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Comments
Always try to trade with a little warrenty left to sweeten the deal for the next owner.
fowler3
Call me a spoiled youth who doesn't get it, but I don't plan on ever keeping a car more than 5-6 years. My career of choice should keep me in reasonably good financial shape and I doubt I'll ever NEED to be without a car payment. It might be nice but not necessary. I just can't ever see myself with a car I love enough to keep 10 or 12 years. There's always something newer and better coming out in one way or another. I suppose I could see keeping a reliable car to run into the ground, but turbo reliability doesn't concern me horribly. If it runs fine 5 years and I get my money's worth, great. I guess I get this mentality from computers. They're practically disposable - if you abuse yours and it only lives 2 years instead of the expected 10, that's still ok because in 2 years it's obsolete anyway. That said, I take very good care of the things I own because I'm proud to have them. It's just that if they don't last as long as they could under perfect conditions, I don't sweat it either.
I'm not trying to dog the Protege. I just think that the Civic is ahead of the Protege in some areas like build quality and engine refinement/technology. But then again, you can't get 4-wheel disc brakes and factory fog lights on a Civic. And as far as handling and driving the Protege is great.
Both times I have come out (once parked in front of my house, the other time in the office parking lot) and found the covers missing. Oddly, the chrome stem surrounds WERE'NT taken.
I went to the local speed shop and purchased a new (not quite as nice) set. Now, Saturday while parked at work, they were taken again.
While I would love to wait for the vandal to try it again so I could show him the reason _I_ carry The Club in my car...reality hits and reminds me that I can't be everywhere all the time. So, has anyone seen a valve stem cover with a razor sharp edge? Maybe a high voltage zapper?
-Larry
On wheel covers, I have only had that happen once, on a 92 Camry, it it just makes you sick. Not much you can do about it except replace them or get alloy wheels. I hated spending the money to replace them since they were so drab anyways. I would especially hate replacing them had they been stolen from my house since there might be a higher probability of getting hit again!
Now if Mazda could install some sort of device on the front end that would shoot out rotten eggs at people who cut me off in traffic....
Meade
2000 ES 5-speed
As to the turbo Protege - what is this about 180 HP in a MPS? The '02 Protege ES/MP5 is, what, 135 lb-ft/130 hp.
If I could be a Mazda design engineer for a day ... 160-170 hp/lb-ft would be about right. I don't want a car with dual personalities (think old Ford SVO mustangs), just broader power and the kind of "excess acceleration" for onramps to match the handling that the Protege/MP5 already has. The interior, exterior of the current mp5 is fine by me - don't mess with the ES seat cloth design, ditch the big wing and stereo from the MPS.
Mazda has to be treading a fine line. They can't offer something that blows the Focus/Focus SVT out of the water (Ford owns 1/3rd of Mazda). They don't want something to overshadow the upcoming 6 in base 4-cyl trim. They just need to address the many comments that the sedan/mp5 need some more power. The Passat 4-cyl turbo is, what, 170 HP?
Actually, while Ford makes internal changes Mazda can make some money for them.
As to reliability, Proteges are way more reliable than Jettas, and mazda has extensive turbo experience. Make my MP5 turbo midnight blue.
This is disconcerting, as you think you're getting great mileage and range, then boom! - the gas light comes on.
BTW, I'm averaging 31 MPG Canadian (26.2 MPG US) and about 350 miles per tankful, for my normal city/highway commute. How does that stack up with everyone else?
cp
There is one person in this room who has a 1995 Protege DX automatic, but he hasn't been here for about a week (he is making a long-distance trip). You could go back and read over posts in the forum if you would like.
I get between 28 and 31 MPG depending on hwo much highway driving I do. My best ever was only 32.
-Larry
Meade
From where we had the MAPP II, I work about 30 mins. north toward Maryland, and almost 2 hours from Richmond and 95 (I drove to and fro North Carolina that way). That should give you some idea.
1) Torque steer. I hate torque steer.
2) Reliability will go to hell without more internal mods.
If you just want 50-100hp to mess around with you can probably set up custom 50/100-shot NOS system for WAY WAY WAY less than my $3k limit.
My reasons behind the 30hp number are pretty simple:
1) Low boost = high reliability
2) Dont have to mess with the stock compression
3) Dont need an intercooler
4) Dont need intake mods
5) MPG will remain north of 25
6) Its enough to knock close to 1sec of the 0-60 time.
If I was in charge of Mazda my Protege would have AWD, 270hp rotary, and an F1 shifter.
fowler3
fowler3
Gearing can make a huge difference in the RPM that a car turns. At 80MPH in 5th gear the Civic is right at 3000 RPM. I'll have my fiance double check our eyesight tomorrow though. As has been said here before, low-end power isn't much to talk about but it's a much quieter and smoother ride on the highway. The Protege's engine kinda reminds me of my 97 RAV4. It's fine up until about 70 but once you get past that point it's just not much fun to go fast and/or rev high. The higher the revs get the more buzzy the engine is.
I prefer to think that Mazda chose the name because the car was their little project in excellence -- the car that made the company, so to speak. Or you could consider that "Protege" is referring to how the car treats its occupants.
Meade
Now, I have had Proteges and other Mazda vehicles before, so I've done this before -- but do any of you 1999 & 2000 owners who've reached this point before me have any advice on stuff I should look out for?
Lately I have noticed a very slight "rotten egg" smell sometimes when I arrive at my parking deck after my 20-mile commute. But it's usually after I've done some NASCAR-like expressway driving on the way to work with all the other crazies out there. I know this can mean a bad catalytic converter, but I refuse to believe this on a car with only 30,000 miles (and a Protege too -- my other Protege went 83K and never needed one, and I've never replaced a cat on any car I've owned). Could this be because the car's emissions are a little out of whack after 30,000 miles, especially since all I've done is change the oil, and whatever they do for the 30K service (i.e. change plugs, etc.) might correct it? I've only noticed it in the last month or so, and only on some mornings.
Any ideas?
Meade
Eliminate cabbage and bake beans from your diet and that periodic rotten egg odor will disappear. BTW, those late night Taco Bell runs don't help either! ;-}}}
-Larry
Replace:
Oil & Filter change
Rotate Tires
Replace Spark Plugs
Change Tranny Fluid
Replace Air Filter
Top of All Fluid Levels
Check/Inspect:
Battery
All Lights
Brake Lining
Steering & Suspension Components
Check Alignment
Engine Drive Belts
Cooling Hoses
Lubricate
Chassis
Suspension
Body Hinges
Ok, all this work might not be required by the owners manual. Some of this stuff might be fluff. However, it's my nickel and I'm going with the dealerships 30,000 mile maintenance service package. I think of this as insurance for potential problems that could occur after Mazda's 50,000/3 year warranty runs out. Often times the service managers can pull a few strings for their best customers. BTW, I'm taking my wife's PRO-ES in Friday and mine next Thursday! We both have 31,000+ miles now! Yikes, $490!
-Larry
krotine
Meade: I had almost 38K on my 1999 Protege DX when I traded it in, and almost 20K on the 2001. I never noticed a rotten egg smell from either one of them. That might signify a PVC valve change in due. That's part of the 30K maintenance too I think, but not sure.
When I had my 30K done on my Protege DX, they messed up the tune-up (I think) and the car idled roughly for the next 7K+ miles that I had it. Make sure if you notice any problems, to take it right back to the service place right away. Also, I took my car to Goodyear and had the 30K maintenance done. It definitely will be cheaper than the dealer's 30K maintenance would be. Also, don't worry about missing the 15K service. It's only an oil change and tire rotation. They try to add alot of extra things in there though, so be warned.
Jason: Meade didn't get the P5 yet. When are you getting it Meade?
Any ideas or experiences?
For an add on turbo kit for an existing 2.0L, 180 hp or less seems like a reasonable number. For a factory turbo 2.0L (like Nissan's, Subaru's, etc.), that sounds modest. Why? The factory folks can lower the engine's compression ratio (as mentioned by nematode) as a first order, easy to accomplish measure to make higher boost levels safe. They can of course, with greater ease than with an engine already on the road, beef up other components if they so desire. So, this 180 hp level as being a limit of reliability on a 2.0L is relative to whether or not you are referring to the turbo kit for existing proteges, as mentioned in one thread, or a factory turbo for an MPS protege as mentioned in another. Then there is nematode's point about torque steer - another issue entirely.
Personally, if mazda produces turbo mps protege , I'd like to see around 200+ hp - actually it will depend upon the cost of the car. Whether or not mazda wishes to acknowledge it, a turbo mps protege with its price increase, performance image, and by the virtue of its forced induction, will be compared directly to the WRX. The WRX has 217 hp.
I agree about the aftermarket turbo. Unless your willing to make some fairly significant changes to your engine to get the higher HP numbers a 20-30 hp jump would be well within reason. I think when you start messing with compression ratio's etc your messing with the reliability and stability of your engine. When your car needs to take you from A to B daily it's touchy to mess with it's reliability. personally I would be happy with somewhere in the 10 hp range. I'm hoping I can get that on my P5 with a new exhaust and maybe some induction changes. Preferably after my warranty runs out. (GRIN)
The funny thing is that the dimming that I'm noticing is the headlights on the road more than inside the car. I don't notice if the dashlights are dimming. Of course it's hard to tell with my oh-so-sporty red dash. (GRIN)
The AC Compressor is on when in Defrost, Defrost & Feet, and Full Feet. There is no way around this apparently.
A quick poll here of protege owners might help. We have one vote from Sporin that this is normal operation. Any others? Or perhaps someone (Sporin?) has more mechanical knowledge of the protege, with respect to this phenomenon, than I?
When driving around, I notice loss in acceleration when the AC compressor kicks on for a fraction of a second, but I don't notice any dimming of my headlamps (probably because the engine is turning at higher than idle speed). I'll keep an eye out for this phenomenom.
In my turbo comment I was only refering to the aftermarket turbo. The aftermarket is a whole different ball game. I still contend there is no way to reliability make even 180hp with the current 2.0L engine without significant mods. I think that the current can make 180-225hp easily if you dont care about reliability. If money is not a big issue and the parts exist I bet I could get it to a reliable 225hp for around $10,000. Then again you could just go out a buy a WRX stock and get that + AWD. Power costs money but thats pretty easy. Reliability costs more money and that proves to be far more difficult.
It's unusual for an AC compressor or defroster grid to pull enough current for the voltage dip to be that noticeable. One possible cause is a worn battery. It "backfills" until the alternator can catch up to increased current demand. You might want to have that checked. Of course, replacing the battery only costs about $35-$65 (depending on brand and model, and if you do it yourself).