Mazda Tribute

stever

I think that the dealers probably are members of the group, so they pay for the website whether the referral count shows up accurately or not. It's just nice to know who you are dealing with, and you just skipped to the source....smart. Congrats on your ES purchase!

Steve
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drew_

There is a Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape accessories topic in the Aftermarket & Accessories message board. You may want to repost your question there.

FYI, HID Xenon headlamp retrofits are illegal. There are plenty of places online that sell the kits, but if you look at the disclaimers, all of them state that the kits are only for show car use. The reason being that HID bulbs require special lenses, reflectors. Lenses and reflectors designed for halogen bulbs won't really do the job and will cause more glare towards other drivers, as well as yourself. What you may want to consider though, is 3rd party auxilary HID Xenon driving/fog lamps.

Good luck...

Drew
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anilpunjabi

This is to Drew, Where can i get the third party HID's, i really want to put it on my tribute, thanx.

carneophite

Order the "tripped-out" ES model on January 2 from dealership in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) which is expected to be delivered mid to late March; as most, will pay close to MSRP. Received a call last week from the dealer - "Sorry, ABS will not be available from [Mazda] for the remainder of the 2001 ES models"! The Dealer has offered to let me out of the contract, or reduce the MSRP by $650 Cdn (Northern-peso money: $1Cdn = $0.63US).

Four questions:
1. Has anyone else experienced this removal of the ABS option from their ES or LX-sport package?
2. Is it only a Canadian manufacturing issue and specific to Mazda (i.e. and not to the Ford Escape)?
3. How important do you feel ABS to be in an SUV?
4. Is the $650 (Cdn) a reasonable reduction and how can I specifically assess if this is the right amount being suggested by [Mazda]?

eagle30

Hello everyone, went car shopping again and this time I test drove the Tribute and the Escape back to back. I really like the look and feel of the Tribute, it just feels more sophisticated. I am a big guy (space) was great for me in the Tribute. So now just trying to find a ES loaded.I have a few questions. How soon will it be for the 2001 are release for the public. There is no dealer in Denver, even remotely intrested in selling below MSRP. I call a insurance company today, they want $1500.00 a year for insurance. I have no bad insurance claims, tickets, etc. I have been in Europe for the last few yrs with no insurance so now the are penalizing me, for not having insurance in the last 3 months. DA! I was living and working in Europe, did not need insurance DA! DA! So any suggesting on cheaper insurance or is this normal for SUV's? Website for (cheaper)insur-ance would be nice. And is it possible to go to the Mazdza/Ford factory in K.C. and see what all the colors are on the finish product. The dealship here have 2 or 3 on the lots. Look forward to your responses.

rabbitrun3

Eagle -
Welcome back to the states.
I, too, am searching Denver for a Tribute.
It seems a few Silver LX's are the only thing available and dealers are not overeager to part with them (even at MSRP).
I drove an Escape at Burt Ford on Arapahoe. It is listing its Escapes at MSRP as a starting point, so perhaps they will deal a bit. I'm not really sure tho - I really don't like the Escape styling enough to pay a premium.

Please, please update here if you hit a Trib gold mine anywhere in the Rockies, and I will do the same!

rick_l

Carneophite;

It's funny you should ask the question about the value of ABS in an SUV today.

I live about 80km north of you and we had a snowstorm last night. I took out the Tribute to see how it would perform. I tried mashing the brakes hard and holding my foot down, and then I tried threshold braking ( apply the brakes just at the verge of locking up). Each time I stopped in less distance by using threshold braking. But that is what you would expect by having the brakes applied constantly rather than on and off.

It is true that with ABS brakes you can still steer the vehicle with the brakes fully applied, but only at slower speeds and with some grip of the road. Last night when I stomped on the brakes to activate ABS at 30KMH (19 MPH) I could not get the Trib to turn more than 30 degrees into a 90 degree corner So instead of sailing past the intersection I was able to turn enough to go up and over the curb. (NOTE:Do not try this at home, I am a trained professional ;-}.

The Tribute brakes are amongst the best I have had, but that is in their basic design, not because they have ABS. I only got ABS because I wanted the Moon Roof and 6 CD stereo. If I was in your position I think I would order the vehicle without ABS.

Just a word of warning though, with all the marketing hype, you may not be able to get the same resale value as with an ABS equipped vehicle.

scname

ABS greatest advantage is preventing uncontroled panic brakelocking skids. And steering while braking.

Anyone can claim to be a professinal driver. Are you the one who delivered those cold pizza last week?

drew_

With all of the precipitation that you get in Toronto, I would very strongly recommend ABS. Watch these two ABS video clip:
http://www.theautochannel.com/media/netshow/misc/stomp-stay-steer.asx

http://www.theautochannel.com/media/netshow/abs/abs_56k.asx

drew_

Yours truly has taken several advanced driving courses (in fact, I'm going to one in March, and another in April). Without ABS, and locked front wheels, you would've plowed straight into the curb without turning that 30 degrees at all. When the front wheels are locked, directional control is zero. Obviously you reached the limit of adhesion of the front and your vehicle simply understeered. What would've really helped in your situation is an electronical stability control system, and winter tires.

ABS requires what Bosch calls GMA (Gier Moment Anstiegsverzögerung; yaw moment increase delay), so that the vehicle won't spin (as seen in the above video clips) if left and right wheels are braked hard on mu-split surfaces, for example both left wheels on asphalt and both right wheels on a snow covered shoulder. GMA delays the brake pressure increase on the wheels with higher traction by a fraction of a second, so that the driver can respond to a braking-induced turning/yawing motion. GMA is turned off in curves when the lateral acceleration exeeds about 0.4 g, since it tends to cause over-steering. This is why I think that our Canadian participant/owner-to-be could really benefit from ABS, especially in the fall and winter months.

ABS' major contribution is the lateral adhesion which allows steering during braking and, depending on the road surface, may decrease the stopping distance as well. WRT threshold braking, that's exactly what ABS does. It applies as much braking power as possible without locking the wheels. Obviously it can do this much quicker than a human can.

ABS systems do not necessarily exploit all available traction. In 2 channel systems only the wheel speed at one front wheel is sensed which can lead to lockup or underbraking of the other front wheel (e.g. Honda ALB). In 3 channel systems and some 4 channel systems the rear wheels are low-value-tied, and the modulation is based on the wheel with the lower adhesion. Only the very best ABS systems (i.e. MB's/BMW's systems) have four wheel sensors/four channels and can use all adhesion at each wheel. I believe the Escape/Tribute uses 3 sensor ABS.


Drew
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troyy2k

Does Mazda have any plans to develop a 5 speed manual transmission for this model?? Any speculations?

rick_l

Drew;
Unfortunately I was unable to view the ASX video clips. I am quite interested and I will attempt to locate a suitable viewer.

I feel that in snow conditions threshold braking is the fastest. And of course threshold braking can be performed in a car with or without ABS. With all due respect I have to disagree that ABS performs threshold braking by applying maximum pressure without locking the wheels. In fact the driver applies the pressure with his foot and if it is sufficient to lock the wheel, ABS releases the pressure momentarily and allows the wheel to rotate once again before re-applying the pressure to start the cycle over again.

The point I was trying to make with my story about sliding into the curb, is that the ABS allowed me to steer somewhat during my panic stop but I was still going to fast for the tires to grip and complete the turn. If I had used threshold braking I may have reduced my speed quicker and maybe sufficienly enough that the tires would have had a better chance of gripping during the turn.

Some studies have also shown that a locked wheel produces a ramp of built up snow or gravel in front of the tire which further reduces speed.

I have always agreed that ABS does allow better control in a panic stop, but threshold braking allows quicker stops. Since threshold braking can be done on any vehicle, then I guess the logical conclusion would be that an ABS equipped vehicle is the best all round choice. Except.... when there is no place to turn in a panic stop. In that case then I would prefer just to lock up the tires and shave off as much speed as possible before the inevitable crash.

I had rear ABS only on my last van ( with a single sensor in the differential), and panic stops in the rain were very scary. The rear wheels would lock momentarily and then the pressure would be released and the front wheels where left to do all the braking. Stopping distances were about 3 times longer than if I was prepared for the stop and performed threshold braking. Anyone who drove that vehicle soon lost respect for ABS.

My conclusion, both types have their merits. There is not a clear winner and I would buy a vehicle for it's other features without regard to it's braking type.

Rick

1jimv1

Car Camping is an easy and inexpensive weekend adventure. With the privacy tint glass there is a comfortable level of privacy. By sliding the front seats forward, removing the rear seat cushions to the front seat, and folding rear seatbacks flat you get 74" sleeping length for two. That is about the same length as your standard bed at home. But there will be a gap in the flat floor between the forward edge of the folded down seats and the back of the front seats. You can always stuff that gap but a neater way would be to make two drop-in floor extenders, one for each side. These are just half-inch plywood pieces cut in the shape of the gap and then feet are added to set the height even with the rest of the floor when you drop them in. If you like the added comfort of folding cots, two 24" wide stretcher style will fit if they are high enough to clear the top of the console and if you select them carefully since the fit will be close at the feet and at the outside rails of the pair. When there is only one driver-camper you can set up the bed on the passenger side and still drive on the driver side. To get fresh air and no mosquitoes you can tie a net over the outside of the rear window opening and have the window open or partly open. You can also tie a net over the outside of the open moonroof and still close it easily from inside if it starts to rain…. Enjoy this easy camping often in any weather all year round. You can drive a lot farther and see a lot more places. And you can't do this in the other mini suvs!

jordan29

read the car and driver artilcle and i'm impressed by the tribute/escape. still the complaints about road noise are the same.

can anyone confirm the 'cabin and road noise' on the tribute ?

also in a consumer report 3/2001, they complained about uncomfortable front seats. how are they really?

otherwise, it looks good.

dude17

My wife and I Have done a lot of cross country vacationing in the past (48 states)using our 84 Chevy cargo van that we fixed up. A great deal of time is saved living out of the vehicle.
The Main requirement for any SUV we tested was for sleeping room in the back (The Santa Fe and Forester Not flat enough, the Rav 4 and CRV were too short but the Tribute was just right).
1jimv1, I have some suggestions:
If you remove the rear head rests, insert a metal rod in each hole then attach them to the to the plywood extenders, feet would not have to be added.Your Extenders could be padded with dense foam rubber, wrapped in fabric and stapled on the other side ( this will raise it to the required height or higher for a pillow). They can be removed like headrests and require less storage space.
The space below the extenders can be filled with camping equiptment, tools, laundry etc.
We plan to use a camping mat as space is i big concern.
The V6 is ideal for cooking Foil wrapped corn on the cob----1/2 hour @ 60 mph.
Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

bunkie93

My wife and I went to drive a Tribute this past weekend to just to see if we liked it and if we did I figured I'd have to order one and wait a long time as I read so many had.

As we drove on the lot, they were just pulling the EXACT one out that we wanted as we pulled up. (Talk about perfect timing.) It was the exact one I had built on-line earlier in the week--color and everything (minus 4WD). Since it was the one we wanted we decided since we live in Texas we could forgo the 4WD. (My wife and I are both from the north and thought we needed it but found it is next to impossible to get down here in Dallas-Fort Worth.)

While we were doing paper work, the saleswoman had to put a sold sign on the vehicle and shoo shoppers and other sales people away.

Love our loaded White Tribute ES. It is beautiful.

Rick

drew_

You will need Windows Media Player to view the video clips.

"ABS releases the pressure momentarily and allows the wheel to rotate once again before re-applying the pressure to start the cycle over again."

I have to disagree with the above. The braking-force coefficient and braking effectiveness are highest with the tire at the optimal brake slip. The controller modulates the brake pressure to keep the wheel in the optimal zone. A locked wheel's coefficient is about 10% lower than optimum, depending on the surface. Even more important is the lateral, or sideways, force coefficient, since it decreases to only about 10% of its full value when the wheel locks.

"Some studies have also shown that a locked wheel produces a ramp of built up snow or gravel in front of the tire which further reduces speed."

I definitely agree with the part about the gravel. However, not the snow. My SUV has a special ABS algorithm that allows the front wheels to activate cyclically on loose surfaces. The owner's manual cautions against using it on snow, but I wanted to try it anyway (in a large and empty snow covered parking lot). The end result was that I slid about twice as far in the 5" of snow with locked front wheels, vs. with ABS modulating.

" Except.... when there is no place to turn in a panic stop. In that case then I would prefer just to lock up the tires and shave off as much speed as possible before the inevitable crash."

As mentioned above, a locked wheel's co-efficient is actually less than a wheel on the verge of locking (optimum brake slip). If you lock the wheels, your stopping distances could actually be longer (especially on wet surfaces). A large part also depends on they type of ABS that the vehicle is fitted with. The 4 sensor/4 channel ABS with Brake Assist (applies full brake boost far faster and firmer than a human) is, of course, the most sophisiticated. But, we take what we can get.

"I had rear ABS only on my last van ( with a single sensor in the differential), and panic stops in the rain were very scary. The rear wheels would lock momentarily and then the pressure would be released and the front wheels where left to do all the braking."

FYI, if you don't already know, rear ABS is a mechanical system. No computer controls as with 4 wheel ABS. This is why you felt what you did.

Hope you get to see the video clips! The part with the skidding is most amusing. That alone would be enough incentive for most people.


Drew
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bshap

An article posted in the Yahoo! Mazda Tribute Owners Club tells of a way to lower the noise in your car. Anyone interested about the sounds of the Tribute MUST read this article. It is written by TragedyOfTheCommons. Truly spectacular.

http://www.xmission.com/~gargoyle/noise/noise.html

e2e

We've had our Tribute a little over a week now -- not a long time, but long enough to begin forming some pretty good impressions. As far as the cabin noise, I'm kind of wondering what the complaints are about. Is it the quietest vehicle on the road? No, but I've had mine up to 80 (still breaking it in, after all) and didn't find the noise level at all objectionable. A little wind noise around the front pillars, and a little tire/road noise working its way into the cabin, but I've experienced that on a lot of other cars, also -- I guess it depends on what you're used to driving. It's as quiet or quieter than the Montana minivan we've been driving, and tons quieter than my Mustang.

As far as the seats go, CR tested an LX with the manual driver's seat. Mine is an ES with the 6-way power seat, and the drivers in our family have no problem getting that into comfortable positions. I seem to remember reading another review that strongly suggested getting the power seat. The LX has a seat height adjustment (I think it's manual, but I'm not sure), which might help somewhat over the straight fore/aft adjustment in the DX, but I also need to use the power tilt adjustment on the lower cushion to get mine just the way I want it.

Overall, we have been extremely impressed with our Tribute. Granted, it's still new, but the build quality, handling, acceleration, occupant space, etc., are outstanding. After looking at a number of other makes priced anywhere from the low to upper thirties, I think that with its features, the Tribute is a bargain for the price, even at MSRP. A lot of other people must, also, which is probably one reason they're so hard to get at the moment.

tinoman1

I ordered my Tribute ES 4x4 in jewel green today including lux pkg (which includes prem. audio), ABS and some other accessories. This was at Middletown (NY) Mazda. The dealer told me he would get it for me within 60 days. He put my order into the computer while I was in the showroom, so I assume it was accepted by Mazda. I was also asked for $500 deposit. My sales agreement has the word "LOCATOR" on it so I assume my order (color, options etc.) is put into the computer and added to a waiting list. This probably works something like calling Dell computers tech support and you hear "Your call is very important to us....stay on the line for the next available......". so I guess I wait my turn behind others that are ahead of me for jewel green ES's with the same configuration. Since I have until July to get a new vehicle, I dont mind waiting.
The dealer said nothing about Not coming through with the ABS package so I will assume It will until told othewise, but from what I read in other messages, not having ABS is no real problem.
As far as price, I too paid close to sticker (only about $300 less) but I priced the car at carsdirect.com and they wanted almost $500 over sticker so I'll take it. Also considering the other suv's I looked at would have been 3-4 thousand more, the tribute is a bargain.

I also considered: Nissan Pathfinder LE, Toyota Highlander, and Subaru outback LL Bean.

has anyone purchased a tribute in jewel green? the color on the internet looks lighter than the swatch the dealer showed me. Is it a real dark green? or lighter one?

thanks

edloh

Apparently I am not the only one that has noticed the noisy side mirrors and road noise. Test drove a 4WD ES model and it seems rather uncomfortable at 80mph. I love the tribute and this is the only complain i have on the Tribute. I am waiting due to the ABS shortage, also considering rhe Highlander (quieter for sure). The interesting part is that i called Mazda and see what they have to say about the noise. This customer service rep said that they have not any complain about the noise. This can't be true? She also asked me if i had driven a few of them, maybe a specific vehicle related issue? like to hear more about the noise issue. maybe with enought concern, Mazda/Ford will do something about it.

eagle30

Hello everyone, like I said in one of my early posting I am serious about the Tribute. Willing to wait for delivery etc. Here are the jitters 1) the last car I brought was 1983, 2)How much saving should I expect with the (Ford/Mazda I Plan) search the net today, but nothing really telling me about my saving if I use the (I Plan) 3)I will have to go out of town to find a dealership willing to honor the (I Plan) if there are problems (hope to God not) will the local Mazda dealerships be obligated to service the vehicle if there are issues? 4) Is 7.9% the best I can do for financing? Seem high for someone with good credit. I am soooooo! nervous, done all my communication via net, my belly fills up with butterflies when I think about spending that kind of money on a vehicle. I really like this look, I just pray that it will go for 150,000 miles. OD enough of the rattling just trying to strength before I actually go and negotiate. Thanks

carneophite

Dear Drew and Rick,

Thank you for the feedback on the ABS performance. I am concerned that you cannot get ABS on any models of the 2001 Tribute anymore. I want the ABS option, but cannot get it! Is this only in Canada, eh?

eagle30

The plan is the (I PLAN) not (I PLAN) sorry just a typing error. Next time I guess I will use spell check.

eagle30

I do not know why it keep coming up as (I Plan) I hope you understand what I mean. Thanks

drew_

Try phoning Mazda Canada HQ, or other Mazda dealerships around the area. Obviously if they say that this is not true (which I suspect it is), then your dealer is well...not telling you the truth.


Drew
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e2e

1) Does anyone know if Mazda makes a front license plate bracket for the Tribute? My dealer pointed out two small marks molded into the front bumper and said that the license plate is supposed to be screwed directly to the bumper at those points. I know that more and more cars are going this route, but before I start drilling, I'd like some confirmation from another owner.

2) Does anyone know if the Mazda perimeter alarm can be added by the dealer? I'm hoping that the basic wiring harness is already in place from the factory, and that this can easily be added or plugged in, rather than going the custom route on an alarm system.

3) Has anyone purchased the front end mask for their Tribute? I like to use these when I go out on the road, but I've had bad experiences with a few cheaper brands of masks scratching the paint. Colgan masks have worked well -- they have a soft fleece backing and edge bindings made out of the same material -- if the Mazda masks are similar in construction, I might go for one of those.

Thanks.

maltb

1) The license plate screws directly to the bumper. No Bracket is required. I believe it attaches with a standard 6mm bolt.
2)The perimeter alarm is available at the dealer(p/n 0000-8F-G01). Not sure about the direct plug in, check with your dealer.
3) The Mazda bra(p/n 0000-8G-G01) is not made by Colgan, but all the ones I have seen have a soft backing.

smehder

What is the latest on the sunroof delay? My dealer tells me I have a VIN number. Is there anyway to check on status with Mazda with the VIN? I have had this on order since October.

maltb

What's the VIN?

vocus

I went to the Mazda dealer in Laurel, Md. (Route 1, Darcars) and they had a 4WD Tribute ES on the floor with the Luxury Pkg., sunroof, and ABS/SAB package too. The MSRP was like $25,500 or something. I sat in it and it was pretty comfortable too. But then I read Consumer Reports and it said the LX seats (cloth ones) are uncomfortable a bit (they are in my current Protege too) and I was wondering how you LX owners like the seats. They also said fuel economy was low at 17 mpg average. How about everyone's fuel economy who owns one? Thanks.

carneophite

Drew,

Seriously? I know that the concept of a Dealer ... well, misrepresenting himself is not a foreign concept ... but I have effectively agreed to pay MSRP (with a few dealer-added toys). He has ordered the Tribute from Mazda, with a 3 month delivery horizon and should have no real motivation to "special order" an ES without ABS. He claims he recieved a letter from Mazda Canada in late January ...

Nevertheless, I will take your advice and call Mazda directly. Thank you. As an aside, does $650 Cdn seem like a reasonable reduction for no ABS system?

Cheers!
CarNeophite

jordan29

after reading messages here on this board and reading Car and driver + CR, finally decided to buy a tribute. wind/road noise and all will probably be quiter than my trusty 88 corolla and with the ziebart undercoating alternative, that gives me another option.

being undecided made me lost the 4x4 with ABS version, so i'm getting the 4x2 with ABS. it doesn't snow that much here in Long Island NY so i think i could live without the extra 200 lbs $1200 4x4 option.

having ABS i believe is better than having a 4x4. of course having both is best.

i'll keep you guys posted on my findings of the tribute.

bironb

I have the opportunity of purchasing a Tribute AWD ES-V6, but I am still leery. Of concern to me is the fuel smell problem that so many are reporting. What I don't understand is why some are reporting having the smell and others not. Shouldn't everybody that owns a Tribute/Escape have the same fuel smell problem seeing as the manufactured engines all use the same manifold and gaskets?

Purchasing a Tribute at the moment seems to be a hit or miss affair and I am not much of a gambler.

jordan29

got my loan from peoplefirst.com. very easy application and at 7.69% 48 mo (or 7.35 for 36 mo).

this is the best rate i've found so far and application was very easy. i just hope their service is as good too.

as far as the reported problems with the tribute, they've been fixed, but as anything that is mass produced, there will be individual issues. just hope they will be minor. heck, even the LX400 when first introduced had a recall! center brake light melting the plastic!

jordan29

hi. can anyone recommend a good bug deflector for the tribute besides mazda's ?

also, does the bug deflector add more wind noise or change the aerodynamics/handling in any way?

thanks.

john1726

The reason the word LOCATOR is on your order is because they are going to try and locate the tribute from another dealer since they have no chance of getting the order filled any time soon. We were told by Mazda that if we did not remove the luxury package and ABS from our current orders, they would not be picked up until late summer at the earliest.

e2e

Congratulations on your decision. I think you'll be happy. My son and I just returned from the Chicago Auto Show, and after seeing the alternatives again, I'm even more convinced we made the right decision. Now, if I could only pry my wife out of the Tribute so that I can take a turn driving it.....

I'd go slow on the Ziebart soundproofing -- drive the vehicle awhile before you decide. If you read the conclusions in that article, the sound reductions were really minimal, and the author sounded like he was trying to rationalize the $230 he just spent by indicating that the car was now more solid, and had better road feel. If that makes him feel better, great, but I don't think you can spray those qualities on -- they have to be built in. According to the data in the Car & Driver article, the Tribute was generally within 1 or 2 dBA of the other vehicles anyway, even at 70 mph -- which is insignificant. Ziebart is just trying to come up with another marketing angle now that modern cars no longer require their rustproofing product. For what it's worth, Consumer Reports recommends against sealants.

As far as the bug deflector, I'd go with the Mazda product if you really want one. My guess is it will be a better installation and fit. Personally, I don't like them -- the one I tried (on a previous car) vibrated at high speeds and disturbed the airflow over the hood, affecting the spray pattern from the windshield washers and causing the wipers to lift from the glass.

iam3

Hi. My parents got a new Tribute (with the V6) about a month ago and we all love the car! However, my dad and I have both noticed the gas mileage seems to be very bad (about 16 MPG). It has about 2100 miles on it, so the engine should have had time to "loosen up" so to speak. The EPA estimate is, if I remember right, 18 MPG for city and something like 21 for highway, and since we've been driving both in the city and on the freeway this seems quite poor.

I've been driving it fairly hard (much to my parents' dismay) so I was thinking maybe this had something to do with the bad mileage. I'm definitely not racing or revving it up very much, just driving relatively agressively -- and mostly legally. Hopefully you all know what I mean

Any ideas? Is 16 MPG normal? Will it get better by itself? Would driving like Gramps help any?

Thanks in advance

bshap

first off, snow tires takes off alot of mpg. also, car gearing ratios are designed so that going the speed limit drastically increases mileage. so yes, driving like gramps would help. also, the cruise control keeps the engine at the lowest rpm when not going up hills. I repeat, do not use cruise control going up hills. I get 16 mpg in city driving when I go 0-5 miles above the speed limit. when I drive like a maniac (every other tank, as part of my mileage testing) I get around 14 mpg with no highway driving at all.

lsutyger

I strongly recommend going with the Mazda bug deflector vs. aftermarket brands. I have had mine for over 3 months; no problems, no increased wind noise and no rattling. Available in either clear or smoke.

Nice firm fit, easy to install , no drilling required.

204meca

I am considering swapping my OE Wilderness HTs for Bridgestone Dualer LT. According to the Tire Rack site, these handle better in all regards & are quieter & smoother. Have any of you upgraded to an aftermarket tire? Was it a good move?

esmeraldo

We just bought our Tribute (LX V6) about 3 weeks ago (Ont. Canada) and we're trying to get a spare of keys. We brought it to the dealer twice, they made a copy of the key but it couldn't turn the engine on. I read the manual it says there that I can program my own key. I don't understand why the dealer couldn't make it. Does anyone has the same problem like mine? Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot.

Esmeraldo

garnet13

Purchased our Tribute three weeks ago--ES 2WD. Live in South Jersey and had one snow storm and this handled great! Mileage is about 20 miles at this point. The driver's seat is very comfortable--wish I could move it in to my desk at work. Noticed some wind noise but this is my first SUV experience so I thought this was normal. We usually "share" cars at our home but I'm not sharing this one--I am just loving it.
Our car buying experience was a good one--we have used the same Mazda dealership for previous purchases and my 92 Protege is still going strong and being passed to our son. We got about $900 down from MSRP--there were about 40 available but mostly DX models. Many of the LX and ES models coming in are already spoken for but I had to have a Sunburst Red LX or ES. When I went to pick up our tags, pulled in behind another Tribute doing the same and we had to tell people these had already been sold. I've always just considered a car transportation until now--love my Tribute!

e2e

The Tribute has the Ford security system which features a microchip embedded in the head of the key. The chip communicates with the computer in the car, and if the computer doesn't recognize the code on the key, it won't allow the car to start. I assume you received a OEM key from the dealer which has this chip -- plain aftermarket keys won't work. If you have the OEM key, the instructions for programming the new key, so that it will be recognized, are in the owner's manual.

mervis

Be careful! I bought two blank keys from my Mazda dealer. They told me I had to take them to a locksmith to be cut as it is a hard metal that would ruin their machine. Went to the locksmith, he denied it was a "hard" metal, cut the keys and tested them in the door. Worked fine. When I got home, I programmed the first key very carefully following the steps in the manual. After programming, pulled the key out, put it back in. Engine started. Programmed the second key, exactly as the first. When I went to start the engine, the dashboard lights lit, but the engine would not start. Tried all three of the other keys, two original that came with the vehicle and the one I just programmed. The engine would not start. Called the dealer and he confirmed the engine will not start, it would have to be towed to the dealer to reprogram the engine and all four keys. Mazda's Roadside Assistance program paid for the tow on a flatbed truck. But now I was stuck with a dealer bill of $210, for two hours worth of work, in addition to $31.00 for each blank key and a few dollars to cut the key. These two spare keys were the most expensive keys I have ever purchased in my life! I have no clue what went wrong programming the second key, but it killed the engine. I was very careful to follow the steps in the manual. The dealer even admitted they don't like the system as some salespeople in a rush to show the car, grab the wrong keys and killed the engine on the lot. The service dept has quickly learned the programming techniques. When asked if they could permanently disconnect this wonderful system, the answer is no, it cannot be done! If I ever had this to do over again, I would drive to the dealer's lot, park the car at the service center and try programming the key(s) myself. If it works, great, you have not lost anything. If the engines dies, at least you have saved yourself the hassle of a tow. Good Luck!

loach

Are there any Mazda dealers or Mazda employees on this board who can confirm or deny the information going around about ABS not being produced on the Tribute for the forseeable future? It's unbelievable to me that 6 months after introducing this vehicle, Mazda can't seem to get any cars to market with the options people want. Meanwhile stripped down DX's seem to be stacking up like cordwood at the local dealers.

bironb

Yes it is! I spoke to a salesperson and he told me there will be no more ABS equipped Tributes for the remainder of the 2001 model year in Canada. Apparently Mazda underestimated the demand for ABS equipped Tribute's and did not order enough from their supplier.

Personally I have given up on the Tribute, the problems reported (especially the transmission failures, engine stalling, fuel smell) on the Yahoo Tribute/Escape Owners Club and Edmunds Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape forums are beyond the norm for first year vehicles. I was going to purchase one last September but decided to wait and see what problems would crop up, sure glad I refrained myself.

Good luck on your decision.

ruteger

The Tribute/Escape sure seem to be having much more than their share of teething problems and I don't think anyone could be faulted for looking elsewhere. The trouble is that even with the problems that the Triscape has been having with recalls and parts' shortages, it's still the best deal going today and there are a whole bunch of consumers willing to take a chance on them, even with the bad reputation they've already managed to garner.

Still, I'd find it hard to demean anyone who decided on a RAV4, Forester or Santa Fe instead of a Tribute or Escape.

I might find fault with someone who chose an Xterra, CRV, Cherokee, Sportage, Grand Vitara or Tracker instead of an Escape or Tribute, though. In those cases, it would seem to be better to take a chance on the Trib than have to suffer through life with one of those.

ruteger

While programing a new spare key can be done using the instructions in the owners manual without technical assistance after the new key is cut by a locksmith (I've done it and it's quite easy), the suggestion about driving to a dealership and performing the task in the parking lot of a dealership's service area is a wise precaution to take.

You may feel rather dumb after driving to the dealership to program the new key because it's so simple, but I'd much rather be safe than sorry, particularly given the headaches you would have to endure should something go wrong and you lock up your vehicle's security system (which, apparently, is quite possible).