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Comments
But, if the warranty is not to be affected, I guess there's no way they won't require you to allow the dealers to install the components.
I'm sure they did their homework and maybe installation will be easier than I predict or perhaps the kit will be cheaper. I'll just have a hard time rationalizing 25% of my purchase price for the kit. But, at least Mazda gives its buyers the choice. That's more than I can say for the other manufacturers and confirms their commitment to offering performance, which is why we bought these cars in the first place.
You can see the correct one in this brochure:
http://www.mazdausa.com/downloads/protege_performance.pdf
The turbo kit is very much up in the air at this point. Many points you brought up are waiting to be answered.
Slapping the turbo into a stock Protege may very well wear out a number of other components if the car isn't retrofitted to deal with the extra power.
Thanks.
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
Say ZZ, how's your ride doin'?
Mine is fine. Engine has 27.000kms on it and is broken in well. No racing stories though, although I want to smoke an EX this summer (just to brag here of course), but don't wanna damage my engine and tranny either... Tough call.
Dinu
I live in the East-New Jersey, and we get our allotment of inclement weather. The original (OEM) tires on my car (1999 Civic DX) were Firestone FR680's. ABSOLUTELY SUCK in the wet!-but they were quiet at highway speeds. I replaced them with Pirelli P400's. These tires stick like glue!, I really mean it! The only drawback to my P400's is that they hum slightly at highway speeds.
Safe driving everybody and best regards!
On a second note, I installed my indiglo gauges today. I got them off eBay for only $35. No instructions included but it was fairly simple and I had a friend help me install them. Here is a picture:
They change to 6 various shades of blue and green, and the contrast is easily changed too. Love them so far!
The noise is not normal sounding, kind of a grinding noise Maybe bad contact is occuring with some brake component while in reverse?
I had the pads estimated at 30% left at around 28000KM and have noticed normal brake harshness wear and tear during stops, but have not yet heard any indicator that the pads are wearing out.
Is it possible that I need to have new pads and service the rotors this soon?
Many Thanks
Mike
--Dale
How are the color and esp. the contrast changed???
Regards,
Pete
Sounds to me like brake wear as well. However, your brakes should not be almost worn after 32,000km unless you tend to do an enormous amount of city (stop and go) driving. I would have them look at the braking system as well to make sure it is calibrated properly. I have heard of the dealer covering a portion of replacement brakes for what is deemed as "abnormally premature" wear.
Hope that helps and good luck.
BTW, did you see my wife's car too? She has a white Protege5. There also are some pics in a separate folder of the car with the Mazda accessory rear bumper guard I put on the car about a month ago. Haven't waxed hers yet; she's only had it since the end of January. But I probably will just prior to MAPP III.
Meade
P.S. Sorry about the chat restriction, but hey -- we only do that on Tuesdays for about an hour or so. Please feel free to keep posting and joining in on our hoopla!
http://www.auto.com
(Scroll down the page a little for the pic and the story. BTW, note the interesting typo under the pic -- were they trying to spell "FRIED?")
NOW what'll happen when that rear bearing fails and the air bags don't deploy?
The FOCUS HINDENBERG edition!!! :-o
Meade
Meguir's does indeed give a nice shine. I use NuFinish myself which gives a better shine on fiberglass than sheet metal, but it lasts so much longer than any other wax i know of... I need the extra protection on the vehicles because of all the salt through the winter.
Yes, I wish Ford would say bye, bye to Mazda right away. Loved your Hindenburg analogy. Reminds me of a Dilbert cartoon that I know of.
Since no one called me to say whether the Pro was ready (they said it was a simple removal of the factory defective control unit on the steerig wheel and replacement with a new tested unit), I called them. The quote? "Well, Mr. Brooks, they've run into a lot of trouble, things are really very, very confused right now." I asked what that meant as I assumed they removed the original control unit, installed the new one and that did not solve the problem. He said, yes they did that and yes, it still didn't work.
So, I asked again, what he meant by "very, very confused" and he said call back tomorrow around lunch and if they've gotten it figured out, he would try to explain it. He said he couldn't explain the problem until they fix it because right now all they know is that the system simply does not work. They have no idea what the problem itself is. He said I might have to keep the loaner into next week.
Thank God for the guaranteed loaner car deal Mazda has or I'd be losing about $30.00 a day for the rental. I just wish the service manager would be a bit more confidence inspiring. He is being honest, so I can't fault him, I just wish I felt more comfortable about this. I doub't I'll actually use the cruise control more than 2 or 3 times a year. I wanted it fixed because 1) it should work and 2) I feared it could be a part of a larger electrical problem or the beginning of one. I hope my fears have not become reality.
I used NuFinish exclusively for more than a decade, but tried the Meguiar's on the advice of a friend. It seems to last nearly as long, but the shine is much deeper than the NuFinish shine.
I last waxed my Protege in September and rain still beads on the paint. It doesn't feel as smooth anymore, but the water still beads up real nice. I'm waiting for a nice warm day (maybe this weekend?) to reapply.
Meade
It comes with a glowing switch that you can mount anywhere, it has some adhesive on the back. Two buttons - one change between the colors and the other changes contrast.
Not too hard of a job once you figure it all out.
I actually really like the Potenza's, as they are great dry weather tires, but they are ....horrible in wet weather. Mind you, with the AWD they are satisfactory in the wet. I change to steel rims and goodyear All season's (can't remember the type off hand) in both the PRO and REX for the winter.
I have the Potenza's on the Protege as well and with only FWD, the Poortenza's are scary. The stiff suspension on the Pro doesn't help matters either....
P.S.- The hubcaps were packaged and dropped off in shipping today. They should go this afternoon and you should have them by Friday. I will update you with the waybill hopefully this afternoon. I cleaned them and shined them for ya. Same goes for Dinu who should see his tomorrow i would imagine.
P.S.- sorry about the delay. The combination of being hectically busy and my procrastination are just a bad thing altogether...
How'd you like the Stampede? Yee haw! LOL! Driving in Calgary is nuts during that time because of all the dam...errr...nice tourists
Yes, I can imagine night time driving is not a fun thing there. I know winter driving certainly is not. AVALANCHE!!!!!!!
Still, I would love to wind the Pro around those corners. Don't really have anything comparable here in Ontario...
My wife nags me all the time about slowing down on curvy mountain roads. I've learned to tune her out. ;-)
I love the Protege and come in here mainly because i think it is such an outstanding car for the money. I honestly don't like what they did to the tuning of the 2.0L (I have the 2000 1.8L, like Meade) engine, as it's not my preference. This is why i tend to see where Zoomzoom and Fxashun are coming from, but think they cross the line now and again..
However, I still think the PRO is head and tails above it's direct competition.
It is simply a really, really fun car to drive and the handling is phenomenal for this price range... even when i put 14" tires on for the winter. I would love the opportunity for mountain driving. Obviously the Pro doesn't handle like the WRX, but you know, it's not that far off and that's simply astonishing considering it's only a FWD.
Also, the WRX board is boring and annoying as all hell. I've been an Edmunds member since 99' and have lurked here for years. Finally decided to be a regular member. Many would probably think that is a bad thing..........oh well.
DSM,
I hate to use this comparison, but the 1.8L is more "Hondo" like... That is, it has what i would deem "adequate" low end power and torque, but it needs to be wound a little higher in the rpm band to get full effect. The 1.8L excels from between about 3,550rpm to about 6,000rpm. The 2.0L performs admirably in the 2,500rpm to 5,000rpm band. Beyond that, it is pretty breathless.
DSM,
Yah, it may work, but the power band is still the power band.....
That's a safety feature too, to have signals on the fenders blink. My new car has those. You don't know how many times it saved cars from going into the same lane on the highway I was heading for. It's also good to keep pedestrians from walking in front of you in the city as well.