Protege 5 rust

Rust Bucket

I was just giving my happy little 03 P5 a once over to check for dings and dents and I find RUST?!?!?!?

What the heck? After a little more then 5 years the paint is actually flaking off!

I've got identical areas in front of the rear wheels, just above the lower trim pieces. I've also got some bubbling on the rear driver-side window frame.

I'd expect this at 9 or 10 years, but just 5????

I don't care how fun it is to drive, Mazda will have to improve their rust warranty substantially to get me back in their showroom.
 
Upon closer inspection, there's a dime-sized bubble of rust in the middle of the roof just behind the sunroof.

Splendid.

WTF, it was built in 2003 not 1973.
 
I wish I was smart enough to post a couple pictures of my rust problem.
I did send a few to Mazda and guess what- NO REPLY. Not even a FU.
A Mazda customer rep (I'm not sure if its ok to post his name so i'll omit it for now) made me jump through hoops in order to get a problem resolved. They denied my claim. When I challenged their decision the Mazda customer rep accused me of racism.
I told him to be very careful where he was heading and reminded him that the calls were being monitored for "quality control". Only then did he half heartedly apologize.
Mazda figures that because they fly just under the radar they can get away with crap service, and poor workman ship.
I have made it a point to talk to people planning to buy a buy a Mazda and showing them my rust bucket and telling them about Mazda's total lack of care for their customers.
To date I have stopped ten people from buying a Mazda (my bank manager being one, my boss another).
Since they don't give a damn about us, spread the word about your piece of s*** Mazda. Its the least we can do so some other fool doesn't waste his hard earned money.(eekfu)Mazda(eekfu).
 
he accused you of racisim? how did you go from your rust issue to racisim.....something fishy here?
 
Got rust on my top, on my hood, in my rear fender wells, inside my hatch, in the crack between my front bumper and my front fender, on the bottom of a front door (ask me why just one, i don't know) it's a freaking plea.

Even if late summer I sand the spots and repaint them, in spring they all pop up again! (with new spots also)

My girlfriend's brother got a 1998 corolla....NO rust at all nothing but a single dot of "rockpunchedmyhood" on the hood and he fixed it last year and it stays painted!

My car is oiled and greased up everywhere before winter comes, but here they put salts on the roads like "we don't have to use snowplows, we got salt"

In 3-4 years, when i'll change this little car, 1st it won'T be silver anymore, it will be silver and "rustorange", and 2nd of all I don'T know if i'm going to buy a mazda again. But, i think of it..my RIP '92 protege only got rust a tiny bit where i punched my rear fender and that's all!

Anyway, if Mazdas are rusting, have you seen Kia and Hyundai? That brings a bit of hope.
 
Rust Inspection

I purchased the life time rust protection and on Monday I go for the 2 year inspection/touch-up appointment.

It should be interesting, since I also have a few rust spots starting to show up. Its probably going to be like pulling teeth to get them to fix these, especially since they are only bubbling at this point.
 
bazooka joe said:
he accused you of racisim? how did you go from your rust issue to racisim.....something fishy here?
Click to expand...

I had contacted Mazda previously to see about being reimbursed for brake rotors that had warped at 22,000km.
The Mazda customer service rep requested all paper work related to the brake job be faxed to him. I complied.
He responded by saying he needed verification that the mechanic was licensed, I complied. I also provided a written statement from the mechanic saying that I could not have made the trip to the dealership safely (unless towed) and his opinion (he was a Ford technician) that the original rotors were sub par.
After a lenghtly wait Mazda replied saying "they couldn't help me", I said you mean you won't help me, if your not going to help me just say so.
At this point, out of the blue I was accused of racism.
I included reference to this incident to illustrate Mazda's lack of customer service.
I apologize if I confused anyone by relating that incident. This is about rust.
Again sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
 
My '02 is rusting in the usual spots. I even called Mazda and they said they wont help. Theres got to be a way to get this covered. Its just ridiculous. My fiance wants to keep the car, as she loves it, but I just wont get any resale value out of it when we do go to sell it if its a giant orange bucket. Her theory is just to drive it till it dies. I looked under the hood, and there is rust on some of the weld seems on the engine bay.... How ridiculous is that.
 
I am getting rust in the usual spots. What do I do for it? Just sand the area down and get some touch up paint? What grit sand paper should I use?
 
libtech said:
My '02 is rusting in the usual spots. I even called Mazda and they said they wont help. Theres got to be a way to get this covered. Its just ridiculous. My fiance wants to keep the car, as she loves it, but I just wont get any resale value out of it when we do go to sell it if its a giant orange bucket. Her theory is just to drive it till it dies. I looked under the hood, and there is rust on some of the weld seems on the engine bay.... How ridiculous is that.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean about under the hood. I sprayed bolt tops with white grease and it slowed the rust down.
 
Mine also has rust on the driver and passenger rear lips aswell. Its also got some rust forming under the running boards so thanks for the tip about the warrenty, im bringing it in this week!
 
We have a 2002 P5 and OMG, there is rust eveywhere underneath the car! The suspension and exhaust looks really bad.

There are a few pin holes on the body by the wheel wells and some on the hood.

Any ideas what to do with the rust on the suspension?
 
I'm not sure if this is the only place on my 5 that has rust. See pic.
Can anyone tell me what I should do to threat this area?

Thanks!

Josh
 

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2002 MP5 said:
We have a 2002 P5 and OMG, there is rust eveywhere underneath the car! The suspension and exhaust looks really bad.

There are a few pin holes on the body by the wheel wells and some on the hood.

Any ideas what to do with the rust on the suspension?
Click to expand...
ya, there is this paint, i'll get the name for you...my body guy used on an old rusting sign pole two yrs ago and it looks like he did it yesterday...no rust poking thru at all!

my cars off to the body shop thurs for a bit of rust fixing...the drivers door has a little starting near the weep hole...
 
Last edited:
2002 MP5 said:
We have a 2002 P5 and OMG, there is rust eveywhere underneath the car! The suspension and exhaust looks really bad.

There are a few pin holes on the body by the wheel wells and some on the hood.

Any ideas what to do with the rust on the suspension?
Click to expand...

I took a look under there earlier this year when the oil pan rusted through. OMG. The whole underneath is a rust bucket. WTH. I was just sick looking at it. I had no idea it had gotten that bad. I even took it to the car wash periodically during the winter to avoid salt problems. :(
 
bazooka joe said:
ya, there is this paint, i'll get the name for you...my body guy used on an old rusting sign pole two yrs ago and it looks like he did it yesterday...no rust poking thru at all!

my cars off to the body shop thurs for a bit of rust fixing...the drivers door has a little starting near the weep hole...
Click to expand...

I had my semi-annual rust protection done at the dealer this week, and they said that they will not fix my few spots of bubbling rust.

Can you either post or PM me on how much its going to cost to get a few area's touched up on you're car. I'm planning on keeping my car and do not want these area's to get really bad.

Thanks.
 
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