We may not have snow but we got rain. Rain storms down here are like snow storms up there. I lived in Vermont for 19 years and was happy to get away from the winter driving. The summer driving down here is just as bad. Its even worse with the damm blue hairs driving there boats on the road.

 

I think ABS detracts from ones driving/handling experience. I'd rather have turbo than ABS.

 

I finally picked up my YELLOW P5 last night and it has the roof rack installed. After reading about the noise situation I opened up the moonroof and had a listen. Oh my God it is loud!!! I looked at what someone else said about turing it around but it does not matter on mine as it is the same front and back. Yes it is a Mazda roof rack so there must be different models again? I will simply remove the rack and install when needed.

It was interesting about the ABS. I did not know it was an option in the US but I guess with the winter conditions up here in Canada it only makes sense. I did find out though that the side air bags are an option only avaiable in the US. So we win some lose some.

As for the caps for the holes for the roof rack, I simply asked my dealer to keep them and we found them in the glove box.

Cheers
Chris
--------
Vivid yellow P5
no mods (YET)

 

Fair enough but that turbo's not available (yet), so you can only dream about it. I was comparing standard ABS vs standard roofrack. I'm not a big fan of ABS either, actually... would not have paid for it as an option....but I think it does more for the car for most people than a whistling rack.

 

The plastic pieces that cover the "holes" left by the removal of the roof rack won't fit in the glovebox - Not sure what you got, but when you remove the rack, you'll see wht you're missing.

Don

 

Hi Don

Actually it appears that the Canadian and US Protege P5 are set up differently with regards to the roof rack. If you go back to page 2 of this thread and look at a post by Sporin you can see his P5 which is an US model. Those large tracks do not exist on the Canadian version. On my P5 the track is level with the roof and therefore I only have small cover plates to fill the roof rack connection points. So ues the caps can fit in my glove box. Hmm, interesting.

Chris

 

Chris,

My apoligies!

The US rack has the rear crossbar adjustable - It can be slid forward or back for a foot or more and when you remove it, the cover for the rear part of the "track" is 24 inches long. The cover for the front is 14 inches by itself.

Odd that two cars marketed in North America can be so different . . . .

Don

 

I just put all the bolts & nuts back into the holes on the ends of the crossbars, taped the ends up (keeping the bolts in the holes) so I won't lose the hardware, and slid the bars under the bed.

I think the car looks good with or w/o the racks. I took mine off, mostly for the noise factor, and like the looks. Washing is definitely a bit easier now, too.

Oh, and I don't think any of the Thule "valance panel" type things will fit the P5 racks - the front bar crosses right over the moonroof, so any valance piece would have to start at the bar and end in FRONT of the moonroof - I don't know if anything like this even exists.

 

Ok, ... for those people in Canada, ... what do your filler pieces for the roof rack look like? I guess what I'm ultimately after, is would I as a US P5 owner be able to take off the big chunky rails (that the rack actually mounts to) and use the canadian filler pieces to get a really clean look? Or is the rail that fits in groove different?

 

The "filler pieces" on canadian models are no more than 2" long and 1/2" wide. They just snap into the holes for the rails. Looking at Sporins pic, I dont see how US models could use Canadian filler pieces as our rails are flush with the roof

 

If you look at the US version, the big chunky pieces are only held down by screws, one in front and one in back (at least that's what I remember seeing, there may be more). I guess my question is, if I remove those big plastic pieces, I think I'm left with a black metal (?) strip (flush with the roof), which should have some screw holes in it. Is that portion of it the same as the canadian model? Can someone in canada post a picture of their roof rack and filler pieces?

 

Someone please get some pics, I would love to be able to take the big plastic pieces off and buy some canadian bacon...i mean canadian p5 pieces...heehee

 

So where did you US owners find your pieces. I dont think I have any, and need to check with my dealer.

 

they come with the car....so if you didnt' get any...go back to your dealer and demand them.

when the car is recieved the caps and the licence plate holder for the front of the car come in a plastic bag which is usually in the back of the car....some dealers we have found don't know what they are, and insted of just leaving them in the car the dips throw them away....geeeeez.