but looks really nice on the Sand Mica..

theparallax · May 2001

I have a Sand Mica 1999 Protege LX, with tinted windows. The tint is SolarGard Charcoal 22% in the front and 16% in the rear. Some pics are at http://www.geocities.com/negatize/mycar.htm

Some may say it's too dark, but I think it's just right, and I have no problems with seeing at night either.

wjm1 · May 2001

My wife drives 2000 AS (Auto) that now has about 9K miles on it. The fuel economy has been bad to terrible since the day one. At t5he beginning I thought that after breaking in the car it would improve. Well 9K seems enough to me. When complained earlier this year, the dealer said that it's because of the "winter" gasoline here in Northern CA (SC Bay Area) and that nothing is wrong. True - MTBE and other oxygenates decrease the MPG figure, but not to that extent I believe.
Now the fuel is not "winter" type and the car is still doing 22 MPG on 70% city 30% hwy driving.
And she's not a heavy foot by all means. Tried different gas - almost no difference (Chevron seems to be the best btw). Before the last oil change I used a bottle of Techron injector cleaner - didn't help.

I thing that's horrible for such a car (EPA 24-29).

What do you guys think? Anybody from Northern CA to share their numbers?

Mazda Protege Basic Maintenance Questions

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