I think you'll find most small cars are not recommended for towing and may void their warranties. It looks like you are looking for an automatic. Otherwise, I would recommend a 4-cyl Mazda Tribute DX. It can tow 1,000lbs and gets 26mpg on the highway. Sticker price on one of these is $17,750 and includes power windows/locks/mirrors, CD player, and AC. Plus, it has the zoom-zoom handling much like the Protege. The V6/automatic is really nice and really quick, but it's fuel economy is not the greatest.
Actually, I would recommend a new Ford Crown Victoria. That car can tow, and it gets better mileage than most larger SUVs. They are not too expensive either, and they have the highest customer satisfaction rating of any Ford vehicles.....On a side note-I am sick of this crap weather we have been having here in the twin cities. It was 99 frickin degrees here today with a 78 degree dewpoint, and I have to work outside on hot cars. It has been hot like this here almost every dang day. The local paper here had an interesting fact: The twin cities have seen nineteen 90 degree days here this summer, atlanta has only seen two! What's going on here folks? I may need to move to Atlanta where its not as hot?!!!
Newcar31 - We sure see our share of extremes in weather here in the Twin Cities! After a brutal winter, we are getting hammered with an extremely hot and humid summer! I spent last weekend sweating to death at the in-law's lake home near Breezy Point. No air-conditioning in their cabin. Needless to say, I spent alot of time in the lake!
Allow me to suggest another alternative, recommended for light towing and I car I thought about when thinking about buying my Pro5: Subaru Impreza TS wagon. The base sticker is $17K, so it's near the Protege range. Subaru has an excellent reliability record and it's a fun car to drive. I did go with the Pro5 in part because the Impreza has a smaller back seat, but I liked the Impreza a lot. But the Impreza is rated for towing--not big loads, but certainly enough for your needs. Worth at least a look.
Hey guys hows everybody? I have a question. Has anyone heard of a timing slipping... cuz it happened to my PROES. I was driving home friday when I noticed the check engine light come on. I stopped at local gas station and opened my hood to check if anything is wrong. But found nothing wrong visually anyway. Turn the car off and started it again to see if the engine light would go off but it was still there. I got home safely but the next day, when I started the car, it just gave a whining sound and died. I tried started it again but nothing happened. I got it to a local Mazda dealer and after five hours of waiting they told me that my timing belt slipped. Just curious if the mechanics was telling the truth... I appriciate your replies.
I've never heard of that happening, but that doesn't mean it can't. A timing belt has teeth that I think would prevent it from slipping unless it's really loose ... and after seeing the space it has to run in, I think you would've heard it if it was that loose!
Hey BTW ... what was the outcome? Did they just put a new belt on? I guess these cars have non-interference engines; otherwise we would've heard a horror story about broken valves and a new engine!
I am planning to buy a new Pro but have a few questions re: suspension components, brakes , pricng. I'll probably go with the ES but does anyone know if the shocks, springs, swaybars are different on the ES from the LX 2.0? Also, has anyone run snow tires on an ES and if so did you go with 195/55/15's on steel rims? I doubt it, but if you get ABS on an LX2.0, do they upgrade to rear discs? In looking at pricing, it appears the 1ES package is discounted after 5/3/01 and the moonroof is free. Is that still true? Finally, what is "S" pricing and is there 0% financing available. Thanks in advance for replies.
I'll answer what I know and not speculate on what I don't. Unlike the DX or LX the ES has 4 wheel disc brakes. In addition the ES rotors are about 20% larger than those on the other two trim levels. The ES swaybars are heavier. S plan pricing allows one to buy for under invoice. But to qualify for S plan one needs to be a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association or the Disabled American Veterans. Based on my experience with the low profile tires on my last car I'm guessing I'll need to get snow tires. (I live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula) I'm hoping I can find plain steel wheels to permanently mount the snows on but I'm not holding my breath. Any other '01 ES owners from the heavy snow belt know if in fact such wheels can even be had? I'd appreciate feedback on this. Hope this helps. Dennis MI
bluemica: The first thing to go on a timing belt is usually the teeth...kinda like old folks. If an oil seal leaked, it can cause the rubber to deteriorate the teeth and then they just start stripping off. This usually occurs around the crank pulley as that is where the most strain is put on the belt. Did they say why it happened and how many miles do you have?
Jace: Your assumptions are correct. Struts, shocks and swaybars are different and the rear disc only comes on the ES. There is alot of talk on the S-plan if you go back about 1000 posts. Try a search and see what you get.
Trying to get the 6-disc in-dash CD changer for my 2001 ES, but the dealer told me it would be $540! I called about 3 months ago, and it was $245. What gives? Also, is there anywhere I can get it cheaper? Let me know. Thanks!
I am guessing that your timing belt tensioner was bad. If it was just one or a couple "teeth" on your belt, it shouldn't have slipped, it would need to have many teeth missing in order for it to slip. Like maltb said, if you have oil leaking onto the belt, this could happen. I would guess that the tensioner is bad though. The tensioner is what keeps your belt tight, and if it is weak or if it completely fails, it can easily cause the belt to slip.
Yooper, my plan is to get a set of cheap 15 inch steel wheels with snow tires, they can be had for little money.
Mike, I'll try to stay cool, but I won't be able to. I look forward to yet another 95+ degree day, and ANOTHER one tommorow. Paul Douglas called our heat "beastly, and ghastly heat, that you would expect in Sri Lanka, not Minnesota" Argggg....I don't want to go to work. It seems like this whole year has been horrible, an extreme winter, a very rainy spring, and a extremely hot summer. Geez, 95% of this whole year, you had to be inside to feel comfortable. San Diego is starting to sound REALLY nice to me. I'll gladly pay the utility bills and put up with a couple earthquakes, wild fires, and mudslides, I just can't stand this extreme weather anymore.
Paul, you should have taken the $245 price when they offered. Even the new vehicle option is an additional $500. $540 is the right price for the in dash modular audio add-in. Your only aftermarket options are a separate unit and control which can be had for about $150.
Newcar, I completely forgot about the tensioner on that engine. There was a problem on a similar engine a few years back where the spring fatigued and let go. I though they added a small bushing to the tensioner, but it's possible he has a bad one. It's a shame they don't lock those things down with a bolt as some other OEMs do.
just graduated and moved to LA. need to buy a new car. I like protege very much and want to buy a new one. I am wondering is there still has S-plan available now? any rebate? how about graduate program? Urgent to buy one, price is the first factor to be consider. Any suggestion will be appericated. Thanks!
I can feel your pain. I live in Eden Prairie area and with all this upper 90s weather like this, I'm thinking of having my 3-week old Protege5' windows tinted. And BTW, get this... I'm originally from a tropical country in SE Asia, and yet I can't stand this so-called "Minnesota weather" (sounds like an oxymoron to me already).
Speaking of which... do you know any good place to have a window tinting in Minneapolis area?
I too am wrestling with the LX 2.0 vs ES decision. The price between the two doesn't seem dramatically different. I believe an ES w/o ABS and side airbags is roughly the same price as the LX 2.0 with the ABS/side airbag option. I like the fact the ES has the 4 wheel disc brakes. Since I live in Minnesota, ABS would be a nice option, however, I've never owned a car with ABS and never had a problem. In fact, I'm so used to pumping the brakes during emergency stops in snow, I'd have to re-train myself for ABS. Also, with driving in snow, would the 15" alloy/tire combo on the LX make a noticable difference in traction vs. the 16s on the ES? I'm sure it's a safe bet that the ES tires really suck in winter driving. Of course, the other option, like some of you mentioned, would be to buy a set of steel rims and snow tires.
newcar31 - I normally like the extreme weather in MN, but I'd have to admit that this year has been a bit much!! At least we SHOULD have a break soon from this heat (of course, that's what I thought last week!). I used to live in Houston a few years back, and I remember the temp in the 90s and HUMID all summer long! I quess I just learned to get used to it down there. It was nice, though, wearing shorts and a t-shirt in February. I kind of miss that.
You wanna come down to San Diego? I'll gladly switch with you!! I would gladly get rid of this terribly high cost of living down here and put up with some weather!!! I survived Mississippi and Virginia for a year each (plus three hurricanes), and I actually kind of miss the weather. Sunshine everyday gets really boring!!! Anyways, for everyone's amusement, here's an e-mail a friend of mine sent me:
You know you are in California if: 1. You make over $250,000 a year and still can't afford a house. 2. It's sprinkling outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all the weather-related accidents. 3. Your child's third grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is named Breeze. 4. You can't remember... is pot legal? 5. You've been to a baby shower for an infant who has two mothers and a sperm donor. 6. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown, and can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian. 7. You can't remember... is pot legal? 8. A really great parking space can move you to tears. 9. The guy in line at Starbucks, wearing the baseball cap, sunglasses, and looks like George Clooney, IS George Clooney. 10. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment. 11. Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, and your Mary Kay rep is a guy in drag. 12. It's sprinkling out, and there's a report on every news channel about "THE STORM!" 13. Hey... is pot legal? 14. Over 85% of the cities, towns, and streets start with San, Los, El, La, Santa, De La, or De Los. 15. Two overcast days in a row drive you mad. 16. A family of four owns six vehicles. 17. Everyone who lives here knows that hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and snowstorms are way worse than earthquakes, which are, after all, over almost as soon as you realize what's happening. 18. Even if the store is across the street, you drive there. 19. Yeah, you're sure...? pot is legal. 20. And finally, a question: Q. How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb? A. None. Californians cannot afford to turn on the lights.
Unfortunately, it is quite sad that most of what was listed above is quite true!!! Except the pot thing, although I guess it is an issue up in LA and San Francisco...
Tell you the truth, I'm not sure where that is in the courts. Is it legal? LOL
Also, we must be behind the times. 2 drivers and three cars. I need to pick up three more. I guess I need to look for that $250k job and I guess being a hairdresser isn't out of the question anymore.
Thanks for the input on the ES vs. LX2 question. One of the reasons I like the LX is to avoid the spoiler and other appearance features that I don't care for. As far as winter wheels, they can be had at tirerack.com for around 30.00 each for OEM steels.
Another thing small car owners should keep in mind about towing is the load and traction. I tried towing a small sailboat with an '81 Mazda GLC and found it didn't work.
First, the GLC didn't have the big engine the Protegé has. It was a hatchback, too. The load on the hitch may be light on the car standing still, but as the car and the trailer bob up and down underway the hitch load increases. The real test comes when launching the boat and reloading it on a ramp...NO TRACTION. Boat ramps are usually wet, steep and not paved as good as the roads. It's all small cars can do to pull themselves up a steep ramp from a standing start. No load on the front wheels is a big problem in these situation.
I had to get a guy with a Jeep to pull the GLC and trailor up the ramp.
im5, I will post the name of place in Edina where you can get your windows tinted after I talk to a guy at work who had his WRX tinted there. They did a really good job and it cost him about $230. I've decided to have mine tinted also.
newcar31, try doing what I like to do in this weather....go running 5 miles during the peak heat of day (5 pm). Yes, I am an idiot, but somehow, pushing my body to the limit makes the heat seem more tolerable when I'm not working out.
Although, you do have my sympathy since your job has you working out in the heat every day. This has been the worst year in my memory as far as extreme weather is concerned here in MN.
im5, howdy neighbor! I am in Eden Prairie too. I got my windows tinted at Autovisions in Eden Prairie. They did an excellent job, I have had 4 cars done there over the years. It is at 7222 Washington Avenue South, Eden Prairie, MN, 55344. They use LLumar tint.
Iamz, I do think you are crazy. I think I am crazy too for staying at this job that requires me to work on 180-220 degree cars that have been idling on highway 100 in rush hour traffic and then come in to get their oil changed...quickly. I am usually not a whiner, but this summer has truly sucked BAD.
Jstandefer, Give me all of that instead of this horrid weather. Seriously, I can handle a couple earthquakes (when was the last time San Diego had a bad one). Bad traffic? No problem, we have bad traffic here too (MSP and SD have almost identical populations), at least you guys have some form of mass transit to ease the congestion. A little rain? No biggie, I'll take that over snow packed congested freeways that take 2 hours sometimes to travel 8 miles. Hmmm...High cost of living and absolutely beautiful weather OR High taxes, EXTREME weather conditions, bad traffic, salty corrosive roads, potholes that will make quick work of my nice 16 inch rims, 50 series tires, and tight suspension, and oh yeah... blood sucking mosquitos, lots of them. I have always toyed around with the idea of moving to SD; I have relatives there. This year's weather conditions were the icing on the cake though. I'm movin as soon as I can.
Hi All, I was considering buying a PRO. I want to know how will the wheels/tires affect driving in snow. 15 in vs 16 in. Which is better Alloy or nornal wheels?
In #3566 of 3574 LX vs. ES and extreme weather, laurakat wrote... ". Also, with driving in snow, would the 15" alloy/tire combo on the LX make a noticable difference in traction vs. the 16s on the ES? I'm sure it's a safe bet that the ES tires really suck in winter driving. "
I want to know more on this as I am a new buyer and live in Canada....
High taxes? What are they there? I thought we had high taxes here (7.5% sales tax, plus I can't remember the last time I paid less than $350 for yearly car registration). For our fair weather here, our roads sure are terrible. That is probably the reason why my Pro rattles so much. Our mass transit here is pretty good for a west coast city. It used to take me 1.5 hours to get to work (three bus transfers, the trolley, and a mile walk). Driving only took 15 minutes. Oh, and the last time we had a little rain (a light drizzle) resulted in over 200 accidents during the morning rush hour!! A 2 bedroom house in a decent neighborhood will cost $300k, but you can rent a studio for $1k per month!! But the best thing is that my best friend from the Navy lives in MSP!
My 2001 Protege ES's driver's side door panel and center armrest are fading already, at less than 12,000 miles. The color is coming off the center armrest, where I usually rest my elbow. Also, on the door where my leg touches, the color is coming off a little bit. I am a little disheartened about this, as the car is still brand new and its interior panels are fading already.
Are you sure they're fading, or are these pieces stained slightly from sweat etc.? Try cleaning them with some mild soap and water and see if the coloration returns.
Autovisions. I was told it takes about 3 hours for them to complete the job. I have no firsthand experience with these guys so you might want to go by newcar31's recommendation.
Thanks for the info on window tinting. I immediately checked out this place you mentioned in the directory and I found out it also goes by the name "Sunbusters" (maybe it's a branch name or something).
Anyway, I'll give 'em a call sometimes and I'll keep you guys posted with my development on this.
I thought my sweat was causing them to lose their color, because now they have this slightly chalky appearance. I will try cleaning them with mild soap and water before going to the dealer and complaining about it. However, I think it to be odd that I drove my 1999 DX for 20 months through summer and all, and never had this problem with that car. Of course, it was gray inside and not black too. Maybe that has something to do with it.
I am going to get my windows tinted sometime in the near future. I am in Baltimore, Md. and there is this place called D&L Window Tinting, in Baltimore on Route 40. They said it would cost me $210 including tax for a full tint, including the sunroof. They also said it's guaranteed for the life of the car too. I still wanna check around for a cheaper price elsewhere before committing.
We have 6.5% sales tax, but the state taxes that they take out of my check are high. I keep hearing about how we have one some of the highest taxes in the country, but I am sure that CA has high taxes also, for good reason. $350 for registration is pretty high, I paid "only" $240 here for my plates, but I registered it originally in Wisconsin and they were $70. I couldn't possibly see how the roads there could be worse than here because you don't have the freezing and thawing that creates potholes. Sometimes in the winter, the potholes are filled with slush, making them almost impossible to see and avoid. My uncle lives in Coronado, the only reason he can afford it is because he is in the Navy. He says that the reason why there are so many accidents when it rains is because it rains so infrequently that when it does rain, all of the built up vehicle exhaust and oil on the roads becomes very slippery when mixed with water. Anyway, I looked at 1 bedroom apartments on the net and there are plenty of them for around $700 a month, but they don't include electicity. Could an electric bill be $300? I hope not. I need to find a job there also, how is the unemployment rate down there? Are Point Loma and Imperial Beach good places to live? If not, where could I live that would be somewhat inexpensive and not too ghetto? I don't really want to live inland.
I actually went to a place yesterday to look at tint jobs, was not impressed at all with the quality of the work done. It was called New Again Automotive Appearance center, located in Silver Spring. Very dissapointed, because their price was pretty good. Do you know what kind of tints they use at the place in Baltimore? My friend had his tints done recently, they used SolarGuard, did an excellent job. SolarGuard is one of the top rated tints. If you haven't already, check out the window tints discussion in the accessories folder. My friend went to Doctor Tints and Details in Frederick, MD 301-695-0247. I called and was quoted $175 for regular tints, and $225 for the SolarGuard hi performance stuff, said to reduce heat by like 80% or something. I think I'm going to go with that, when I do it, but its a bit more than I wanted to spend right now, so I'm going to put it off for another month. Anyway, good luck with it. Let me know how it turns out.
It happened around 8500 mi. and the supervisor of the dept. didn't really specify to me the what real cause of the problem, that is why I just had to post here and tell you my experience. well everything seems to be OK now but I'm still curious on what really happened. Thanks for the input guys.
I have a dilema here. I'm trying to choose between these two cars. The price difference on Carsdirect.com is only about $1k(the Pro is cheaper). My quandry is the fact that the Sentra is getting very good press and has 15 more HP. Both seem to be about the same when it comes to maintenance. I've driven both and I found the Pro to be roomy and very tight and the Sentra to be a little smaller inside but it had more kick. Both felt very solid on the road and both were pretty quiet. I will admit the steering on the Pro felt a bit more responsive compared to the Sentra but they both glued to the road pretty well on clover leafs.
I'm going to post this same message in the Sentra board to get a competing opinion. Any insite you guys have to help me make this decision would be great!
I only paid $119 for the tint on my car. They used SolarGard Charcoal, but I should have requested metallic tint instead. Oh well, I have a lifetime warranty for it.
Installation for the tint was pretty good, but they scratched the black metal on the driver's side door near the window. I got all pissed about it, they told me it was my fault that I should let stop letting my seatbelt hit the door so hard. They're full of it - I never do that.
I'm not going back there again, and if anyone wants to know the name of the place here it is:
Auto Safe and Sound 511 Airport Rd. Panama City, FL 32405
Paul, try putting a tiny bit of Dawn soap on a damp rag and rub it where the fading is on your car. My armrest was the same way from resting my arm there, at first I thought it was getting discolored but after I cleaned it, it was just my own sweat!
I use this trick for those same greasy spots on the black portion of my dash, where everyone's greasy hands that ride in my car touch on things. [Note to self - stop letting people eat Burger King in my car!!!] Works pretty well.
Point Loma or Imperial Beach? Well, Point Loma is kind of like the Beverly Hills of San Diego, where Imperial Beach is, well, the ghetto. Did you find a 1 bedroom apartment for $700 in Point Loma? You better jump on that one because Point Loma is a two mile long by 1/4 mile wide peninsula and the average home here breaks the million dollar mark. But the view is great (I work on the bay side of the Point, overlooking the harbor and downtown) from either side, unless you live at the top where you get both views!! I have found many 1 bedroom apartments for $700, but they are in Chula Vista, National City, Barrio Logan, and east San Diego. Believe me, you'll gladly pay the extra $300 per month to not live in those areas.
Unemployment? Do you like working for temporary agencies? Unless you have a degree and connections, that's how you start here. And then you just pray that some low paying position will open up at the company you are temping for. San Diego is ranked in the top ten most expensive cities to live in the United States. However, the median income here is nothing to write home about. It is still a tourist town and most of the employers are hotels and other service industries. It is a rapidly growing city with no infrastructure. The San Diego Housing Commission gave a report to the City Council that the economy here will collapse in the next three to five years. The problem is that the cost of living has become so high, that most companies have a majority of their employees that can't afford to live here. So, they are pulling out. We have already seen it start with GMAC (National City's largest employer) shutting it's doors and moving to Texas. Gateway moved it's corporate branch from La Jolla to north county (about 50 miles north), and there are several other large companies that have started to move sections out of California (Qualcomm and SAIC, San Diego's largest employers). I'm currently looking at positions elsewhere and am considering a move to Virginia.
Our road conditions have no excuse. We don't get the weather that causes pot holes, but we certainly have them!! It takes the city some three months to repair one. I think the reason is that when they repave the streets, they don't do any prep work. They just come in and lay down an extremely thin layer of asphalt over the old stuff, and then repaint the lines. They do this once or twice a year. These thin layers just flake off and the old pot holes (which they loosely fill with dry asphalt) just reappear. Another problem is the build-up from this repaving. Our rain gutters don't get built-up like the streets do, creating huge dips. The front lip of my Protege is torn up. It's impossible to avoid. The dips are just too deep for cars, which is why everyone drives SUVs and trucks here. They are the only way to drive down our potholed, uneven streets. But, of course, we're still paying $1.87 for regular fuel, so gas stations are making a killing!
I am glad you said something about different brands of tint and all. I was just interested in getting my windows tinted to reduce heat in my BLACK car! I didn't know there were different kinds, qualities, and all that stuff. The places I called in Md. were "Tint Man" in Glen Burnie (410-768-8787) and D&L Window Tinting (410-335-1025). D&L is well known, because they have ads on the radio all the time in Baltimore. Tint Man is a place a couple people I know went. Of course, one of my friends had her car damaged by them too. Prices are about the same. $210 for windows and sunroof at D&L and $195 at TM. I know D&L guarantees theirs for life, but don't know about TM. I will definitely call back and ask about the SolarGuard though.
you could always head for north SD or Orange County. We must have nice roads because I rarely see a pothole. I head down to SD from time to time and can confirm that their roads leave something to be desired, but I love the area. It seems like north SD is really booming right now and I'd think there are still some reasonable(by CA standards) places to live near the coast in Carlsbad or Oceanside.
I have to say though, of all the places I've been, Orange County seems to be tops(coming from a native of course). However, I think your best bet is to come out and do a bunch of driving...really the only way you'll find what you're looking for.
You actually let people eat in your car? Boy, you are a better person than I am. Every one of my friends knows they better not even think about eating in my car unless they are going to have it detailed.
It is the most gosh-awful piece of donkey excrement I've ever owned. I just can't stand this cheap little car. Unreliable as hell, it goes back to the shop almost weekly for whatever didn't break last week ... I'll never, EVER purchase another Mazda product!
Yes, I let people eat in my car, but only it they dont spill anything that would stain...besides, I like the enhjoyment you get out of looking at a freshly cleaned car, since I clean it often!
I am posting the following message here and on the Protege5 topic, so excuuuuuuuuuse me if some of this looks like old news!
MAPP II -- The Sequel
The second-annual Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic (MAPP II) will take place Saturday, October 6, 2001, at a park in Northern Virginia. For those of you who attended last year, it's the same place as last year. For security purposes, we're only going to share the location with confirmed attendees via direct e-mail.
I would like to greet our new friends on the Protege5 topic and hope that some of you might come over to the Mazda Protege topic and introduce yourselves as I'm doing here. I own an Emerald Green Metallic 2000 Mazda Protege ES 5-speed. It's the third Protege I've owned; Protege No. 1 was a 1992 LX that was totaled in a hydroplaning accident in August 1992. (I walked away from it!) Protege No. 2 was another 1992 LX that took me for more than 80,000 trouble-free, zoom-zoomin' miles. My 2000 now has just shy of 24,000 miles on the odometer and is zooming happily.
Back to the picnic ... Last year's was attended by nine people in five Proteges. We came from as far south as Richmond, Virginia, and as far north as Lancaster, Pennsylvania. If you'd like to see some pics of last year's premiere event, check out this link:
(Due to some of Edmunds' quirks when it comes to geocities links, you may have to copy the link and paste it into your browser's address window for it to work.)
This year we already have the possibility of a better showing. So far we have 8 possible Proteges and 15 people from as far south as Atlanta, Georgia (believe it or not!) and as far north as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It'll basically be an afternoon's get-together in a beautiful setting (accompanied, I might add, by a beautiful drive in the mountains that you and your Protege will LOVE). Food is a major part of our event, as you undoubtedly noticed when you saw US in the above link! Therefore everyone will be expected to bring something. The park we'll be visiting includes a shelter that will seat several dozen people out of the rain (god forbid), and a pedestal grill. Restrooms are close by.
I organized this picnic last year so some of us on the Mazda Protege topic could get a chance to meet in person and spend an afternoon sharing our common trait ... love for our Proteges. If you're interested in attending or finding out more, please post a message on the Mazda Protege topic or e-mail me directly at the following address:
mdaffron@the-rma.org
Let's make "MAPP II: The Sequel" something for the history books!
Vocus impression? What was that all about??? And thanks alot to you too, Malt.
I called and made the appointment to get my windows done at Tint Man in Glen Burnie, Md. They said it would take about an hour or so, and the total cost would be around $200. I am going to take it this Saturday. I just wish that reflective tint wasn't illegal, because I think it looks so good! And it would definitely work with the Protege's looks.
Comments
Stay cool,
Mike.
Hey BTW ... what was the outcome? Did they just put a new belt on? I guess these cars have non-interference engines; otherwise we would've heard a horror story about broken valves and a new engine!
Meade
Jace1
The first thing to go on a timing belt is usually the teeth...kinda like old folks. If an oil seal leaked, it can cause the rubber to deteriorate the teeth and then they just start stripping off. This usually occurs around the crank pulley as that is where the most strain is put on the belt. Did they say why it happened and how many miles do you have?
Jace:
Your assumptions are correct. Struts, shocks and swaybars are different and the rear disc only comes on the ES. There is alot of talk on the S-plan if you go back about 1000 posts. Try a search and see what you get.
Yooper, my plan is to get a set of cheap 15 inch steel wheels with snow tires, they can be had for little money.
Mike, I'll try to stay cool, but I won't be able to. I look forward to yet another 95+ degree day, and ANOTHER one tommorow. Paul Douglas called our heat "beastly, and ghastly heat, that you would expect in Sri Lanka, not Minnesota" Argggg....I don't want to go to work. It seems like this whole year has been horrible, an extreme winter, a very rainy spring, and a extremely hot summer. Geez, 95% of this whole year, you had to be inside to feel comfortable. San Diego is starting to sound REALLY nice to me. I'll gladly pay the utility bills and put up with a couple earthquakes, wild fires, and mudslides, I just can't stand this extreme weather anymore.
you should have taken the $245 price when they offered. Even the new vehicle option is an additional $500. $540 is the right price for the in dash modular audio add-in. Your only aftermarket options are a separate unit and control which can be had for about $150.
Newcar,
I completely forgot about the tensioner on that engine. There was a problem on a similar engine a few years back where the spring fatigued and let go. I though they added a small bushing to the tensioner, but it's possible he has a bad one. It's a shame they don't lock those things down with a bolt as some other OEMs do.
Speaking of which... do you know any good place to have a window tinting in Minneapolis area?
newcar31 - I normally like the extreme weather in MN, but I'd have to admit that this year has been a bit much!! At least we SHOULD have a break soon from this heat (of course, that's what I thought last week!). I used to live in Houston a few years back, and I remember the temp in the 90s and HUMID all summer long! I quess I just learned to get used to it down there. It was nice, though, wearing shorts and a t-shirt in February. I kind of miss that.
You know you are in California if:
1. You make over $250,000 a year and still can't afford a house.
2. It's sprinkling outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all
the weather-related accidents.
3. Your child's third grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is
named Breeze.
4. You can't remember... is pot legal?
5. You've been to a baby shower for an infant who has two mothers and a sperm
donor.
6. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown,
and can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.
7. You can't remember... is pot legal?
8. A really great parking space can move you to tears.
9. The guy in line at Starbucks, wearing the baseball cap, sunglasses, and
looks like George Clooney, IS George Clooney.
10. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.
11. Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, and your Mary Kay rep
is a guy in drag.
12. It's sprinkling out, and there's a report on every news channel about
"THE STORM!"
13. Hey... is pot legal?
14. Over 85% of the cities, towns, and streets start with San, Los, El, La,
Santa, De La, or De Los.
15. Two overcast days in a row drive you mad.
16. A family of four owns six vehicles.
17. Everyone who lives here knows that hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and
snowstorms are way worse than earthquakes, which are, after all, over almost
as soon as you realize what's happening.
18. Even if the store is across the street, you drive there.
19. Yeah, you're sure...? pot is legal.
20. And finally, a question:
Q. How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. Californians cannot afford to turn on the lights.
Unfortunately, it is quite sad that most of what was listed above is quite true!!! Except the pot thing, although I guess it is an issue up in LA and San Francisco...
Also, we must be behind the times. 2 drivers and three cars. I need to pick up three more. I guess I need to look for that $250k job and I guess being a hairdresser isn't out of the question anymore.
So when are you moving up to OC?
First, the GLC didn't have the big engine the Protegé has. It was a hatchback, too. The load on the hitch may be light on the car standing still, but as the car and the trailer bob up and down underway the hitch load increases. The real test comes when launching the boat and reloading it on a ramp...NO TRACTION. Boat ramps are usually wet, steep and not paved as good as the roads. It's all small cars can do to pull themselves up a steep ramp from a standing start. No load on the front wheels is a big problem in these situation.
I had to get a guy with a Jeep to pull the GLC and trailor up the ramp.
fowler3
newcar31, try doing what I like to do in this weather....go running 5 miles during the peak heat of day (5 pm). Yes, I am an idiot, but somehow, pushing my body to the limit makes the heat seem more tolerable when I'm not working out.
Although, you do have my sympathy since your job has you working out in the heat every day. This has been the worst year in my memory as far as extreme weather is concerned here in MN.
Stay cool!!!;-)
Iamz, I do think you are crazy.
Jstandefer, Give me all of that instead of this horrid weather. Seriously, I can handle a couple earthquakes (when was the last time San Diego had a bad one). Bad traffic? No problem, we have bad traffic here too (MSP and SD have almost identical populations), at least you guys have some form of mass transit to ease the congestion. A little rain? No biggie, I'll take that over snow packed congested freeways that take 2 hours sometimes to travel 8 miles. Hmmm...High cost of living and absolutely beautiful weather OR High taxes, EXTREME weather conditions, bad traffic, salty corrosive roads, potholes that will make quick work of my nice 16 inch rims, 50 series tires, and tight suspension, and oh yeah... blood sucking mosquitos, lots of them. I have always toyed around with the idea of moving to SD; I have relatives there. This year's weather conditions were the icing on the cake though. I'm movin as soon as I can.
-Larry
I was considering buying a PRO. I want to know how will the wheels/tires affect driving in snow. 15 in vs 16 in. Which is better Alloy or nornal wheels?
In #3566 of 3574 LX vs. ES and extreme weather, laurakat wrote...
". Also, with driving in snow, would the 15" alloy/tire combo on the LX make a noticable difference in traction vs. the 16s on the ES? I'm sure it's a safe bet that the ES tires really suck in winter driving. "
I want to know more on this as I am a new buyer and live in Canada....
Thanks!
Meade
-Terry
Thanks for the info on window tinting. I immediately checked out this place you mentioned in the directory and I found out it also goes by the name "Sunbusters" (maybe it's a branch name or something).
Anyway, I'll give 'em a call sometimes and
I'll keep you guys posted with my development on this.
Thanks again!
I am going to get my windows tinted sometime in the near future. I am in Baltimore, Md. and there is this place called D&L Window Tinting, in Baltimore on Route 40. They said it would cost me $210 including tax for a full tint, including the sunroof. They also said it's guaranteed for the life of the car too. I still wanna check around for a cheaper price elsewhere before committing.
well everything seems to be OK now but I'm still curious on what really happened.
Thanks for the input guys.
I'm going to post this same message in the Sentra board to get a competing opinion. Any insite you guys have to help me make this decision would be great!
Thanks.
Installation for the tint was pretty good, but they scratched the black metal on the driver's side door near the window. I got all pissed about it, they told me it was my fault that I should let stop letting my seatbelt hit the door so hard. They're full of it - I never do that.
I'm not going back there again, and if anyone wants to know the name of the place here it is:
Auto Safe and Sound
511 Airport Rd.
Panama City, FL 32405
Here's a pic of the tint (22% front, 18% rear):
I use this trick for those same greasy spots on the black portion of my dash, where everyone's greasy hands that ride in my car touch on things. [Note to self - stop letting people eat Burger King in my car!!!] Works pretty well.
Unemployment? Do you like working for temporary agencies? Unless you have a degree and connections, that's how you start here. And then you just pray that some low paying position will open up at the company you are temping for. San Diego is ranked in the top ten most expensive cities to live in the United States. However, the median income here is nothing to write home about. It is still a tourist town and most of the employers are hotels and other service industries. It is a rapidly growing city with no infrastructure. The San Diego Housing Commission gave a report to the City Council that the economy here will collapse in the next three to five years. The problem is that the cost of living has become so high, that most companies have a majority of their employees that can't afford to live here. So, they are pulling out. We have already seen it start with GMAC (National City's largest employer) shutting it's doors and moving to Texas. Gateway moved it's corporate branch from La Jolla to north county (about 50 miles north), and there are several other large companies that have started to move sections out of California (Qualcomm and SAIC, San Diego's largest employers). I'm currently looking at positions elsewhere and am considering a move to Virginia.
Our road conditions have no excuse. We don't get the weather that causes pot holes, but we certainly have them!! It takes the city some three months to repair one. I think the reason is that when they repave the streets, they don't do any prep work. They just come in and lay down an extremely thin layer of asphalt over the old stuff, and then repaint the lines. They do this once or twice a year. These thin layers just flake off and the old pot holes (which they loosely fill with dry asphalt) just reappear. Another problem is the build-up from this repaving. Our rain gutters don't get built-up like the streets do, creating huge dips. The front lip of my Protege is torn up. It's impossible to avoid. The dips are just too deep for cars, which is why everyone drives SUVs and trucks here. They are the only way to drive down our potholed, uneven streets. But, of course, we're still paying $1.87 for regular fuel, so gas stations are making a killing!
I have to say though, of all the places I've been, Orange County seems to be tops(coming from a native of course). However, I think your best bet is to come out and do a bunch of driving...really the only way you'll find what you're looking for.
Meade
Meadeball
MAPP II -- The Sequel
The second-annual Mid-Atlantic Protege Picnic (MAPP II) will take place Saturday, October 6, 2001, at a park in Northern Virginia. For those of you who attended last year, it's the same place as last year. For security purposes, we're only going to share the location with confirmed attendees via direct e-mail.
I would like to greet our new friends on the Protege5 topic and hope that some of you might come over to the Mazda Protege topic and introduce yourselves as I'm doing here. I own an Emerald Green Metallic 2000 Mazda Protege ES 5-speed. It's the third Protege I've owned; Protege No. 1 was a 1992 LX that was totaled in a hydroplaning accident in August 1992. (I walked away from it!) Protege No. 2 was another 1992 LX that took me for more than 80,000 trouble-free, zoom-zoomin' miles. My 2000 now has just shy of 24,000 miles on the odometer and is zooming happily.
Back to the picnic ... Last year's was attended by nine people in five Proteges. We came from as far south as Richmond, Virginia, and as far north as Lancaster, Pennsylvania. If you'd like to see some pics of last year's premiere event, check out this link:
http://www.geocities.com/negatize/mapp.htm
(Due to some of Edmunds' quirks when it comes to geocities links, you may have to copy the link and paste it into your browser's address window for it to work.)
This year we already have the possibility of a better showing. So far we have 8 possible Proteges and 15 people from as far south as Atlanta, Georgia (believe it or not!) and as far north as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It'll basically be an afternoon's get-together in a beautiful setting (accompanied, I might add, by a beautiful drive in the mountains that you and your Protege will LOVE). Food is a major part of our event, as you undoubtedly noticed when you saw US in the above link! Therefore everyone will be expected to bring something. The park we'll be visiting includes a shelter that will seat several dozen people out of the rain (god forbid), and a pedestal grill. Restrooms are close by.
I organized this picnic last year so some of us on the Mazda Protege topic could get a chance to meet in person and spend an afternoon sharing our common trait ... love for our Proteges. If you're interested in attending or finding out more, please post a message on the Mazda Protege topic or e-mail me directly at the following address:
mdaffron@the-rma.org
Let's make "MAPP II: The Sequel" something for the history books!
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM
Meade
I called and made the appointment to get my windows done at Tint Man in Glen Burnie, Md. They said it would take about an hour or so, and the total cost would be around $200. I am going to take it this Saturday. I just wish that reflective tint wasn't illegal, because I think it looks so good! And it would definitely work with the Protege's looks.