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Mazda Protege5
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Comments
Now, I was hoping that someone could help me out with a couple of things.
My '02 P5 is currently at 90,000 km. I've had no major problems (except for the infamous sliding pin on the rear brakes getting stuck...), and I soon plan to provide everyone with a longer report on my experience so far. I have recently ordered the Kumho Ecsta ASX (not available until mid December here in Toronto), and before they get installed I want to do a front suspension alignment. In addition I want to flush the automatic transmission.
First of all, has anyone else done an auto trans flush? Is there a filter that also needs to be replaced when this is done? Is this a costly procedure?
Secondly, I'm planning to get the alignment and flush done at a local Canadian Tire, since my mechanic doesn't have the necessary equipment. Is this something I should trust a 'generic' store like Canadian Tire to do properly? For anyone living in Toronto, do you have any other suggestions for where to get this done?
Thanks a lot!
Btw, I am still driving on my stock Dunlops that have been on the car since new. Yes, 90,000 km! Tells you a lot about my driving style, but it also tells you that these tires are a little beyond their best before date, and I can't wait for those Kumhos to arrive!
Secondly, in my small town, I am not a big fan of the local Canadian Tire, therefore, I would not take my vehicle there for anything but a new set of tires and even then, I am leary.
Flushing the tranny in these vehicles is easy and doesn't take much time (one hour tops at home), therefore, it should not be too costly. As for the Kumho's, I have the same tires on my car and they are very nice. Good ride, good cornering, and not too bad in the snow. Drive Safe!
I did a LOT of research before I decided on the Kumhos. What won me over in the end was basically the price. From what I've heard they perform just as well or even better than Toyo and Pirelli (both of which I considered), but they are much cheaper. Can't wait! Hopefully they arrive before Christmas otherwise I'll have to rent a car for our drive to Ottawa. My current tires just aren't safe for a long drive like that.
Last time I was in for servicing, I checked the tires while they were up in the air, and what I noticed was that they were a lot more worn in the middle. I believe this would be an indication that tire pressure is too high. I'm quite careful about checking tire pressure on a regular basis, always keeping it around 32-33, so I was quite surprised about this. Maybe I need to get a new gauge...!
Getting an alignment done shouldn't be traumatic if it's done in a shop with the right equipment and software.
Regarding gauges I'd avoid the cheapos with the pop-up pressure measure. Stocking stuffer time!
Now, another question! Does anyone have experience with fuel additives for fuel injection cleaning? Is it worth it, and are there certain brands I should look at more closely?
One side says that using this helps clean the injectors to postpone having to go into the shop for a fuel injector service.
The other side says that the regular additives in modern gasolines have a detergent effect and that if you really need to get your injectors cleaned you have to bring it in to do the service professionally rather than through the dinky bottles.
As some have mentioned here, if you are not experiencing a problem (sluggish starts, reduced fuel economy) why spend money creating one?
Sounds familiar. The cowboys doing our lot weave in and out with something approaching reckless abandon; I say a prayer that their trucks are well maintained or we're all sitting ducks. There's a strategic science in parking: avoiding wide door coupes, parking close to a pole, guaging the turns at corners ...
Are they replacing the quarter panel?
1. there are two separate bulbs, one for the low beam another for the high beam
2. the low beams are found on the edges of the car; the high beams are in the centre
3. to test them simply turn on the lows and then the highs
4. the bulbs are pricey; the low beams (model no. H755) go for over C$20
5. buy a replacement before a bulb fails; you'll avoid being stuck without one at night or away from home
6. the instructions in the manual (page 8-33) can be improved with some additional information:
- The procedure takes about 10 minutes the first time, the next time it should take half that.
- In steps 3 and 4: the electrical connector is white, the sealing cover is black rubber.
- In step 5: Gently pull down to unhook the bulb retaining spring.
- Step 6 is the trickiest part because the retaining spring (think paper clip)is quite flimsy so be gentle. Also they forgot to mention that there is an adapter that the bulb plugs into; pull off the old bulb and attach the new one to the adapter
- In steps 7 and 8 add: Wear gloves and avoid touching the glass surface of halogen bulbs.
Once you've done it you'll feel proud!
It took me less time to replace my spark plugs than it did to figure out that stupid spring.
BTW, I've noticed the low beam bulb on the P5 doesn't last as long as many cars I've owned. I had to replace the right side twice and left side once in the two years I've owned it.
Do you see any water or condensation inside your headlight? I ask because your comment was surprising to me. My wife's 2002 Protege5, which we purchased new in January 2002 (it'll be four years old next month), has never had a blown bulb of any kind -- from headlights to dome lights.
Meade
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The BF Goodrich Winter Slaloms are another good value. Some are S rated (110mph/160kmph) to retain some performance capability (but I'm not into ice racing!). Canadian Tire offers them with free flat repairs. This will be their fourth winter on my 2002P5 and they feel as good as new.
No need to go into details, but it seems that a flush might end up doing more harm than good by loosening old residue and dirt that might be stuck in certain recesses of the transmission. When this gets mixed up in the new fluid they flow around all parts of the transmission, potentially messing it up.
Also, when doing a flush, you still do not change all the fluid. The service manager confirmed this, telling me that their machine generally manages to flush out about 90-95% of the old fluid. Since there is still old fluid left, this tells me that you're just as well off doing the old drain and refill on a regular basis. The service manager told me that they generally recommend owners do this once a year. He said it was up to me if I wanted to do the flush ($140 CAD + tax), but he didn't seem to indicate any particular benefit in doing so. He even told me it was a good thing I had 10,000 kms left on my warranty in case there was a trans failure after the flush! That was kind of the final straw for me...!
Does anyone else have experience with trans flushing?
Btw, as a sidenote, I'm off to change a lightbulb (front passenger side - the tricky one...) today. Again! I don't know how many lightbulbs I've changed since the car was new, but it's easily half a dozen. I've never had a car where the lightbulb burns out so easily. Obvious design flaw.
I'm off to change a lightbulb (front passenger side - the tricky one...) today. Again! I don't know how many lightbulbs I've changed since the car was new, but it's easily half a dozen.
Wow! Were the bulbs all for the front passenger side?
Now, regarding the lightbulbs. The ones I've changed over the years have been on both sides, and I've been very careful not to touch them with my bare hands. Funnily enough, this time I bought two bulbs just in case. Wanted one in reserve. The day after I changed the bulb on the passenger side, the bulb on the driver side burnt out...! At least having one in reserve saved me another trip to Canadian Tire!
Anyway, I ended up replacing both the left and right Silverstar bulbs twice over the course of about six months. I began to think there was an electrical problem until I went back to the "regular" halogen bulbs a few months ago. I have not had a problem since then.
I also try to be very careful handling the halogen bulbs during replacement, and with this most recent change, I wore latex gloves.
Good luck!
Greg
1. How often do you wash and how often do you wax your car?
2. How often do you clean / detail the interior including your CD unit?
3. How often do you check the following: a) oil; b) other fluids; c) tire pressure?
4. Do you do anything special regarding winter care? For example, do you use a) winter tires; b) gasline antifreeze, or c) block heater?
5. How long do the following typically last: a) wipers; b) battery; c) thermostat; d) tires; e) brake pads; f) brake rotors?
2002 P5 w/64k.
1. How often do you wash and how often do you wax your car?
Weekly
2. How often do you clean / detail the interior including your CD unit?
Weekly. Don't clean the CD unit.
3. How often do you check the following: a) oil; b) other fluids; c) tire pressure?
Not often enough. Probably every couple of weeks.
4. Do you do anything special regarding winter care? For example, do you use a) winter tires; b) gasline antifreeze, or c) block heater?
No
5. How long do the following typically last:
a) wipers;
Twice a year.
b) battery;
Original replaced last month at around 60k.
c) thermostat;
Original I think. Might have been replaced at 60k service.
d) tires;
Originals replaced last summer at around 50k. Don't ask me why the Dunlops lasted so long.
e) brake pads;
Originals are still good. Will need to replace them probably within the next 10k or so.
f) brake rotors?
Orignals, but fronts will probably need to be replaced when the pads are done. The fronts have already been resurfaced once.
Conclusion. A great car. Very reliable. Would recommend the P5 to anyone.
1. How often do you wash and how often do you wax your car?
once a month, if that. basically, whenever I can't see out of the side windows due to dust buildup, I'll wash the car.
2. How often do you clean / detail the interior including your CD unit?
see reply to #1.
3. How often do you check the following: a) oil; b) other fluids; c) tire pressure?
oil: every other fillup
fluids: hardly
tire pressure: constantly
4. Do you do anything special regarding winter care? For example, do you use a) winter tires; b) gasline antifreeze, or c) block heater?
what's winter? (I live in Southern California)
5. How long do the following typically last: a) wipers; b) battery; c) thermostat; d) tires; e) brake pads; f) brake rotors?
wipers: replaced all ONCE
battery: still on original
thermostat: still on original
tires: swapped Dunlops with Bridgestone RE750's at @18K miles
brake pads: still on original
brake rotors: still on original
with the exception of my front door locks 'sticking' intermittently, the car has been trouble-free and in all honesty, drives better than before.
1. How often do you wash and how often do you wax your car?
- Monthly for the wash; every second month for the waxing.
2. How often do you clean / detail the interior including your CD unit?
- Monthly. Don't clean the CD unit. My New Year's Resolution is to figure out how to clean the CD unit.
3. How often do you check the following:
a) oil: Hardly ever
b) other fluids: Hardly ever
c) tire pressure: Biweekly.
My New Year's Resolution is to do all these biweekly.
4. Do you do anything special regarding winter care? For example, do you use
a) winter tires: yes
b) gasline antifreeze: yes
c) block heater: no
5. How long do the following typically last:
a) wipers: 18 to 24 months
b) battery: using original with 40K miles (65K km); plan to replace at 50K miles
c) thermostat: using original with 40K miles (65K km)
d) tires: replaced with BF Goodrich at 28K miles (45K km)
e) brake pads: using original with 40K miles (65K km); hope to last for another 10K miles or more
f) brake rotors: using original with 40K miles (65K km); hope to last for another 10K miles or more
So far the P5 has been a reliable fun-to-drive wonder.
No moisture in housing. Still on the OE high beams. No DRL's here either.
My issue is that I don't know if I want to dump a big chunk of money into her if I'm not going to keep it. Our family has outgrown it and we think we'd like to move up to something a bit bigger like the new RAV4, upcoming Mazda CX-7, Mazda6 Wagon, or perhaps a midsize sedan or wagon.
Thoughts? I did the brakes myself and it cost less then $100 per end with new rotors. How much have folks paid for the Tbelt change?? What am I looking at for struts all around?
1. How often do you wash and how often do you wax your car?
Wash once every two weeks or so (DIY drive-in). Wax a couple of times a year - spring and fall
2. How often do you clean / detail the interior including your CD unit?
Once a year.
3. How often do you check the following: a) oil; b) other fluids; c) tire pressure?
Oil - Once in a while, especially before going on a longer road trip.
Other fluids - same
Tire pressure - almost every day - I'm religious about my tires!
4. Do you do anything special regarding winter care? For example, do you use a) winter tires; b) gasline antifreeze, or c) block heater?
No on all counts. Have a block heater, but currently don't need it since I live in high-rise with underground parking.
5. How long do the following typically last: a) wipers; b) battery; c) thermostat; d) tires; e) brake pads; f) brake rotors?
Wipers - 1-2 years. Typically change driver's side more often.
Battery - still on original - no problems.
Thermostat - same
Tires - Just changed to new all-seasons. Original Dunlops lasted 90,000 kms.
Brake pads and rotors - Original front pads and rotors lasted almost 90,000 kms. Changed two months ago. Rears were changed at around 20,000 kms after rear calipers got stuck. Bloody Ford parts! Only serious issue with the Protege5.
Resolution? Wash inside of car more often and change trans oil at least once a year. This car will last forever - I'll never sell it!
Don't think you're going to find many p5 owners who have changed the timing belt or struts yet. Mazda parts are kind of expensive. Check with your independent mechanic for a ballpark (parts and labor).
Ask Terry on Edmunds Real World Trade in Values what your car is worth. Maybe $7.5 - $8k private sale.
Personally, I'd put some $$ into maintenance, and keep the car for at least another 50k or so. P5 should last for another 100k or so, with no big issues. We are talking about a VERY reliable car here. I've got two teenage daughters, and the four of us do fine. Bought a Yakima Loadwarrior for the rack. Plastic bins on top. Works great on trips.
If neither of those factors existed, we'd be HAPPY to spend whatever and keep it for a while longer, but I just can't see dumping a grand or more into it when it really doesn't fit our needs anymore.
Trade will be low, with the things you've mentioned. Lot's of reconditioning for the dealer. Better to sell it private party.
Might want to take a look at the new Mazda 5. Seen the base stick going for about $15k.
I like things DONE RIGHT, the 1st time. My trusted independent hasn't screwed up like the dealer has, + they only do what NEEDS DOING and don't add profit fluff. I have NEVER had a good experience at a dealer, except oil changes. I don't like to waste $$$, so I'll stick with my trusted independent.
I paid more than $300 to have my rear brakes replaced after less than a year. The brakes had overheated after hanging because of buildup of dirt. Not covered by warranty. This is a well known Protege5 weakness. When I had my independent look at it, he pointed out to me that the dealership had not lubricated the sliding pins. Most likely I would have had to go back there the year after to have my brakes replaced again. I guess this is how they retain their customers - get things to break so that they will keep coming back again and again and again...!
Eric, I'm sure you are an exception, but to me there is an inherent conflict of interest in letting a dealership take care of maintenance. They will lose money by pointing out needed warranty repairs (Mazda pays them less than what they can charge a customer), so many of them wait until the warranty has expired. Some have understood that customer retention can not be built this way, but I am not making the gamble that I might have found such a dealer. Instead I take it to my trusted indie who charges less and has never recommended unnedded repairs.