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Comments
Regarding the cargo mat. I was going to purchase one for $99, but went to PepBoys and bought one for $20. I have it slid under the third row seats when the third row is up. Okay, it's not custom fit, but it's a rugged rubber unit with fairly high sides that can catch and hold a bunch of junk that may spill back there when I carry stuff. This might do the trick for you, I dunno.
Also, does anyone know if there is an additional evaporator in the rear when you have rear a/c? I thought there was, but I saw a post to the contrary before. I thougth it was located in the right side quarter panel.
Cheers!
--Java
http://catalog.com/susq/hella/fog.htm#MicroDE
I don't have one, but am considering it. Anybody have a WeatherTech cargo liner?
http://www.weathertech.com/Cargoliners.htm
Doesn't happen with any of the browsers I own (Internet destroyer, and Netscape). I just get the order form.
Cheers,
TB
My sales manager told me that the 4 seasons wasn't available. Then I got on the phone and found a bunch. Then after he was 'forced' to call around, he tried to get me to purchase one of the more loaded models.
My mechanic said it was a no brainer, get the package. Bigger radiator, more cooling to the engine (remember it's underpowered) and transmission, and heavy duty rear defogger, all for less than $400. Come on, get real. If you're going to be keeping the car for more than 100K miles, you will need it. Especually in the South.
We didn't purchase the Mazda entertainment system, but we want to buy an aftermarket VCR to use for long trips. Has anyone purchased one that they are happy with? Is there one that fits as a console unit, or do you have to buy the one that hangs from the front headrests?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Not sure if Steel Horse has one like that or not. Steel Horse does make the backpack (hangs from seats) and console units. I think their website is http://www.steelhorse.com . They have a number of configurations available. I think the cheapest system is about $400.
Some claim that roof mounted systems help avoid car sickness. How true this is, I don't know. A couple of friends of ours have seen our system and both liked it. One bought the steel horse backpack thing, the other is having a Rosen system installed in their suburban. The friend with the steel horse system loves it, if that helps.
Basically, you can buy whatever you want, because all the various configurations are available aftermarket. How much you want to spend on it will more or less determine which you will get. I think the backpack idea is rather cool, since you can easily move it from vehicle to vehicle.
Regardless of which system you end up with, your kids will LOVE it. You'll also enjoy the silence.
(ie, no more "are we there yet?" every 5 miles) I have 4 kids, so I really enjoy the silence. Good luck with whatever you decide to get.
http://www.steelhorseautomotive.com/
Cheers
I paid:
Base Price $20,210
Fog Lamps 215
Mud Guards 56
Rear Step Plate 43
Roof Rack 172
Rear Air (nice) 512
3 in 1 Audio 129
4 Seasons Pkg 344
Security Pkg 946
Transportation 480
Advertising Fee 129
Storage 65
Subtotal 23,301
Less Dealer Cash -1,000
Dealer Profit 200
My Cost 22,501
Plus Zero Down and 0% Financing for 24 mo.
That doesn't count sales tax 6.25% in Illinois document fees or license. I let them get away with that advertising fee and storage what ever that was for. I did see an invoice with those charges. At least he told me that the .09% financing that I expected was now as of July 1 zero down and 0% financing so I let him slide on advertising/storage. I don't seem to have a tilt or any shaking at 65-70 MPH or any wind noise. I hope my luck continues. Seems like I got a fair deal, but let me know if I was taken.
the dealership wouldn't agree to that. But we went in and drove, without any pulling to the side, or problems with the engine. And the numbers were all as I had priced them. No advertising or bogus fees either. Our financing is through our credit union so no extra confusion there. I have never gotten such a good deal with so little effort. If you live in the Seattle area, be sure to try Milam Mazda in Puyallup.
thanks.
We purchased ours via internet (Mazda.com). This site will send out the vehicle you are looking for to several area dealers and the dealers will intern respond with their best offer. I ended up going to Jim Ellis Mazda (Marietta GA) and dealt with Jeff Boeser, internet consultant. He e-mailed me that they would sell the vehicle I wanted for invoice price (plus $199 documentation fee) and that Mazda was offering a $1000 factory rebate that would also be deducted. So we got the vehicle for essentially $1000 under envoice. And dealing with Jeff was the easiest purchase I have ever made - bar none. We got an ES with rear entertainment sys (with tuner), 3in1 radio, cargo mat, cargo net, and roof rack for the same price as an entry level Honda($26,565 including tag, tax, title - 6% tax).
Every quote I received was invoice price or a little under invoice but included a waiver of the destination charge. But only one offered some of the 1000 from Mazda.
There are lots of ways to configure a deal and the 480 destination charge and any advertising fees or other charges certainly affect the bottom line.
I only bring this up so that potential buyers realize these charges are very negotiable, something I didn't realize dealers would ever negotiate.
It appears there is no reason anyone should pay more than invoice price for an MPV right now, or have to pay destination charge. The other minor fees such as advertising also seem to be negotiable. If you can also get some of the 1000 Mazda incentive and low financing, go for it.
The buying service he's talking about at mazdausa.com, is not a buying service per se. Go to the site, and "Build your Own". Once you have the vehicle the way you want it, you will have the option to send the info to 5 or 6 dealers who will then contact you with a quote. I used this service myself. It works out pretty well. A few days later (a week I think) Mazda asked me to rate each dealer as to who sent quotes, who contacted me, etc. from the dealers they listed. Seems like they are trying to really get it up and running.
Hey Tboner, you know this stuff pretty well, what say you?
A large cooling system should not put more load on an engine. The water pump can only pump a given volume of coolant per unit time (gallons/minute) Installing a larger radiator would not change this, it would simply allow the coolant to remain in the radiator longer, which should lower the coolant temperature more than if the same coolant passed through a smaller radiator.
You friend with the Explorer story is probably pulling a number out of his rectal cavity, but there is some grain of truth. Remember, an Explorer is a RWD vehicle and may have a crankshaft belt driven fan. Depending on your age, you may remember when almost every car was RWD and you actually had belt driven fans. These fans sucked horsepower because they were always turning and moving air. Someone finally invented a heat sensitive clutch that the fan would "fully engage" if the temperature of the radiator rose to some level. Otherwise, the fan spun lazily, not robbing the engine of power.
Ok, enough history, today probably all FWD cars have electric fans that are electronically controlled. They, like the upgraded mechanical ones, only turn on when they are needed. However, they do not use engine horsepower directly, rather they use electricity, produced from the alternator. But remember you car should always be producing electricity with a properly functioning alternator. While the alternator does experience more load, it is not anything near the load placed on the engine by a mechanical fan.
If you place a great electrical load on the car, you can feel it slow down, but usually only at idle. Once the vehicle is moving two things occur. First, the alternator is turning faster, more easily generating electricty. Second, the vehicle is moving and there is natural air flow across the radiator, so the fan is no longer needed.
So, no your cooling fan wont use 15% of your vehicles horsepower. Heck, if just a larger fan used 15% more horsepower, how many horsepower does the standard fan use? 15% of 170HP is about 25HP. That is 33,000 ft/lbs of work in 60 seconds times 25. I don't think so.
Cheers,
TB
Any ideas.... Thanks!
Take care.
However, those are for the really big dents.
Cheers,
TB
Note: If you've never been around dry ice, you do not want to touch it with your hands - use gloves. Don't lick it or eat it either. (I apologize if you knew this - some don't)
Someone posted that they
are going into production in August, and will
show up at the dealership in September but no
confirmations on the possibility of the 3.0L V6
coming. I also heard the 3.0L V6 engines are not going in and are being utilized for the Mazda Tributes. I'm deciding between the MPV and the
new Mazda Tribute that will get me more power and better acceleration. There has been ALOT of praising articles on the Mazda Tribute/Ford Escape and I will be waiting to drive the Tribute to see how it compares to the MPV which I've driven twice now.
Anyone done any more digging to find out if the 3.0L engine will show up in the 2001 MPV ? Checked all
the car magazine web sites, and found no articles.
It looks like both the Mazda MPV and Tribute will
be real close in price as well if some incentives
kick in during the fall. If the wife finds the
Tribute functional and roomy with my 4 and 2 year old, we may go for the Tribute.
I will give up some storage space, but will
get 4WD also. I still like the MPV but need more
power.
Hope this helps,
STeve
http://www.edmunds.com/whatsnew2001/index.html
On a sadder note, I'm disappointed a bigger engine will not debut on the otherwise stunning MPV. We believe that the current drivetrain will produce premature transmission problems two or three years down the line, something we have already experienced in an underpowered car. I will keep monitoring the MPV threads here to see what happens, especially the MPV Problems topic.
For now, we're leery about the drivetrain and the uncertainty of Mazda's corporate and dealership changes now that Ford is in charge. This is enough for us to say that Mazda has lost a sale.
Which begs the question: if a transmission has to shift a lot and work harder to use the engine's power to move the car, isn't there generally a greater chance of early transmission problems due to "overuse" (for lack of a better word) than if that wasn't the case? My mechanic told me that generally a weak engine will create more wear on the transmission than on the engine itself because the transmission has to work harder to find the engine's power to move the car. And we have to consider that given the Expo's engine and record.
Your response seems to suggest that because the Ody is not underpowered that it shouldn't be suffering through all its engine and tranny problems. I would generally agree with that. Could it be that these problems could be caused by another reason, such as Honda's use of inferior or defective engines and transmissions in its products? I would think and hope not, but I stay open to the possibility.
I owned a Honda Accord whose camshaft broke at 19,000 miles. Thankfully it too was under warranty, but I was without a car for 12 days, and thankfully it happened in a parking lot going 2 miles an hour in reverse. If I'd been on the freeway, I probably would not be having this conversation with you. Needless to say, everyone's surprised at my Honda story because they are generally looked at as being highly reliable vehicles, and they are stunned when I tell them that. Even Hondas are not exempt from problems, and I never felt the Accord was underpowered. I feel, but certainly can't prove, that the engine or its camshaft was defective.
When it comes right down to it, buying a car is a crapshoot. You play the numbers, go with the generalities and reputations, and take your chances. Many people win, some lose. Sounds like you've won and you're happy with your purchase. Had it not been for previous experience, I too would've purchased the MPV a while ago. But the Expo hasn't died yet (knock on wood) and I'm not desperate to buy. I personally think the fretting and worry is worth it, because I don't feel I can make a $25K mistake. Then again, that's just me!
Price for rear bumper plate in ny-- $40. Anyone do better?
I just got a call from Mazda USA doing a follow-up questionnaire and discussed these issues with the interviewer. She lead me to believe that I would be contacted by Mazda to discuss my concerns.
We'll see. Other than these two things it has been a great vehicle.