Front Struts

[ES Model]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and Im a proud 2000 Protege ES 1.8 owner(thumb) lol anyways..

Yesterday I tried to replace my Front Struts and for my surprise they didnt fit. I bought some KYB struts ( this ones)

I kept checking and I found the ones that look similar to mine are the Protege 2001(this ones)

Has this happened to anyone else?? I'm a Car Noob when it comes to this things...

 

[fruitbane]

I also have a 2000 ES and I've been stumbling through which parts to get as well. I went right to kyb.com and looked up the part numbers they recommend for my model (333274 and 333275), a 2000 model made before Sept. 2000. Try looking for those part numbers. I've seen them as cheap as $55 each. Always search by part number and verify that part number with the mfg. If you need mount and boot part #s let me know as I have them written down.

I'll be posting another thread asking advice for other parts of the process, so maybe you'll know something I need to know.

 

[ES Model]

Thanks for the reply! the Auto Store which sold me the struts also recommended me 333374 & 333375 but they didnt fit. I went back and explained them and he got me the ones for Mazda Protege 2001-2003. The part numbers are 333350 & 333351.

That would be very helpful, ive been saving some money and im fixing my car and with this that happened to me Im afraid to buy parts now thinking theyre the ones my car use and when I go to install them they wont fit..

 

[FunkRider]

The swaybar endlinks were too short correct? Or did you just end up with the wrong struts altogether?

 

[fruitbane]

Does this mean you need a whole new sway bar or just new endlinks? And will the parts needed vary by which aftermarket struts are installed?

What parts do we need and how to we determine if they are correct?

 

[FunkRider]

Just New endlinks, but they are expensive. The 99-00 cars had the sway bar endlink bracket located in a different (higher up on the strut body) spot than the later cars did.

 

[ES Model]

Ok the first struts i bought were the 33274 & 75 and they didnt fit, when i pulled out the ones my car have (I didnt look at brand of the struts when they were pulled out) then i went back to return them and the ones that were like mine are the 333350 & 51.

I attached a picture.

 

[FunkRider]

What exactly didn't fit?

 

[ES Model]

the part I marked in the picture with a red circle. The ones my car has has that lil thing on top and the ones I first got was on bottom

 

[fruitbane]

ES Model, I just called my local dealership and apparently there are, indeed, 2 2000 ES models. The difference in dealer price is $85 for one model and $175 for the other, in terms of strut costs. And visual inspection is the only way to be sure.

This is too damn hard to figure out. All I want is some work done and I feel like I'm jumping through flaming hoops.

 

[ES Model]

2 2000 ES Models lol that sucks, now I gotta be careful with the parts I buy...

That was some useful info thanks~

 

[fruitbane]

I took my Mazda to the dealership today for, basically, diagnosis and part numbers, and it turns out there was a 2000 MP3/Speed style model that saw somewhat limited release and had a different suspension. That's why there are 2 models. This according to the dealership, anyway...

 

[ES Model]

Oo0h so mine could be that one! wow I feel im gonna faint haha

Is there any additional information about this? I'd really like to know

 

[fruitbane]

I didn't talk to the guy who looked at my car, just the mouthpiece/service rep. His initial suggestion was that there might have been a simple VIN split and some updated parts, but later he was saying he didn't know there was any kinda speed model for that year but there was and it had different suspension.

 

[FunkRider]

I took my Mazda to the dealership today for, basically, diagnosis and part numbers, and it turns out there was a 2000 MP3/Speed style model that saw somewhat limited release and had a different suspension. That's why there are 2 models. This according to the dealership, anyway...

Who ever this person is doesn't know what they are talking about. Never any special model in 2000. The difference is the very late 2000's used the later style longer endlinks that the 2001+ use.

 

[fruitbane]

It may just be whoever I spoke to is a very poor go-between with the mechanic. Good thing they gave me a list with parts and part numbers so there was no further confusion.

 

[ES Model]

It may just be whoever I spoke to is a very poor go-between with the mechanic. Good thing they gave me a list with parts and part numbers so there was no further confusion.

Do you think you can scan it and post it here? I'd appreciate it alot

 

[fruitbane]

Oh,I only got the part numbers for my car, the earlier model. I bought it in August of 2000. If yours is the earlier model I'll be happy to scribble down the part numbers for you.

 

[ES Model]

Oh nvm, i think mines from the lastest models. Sept/00

Thanks anyways