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Sedans Mazda Protege Mazda Protege5
7848 messages, Last post on Dec 05, 2009 at 4:21 AM
You are in the Mazda Protege Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: gretsch6120 (Jul 04, 2008 7:40 am) -race |
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Replying to: iamz (Jun 24, 2008 4:12 am) I have a 2002 P5 with around 140k kms on it. Just like some others here I've replaced my front bulbs, both sides, about 8 times since the car was new. That is, about every 8-10 months. Brand of bulbs seems to make no difference. I've read through these forums and others, and the problem is widespread, but some people seem to be spared. Canada or US, DRLs or no - no difference. I remember reading once that someone had the voltage going to the headlamps adjusted (lowered) and that seems to take care of it, but I can't recall where I read it, so don't quote me on that. Otherwise, my little Pro has been an amazing car. Sure, the other gremlin this car is known for - brakes - has been a problem, but as long as the sliding pin on the caliper (especially on the rear) is lubed frequently, this problem can be kept in check. I've also had a problem with the EGR valve, and I was about to have it cleaned, but then it suddenly seemed to right itself. Just the other day I replaced the front stabilizer links. Got an after market part, so I hope those will last longer. Mechanic told me he changes a lot of these on the Proteges. Also had to fasten the exhaust heat shield, where the two front screws holding it shut had rusted away, creating a nasty vibrating sound under slow acceleration. $20 fix - no big deal. All of the above is what I consider fairly routine maintenance items, and as long as this is all I have to do to keep the car running, I'm laughing. It's a great car to drive, gets great mileage if you're not too heavy on the pedal, and it still looks darn stylish. Only problem now is that I must have hit too many potholes over the winter and my alignment is badly out of whack. This has carved up the front tires, so I need an alignment and new tires (second new set since new - not bad). I had Kumho ECSTA ASX tires, but will not buy them again. Great for the first couple of thousand kilometers, but after that they started getting noisy and quickly lost their grip in snow and rain. Leaning towards Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S this time. They've gotten excellent reviews all around, but they are a bit expensive. Still, a good set of tires is the most important safety item on a car, so I don't want to be cheap and dead. Anyways, that's a bit of my P5 experience so far. This is a long-term relationship, so I hope it will keep up as well as it has so far!
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Replying to: jabba1900 (Jul 13, 2008 8:44 am) Ditto! Since switching to a job closer to home and with fuel prices skyrocketing I have reduced the use of my 2002 P5, but not the pleasure when I do drive it. This remains a wonderful ride. p.s. It's interesting that you have not mentioned any problems with rusting. Are you in a southern state or in a balmy part of Canada like BC? |
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Replying to: autonomous (May 22, 2008 9:04 am)
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Replying to: mmorriso (Jul 14, 2008 9:10 am) Back in 2006. under warantee? It wasn't covered under the warranty. Mazda Canada offered a good will agreement where they covered half the cost of the repair to both rear wheel wells; I ended up paying $200. Try negotiating with the dealership to have the problem fixed under warranty but don't be surprised if they disagree. See if you can work out a solution that covers some of the cost. Remind the dealer that this is a known problem that affects many Mazda Proteges; see also the Lemon aid Guide to Used Vehicles for more information about the problem.
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Replying to: autonomous (Jul 16, 2008 8:44 am) -race
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Replying to: raceman13 (Jul 28, 2008 7:04 am) Do you mean something other than the black liner inside the wheel wells?
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Replying to: autonomous (Jul 29, 2008 8:57 am)
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Replying to: raceman13 (Aug 01, 2008 6:55 am)
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Replying to: iamz (Aug 02, 2008 7:51 am) -race |
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