Anyone with a Vivid Yellow Protege 5 have paint problems?

[mnkyboy]

I have a 2002 Vivid Yellow Protege 5. I love this car, but the only gripe I have is the paint job. My hood has lost its shine, and the side mirrors and rear bumper are very faded and discolored.

Ive tried polishing/waxing over the years, but it never helped much. Most of the time yellow comes of onto the cloth im using the apply the polish/wax. During the second year of ownership, I contacted Mazda USA about the yellow coming off. They said it was normal, since the clearcoat on yellow cars is mixed with the paint. I never had fading problems until about a year ago, after my warranty was up.

Anyone have any tips/suggestions? Would waxing/polshing help even though more yellow (paint) would come off? Last, since I love this car and I only have 60k miles on it, what a resonable price for a good paint job cost?

[Captain KRM P5]

i have a vivid yellow p5 and have had my share of paint problems.

pretty much any plastic piece of the car has faded disproportionally to the metal parts of the exterior. front and rear bumpers had faded to a dull yellow and the mirrors and the trim piece on the rear gate had faded as well.

disaster struck when the dealership bodyshop buffed the car. the metal parts of the body turned out great and the paint literally melted off the bumpers, leaving burned in orange streaks and red swirls. mazda surprisingly goodwill warrantied the repaint of the bumpers and said that red and yellow p5s in particular had issues with fade.

there is no clearcoat "mixed in" in HZ vivid/sunburst yellow. the paint is a single stage design as is the classic red. to have the exterior of the car repainted costs...depends alot on the going rate at your local body shops. i had a local tech campus repaint one of my old cars and ended up paying only for supplies. the students did a pretty decent job overall. professionally speaking you're probably looking at between two to five thousand dollars.

[CTt3P5]

Sux to hear....that is one of my concerns with the c-red. Mine has 82k but paint still looks good. Just hoping I don't look out one morning to see a pink P5 in the driveway. (shocked) Would have to agree with Ken on the pricing of a professional job.

[mnkyboy]

i have a vivid yellow p5 and have had my share of paint problems.

pretty much any plastic piece of the car has faded disproportionally to the metal parts of the exterior. front and rear bumpers had faded to a dull yellow and the mirrors and the trim piece on the rear gate had faded as well.

disaster struck when the dealership bodyshop buffed the car. the metal parts of the body turned out great and the paint literally melted off the bumpers, leaving burned in orange streaks and red swirls. mazda surprisingly goodwill warrantied the repaint of the bumpers and said that red and yellow p5s in particular had issues with fade.


Well, I emailed Mazda USA a couple of weeks ago, and they replied back the other day. Basically they said my car was out of warranty, and a number of factors could contribute to the fading. Since I am out of warranty by over a year, I doubt I can get them to admit to an issue with the VY paint. What do you think?

What year is your VY P5? Do you think a good detail could bring back the shine on my car? Any suggestions what I can do?

Here is the email from Mazda USA:


Hello XXXX,

Thanks for contacting Mazda.

I regretted to read that you are experiencing a concern with the paint on your Mazda Protege5. Since our office is not in a position to inspect your vehicle, it's difficult for me to speculate why this happening to your vehicle at this time.

I don't see any recalls with this Vivid Yellow paint color. Many factors can contribute to paint fading. Such reasons can include the the chemicals used during maintaining the paint, oxidation from the environmental elements (living close to the ocean, saltwater, extreme heat, acid rain etc...)

You're more than welcome to contact your local authorized Mazda dealership to have your vehicle inspected. Please note that it is out of warranty at this time, but the dealer can provide you some repair options.

Mazda relies on the factory-trained technicians at authorized Mazda dealerships to diagnose and repair concerns that may arise with a Mazda vehicle. If needed, each Mazda dealership has access to Mazda's Quality Assurance Department via a technical hotline. This is offered to each dealership should they need assistance from Mazda with diagnosing or repairing a Mazda vehicle.

You may locate your local Mazda dealerships by visiting our website at www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/loadDealerSearch.action (http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/loadDealerSearch.action) .

Again, thank you for contacting Mazda.

Regards,

Heather B.
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business</pre>

[bradicus18]

Ah man, now I'm nervous. Oh well, I will repaint the car someday. Still I have a 2002 model Classic Red and no paint fade yet (crosses fingers, knocks on wood, crap just broke a mirror:) ).

[Captain KRM P5]

Well, I emailed Mazda USA a couple of weeks ago, and they replied back the other day. Basically they said my car was out of warranty, and a number of factors could contribute to the fading. Since I am out of warranty by over a year, I doubt I can get them to admit to an issue with the VY paint. What do you think?

What year is your VY P5? Do you think a good detail could bring back the shine on my car? Any suggestions what I can do?


mine is also an 02. there may not be much one can do. when i wax my car color comes out of it too. within a year or so i may have mine repainted.

[mnkyboy]

mine is also an 02. there may not be much one can do. when i wax my car color comes out of it too. within a year or so i may have mine repainted. But does waxing it help, and if so, how long does the shine last? Im just worried about taking to much paint off.

[Captain KRM P5]

But does waxing it help, and if so, how long does the shine last? Im just worried about taking to much paint off.

last time i hardcore detailed the car was about a year ago and it still shines nice. do you have any pictures of what yours currently looks like?

[mnkyboy]

last time i hardcore detailed the car was about a year ago and it still shines nice. do you have any pictures of what yours currently looks like? I dont have any current pics. I can take some this weekend if the sun is out. When you say hardcore, do you mean by machine or by hand? What process do you use? Cleaner, Polish, Wax?

[mryellermp5]

did i spell fadeing/fading right? oh well. you will get fading/fadeing if u do not keep up with cleaning and waxing..i use a clay bar then the 3 step meguira's (sp) polish system and in between washings quick detailer and cali brush.. comes out perfect and it shines up all the black plastic parts, too.

[Kansei]

Wait the yellow and classic red are really single stage oem??

[mnkyboy]

there is no clearcoat "mixed in" in HZ vivid/sunburst yellow. the paint is a single stage design as is the classic red.

I just remembered I emailed Mazda USA years ago about this. Below is the email I sent them and what I got back.

Email dated 3/13/2002

Dear xxxx,

Thank you for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.

You've inquired if your 2002 Mazda Protegé5 in Vivid Yellow has a clearcoat. I have verified with our Product Support Engineers that the Vivid Yellow paint on the Protegé5 does, in fact, have a clearcoat.

I hope this information is helpful.

Again, thank you for contacting Mazda. It has been my pleasure to assist you. If for any reason this response has not completely satisfied you, please feel free to reply to this message. You may also contact our Customer Assistance Center toll-free at 1-800-222-5500.

Please take a moment of your time to give us your opinion about our e-mail service. Click the link below to complete a brief, online survey.

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?5TYD85TYCGRDSLWVFE7RJ6R9

Regards,

Lisa Lasky
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business

[Captain KRM P5]

I dont have any current pics. I can take some this weekend if the sun is out. When you say hardcore, do you mean by machine or by hand? What process do you use? Cleaner, Polish, Wax?

when you say polish i hope you don't mean polishing compound per se


I just remembered I emailed Mazda USA years ago about this. Below is the email I sent them and what I got back.

Email dated 3/13/2002

Dear xxxx,

Thank you for contacting Mazda North American Operations. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.

You've inquired if your 2002 Mazda Protegé5 in Vivid Yellow has a clearcoat. I have verified with our Product Support Engineers that the Vivid Yellow paint on the Protegé5 does, in fact, have a clearcoat.

I hope this information is helpful.

Again, thank you for contacting Mazda. It has been my pleasure to assist you. If for any reason this response has not completely satisfied you, please feel free to reply to this message. You may also contact our Customer Assistance Center toll-free at 1-800-222-5500.

Please take a moment of your time to give us your opinion about our e-mail service. Click the link below to complete a brief, online survey.

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?5TYD85TYCGRDSLWVFE7RJ6R9

Regards,

Lisa Lasky
Specialist, Customer Assistance E-Business

thats not right...warranty rep and numerous paint shops i deal with have all confirmed its single stage with no clear coat

i have found a clay bar very handy in removing surface grime that is really caked in and giving that glass-like smoothness to the surface

[exoticracr]

when you say polish i hope you don't mean polishing compound per se



thats not right...warranty rep and numerous paint shops i deal with have all confirmed its single stage with no clear coat

i have found a clay bar very handy in removing surface grime that is really caked in and giving that glass-like smoothness to the surface

I will chime in and give my two cents. My painter who has been painting cars for 27 years told me my vivid yellow paint does have a clearcoat.

[mnkyboy]

when you say polish i hope you don't mean polishing compound per se

Im talking about Step 2 in Meguiars 3 Step process.

http://www.meguiars.com/?car-polishes/Deep-Crystal-System-Polish

[Captain KRM P5]

I will chime in and give my two cents. My painter who has been painting cars for 27 years told me my vivid yellow paint does have a clearcoat.

thats really odd that there are so many conflicting opinions on it.

[Kansei]

thats really odd that there are so many conflicting opinions on it.

The blazing yellow fiber images hood I bought from Terbow was single stage. The paint guy couldn't believe that it was actually a single stage, he said he hadn't seen a single stage in years.

[Captain KRM P5]

The blazing yellow fiber images hood I bought from Terbow was single stage. The paint guy couldn't believe that it was actually a single stage, he said he hadn't seen a single stage in years.

the mica paints i was told by mazda do have clearcoats.

funny you should mention tony, he and i were just talking on the phone and he asked me if i ever talked to/met you as you came out to buy his hood :)

[Kansei]

yup.. I was in NH and on my way back to CT that day so it was barely a detour.

you should go to the meet in Columbus, OH in March.. I'll probably go, it's 6.5 hours to there for you or I. I'll probably roll out with some central/western NY mazda people :)

[YellowMP5]

my car is faded also. my car does not have a clearcoat. mazda screwed up. i think it is possible to bring the shine back by detailing the car and polishing and then putting a clear coat on top. but i personally don't trust aftermarket paint shops (i haven't seen a good one yet) so i don't plan on doing it to mine. will just have to polish and wax, polish and wax.

[PAINT4CARS]

I have a 2002 Vivid Yellow Protege 5. I love this car, but the only gripe I have is the paint job. My hood has lost its shine, and the side mirrors and rear bumper are very faded and discolored.

Ive tried polishing/waxing over the years, but it never helped much. Most of the time yellow comes of onto the cloth im using the apply the polish/wax. During the second year of ownership, I contacted Mazda USA about the yellow coming off. They said it was normal, since the clearcoat on yellow cars is mixed with the paint. I never had fading problems until about a year ago, after my warranty was up.

Anyone have any tips/suggestions? Would waxing/polshing help even though more yellow (paint) would come off? Last, since I love this car and I only have 60k miles on it, what a resonable price for a good paint job cost?


The paint is coming off when you polish it because its a single stage paint and has no clear coat protecting it. This fact plus because its a yellow color is contributing to the fading. The yellow and red family of colors are notorious for fading even when is high quality basecoat/clearcoat. The problem with single stage is it has very few UV blockers.

Now, it coming off when you polish is normal and actually aids in making the surface shine. But shame on them for telling you the clear is mixed in for yellow colors which is entirely untrue and is just more evidence that you can't trust stealerships or the car company to tell you anything useful about automotive paint. I would speak to an automotive refinsihing and paint specialist. Since they sell the paint and materials to actual bodyshops they have to know everything there is to know about automotive paint and its applications.

Lastly, cost will be determined by where you live, what color you want, and what shop you go to. A yellow or red color, in L.A., at an "A" grade shop, will be much more expensive than the same job in Idaho at a "B" grade shop. So its all relative but being from CT I would expect to pay about $4 - $5k for an overall paint job of that color.

-Mike

[mnkyboy]

The paint is coming off when you polish it because its a single stage paint and has no clear coat protecting it. This fact plus because its a yellow color is contributing to the fading. The yellow and red family of colors are notorious for fading even when is high quality basecoat/clearcoat. The problem with single stage is it has very few UV blockers.

Now, it coming off when you polish is normal and actually aids in making the surface shine. But shame on them for telling you the clear is mixed in for yellow colors which is entirely untrue and is just more evidence that you can't trust stealerships or the car company to tell you anything useful about automotive paint. I would speak to an automotive refinsihing and paint specialist. Since they sell the paint and materials to actual bodyshops they have to know everything there is to know about automotive paint and its applications.

Lastly, cost will be determined by where you live, what color you want, and what shop you go to. A yellow or red color, in L.A., at an "A" grade shop, will be much more expensive than the same job in Idaho at a "B" grade shop. So its all relative but being from CT I would expect to pay about $4 - $5k for an overall paint job of that color.

-Mike

I havent had a chance to polish/wax it yet since its been rainy/cold, but how long do you think a good wax would keep the shine on my car?

[s6m1l88]

here's something even more confusing.


the mica paints i was told by mazda do have clearcoats.

Ok, so Mazda has confirmed that the mica paints DO HAVE clearcoats.


When talking about the Vivid yellow having a clearcoat, you say

thats not right...warranty rep and numerous paint shops i deal with have all confirmed its [Vivid Yellow] single stage with no clear coat


Now try getting it sorted out... heres the window sticker from an MP3.

[Captain KRM P5]

here's something even more confusing.



Ok, so Mazda has confirmed that the mica paints DO HAVE clearcoats.


When talking about the Vivid yellow having a clearcoat, you say



Now try getting it sorted out... heres the window sticker from an MP3.

the HZ code Vivid/Sunburst Yellow is not a mica (metallic) paint, so I dont know why that would be on the sticker.

[YellowMP5]

yeah, that's weird. what captain said is correct. the vivid yellow protege5s are not mica

before i bought my car in the summer of 01, i was doing a lot of research and the most info was available on the edmunds.com forum. and i specifically remember someone saying that mazda had trouble with the yellow where the clear will not stick to it. i don't know who the person was or how they came across this information but appears to be true. looks like they just gave up on the clear coat. the only clearcoated part on my car is the spoiler and the clear has started to peel. (hand)
phreaking mazda, i am starting to get pissed at them.