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Not a bad loaner! Let's hope everything works out with your P5.
Second, you have no recourse on the warranty thing, unfortunately. Any owner's manual and warranty literature, including Mazda's, will tell you that modifications will void the warranty. And many people heed that -- I've read cautions from people on several forums who recommend doing all this "modding" after the warranty expires for just this reason.
You really have no one but yourself to get mad at about your voided warranty.
Also, regarding your "I am paying for their experiments on my car" comment -- well, they could turn that comment around and tell you they're having a tough time diagnosing the problem because of all the "experiments" you've done with Mazda's engine. I have been visiting this discussion for as many years as we have had a Protege5 in our driveway, and since April 2000 as a Protege owner -- and yours is the first problem of its kind that I can recall with a Protege5 or a Protege.
I can report that my wife's Protege5 has 49,500 miles on it, and my Protege (which I recently traded for a 3) had 91,100 miles on it, and several people I know on the off-site forum I manage have Protege5's with at least 50,000 miles on them -- and none of us have had these kinds of problems. Of course, our cars are all stock too.
Meade
Some owners took action by modifying. I think everyone realizes that as soon as you start switching parts, you are responsible for that part. In cases where there are good parts installed by competent installers there may never be a problem. What may not be obvious is that by modifying, you're not only changing the part but affecting the related parts on the car. So, that K&N filter may not be the best idea if it starts fouling your throttle body. Or that turbo component from some firm on eBay may not be worth the headache if it turns out to be a problem and has to be removed.
The good part of this story is no one was hurt in the process. Yes, there is some money being exchanged but this is a small price to pay compared to a failed component that causes an accident.
Thanks kuruptboi for sharing your saga, I hope the rest of the story turns out well for you.
2. Your electric blower fan for the interior should not.
3. Your engine cooling fan will though because of the power draw at start up.
“To begin anti-lock brake system diagnosis, make a visual inspection of all the major parts. Any possible base brake system defects must be ruled out first before an ABS or TCS problem is suspected. If the red brake light is on, you must check the base brake system first. ... Based on your findings, determine what step should be taken next. If the (brake) fluid level is low, check more closely for leaks. If one set of brake pads is worn down, make sure that the corresponding wheel is not dragging.”
While doing some research on availability in the Vancouver area, I came up with not one, but four 2003 Yellow P5 (auto transmission) for sale. Was there something particularly troubling about the yellow 2003 P5s that I should know about? It just seems odd that there are so many of this one color/model available in my area. :confuse:
Thanks in advance for any insight!
I certainly hope not, mine is a 2002 yellow P5. The color was quite popular at the time and several other brands seemed to have caught on; maybe that ends up decreasing its wow factor. My car has been flawless including its paint job.
The Hyundai Elantra is an excellent contender; personally that was my runner up after the Pro. Can I suggest you test drive both and then compare them by overall value? Either way you'll win.
You're right, Hyundai makes great offers. Mazda has similar offers for some of its new products; my Pro5 came with 1.9% for 3 years; I believe the current Mazda3 has excellent short term (24 month) rates. The other plus of a new car, and especially of Hyundai, is the warranty. If you love the car and intend to keep it for several years having low payments and a healthy warranty period is icing on the cake. The downside of a new car is the larger tax bill, the freight and PDI charges. The downside of a used car is you inherit all the bad behaviour of the previous owner with a fraction of the warranty if any.
How do you find the ride quality of the Hyundai? Is it right or too soft or too stiff? My wife does not appreciate the Pro5 stiff suspension, I personally love it.
In the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports (aka the annual auto issue), the Hyundai Elantra was rated 7th in the "Small cars with automatic transmissions" group. The top 10 were: Ford Focus ZX4 SES; Mazda3i ; Toyota Prius ; Honda Civic hybrid ; Toyota Corolla LE ; Honda Civic EX ; Hyundai Elantra GT ; Kia Spectra EX ; Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS; Nissan Sentra 1.8S. Have you compared the Mazda 3i and Hyundai?
Best of luck
As for the ride quality of the Elantra GT, I found it a bit mushy and underpowered compared to the Mazda 3. Don't get me wrong - it's a perfectly serviceable car and I know it has its fans. But I liked the stiffer suspension of the 3. I've heard that adding a sway bar from the Hyundai Tiburon to the rear of the Elantra improves the ride quality.
Tonight we're test driving a 2003 P5, Black, loaded (including leather). All of the points you raised regarding warranty are definitely on our minds as we make this decision.
The suspense builds!
Here are a few things to consider while you're test driving:
- horsepower (does the vehicle have enough pick up and passing ability?)
- viisibility out the rear window (are you comfortable with the view?)
- tires (are they the original Dunlops or have they been upgraded?; the Dunlops are great but do not last long, they may last up to 50K km, if you're easy on them)
- interior (is it too dark?, is the leather substantial/good quality?)
I raise the above points because of comments I have read on these boards. Personally, I have no problems in any of these categories, in fact I find the Pro5 has great pickup, good visibility (making it really wonderful to park!), sporty tires (with great cornering ability), and a stylish interior (since leather is not my preference, the cloth seats are just right).
BTW: The Mazda 3 Sport GS is at least $1200 cheaper than the GT and still exceptional.
Have a great drive and let us know what you both think!
According to MSN Auto the Mazda3 can be cheaper or pricier than the Elantra for some very good reasons.
First of all, the Elantra GT comes loaded with a 138 hp engine. Your comments about an underpowered ride compared to the Mazda 3 is well taken since the Mazda 3 Sport comes with a much heftier 160 hp engine. If instead we used the Mazda 3 i (non-sport) version it would be closer as it has a 148 hp engine. These numbers go a long way to explain the pricing.
C$19,800 Mazda3 GS i (non sport) + automatic + AC + 148 hp
C$20,500 Elantra GT - automatic (AC included) + 138 hp
C$22,300 Mazda3 GS Sport + automatic + AC + 160 hp
As you can see the price differential is not that great between the first two. The Mazda3 Sport costs an additional C$2K because it is more substantial. These are of course MSRP and not real prices so depending on negotiations the gap may be larger or not. I think each of these qualify as good choices depending on what you want. Finally, the 2003 Protege5 with its 130 hp engine is much cheaper but you already know that.
The Black Protege 5 was sold earlier Tuesday afternoon before we got there, but we had an opportunity to drive a silver P5. The car handled beautifully, but there was a strange moldy smell in the car - very slight, and not noticeable when the ventilation was turned on. The dealer told us that this model had been in an accident, and though you couldn't tell, just knowing that bit of information turned us off that particular car. We're going to contact the dealer to tell him that we're interested in buying a P5 and to let us know if he gets any others.
Could you provide some more details for the benefit of others?
What year? 2002? 2003?
Manual or automatic transmission?
Any early warning signs to watch out for apart from the leaky oil?
Number of the TSB?
It sounds like this was done without charge, is that right?
Do you want to mention the dealership?
Thanks mz_demeenor!
Wow, that's steep! Are you going gung ho with the leather seating, moonroof, etc. at that price? Do you really want all those things or is it done for comparison? Options can be a pain; often you can't get exactly what you want because you have to take A to get B. I would not opt for leather, moonroof, 17" alloys, antitheft because I don't value them. Moreover, when comparing, those models which have unwanted options end up being discounted. So even if a model offers more, if it's not something I want, I discount the unwanted option. The Mazda 3 Sport GT comes with 6 not 4 speakers which could be important; I wonder if its worth the additional C$1200 upgrade cost or could I live with only 4 or whether I should just add 2 speakers on my own. Some of the "all inclusive" packages leave me feeling as if I need to drive in a full tuxedo. Sorry to rattle on!
Let us know how you like the silver bullet!
And i do ALL my own work on my car, So i know its geting done right! Dealerships have a creapy vibe, once you get your car NEVER go back LOL
Peace
A little bit of both. Leather's not an option on the Elantra, so we ruled it out. Cruise control is important to the hubby, but I'm indifferent. I really want a sunroof, but he could care less. So I had the salesperson run the numbers - buying the options individually versus buying them as part of a package, and $25,700 was what he came up with.
The Silver Bullet was a nice car, but the car had been in an accident and had a funny smell, so we ruled it out. I think that we've decided to go with the Elantra.
Autonomous, I really appreciate all of your feedback - I can't tell you how helpful you've been.
Why trust a salesman, who's going to want to get every nickel and dime from you that he can? Go to Mazda's website and "build" your car. It will give you a price and then let you know what dealers have the car the way you want it!
Meade
Interesting. Didn't your last test drive involve a black P5 in an accident and have a funny smell. Two cars, two accidents, two smelly interiors, talk about double whammy turn-off.
The Elantra is a great car which you're sure to love, plus you'll be getting it at a great price and with an astounding warranty. The only thing left is planning the ultimate trip like cruising the Fraser Valley or Vancouver Island. Best wishes!
I think we'll go look at the car just for curiosity's sake, but provided that our own financing comes through, we're going with the Elantra.
I have a 2002 MP5 (80 000km) and recently I've noticed this high pitched squeaking sound coming from the rear passenger tire. After looking at the rear brakes, I noticed that there has been alot of wear since the previous time they were looked at (which was not long ago at all). So I was wondering if anyone has had this problem (either sticky calibers or parking brake) and what was the solution(s). Like to try to fix the problem on my own.
Look forward to any suggestions!!!
Thanks!
Did you actually replace your calipers or your brake pads, Terry? At what point (mileage) did that happen? My service advisor warned me about sticky calipers on my 2002 P5 after seeing increased brake wear on the rear compared to the front brakes (the front brakes are supposed to be doing most of the stopping). He suggested that I have them lubricated which I had done last fall. No problem since.
... we'll go look at the car (black P5) just for curiosity's sake, but provided that our own financing comes through, we're going with the Elantra.
Was the work done by a dealership or an independent? When the passenger side caliper was broken by the shop, did they pay for the replacement? Was it OEM? Are the ceramic pads worth the money in terms of long term durability?
Any tips on a fast and smooth ride while avoiding the use of brakes? If only those lights were synchoronized ...
I have a 2002 P5, and lately I've been having trouble with my horn. It seems to drop in tone when honking, but doesn't do it all the time... sometimes it sounds fine. The weird thing is that I already had the horn replaced for the same problem last year, and it worked fine for about 6 months. I find it hard to believe that two faulty horns have been installed in my car, and am thinking that there's a problem in the wiring to the horn (maybe a grounding problem?).
If anyone has any ideas, I'd greatly appreciate the help.
Thanks
Mazda parts carry a 12 month/12,000-mile warranty.
Meade
I'm not sure if ceramic pads are worth the money (never used them before). When I replaced the front pads, that was all that NAPA had in stock. One good thing about them is there is much less dusting on the front wheels which makes them stay clean longer and clean much easier.
some problems with the sporty shift. My car has that zig-zag automatic
shift and also has the faked manual shift mode.
Now I have problem when I try to shift the stick out of P into R or D, or when
I try to shift the stick from D to R (basically move the stick around corners of
the zig-zag shifting track). Not wanting to use brute force, I usually
wait a few moments, then will be able to move the stick pass those corners,
but it's getting worse and I am worrying about transmission problems.
I am going to let the dealership look at it tomorrow but I wonder whether anybody
driving this car have similiar problem?
The site has the entire factory workshop manual for the protege/protege5 in pdf.
Regarding your fog light problem... I'm thinking maybe bad connection in the switch... go to section 09-18 on the website and it tells you how to inspect the switch itself
What a terrific site! Thanks for posting this; it should help many owners better understand what is happening with their pro
I recently bought a 2002 P5 with only 51,000 km on it. I absolutely love the way it drives and the fact I can stuff my MTB into it while only taking off 1 tire is fantastic. But... but.. If I have the windows down and the stereo off (which is rare) i've noticed a slight squeak coming from the right front end. The squeak sounds like birds chirping. i can't hear it under normal driving or all the time but appears most often when I am lurching in 1st or second gear at low speeds (for instance if I'm driving in 1st and let off of the gas). It is also detectable when engaging the clutch from a stop (either 1st or reverse). I've searched these boards and didn't find anything identical to this. Has anyone heard of this? I've read that the bushings can become squeaky and am hoping this is the problem.
Thanks in advance.
has anyone had any problems with 'creaking' in the steering wheel?
I have a 2002 P5 and my brother-in-law has a 2001 Protege, we both have developed this 'creaking' sound when the steering wheel is turned left or right. When the steering column is straight there is no creaking. My Bro-in-law likes to tinker and he hasn't been able to figure out the cause. It doesnt seem to affect the steering itself but it's bloody annoying.
Any ideas?
The pads & rotors were replaced in feb. 05. They have only ~4000 km on them. I'm thinking I'll take it to the dealer as I have to register it with Mazda Canada anyway.
Maybe your rotors were replaced with a bunk ones in Feb. 05?