Mazda MPV

bean3422

Sounds like you got a 03 version of our 02...congrats.

It stinks though that another Coastal Blue is on the road...I have only seen one other LX around here, and so far we have the only ES that I can tell. Great color choice though!

I do have an interesting story to tell...I haven't posted here in quite a while (have gotten sidetracked by the RX-8 stuff going on).

I was coming back by myself from filling up the van for my DW, and picking up a few groceries. There is a nice wide deserted divided entry road on the way home, which I make a right hand turn onto. I usually have a little fun with my Protege, so I decided to see how well my MPV handled. I hustled into the curve, and felt the front start to understeer as expected, but suddenly the rear broke loose too and I was in a 4-wheel drift in a minivan. I couldn't believe it. Fortunately, it came out of it fairly easy.

Great fun, but not recommended(the don't do this at home bit)...get a car that has a bit lower center of gravity.

Besides, my explanation to my DW as to why the bread had been compressed by the milk down to about 2 inches in height was not part of the fun experience.

acedriver

Thanks! You are right .. Coastal Blue kicks [non-permissible content removed]! And guess what ? The moment we bought our MPV, I started seeing MPVs on my commute, at least two in a day !! Dunno if I am paying more attention to them or everybody is suddenly taking to the MPV.

Hey! Is the secret out already ???

dave_h2

Yesterday I brought home my new MPV ES.

It's beautiful.

Coastal Blue Metallic;

Grey interior, leather seats;

DVD System;

6 Disc CD;

Power Doors;

4 Seasons Pkg;

Front and rear AC;

8-Way Power Drivers Seat;

etc, etc (even the Cargo Net in the back)

I spent half the day just looking at it.

Love it.

I'll be taking it on it's first road-trip this weekend. Taking the family up to Leslie/lsinc's neck of the woods in Connecticut! ;-)

Hey Leslie - any recommendations on things to do with the family in the New Haven area? I've already got New Haven Ravens baseball planned for Sunday.

Gotta say thanks to everyone who has posted their thoughts on this vehicle over the last year. Reading it all gave me the necessary info to make my informed decision.

Gotta go and learn more about my "PeeVee" now. Will post my thoughts on it as they come to me.

lsinc

Congrats! If I see a Coastal Blue MPV with out of state plates I'll be sure to flag you down! My MPV is Silver and I have a Golden Retriever plate on the front.

Ok, let's see. If you like amusement parks there is Lake Compounce in Southington. Lot's of fun and easy to get to. If you are into a bit of history there is Historic Lock 12 in Cheshire. That wouldn't take too long to see. You could picnic and hike at Sleeping Giant State Park. That's one of our favorites. Museums? There is Peabody Museum in New Haven. Awesome! There is the Eli Whitney Museum which is also in New Haven.

If none of that stuff strikes any interest let me know. Luckily CT is not very big so I could recommend some other stuff further up I-91. There is also the beach. Hammonassett is very nice.

Happy Trails!

Leslie

acedriver

Congrats! And hey! Coastal Blue ES ?? Me too! Me too!! But I do not have the DVD system (At least, not yet :-) You forgot the mention the moonroof .. That is a HUGE moonroof !! I can stand sideways through it with room to spare :-)

Now, I may be out of touch with CT but try Hubbard Park (near Meriden off I-91) or Rocky Neck State Park (further along I-95) and then there was this Rte 77 which was a very scenic and curvy road (Would love to throw the MPV on those curves :-) If you have time for the commute, don't use I-95 .. Use Rte 5 (?Whatsthedamnname? Parkway) - Very scenic, very curvy :-)

bottgers

My salesman emailed me this morning and said it's at the dealership. I have to work today and tomorrow so we'll pick it up on Friday. We're pretty durn excited!

Audia8q you hit the nail on the head when you said it would arrive this week!

dave_h2

Leslie, I will run your idea’s past DW to see what she thinks. All sound promising. FYI, we’ve been to Hammonassett state park and beach numerous times. It is definitely a possibilty. However, we see that there is some kind of Lighthouse park (and apparently beach) right in or near New Haven. Do you know anything about that?

Will look for your “golden retriever” plate on your Silver ‘PeeVee’. I (naturally) have NY plates.

Acedriver – we are “Coastal Blue ES brothers”. However, I didn’t get the moonroof because the dealer said the DVD system would have been pushed much further back as a result of it. It’s the only real option I passed up.

Thanks for your CT tips as well. Yeah, we are looking at Rocky Neck State Park. We origially were going to go to New London/Mystic (which we go to quite frequently) but there is some kind of “Sailfest” going on and all our usual places are booked up. I also usually do many annual baseball pilgrimage to Norwich to see the Navigators, but for some bizarre reason, the hotel rates in Norwich are absurdly high. I really can’t figure that one out, as Norwich has very little else to offer (and I’m being kind here). As it turns out, since the ‘Gators are no longer affiliated with the Yankees, I might as well go see the New Haven Ravens, which are much closer to get to.

Anyway, I will take up your suggestions on the “curvy roads”. I love the way the ‘PV’ handles so far.

Oh, and congrats Bottgers. I know you waited a long time. I'm happy to hear your PV is finally in.

bottgers

You probably won't miss the moonroof. We have one on our Intrepid (the car our MPV is replacing) and we hardly ever use it. We'll get much more use from the DVD system.

lsinc

Hey that's awesome! Congrats! Let us know when you pick it up.

dave_h2 I like Hammonasset better then Rocky Neck. Just my preference. Another point of interest would the Essex Steam Train. Not sure if you ever did that before. Gillette Castle is a fun trip to with beautiful grounds. You could take the ferry across in Chester. The only thing I would recommend if you are going to do that is to make sure the house is opened for tours. They were working on it a while back.

Hope this helps. Oh, I'm not sure of a Lighthouse park in New Haven. If I find out differently I will let you know.

Leslie

backy

I think someone mentioned awhile back that there was little difference between taking the $2000 cash back and 0% for 5 years, but I wondered how much difference there is. So I figured it out, using Edmunds.com's nifty Low APR vs. Cash Back calculator: about $5 a month, or $300 over the life of a 5-year loan, in favor of the cash back. I assumed a $22,000 purchase price before the $2000 cash back (I'd probably get an LX with few options), plus MN sales tax ($1430) and $330 in fees (Edmunds assumption, which might be a tad low), for a total of $23,760. At 0%, payments are $396. If I take the cash back and finance $21,760 over 60 months, I could use my home equity credit line, which has an effective interest rate after Federal and state tax breaks of about 3%. Payments would be $391. However, it would take a big chunk out of my home equity line of credit, which I like to have available in these uncertain economic times for emergencies. So for only $5 more a month, it's not a clear choice. Also note that the breakeven point is about 3.5%. So above that interest rate, the 0% deal costs less. It's a neat tool. Before you decide which way to go, run the numbers for yourself and see which comes out better for you.

pugnose

Ok, so I'm trying to convince my hubby that our 13 year old beat up Accord needs replacing, we have a baby after all now and possibly another in the future. I'm a loyal Honda person and I love the Ody, especially the power sliding doors. HOWEVER, I just test drove the MPV and my thoughts are changing...wow! great vehicle! I haven't seen the power sliding doors as an option...do they offer it? The moonroof looked great. Only test drove the LX and didn't really get a good look at the ES. (thinking I don't want to spend the extra $.... plus my toddler was acting up at the time)
Here's the poop...I am torn between an '00 Ody, $23,500 w/ 40K & NAV system at the Honda dealership or trying to convince hubby to let me get into a new MPV. I have read a lot of problems with the Honda sliding doors and am worried that I just might get the lemon and he'll say,"I told you so." GRR

Please...any thoughts on this?...
I would put around $10K down and finace the rest , so the 0% from Mazda sounds great. Hubby thinks I can get a "great car" for under $10K...he's living in the dark ages! I am adamant about a minivan. HE wants me to get an SUV. I will never get behind the wheel of one of those. what other feedback/persuasive tactics can you offer me?

pugnose

I need to make this decision asap, especially if I want to take advantage of the 0%, right? Doesn't it expire at the end of July?

Or, do you think the Mazda dealership would be more willing to go down in price in a couple of months in order to make room for the '04 models?

arrgh! what do I do?
in the meantime, the Ody that I'm considering is still waiting for me in the other dealership parking lot. Is this an omen? I would have a better resale if I got the Honda,right?

lsinc

That's a ton of $$ for a 3 or 4 year old Ody. I walked out of the dealership with a brand new MPV with auto sliders for a little over $22k.

I have previous posts about my deal and what I got. I bought my MPV the end of April. I have 5k on it and it's been running great. I had 10 miles on it when I bought it.

Here's what I got. '03 MPV LX, Silver, moon roof, auto sliders (love them) 6 cd changer, GFX package (makes the van look sportier) roof rack, traction control, rear air/heat (kids love it). My husband and I bought it under the S Plan for $100 under dealer invoice. We also took the cash back instead of the 0% financing. The MSRP was just under $28k and we walked out for just over $22k.

I have 2 children, 11 and 7 and the auto sliders are used and abused. They work great. They have safety features that I like. For instance, if you are moving and your child presses the button to open the slider it makes a beeping sound and won't open. If your child pulls the handle from the inside the door will open a small amount but makes such an aweful beeping noise. It will not however open all of the way. I think this happens because you can turn the auto sliders off enabling you to open them manually. It's just a guess. They also move very slow and will stop if there is something/somebody in the way.

I put a post in about seeing a child get her fingers slammed in a slider that released on a hill. It was horrible. The sound of the door slamming and the child screaming was enough to run my blood cold. I was happy to have the auto sliders, they move slow no matter what.

All in all, I love my MPV. I researched for months and test drove, crawled in, under, around the Ody., Sienna, Sedona, Venture, Chrysler T&C and the MPV. The MPV won hands down.

Good Luck.

Leslie

Zoom-Zoom!

dave_h2

Hey bottgers - I wouldn't have minded having tthe moonroof - it's just that the DVD was a priority. Having to choose between the two made my decision pretty easy. Those in the second row seats would have had to crank their heads back just to watch it, and I didn't want that.

So far I've got 33 miles on my new 'PeeVee'. When I picked it up it had 4!

After this weekend's jaunt to CT, we'll really begin to see how it performs.

Leslie, thanks for all the suggestions. My DW is now reading what you write. All of your suggestions will come with us. She seems to think she read there is a beach right there by New Haven. One with a 'lighthouse park' nearby.

pugnose, you can't go wrong with either vehicle. But just like Leslie said, I found the best "bang for the buck" was the comparably equipped MPV.

Good luck in whatever decision you make.

scott31

You mentioned you'd put $10k down then finance the rest of the purchase for the 5yr 0%.

NEVER put money down on a 0% loan. It's free $$$$.

Put the $10k in a money market account (granted you won't get much $ in interest, but at least it's something) then take a bit out every month to pay the extra $ needed to pay the monthly payment.

I put $0.00 down on my MPV purchase. I only wish I could have borrowed more at 0% interest.

zoompv

The Odyssey has the popular reputation, but there are actually several areas where the MPV beats the Honda.

1) The MPV's sliding 2nd row seat is a good deal more functional than Honda's moveable 2nd row seat (not sure if the '00 Ody even has a moveable 2nd row seat). In my experience, people are more impressed by this feature than the disappearing 3rd row seat (available on both MPV and Odyssey).

2)The Mazda's 2nd row windows can be lowered, just like in a car. This is available on no other minivan, except for the 2004 Sienna.

3) The MPV's stereo sounds better. Reportedly, this is true even for the MPV LX model stereo.

4) As you've discovered by your test drive, the MPV handles much better. There really does seem to be a Miata in there somewhere.

5) The Honda's engine has more HP, but because the MPV is lighter, most MPV drivers (myself included) report being able to pass Odysseys as they struggle up hills.

6) Consumer Reports ranks the MPV slightly higher in reliability.

7) Edmunds user-ratings rate the MPV slightly higher in desirability.

8) The MPV is easier to maneuver in tight spaces, easier to park, and easier to back up without wondering what you're going to hit.

9) The MPV looks better (I think so, anyway).

10) The Mazda's warranty (48 mos., 50,000 mi.) is better than the Honda's, especially when the comparison is with a used Honda whose warranty has already expired.

11) Best of all, you get all the above advantages for a significantly lower price.

The Odyssey beats the MPV on resale value and size. The larger size of the Honda can be important primarily if you plan to often have 6 or 7 seats full, especially on long trips. In these circumstances, it's good to have the extra storage space behind the 3rd row, and adults are more comfortable in the 3rd row seats on the Odyssey. That's not to say the MPV's 3rd row is uncomfortable, but over long distances, it could make a difference.

In reading the message boards and talking to people, it seems to me that most Odyssey buyers never consider Mazda before the purchase, but assume that the conventional wisdom to be true (soon, that conventional wisdom will change from "The Odyssey is the one to have" to "The Sienna is the one to have"). But most people who consider the MPV in comparison to the Odyssey end up with a Mazda (the exception being those who really do need the larger interior).

Also, scott31 is right. If you go for a 0% loan, keep your $10k in the bank.

acedriver

Awww dave_H2... No moonroof ?? It's the closest you will come to have a "convertible" minivan :-) As for the DVD, when I do get it installed, I'd rather buy portable units which can be taken out of the vehicle rather than spend $1000 on one which stays fixed in the van all the time. Just my opinion ...

backy: Edmunds calculator had a flaw. It could not calculate correctly when the loan term was different. I was trying to compare a 4.49% for 48 mo loan against 0% for 60 months. If you run those numbers individually, get the monthly payment and total payment over the loan term, that will give you the accurate answer. IMHO, even if it is a 0% loan, you can still put a down-payment. The net effect will be to lower your total loan amount financed and hence bring down your monthly payment. It is the pre-payment on a 0% loan which does not make sense because even if you pay it sooner, you will still be paying the set amount. Now, if you pre-pay a loan which is greater than 0%, you save on finance charges.

pugnose: Power Sliders are an option both on LX and ES trims in MPV. For $24K, you can get a whole lot of a loaded LX MPV. Check if you qualify for S-plan (i.e. if you or your husband's company is a partner/supplier to the Ford Motor Company or Mazda Corp. Check : http://www.fordpartner.com). There is currently a $2000 rebate in effect for MPVs which is rumored to go up to $2500 in August. Also, 0% for 60 mo was announced on July 1. Since the 2004s are around the corner, there are very few 2003s coming in and those on the dealer lots are the only ones which you can choose from. If they do not suit your needs, you cannot "order" a 2003 anymore. Point your DH towards the SUV v/s minivan topic and let him see how a MV can provide more usability, flexibility, better mileage. Unless you two go serious off-roading, SUV is just a gas-guzzling chunk of metal. Do you intend to sell off the MV in a couple of years ? If so, then a used HonDuh might give a better resale value. A new MPV (as with any NEW vehicle) will depreciate once driven off the lot. If you intend to keep the MV for a long time, it is better to get a NEW vehicle with the mfgr warranty. MPV offers 4 yr/50K bumper-to-bumper warranty. Are you getting any warranty on the 2000 Hon-Duh Oddity ? Bottomline: Unless you NEED the space with the Oddity/04 See-n-Nah provide, MPV is the the only minivan to consider. And hey! The ONLY minivan which is actually manufactured in Japan (Hondas and Toyotas are now made in USA)

lsinc

I have to say when I test drove the Ody. (I actually had it for a few days, it was an '02 with 6k on it) the third row seat was not comfortable. Even my 11 year old daughter felt it was "skimpy". The MPV has a very comfortable third row seat. I have sat back there on long trips and have had plenty of room and the seat is comfy.

As far as cargo capacity with a full passenger load. I have had 5 kids, (3 are my sisters and 2 are mine) me and my husband on a trip from Mass. to CT with 2 laundry baskets (that's how my sister packs for the kids), 2 sleeping bags, 6 pillows (each of her kids has to have 2), 2 back packs (toys). We still had room for more gear and that was with the third row seat up and being used. The well where the third row seat hides away gives you extra storage in the back. I was very impressed! I never could have done that with my Villager.

Oh and I also agree. Don't put the $10k down on 0% financing.

Go Mazda!

Leslie

lsinc

It's pretty funny but I've lived in CT all of my life and lived in New Haven County all of my life and I can't think of a lighthouse park? I also don't care for New Haven harbor. It's icky! But, it may be in West Haven. West Haven has nicer beaches. I can't find my CT book but if I come across it I will post what I find.

There are many things to do in CT. It depends on how far you want to travel. In Simsbury there is the Heublein Tower. It's an awesome hike up Talcott Mountain to the tower. When you first walk into the tower they have a museum and then you can actually go up into the living quarters. The view is spectacular.

Granby has the Old Newgate Prison which is usually pretty cool with the kids. It's underground. Also in that area, in Windsor Locks is the Bradley Air Museum which is a personal favorite.

All of the above can be reached in short order. CT is just not that big. My husband commutes every day from Cheshire to Simsbury. You could get up to Windsor Locks from New Haven in under and hour.

Can't wait to hear what you chose to visit.

Happy Trails in your new "PeeVee"

Leslie

zoompv

pugnose: A couple of posters have mentioned S-plan pricing. That's available for employees of companies that supply Mazda or Ford (I think?). But don't let it concern you if you don't qualify, because most people are finding it pretty easy to get a price very close to invoice even without the S-plan (check Edmunds' TMV on the MPV).

And that relates to the depreciation one experiences with "any" new car. If I recall correctly, Edmunds estimates a first-year MPV depreciation of around $6,000, $3,000 in the second year, and about $2,000 per year for a while after that. But that's from MSRP. If you deduct the ca. $2000 difference between MSRP and selling price, and then deduct the $2,000 rebate, that instant hit you're supposed to take when you drive it off the lot is nonexistent. You could even argue that it's negative!

acedriver

Oh and I also agree. Don't put the $10k down on 0% financing.

That seems to the popular opinion today :-) Maybe it's just me, but I like the option of no car payments at all and hence I always try to payoff the car loan as soon as possible. With $10K down on a $22K car, your loan amount is only $12K. In this scenario, I would adjust the loan term to get a monthly payment I am comfortable with and be done with the loan et al.

Plus, when you put a down payment, you are building some equity into the car (Not that the vehicle is an appreciating asset). This will prevent you from being "upside-down" on the loan if you do decide to sell the vehicle.

bsvoller

0% is ONLY offered INSTEAD of the rebate. This is true across all manufacturers, so far as I know, and certainly true of Mazda. So the 0% isn't free, you paid for it in the upfront price of the car.

The devil's in the details though. Any money you put in the car will lose value as it depreciates. On the other hand, if you don't put enough money into the van, you run the risk of getting upside down in the loan should you wreck it or need to sell it before you pay it off.

At today's interest rates, it's hard to earn more than the 4.34% we got over 5 years. So we put enough down to make the interest expense roughly equal to the rebate, and plan to pay it down early to reduce our overall acquisition cost. That way, the total amount spent on the van is small, and the depreciate expense shrinks with it.

I'm basically kissing off any potential earnings on the money we put into the van, since I can't make more than the loan rate, let alone the loan rate plus the depreciation rate, without taking on unreasonable risk.

You're buying a depreciating asset. I don't see a way to turn it into an investment vehicle (pun intended). All the more reason to seek the best value for the dollar in your cars, and stay away from overpriced brands.

Outside of the lottery, there's no such thing as free money. I'm not even sure that the lottery's free...

Hope this helps,

-brianV

acedriver

Wonder why all the MPV owners love to bash the Hon-Duh Oddity ?? Is there a MPV v/s Oddy forum ? I need to go look ...

Besides from extra space and maybe resale, I don't think Oddity offers much ...

EDIT: Steve_HOST, I do NOT see a MPV against Oddy discussion forum. Maybe you can start one ? I am pretty sure you will end up having to work more .. :-)

stever

Re-opened for your posting enjoyment:

Mazda MPV vs. Honda Odyssey

Thanks for asking!

btw, Ace, can you send a Feedback Form in about that Calculator flaw? (I'd do it, but I don't speak math <g>).

Steve, Host

bottgers

acedriver

The problem with portable DVD systems is there's no place to mount them where everyone seated from the second row back can view them. The only mounting location serving this purpose is on the celing.

zoompv

You are absolutely right about MPV pricing. I used the S-Plan, but I have seen some people who didn't use it and got a better price than I did. Using the S-Plan simply gets you a very good price without haggling.

vrm

In recent posts, it was mentioned (by Acedriver and Pugnose) that "2004 MPVs are around the corner".

I checked with two Mazda dealerships in the Northern Virginia area. Both dealers said the 2004s will be coming in November/December. Can someone confirm or deny or this?

Five months is a long time to wait for the 2004 model. Thanks.

acedriver

Well, they have already stopped taking "orders" for 2003 models. It is reasonably safe to assume that it is so because the 2004 is already on the assembly lines. Usually, all the model year vehicles are introduced in the Fall (September/October).

Maybe AudiA8Q can give an accurate timeline ...

nwng

the $2k cash back does erase any depreciation advantage the odyssey has over the MPV. I looked at the Edmunds'TCO depreciation, on the 5 yr total depreciation the ody is $11797 and the MPV is $12885. With the $2k cash back, you'll be almost $1k ahead of the ody. I know you'll lose the 0%, but honda has no special financing deal either for the ody. So I guess it really boils down to how big a van you need.

backy

Re calculator flaw: is it a flaw or a "feature"? I didn't really expect it to be able to compare options with different durations. I'm not sure I'd want to either, because then I'm not comparing apples to apples. If I really wanted to do use different durations, I could just use a plain ol' loan calculator (which I actually did, before I found Edmunds.com's calculator).

Re S plan: I checked the fordpartner web site, and it requires a special code that it says I have to get from my employer. Know of anyplace else to find out which companies are in the "S" plan? (Just finding the right person to ask in my company could take me many hours.)

On the car-for-$10k vs. SUV vs. minivan (MPV vs. used Ody) discussion: this husband seems a little inconsistent, saying on the one hand "get an SUV" and on the other "you can get a great car for under $10k". You can get a decent (compact) new car for under $10k, but not an SUV; try even getting a decent used SUV for under $10k! If it were my $20k+, I'd go for the new MPV in a second vs. a nearly four-year-old Ody with no warranty. I don't like buying used cars in general--who knows how it was driven? Who knows if proper break-in procedures were followed? Who knows if it was driven in the Salt Belt and whether the salt was washed off it regularly, or if it will be prone to premature rust-out? And so on. Also check the reliability ratings of the 2000 Ody--CR has it rated only "Average". It didn't get Above Average on CR's assessment until '01.

pugnose

pugnose

hey, since I'm having to do this all by myself, I want to be able to come up with the figures and present it to hubby and have my act together, you know what I mean?
A) how do I go about finding the invoice price on and LX w/ moon roof/sliders/traction/ rear air?
The dealer said that he could not give me the info over the phone as I told him that taking an extra trip down there just to discuss $ with my toddler in tow would be difficult. I read on one of the sites that you should be able to offer 5% over invoice and that if they can't deal with that, just walk away. He also told me that he couldn't give me specific prices for each item (grr) and that I needed to just "tell him what I wanted" and that he would "work up a price for me."

Yeah right...

Well, you got me sold on the MPV I just need a little nudging and some more info as explained earlier.

I really, really appreciate yourimput. Please help with the financial stuff if possible..
thanks again

javadoc

Well, imho, you should have a fairly easy time getting any 2003 MP for $2000 under invoice, since so many people are getting invoice pricing... and there is a $2,000 customer cash incentive right now (or you could chose 0% financing if you qualify). Incidentally, as spec'd in your earlier post, Invoice on that van would be about $23,800. I figure you should be able to walk out w/it for around $21,800 after applying the rebate.

If you want to play w/pricing, go HERE.

zoompv

I'm sure it's obvious, but when you get to javadoc's link, you'll want to click on the "Add/Remove" link under "Typical Options" to see the invoice prices (as well as Edmunds' TMV, which estimates what people are generally paying) for all the options and option packages.

You mentioned "rear air." To me, that means rear a/c AND rear heat, but to Mazda, it means rear a/c only. If you want rear heat as well as rear a/c, you'll need both the "rear air" option and the "4-seasons" package. But the 4-seasons package is an excellent value, in my opinion.

Also, since you mentioned an interest in the 0% financing, be aware that Mazda offers 0% financing OR a $2000 rebate; you can't get them both on the same purchase.

big_guy

My family and I recently took a road trip and used a small TV/VCR combo that we set between the front seats. We split the second row apart, removed the head restraints from the 2nd row (my 3 and 6 year old are small enough that the head restraints serve no purpose). With that configuration, my kids in the 2nd row could see the TV just fine and my wife and 9 year old were able to see it from the 3rd row as well. It worked very nicely. Because of this, I have been researching the "video-in-a-bag" type systems that hang from the front seats and put the screen at about the same elevation as our little TV/VCR unit. One model in particular, the Audiovox D1210 has a 12.1" screen, a built in DVD player, wireless headphones and external input jacks for a gaming system or VCP. This system is around $700 and I can take it out of the vehicle and use it as a TV in a hotel room when I get to my destination. A unit mounted to the ceiling of the vehicle isn't really necessary. To get a ceiling mounted unit with a similar sized screen installed in my MPV would be well over $1000 and I wouldn't be able to remove it from the car and use it when I get to my destination. There are other options out there it just takes a little research.

bottgers

The dealership made it pretty quick and painless. We were in and out in about an hour, and that included turning in our leased Intrepid. They did a very good job explaining everything that needed explaining, and there was very little waiting around time.

Before we even left the dealer parking lot, the kids had the DVD system figured out and were watching a movie. Since they had the headsets on, we tuned in some decent music up front. One thing I notice right off the bat. The A/C works better with the inside/outside air selector in the inside position. It actually works quite a bit better in this position.

During our 100 mile trip home, we encountered all the typical driving situations, city driving, stop and go traffic, highway driving, etc. In the city, the MPV is quite spirited. It wasn't quite as peppy on the highway, then again we were running 80 mph. Also keep in mind our elevation here is 6,000 ft, which costs you about 1/3 of the power you'd have at sea level.

I haven't found any flaws with the van yet, and I'm very pleased with every aspect so far. Even though we ordered our van on March 17th and our wait was almost 4 months, and even though I bellyached about all the waiting, it was well worth every day!

2003 Sage Green LX

4 seasons

DVD

rear air

roof rack

P.S. This sage green is a sleeper color. I barely liked it when I first saw it, but the more I see it, the more I love it!

lsinc

Congrats! I'm so happy for you!

Happy trails!

Zoom-Zoom!

audia8q

see...I told you the wait would be worth it.
Glad your delivery went well. enjoy your new van.

Rich

bottgers

And you were right!

bottgers

.....how difficult is it to change oil filters? Is it hard to get at?

backy

Congrats on your new MPV. Sage Green is a great color. I was wondering, what is the break-in period for the MPV? Is there a recommended maximum speed and/or rpms during break-in? I've seen max speeds for break-ins on other cars as low as 55 mph, so I was surprised to hear you were taking it up to 80 in the first 100 miles.

I'm not surprised you found the A/C works better in recirculate mode than fresh-air mode--that's typical. I've heard that it's not good to leave A/C in recirc mode all the time, however, since you won't be getting fresh air into the cabin then. If the fresh air setting can't cool a van of this size down, even with rear air, that's a bit troubling to me. How hot was it when you drove home? Did you need the recirc just at the start, to cool the van after it had been sitting in the sun?

bsvoller

Congrats on the new ride. We picked up our Sage Green LX this week, too - love it ! Your profile says that you're from Alabama - where are there roads at 6000' in Alabama ? Guess I need a geography lesson...

For the record, I understand that a normally aspirated engine looses 3% of rated power per 1000' above sea level, so at 6000' you're only down 18%, not 30 something.

As to the oil filter, it's located on the bottom of the engine, near the front bumper (mounted upside down, which is handy.

I'm old school, so I'll be changing engine oil and filter at 1000 miles and again at 3000, then every 3000 thereafter. I've been following the oil grade debate for 2 years now, and have settled on 5w-30 year round for this engine. 5w-20 just doesn't sit well with me for 90-100+ degree days in the summer.

Having the filter mounted upside down means that you can fill it before installing it. Makes for less time without pressure/fluid on startup after maintenance.

-brianV

bsvoller

The owner's manual is less than specific about the break in period, other than to basically say "take it easy for the first 600 miles"...

I interpret that to mean "keep it under 4000 rpm".

They also mention no full throttle starts (amounts to same thing, roughly speaking), no towing, drive at different vehicle and engine speeds (no cruise control), no panic stops, etc.

We plan on babying our new baby for the first 1000 miles, then change the oil and stop worrying about it. But that's just old school talking...

Hope this helps,

-brianV

subearu

DIY oil change on the MPV is quite easy. Just get yourself a set of Rhino ramps and it'll be nice and roomy underneath to get at everything.

The only thing you'll need to keep an eye on when changing the oil is the crossmembers that are nearby the oil drain and filter. To prevent spilage on these areas, just cover the surrounding area with some aluminum foil.

I've also heard that the first filter and oil drain plug are a bit tough to get loose the first time. Be patient, it will come off with some perseverance and perhaps a longer ended socket wrench.

-Brian

tboner

You can wrap the exhaust pipe with aluminum foil to minimize how much oil drips on it when you remove the filter. You will also need a 15mm combination wrench, if the 3.0L is anything like the 2.5L you will not be able to get a ratchet and socket between the drain plug and exhaust pipe (yeah it goes from the front to the back, so you deal with it at both ends of the underneath vehicle portion of an oil change.)

TB

lsinc

Basically varying speeds, no harsh starts, stops etc. We too agree that the oil should be changed early on. We had it done at 1500 miles. We now have 5k on it and the oil got changed today. We also follow the suggested oil useage. 5W20 I believe. I also bought filters from Mazda. Now it will get changed every 3k miles.

Everything looked great. Our MPV is running great!

Leslie

bottgers

backy

As far as the break-in goes, I believe the concern is with keeping the engine rpm's under a certain rpm, not so much with speed. Since the engine is only turning about 2600 rpm at 80 mph, I'm sure that speed is well within the break-in requirements. I looked in the owner's manual concerning fresh air/recirculated air switch and it didn't say anything about it being bad for the system by running it in the recirculated mode. BTW, the temp while I was coming home yesterday was over 90 deg.

bsvoller

I've also been following the oil weight discussions for quite a while myself. From what I've seen on the Pennzoil 5W-20, not only is it superior to any other non-synthetic 5W-20, but it's also superior to most of the 5W-30's as well. Because it's made up of 70% group III base stock (which basically means it's 70% synthetic), it's far less suseptable to viscosity break down like the heavier weight oils. The Penn also contains moly. This oil gives me a warm fuzzy.

moib

Hi everybody! I know this isn't the best place to ask this but since there's been a lot of talk about oil changes, I thought I'd follow suit.

My husband and I have continued to read the various chats, hoping for as much insight as we can get about our new MPV.

We're looking for opinions about what we were told by the acting manager of our Mazda dealership's service department. They said that the oil in our new MPV is a "synthetic break-in oil" and we shouldn't change it for at least 3700 miles or even as much as 5000 miles!!!!!!!!

This advice goes against everything my husband has done in the past for our vehicles. And from what we've been reading, all of you are on the same page as my husband on this issue.

Do we really let this original oil stay in our MPV for so many miles? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Sharon

bottgers

The oil may be a synthetic oil, but there is no such thing as a special "break-in" oil. There's no way I'd leave the original oil in for 3K miles, let alone 5K. Personally, I wouldn't let it go past 1000-1500 miles. I'm going on a 2000 + miles trip the first week of Aug, so mine will probably have about 500-600 miles on it when I change it.

glideslopes

The MPV does not come with "Special Break-In" oil from the factory.

I would drain your first oil no later than 1,000 miles.

If your going to run dino oil, Castrol and Pennzoil are two of the better blends. Good additive packages, and a good dose of molly. IMO the Castrol resists shear breakdown a little better than the Pennzoil. This is important on a OHC engine.

Personally, I run Mobil 1 5w-30 in the DW's 02 LX. I drain at 5,000 mile intervals. I use a K&N Oil Filter. The Motorcraft FL-820S is a good lower cost alternative. 5w-30 is ok with Mazda. 20w is simply CAFE.

I also run the same set up in my 03 Mazda 6s.

Regards,
Mark. : )

tboner

about break in oil, ask to order some since your "cousin ralph" is rebuilding an engine and you'd like to get some for him.

All these folks who talk about break-in oil never seem to know where to buy it.

TB