ATTN: Silver Protege Owners
 

I posted this here, hoping everyone could view this. I have a silver protege5 and a few months ago I notcied these rust looking spots all over my car.

This weekend we had a meet in Toronto, and we noticed that ALL silver proteges (including sedans) had these spots. They are all over the car, tiny little red spots. Some of them you can scrub off, but alot of them you cannot.

I was hoping that you guys could check your cars and confirm if you had this (pay close attention, they are very small). It is not on the white, or yellow p5. So we believe its something in the paint.

Please post and let me know if you have this problem!

Thanks

This is most lilely brake dust. It will be easier to see on a lighter car. For example I find them on my car as well. If you clean your car regularily enough they was off. Some you do have to scrub though. Hope this helps.

I've never seen any spots...might be where you live too.

Yes some of the spots come off, some of them fade so they are hardly noticeable, but alot of them do not come off. We even tried buffing them out. Again, we looked at all the other color proteges and none of them had the same spots.

Some of the guys who originally said they didn't have the spots, after seeing what they looked like on my car, started noticing them on their cars.

Most of the cars were P5s and 2002 sedan...so maybe its limited to that year....

It could be the weather in Toronto, which is why I'm posting here to see if people in other areas notice this as well.

The easiest place to check is on the back bumper and next to the license plate . Make sure there is alot of light when you check.....

I'm sure I sound very anal about this, but my car is my baby.



On a side note, someone with a yellow p5, found out his car did not have a clear coat. AFter going to the dealers paint shop this is what he found out:

"1) there is NO clear coat on my car

2) there is a problem with the base coat ( paint rubbing off)

3)the front fascia is completely screwed up "

if you have problems with your paint it should be covered under your warranty. take it to the dealer and have them check it out.

Don't worry this happens to all cars regardless of make, models or color. Next time you're in a parking lot look at the cars and see.

It's "fallout" from the environment.

I've seen it on every car I know. The best way to get rid of it is to use a clay bar product.

here are some reviews from e-pinions REVIEWS

It works I've used it on 2 white honda's, 1 silver honda, and my yellow P5.

Just follow the directions and don't press hard.

Pro 5 Girl, cool name! I thought I was the only one with my first name just about anywhere!

P.S. Bumble is correct, claybars are a great way to take all manner of crud off of paint!

Chances are that if you could scrub some of them off, then it's not rust. Try to put a little elbow grease into it, then call the Canadian EPA and find out what's in their air.

I haven't noticed anything like this on my silver P5--could you post pics, so maybe I'd have a better idea of what I'm supposed to be looking for?

As said before, there is nothing wrong with the paint. Small spots like that are from fallout or some kind of particles which have landed on it. I used to be the Inventory and Lot Manager at a major Mazda dealership here in San Diego. Whenever we received vehicles for a dealer-trade from L.A., we would experience the same thing. Our detail shop just "clayed" the finish to remove the contaminants. "Claying" is the use of a specially formulated, non-abrasive clay bar to remove surface contaminants. It is used with a lubricant/cleaner. A good example of this would be Meguiar's Quick Clay Detailing System. Just scroll to the bottom of the page.

Industrial fallout and airborne particles from other vehicles can include some tiny metal fragments. Once these land on your paint and get wet, they can rust. It happens to everyone's vehicles, but is most noticeable on white and silver. This is why before you wax your finish, you should use a good chemical cleaner or clay to remove surface contaminants. The last thing you want to do is seal these onto your finish with wax.

If you are still under warranty, your dealership may take care of it for you. Give it a try... it can't hurt.

-Jerry

Re: ATTN: Silver Protege Owners
 

I am afraid most of the other posts are correct, you are experiencing industrial fallout. Chances are what you have on your car is Fe2O3 and FeO. Two types of iron oxide that are released during industrial processes.

I should know, I work at one of them. You do not want to see what my car looks like. The up side is that wax will protect your car and paint. T
he guys at my company use the mothers 3 step car cleaning kit. Takes the spots off no problem.

Basically you can blame the steel companies/petro chemical etc in Hamilton, Michigan, Ohio basin for your woes. (Don't expect them to pay for a new paint job though)
:)
Cheers
Stocker.

spots
 

Ive got a 2000 Highlight silver mettalic Protege with the spots also. I can get 99% of them out with my fingernail, but if I wax my car they don't come off unless I strip my car with dish soap.

Somebody mentioned the brake dust idea, it's actually small bits of metal usually from train yards. This is not a paint defect. I consulted my body shop manager regarding the spots we see them on the cars on the lot. A good scrub will get them off. No need to panic about crappy paint it's just environmental fallout.

I'd do as Jerry suggested and use a clay bar system to get that fallout off. Washing it could rub the fallout over the paint and could cause scratches...not that you'd see scratches that easily in silver anyway though.

I haven't noticed this happening on my car...yet.

Although the thread on "Mazda Paint Sucks" is a good one to go through for a lot of anomalies in the paint on our cars...