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Mazda MPV

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  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    Just FYI, CR ranked the MPV second (just slightly behind the Sienna), in terms of reliability, and ahead of the Honda and all the rest. So the reliability argument for going with the larger vans isn't valid.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I see tons of MPVs in my area--at least as many as I see Siennas (including the first-gens) and not that many fewer than Odys. I've really been noticing them in the past couple of years--no doubt due to the improvement in power in the '02-'03 vans. With local dealers advertising LXes for under $20k on a regular basis, it's no wonder people are flocking to the MPV.
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Hi backy! Not that I have much insight yet about the size of the MPV and dings, etc....but I can tell you about my 10 years of driving our Grand Voyager.

    Our Voyager ended up with some dings, but they got there mysteriously...along the sides, near the doors.

    As for me, the wife, putting any dings in the van, it never happened. (Don't laugh, I'm not lying!) Maybe you guys have just had a lot of bad luck with the whole "ding" thing. I used to think bad luck pretty much followed us around but after reading about all your body work, I guess we were lucky with that stuff. The one thing that did happen to me, now that I think about it more, was the VERY FIRST DAY we had our van (the day after we'd picked it up), I took my son and my parents to one of our local zoos. Traffic was bumper to bumper due to a special exhibit they had at the time and although we were all just creeping along, the idiot behind me rear-ended me! Shook the van quite good! A cop came and didn't see any major damage, and he gave me my first "lesson" in how you can take your foot and push really hard on the bumper and cause the entire vehicle to really jerk...so in other words this guy probably didn't hit me all that hard. My husband took the van to 2 body shops the next day though because there was some sort of dent/scratch and he wanted some estimates and the 2nd place just popped it out and touched it up for free! Wasn't that nice? But again, it wasn't much damage and it wasn't my fault. :)

    I never found myself thinking "Wow, am I ever driving a wide and long van." Maybe because it was our first van I just got used to it, I don't know. Now that I've got the MPV, however, I find myself thinking "Wow, our Voyager sure was a big van!" The MPV handles very car-like and it does seem much easier to get into a parking spot than our old van. I liked the visibility in my Voyager, and I have to say the visibility in the MPV is excellent. (Not sure if that has anything to do with "dings".) I did avoid one thing with the MPV because I thought it would cause me problems when I parked (front-ways) at a curb...I think it was the GFX package? (Help me out lsinc!) We saw a van at the dealer with that package and we felt it added too much lower bumper stuff in the front and it would be susceptible to cracking if I hit a curb or whatever. (I gently pushed on it with my foot and I didn't like the "play" in it.) I've read a lot of reviews, however, and a lot of people really want "that look" so I guess it's a matter of opinion. (Ha, isn't everything?)

    I think you'd have better luck with the MPV than you're having with your "big" van. Even though I never had any problems with my Voyager, I have already noticed that the MPV is easier to deal with. Just my opinion.
    Sharon
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Can I buy your book? :)

    Ha, I should talk with the length of my postings! :)

    Good luck with your indoor/outdoor carpet. Sounds like barn dirt is not fun....Something I'll have to remember when I get my son and his friends out for the 1st time to ride at a local stables. I cringe thinking about all these boys in my new MPV when we take our annual trip this fall to a corn maze near our home. (It's 45 minutes away.) If there's been any moisture (dew, rain) within a few days of our visit some of the paths can get a bit mucky...Maybe our corn maze trip will be "theee" trip to break in the interior of the MPV! :)

    Having run my first errands last night with my MPV, I'd have to more than agree with you that that "well" in the back does create more storage than a person may realize. I had large bags full of boxes of Kleenix and plastic boxes and other bags too and it was amazing how nicely things could store in that well. Also, the bags seemed more secure and less tippy, being in the well. And I was just looking at my rough measurements of our old van's "trunk space" and the MPV's "trunk space" (that we took before we got rid of the Voyager) and although the MPV is smaller L-R by about 5 inches, from the back of the seat area to the liftgate it is only about 3 inches smaller. Not bad for a much smaller van! (But then I do have to mention that with my Voyager, if I slid the rear seat forward as far as it would go, I did gain almost 5 more inches....there I go again, missing my Voyager and I really shouldn't since it was such a lousy van!) But anyway, I had "stocked up" at Walmart and Target and I was pleasantly surprised at all the room I had in my MPV "trunk" to hold my purchases. I even used one of those bag hooks...although I don't understand why there aren't more in the MPV...that seemed to be "the thing" with the vans we were looking at. At first I chuckled at the obsurdity of these hooks but then I realized they were a neat idea.

    Oh well, I'm off track with my thoughts again?? Today we're going to see which of the various plastic containers I bought last night might fit between the front seats, under that little table, so we can have a bit more storage. (One thing I picked up was some sort of bread container that odd as it sounds, might just be the one that will fit in that space!) And as of tomorrow we'll have had our MPV one full week. Other than our broken radio, so far so good!
    Sharon
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    Has your dealer fixed that radio problem yet?
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Hi! Our MPV is going back to the dealership on Monday (tomorrow). (The dealership was trying to work with us late last week but our schedules were too hectic.) Our salesman is going to swing by our house around 9am with a loaner vehicle, take our MPV back to the dealership, and then swing back by our house later in the day to drop it back off. (Pretty nice perk, huh?) It's not as if the dealership is too far for us to drive etc, but there were two additional things to consider along with our radio. One, when we picked up our MPV last Monday it was supposed to have the rearview mirror that shows temp etc. They had failed to install it prior to our picking up the van. We later found out that it's as much as a 3 hour install so where at first we thought, oh, one of us can just drive over there and wait maybe 20 minutes while they "plug it in", it turns out it would be more of a "gee, both of us has to drive over there, drop off the MPV, drive home, go back, etc etc". We were a tad annoyed with that scenario considering we'd already made a special trip back to the dealership the day after we'd signed the preliminary paperwork so that the dealership could have the final paperwork reflect under the month of May. (I'm probably condensing this too much to make complete sense. Sorry!) Add to the "missing" mirror that our radio is now broken, the salesman offered to do the running for us. I actually think he would be doing this even if the radio wasn't broken, again because the mirror install will take so long and the mirror should have been ready-to-go prior to our picking up the van in the first place.

    We don't know yet what's wrong with the radio or what they'll do to remedy the situation....I'll let you know later what happens.

    We'll be thrilled if this is our only "glitch" with our new van....we were expecting something to happen because that's just the way our luck seems to run. :)
    Sharon
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    I'd be happy just to get our MPV.
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    I was just the opposite with my Villager. My rear bench slid forward too but it was a pain in the $#@Q@#$. I had to fold the seat in half before it would slide and I couldn't do it from the tailgate. I had to go in the back seat in order to do it.

    On the other hand, the MPV all I have to do is pull the cords, fold it, flip it and it's gone. Love it! :) I also like the fact that you can flip the seat around so that you can use it when you are doing any kind of tailgate stuff. i.e. rest area stops, drive in movie etc.

    As to storage. Well, the less I have in my van the better. I carry a flash light which fits in my glove box. All of my registration stuff also goes in the glove box. I have the drawer under the passenger seat that I use for things like a small tape measure, a change purse with loose change in case I need it (coffee runs when I have no cash which is all the time! LOL!). Pad of paper, pens etc. Then, in the back where the jack is for changing tires I keep my jumper cables (yes they fit) flares and some other things my husband deems necessary like small packet of tools. I guess to me the MPV doesn't lack for storage but again, I don't like to bring too much along. Keeps the van cleaner. I will have to remember the bread container for under the little table between the front seats. Sounds like a clever idea. Let me know how it works.

    I'm sorry you have had radio probs. I guess I just take it for granted that I have had no warranty issues. For me it's a first. Any car I had before always had a list of warranty issues wether it was my radio (my '96 Cutlass), broken door handle ('94 Sable), 3 trannies ('94 Sable), bad starter motor ('94 Sable), bald front tires (yes, my just off the lot '94 Sable). I'm starting to get depressed so I will stop. LOL! I guess I'm just so tickled with the fit and finish of my MPV that I lose sight of the fact that these issues do come up.

    Ok, gotta go. Off to do genealogy research and have a boat load of stuff to do before I go.

    Leslie

    Zoom-Zoom!
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    Your MPV will get here! I'm being positive and sending positive waves your way. I know how frustrating waiting can be. I also hate it when I'm told one thing and something else actually happens. Makes me so boiling MAD! UGH!

    If it makes you feel any better, my sister has a '90 Subaru Legacy wagon with over 200k on it. It's ready to cough up it's engine and really isn't safe for her to drive. They also let the emissions lapse because they thought they would get their Suburban sooner. The Suburban is where it needs to be, waiting for them at the dealership, what's missing is the loan! This has been 4 weeks. They are trying to take out a home equity line of credit to pay for the car and the bank has been jerking them around. Hopefully this week it will be resolved. I worry about her driving her Subie. I guess my brother in law takes it and gives her his car but still it's not safe.

    Keep Your chin up. I'll keep sending the positive waves.

    Good Luck!

    Leslie
  • jwtotojwtoto Member Posts: 11
    Has anyone here had to use the roadside assistance provided with newer Mazdas? I was wondering if it is reliable and doesn't have any hidden gotchas.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    It wouldn't be bad if I was told it wouldn't be here until next month, but when they tell me it'll get here in late May to mid June, it's frustrating as he11!. Just once it would be nice if something I had to order came in when it was supposed to!
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Hello! I just updated my radio problem stuff over in Mazda Problems or whatever it's called. We got a new radio installed today and so far it seems to be fine. We also got that rear-view mirror accessory installed (temp, compass)and we're tickled to have that. We really liked having that in our Voyager, and we'd missed having it this past week.

    Today is Monday (although it's late so it's really Tuesday am) and we've now officially had our MPV for one full week. Bottgers....soon you'll have yours and you can celebrate your one week anniversary too! :) That's too bad that you're having some delivery issues....I think it's just a sign of the times that things never seem to go smoothly, whether something big like a car or small like getting an item through a mail-order catalog. Hopefully your wait will be more than worth it once you get your van. Good luck! (What color are you getting?)

    Leslie, I'm sorry to report that none of those plastic containers I bought worked out. I had picked up a semi-shallow basket thing that was quite long and it would have been PERFECT for between the front seats but then alas, we discovered that even with that table in the "up" position, we have little space to work with underneath it due to the BRACKET that is supporting the table. (Not the handle that you use to raise and lower it.) We were very disappointed because we have always used that spot between the seats for some of our odds and ends (yes, I suppose you could call it clutter!) and so we've had to rethink our game plan for how we'll store things in the MPV. And by-the-way, that bread container I mentioned would have been "okay" too, but again, that bracket is too low for anything much to slide under that table. I liked the bread container because it was a solid box and then the end could be opened (or we could have left the cover off) and there was a sliding tray inside (to pull the bread out) that would act like a nice little drawer-type thing. (It's hard to describe.) I liked it a bit better than the basket thing because things would stay cleaner in an enclosed container.

    Whew! Anyway, we ended up putting a low-sized box of Kleenix under the table, as well as our folded up umbrella. Under the passenger seat, in that drawer, we again encountered a change to what we were used to. This drawer is much shallower than the Voyager van and we found that the 3 pencil boxes (like kids use in grade school) we had in our previous drawer would not fit in the MPV drawer. One of them did fit, but then when we tried to close the drawer we discovered that the latch was in such a location as to affect our ability to close the drawer. (We had used one pencil box as our first aid kit, another to hold odd things like a small scissors, swiss army knife, a few pens, some large safety pins, some quarters...) We found that two check-sized boxes would fit really well and so we downsized our first aid kit into one check box and put our other things in the 2nd box. And then we still had room in the front edge of the drawer for the tire gauge tool thing and a couple of spare pens. We're giving some thought to our 3rd pencil box going in one of the door pockets...with a map or two shoved in the sides to prevent a rattle? (The 3rd box could be for napkins or some other stuff we like to have handy all the time.)

    The glove box is still empty, but we'll keep our booklet in there for tracking our gas and oil changes, plus the car papers we need to have with us, and perhaps some maps. The glove box seems bigger (deeper?) than what we had in the Voyager.

    You sound very content with the storage areas and I'd have to say that after we re-did our first aid kit etc and moved some stuff around, it looks like we'll be just fine with the storage that's available too. (But I still had to find a new place for my Tic Tac containers...our baggy with petty cash for drive-through stops...) I'm considering one of the pop holders in the sliding doors to hold our Germ-X (waterless hand sanitizer) which we also keep on hand all the time. If you want a good laugh, I picked up a cheap package of squirt/squeeze bottles today at Walmart (one is red for ketchup, one is yellow for mustard, and the last one, I think, was clear?) with the thinking that a taller bottle would fit better in that spot than a small, travel size would. I will try refilling the cheap squeeze bottle with the Germ-X and then store it in the door. (I don't want it stored laying down etc due to the chance for leakage.) I could change my mind or it may not work, either, but that's my thinking on that at least for tonight. :) (I'm amazed how often that Germ-X stuff has come in handy...do you have any in your van for after "barn" visits?)

    I guess that's it for annoying MPV news from me for tonight. Sorry if I've bored everyone but I'm pretty picky and I do think the nooks and crannies in a vehicle matter. Oh, and Leslie, I haven't had a chance yet but I'm anxious to check out that storage spot where the jack is. I'd told my husband earlier in the week that I bet we could use that spot for a medium sized flashlight, if not something more. Now I can tell him the jumper cables could go in there too! (But gee, with that neat-o Roadside Assistance that we've got, why carry cables?) I have to say that RA program really gives me peace of mind.

    PS: Your Geneology searching sounds interesting! How long have you been into that?
    Sharon
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Clutter Catcher...for b/w the front seats. You can get it at Walmart for not alot, if you want storage space. It may interfere with the table, however. :)
  • scott31scott31 Member Posts: 292
    Used it once, worked great, they were there fast, didn't pay a thing. Mazda also called later that day to make sure everything went well. So glad I didn't buy a @#$%$ Honda Ody, with no roadside assistance. Granted the Ody owners would say "you don't need it" but if you go to their problems discussion forum, that doesn't seem to be the case.
  • jwtotojwtoto Member Posts: 11
    I appreciate the input on the roadside assistance issue. I think I'll see if I can get a refund on my current AAA membership because the roadside assistance is really all I use that service for. All the travel stuff is wasted on me.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Roadside assistance:
    We have used it 2x. They were faster than it would have taken me to come home with keys for the DW who loves to lock her keys in the car when it's parked in the driveway. I'm not sure if they have a limit on lockouts, yet.
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    Too bad the bread keeper doesn't fit. Oh well, it was a good idea though. I guess I just don't carry that much. I do carry my jumper cables. Granted I do have road side assistance and from the sounds of it, it's a pretty good service. I'm just anal enough to always want my cables with me. ;o + It's not so much if my battery runs low but if someone else ever needed help.

    Glad to hear the radio is replaced and working! It's annoying when something doesn't work the way it should.

    I have been doing genealogy for about 6 years now. My father started in 1994 and in 1995 he gave me the first outline of my lineage. It was basically his mothers side of the family. Shortly thereafter in 1996 my father passed on. I decided to continue the family history research. I've been hooked ever since. I found out many interesting things I never new before. The "older" generations never discussed family like we do today. Up until about 5 years ago I didn't even know my great grandparents names on my fathers, fathers side and I had no idea that they came from Russia in 1899. We also have the usual "skeletins" (not sure if I spelled that right) in the closet stories. Pretty fun!

    Leslie
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    DW and I had to take business trip to an area known as the “Hell’s back door”. We stay at a dumpy motel and get an early start. We head out on an old back road. Air tempt was 112 and a hot Devil wind was blowing. The MPV AC was working great. The car was nice and cool. The road quickly turned to gravel and I had to slow the MPV down to 20 mph because of the washboard. I stop to let a huge rattler cross the road… We follow the gravel road for miles, stopping a couple of times so DW could check something with a funny looking box. She had that “don’t ask look” so I didn’t. Normally she went on the business trips by herself. But she wanted me to go this time for some reason… The road becomes packed sand along a river; birds and critters everywhere.. I speeded up to 40. Finally we came to the end. I carry Gatorade in the desert when the temp is over 115. Water will make you sick at that temp.. I ask what happens if we get stuck? She answered “they” know where we are and gave me a “don’t ask look”.

    This area has several old volcanoes (some emit fumes) with numerous lava flows. I thought we were there, but DW said to go up that road as she pointed. I said, “What road?” She pointed and said, “That one”. I said, “Are you nuts, that’s not a road. It’s a lava flow..” She gave me a cold look and said, “Then stay here and I’ll do it…” I cried, “But we will high center.” I would hesitate to take a four-wheel drive pickup up that so-called road. It was 115 in the shade and didn’t want to wait in the heat so I went ahead. DW seems to know where we are going…
    The MPV started up the flow. There was a 200-foot drop on one side, which the trail slopes toward. The outside air was 121. I didn’t look at the air temp again I was concerned with engine temp. The engine temp stayed on normal. We went up the trail. The engine had great power. I forgot to shift the tranny into low but didn’t need to. Finally we get over the top and head down into a canyon. The trail continues into the canyon going around a bend. I didn’t want to know what was around that bend. I had a bad feeling about this place. I didn’t see any critters about except for a very large orange lizard staring at me. No rattlers as I could see. We stop DW gets out and writes down some marker numbers checks the canyon with a pair of binocs and she takes the gatoraide and the funny box and walks around the bend. I sat there and wait. The engine idles fine the AC works great, after a while DW comes back and we sit there while she is doing paper work. I look at the outside air temp. It was 137. I couldn’t believe it and touch the glass. I burn my hand. It was very hot. Must be from the volcanoes. The engine was idling fine and engine temp was normal. The AC was working well. Then I smell a funny sulfur like smell except it was sickeningly sweet like a rotten corpse. I look around and don’t see any buzzards. The outside air was a steady 137… Was it accurate? I didn’t want to know.. DW motions to go. I do a u-turn. The MPV can turn on a dime with change to spare… DW looks at the air tempt and makes a comment like; its kind of hot isn’t it… I whimper to myself and say a few unprintable words… I remember a story I read once by HP Lovecraft (horror story) about a place called the “Blasted Heath” this could be the place…

    Now comes the hard part. Going down is always harder than going up. The MPV climbs back up over the top and heads down. The ABS brakes kick in. One wheel would start to slide and the brakes would stop it. I hold the side of the mountain keeping away from the drop. I expected the obsidian rock to shred the tires but the Dunlops hold. The sand must be is protecting the tires… Engine temp stays on normal and power is great. The tranny holds and we make it down… There were some thumps and bangs but the MPV is running fine. I get out and my whiskers start to burn. I check underneath the car an all looks well. I burn my knees on the hot sand. The air temp is back to 120. The funny smell is much weaker but still there. The suspension was very good and handled the washboard and bumps without bottoming out… I make a remark to DW. “ They” going to send a “black” chopper if we get into trouble. I was joking.. DW gives me a cold look and says nothing.

    Finally after a few more stops we get back to the Interstate and the Air temp is a normal 110. We cruise at 80 for a couple of hours and we stop at Crooked Lizard for dinner at a place we know. We have tacos. I have cat tacos. Cat is sweeter meat. DW prefers dog tacos. The tourists don’t know the difference. DW speaks Spanglo and knows the score… DW is in the kitchen jabbering in Spanglo. Hugs and kisses with our friends and we are on our way.
    The MPV is running great. We head north on El Diablo Real (devils highway). There are so many crosses along that road you think you are in a cemetery. I top a hill and immediately lock the brakes. Speed limit is 55 but most run 75 or better. Major wreak in the road. The MPV brakes save the day again. A semi hit a car full of people head on. Bodies and parts scattered about, reminds me of ‘Nam. Damn, more crosses… I work my way through the wreckage and keep going. The semi almost blocks the road. Cab is mangled and hanging off the road. An arm was hanging out the window. The car is crumpled and shredded. Couldn’t tell what it was. None of my business and too dangerous to stop; no shoulders…. Cops come flying over the hill; had to pull over best I could. We finally get home. DW says, “Hot day wasn’t it?” I don’t want to go on anymore business trips with her… We got 800 miles on our MPV. It did 19 mpg on the gravel roads plus a lot of idling time. I guess it is broke in now... The four seasons pack is worth it's weight in gold... I wet my pants coming down the lava flow. I hope it doesn't ruin the seat...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    How's the weather down there in Phoenix these days?

    Nice travelogue :-)

    Steve, Host
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    Please tell me you were joking? Ok, maybe I'm better off not knowing. I get upset when I go to the grocery store and see cut up rabbit in the meat cooler. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    Tom, let me ask you this, do you think that the Honda Ody would have done as well as the MPV? I think you should post your story on some of the other van discussion boards. What trouble that would cause! }=o )

    What a great story! I'll never in a million years be able to top it. Wow! Go MPV! I also have the Four Season so now I'm convinced we can go anywhere with it.

    Did you ever figure out the Sulfer smell? Could it have been the high temps outside? What does your wife do for work? Just curious, I think! LOL! =o )

    Did I ask enough questions? I was wondering where you had gone off to since I hadn't seen a post from you in a few days. You sure know how to have a good time! =o )

    Leslie
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    said about Tom's amazing MPV story. "Great, we can expect 250k out of our MPV and no less!" My reponse! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
    That's me screaming in case anyone was wondering. }=o [

    Leslie
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    I was amazed how well the MPV did in the heat. As for the sulfur smell I think I parked on a fumeral steam vent. That would account for the 137 temp. Not sure. When going down the flow the MPV started sliding toward the edge before the breaks caught. I think I screamed a few dirty words. DW didn't say a word but here eyes were wide... The tranny held. That is one tough tranny. And the Dunlops had great traction. I take back all the bad things I said about Dunlops...

    I figgered that the gravel road would shake the MPV apart, but it didn't. No rattles going home. I found that by turning on the rear air the car was very pleasently cool.. When DW got back in the canyon she was red faced and sweating and when she got in the car the coolness was a shock... As for the "taco meat" no big deal. Meat is meat. Better than donkey meat. I read in a local paper that five people died in the wreak. The semi driver survived.
    We will soon head out on another business trip to the North woods. I hear Superior still has ice on it. I know I am going to freeze to death. Maybe I can buy a parka somewhere. No, I don't ask DW why. She packs a 9MM...
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    LoL! Remind me to keep my pets away from you! LOLOLOL! Run little doggies run.......kitties everywhere take cover! =o p

    Advice from New England. If leaving the very hot climate of Arizona, be sure to pack cold weather survival gear.

    . Parka for 90 degrees farenheit or lower
    . Gloves
    . Boots
    . Hot Chocolate or Coffee

    Though most areas of the US have experienced some warming, it is always a risk that you could encounter temperatures below 70 dgrs. farenheit. Especially on the shores of Lake Superior. It's a good thing you have those heated mirrors! You may need them. LOL!

    As for we poor suckers here in New England, I'm in fear that we shall never see Summer. Winter was ghastly (burrrrrr) and now it's just plain old miserable. Rain, rain and more rain.

    Go MPV! Zoom-Zoom!

    Leslie

    P.S. I will never eat another Taco as long as I live. {=o +
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    Thanks for the advice. We get the electric blanket out when it gets below 70 at night. Usually nightime temp is 90-100.. I think I will take the electric blanket along. When you live in the desert your blood gets thin.
    DW is on the phone with one of her many conference calls. Bedroom door is locked. Must be important.... As for "taco meat" you got to try it. Diversity and all that.. Besides, I just eat. I don't cook. Your kitties are safe...
    Damn, I don't want to go on her business trips...
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Enjoyed reading about your "trip". Did not enjoy reading about your tacos...yuck! I'm with lsinc on that topic! :)

    It was nice to see that your MPV handled all of those conditions so well.

    Hey, I live in Minnesota and I can't imagine that Lake Superior will have ice on it when you get here. :) It is a cold lake though, even in the summer. If you'll be near Duluth, I highly recommend that you find the park that is all sand dunes. We found it by accident a few years ago, and I don't remember all the details, but I believe we drove over the lift bridge and took that road all the way till it ran out. It was maybe 3 miles? I think that is a peninsula....you could always ask a local when you're up there. We've been up to Duluth etc quite a few times and all we'd ever seen along the shores of Lake Superior were rocks and boulders and so we were just amazed to find these sand dunes. It's really nice. Again, I highly recommend you take a few minutes to check it out. There's also a "must see" site called Gooseberry Falls....I would recommend that over the sand dunes, especially if you've never been to Minnesota before. We have been to the falls once, and we didn't realize that you're allowed to swim in them etc. The day we went the water was warmer than warm and I felt like I was standing in the shower with my clothes on. (Yep, since we didn't know about the rules, and therefore didn't have our swimsuits, we went swimming in our clothes!) :)

    When are you coming up and how long will you be here? If you want more info on sites to see or anything, let me know.

    Sharon
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Drove my 1+ week old MPV yesterday in the rain. Love those wipers! I don't think we've ever had a vehicle that has that cross-over action. They seemed to really do a nice job keeping the windshield clear. I'll be curious to see how they do when we get one of our famous Minnesota winters! :)

    Went in the garage this morning to listen to my new Clay cd (my American Idol) on our new radio. Everything worked fine. We have just the basic radio/speakers and although the sound isn't as rich as in our Voyager (we had a fancy-dancy system in there?), it was still okay. I'm just glad the radio is working! :)
    Sharon
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    I had the same style wipers on my Olds. and I really liked them. I found that they kept the snow off the windshield and cleaned a larger area.

    Glad your radio is working! I couldn't live without my music! Willie Nelson and Toby Kieth, "Whisky for my Men, Beer for my Horses! Love that song............ooooops giving too much of my secrets away. Shhhhh! ; )

    Leslie
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    We have a small home by Winnebago. That will be our base. I hope we get to Duluth. That park sounds nice. Good place to do some water color work. Is there a light house? Love lake light houses.

    Regarding the tacos: I learned to eat just about anything when in 'Nam. Perticular folks have never known real hunger.. I draw the line at human flesh and bugs.... It is a shame the we in this country waste so much good food in the animal pounds because of silly customs. People in Asia really could use the food and most cities could use the money... Silly waste of resources..
    I have some inlaws that are Philippinos. They cooked Christmas dinner. I never had such fantastic food in my life. You do not ask what is in it (major insult) you just eat... Lumpia made with a "certain meat" is heavenly....
    I am extremely pleased with the MPV. I saw lots of fords and chevs along side the road. Their cooling systems can't handle the heat. I passed a new honda he passes me. I up the speed to 85 and pass him again. He tries to pass and his cooling system blew. The MPV never gets off normal (3 clicks below mid point of temp meter)I cruise away as he parks on the shoulder at 112 in the shade... The cruise control on the MPV is the best I have ever used.

    Got to go DW just came in she has been gone all day. I cooked supper got to get it ready..
    Love Our PEEVEE....
    Tj
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    Tom, many of us don't know true hunger. If I was hungry enough I would eat whatever. When I'm hungry, watch out! Lsinc gets pretty darn grumpy when deprived of food! =o p I do have a cute little house rabbit who is going to get put in the stew pot if he doesn't stop going in my living room and making the skirt on my couch part of his main course! The little bugger is lucky he's lived to be almost 7, 8 is going to be iffy.

    Ok, I got that off my chest. Back to the MPV. I've been pretty impressed with mine. I am gone all the time. Local driving, trips etc. I lugg the kids around hither and yon. Horse back riding, school, pottery. I'm starting to feel like a taxi driver. My MPV never misses a beat. It keeps us comfy no matter where we are off to. I did a huge shopping yesterday at Costco and had the entire back of the van packed with food and such. I love having that third seat hide away. Tons of room! I also really like my moon roof. Open that and roll down both back windows and you get a nice breeze without getting blown out of the car.

    Ok, I'm rambling. Gotta go get the girls ready for school. I can't wait until they are done for the Summer. This routine gets exhausting. I'm sure someone is going to pipe in a say that I'll be ready for them to go back after the first day. I homeschooled them for almost 3 years. I'm pretty use to having them home killing each other. =o p

    See ya'll

    Leslie
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    Wow! It takes a very special person who really loves her kids to do home schooling. My daughter-inlaw home schooled her four kids until the 10th grade. The kids have really turned out great...

    I got my seat covers for the MPV. I got them from Eclipsecovers.com. I ordered the custom padded tweed set(gray) for the front seats. Perfect fit. DW loves them she can slide in and out now. We couldn't get leather seats You can get a second degree burn in summer here. Packing the PEEVEE for our trip. I removed the sliding seat and set it on top of the other seat and tied it down. Makes room for my bicycle. Went to Wallymart and got cup holders for our large Ice water cups. I wanted a Clutter console but it wouldn't fit the MPV.
    I took the PEEVEE to the car wash and the guy wanted to know how come it was so dirty and muddy. I laughed. I had the "works" for PEEVEE. Looks great. I was amazed that there were no scratches.

    I grew up on my grandparents farm in the '40s we raised rabbits and chickens and sold them. Fried rabbit is one of my favorite dinners with biscuits and gravy with mashed potatoes... Haven't seen rabbit in the stores in ages.... I bet most people wouldn't eat chicken if they had to wring it's neck and soak it in hot water and pluck and gut it(chicken guts makes great catfish bait). Grandma did every Sunday. My job was to catch it and wring it's neck.. Kids now days sure have missed a lot.... My grandkids would faint if they had to do that.... But, after 'Nam I have trouble killing even bugs... Got rid of all my guns long ago...
    Tj
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    take your pick! ;o ) I enjoy being with my girls and miss having them home. Our 10 year old (almost 11) has some learning issues and I couldn't give her what she needed any longer. She has really done so well since being in the public school system here in CT. We are blessed in CT to have an awesome public school system. My 7 year old we held out a year due to her late bday. She won't be 8 until end of October. If we had placed her in Kindergarten she would have been 4. Too young in my mind. So we kept her home and then placed her in first grade as a 7 year old. She's done very well. :) In any event, they are done on the 20th for the summer. Yipppeeeeeeeeeeee!

    My MPV is so disgusting. It needs a bath and I'm afraid to take it through the car wash. I have the GFX Package and the side sills seem so low to me that I don't think they will clear the track. Oh such decisions. My husband and I decided to put a hitch on our MPV and we are going to get a bike rack. We need one that will hold 4 bikes and the strap on kind only will hold up to 3. That kind of answered that.

    Vietnam must have been such an awful experience. One of my dearest friends and her family fled Vietnam when she was about 10. She's my age. Her father actually built a boat and it was discovered. Her family was placed under arrest. Some of the people from her village helped them escape and they moved way into the jungle until her father could build another boat. They escaped with 100 people on the boat and everyone survived.

    I've never killed anything or anybody I never want to. I won't eat my rabbit either, he's probably sour tasting. The little $%$#$.....yes, he's still on my black list. We actually have a female rabbit as well. They are both fixed so we don't have a rabbit problem going on here. They really make great indoor pets except for the chewing. I have the room they are in totally rabbit proofed but my rabbit (the female belongs to my girls) seems to think that old age has granted him some sort of special privledges. UGH!

    Anyway, I must run along. Gotta finish housework, pick up my niece (she's almost 2) and go pick up my girls from school. Then off to the barn we go.........again! My MPV has more barn dirt in it then is natural. I gotta get the indoor/outdoor carpet to put in there.

    Leslie

    Zoom-Zoom
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    I take my MPV to a car wash that you wait for it they drive it through and wipe it down afterward. It is a "soft" wash unit. No giant wheel scrubbers. I am sure there must be one around you.

    Oh Yeah, girls are a hand full. But they are so special. A 17 year old (she is a blonde hottie) granddaughter wants a tatoo on her butt(why?)??? Her mother is having a fit. (payback time, HEHEHE). I am proud of my USMC SEMPER FI tatoo but it is a bit much for young girls.

    Tj
  • kagedudekagedude Member Posts: 407
    Hi. I just stopped by a Mazda dealer today and was specifically looking at an LX. I wanted the All Sports package with the power sliding doors but the dealer said you can't get it with those options. Is this true? Thanks.
  • vickie5vickie5 Member Posts: 12
    Go here http://www.mazdausa.com

    On the home page under "locate a dealer" punch in your zip code.

    It will take you to a list of dealers in your area. On the right click "dealer inventory" You can check the inventory for all dealers in your area. And if you can't find what you want then have 'em order it for you! Happy MPV shopping.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    You are correct, you cannot buy the All-Sport package with Power Doors.
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    I'm confused and I own an MPV. Oh no, does this mean I have to go back to MPV school? UGH! Seriously though, I have an LX with GFX and 4 Season packages. I also have traction control, moon roof yada, yada, yada. I do have the auto sliders. So what's the difference between that and an All Sport? I know it's not AWD since that's not available.

    Leslie
  • moibmoib Member Posts: 49
    Hi! I'm in a rush, so this will be short, (Ha, that's a first!) but I went to Mazda's website to check out that Sport Package because I was curious too....I used to know all the packages but now that we own an MPV, I've forgotten. I've copied the GFX and Sport packages below, from the site.

    For us, we didn't like the GFX package due to that lower front bumper and although I liked almost everything in the Sport package, because it came with the GFX package as well, we didn't consider it. (We also didn't "need" a rear roof spoiler) :)

    GFX Package (Deeper front and rear bumper fascias with silver garnish inserts, side sill extensions with silver garnish inserts

    All-Sport Package (17-inch alloy wheels, GFX Package, fog lamps, rear roof spoiler, 9-speaker 180-watt sound system with subwoofer, CD changer, auto-dimming mirror with compass and outside temperature, leather steering wheel)
    Sharon
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    I did forget......oh well. I wonder why you can't get the auto sliders? Seems strange.

    I have the GFX Package, no fog lights, no spoiler and no sub-woofer thingy. I do have the CD changer, no outside temp thingy and my wheels are 16" alloys. I also have the moon roof which I wouldn't trade for all the tea in china. I also have the traction control which I like. It's interesting how they can all be so differently packaged.

    Leslie
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Right... most of the ES goodies for a really good price. You then can basically have an ES w/o leather.
  • kagedudekagedude Member Posts: 407
    Thanks for the insight. I checked out Mazda's inventory and found a lot of GFX's w/ power sliding door but not the All sport package. The good thing I like about the sport package is it comes with the 9 speaker /subwoofer setup along with the 6cd changer. I also like the beige interior but the only exterior color I can go with is white. Just worried about it looking dirty. =)
  • scott31scott31 Member Posts: 292
    The ONLY reason I can think of that Mazda wouldn't allow All Sport and Power Doors is that it would take away too much from ES sales. I equipped an LX and ES with all the same stuff, and it's an over $2k difference. That is WAY too much to pay for dead cows and a power seat, IMHO.

    I really wanted the All Sport Pkg, but we wanted Power Doors more.
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    I didn't want leather and fog lamps I didn't need and I didn't care about a rear spoiler and I'm satisfied with my current sound system w/6 cd changer so.....................I guess I'm not trading my '03 MPV in for an All Sport Package or an ES. ;o )

    Just thought I would share that thought. I go now! Hey it's Friday! Yippppeeeeeee! It's still raining...........Boooooooooooooooooooo!

    Leslie =o p
  • tomj5tomj5 Member Posts: 209
    We haven't seen clouds for ages. The monsoon will be starting in about 3 weeks. Moisture comes up from the Gulf. We have cloudbursts, beautiful lighting storms, dust storms and downbursts. It usually lasts until the end of August. September is our HOT month. Then springtime until next June...
    Got the MPV packed. Amazing what you can get in it. I got the CB/weather radio installed(piece of cake). Didn't have to make any holes... Wow the flexable seats are great...
    Picking all the tomatoes we can. Had a good crop this year. Our housekeeper will take the rest... Have to shut the house down. The Hkeeper will watch it all summer. I got the electric blanket and a heavy Denium jacket packed. I freeze every summer in Wisconsin..
    Got to sign off for a week or so. I'll give a report on how the PEEVEE does. Looks like rain most of the way...
    Tj
  • mazda_guymazda_guy Member Posts: 183
    Go figure.... I have just completed the trip via South Florida - Georgia - Missouri - Kentucky - Illinois - Nebraska - Wyoming - Idaho - Utah - Colorado - Kansas - Tennesse. More than 7,000 miles. My MPV ES 2002 has now 22,000 miles. I have had sulfur smell for about first 1000 miles. Then it went away. I have used all kind of gas from Chevrone to Skipper's Gas and the smell never come back. I only buy premium gas but I am not sure if this has anything to do with the smell.

    MG
  • rutger3rutger3 Member Posts: 361
    Okay, the local Mazda dealer says the trans fluid and filter should be replaced every 30k miles at a cost of $110. I did not see this listed in the Mazda owners manual under maintenance items. Then the local tire/auto center does a 'new'service they call a system flush without a filter for $120. On the other hand the manual states that the brake fluid should be changed at 30k, but not the dealer? Why do they have to make things so complicated. Any thoughts?
     Also, has anyone changed their cabin air filter? Is this difficult? The dealer wants $56 for this. I do not see an explanation in the manual on how to do this.
  • lsinclsinc Member Posts: 270
    If you come to New England and don't like the weather hang around, it's likely to change. We've had nothing but rain and then today the sun comes out and it gets hot. Hot and humid. Then the sun goes away and it rains again. It's still hot and humid but that is supposed to change as we have a cold front coming in. The good news....no snow in the forcast. ;o )

    Leslie
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    In the DIY section of mpvclub, there are detailed instructions on changing the interior cabin air filter. You can do it yourself.

    Mazda doesn't require a transmission fluid service, but it is wise to at least do a drain/fill and filter. 30K is probably a good time to do it.

    Brake fluid is another wise preventative maintenance item. They should remove the old fluid and then fill with new and bleed the brakes, toping off the brake master cylinder when finished.

    You should be able to specify to your dealer service tech that you want a transmission fluid service and a brake flush service. If they fuss that they'll only do 'their' recommendations, show 'em the manual. If they continue to fuss, try another dealer or your other local mechanic.

    -Brian
  • dave_h2dave_h2 Member Posts: 100
    I ask you this question because it seems like you would be one who would know:

    I visited a Mazda dealer today am considering leasing an ES with RES, four seasons package, 6 CD audio system and power doors. I live in New York.

    Here are the numbers he gave me:

    There are two financial institutions that are leasing now - Hann Auto Trust (which is who I have my current lease through - coming to an end this month), and Mazda American Credit.

    For a 48 month lease, pre-tax monthly payment through Hann is $380.00. MAC is $392.00

    With Hann's bank fee and tax rolled into the monthly payment, meaning I would only need a first month payment, plus DMV fees - the monthly payment for the 48 month lease would be $443.00.

    The purchase price he told me he was basing this vehicle on was $27,642.00.

    Does this sound like a good deal to you?

    Can you confirm that the Hann bank fee is now $895.00? Three years ago it was $595.00.

    Also, can anyone confirm that the Mazda warranty is for 48 months, rather than the standard 36 month?

    Thanks in advance for any and all help.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's an easy one--the bumper-to-bumper warranty on '03 MPVs is indeed 4 years or 50,000 miles.
  • mchuchramchuchra Member Posts: 25
    Hello all you MPV experts!
    I own a '03 MPV LX (3 months old and 2000 miles) and my "low gas warning light" (little yellow L.E.D., next to fuel gauge) lit up last night for the first time. The fuel gauge was showing approximately 1/8th (half way between "E" and 1/4 tank. Two questions:

    1. What is the furthest you have ever been able to drive after the fuel light first lit up? [I suspected there was still a substantial amount of fuel left and drove about 22 miles of mostly highway and then "chickened out" and went looking for a gas station!]
    2. Do you know how many gallons of gas remain in the MPV tank at the point when the fuel light first lights up?

    Thanks!

    MC
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