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Comments
-Brian
Goto www.mazdausa.com > Talk to Us > FAQ >
Does Mazda recommend the use of Synthetic Oil?
Mobil-1 has their own statement at http://www.mobil1.com/why/myths.jsp indicating it's fine (except for the Mazda rotary engines) and won't void your warranty since it "meets the oil requirements of all automobile manufacturers."
-Brian
Thanks,
Sara
It is my belief that they are just trying to get more money out of me by guilting me into unnecessary services. After all, if the oil needed to be changed every 3000 miles, wouldn't Mazda recommend that in the manual?
I plan to do as the manual recommends and blow off the dealer.
What do ya'll think?
Car nuts, like our editor, Karl Brauer, think differently (Oils Well That Ends Well). Actually I just think he likes to tinker with his cars.
Follow the money?
Steve, Host
We are not talking alot of money, $50-100 per year extra maybe??? even less if you do it yourself. Seems like a cheap investment to me.
John
Mobil-1 doesn't make a 5w-20, so 5w-30 it is for me as well.
-Brian
Ever since last fall, I've been looking for a minivan. I test drove the Sienna-too large and drove like a marshmallow; the Quest-drove the best but way too big for my driving needs; the Dodge-drove ok but a little too big for my needs and afraid of the transmission problems and finally drove the MPV.
Except for the Sienna, I drove all of them at dealers this early spring and still could not determine which van was to my liking.
This past week my family took a vacation and rented a car through Hertz. When we arrived in the airport they gave us the wrong car and while my husband was sorting it out with Hertz, I saw some MPV's in the lot and convinced my husband to rent one.
We drove the 2004 lx a week in Tampa Florida and boy was it an education on what van NOT TO BUY. First of all the shoulder harness in the passenger seat sliced my neck. I'm only 5 foot but the way the harness was designed it made it extremely uncomfortable to sit in the seat. The shifter lever was too long that was hard to operate the radio switch.
The car rode like the Chevy Astro van, which had a stiff ride and it didn't handle well on I-4 from Tampa to Disneyworld. The ride was bumpy and stiff.
When I arrived back home on Saturday and drove my Subaru OUtback from the airport home, the driving smoothness was like night and day compared to the MPV.
One more thing, one buys a minivan because of the need to handle children in the rear seat. I found it my hard to get up and move to the rear from the front seat and I'm 5 foot and weight 130lbs.
I would recommend anyone who isn't sure about a car to rent it for a week and I'll guarantee you will know the answer.
btw, many shoulder harness seat belts are adjustable by several inches so you can roll the upper belt over your shoulder. That helps prevent the Van Gogh syndrome where the belt tries to cut your ear off.
Maybe a MPV owner can confirm that they are height adjustable on the pillar?
Steve, Host
when i drove, i was the passenger i had no seat height adjustment knob only a bar to move seat forward or backward.
RBB
My wife is 4'11.5" tall and I wonder why she didn't complain re seat belt problem on passenger side.
Tj
If the price was right I would buy another set of Dunlops....
Liven up your evening and join your fellow enthusiasts every Tuesday from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for our Mazda Mania Chat!
The chat room opens 15 minutes before the scheduled chat time, so come early and get a good seat! Hope to see YOU there on Tuesday!
Mazda Mania Chat Room
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
Here's the kicker: the alternator was just replaced, right before we got the car.
Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated!
John
at www.wheels4hope.org
Steve, Host
Starts in ~2 hours - link is on the left.
Steve, Host
On a sidenote, hopefully Goerge W. will release our oil reserves to give us consumers some relief at the pumps for the summer.
It is actually a dream come true if the reserves will be touched. Sitting on a pile of oil company stocks and singing the oil songs, retiring nicely after November big day.
http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html
6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!
kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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Share your vehicle reviews
Mazda made me happy when they dropped the
3.0 liter engine in for 2003. Is their any
chance that we could see a split folding
third row bench in 2005? What do you say
Mazda? Please!!!
epond
A split fold 3rd bench would be ideal, perhaps it would be easy enough to implement for the next MY. But, the '05 should be the last of the 'current' model, '06 should be new.
You should go to MazdaUSA.com and contact Mazda via email, as they likely do not monitor this forum.
-Brian
Steve, Host
I think buying a motorcycle is a great idea. I commute to my work, 25 miles one way, for 4th consecutive year. I ride year round, South Texas, and put on my bike about 1100 miles a month. My bike is 2001 Kawasaki ZR-7S 750cc 'naked' bike. It's a great commuter bike, top speed is 130, accelerates to 60 in just over 4 seconds. The engine is older technology air/oil cooled 2v per cylinder unit. You can get one of these used in good condition for about $3,000. Driving minivan to work by myself seem like a waste to me, but then I grew up in Europe, when cost of owning vehicle is so much higher. Commuting on the bike will also allow me to extend warranty coverage on MPV -lower mileage
Tom
Steve, Host
Mazda Mania
Liven up your evening and join your fellow enthusiasts every Tuesday from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for our Mazda Mania Chat!
The chat room opens 15 minutes before the scheduled chat time, so come early and get a good seat! Hope to see YOU there on Tuesday!
Mazda Mania Chat Room
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
The gas fume recirculation system generally is the cause of the steady light. I was told by the service manager that when the engine is shut off the computer checks the system. So you should wait 2-3 minutes before you open the gas cap. The manager had the computer updated so as to "desensitize" the check routine. Seem to have worked.. No problem so far....
Tj
"Refuel after 7 p.m. Ozone is formed when it is hot and sunny. Refueling when the sun is lower in the sky and the temperature has decreased will cause less evaporation of vapors from the fuel going into your tank, and the vapors that do get into the air will not be transformed into ozone."
(Idaho Statesman - reg. req'd)
So maybe refueling in the cool of the day would generate fewer fumes for the system to deal with.
Thanks for the desensitize update.
Steve, Host
Steve, Host
Does anybody have any opinions on a more visible color? I live in W PA where the sun only shines completely approx 50 days a year.
Also how durable is the light beige cloth seats? I currently have a darker beige in my Subaru and after five years it has taken a beating.
Thanks for any input. I've noticed the Mazda lots are slowly emptying of 2004 MPVs and the only colors left in greater numbers are Nordic Green, Black, White Pearl and silver.
I haven't heard what the stock 4 speaker sounds like but I know it's far from perfect. it's ok. $9,500 seems reasonble for the asking price.