New to the Mazda world

[groys02]

Hello to all. Looks like a good forum here--I reckon it'll be a big help once I get to regularly driving my Protege. I've had it since mid-December, but waited to license it until I sold my aging Neon [early '95, M/T, base model, 244k miles]. Drove for the week before Christmas, and enjoyed it, then had right foot surgery, and have been non-load-bearing for 4 wks........................ no driving! Hopefully returning to mobile reality after Dr appt tomorrow morning.

No major mods planned, at least not right away. Probably do the body work to repair rusty bits here and there... next summer, when I hope to be semi-retired.

Best wishes from central Iowa! Gary

[me109]

Welcome, Garry. Glad you're recovering. What year is your Protege?

[goldstar]

Welcome to CP.

Happy Motoring!

[groys02]

me109: My Protege's an '02... LX. 4dr sedan. [maybe that's a given?] Fancy, compared to most vehicles I've owned over the years, with sunroof, and electric windows/locks, and cruise, and working[!] a/c. Shows about 165k, and has had recent brakes, timing belt etc. Picked it up when a pastor at our church helped his daughter get a newer car, and asked me if I knew anyone that would be interested? Compared to my old Neon, 7-8 years newer, and 80k fewer miles, and still a 5-spd. With sale of my Neon figured in, it cost me $900... happy with it so far, for sure. Lower gearing than the Neon, so feels quite a bit more responsive.
I'm assuming I can pick up a trailer hitch for it, and use it to tow our little fiberglass camper [13' U-Haul, weighs about 1250#]. Probably just for semi-local camping... that'd still be close to half the weight of the car.
Carryin' on...
Gary

[FE3-323]

Welcome!! im a fan of using our little cars to the fullest. I have a tow hitch on my 92 & use it frequently. can't wait to get a hitch for my 03

[me109]

Sounds like a really good deal! I love the low gearing on the BGs. It's perfect for the hills I live in. I'll have to see if I can find a BJ to drive and compare. Working AC is the best!

As for towing, I personally don't trust FWD enough to try it. I'm sure that's probably unfounded, but whatever. Many people do it, so you'll most likely be fine.

[groys02]

Yeah, I think it was a good deal. I have a project car I'm working on [58 Anglia, with 83 rwd Corolla drivetrain, and 65 VW bug dash and miscellaneous], but it could be a year or more out, before it's ready for the road, and I was starting to wonder if the aging Neon was going to make it.

I should be fine now with the Protege.

I'd agree that towing with fwd is somewhat different, and the camper would be pushing some kind of safe limit. I have a 2-wheeled trailer that I used behind the Neon to haul riding mowers, or scrap to the landfill, etc... it seemed to work real fine as long as I stayed at 500# or less of load, plus about 200-250# of trailer. Occasionally I got over that, and in a quick stop the trailer would push the car around some. BUT, it didn't keep me from towing the 1250# camper 650 miles or so back home from north of Cheyenne WY when we bought it... just didn't do sudden anything.

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[FE3-323]

raising the back end via coil overs or sleeves dramatically helps out.

[groys02]

OK---2 questions.
[1] Coil-overs I understand... what do you mean by "sleeves"?
[2] And helping-out-wise... does it just help in load-carrying, to take care of the tongue weight of the trailer?... or does it also stabilize the rear of the car, handling-wise, for any side-sway [for instance] the trailer might otherwise cause?
[2a] Or is it not just the extra load-carrying capacity, but the "raising" that's the help?
[expiring minds want to know]
Thanks, ahead of time.

p.s. Dr appointment didn't free me up as much as I'd hoped. Still in rigid "boot" with "absolutely no" driving for at least 2 more weeks. Aaarrggghhh!

[FE3-323]

1- sleeves(ghetto knock off coilovers ) a threaded sleve is placed over the OEM strut & a coil spring is used in place of the OEM spring.

2- raising the back helps stabilize the whole car -the tongue weight pushes down on the rear which raises the front end(traction & braking problems)
2a- obviously only raise it enough to keep a proper angle on the tongue - if need be get a raised/dropped ball hitch to offset the tongue angle.

My 323 can tow over 2000lbs of cargo weight + the trailer weight itself. i do however need to raise the back another inch or 2 for such heavy loads.(despite the rake I already have)
my hitch is also connected into my frame & tied to my roll cage (rear strut mounts are heavily plated to allow for such crazy ideas w/o worry)

[groys02]

Thanks. Your explanation, plus what I'd Googled in the meantime, helps clear up the terms. Now, to find the time to work on this stuff.....