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I was considering the Mazda5 -- been researching it quite a bit actually -- but the final decision, even before I've seen a 5, came down to a few facts right now:
1 - I have a family and the money-to-blow quotient ain't what it used to be.
2 - A similarly equipped 5 will cost about 5 grand more than I paid for the 3.
3 - The 5 uses the 3's engine and powertrain yet weighs about 500 pounds more. I borrowed a 3 for a weekend last year and found it to be a little rocket; I don't know what 500 more pounds (about 20 percent more weight) will mean, zoom-zoom wise. Mazda has already released MPG numbers for the 5, and they're nowhere near the 25/32 EPA estimates for the 3 hatch with 5-speed (but of course) that I got.
4 - I don't really need a mini-minivan. I just wanted a sporty vehicle with more (and more flexible) cargo room. The 3 wagon fits that bill to a "T" and the compartmentalized trunk that you can customize to fit your needs is really flexible. I also got the cargo net and cargo tray for the trunk floor.
5 - The 3 has been out for a year and a half. Buying the 5 in its first months on US soil would be committing one of my cardinal sins of car buying.
6 - My Protege was up for state inspection next month and most assuredly needed new tires and brakes, plus possibly a windshield. Zoomster was also 1,000 miles late for his 90,000-mile "major service" which would've cost me about $250, and the ol' timing belt issue was starting to concern me. I really didn't feel like putting a thousand or more bucks into a car with 91,000 miles on it.
7 - Interest rates are rising. I got one hell of a deal because of my "preferred customer" status (er, now 6 new Mazdas from the same dealership in 13 years).
I can't think of much else right now. Here are a few interesting points that helped me choose Mazda and my dealership once again though:
- The 3 has a timing CHAIN. (No costly belt replacement at 60, 90 or 105K miles or whatever!
- Free oil changes for the first 3 years/36K miles.
- Free tires for life! (As long as I do all my maintenance at the dealership, which I do anyway for the most part.)
- Free loaner car, even for an oil change or a tire rotation!
- Free roadside assistance.
- Free zoom-zoom stickers!!! :shades:
I do miss Zoomster though. It was hard to see him get driven around back to that place trade-ins go, never to be seen again ...
Meade
P0421-warm up catalyst efficiency below threshold bank(1)(5)
P0170-Fuel trim malfunction bank (1)(2)
What is the meaning of each codes? Thank you
It's always hard to see a good buddy, I mean car, go. I felt all weepy inside when the new owner of my '89 323 drove him down the street and around the corner.
I'll be hanging onto my Protege for a while. Nothing currently out there is able to entice me out of her. Now, that next Miata might be considered as an addition, but never a replacement.
In four days or 34 miles it will be 4 years I've owned it and hit 22K. Gawd! They wear out fast!
fowler3
Wow, are you planning to set a record for low mileage? You seem to be averaging less than 500 miles per month! Your Pro must run like it just came off the lot.
p.s. that's very environmentally-friendly, kudos to you!
PF Flyer
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The last time I drove to a supermarket, about a city block away, I walked home. Went into the garage for something and thought somebody had stolen my Protegé. Walked back to get it.
One of the best things about the Pro is its short turning circle, couldn't stand one with a larger one. It makes those tight restaurant parking spaces easy to get into and out of without backing up two or three times and wrestling the steering wheel with little gain. With vans and SUVs circling waiting for patrons who have finished dining, the Pro zips right in and gets the first available. Man, do they get ticked off.
BTW, how much mileage should I have left on the Portenzas with 2/32"?
fowler3
The seat problem was actually the seatbelt latch, or more accurately the pivot joint where it attaches on the right side of the seat bottom. I took it completely apart, filed it smooth and then smothered it in silicon lube before putting it back together. So far I've had 4 weeks of quiet.
The door rattles were fixed by the installation of aftermarket "Dynamats" in all four doors. These are sold at car stereo shops and are deisgned to dampen vibration and reduce road noise through the doors, which they did, in addition to dampening the rattles.
The rattles in the window cranks (I've got a 2003 DX) were silenced with WD40, as was the cushioned pad on the left of the dash in front of the passenger, for the most part.
Finally after 18 months and a lot of do-it-myself, my Protege is as quiet as it should have been when new. Mazda agreed to the $650 and the $100 voucher as compensation for the considerable inconvenience and all the time I spent in rental cars over the last 1.5 years (44 days out of service).
Guess it ended well enough, not sure I'm entirely satisfied, but then it beats litigation, and of course the car is now FINALLY repaired. It just really bothers me that in 44 days Mazda was unable to repair any of the squeeks or rattles, while in one long Saturday I was able to silence most of them.
Yes, I like to give the F150s and other behemoths a wink and nod as I zip along, too. Also do you find you fill up the gas tank less often but quicker than they do?
how much mileage should I have left on the Portenzas with 2/32"?
I believe you are due for a tire change; you might find the stopping distance during wet conditions problematic. I would look for new ones now if you haven't already done so. Did you like your Bridgestones? If your Pro is using 15" wheels you have many other choices; my Pro5 drives on 16" and the choices seem more restricted and expensive. I would avoid dealerships as they tend to "inflate" :P their tire prices.
And, finally, on behalf of the world ... congratulations again on being a wise driver!
Yes, it makes one wonder why the job was not done as a courtesy. That would avoid the mutual aggravation and the subsequent costs involved. I wonder if from a dealership's point of view, they feel "rattles" are not "real" problems just inconveniences that don't merit occupying a service technician's time? Balancing the cost of repair with the need for good customer relationship is a fine art. Hopefully, more dealerships come up with the right formula: keep your customers happy and they'll keep being your customers.
I think 2/32 are considered legally worn out and subject to a safety check violation. They may not pass inspection.
More importantly, they are bad enough in the rain when new. The must be absolutely horrible with only 2/32.
Joe
http://www.geocities.com/negatize/media/specialty/meade92_totaled.jpg
Meade
If no one has tried them yet, I'm going in tonight for a test fitment of BFG Traction TA's. I've got a 2002 protege5.
Are you aware that the Traction T/A also come in 205/50/16? I found this via Tiretrends; the BFG part number is 88328 according to that site. That way you should have no concern about fitment. The Traction T/A are second on my short list of replacements for the Dunlops; the Toyo Proxes TPT currently top the list.
p.s. whatever you end up choosing, I'd appreciate hearing what you think of your new tires before I fork over the big bucks.
Just back from Discount Tire, I bought Kumho ECSTA 711, 205-50-15HRs. Good enough for my driving, should last four + years, sales guy said 30K. The Discount Tire store was having a Grand Opening, the package came to $367.80 including a good light lunch of fruit, salad, and great brownies while I waited 20 minutes for mounting them. Oh yeah, got a good digital tire guage too. Also free lifetime balancing, rotation and road hazzard replacement.
The tires ride so much smoother and quieter than the OEM Bridgestones -- like day and night. Road imperfections are nowhere near as harsh. On smooth pavement, which is mostly what abounds here, it's like riding on marshmellows or in a larger car. And the strange clacking sound I have been hearing from the left front wheel area is GONE. Have no idea what it was. We checked and nothing was loose.
My car is a 2001 Protegé LX 2.0L.
fowler3
Speaking of happy endings...
when you mentioned clacking noise it reminded me of last fall when I had brought in my P5 for its winter tire switch. Once I arrived home I heard this horrible clacking sound when braking and feared the worse. I drove for a while not hearing the sound except on odd occasions, like making a turn or when backing up. I scurried back to my dealer ready to be self-righeously indignant, but was met with a fairly simple solution : "the plastic wheelcovers that you have on your winter tires are flexing as you turn the wheel; just remove the covers or add a little grease." And, presto, the grease did it's job and so that is how, a zoom replaced a clack .
I have not had a chance to hit any sweepers at speed so I can't speak to sidewall flex and such. On regular crappy MN roads they are quiet (this usually changes for the worse over time) and provide a more solid feel over pot holes, patches, cracks and heaves. They do not wash out these road features but they are translated in a more damped manner than the Dunlops. Makes the car feel more refined and less toy like.
What I really like is how well the 205/55's fill out the wheel wells. All that open space around the Dunlops always bothered me and made the P5 look bigger than it is. Now the car looks more like a hatchback than a small wagon.
I'll check my speedometer error with my GPS when I have a chance but should be in the ball park of reading 3 mph low around 60 (car traveling 63 when speedometer reads 60).
These are the H rated BFG Traction TA's and may perform different from the V rated tires. The complete package with non-prorated lifetime replacement came in at $408 before tax.
The BF Goodrich Traction T/A 205/55/16 H sound like great tires. I am looking at the same BFGs but in 205/50/16 V to replace the original Dunlops (195/50/16 V).
With my limited understanding of tire sizing:
- the first number (e.g. 205 mm.) is the tire width or footprint; increasing the number (from 190) translates into more rubber on the road; a good thing in my book;
- the second number (e.g. 55) refers to the tire wall which circles the rim; since it is a percentage of the first number (that is, 55% of 205mm.) the larger the number the more substantial (fatter) the tires look; fatter tires are easier on your backside as they cushion road shock; the slimmer look of the Dunlops gives a sportier look, I would think;
- the third number (e.g. 16 inches) is the size of the rim; originally, like others I thought of increasing to 17 until I costed new rims + new tires and am now quite happy with my 16s
- the letter (e.g. H) stands for the maximum speed; generally the further in the alphabet the higher the speed potential, so a V which is rated for 240 km/hour is faster than an S (160) or a T (190); the exception is the H which is rated at 210; for me this rating is an indicator of my confidence, in other words I feel more confident taking that turn driving a V rather than an S.
Also, about a year after getting the P5 I got back into motorcycling and found that the car started to feel mundane in comparison. So, I try and spend as much time as I can on the bikes commuting in the spring, summer and fall. When I take vacations, I head out on the bikes instead of the car once again.
As result of these things, super high performance tires just don't make sense for me. I decided on the Traction TA's based on reviews at Tire Rack after Discount Tire brought them to my attention. They have just about the exact same tread pattern as my winter Michelin Pilot Alpins, and those have been relatively quiet except for they like to sing in the rain (high pitch rather than a low rumble).
I decided on the 55 profile over the 50 because of how well they fill out the wheel wells as I mentioned.
So, that's about it. I'll give more feed back once I get more miles on them.
I hear you. What kind of bike?
How about you, what's your ride?
What do you think of substituting the 185/60's? Is this an acceptable substitute?
What do you think of substituting the 185/60's? Is this an acceptable substitute?
Interesting: the tires seem very close in size but very different in price. Within the same brand of tire, the 195/55 is over 40% more expensive than the 185/60, which is only a slightly different size. Are the 185's on special?
At what speed max. are your current tires rated? lower than T? T? H? V? higher?
The 185/60/15 probably would suit your set-up well, but you may want to ask the real pro, Connor, at the Tire rack here on Edmunds.
Unless my Protege is picked up off the ground by a Tornado it is not going to come close to 149 mph
I do not even plan to exceed 100 mph, though the Protege is capable.
Service rating is 84 for both tires.
I just bought this car used and I'm doing all the maintenance fluids and filters before handing it over to my daughter.
I do not even plan to exceed 100 mph
Sounds like you answered your own question, moparbad! You can start laughing all the way to the bank with your 185s.
It would be interesting to hear Connor's comments especially regarding handling. I predict he'll have no problem with your choice.
Good luck and let us know how your spanking new BFGs turn (!) out.
The tire size calculator shows the 185/60/15 to be acceptable. I thought 195/60/15 would also be an option, however, they show greater than 3% difference in size. Hmmm....
p.s. any recommendations for a novice?
Good luck with your new 3 hatch. I like that red.
Connor did not endorse my tire selection. I called to change my order to the OEM 195/55/15 size and different Tirerack employee had different advice than Connor.
:confuse:
185/60/15 is 10 mm less width and 5 mm taller and 1.28% overall larger diameter. Decided to go with Borbet Type CA wheels with Yokohama Avid TRZ 185/60 tires against the advice of Connor.
If they don't handle well, I can't say I wasn't warned. I expect they will be fine.
Will let you know how they perform after they arrive.
Don't worry, I still hang out here; I check the posts pretty much daily (when there are posts to check, LOL). I have found the group here MUCH more mature than the group over on the Mazda3 discussions.
Meade
I cruise those boards on occasion, but the posts arrive in too great numbers for me to keep up. I usually end up scrolling to the last page the next time I pass by.
You keep them in line.
There's passion there, yessss ... but it's lust, not love. So far the Mazda3 discussions are a study in entitlement vs. reality.
Meade
fowler3
http://www.parttrackers.com/library/1/24/50/
Scroll down to the third from last paragraph
I would like to post a problem with my audio system. Is the following normal? :
my rear doors (the panel speakers in particular) do not have ANY sound coming out of them? is this normal????????
please give me a quick yes or no response if anybody knows anything about this area?????? thanx !!! e302ahotmail.com ...................
its a mazda 2003 protege!! i forgot to include this!!
Ryan
Meade
Thanks again meade...guess its time to shell out some bucks to get some speakers in there.
Any articles, tips, advice on what speakers u'd recommend for the protege , and installation instructions?? any pdfs floatin around??
cheers
Ryan
fowler3
Many thanks for suggestions...
Please see my response in the Problems and Solutions discussion.
You don't have to cross-post your questions. We'll find you. :P
Meade
Got a gander at a variety of vehicles while I was there. Small mini-vans from Honda & Toyota (think Mazda5/Premacy). Honda Fit sedans and 5-dr hatchbacks really piqued my interest (the hatchback, not the sedan). If you thought S. Korean mfrs. made fast progress in making automobiles, you'll be surprised how quickly some of the China mfrs are coming along. Kind of scary, especially given how GM is struggling right now.
Traffic laws are loosely followed there. Good thing they drive more slowly than we do.
They sure could use some form of emissions control though. Yuck.
Meade
It gets awful quiet around here. Get the feeling lots of folks have moved on (present company included!...how is your new ride, BTW?...guess I can get the scoop on the Mazda3 boards, but I'm feeling a bit lazy and hoping for a summary w/o the cross-chatter).
Amazing how cool the weather has been out in my neck of the woods. Not that I mind. I hate the hot, humid summers we typically have.
Been looking for a bike for my wife. It's pretty hard since she's petite. Too small for most adult bikes. too big for most youth bikes. And custom bikes are expensive! We'd be looking at $1500-$2500 for one of those fitted to fit her, when we're looking more in the $200-400 range (mostly on-road riding, and mostly at casual speeds). Giant offers an in-between bike (youth, but on 26in wheels) that might fit her. I'm waiting to hear what length crank arms it's got from one of the local bike shops.
And I just discovered that Bell has changed their head models so their helmets don't fit my fat noggin either. I'd better take really good care of the ones I have now. It sure bites to have a big head when you like to ride (most sunglasses pinch my head too).
And I just became an uncle early this month! We'll be visiting them in a month or two. Gotta let momma recover a little bit before we bother them. My daughter is kind of excited to have a younger cousin, especially since it's a girl.
Anyway, I don't get on too frequently these days, but I'll try to do better.
Ciao!