Hi! Need help.. A lot of it.

[Bauski]

I just recently bought a 2003 mazda protege. I don't have any kind of idea about the Mazda Company how they series their cars or what kind of Car I even have. (DX?) Do they even make just plain mazda proteges anymore? I looked on the official mazda dealer site and all they had information for NW America was about the mazda 3, 5, RX and other ones of lesser interest.

Anyway I need help on figuring things out about my car, and where I can get the information (It was a used toyota dealership where I got it) for the car. The Owner's manual perhaps? Any little bit of information about my car would be great. I really want to learn more about it since I'll probably have it for the next 3 to 7 years. (it only has 30,000 miles on it) yay!

I want to know the car inside and out as well as learn how to keep it in tom form and shape. I hope I'm not too much of a bother...

[evilmonkeyMSP]

the protege is no longer made. just browse the forums & use the Search button & there is a vast amount of information to learn

[Salmon_Rob]

you drive a third gen - moved

[TwitchFoot]

Ditto. I knew nothing about my car and am slowly learning. If you want to learn, this site has the info.


the protege is no longer made. just browse the forums & use the Search button & there is a vast amount of information to learn

[SilverBulletES]

I just recently bought a 2003 mazda protege. I don't have any kind of idea about the Mazda Company how they series their cars or what kind of Car I even have. (DX?)

Your DX is the most stripped model, but the 2003 DX has the exact same 2.0 liter engine most of us have (everyone with an MP3, Protege5, Mazdaspeed Protege, 01/02 LX 2.0, 2003 LX, or ES).

Stripped is good though. Your car probably weighs 150 pounds less than mine. I'd rather have yours for autocross.

[Pheonix]

my dx with an obx header weighs, ~2540 lbs, but i sure would like AC sometimes

[solid_snake]

The DX has no power windows, door locks, and all that stuff, no tach,it has green interior lighting, steel wheels, and no standard AC

[sam1]

my dx came with AC & the 2.0 standard...but other than that, nada option wise.

[Bauski]

Thanks for replying so fast and I am starting to understand I think...
*I will put a question mark on the back of these statements cause I have no idea if its true*

1. THe mazda company has stopped making yearly proteges, and what they make are mazdaspeed proti's now?

2. MP3 is what they started making after 2003?

3. THere is a 3rd gen mazda forum for people who have cars 1998 and up til the discontinuation date. (this I know for a fact)

OKAY! One big question... Why did they stop? (And why does my car say 16 vavle 1.6 liter engine?)

[Static03]

You want info? here's info.

SPECS

Vehicle Specifications and Dimensions top
MPG (City/Hwy) 25/31
Wheelbase 102.8"
Overall Length 175.3"
Vehicle Height 55.5"
Vehicle Width 67.1"
Cargo Capacity 13 ft.
Front Headroom 39.3"
Front Legroom 42.2"
Rear Legroom 35.4"
Seating Capacity 5
Final Assembly Location J



PERFORMANCE

Information on this vehicle's standard and optional engines and transmissions. top
Standard Engine and Transmission
Mfr. Code FSD
Engine DOHC 2.0-Liter, I4, 16-Valve, DOHC, MPFI Engine Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 130@6000 and Torque Of 135@4000 With Cast Iron Engine Block and Aluminum Alloy Cylinder Heads
Compression Ratio 9.10:1
Horsepower@RPM 130 hp @6000rpm
Torque Lbs. Per Ft 135@ 4000
Cylinder Configuration In-line
Valves per cylinder 4
Bore 3.26
Stroke 3.62
Engine Block Material Cast Iron
Block Head Material Alloy
Fuel Capacity 14.50 gallons
Fuel Type Unleaded
Fuel Delivery Name MPFI
Mfr. Code #MT1
Transmission 5-Speed Manual Transmission With Overdrive
Speeds 5
Curb Weight 2634lbs.s
Standard Gross Vehicle Weight -
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight -
Clutch type -
Linkage -
Heavy duty No
Overdrive Yes



OPTIONAL TRANSMISSIONS

Mfr. Code AT1
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic Transmission With Overdrive
Availability Opt
Speeds 4
Torque Converter No
Curb Weight 2687lbs.s
Standard Gross Vehicle Weight -
Maximum Gross Vehicle Weight -
Clutch type -
Linkage -
Heavy duty No
Overdrive Yes




Standard Features for the 2002 LX
This vehicle comes with the following standard features. top

BRAKES

Brakes, Disc

CONVINEANCE

Rear Window Defogger
Remote Fuel Door Release
Remote Trunk Release With Trunk Lid Opener Cancel System
Power Windows With Driver Side One-Touch Down Feature and Illuminated Driver Side Switch
Illuminated Entry Lighting Via Remote Keyless Entry
Front Stabilizer Bar
Rear Stabilizer Bar
Front Center Console Storage With Armrest Lid
Front Dual Vanity Mirrors On Sunvisors Include Covers and Driver Side With Ticket Holder
Ignition Key Illumination
Front Center Dome Light With Map Lights
Remote Keyless Entry System Locks and Unlocks Doors Via Multi-Function Remote
Multi-Function Remote Locks/Unlocks Doors, Turns On Interior Lights and Includes Panic Button
Unwoven Cloth Interior Carpeting
Trunk Light
Manual Single Zone CFC-Free Air Conditioning With 4 Dash Mounted Vents
Rear Heating Ducts Located Under Front Seats
Cigarette Lighter and Ashtray Located In Center Console
Front Power Outlet Integral To Cigarette Lighter
Cruise Control With Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls For Cruise Control Include Set, Coast, Resume and Accelerate

DRIVE

FWD

ENGINE

2.0-Liter, I4, 16-Valve, DOHC, MPFI Engine Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 130@6000 and Torque Of 135@4000 With Cast Iron Engine Block and Aluminum Alloy Cylinder Heads

ENGINEERING

Digital Clock Integral To Radio
Tachometer With 6,500 RPM Redline Located In Analog Instrument Cluster

EXTERIOR

Flush-Mounted Clear Lens Halogen Headlights
Black Chrome-Accented Front Grille
White Side Turn Signal Lights

OTHER

Front Power Assisted 259-mm X 23-mm Ventilated Disc Brakes and Rear Power Assisted 201-mm X 36-mm Drum Brakes
Power Engine Speed Sensitive Variable Assisted Rack and Pinion Steering
Glovebox With Lock
Metallic Paint (If Selected)
2 Cupholders Total Located On Front Center Console
Tilt Steering Wheel
Map Pockets On Front Doors
Audio Prewiring For Optional In Dash Cassette Player

SAFETY

Tinted Glass On All Windows
Panic Button On Keyless Remote Sounds Horn and Flashes Lights Intermittently For 2 and A Half Minutes
Emergency Internal Trunk Release System
Power Door Locks
Key Activated 2-Stage Selective Locking/Unlocking Feature Unlocks Driver Door If Key Is Turned Once, Unlocks All Doors If Key Is Turned Twice
Manual Child Safety Rear Door Locks
Side Impact Door Beams
Front Driver Second Generation Airbag Supplemental Restraint System
Front Passenger Second Generation Airbag Supplemental Restraint System
Manual Seatbelt Height Adjusters Located On B Pillars For Front Outboard Seatbelts
3-Point Lap/Shoulder Seatbelts With Emergency Locking Retractors For All Seating Positions
Rear Center 3-Point Lap/Shoulder Seatbelt
Front Passenger and Rear Outboard Seatbelts With Automatic Locking Retractors
Front Dual Seatbelts With Pretensioners and Load Limiters
Dual Body Color Power Adjustable Folding Exterior Rearview Mirrors
2-Speed Intermittent Windshield Wipers With Washer Fluid Tank

Seats
Seat, Bucket Front Cloth
Seat, Rear

Sound
AM/FM Audio System With 15 Presets Total Including 10 FM and 5 AM, Seek/Scan and 4 Speakers Total Including 2 Mounted In The Front Doors and 2 In The Rear Doors; Single Disc Compact Disc Player With Random Play and Repeat Function

Suspension
Independent Front Suspension With MacPherson Strut, Lower Control Arms, Coil Springs, and Double Acting Telescopic Gas-Pressurized Shock Absorbers Independent Strut Type Rear Suspension With Twin Trapezoidal Links, Coil Springs, and Double Acting Telescop

Tires
SBRP195/55R15 84V All-Season Tires

Transmission
5-Speed Manual Transmission With Overdrive

Wheels
Styled Steel Wheels With Full Wheel Covers, 15-In. X 6-In.

[mazpro]

the proteges were discontinued on 2003 and replaced by the mazda 3 on 2004

the MP3 was a special edition that was only sold in 2001

1.6 on a 2003? where do you live?

[Bauski]

Oregon. Just in case you don't know, (since its a backhill state) below Washington and above Cali. A real ... quiet kind of place. Nice folks though.

WHERE IS THIS THING CALLED OVERDRIVE?!! My dx... I don't has one...

I'll check though. Oh the joys I would have if it did have one...

[mazpro]

2003 didn't come with 1.6 only 2.0. the 1.6 came with the 1999-2000 proteges dx-lx and as far as I know, in some 2001 DX out of the states.

[Pheonix]

wish i had AC, not too many pros at the local junkyards, a P5 but they won't let me touch it until they strip it, jerks

[nate0123]

Oregon. Just in case you don't know, (since its a backhill state) below Washington and above Cali. A real ... quiet kind of place. Nice folks though.

WHERE IS THIS THING CALLED OVERDRIVE?!! My dx... I don't has one...

I'll check though. Oh the joys I would have if it did have one...could you snap some pictures of your car? your car should be a 2.0 liter if it is indeed a 2003 US model

[Captain KRM P5]

i believe that 2002 and up came only with 2.0 liter engines. For 99 and 00 you could get either the 1.6 or 1.8 and in 2001 the mp3 brought the 2.0 into the lineup.

[Lord_Zath]

Congrats on the purchase. Just keep posting and following what's going on in the forums. You'll start getting the hang of things :)

[DE31]

that or the previous owner knew that the 1.6 is more boost friendly....

[solid_snake]

Overdrive is a gear after 3rd (in automatics) that helps to drop the RPMs thus helping with fuel economy

[Static03]

yep, exactly right, and lowers the compression to like 4:1 in some cases if not lower to achive your highway milage

[peepsalot]

lol, 3th gear

[solid_snake]

lol, 3th gear


oh, my bad,

[Static03]

I think everyone got what he meant by it. Besides automatics dont really have standard gears like a manual tranny, its got planetary gearsets, and by rotating these oddly shaped gears in sets and different sequences, we get the 1-3 gears on an automatic transmission, 4th gear is an overdrive setting, in which it uses next to no power. Thats why when in 4th gear, and you floor it in an automatic, it shifts down to third.

[solid_snake]

that's right, or you can disengage the O/D with the switch, and that also allows more engine braking

[Static03]

yep, I'd love to tell you how a 5,6 and even 7 speed automatic transmission works, but i really have no idea, i'd assume it works on the same principle but with more planatery gearsets, but i could be wrong.

Solid:
Your the first person ive met from miami that actually knows a thing or two about cars, not just *giggle gas makes me civic fast*, NAWZZZZ is awesome!, or uses a 4 inch exhuast tip that SCREWS ON from auto zone.

Im very impressed.

[solid_snake]

yep, I'd love to tell you how a 5,6 and even 7 speed automatic transmission works, but i really have no idea, i'd assume it works on the same principle but with more planatery gearsets, but i could be wrong.

Solid:
Your the first person ive met from miami that actually knows a thing or two about cars, not just *giggle gas makes me civic fast*, NAWZZZZ is awesome!, or uses a 4 inch exhuast tip that SCREWS ON from auto zone.

Im very impressed.


hey thanks.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission.htm


and here it tells you how CVT works http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cvt.htm

[Static03]

ha! cheater!

hey still works, ive learned plenty from there too.

If you ever want to get a little more advance, and ask some pros some questions *guys that taught me* drop by this board http://www.fastcarforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=9

Its the technicle section of the forum i attend most. We've got a tech game which can prove quite difficult, its fairly active, but we all hate ricers, so if your into huge spoilers, and ground effects, i dont think this is the place for you, other than that drop by.

my SN is Static.

[solid_snake]

ha! cheater!

hey still works, ive learned plenty from there too.

If you ever want to get a little more advance, and ask some pros some questions *guys that taught me* drop by this board http://www.fastcarforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=9

Its the technicle section of the forum i attend most. We've got a tech game which can prove quite difficult, its fairly active, but we all hate ricers, so if your into huge spoilers, and ground effects, i dont think this is the place for you, other than that drop by.

my SN is Static.
hey thanks, no, i hate huge spoilers, it looks that the car it's going to fly, lol

[Static03]

If you choose to come, you'll do fine.

[solid_snake]

just joined

[Static03]

I saw, glad to see you joined. Whenever your up to in, go into misc off topic and introduce yourself, you'll get a nice welcome as always lol

[solid_snake]

thanks