Mazda Protege Basic Maintenance Questions

vilainefemme · May 2003

CRAP!
Ok, I pulled a stupid move and need some help.

Yesterday I was attempting to replace a headlight in my 2002 P5 but when I finally got it all out, I realized that I had the wrong replacement bulb (highbeam). (Why doesn't the owner's manual indicate headlight numbers or wiper blade lengths?) I tried to put the original back in, but it's such a pain in the butt that I just tossed it and figured I'd just put in the replacement after work when I got the new bulb. Well, I accidently tossed the headlight socket too. And the dumpster was emptied overnight. So now I need a new socket.

I figure that I should go to a junkyard and find a Protege/P5 with a matching socket. Does anybody know how many years the Proteges have been the same? And I've never gone to a junkyard, is there any advice or tips? How much will this cost me?

Jess

chikoo · May 2003

boggse · May 2003

Jess,

Only Protege5s, MP3s and Mazdaspeed Proteges would have what you are looking for. Other Proteges have a different headlamp assembly design and may not work in your vehicle. I have never purchased anything from a junkyard. I would expect that part can't cost that much, and I would call your local dealer's parts department before digging through snake infested wrecks. But that is just me. Good luck.

mdaffron · May 2003

Jessica, sorry to hear about your misfortune. I've committed some similar conundrums for myself in the past and am not afraid to admit it.

I've also been to a few -- er -- "auto parts yards" in my life. They're usually NOT snake-infested; heck, at many of them, they'll go out and pull what you need and have it waiting for you when you get there. Go get your Yellow Pages and look under auto parts and call a few. Some are even networked and can find hard-to-find parts more easily.

Ted may be surprised to learn how much some seemingly cheap pieces of plastic can run brand-new, when the "junkyard" part is as good as new and a tenth of the price. I once paid a local yard $35 for a rear taillight assembly for my old Toyota Corolla when the dealership wanted more than $300 for a new one. Also replaced an entire rear bumper myself for about $60. (And the "junkyard" one was in better shape than my own bumper had been -- prior to the damage that required the replacement, of course ...)

Of course, I prefer the yards where you take your toolbox and go "window shopping" yourself. That's the only way I once wound up with a nice, shiny, OEM "turbo" plate to stick beside the "900" on the trunk of my old, non-turbocharged Saab, and got a brand-new, never-used cigarette lighter for my Toyota for a quarter.

It's also nice to be able to "experiment" on a car identical to yours without worrying about breaking or scratching anything. That's how I learned to REMOVE the bumper on a Toyota -- nice to have the practice of having removed the one in the junkyard before attempting it on my own car, getting halfway through, and then realizing I didn't have some special tool or another part I needed.

Go to a junkyard. You may find yourself visiting a lot more frequently thereafter!

But good luck with the headlamp part -- I betcha there ain't a whole lotta late-model P5s and MSPs there yet. (At least I hope not!)

Meade

boggse · May 2003

I am painfully aware of how much dealer parts can cost (e.g. $21 for a lug-nut at the Jeep dealer?!). I was simply suggesting she find out how much a new part cost before going to junkyard. Personally, I will always choose the brand new part if cost isn't an issue.

maltb · May 2003

Part Number B28W-51-0A3 should run you $8 at your local dealer.

maltb · May 2003

Why doesn't the owner's manual indicate headlight numbers or wiper blade lengths?

Because then you'd go to the local parts store or Wal-Mart instead of your Authorized Mazda Dealer. I'm not saying this is right or wrong, but I'm sure that's why.

mdaffron · May 2003

Nyah nyah nyah!!!

Just foolin' with ya Ted!!!

Meadeball

mdaffron · May 2003

Just take the doggone bulb or blade into Wal-Mart with ya! That's what I do!

Meade

maltb · May 2003

but not everyone would.

maltb · May 2003

My guess is that they wouldn't sell you just the socket. Aside from that, you won't find a P5 in a Pick-a-Part type place. All the real auto dismantlers buy those cars and prefer to sell assemblies at a premium.

mdaffron · May 2003

The fun is in the hunt ...

Meadie

boggse · May 2003

Not sure what Wal-Mart is like where you live, Meade, but I wouldn't expect to be able to find anything in my local big box. They have really gone down hill since Sam passed on.

boggse · May 2003

I will pay $7 extra for a new part and the convenience of getting it from the dealer, but that is just me.

maltb · May 2003

I always knew Ted was a good guy. Two Mazdas in the driveway and he buys parts from the local dealer. Thanks.

boggse · May 2003

Well, it is a lot easier to be a good guy like that when the part costs $8 and not $80 á la BMW, and Mazda makes the type of cars I want to buy.

mazdafun · May 2003

The headlamp and fog-light bulbs may not be carried at Wal-Mart. I think they're H4 (sometimes labeled as 9003, I think) and H3. WM usually carries 9004, 9005 and 9007. I got my spare ones at an auto parts store.

Too bad. I have a whole bunch of 9004 bulbs I got for my 323 when I found them on sale at $4 each. I don't drive my 323 nearly enough to wear out bulbs anymore...

mdaffron · May 2003

for the two Mazdas in my driveway and the three I've owned prior to them?

After spending $70,000 on their cars in the last 12 years, doesn't Mazda have enough of my money?

Meade

boggse · May 2003

I think you should get extra credit.

mdaffron · May 2003

And I suppose maltb always, always pays a repairman to fix everything that breaks at his home; never, ever shops at a discount store or buys generic brands; and always, always buys parts for everything he owns direct from the manufacturer.

I mean, why go to Home Depot for that $2.98 flapper valve when you can order one direct from Kohler for twice as much, and it'll proudly sport that Kohler name and product number for all to see -- that is, all who frequently take the lid off your toilet and stare down into the bottom of the tank?

I just KNOW I want that shiny, brand-new piece of spit-polished Mazda plastic gracing the back of my headlamp bulb, right where my battery and coil packs can admire it! (And my battery is a Die Hard; I'm sure maltb buys all his replacement batteries straight from the dealership.)

Of course, we all know who butters maltb's bread ... by the way, how much is your employee discount anyway, malt? Probably makes sense to buy your parts straight from your employer/manufacturer ...

Meade

maltb · May 2003

take a little breather and relax. You obviously fail to see my sarcasm from time to time Meade. As I drive down the road, my wife finds it funny that I say thanks to anyone that drives a Mazda. Yes, I buy parts from places other than the factory as long as I'm sure that I'm getting something that is equivalent or that I can live with its trade-offs. I actually loathe auto dismantlers as the ones with anything of value could care less about their non-commercial customers or their prices are not much of a discount for a part that is sold as-is.

Lest I forget to say it: Meade, I solely owe my existence to you.

mdaffron · May 2003

Problem is, malt, I think we both have the same sense of humor and NEITHER of us can spot each other's sarcasm.

Fact is, I truly enjoy our little head-butts. (And I'm not equating you to my cat.)

After all, these little spats are what brings people out of the woodwork and gets this discussions lively again! (Ever notice how I can come back after a dead weekend of one or two posts a day and have us back at No. 1 by Tuesday morning??? Don't think for a moment that there's no method to my madness!!!)

Truce, my friend!

Meade

maltb · May 2003

leave my employer out of it.

mdaffron · May 2003

Only if you let me ridicule my B2300 some more.

maltb · May 2003

Karen_S · May 2003

...I guess you could say that this discussion serves two purposes?

1. A forum for owners to discuss the care and maintenance for their Protege.

2. A place for the care and maintenance of Protege friends.

:-)

vilainefemme · June 2003

When I switch the climate control to 'floor only' with the temperature control set to 'cold' and the source to be 'outside air', the air comes out very cold even though the AC isn't on. If I switch it to 'mixed' (vents and floor) with the same other settings, the air is much warmer than 'floor only'. Is it suppose to be like this? Is it possible my 'floor only' is possibly not connected correctly and is actually using the AC?

Jess

icvci · June 2003

The A/C automatically turns on when the vent/floor setting is chosen. It's all in the owners manual.

I was unhappy with this "feature" but, that's the way it is.

alternator · June 2003

My 2002 Protege Owner's manual does not say that the vent/floor setting turns on the A/C.

However, I did find it amusing that there is a heading called "Outside Mirrors" on page 6-9, right in the middle of information about window defrosting!

dmcgrath3 · August 2003

Hey Everyone, have you ever used this product (www.corrosionx.com)? It was recommended by Car and Driver a few months ago, to keep bugs, tree sap, tar, etc off of your car. Supposed to act a lot like wax. I bought a bottle, but am not sure whether it is safe to use on the bumpers and mirrors (anything not metal).

TIA,
DM

mdaffron · August 2003

Bumpers are painted just like the rest of the car! I love reading posts from people who are scared to polish their bumpers because they "aren't metal." Here's your rule of thumb -- if it's painted, DO IT!!!

(Just don't apply wax or that other stuff to unpainted plastic or bare rubber, OK?)

Meade

iamz · August 2003

Let us know if it works too. I've spent a half hour or more scrubbing the bug guts off just the bumper. The insect world sure seems to like the yellow paint. >:(

diamond13 · August 2003

Hi there,
I noticed recently my Protege 2000 (around 30k miles) has a lot of scratches. I can understand why there are scratches on the side doors since they normally happen when parking spaces are tight and people open doors and hit my doors, or cars hit my doors.

But I was surprised when I saw there are so many scratches on the hood, it is not only one, but almost the whole hood has circular scratches, and then there are maybe 3 or 4 major scratches. These scratches have been there since a while (maybe building up over time).

What is the reason of these scratches? I owned other cars before and I didn't see so many scratches. I did take the car several times on long trips (3 hours one way) so I don't know if the scratches are caused because of the wind and dust on the highway... Do you know the reason? Also, what can I use to fix it?

Also, I had several tiny dents on the body of the car recently, so I went to a dent-magic shop and fixed them. Why does my Protege get so easily dented?

Thanks!

mazdafun · August 2003

Circular scratches are usually from automatic car washes, or over-vigorous waxing or polishing done with a circular motion.

Also, the Sunrise Red doesn't have a clearcoat layer (trust me, I've got one, and lots of red gets onto my polish/wax cloth).

Big scratches are likely from rocks thrown up on the road (usually highway). I'd use touch-up paint on the worst areas. Use a small craft brush or a toothpick to minimize overpainting. Polish will take out a number of the small abrasions.

Most cars dent easily these days.

diamond13 · August 2003

Thanks for your post. Yes, I guess I'm going to polish it and then wax it. Hopefully, the most visible scratches will be gone.

iamz · August 2003

There are also colored waxes that I can't vouch for because I've never used them, but would probably fill those scratch marks in less noticeably than trying to use touch up paint.

spencer19 · August 2003

Hi all - I'm enjoying my 2003 Protege5 (had it three weeks now!), and have some questions.

I've read about too-tight lug nuts possibly warping the rotors. Should I check all the lug nuts and retighten them to 83 ft-lbs? Would any damage from too-tight lugs already be done?

The car came with Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires. They seem to be pretty good on dry pavement and rain so far. Do these tires do OK in snow? I hate to switch tires just for the winter if I don't have to. I'm in NE Ohio, but below the 'snow belt' (area that gets *mucho* snow because of Lake Erie).

A local auto parts store has Meguiar's stuff on sale (not the Gold Class paste wax I've read raves about, darn it!). One wax they have on sale is Meguiars 'cleaner wax'. Clerk told me it both cleans and waxes. Wouldn't you get better results if you clean, *then* wax? Is the shortcut of getting both done at once worth it in the long run?

I'm thinking about getting some Meguiars Quik Detailer, and Meguiars Deep Crystal Car wash (it's on sale, is it close to as good as their Gold Class car wash?). I think my car's too new yet to worry about chemical washes and polishes, but I'm thinking about wax (especially the hood, where the dealership buffed out a small scratch that was there when I got the car). There's the Gold Class wax I mentioned above, but on sale is some Meguiars Deep Crystal Carnuba Wax. Anyone used it, or have comments?

I've also read posts about using the larger oil filter (for the 2.5L 626) (thinking ahead). I asked at the Mazda parts counter about this, and was told they weren't making the larger filter for the 626 anymore, and were using the smaller one for both. Anyone hear about this? I hope to try and pick up a few of the larger ones at auto parts place, anyone have brands to look for (or stay away from)?.

I've already learned a lot from reading through all the posts here, I've made notes for myself about a lot of stuff, thanks so much for sharing all your knowledge!

Terri

boggse · August 2003

Your lug nuts should be tightened to the correct torque setting from the factory. Any damage done to them due to over torquing would be covered under warranty. I guess it just depends on how paranoid you are. I wouldn't bother.

My understanding is the SP Sport 5000m is just OK in snow. As long as your tires are relatively new, you are probably OK, but I would avoid driving them in snow once you get below 6/32".

I wasn't aware that they were no longer providing the larger filter for the 626, but since is has been discontinued, I am not surprised. I was planning to switch to either the Purolator Pure One or the Mobil 1 filter next time I get the oil changed (next week). I recommend you check out this site which has a lot of information on oil and oil filters, and make your own call:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

BTW: I use Mobil 1 10W30 year round.

Sorry I can't help with the wax questions. I just take mine to the detailer 2 times a year and wash with Armor All Bug Wash every other week to keep the bugs from ruining the finish. I have no idea what the detailer uses, but he warranties his work, so I don't worry too much.

ashutoshsm · August 2003

(I know a lot of people will pipe in with other recommendations like Zaino, Zymol and Zoo-all etc etc - I've had great luck with Meguiar's stuff, so ....)

Check out meguiars.com, their August special has a great car care kit that includes Gold Class, some carnauba, a bottle of Deep Crystal Wash, a bucket, towels, applicators and a couple more things. No store sale prices will beat that. If you prefer to customize what you get - the Cleaner Wax is nice, and what I actually used on my Protege. But I switched to Gold Class when I got the Mazda 6, and I am amazed at how good it is. Bear in mind the differences ...
- Protege, older, white (doesn't shine super glossy like darker colors), questionable previous maintenance (bought used) but not neglected!
- 6 - Lapis Blue (a dark, glossy color), new, shines and reflects beautifully after one Gold Class application and two washes since!

I've never used the Cleaner Wax on the 6, nor the Gold Class on the Pro! I'd say just get the Gold Class directly - lots of people swear by it! It'll be wroth the double (or more, if only Cleaner is on sale) price. Or get the Meguiars website August special kit with free shipping

protege_fan · August 2003

Gold Class is a great wax for shine, but it's not great in the durability department.

dmcgrath3 · August 2003

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that I finally got to wax my P5 with Rejex. It seemed to work good, but I couldnt tell a difference between it and NU Finish (which I used to use on my B2000). I will drive it for a couple of weeks and see how good it is. Considering that it cost $20 for an 16oz. bottle, I dont think I will be using it as my normal wax. Probably pick up some Bullet Wax that I have heard good things about, and use the Rejex once a year or so.

DM

diamond13 · August 2003

Hi there,
The scratches on my car don't seem to go away with the products that I have used namely:
1- Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound (Heavy duty cleaner). The product package says that it removes scratches and stains.
2- NuFinish car polish

Are there other alternatives I can try?

Thanks.

tomciviletti · August 2003

Be careful wit the rubbing compound. If your paint has a clear coat, you can rub right through it. Polishing is a matter of using the right grit. If a scratch is very deep, you aren't going to rub it out. If the scratches are shallow, too rough a grit will only make more scratches. If you use a rough grit polish to remove a scratch, you then need a finer grit to remove the scratches made by the first rubbing compound. You can do it, but be careful, especially if yu use a power buffer or yu are working near edges or creases in the bodywork.

tomciviletti · August 2003

Is a long lasting wax with a decent cleaner, but it won't remove any serious scratches.

protege_fan · August 2003

Try Meguiars Scratch-X. I think Mothers also has a scratch removal product.

sugoiya · August 2003

Grrrr.

Let my inlaws borrow my P5 this weekend. Wound up scratching the alloy tires while trying to parallel park.

1/4 inch scratch where the rubber and tire meet. Damage not too bad, but looks ugly. Any ideas? And if I let it go will it rust or something?

diamond13 · August 2003

Yeah, the place where I tried the rubbing compound lost its shine... Ugh
I think I'd better not experiment much further with these products before I damage the paint...(which I already did by removing stains with the rough edge of the sponge as stupid as I am! I introduced 3 new white scratches :-(

I'm going to show it to a body shop and see what they think, although it might be an expensive alternative.

mazdafun · August 2003

Try some clear acrylic paint or lacquer. Apply with a fine art brush or toothpick.

They won't rust since they're aluminum, but they will dull. Any acidic or caustic material will eat away at the dull aluminum oxide that forms over bare aluminum to keep it from further oxidizing (rusting).

And I'd suggest the in-laws rent the next time.

icvci · August 2003

Shoot me an email seventy88@yahoo.com I frequent a detailing website that I believe to be one of the best out there. They have a message board so I'm not allowed to post the link here.

tomciviletti · August 2003

I hate it when that happens. Factory alloys have a clear coat that is rubbed off in such accidents. To minimize the blemish you first need to smooth out the metal. Depending on the depth of scratches, this may require polishing compound, wet&dry sandpaper, a file, etc. Like with paint, you start with the roughest nedded and work to fine polishing compound. Then touch up with a clear coat. It could be lacquer or a waterbase acrylic or urethane.

Mazda Protege Basic Maintenance Questions

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