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Mazda Protege5
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Comments
My Classic Red '99 ES sedan still looks as shiny as it did 3.5 years ago when I bought it. At least three times a year, I spend a whole day on it. First, I wash it really well. Then, I apply a chemical cleaner which removes any oxidation and stains. I follow the chemical cleaning with a good polish which restores the lost minerals and oils back to the paint's finish. Finally, I protect it with two coats of wax. I use Meguiar's Clear Coat Body Scrub Paint Cleaner to chemically clean (I know it says clear coat, but it works with or without one), Meguiar's Deep Crystal Polish, and Meguiar's Gold Class wax.
A severely oxidized red car (paint not peeling) can be brought back to show room shine with some time and effort. The oxidation actually forms a protective layer, much like aluminium does when it oxidizes.
You can check out my car's Classic Red finish here.
#3093 of 4251 re re: Clearcoat by coznefx Mar 18, 2002 (12:49 pm)
OK, had to resolve this...just got off the phone with the manager at the dealer's body shop...and YES, the factory paint is two-stage...in other words, there is clear on every color.
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#3094 of 4251 Time to settle the Clearcoat dispute by mnkyboy Mar 18, 2002 (05:48 pm)
I emailed Mazda USA today and the answer is plain and simple. The Vivid Yellow Protege 5 DOES have a clearcoat. IMAZ, I suggest you take a ride to your nearest dealer, and find out why your paint is coming off!? Here is the email I recieved and sent...
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 14:24:38 -0800
To: "XXX XXXXX"
Subject: Re: Your E-mail to MyMazda.com (KMM53678V90XXXXXXX)
From: "MM"
Reply-to: MM
Dear XXXXX,
Thank you for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate
the opportunity to respond to you.
You've inquired if your 2002 Mazda Protegé5 in Vivid Yellow has a
clearcoat. I have verified with our Product Support Engineers that the
Vivid Yellow paint on the Protegé5 does, in fact, have a clearcoat.
I hope this information is helpful.
Again, thank you for contacting Mazda. It has been my pleasure to
assist you. If for any reason this response has not completely
satisfied you, please feel free to reply to this message. You may also
contact our Customer Assistance Center toll-free at 1-800-222-5500.
Please take a moment of your time to give us your opinion about our
e-mail service. Click the link below to complete a brief, online
survey.
Regards,
Lisa Lasky
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business
"Want a bit of Miata-like sportiness in something that can handle
home-improvement-center runs, a stroller, or a few golf bags? Consider
the Protegé5." - Motor Trend
Original Message Follows:
------------------------
Form Message
Year: 2002
Model: Protegé5
Message Body: I have a Vivid Yellow Protege 5, and I have been told
that the paint DOES NOT have a clearcoat on it. Is it true that the Red
and Vivid Yellow Protege 5 has no clearcoat? If it doesn’t have a clearcoat, why not? Can you please verify this information. Thank you.
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sharonf by coznefx Mar 18, 2002 (08:38 pm)
I'm begining to feel like I'm invisible :-(...
Yes, I checked with the dealer, and red does have clear, as does every other color. Anyone who owns a red P5 (as I do) need only take a look in the engine compartment or behind the hatch to see what the paint looks like without any clear on it.
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#3100 of 4251 Red and Clearcoat - Sport Shift Auto by phoenixmp5 Mar 19, 2002 (09:00 am)
I had to double check before posting but my Red P5 definitely shed some clearcoat when the bumper was scraped with a cardboard box :-( Fortunately, it waxed up real nice. :-)
Information from the dealer is, unfortunately, not very reliable. Especially from the sales and service staff. I have looked inside my engine compartment and trunk... I clean that paint all the time. It's just as shiny and red as the paint on the outside. Millenium Red is a different story. That does have a clear coat.
-Jerry
Go Wings Go!
Frank
BTW, when did you sell Mazdas? What year(s)? Im not trying to prove you wrong, just trying to get the facts straight I hope Mazda USA isnt lying to me...
I sold Mazda's from 1999-2000 and was the Lot and Inventory Manager from 2000-2001. I never said Vivid Yellow did not have a clear coat. I actually said I would surprised if it didn't. I'm talking about Classic Red. It leaves your towels, chamois, pads, and applicators red after you use them. This is a reason why you see heavily oxidized red Miata's, MX-6's, Protege's, MX-3's, etc.
I did some research on the web. It seems I may have to bite my tongue, but I am not sure...
I could only find information on the Miata. It seems in mid-1999, Mazda began using a clear coat over the Classic Red and other non-metallic colors. Before this, all Miata's with non-metallic colors did not have a clear coat. I know for a fact that the 1999-2000 Protege sedans did not have a clear coat over the Classic Red, which was the only non-metallic color available. In 2001, Classic Red was discontinued on the Protege line, replaced my Millenium Red. The Classic Red was reintroduced for the 2002 Protege5. This may have a clear coat.
The best way to tell is to look at your towel or chamois after you are finished drying the car. If there is red residue on it, then your car is not clear coated. We've had this discussion many times in the sedan board. But, for the sedans, Classic Red did not have a clear coat.
I also found some interesting information regarding clear coats and why Mazda didn't use them on non-metallic colors. The color coat underneath the clear coat stills fades from the sun over time. Because the clear coat is over the color coat, you cannot restore the color.
If the Protege5 Classic Red does indeed have a clear coat, which sounds like it probably does, I digress...
Otherwise, I highly doubt a more powerful engine will be available. The Protege and Protege5 will be redesigned for the 2004 model year. It will move to a totally new platform shared with the redesigned 2004 Ford Focus. The engines will be a 2.0L DOHC I4 and a 160hp 2.3L DOHC I4 with Sequential Valve Timing (S-VT) and 152 lb-ft of torque. See the pic of the new engine here. Mazda has an excellent overview of the new 2.3L engine on their website (go to Vehicles... Future Models... Mazda 6 More information...).
jstandefer -- thanks for the details about dealing with oxydized (sp?) red paint. That's exactly what's happened to my car. Only on the trunk, roof, and hood -- the sides seem to be doing OK. Your photos look great, and I'm going to give it a try.
Does anyone know if the chalking would be as evident for the white P5?
I wish I could ask my dealer to settle the clearcoat issue, but I've yet to meet a Mazda dealer (here in Columbus, OH) who knows more than I do after reading Edmunds for an hour. It's AMAZING to me how relatively little these guys know about their product. Recently, I noticed they had a 2002 refresh sitting beside a pre-refresh model. I asked about the tweeters added to the refresh, and the guy confidently said, "no, that's not standard -- it's a special kit."
I'm convinced that when they don't know, they just make stuff up. I'll ask about the red/clearcoat, but should I trust them?
Does anyone know if the clearcoat is indicated on the sticker?
I totally agree with you about the lack of product knowledge by the dealers...at least speaking of those in my area. This was one of the reasons I chose to go through CarsDirect when I bought my P5...I didn't need the dealer cuz I knew more than them! It kinda made me lose all faith in them.
Personally it seems to me you might be better off asking mazda headquarters about the paint than the dealer...but I dunno. I can't even seem to get registered on the my mazda site for some reason!
Good luck!
Sharon
Sharon
Thanks for the reply. Re: car dealers -- they don't have that many unique products to sell...you'd think they'd know them inside and out. Access to the Internet makes every shopper smarter...yet they seem so unprepared (even defensive) when you ask them even simple questions. I've visited about six different brand dealerships in the last month, and each and every salesperson I've encountered has seemed only vaguely interested in answering my questions, and frequently dishonest when pressed for details.
Anyway...I'm curious about your CarsDirect experience. Have you described it earlier on this message board? If not, can you provide any tips for a newbie? How far did you have to travel to get your car from the dealer who accepted your price?
Any and all details welcome!
Thanks again.
And I have to say, I read everything I could find on the P5 before I actually went out and drove one, and the sales guy I actually bought from was the guy who didn't make any mistakes based on what I knew when he told me about the car, and even told me a few things I hadn't read.
So there are at least SOME good salespeople out there.
I agree. While shopping for a corolla (sorry guys) for my mom at a large new dealership, i had seen people come in and the deals were closed in less than 15 minutes. A lot of people still pay what the salespeople tell them. And thats due to the fact that they are presented at the dealership with a fake vehicle invoice which is hundreds higher than the actuall prices. We were there for hours. I salute FORD for trying to open FORD owned dealerships but of course a lot of stealerships were against that. They knew nobody would go to them and listen to their or pay their BS prices.
http://web2.iadfw.net/emann/protegefaq/models.html
I was under the impression that P5's were made only in Hofu, but maybe this has changed.
Likely, the 6 and 2004 Pro (or will they call it the "3"?) will be built in MI. Given the past and current history of US-built Mazdas, I'm going to give them both at least a year to shake out the bugs (witness the Tribute/Escape and the Truck/Ranger, and the Navajo/Explorer 2-dr...at least the 626 has been OK...still, the past few Escort/Tracer models have been "Fordified" versions of the 323/Protege, and they managed to make them less well-put-together). Bummer. I like Mazdas. I don't like Fords. And Mazda is just recovering too.
Well, I can hope for the best. The 6 looks like a nice vehicle (and at least it's mostly designed by Mazda, except for the V6 Duratec-derived engine, which is a Ford design). It deserves a chance. Still, I'd prefer one assembled in Japan. I guess the Ford/Mazda NA plants aren't as well managed as the GM/Toyota NA plants. Those seem to put out decent product.
Hopefully, the new 6s will be equally sound. I have every reason to think they will be, but only time will tell. I do know that the Hondas built in nearby Marysville, Ohio, are quality vehicles.
Re, car dealers -- I think the manufacturers need to create some kind of incentive for the dealers that allow their people to make better money on the thinner margin sales. It's fairly well known in the industry that if a person has a good experience with their first, entry-level car, they'll be very loyal to the brand and buy the more expensive (and more profitable) higher-end models.
But despite my terrific experience with my MX-6, I'm so unimpressed with the Mazda dealer nearby (poor product knowledge, pushiness, lots of attitude)that I'm about ready to give up on Mazda and simply take advantage of one of the incredible lease offers Honda is offering on the remaining 2002 Accords.
What the dealership should do is make a photocopy of your license.
I was wondering if anyone else got the auto stick, and if so:
1) does using the auto-stick as opposed to the regular "D" setting improve performance?
2) When you come to a stop, does the auto-stick automatically switch back to 1st gear?
3) Any tips for using the auto-stick? Does it have any "funny" behaviors I should no about?
4) Generally around what RPM should you shift? What RPM should you be around for regular driving?
sorry for the lame questions, but I'm used to letting the auto trans do all the work for me.
Thanks.
Rich
Amonte -- I test drove the autostick, and I think I recall it does shift down into 1st after a stop, but I think they assume you'll take care of it. Unlike the manual, the autostick is four speed, so I revved it fairly high to experience any significant performance difference. Sorry for the lame answers -- I only drove it for about 10 minutes. Anyone else have opinions?
I STILL haven't seen a photo of the MP5 leather interior, and we still don't have any locally. If you're able to post (or e-mail) a few pics of your new interior, I (and others) would love to see them!
1. (and this is minor) I found the car key difficult to unlock/release when I was done driving. It tooks a lot of pushing and wiggling. Has anyone else noticed this?
2. I have a Miata, and the shift throws are really short and tight -- very nice. The shifter and throws seem much longer in the MP5, and a bit "less connected" feeling from the transmission. Has this gotten tiresome for any of you drivers, or do you get used to it? And do you know if it's possible (and not too expensive) to have a shorter shifter put in?
No problem - thanks for responding...I'll find out soon enough, I suppose...
"I STILL haven't seen a photo of the MP5 leather interior, and we still don't have any locally. If you're able to post (or e-mail) a few pics of your new interior, I (and others) would love to see them! "
The leather in these cars (in my opinion) is nice for the money. The invoice on this option is $392, which seems pretty reasonable. Keep in mind that the leather seats aren't ALL LEATHER - the seating surfaces are, but the sides are vinyl. It's not very noticeable though. All in all, they fit very well with the rest of the interior of the car. When I get it, I'll try to take some pics and post them.
No problem - thanks for responding...I'll find out soon enough, I suppose...
"I STILL haven't seen a photo of the MP5 leather interior, and we still don't have any locally. If you're able to post (or e-mail) a few pics of your new interior, I (and others) would love to see them! "
The leather in these cars (in my opinion) is nice for the money. The invoice on this option is $392, which seems pretty reasonable. Keep in mind that the leather seats aren't ALL LEATHER - the seating surfaces are, but the sides are vinyl. It's not very noticeable though. All in all, they fit very well with the rest of the interior of the car. When I get it, I'll try to take some pics and post them.
Jake Sweeney is about 7 miles away from Kings. They have a good sales staff. Rich Kennedy was my salesperson there. They also are an "S-plan" dealer.
This is a ways from Columbus, but it's been done before (purchased from Kings, I believe).
Does the manumatic transmission, in sport mode/manual mode, allow the engine to go between 6000 and 6300 RPM (6300 is the redline) before the computer intervenes and shifts for the driver?
You might have to floor it to get around 6000 to 6300 RPM, that is, if the tranny allows it. Since your ride is NEW, please don't try it until you have properly broken in your vehicle, i.e. stay below 4000 RPMs for at least the first 1000 miles.
And BTW, I do think the autostick is a cool feature that makes the auto much more interesting. And that gated shifter looks very cool. My commute is largely city driving...I'm having trouble deciding which transmission to go with.
reitrof -- how difficult is it to switch out the shifter? Having it done, or doing it yourself? I hope you'll describe your results here when you're done!
After the $750 rebate I ended up paying somewhere around 300-500 below invoice...which I felt was fine...especially to not have to deal with the idiot annoying sales people I encountered!! I took the stress-free route!
Let me know if there's any other ?'s I can answer about it
Sharon