AgentHEX

Hi, I just got a silver LX w/ ABS side-airbag option, and I have a lot of questions.

1. First, the hand brake seems loose. I have to really pull it to the make the car stop on a hill. Should I get the dealer to adjust it or is it normal?

2. Also, the car doesn't have tint, so I'm thinking to put that shiny-type window tint on it. Does anyone know anything about this type of tint, I've only seen it from a distance myself (on a WRX). Is it expensive?

3. I also wanted to get a front bug shield. Mazda only seems to sell a bra and I wanted plastic. Matching silver would be really nice. Any suggestions?

4. Is getting rear discs recommended/possible?

5. For the side airbags, does anyone how they come out? I have a seat-cover on the driver seat right now, and I'm thinking that might not be a good idea, but then the standard seat doesn't seem to a have a "crack" on it either.

Please don't be intimidated since I have a lot of questions, any insight would be much appreciated.

Regards,
Tim.

ProtegeMaster

Good show regarding your choice to secure side impact airbags.

The airbags deploy out the side of each front seat-- For those vehicles fitted with the system, you can see a small, black plastic cover near the middle of the seat side. On it is printed something like "SRS", or the like. These must never be covered with anything, or you'll compromise the system. That goes for your seat covers, especially.

If your car is indeed fitted with side airbags, you can't miss their location on the outward facing side of each front seat. If these black covers aren't there then something's amiss and you either were given the wrong car with the wrong options or you were flat out ripped off. If so, get a lawyer-- Safety is nothing to dick around with for any reason, and misconfiguration of such options must never be tolerated by anyone.

MyZmZm

I would recommend NOT getting the bra for your car - I know it's supposed to protect the paint from rock chips, etc, but you will likely end up having a front end that is more scratched up than if you'd never used the bra. This is because of all the fine silt, gravel and sand that can become trapped underneath it - scratching the paint more than if you didn't have the cover.

Look into getting the 3M covering done on your car's front end - it's a thin protective barrier (kind of like what you'd put on your fog lamps to prevent them from chipping, but much thinner) that works well to prevent the chips, and makes washing the bugs off quite a bit easier. Also, because it's clear, unless you look closely at your car, it won't look like there's anything on it.

Poseur

Hmm, I've not heared of the 3m covering thing. do you have any details or anything? Have you done it? any idea on what it costs, where to get it, etc? 3m's a pretty damn impressive company, I'd likely be down with this if it isn't too spendy.

AgentHEX

Thanks for the replies. As for the seat cover, I hope it's ok to cut out a hole in the cover right where the SRS badge is. I'll leave like 1/2" on each side just be safe. This is my first new car so I'm trying to protect it against spills and whatnot the best I can.

As for the bra, I actually wanted a plastic shield instead, a silver one to match the silver window tint I hope to eventually get. I've never seen them in silver so maybe I'll have to get it tinted or painted or something.

Tim.

irish6714

Not to be rude, but try the search button. Most of this stuff gets asked alot. As for the hand brake, its not supposed to be used to stop the car. Its a parking brake, but its your car use it as you will.

MyZmZm

Poseur - I live in Canada, so I don't really know where you'd get it done or how much it might cost you where you live. I'd recommend checking out some of the tinting or body shops in your area - if they don't do it themselves, they'll know someone who does. I don't have it on my car (yet - hopefully before the snow flies) but a lot of the other guys in the Edmonton Protege Club do have it, and really like the extra protection it gives the front end.

Dermen

I think you will have to cut more than just around the SRS badge. Somebody on this site has neoprene seat covers that come for use with side airbags and there is a large hole on the side. It almost goes down the entire side of the seat, not just the SRS badge. If you do a search, you might be able to find the pictures.

multipath

or you can buy a can or two of ScotchGard. Cheaper than the seat covers, and you get to actually see your seat fabric.

AgentHEX

Please help out instead of using our president's model of shifting responsibility (the search function gave me bad intelligence, I swear! 8^).

I've used search and can't find anything about silver window-tint or bug-shield. Nothing about how tight the e-brake should be. The only thread on seat covers leads to a member's photo album with a generic giant hole in the side for airbag deployment (which ironically cover the SRS hole despite their large size).

Anyway, seat covers are like ~$10 and are disposable when coffee spills (hey, I live in Seattle).

Tim.

Turnip

Please keep the ridiculous ideas limited to Proteges.

irish6714

First of all, lets not bash our President. I happen to work for Him.
If you word your searches other than bug shield etc you might find something. I have searched for them and found a few posts. I have even search for the bug shield in the past, there was one on ebay. So like I said most of this stuff gets answered alot.

AgentHEX

Perhaps I'm not asking in the right forum? Seems a bit dead here.

jasemachine

yeah... there isnt a lot of info to be had here. ive been looking into the rear disc situation you asked about because i would like to make that swap. there are several things you would need, but yes, it can be done. you need the spindle, hub, disc, dust gaurd, caliper, and bolts. i havent looked at how the e-brake works with discs... either the cable can connect directly to a part on the caliper or you need a bracket ... and the length might be off. this is all right off the top of my head, and i just had ta couple of beers, so you know anyway, it doesnt seem like it would really be a complicated thing... just have to get the car in the air and do lots of bolt off and bolt on.

also, as the rear discs are 5-bolt, you might want to do the fronts as well, and i havent seen any side-by-side schematics of 4-bolt and 5-bolt fronts. and i have no idea at all how much all this stuff would cost. im almost afraid to go check the parts department... but im sure id just get all the stuff off a wrecked one anyway.

oh and i know what you mean about the handbrake. my driveway is a little steep, and i have to really yank it up all the way to keep it from creeping back.

UCSBgeek

just an FYI...the search engine is sucking right now. It's missing about a years worth of posts. So a good amount of information is "missing."