Mazda Protege5

boggse · January 2003

Mine has no sunroof, so no real issue there for me.

capn_krotch · January 2003

Payed $15,400 for a 2003 protege5 in midnight blue. base model 5-speed, no options at all, i'm satisfied with the standard features. i've put about 1200 miles on it already and every single one has been lotsa fun. my last car was a '94 maxima and this is definetly more fun. turns like a dream and has plenty of power with the 5-speed. love the tight suspension, i really dont mind feeling the bumps, i feel like i'm in a sports car hehe.

i'm happy with everything except the gearing choices that somebody previously pointed out. it revs real high in 5th at highway speeds, doesn't this contribute to the lower than expected gas mileage? one other minor thing...the sprayer thing for the rear glass sucks. mine just squirts 2 slow streams down the glass that the wiper tries to spread on the glass, kinda a pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. is it supposed to be like this??

i would like to re-aim the fog lights like i read somebody else did. any advice for that?

thanks guys ;]

bluong1 · January 2003

someone did re aim the fog lights, IIRC, all you have to do is

1) unscrew the bolts to remove the light
2) bend the mount support

Bruno

bluong1 · January 2003

from the way you have described, it seems to me it works just fine.

Bruno

upsdude · January 2003

The fog lights have a adjusting screw.You don't have to bend anything.

capn_krotch · January 2003

the thing is, it isn't a spray, it doesn't mist like i would like it to and i've seen it do on other cars. instead of getting sprayed onto the glass, it just runs down it. is this the way it should be and should i just deal with it?

Sporin · January 2003

My rear spray works the same way. I don't use it much since it runs so much cleaner down the back of the car, onto the bumper, etc.

I try to hit the rear window with some windex and paper towels in my garage when it get's dirty.

mazdafun · January 2003

That's the way it's supposed to work. It gets more fluid onto the glass than a mister would.

wondergreen · January 2003

The dealer told me there's no break-in period for these new cars anymore. The owner's manual says the same thing, but gives some pointers for the first 600 miles. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to insure that my engine will perform the way it should after the first 600 miles? Also, what have you been getting in highway gas mileage? Is the advertised 31mpg/highway accurate? Thanks!

wondergreen · January 2003

Has anyone made any after-market modifications to their PR5? I'm curious as to how a K&N air filter might enhance the performance....

protege_fan · January 2003

Just follow the tips listed in the manual and your engine will be fine.

Are you talking about a K&N Drop-in air filter, or more like an air intake?

I have a drop-in-filter in my 2.0 LX and can't say that I've really noticed a perceptible difference. Another member of this forum (Big_H) posted a spreadsheet of his mileage and it appeared that it got better after the install of the K&N filter.

However, if you're asking if you're going to get an HP boost, I'd say "no."

bluong1 · January 2003

I concur protege_fan: just follow the manual.

the number 31mpg/highway is not an advertised, but rather a number tested the US Environmental Protection Agency.

wondergreen · January 2003

Thanks for the posts. I live in Denver and was wondering what mods are best for high altitudes. I saw on another post where a guy had aftermarket intake, cams, and intake manifold and increased his power and his mpg's by 6 to 8. But I don't know if that would work at high ups. I'd love to be able to accomplish even decent gas mileage and good power at 5200 feet. Any thoughts?

protege_fan · January 2003

When I go back to my hometown of Banff (at an altitude of about 1384 M (4541 feet) I don't notice any loss of power at all or decline in mileage. If there is, it's not noticeable.

A freer flowing intake and exhaust will definitely help to free up a few HP, but I still wouldn't expect any major gains.

A nice intake/exhaust setup sure looks nice though!!

protege_fan · January 2003

Both AEM and Injen make intakes for the 2.0L FS-DE engine. Personally, I'd go w/ the AEM intake. Also, a few people have the Mazdaspeed exhaust which looks great, but is a little too loud at highway speeds.

cbmorton · January 2003

Just bought a K&N air filter for my P5. I'm not looking for a performance gain but I've seen more than one person report a small fuel economy increase so that's what I'm hoping for as well.

I also installed a set of Sparkco ignition wires last week. Again, no performance difference but they did noticeably smooth the engine out and somehow reduced the touchy throttle tip-in.

iamz · January 2003

"...touchy throttle tip-in. "

Ummm, what?

dwryter · January 2003

Unfortunately, cbmorton, I know exactly what you mean by touchy throttle tip-in. For the lucky ones who don't, some P5s buck and jerk with light added pressure on the accelerator at low RPMs, like when you're crawling in heavy traffic and need just a bit more gas. My 5-speed does this and at least one automatic reported the problem, as well. My dealer doesn't acknowledge it as a known issue, though he has tried a few things to ameliorate it, none successful. Please, cb, tell me more about the Sparkco ignition wires. What made you switch to them? Are they supposed to be hi-performance wires? What did they cost? Where did you get them?

Thanks.

wondergreen · January 2003

I think this is typical of most Mazda's and Toyotas that I've ever driven. My P5 5spd does it too, but I think it's common with 4 cyl japanese-made 5 speeds. It might get better with the age of the car, but my '82 Toyota did the same thing, even when it was 13 years old...

cbmorton · January 2003

Dwryter, that's exactly what I meant. I've read many discussions of this characteristic of the Protege on other boards and the consensus seems to be that the driveline bounce is caused by the sensitive throttle and soft motor mounts. I guess the flip side is that the P5 sure encourages you to be smooth with the clutch and gas, although it's necessary to slip the clutch on my P5 more than I'd prefer at low speeds. I've owned a five-speed Nissan and Honda before and neither behaved like the Mazda does.

As far as the ignition wires go, I found other Protege drivers recommending them in another forum. Sparkco claims all sorts of benefits, from increased low-end torque to better fuel economy, so I was pretty skeptical. I did a lot of reading up on what other drivers who had installed them had to say, and although experiences varied, the two benefits that pretty much everyone agreed on were that the wires smoothed out the engine and lessened the abruptness of the throttle, and after about two weeks of use I'd concur.

See http://www.sparkcoonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&produc- ts_id=3 for more info.

reitrof · January 2003

I think is has to do with the soft motor mounts. People who have installed stiffer mounts say the problem goes away.

Sporin · January 2003

I know exactly what you guys are talking about with the touchy throttle tip in. Things can get pretty jumpy at low speeds. I think its' a combination of soft motor mounts, aggressive throttle, low gearing, and the ULEV stuff (burns really lean at idle, but changes dramatically with added throttle.)

I, too, have heard on a few boards that very high quality wires and very precise spark plug gapping reduces this somewhat. I'm planning on putting on Sparco wires and good plugs at my upcoming 30k service.

boggse · January 2003

I'm going to see an acquaintance autoX his 2002 P5 tonight. Normally he drives a Integra Type R and does pretty well, so it will be interesting to see how he does. I saw a stock blue P5 autoX in Laurinburg, NC last fall that did pretty well, so I am expecting this guy to do likewise.

boggse · January 2003

Well, I went last night to the autoX. I got to see the P5 make 3 runs. He ran right around 43 seconds. The fastest time I saw before I left was 39 seconds in a turbo Miata, so the P5 was doing pretty well to be that close on street tires, stock suspension, and stock engine.

dinu01 · January 2003

Does the P5 handle better than the ES?

Anyone has some #s to show us?

Dinu

boggse · January 2003

I would expect the difference is minimal. The P5 would have a slightly better balance due to more weight in the back. However, that weight sits high on the vehicle which probably cancel out any benefit it gives the P5. The P5 has a strut brace standard, so it would corner slightly better than a stock ES due to that, but the P5 is probably slightly slower than the ES due the the extra weight. My guess is it is a toss up.

protege_fan · January 2003

The sedans have a rear strut bar whereas the P5 does not?

boggse · January 2003

Yes, the sedan has a rear strut brace built into the unibody. However the P5 has a set of D pillars and a roof over where the trunk would be on the sedan which accomplishes the same goal, albeit with more weight to go along with it.

bluong1 · January 2003

I know 2 people driving a P5 after an ownership of ES. For whatever reason (weight distribution, more rigid chassis, ...) they think P5 handle slightly better.

Motor Trend, Jan 2002 issue: the slalom speed are 64.8 and 65mph for respectively the MP3 and the P5. Interpret these numbers as you like.

what's rear strut bar? Can you consider it as the bar if it "built in"?

Bruno

hurler4 · January 2003

A lot of people have said that replacement tires for the P5 are tough to find, and expensive. About how much would it be for a set of 4 tires? Is this something that NTB or Sears would have?

bluong1 · January 2003

From http://www.tirerack.com

- Kumho ECSTA Supra 712: $62 each
- Dunlop SP Sport FM901: $71 each
- Dunlop SP Sport 5000M: $102 each

boggse · January 2003

The Dunlop SP Sport 5000M is the only all-season tire available in the OEM size with the correct load & speed rating. The Kumhos and Dunlop SP Sport FM901 are summer tires. Another tire you can get which is a summer tire is the Toyo Proxes T1-S. These usually run around $135 per tire in this size. Expensive, but SOOOO worth it. You can check www.toyo.com to find a dealer near you.

These tires used to be available in this size:

Dunlop SP Sport 9000
GoodYear Eagle F1 GS
GoodYear Eagle RS-A
Michelin Pilot Sport SX GT

I wouldn't recommend any of them in particular, although the Michelins might be nice if you wanted to run in the street tire category in autoX. They may be available still, but they do not show up at TireRack.

boggse · January 2003

There is one more all-season tire to consider. The BFGoodrich Radial T/A is available in this size. The downside is that it is only S rated. This means it will effect handling and ride, so use at your own risk.

reitrof · January 2003

to a 205/45-16 you can use the Sumitomo tire HTR Z II for 81 bucks.

meinrad · January 2003

Does anyone know how this attaches? Is it a permanent thing or does it go on and off fairly easily?

Why am I asking? Well, I like to take off the crossbars to lessen the noise with the sunroof open, but my wife likes the cross bars. So summer they are off and winter they are on. But now I'm thinking of getting a cargo box so that means they will be on most of the time.

Therefore I'm thinking the wind deflector would be of some benefit. But I'd like to be able to remove it when I remove the crossbars.

protege_fan · January 2003

I've seen it 2 different ways. One just clips on..non-permanent. Another, they drilled into the roof and screwed it in. I'd definitely opt for option 1.

iamz · January 2003

I bought the Mazda deflector, and it just clips on.

artdecho · February 2003

Don't know if this is old news or not, but here's a link to some pix of the new Mazda 3
http://www.arborwood.com/awforums/show-topic-1.php?start=1&fi- d=4709&taid=53&topid=784&ut=1044116161

dinu01 · February 2003

Removing the square black camouflage unveils a more refined HB, not the boxy-looking thing we are looking at.

Dinu

mazdafun · February 2003

Must be the Focus influence.

Also, too little cargo room behind the back seats, methinks. And that D-pillar is HUGE!

Gee, I hope they offer a real mini-wagon in addition to this 5dr hatchback.

Maybe an RX-8 or 6 hatch/wagon may be in my future after all.

BTW, those alloys on the camoflauged one are just plain ugly IMO. Bring back the pre-2002.5 P5 alloys (the ones on the rendered silver 5dr hatch look like them)!

george2002 · February 2003

Try using premium gas. Gets rid of the knocking when engine is cold at start-up and gets rid of the flat spot when accelerating from low RPM's. And gas mileage is better so the higher price isn't that hard to take. I had a 1992 Pro for 10 years and ran premium gas all the time to correct idle speed stalling .But can anyone tell me how to solve the vibration problems in the 2002 in the gearshift ( standard) and the steering wheel?

mazdafun · February 2003

At least it looks as if they're keeping 4 adjustable head restraints and the folding side mirrors.

I like the front half more than the back half. The fenders aren't as nicely audacious as they are now, but acceptable.

I hope that's not a styling crease line in the doors above the molding (a la Matrix).

BTW, they did a really decent job camoflauging the blue one in the photos. Makes the entire rear and the nose appear much larger than they are.

The rotors fill out the wheels nicely, from what I can see.

Oh well, proof is in the pudding. I'll have to wait 'til later this year to check it out.

the_big_h · February 2003

read this thread:

http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1- - 8335&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

apparently a 99+ MPV wiper stalk will be a direct replacement for Protege5's, and a Euro-spec 626 stalk will replace the 3rd gen sedans.

cool huh? ;-)

meinrad · February 2003

Now it looks like I might have to spend money on that thing. I like the idea of a variable control and since it appears so easy even an idiot like me can do it, then why not?

vjoe_udo · February 2003

Does anyone know how the protege5 cargo area
compare to the 6 hatch?
It seems the 6 is only a little more expensive
than the pro5.

audia8q · February 2003

I've been in florida for the last ten days so I'm not sure if this has been covered....sorry if it has been.

I was out looking at the mid cycle update P5 today and the new subwoofer is quite interesting. It is built into the spare tire...The subwoofer actually is called a spare-tire subwoofer.....

I would like to hear some comments from anyone familiar with this type of setup..

rich

croy4 · February 2003

I am real close to finalizing my purchase of a Pro5. I am looking at Mica Black with leather, ABS/Side Airbags, and maybe the sunroof/6 cd changer. Any feedback on the quality of the 6 disk changer or headroom issues with the sunroof.

The dealer was also telling me that the standard roof rack can be removed and filler strips are included. Has anyone done this? I have a Thule bike roof rack that I would rather add.

I've test driven the car three times and love the slick 5 speed and handling. It looks like my price will either be $500 below invoice with the current $1000 incentive or $500 above invoice if I take the 0% 60 mos. financing.

boggse · February 2003

I am about 6' 0" with a 32" inseam. In my ES Sedan w/sunroof my hair brushed the ceiling (and no, I do not have a Flock of Seagulls hairdo). In my wife's P5 without sunroof I have a good couple of inches between my hair and the ceiling. It was not an issue for me, but I could see it being one for someone 6'3" or taller depending on how proportionate their body is.

Removing the roof rack cross bars is a simple matter. I would check to see if your Thule bike rack will fit the rails that Mazda provides. You may need adapters to get it to work. Mazda also sells a bike attachment, part number 0000-8L-G01. Good Luck!

meinrad · February 2003

I'm about 6'-2 and have no issues with the sunroof for headroom.

It really is a proportions issue more than an actual height issue. Are you tall from the waste up or waste down?

capn_krotch · February 2003

will a set of ski/snowboard carriers made by thule or barrecrafters mount to my PR5's factory rack or will i need other parts? i know that for a car without a factory rack u need a fit kit and load bars. does the factory rakc perform all these functions? thx...

Mazda Protege5

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