Recent content by d0hboy

Follow-up to my own post--I waived it, saved $199.

Just got a Mazda3 off the lot, on a sunny Vancouver day. I'm reporting no problems at all with the AC, coming on fairly cool within 5-10 seconds and lowers the overall cabin temperature nicely within a minute. After test driving between that and a Subaru Impreza (who I'm told have pretty good...

Upon settling on a quote for a Mazda3 for me, A dealer quoted me, among other things, AC/Battery Tax ($120) and an ICBC Security Transfer fee ($199). Now I'm aware of the AC/Battery tax, but hadn't seen this security transfer fee before. Has anybody heard of it? (This is canada specific)...

This is a very interesting argument here which I haven't heard enough of so far. Up until now, all the opinions I had heard was that the manumatic was just as harmless/ful as the automatic in terms of wear and tear. I presume if you're picking the wrong times to shift in the manumatic mode, then...

Was that for the hatchback (sport) or 3 sedan? That's basically the equivalent of list price minus about the grad rebate (~600?)

Way to see this post get revived a year after the last-post, because I'd still like to know. (comparing a used P5 vs a new Mz3)

Good point. That's exactly what I was looking to verify/hear. Thanks for the input, because at this rate I still think for my purposes, getting a used 2003/2002 Protege5 is going to be my best option. The only thing that was going to pull me away would have been a screaming X-plan deal on a...

Adding to the conversation, I asked out of curiousity on the net X-plan discount on a mazda 3 GX-Sedan auto, no other options. It was about $500, which to me was piddles. That said, I'm interested in what the markup would be for higher model options, such as the GT with GFX package, etc...

Didn't come to that, sigh. I actually didn't end up buying the car, somebody else stole the sale from under me, dammit. Anyhow, it's a good exercise.

Found the part at my local dealer, ~$80 including tax. Ouch, for just a piece of plastic, but at least I know now. Everybody was right, it's a quick clamp-on piece which would not need any special tools.

So is it a small piece or what? :) I'm more than happy to do the tinkering myself, if it's a small piece. That being said, I didn't get to take a brutally long look at what the piece is and where it's connected to everything else, as I was more looking at the mechanical stuff. Being being the...

That's the thing--I was hoping for a ballpark answer on whether that could be fixed or replaced cheap. Thanks for the input, guys. If anything it can be used as leverage to ask for a lower price..

I'm looking at a possible used Protege5, and noticed upon inspection that there is some scuffing on the right-side front wheel from parking damage (minor, but still bugged me) and a rather large crack on the rear interior trunk plastic. I've attached a picture below, but the dealer is selling...

I'm interested to see the finalized pic. Are there any protege5 modelling projects out there? I started a very feeble attempt with 3ds Max but gave up shortly afterwards... makes me appreciate how much effort you're putting into this MSP-3d project. Best of luck, dude.