Mazda MPV

cutter44

Washing the Silver Bullet the other day, I noticed our first chip in the paint on the hood. Aarrrgghh! I never did like the look of the "bra" on a vehicle, but maybe it would be a good idea for this baby. BTW, just a couple of days before that, I had stopped by the dealership to ask for some touch-up paint "just in case'. They were all set to give me a bottle but realized they were out and said they'd order me one. I drove home and when I got there, in the mailbox was my yellow package from Mazda which included..Ta-Da...a bottle of silver touch-up paint. How's that for timing!

mufasta

We have the Graco and that was the answer I was hoping for (the Graco folds easy enough). We don't use it often, oldest is almost 4, so he needs to learn to walk on his own. I personally have a problem when I see parents pushing around 7+ year olds :-P. Well kid number 3 is planned right around the time we get the van, you know the whole MPV fertility thing, and it's good to know it'll fit easy enough.

As for the performance thing, we both race motorcycles, and I think the gains were more in his head. One more point to make is I talked to him last night and he uses his MPV to get to races now (old Ford truck needed to be retired). It has no problem pulling 1000+ lbs. (400lbs bike, 200-300lbs of tools, riding gear, trailer, and access. for the day) and a second adult. He also loves using the tailgate feature of the 3rd row. It saves him having to bring extra folding chairs. Again, thanks for the answers.

brmuda

FYI: Factory RSES is available w/moonroof option. I have moonroof & Rosen RSES that was NOT factory installed (my choice as I don't like location of factory installed VCP).

I did research the positioning of the LCD screen when mounting in MPV w/moonroof. I actually measured/compared positioning of LCD on 2 models on dealer's lot (frankly, I was surprised a dealer had 2 MPV's w/RSES on their lot) .

The LCD mounting in moonroof equipped van is rearward approx 3 inches more than vehicle w/o moonroof. The difference really is negligible as I was concerned it would be too close to 2nd row passengers. It isn't!!

osaka

I was surprised at seeing a message on Apr. 12. regarding with Pulling to the left.
I also brought it to mazda to adjust it, then they adjusted the" total toe-in(?) " from 2mm to 0.5mm and re-inspected the center of steering gear.
This subject is sometime spoken MPG's home page in Japan.
I have ever heard that this problem tends to occur the FAD MPG especially.
Reading some messages, I found that it isn't easy to solve this matter.
When I asked about this to the MAZDA before, the MAZDA's engineer said me the alignment of MPG often dare be adjusted slightly not pulling to left or to right so that it could fit the different road conditions of each countries.
I don't know whether it is true or not.
He also said me the present MPG's steering feeling response more sensitive than the previous MPG' one by the road inclination. Fortunately, mine have got well, but anyway, I think you had better claim obstinately.

maltb

You must be an early riser! Isn't it 4:30am?

It seems strange that the pull would be the same direction in your market. I would think that they would tune your vehicles to pull to the right to compensate for crown of the road.

Very interesting....time for me to ask some questions locally.

firecapt26

Selecting a van has become an effort of futility. A year ago my wife and I started researching mini vans as we wanted to replace a older Chef Astro with 120,000 mile on it. Like most families we started looking at the big 3 of vans (Crysler, Honda, Toyota) but quickly became frustrated with postings of sludge in the engines and doors that open on the freeway.

A month ago we looked at a MPV LX with all the bells. My wife and kids fell in love with the vehicle. But soon after that my wife began to question the size of the motor. Other than my wife and I, my son is 10 and my daughter is 7. I really don't see the motor as a problem.

I guess the question is this: If you took vehicle cost out of the equasion, would you still have selected the MPV?

Thanks

maltb

I have to say that I am very pleased with the MPVs that we have had. If you took cost out of the equation, it would make the decision much more difficult. If cost were not an issue, would reliability be an issue (thinking Caravan)? Having the MPV now, I love having a smaller mini-van. The use of interior space makes it feel every bit as good as the others, but makes no sacrifices in terms of maneuverabilty.

I guess I would have to say that I would buy the MPV even if cost weren't an issue, but now I am partial being that we have one.

blacklx

I kind of agree with maltb. We were looking at the Hondas and were about to order one at MSRP which was still a little more than we wanted to spend when someone suggested that we look at the MPV. We test drove one and bought it. (they only had 2 on the lot and we knew that the good deals on the 2000 were getting few.)

If money wasn't an abject, I probably would have bought an ODY EX (we were looking at the LX though). I probably wouldn't even have considered the MPV.

Now that I have the MPV, I love the size. It's perfect for our two kids. In total honesty, I don't have great depth perception so I prefer driving smaller vehicles. (I had a '91 Honda Civic before the MPV.) We also have a full sized pickup for any hauling or towing needs.

I always thought that the Ody was a little uglier than the rest but love the looks of our MPV. I'm even thinking that the black isn't so bad, except for showing dirt and scratches.

I think that if I were to have to replace this van right now I'd probably buy another one.

We keep our vehicles a long time so it will be quite a while before we replace it and at that time we may decide something else is better. Our circumstances may change, more kids, different living conditions, etc.

Good luck on your decision.

pjd58

make sure your Wife is happy, it's going to be her van....right?:) My Wife and I usually don't agree on our individual choice, on which new car to purchase. We both agreed, finally, the MPV was perfect for our family. Looked at the Sienna, felt the interior was outdated and my wife didn't like the exterior. Cost of a loaded Sienna approached $29,000. Honda ODY was her second choice, but reading the problem forums, elimated the ODY. The wait and MSRP wasn't a issue for us. An ODY LX at MSRP is not too bad of a value(didn't consider EX, didn't want power doors). The Unreliability of the ODY crosssed it off our list. We purchased a 01 MPV LX a few weeks back, and are thrilled. This my Wife's first minivan and she says it rides better than any car she has driven. Believe me, the power of the van is not a issue. It has enough power to handle our family of 4(2 boys 8&4). There have been hardly any problems with the MPV, mostly recall items on the 2000s. A few owners are pushing 50K with no problems at all. We always kid each other on the great price we all got on our MPV's. But seriously, I feel we all would have paid more for our MPV, not that we had to:)

This forum gets so slappy-happy sometimes, like little kids on Christmas morning. I have never seen a happier group, and I have gone thru hundreds of threads. Good luck!

stever

billmckinley

Let me second the responses you've been reading. The MPV wasn't originally even on my radar screen (for one thing, I thought it was out of my price range!). After stumbling across this forum, I did some serious homework on the car and ended up buying it. I simply had no idea what I was letting myself in for. What I wanted was a car I thought I could trust not to bankrupt me, either initially or over 5-8 years. What I got was something that continues to find new ways to impress and delight me: the handling, the looks, the confident approach to the road, the incredibly versatile interior, the user friendly cockpit.
It's hard for me to divorce the money issue from my decision; my LX was at the top edge of my price range, even with the great deal, so buying somethin more expensive wasn't remotely an option. But let me put it this way: it's worth a lot more than what I paid for it, and if I could afford to, I'd gladly pay what I think it's worth. It's that good a car.

RJ

msgjvh

I was seriously considering the Quest for its seating arrangement. I had to have captains chairs for the kids. I was practically desperate to find one with the right configuration. Then while driving to the Nissan Dealer to look at my target, I spotted the MPV and didn't know what to think at first. I made an immediate U turn and checked them out. This was July 99! I put off buying either the ODY or the Quest for a year, while I watched the board and the reliablility of the MPV increase. I did not want to buy a first year model right off the bat. After nearly a year of reading all the problem boards and these I was convinced the MPV was the one. The problems with the ODY doors and trannies really spooked me. the DC's weren't even a consideration. The price on the Sienna was not something I could have considered. That left the Quest and MPV. Once the safety ratings came out for the MPV vs the Quest, the game was over! That began the search for a Blue ES which never was available at the time on the west coast. So here we sit, with our Teal ES. I wouldn't change a thing, it truly is loved by all in the family, including the neighbors kids. They are always depressed when I pick them up in the Subaru vs the MPV.

kawazar

I will be purchasing a 9" TV/VCR combo for my MPV in the next week. I have seen a previous post about a stand you can purchase to put under the TV. This puts it on an angle for easier viewing. I have not been able to find any in my area and wonder if anyone has one and where it was purchased? I don't know if that was posted on this forum or not.

dbs2001

I, too, was leaning toward the ODY; however, this vehicle was for my wife. She didn't even consider the ODY. She just liked the MPV features; especially the rolldown windows. I'm now glad we bought the MPV. I test-drove many of the vans. We have made 2 quick (i.e. 1-2 day) trips of 400-500 miles each. I love the handling & this van is far more comfortable & less fatiguing than the '91 Caravan we previously drove.

Dennis

lawlee

I really like the ES MPV but still uncertain whether the leather seats are worth it. Sometimes the leather feel a little too firm and thin. The seating surface aren't exactly smooth. The leather twisted heavily with many small seams particulary where it made contact with the human back. This seems more so in the rear captain seats than in the front. Those of you who own the ES MPV for a while, what's your feeling of the leather ? Are you happy with it ? Does it get better over time after many uses ? Does it last ?

msgjvh

I love it! I love it! I love it! (dancing around like the lady on SNL)

You will not regret it.

blondemom1

I have the leather seats, and I think you could consider that I've had my van "awhile", since I've had it for 42,800 miles now. I don't think anyone here (or maybe anywhere) has driven their MPV as many miles.

I really like the leather seats. In our Camry, the leather had gotten creased, looking like wrinkles on a face. But so far my seats in the van show no sign of wrinkles. They were a little firm to start off, but now seem more broken in. They have held up particularly well, and except for needing a cleaning, they are like brand new. At first I didn't want leather seats, mainly because of how the seats in the Camry looked, but my husband really wanted the leather, so I gave in. I'm glad I did. I think in the long term they will still look good, long after cloth seats would have been looking worn and dirty.

javadoc

This is subjective, but depending on where you live, leather is coooooold in the winter. I love leather seats (wife wanted cloth, so we have an LX), but up here, we'd only get leather with a heated seat. It'd not be a concern in warmer climes tho. cheers!

--javadoc

maltb

so I'll walk delicately.

The leather, I think, is also nicer for those activities that may be partaken in with a significant other when the vehicle is parked.

Need I say more?

blondemom1

While your theory makes absolute logical sense, I have found that in theory, the leather isn't very cold at all. You know I'm in Chicago, and while it isn't Alaska, we get really cold here. How cold you ask? -35* fahrenheit in not atypical for us. That's cold. Most of the winter is in the teens and single digits though.

Anyway, the seats are a little tingly when you first sit your butt down, but then within seconds, warm to your temp. It's pretty amazing really. I always knew that leather adjusted to body temp, but I always thought it would take a couple of minutes anyway.

I also have intimate knowledge on the "cold butt syndrome". The scientific studies show that butt size is a good indicator of sensitivity to cold temps. Since my butt is bigger than the average, I have expert experience in this matter.

billmckinley

I'm unclear abou something: Is the derriere-sensitivity ratio inverse or proportional? My bony little butt used to get mighty cold on my Jeep's leather. One of the reasons I avoided the ES.

RJ

blondemom1

I must imagine that the insulation factor plays a part in the equation, although I'm not sure what. Since I have an ample amount of "padding", I suppose it is possible that those with lesser amenities might suffer. I, for one, am in no possition to study that theory, for lack of a working model.

raam

Recently bought a used 2000 MPV LX with 15000 miles on it. The Yokohama tires seem to have more wear than I would expect for that mileage. Is there any advantage to switching over to 16" tires (included in touring package, which my van doesn't have)? Does it improve handling and/or performance? Van has a whistling air leak sound at highway speeds. I also have to fight the steering even in gentle curves - does not seem to stay on course. Taking it to dealer for these two problems. Also noticed a lot of reverse pumping action on the brake pedal when the ABS engages, but dealer says it is normal.

whisper1

For those waiting for the 3.0L, wait no more.

http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2001/04/20/home_auto/q_mateja_mazda/index.htm

"Mazda is developing a family of 4-cylinder engines in the 1.8- to 2.3-liter range in gasoline and diesel versions that will be used by Ford worldwide. Mazda, in turn, will get a 3-liter V-6 engine from Ford to replace a 2.5-liter V-6 in the MPV minivan this year."

It will be interesting to see what the extra $$$, performance numbers, and underhood estate.

brmuda

I've got an ES and really like the leather seats. They are especially functional w/kids as they are much easier to clean (and forgiving of spills, etc.) than cloth. We've had leather in our last few vehicles and don't think we'll ever go back to cloth.

I say go for the ES model. I make it a point to clean and condition (really helps keep leather soft so it won't dry out or crack) the seats at least twice a year. It makes a world of difference.

Good luck on your decision.

dborasky

I've been lurking here for several months in anticipation of my wife getting pregnant. She is, and now I have until October to get an MPV.

I have been checking the CarMax inventory regularly, but while they had a lot of 2000's in stock just a month or two ago, they now have only a handful - I wonder if word is getting out about this great van!

Question - if I wait until the late summer to purchase, will they be offering deals on the '01s in stock? Will the 02's be out in time to help me get a deal? (Not really interested in waiting for the bigger engine. We test drove the 2.5 and were fine with it after putting it through its paces!)

cinka1

This is my first auto with leather seats. My husband wanted cloth - but... my van, my seat. I love them. We have wet, mild climate in Oregon, but on the chilly (30-40) mornings, I agree with blondemom1, they warm up quickly. (I, too, have experience with the larger behind.) I will never go back to cloth. Leather is so nice with all the dogs - no hair sticks to the leather (I don't park with significant other so stickiness is not an issue either.) And they are easier to slide into/out of the van... (again, I don't park w/...)
My question to brmuda - what do you clean/condition your leather seats with?

javadoc

Well, for all my leather products, I use Lexol Leather Cleaner & Conditioner (sounds like a commercial, lol). The stuff is great and can bring old, worn out leather back to life (no guarantees on old, worn out DHs tho...)

--javadoc

dbs2001

My wife accepted leather because she liked some of the other ES features and I preferred leather; however, she's not happy because it does get hot here in Silicon Valley. She solved the problem by draping a towel over the steering wheel & head rest.

Dennis

msgjvh

Myself and another MPVer have been discussing tires and their replacements. We are interested in finding out the following:

Type of Original set
Number miles from Original set
Replacement brand and model or rating
MPG Original vs Replacement
Treadwear rating of the replacement set
Cost

I can start with:

Dunlop SP4000's 16''
20k replaced due to driver inattention to big curb
Continential Touring Contact AS
Mileage difference is negligble
520
$280.00 for four

I know this isn't the most interesting topic we have ever had but it is a void that needs to be filled in my head.

evaddave

Just a word of caution: on the leater(-trimmed) seats, only the center panel of the back and bottom are actually leather. The rest is vinyl.

I still like them. An added bonus is that bubblegum and crayons clean up easier on leather than on cloth. With a 9-year-old, that's pretty important.

-Dave

dustmit

OK, so I had not even considered buying an MPV until I began reading these boards. Now I'm looking forward to test driving one. I'm a little worried about interior space with three boys but was reminded that if I get too large of a van, it may not fit in our garage (our explorer barely fits).
So now I just have the doubts of buying foreign. I have no problem with the Ford engine - I like Ford but was not impressed with the interior of the Windstar. Am I being a terrible American by not supporting the workers and economy of our country if I buy foreign? Is it more expensive to replace broken parts because of being foreign (I get this gripe from my brother)? Does the Ford engine mean it can be more easily worked on by owner versus a foreign engine?
Any feedback appreciated!

tboner1965

No, buy what is best for your family. Do you think the auto execs of any company have your best interests as their top priority. No.

It is my opinion that domestic cars are not the tops is quality, "real features" such a IRS and multivalve engines, and reliablity is because people think they have to buy American.

Car companies are run by business people, so if you want to get their attention, you must do it at the bottom line.

So buy what is best for your family. The market will adapt.

As far as service, it is a FWD vehicle, so it has the tight spaces associated with working on FWD vehicles.

Cheers,

TB

whisper1

"interior space with three boys", no complain from us (2b, 1g).

"it may not fit in our garage", it fits together with the lawnmower in front with ~6inch spare remain, so docking requires precision. I actually signed the contract for a 01 Windstar but because of dealer mistake on $$$ and games and decided to take the dealer offer to cancelled it. Glad I did, becasue it is over 1 ft longer!

"not supporting the workers and economy of our country if I buy foreign", reliability followed by price are my main criteria. Look after yourself first! Do you think people care if your domestic (import also) lemon spent all those time in the garage? Other than the mechanics!

"Ford engine mean it can be more easily worked on by owner versus a foreign engine", the engine is the work of an European engine firm - Cosworth. Most if not all foreign engines are multi-valve type and is inheritly more complex compared to domestic engines which are ohv type; they work, stone age technology, all mechanics know them ... easier and cheaper to repair/rebuild. Reliability comes in again, why fix it if it runs well!

MPV is not perfect, but for my criteria, it was and still is perfect. I have nothing to complain about for my 2 month old 01 LX. Good luck!

tboner1965

Actually, I do believe OHC is older than pushrod OHV. But I do perfer most OHC engines to OHV varieties. However, the GM 3.8L V6 is hard to beat for the daily driver.

Cheers,

TB

brmuda

I've been using Lexol brand products on my leather interiors for the past few yrs. They make a cleaner that's applied w/damp sponge. After cleaning, I apply their conditioner (which definitely helps the leather from drying out) & buff it dry. It really is the best product I've found (and I've tried a lot) though, it's higher priced than the competitors but, well worth the extra $.

You can use these products on all seat surfaces even though some areas are vinyl.

happy cleaning/polishing!

badgermomma

Okay it was finally warm enough to wash the car myself today. It is the first time I have been able to. It is much larger than my old cars, took lots longer to do everything, but it looks so great.

I noticed a few paint chips, just little dots a couple on the hood and a couple a few other places, I found them because my van is red, but no one would ever see them, they are like the size of a head of a pin. We bought the car in Dec. At what point do I worry about a bad finish? Should I point these out to the dealer so it is documented in case it gets worse? Would touch up paint be a good idea, or make it look worse?

Jane

lawlee

Dennis,
What color of leather do you have ? I wonder if a darker one like grey leather might heat up more under the sun than light color like the Mica Sand or Ivory. (I do recognize dirts are more visible on light color)

On a different topic, I was told even the ES doesn't come with heat absorbing green glass in the front windshield and front doors. The ODY EX and Sienna LE has it. People say it makes a difference under the sun and it also makes the A/C more effective. Is the front glass tinting on the ES any better than average ?

By the way, thanks to all for the good thoughts about leather in general.

billmckinley

Careful about that touchup paint. I just found a tiny area on my front bumper where it was apparently scratched at the dealer--or at Wonderful Rohrich Mazda during my one and futile service visit there. Someone with hands like hams tried to touch it up. Yeesh and Yecch! It was laid on with a trowel and once I noticed it, it was like a pimple on a nose. It was all I could see. If you do use touchup paint, I hope you've got the hands of a neurosurgeon. Before I touched the car myself, I'd bring it to the dealer, who will of course try to tell you that the chips are rock pittting and so forth. And that may even be the truth. But if it isn't, you'll be on record.

RJ

branty

We have a Black ES with beige leather (as far as I know the total top surfaces are all leather while the seat and back sides are vinyl - you can feel the difference). No problem with the light colour getting dirty. Just have to wipe it with a damp cloth every so often and it looks like new...will have to try the "Lexol" suggested by others (not sure if it's available in Canada). As for the lighter colour seats getting hotter than darker (grey?)...I'm not sure it makes much difference. With a black exterior the van gets real hot inside - including the seats, if it has been parked with the windows/roof closed. Just open up everything for a short distance, crank up the air conditioning and it cools off very well.

The windows in the rear have "privacy tint" - not sure whether this does a lot for reducing heat build-up. I don't think that the fact the front windows and windshield do not have a deep tint makes much difference (at least not in a black exterior). Once under way the AC is quite capable of keeping the temperature at a reasonable level.

dbs2001

We have the tan leather (to go with the Rainforest Green). I haven't really noticed any difference re the windshield and interior heat. My comparison is my everyday car - a '97 Infiniti with tan leather.

Dennis

blacklx

With the weather finally warm in Oregon, and having a black exterior, it gets quite hot in the van. When we turned on the AC the other day, it made a "thunk." We didn't have a long drive but it didn't seem to be blowing out a lot of air, and it didn't feel real cold. Does that sound normal or could something be wrong? The fan blew air out it just wasn't blasting us with cold air. We have the rear air and it was blowing out air also. Not sure how cold since I wasn't sitting there.

javadoc

Did you have your MPV last summer, as a reference to how much cold you had out of the a/c?

The current a/c systems, using the R132a refrigerant don't condition the air quite as much as the old freon systems...which could literally blow ice chunks at you (way cold), so I'm not sure if that's what you're used to. Our previous MPV could actually blow ice crystals out the vents at you, but not the new ones. It doesn't get above 80 here in the summer, but we've not had any troubles getting cold air out of the a/c system, and we have rear a/c as well as you do.

If there were an actual prob...I'm guessing at what could make a thump sound...a belt maybe broke (*really* early for that) or maybe a fuse blew. Either way, you'd have no a/c. Is there any difference whatsoever with a/c on or off? Of course, a sun-belter would have better advice than a snow/rust belter. :-))

I'd first pop the bonnet and see if any belts are shredded (they'd smell like melted rubber too), and check the fuse block for a blown fuse. Then, maybe call el dealer and tell them that your a/c "just blows" or rather doesn't

fwiw, my BIL called me today to gloat at PDX's nice warm days recently, so I'm almost envious that you're using your a/c in April.

--java

msgjvh

Java, I did not know you were of british decent! wow.

I do agree if they heard a thunk they should look into it. A trip to the service department wouldn't hurt. One thing about AC is that after a certain temp it's effeciency sharply declines.
It becomes harder for the unit to cool the air as the outside air temp increases. So once you reach triple digits it becomes really frustrating trying to cool down the interior. It will certainly take a longer time to cool the cabin. Point is to have it looked at now, before you get to that point of frustration. If you don't want to wait while it cools down, you may want to install a remote starter. Five to ten minutes makes a large difference. But that comes with its own problems.

rallychamp

Hello MPV owners,

I am looking at an MPP, which would actually be my first mini-van purchase, and am wondering where you should put the car seat? I have a 15 month old son. I noticed that the only lap belt in in the middle of the third row bench. That is kind of far away and makes the ease of use of the tumble in the floor 3rd row bench a little more cumbersom since you now have to remove the car seat first. So, next I am tinking of the second row captain's seat behind the passenger seat and maybe slide it to the middle. But now you have the seat belt going across the entry passage to the thrid row bench. So, is the best way to put the car seat in the 2nd row behind the driver? What are others doing?

Thanks.

otish

Well, since I moved her forward facing at 14 months I put the car seat behind the driver's seat. This way it doesn't interfere with the sliding seat on the passenger side and is just easier to get her in and out on my side of the van. When she was rear-facing we had it on the passenger side because the seat took up more room and we could push the passenger seat up. Since the tether points are for the captain's chairs and I didn't want her all the way in the back I didn't even consider the bench seat. (I also hate the lap belt they have on that middle seat. Why can't it be one of those nice ones that pulls out from a hidden roller?)

We love our van and have had it since Jan. 2000 with no problems. I am sure you will be very happy with it too. By the way, we have had some past posts about getting the car seats in good and tight so if you have any problems (I didn't with my Fisher Price Safe Embrace) you can look at the old posts or ask here again. Welcome new owner!

rallychamp

I am getting the MPV next Friday. Sounds similar to yours. 2000 ES with GFX packages, 4 season package, and moonroof. Almost 12,000 miles on it.

I can't recall though if the Year 2000 MPV's had the tether hooks or not? I have some at home that came with the car seat if not.

blacklx

Thanks for the info. I am used to it blowing ice, I had a '91 Civic before. It hasn't been that hot here, near 80 but inside the black van it's warm. Yesterday, I just rolled all the windows down and opened the moonroof and felt the warm breeze. My 2 yo doesn't like the "hole in the roof" but my 1 yo doesn't mind it and he fell asleep with all the wind blowing.

We just bought the MPV in February so we haven't used the AC much. We did use it a little but on slightly warm days and just because the inside was warm.

I guess we need to give it a chance to see if it will, cool down after some time. Oh darn, that means I have to drive around in my MPV. That will help determine if it's working or not.

As for car seats. Now that we learned some tricks it's not to bad installing them. We have one in each of the second row seats. We don't slide the seats together though. We don't often have people in the 3rd row but we leave the middle open for access to it when we do.

Speaking of seatbelts, we did notice my daughter's car seat loosening up. We did the "pull out and let it lock" trick. Has anyone else had this problem? We work hard to get it in there tight and then it loosens up.

blacklx

The 2000's do not have the tether anchors in them. You'll have to have them installed. My dealer made me pay $8 per set but installed them for free. Depending on your dealer, they may have to order them and they may not know much about it. I was the only one the dealer installed them on.

What came with the car seat are the tether straps and clips. You clip the car seat to the anchors.

There's a lot of discussion about the tethers, I purchased my van Feb. 28 and it was discussed around then.

Enjoy your new van.

maltb

I have gotten a similar thump when using my A/C for the first time in several months. It seemed to work just fine after that, so I hope yours does as well.

One thing I have noticed about black vehicles is that the A/C is weaker. Not really, but the color of the car makes a big difference. I had a 98 black 626 and a 99 sand 626. We were constantly complaining that the A/C on the car was weak, but when we got our 99, we needed hoods and scarfs to keep from freezing.