Hello from North East NC

Tw1g007

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2002 Mazda Protege5
Hello, my name is Jeremey. I am the proud owner of a Sunlight Silver 2002 Protege5. I have owned the car for close to 6 months now. It's been a love/hate relationship. I love my car, but it isn't in the best of shape. When I got it, it had a headlight out... The difficulty in just getting that replaced set the tone for the rest of the work that has been done, and most likely will be done to this car.

So far I've replaced the Valve Cover Gasket, Ignition Coils, Spark Plugs, and soon... The biggest piece yet, the transmission. It's been acting up for about two or three months, popping out of 5th and grinding. The plan is to just get another from a yard. Thinking of keeping the old for a spare.

Of course, the car needs a bunch of things. It could do with a new Exhaust Header, the current one is rusted very badly. It also needs both rear brakes to be fixed (not sure the full extent of the damage to them, but the driver side one is rubbing the disc) and pads all around. Both 02 Sensors need replacing and I may have a blown cat.

I know that this car was neglected by the previous owner, and I really don't have the money to start over. So, it's just fixing as I go, and enjoying it the way it is until it's done...

Pics will be up shortly!!
 
Welcome, Im in NC too lol Hope you got a great deal on that car. Sounds like you needed to put alot of work into it
 
Welcome! I'm pretty new here too, but a long time Mazda fan. I like a good protege. I hope you get it all straightened out. At the very least you have the opportunity to really make the car your own and have a great learning experience. Ive learned more about rotaries having an RX-7 than I thought I ever would.
 
Welcome, Im in NC too lol Hope you got a great deal on that car. Sounds like you needed to put alot of work into it

Thanks, whereabouts? I'm up in Gates County. I paid $2400 for it. Haven't decided if it was worth it yet, considering the uncertain history of the car. (almost certain it had some mods that the guy took off and sold separate, my rear tires have uneven wear but it's oddly on the outer edge)
 
Welcome! I'm pretty new here too, but a long time Mazda fan. I like a good protege. I hope you get it all straightened out. At the very least you have the opportunity to really make the car your own and have a great learning experience. Ive learned more about rotaries having an RX-7 than I thought I ever would.

I'm on a tight budget, so the repairs are trickling in, and what was the 84 RX-7, FC or FB, can't remember. I love them, and hope to own one some day...
 
I'm on a tight budget, so the repairs are trickling in, and what was the 84 RX-7, FC or FB, can't remember. I love them, and hope to own one some day...

I know what you mean about a tight budget. I've had to do all my RX7 mods on a budget, but thankfully it was in at least good shape when I bought it. The '84 was an FB. '85 was the last year for that body style. Mine is a loud and uncomfortable autoX terror now. I rarely drive it anywhere except races and shows.
 
I know what you mean about a tight budget. I've had to do all my RX7 mods on a budget, but thankfully it was in at least good shape when I bought it.

You're really lucky then, I checked out the pics you have up of it. It's really clean, good job on it man, it's pretty mad... I thought my Pro5 was in good shape, barring some small body flaws, but it turns out that it was not taken care of by the guy who owned it before the guy I bought it from. Lesson learned though, the guy I bought it from had it in a storage unit for about 4 months, he also had very little information about the car's past. But such is life, live and learn.
 
You're really lucky then, I checked out the pics you have up of it. It's really clean, good job on it man, it's pretty mad... I thought my Pro5 was in good shape, barring some small body flaws, but it turns out that it was not taken care of by the guy who owned it before the guy I bought it from. Lesson learned though, the guy I bought it from had it in a storage unit for about 4 months, he also had very little information about the car's past. But such is life, live and learn.

Thanks. I really appreciate that. I have an interior pic I can put up too, but I'm not finished with it yet. Its in good shape and pretty clean, but I am going to put a new seat in and strip out some of the unneeded stuff to lighten it up. Probably a cage too. My tach just stopped on it recently so I need to get that fixed. Its hard to find a nice used older car these days. A lot of people don't take care of their stuff. Just take your time and you will get it to where you want it. My advice is to take care of small easy things and must haves first. Like the rear brakes. Shouldn't cost too much and shouldn't be overly difficult. I say that just because I've found that if you can get stuff like that done you will feel better about the progress and the car itself. If you have 15 things to fix but 10 are cheap and easy suddenly your list is a lot smaller and you feel good about the progress....even if something big like a tranny swap is still on the list.
 
Thanks. I really appreciate that. I have an interior pic I can put up too, but I'm not finished with it yet. Its in good shape and pretty clean, but I am going to put a new seat in and strip out some of the unneeded stuff to lighten it up. Probably a cage too. My tach just stopped on it recently so I need to get that fixed. Its hard to find a nice used older car these days. A lot of people don't take care of their stuff. Just take your time and you will get it to where you want it. My advice is to take care of small easy things and must haves first. Like the rear brakes. Shouldn't cost too much and shouldn't be overly difficult. I say that just because I've found that if you can get stuff like that done you will feel better about the progress and the car itself. If you have 15 things to fix but 10 are cheap and easy suddenly your list is a lot smaller and you feel good about the progress....even if something big like a tranny swap is still on the list.

Thanks for the advice. The Trans and Brakes are definitely in the near future. I've been putting off the brakes because the parts from O'Reilly's were super expensive, so I was trying to find a cheaper place to get them. Fair point about the older cars thing, in the price range I had when I was shopping for cars, I was appalled at the stuff people were doing (or not doing) to their cars. As for the Tach, it's an RX-7, if there isn't something to be fixed, something isn't right lol.
 
As for the Tach, it's an RX-7, if there isn't something to be fixed, something isn't right lol.
Haha. That is the truth. That is why I have seven giant tote bins of parts for that thing and two spare engines and transmissions. Some people will just drive a car and never acknowledge unusual sounds or behavior from the car. Won't even so much as look at tire tread or check oil. Biggest thing people did to ruin RX7s was not putting oil in them or changing it. I mix up 2 cycle gas for mine which prolongs engine life on them, and I don't have to worry about adding oil to the engine all the time, but mixing up 2 cycle at a gas station is a bit of a pain and gets you some strange looks. I put up an interior pic just now. Its an older one before I fixed a few things in there.
How much was O'Reillys asking for the brakes? Maybe check around at some other parts stores as well. I'd for sure check out any local junk yards for a tranny. Maybe post some want to buy classifieds. Scrounge eBay a bit. I've gotten a few good parts for my RX7 on eBay. Old OEM stuff for the interior and such.
 
Haha. That is the truth. That is why I have seven giant tote bins of parts for that thing and two spare engines and transmissions. Some people will just drive a car and never acknowledge unusual sounds or behavior from the car. Won't even so much as look at tire tread or check oil. Biggest thing people did to ruin RX7s was not putting oil in them or changing it. I mix up 2 cycle gas for mine which prolongs engine life on them, and I don't have to worry about adding oil to the engine all the time, but mixing up 2 cycle at a gas station is a bit of a pain and gets you some strange looks. I put up an interior pic just now. Its an older one before I fixed a few things in there.
How much was O'Reillys asking for the brakes? Maybe check around at some other parts stores as well. I'd for sure check out any local junk yards for a tranny. Maybe post some want to buy classifieds. Scrounge eBay a bit. I've gotten a few good parts for my RX7 on eBay. Old OEM stuff for the interior and such.

O'Reilly's was like, $90 plus a core charge for the discs... It's gonna be looking at around $200 because I need discs, calipers, and pads. I might check Ebay, and I already decided on a yard tranny. Don't have money or knowledge (or even sources) for anything else.
 
Try some classifieds on the tranny. Post up some want to buys in your local papers and traders. I struggled with the RX7 at first. Saving money for this and that. No sources of good parts. I didn't know you basically need the entire rear brake set ups. 200$ isn't terrible if it is for left and right rear. I'd probably go with OEM or equivalent calipers unless you are looking to go bigger or for more performance. Then try to find some cheap but decent quality rotors and pads. Buy them piece at a time if you have to. Are you using the protege as a DD right now? If not just do what you can each pay period. Won't have to shell out 200$ all at once.
 
Thanks, whereabouts? I'm up in Gates County. I paid $2400 for it. Haven't decided if it was worth it yet, considering the uncertain history of the car. (almost certain it had some mods that the guy took off and sold separate, my rear tires have uneven wear but it's oddly on the outer edge)

North Charlotte. Quite a few of us proteges around the area. Not as many as there were but still like 3-4 that I know of
 
Yeah, currently it's a DD, so the brakes need to be done all at once. I can still deal with the tranny for a little while longer if I had to.

Makes it a lot harder when it is your DD. I searched around eBay for some calipers for you. I didn't find anything. I checked a few parts places and found some cheap refurbished calipers but the reviews were not so great.
 
Makes it a lot harder when it is your DD. I searched around eBay for some calipers for you. I didn't find anything. I checked a few parts places and found some cheap refurbished calipers but the reviews were not so great.

Oh wow, I appreciate it. I kinda found the same thing when I went looking. Most of what comes up when I look for parts now is performance stuff... Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice.... but, $$$.
 
North Charlotte. Quite a few of us proteges around the area. Not as many as there were but still like 3-4 that I know of

Nice, I've been to Charlotte, a few years back. It looks really nice. The car scene around here is dismal. A bunch of riced up beaten civics and whatnot. I even know a guy, actually a pretty cool dude, who swears by his Ford Contour SVT... only it's in rough shape.
 
Oh wow, I appreciate it. I kinda found the same thing when I went looking. Most of what comes up when I look for parts now is performance stuff... Don't get me wrong, it'd be nice.... but, $$$.

I hear you about the $$$ It goes out quicker than it comes in. Might find serviceable calipers at a junk yard. In my area you'd be hard pressed to find any Mazda's in a junk yard. May have to bite the bullet on this one and get the new ones or risk the refurbs. No thanks needed. I don't mind to help. I work 230-11pm so I'm up late at night bored anyway lol. Funny about the car scene. I've had this discussion over at the Focus ST forums. No car scene here either. We have riced out and rusted out Cavaliers and Sunfires. Also an occasional PT loser for some reason. Sure I see a riced civic or eclipse every now an again but its mostly domestic rice I encounter. The other car scene is bubba trucks. You ain't a mans man without diesel crew cab. The jokers around here go around driving full size pickups like they are sports cars. Its ridiculous and laughable. I had a countour SVT myself. Mine was in so-so shape when I had it. Drove fine, but everything in the interior was broken or just didn't work.
 
I hear you about the $$$ It goes out quicker than it comes in. Might find serviceable calipers at a junk yard. In my area you'd be hard pressed to find any Mazda's in a junk yard. May have to bite the bullet on this one and get the new ones or risk the refurbs. No thanks needed. I don't mind to help. I work 230-11pm so I'm up late at night bored anyway lol. Funny about the car scene. I've had this discussion over at the Focus ST forums. No car scene here either. We have riced out and rusted out Cavaliers and Sunfires. Also an occasional PT loser for some reason. Sure I see a riced civic or eclipse every now an again but its mostly domestic rice I encounter. The other car scene is bubba trucks. You ain't a mans man without diesel crew cab. The jokers around here go around driving full size pickups like they are sports cars. Its ridiculous and laughable. I had a countour SVT myself. Mine was in so-so shape when I had it. Drove fine, but everything in the interior was broken or just didn't work.

Haha, that sounds like quite the car scene out there. We have a lot of trucks like that here too. I'd still take my broken little Protege over one of them any day.
 
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