It's easy to check for "super stereo", just look for extra tweeters on the dashboard top in the corner near the window. I have a 5-year old 2000 (late June 99 purchase) LX with the optional 9 speaker killer sound (single CD only though) ... it is a very very good stock system indeedy. In 2000 it was standard issue on all ES trims, seems odd that would change.
Wow, I sure hope you guys are right! I haven't actually seen the van in person yet. It's an Ebay vehicle and I'm going to pick it up next week. Hopefully, it will be as it was described. If so, I'll have a great van for a great price. If not, well.....live and learn. Thanks for the info and wish me luck!
My van has about 35K miles on and I got that pesky check engine light. They did some sort of modification with the sensor programing (I think) but then it came on a second time and they changed my PCV hose. Otherwise the van is running great.
My one complaint of course are the standard tires. Has anyone changed tires recently? I would like to keep the standard 17in wheels though. Any suggestions.
Oops. My bad. I just did a search on the MPV discussion and I noticed that my query back in March was answered by Subareau and others. Thanks you guys. Serves me right for being a little lazy. Anyway I'll let you all know how the tires go. I might be going to COSTCO for my replacement tires though.
I think our '02 MPV ES is experiencing the PCV dilemma, getting an occasional lumpy idle, no CEL and normal acceleration is strong. Hear a air vacuum noise at idle from underneath/behind the engine. Goes in Wednesday for the repair.
Hello all. Just purchased Mazda MPV LX(in Cosmic Sand) with the Sport pkg, the airbag pkg, and the LX Plus pkg(floormats, foglights etc).We Really love the looks of the van and the way it handles(after coming close to buying the Sienna)The interior fit and finish and workmanship are second to none in my opinion.We noticed a whistling sound while test driving. Really not that bad...a tad annoying. Called dealership the next day they said that maybe the manufacturer put in the roof rack the wrong way. Said they had gotten a couple like this.Has anyone had any similar problems with a whistleing noise upon getting up to around 45mph? Or, is this normal?Mazda dealership was a plessure to deal with said to bring it in.Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
It is possible that the roof rack bars could be on backwards. A second 'fix' is to check where your bar is located on the rack. The front crossbar is adjustable, and the closer it is to the front/windshield area, the noisier it will be. I have my bar pushed as far back as possible when I'm not using it and I don't have any whistling to speak of.
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That PCV is a real pain. After awhile it the van sounds like a hair dryer. Let me know if the fix takes. I haven't heard a thing after my repair. I'm still looking at tires...sigh.
dropped our ES off tonight. While the service writer was getting the VIN and attempting to listen to the air noise, a tech walked by and said "definitely PCV hose". I'll pick up the van tomorrow afternoon.
got a loaner - they use Enterprise. I'm driving a Dakota SLT 4x4 quad cab.
Hello group, long time since I last posted. I have a 2000 MPV LX with 95,675 miles on it. So far totally trouble free. The only thing I have done is the normal oil/filter, air filter, tranny oil/filter, radiator flush, tires and front brake pad replacement. All done by me! As we zoom zoom up to the 100,000 mile mark, I figure it is time for new plugs. Has anyone does there own plugs yet? How difficult is it? Looks like a lot more than just pulling the wires and ratcheting the plugs out. For those who pay for this, what is the going rate? Also, should I replace the wires or are they good for another 100,000 miles? Looking for recommendation on tires. We have eaten Yokie's avid and aegis up, continental contact A/S and a set of coopers. I am tired of only getting less than 20k for a pair on the front. Finally, Has anyone had to have their front stabilizer bar brackets replaced? Ours is clunking. What is a reasonable price to pay?
got the van back. they replaced the cracked PCV hose under warranty. all is well with it now. Libertyville Mazda in Illinois, if anyone needs a decent shop.
I had (sigh) a 2000 MPV that I loved. It unfortunately was the victim of a red-light runner (I think -- insurance adjusters haven't gotten around to looking at it yet). It would appear that we're going to have to get a new van. Ours was a LX with touring package. It had 91,000 miles on it and was scrupulously maintained. What would be a fair value for that car? Second, is a replacement Mazda the best choice now that we are forced into a replacement. Our Mazda was paid for as of June 15. I'm not finding anything comparable at our local CarMax. I did, however, find a couple of low-miles Mercury Villagers that were loaded... However, the offset crash results are giving me pause. I spoke with insurance agent and our rates would actually go DOWN with Villager. Why is this? Anybody with experience comparing the two vans, please let me hear... I remember when we bought MPV, I was dismayed to see all the bad reviews -- but it's now (and has been) a CR recommended buy. I absolutely loved it when we lived in Florida. We later moved and encountered hills where the lack of power that was never even a factor before came into play at times. Our other car is a 1994 Toyota Corolla (next in line for replacement until MPV crash). I'm trying to keep payment reasonably low as I figure Corolla won't last forever. So far, though, pretty good. Thanks for any help / insight.
If you loved your old Mazda I would suggest purchasing a new one. Mazda just raised their rebate from $3,000 to $3,500.You should be able to buy a basic LX for an out the door price of $20,000. Also, the 2004 MPV's come with a larger 200 horsepower engine.( I believe the larger engines were installed starting on the 2003 models)Which isn't as powerful as its competitors but does a pretty good job.You can get an estimate for your old car at Edmunds used cars(research) My mother in law has a Mercury Villager and loves hers. It has the Nissan built powertrain...is pretty reliable. Should be able to get a really good price on a used Villager/Quest twin.(as opposed to the Hondas or Toyotas)Good Luck!
Hmm. I'm not sure I WANT a new MPV (spouse's 1994 Corolla was next in line for replacement until crash). I don't know what I'll get from insurance yet, either. But raising rebate should depress prices of used MPVs (I hope!). Did the engine size change in 2002? I think that's when... I don't doubt the Nissan's reliability. It was the offset-crash test that made me hesitate. I LOVED driving it and liked the layout a little better than the MPV's (liked the built-in garage-door opener, back-seat mirrors, etc.) On the oher hand, Nissan lengthened minivan in 2000 (bad for parking in garage) and despite being longer and slightly wider than MPV, it manages to have less head room and cargo space. However, prices were really good ... and we are having to buy this knowing we'll have to replace spouse's car at some point... Last, I think when our MPV was new (2000), it spent a lot of time at shop. Model was brand new and there were some things that needed to be worked out. After about the first six months, it was the car of my dreams. But not during the early days! Not sure I want to relive all that. Also, Mazda dealer near us has convinced us to go to the next one over -- they tend to order parts, schedule appointments, and fail to tell you parts haven't come in until after you've gotten up early and sat in their waiting room for a couple of hours... They left a trade magazine out and it indicated they were in top 10 for repair receipts. They were NOT in top 25 for customer satisfaction!! So, I'm hoping for a Mazda that is ready to be cared for by local repair shop, mostly. (That was another thing that drove me to think about a Quest -- that and the fact CarMax hardly has any MPVs.)
I get a chuckle whenever someone says a certain factory system is "killer." Having years of experience selecting and installing aftermarket systems, I can tell you everything is relative to what you're used to. If you're used to listening to AM radio, or a system with a pair of cheap speakers, I'm sure one of the so called "premium" factory systems sounds "killer." I guarantee you for the extra amount you'd pay for one of those "killer" "premium" factory systems (and maybe even less), you could have a REAL killer sound system. My advice to anyone considering a premium factory system........don't waste your money!
Ok, in the next month we will be in either the Kia or Mazda van. I would like to know how often the oil needs to be changed on the Mazda? Also, how often should the air, fuel filters need changing? Anything else need to be done as far as maintenance goes??
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FYI...I had that same PCV hose problem on my wife's van (sounded like a vacuum underneath the van). Took it into the shop, mechanic walks up to the van, immediately identifies it as a bad PCV hose, then tells me "yeah, its a design problem. The way Mazda installed the engine, the PCV hose is too close to the engine, so it ends up melting." I say this bcuz, yeah it was covered under warranty, but that warranty will end one day... Then what?
We live in Georgia, which has decent lemon laws ... and we're documenting everything. They believe the problem was a defective air conditioner compressor. I'm still not clear on why the car would not start, but don't know enough about the workings of a car... Our 2000 MPV was problem-free, so this has come as a complete shock. However, dealer should be motivated to make this work. They had to pay for a tow, then foot the bill for a week of rental of a minivan while we took a planned vacation. HOWEVER, I see bank has dinged us with an NSF fee as they presented check to bank during the 5-day holding period for a large check (we had an insurance settlement for a crash that totaled our first MPV). I hope they can do something -- the car we bought had four seaasons, which is hard to find here. It also had a moonroof, which was just nice ... and also the traction control and side air bags, which were mandatory as far as we were concerned (side air bag deployed during crash, bruising/cracking ribs and probably preventing something a lot worse). I hope it's just a bad start ... it would be hard to sour us on MPVs, but this particular one seems to be trying hard! I'm thinking we got a relatively good deal though -- paid $3K under invoice for a sunshine silver LX with LX plus package four seasons cargo nets bumper step moon roof roof rack If it's running now, it'll be a good car, I hope. We had planned on keeping 2000 "until the wheels fall off" but never dreamed it would happen in an accident. The dealership rented a Grand Caravan for us to vacation in (our MPV died just before planned vacation). Our opinions of it (2005, with 176 miles on odometer when we got it) mainly reinforced our decision to get another MPV. The finish wasn't as good and kids missed the working rear windows. It was larger and thus harder to maneuver. We DID like the separate a/c temperature controls for driver and passenger though. Stow 'n' gos would probably be of limited usefulness to us on a daily basis but were good on vacation. We didn't use the luggage rack (no need) and would have with the MPV, packing the same amount of stuff.
Well, I've had my MPV for this long now. Since I got the tran. fix deal back in January, it's been smooth sailing other than the CHECK ENG. light coming on once due to that PCV melt hose thing! Only complaint, like many others have stated are: - Wish tuning on steering wheel went DOWN as well as up! Why didn't they design that to go either way!?! - Driver controlled interior lights - switch to turn overheads off and on...like cars have had since I was born!! - Power door lock ability on the PASS. door...yeah, they have it in 2004, but what bozo wouldn't have put it in from the initial design!? Vans/Cars have had power buttons on the PASS. door since the 60's!! - MPG should be better with a 5 speed than it is. I'm getting 19 around town and 25 on highway. My old 95 DC got about the same around town but only 23 on highway.
Other than these issues, it IS a quality vehicle after 30K miles! Zoom-Zoom!
I have an 03 MPV with 17600 miles on it. Just had to replace the PCV under warranty due to rough idle, lurching sensation at stop lights, and check engine light. This really concerns me. Someone earlier referred to this as a design flaw. Am I going to have to take this vehicle in every 17000 miles for the same problem? Sure everything is fine when its replaced under warranty but what happens in a few years?
Does anyone know what it take for Mazda to redesign a part, recall it, and replace it?
Rectified this problem on my 02 MPV a few days ago after CEL code P0171. The dealer told me after replacing split PCV hose for about 30 MPVs at their location, Mazda has improved the part with a thicker hose. I hope you also have the improved part installed.
Hey guys and gals, I'm very new to the minivan world and need some help. After a recent trip where I rented an 04 Dodge Caravan SXT, I have decided a small minivan may fit my needs perfectly. It's just me, the other half, and a big dog (plus the occasional friend) so I have no need for a large van like the Sienna/Ody. I was quite impressed with the Caravan's driving dynamics and quiet interior. It had a firm well controlled yet comfy ride and the handling was pretty good. The engine lacked power at highway speeds though, the tranny was a bit clunky at times, and the front seats weren't comfortable. Plus, no rear AC vents or roll down rear windows on the short wheelbase Caravan. I'm trying to combine a few of my cars so that one fits all my needs. I am looking to trade in an 03 Hyundai Tiburon V6 coupe and a 1993 Mitsubishi Expo LRV Sport (a 5 passenger mini-minivan with a sliding side door). The MPV seems to have the features and performance I'm looking for.
The question is, how does the 04 model ride, especially with the 17" wheels? I thought the Caravan was perfect in that regard and I'm looking to get away from a rough riding car after driving my sports coupe. Do the 16" wheels ride significantly better or is there not much of a difference? Do you people consider the MPV to be too rough riding? How smoothly does the 5 speed auto shift? How smooth and quiet is the V6? Any other known problems besides the PCV hose? How quiet is the road and wind noise in comparison to the Caravan?
Some other general questions: How does the standard LX stereo sound? Is the LX already pre-wired for the additional speakers of the ES for easy upgrading at a later date? I'd prefer to have cloth and at least the LX plus package. The 4 seasons package is nice but hard to find in my area. Is the a/t oil cooler available separate as a Mazda accessory? Does anyone know whether you can add an overhead DVD screen when you have a sunroof installed, whether it be factory or aftermarket?
The 00 MPV was known for its light easy gliding side doors. Did the addition of power doors ruin this? How easily does it open by hand? I really hate this feature and have no use for it but if I get a great deal on an ES I would be stuck with it. Anyone have problems with these doors? My sister had so many problems with her 00 Odyssey's power doors that I'm turned off on the idea of having them.
Last questions: My dealer has an 04 ES Tsunami Blue demonstator. I have no idea how many miles it has but I'm sure around 4k. I'd imagine you can't get the $3500 rebate on this van so what would be a fair price for it? Sticker is $30k if I remember correctly (it had moonroof, 4 seasons). Offer 23k perhaps? If you guys had the choice, would you get this ES or buy a new LX? I could care less about the leather but I do like the 9 speaker stereo, moonroof, and 4 seasons package. Does the Tsunami Blue look purplish in the sun (I saw it at night) or does it look more like a deep bright blue?
Thanks for any and all insight! I never thought I would be jazzed at the idea of owning a minivan, but I really think the MPV is a great idea and a perfect fit for my lifestyle. Plus, the big rebates make it possible to own since my trade has lots of negative equity.
One more question. Anyone here do their own oil changes on the 3.0? How hard is it to do? Where is the filter located? If I remember correctly, that V6 is tightly packed in there. I hope this doesn't mean only the dealer would dare do maintenance on this van.
1st let me say that we really love our '04 LX. I can't compare to the SXT, but I would say that the Grand Caravan I rented about a year ago definitely had a smoother, softer ride than my MPV w/ 17" wheels. I like the ride though, the sporty feel of the road...etc. We had it up in the Adirondacks, around Lake Placid, and it handled really well on the winding, hilly roads. I guess it's a trade off. Feel the same way about the power sliding doors & I loved that Mazda let me add on a bunch of cool options without requiring leather or power doors. Can't speak to the radio, or after-market add ons. I have gotten 1 non-dealer oil change, & it went perfectly fine. If you're afraid of the power doors, or simply don't need them, do what I did & get the LX, max it out with options, and then get the cash rebate. That tsumani blue is a really beautiful color new, but when I think of how much my blue Civic shows EVERY nick, bit of road tar, etc. I would hate to think of the effort in scrubbing down a lot more surface area on the MPV. Anyway, good luck shopping.
the filter is fairly easy to get to, but it will drip onto the exhaust when it's loosened. Use the foil trick to cover the exhaust. It should use a Motorcraft FL820S filter, which may or may not be that way from the factory. That first filter can be a tricky one to get off. You can get a filter strap wrench on it, but it's kind of tight. An end-cap wrench will work better. Get some Rhino Ramps as well to make the crawl underneath more comfortable.
I had the dealer do the first oil change at 5k on our '02 ES and then changed to Mobil-1 at 6.5k, going 6 months between changes (or about 5k miles). YMMV. :-)
Ingtonge, we just purchased the MPV LX July 1st.I think if you are gonna buy new, loading an LX with the options you want would be much more cost efficient.If you get a super fantastic price on the demo ES I would consider it. But, I know when we test drive a car we lay on the throttle pretty hard to see how good the acceleration is.Maybe, you could try to get a couple years of extended warranty thrown in. The difference between the LX and ES is about $5,000. We bought ours with the Sport Package which comes with the 17-inch alloy wheels. I didn't test drive one with the 16-inch wheels, though Consumer Guide Magazine wrote that the 17's were "more comfortable and controlled".The v-6 does a good job, but it's not as smooth,powerful or quiet as the Sienna or Odyssey.I haven't noticed much with the transmission shifts..so it must be pretty smooth.The cabin is just as quiet as some of the other minivans in my opinion. This van drives and handles very good (more like a car) and is easier to manuver.The nonpowered sliding side doors are smooth and easy to open and close.I think the exterior and interior styling and appearance are far better than any of the other minivans. Good luck with your purchase.
Any opinions on a fair price for the 04 demonstrator I mentioned in my post? According to Edmunds, a $30k ES should run about 24k, so a slightly used van with 4k miles should run closer to 20k right? Would buying a demonstrator be too risky? I've bought 5 new cars since 2000 so this would be a bit of a leap of faith, but to get a fully loaded model for the price of a base one is a nice thought....
Anyone have the power doors? Are they slow to open and close? Do they have annoying beepers? Can they be turned off and used manually? If so, how much more difficult are they to open?
Any opinions on the base stereo and 9 seaker setup? My current ride has a 360 watt factory Infinity sound system with 8" subwoofer so I'm afraid to drop down to the base stereo. The Caravan's 6 speaker setup sounded reasonably good though.
Anyway, thanks are in order to everyone who have helped me out so far. You guys are a nice group in here! I might go down to the dealer this weekend and take a test drive and see how willing they are to deal. I'll let ya'll know if anything happens.
my is a 04 LX with the LX+ package. The ride of mine it is not smooth for a minivan. I guess the sporty ride also means rough ride besides the good handling. The seat is a bit hard so it could make the overall ride too rough for some drivers. My MPV has the rough ride feel even on decent road. I took it in to have all tires re-balanced, and the body of the van still shakes. I am not taking it to a long trip for that matter. Make sure that you pay close attention to how the transmission shifts and reacts to the stop and go driving on the city roads. The rough ride and concerns on the transmission could become the main reason driving the new buyers away from it.
We just got (three weeks ago) an LX with the LX plus, moonroof, power doors and four-seasons. In the interim, we rented a Dodge Grand Caravan, which had slower, clunkier power doors. So far, ours have been problem-free, but three weeks isn't much of test! They are activated by either a push of door or by pushing a button (both by driver's seat and by back seats). Yes, the power doors can be deactivated. However, when you do this, the doors are heavier than are the doors of an MPV w/out power doors. We, too, live in an area where four seasons is hard to find. This particular van was one of two that had it -- and it happened to also have the automatic doors. We'd had a 2000 MPV and felt no real need for them. (Doors ARE light and aren't a problem to open or close.) The power doors DO have beepers, but they go on if car moves and doors are not closed. You cannot open a power door unless car is in park (which in my opinion is a GOOD thing). we planned on turning off the doors and going manual -- but ended up liking the power doors. they're quieter and we have no problem with our 9-year-old slamming them! I don't have complaints about the ride. It's firm and carlike. For a longer trip, the bigger vans have their advantages -- more cargo room and smoother ride -- but for 98 percent of my driving, this is ideal. hope that is somewhat helpful.
Thanks everyone! Lots of good comments here. Now I have a question about interior lighting. What kind of lighting is provided when a door is open? Is there a center dome light, back dome light, and 2 reading lights, or are there also "puddle" lights located on each door? I saw an 04 Sienna the other night that had a puddle light illuminating the step of the side door, which I thought was a nice feature.
The dash is lit in green right? I'm trying to get away from red lighting and I find green to be much more soothing at night then all the new colors that are in cars now.
Hi everybody, Will there be any model changes for the 2005 MPV? Exterior? Interior? Our third child is on the way - so we are gung-ho for the MINI of minivans. epond
I took a test drive of the MPV today. While I loved the interior versatility and the looks inside and out, I walked away very disappointed. The engine just felt gutless. Pulling out fast is simply not possible in this van and the lack of torque is annoying. My 93 Mitsu Expo with a 136 horse torquey four banger feels spunky compared to the MPV, as does the 180 horse 3.3 Caravan. The ES model I drove also had a nasty vibration that shook the entire steering column and shifter between 45-65 mph. Otherwise, the MPV is well thought out and was perfect sizewise. The nail in the coffin though was when the dealer told me their absolute bottom price on the demo model (ES with moonroof and 4seasons package) was, get this, $25427, which includes the $3500 rebate!! I couldn't believe they had the nerve to ask for over invoice on a van with 3000 miles. I was quite disgusted. So I guess I will either kill the minivan idea and stick with my Expo or look into a Caravan.
Ingtonge...do some homework. You should be able to get a brand new ES with moonroof and 4 seasons for LESS than their demo price.You were probably driving their ragged out clunker. No, the engine isn't going to burn rubber on acceleration...but this is a minivan we're talking about. The MPV doesn't have the best acceleration, but in my opinion it has more than enough to suit my needs. The dealer I bought my MPV from wanted to take the rebate from the sticker price.Go to another dealer and start at invoice. Also,if quick acceleration is a priority I would think the 3.3 V6 in the Dodge Caravan to be mediocre at best.
The MPV I test drove was not the demo model. It only had 50 miles on it. I assume the tires were the problem but it didn't give a good solid impression. While I understand a minivan is not meant to be super fast, I prefer an engine that has strong low end torque, one that can lunge off the line quick without much throttle but not necessarily be all that fast when timed (in other words, one that feels peppy without actually having to floor it and waste gas). The MPV wouldn't even start off smartly when prodded and passing power wasn't all that great either. The Caravan's 3.3 must be tuned for greater torque because it has plenty of grunt down low and chirped its tires without putting it all the way to the floor. Once underway, it did run of steam in the higher rpms, but that fast off the line response gave an impression of power that made it more fun to drive. I guess the difference in feel has to do with the bigger engine in the Caravan and the pushrod design.
I also felt the handling was better in the Caravan as was the extremely well controlled yet comfy ride. The MPV's handling was not quite what I expected from the "soul of a sportscar" minivan. I must say the MPV has more comfortable seats, better visibility, and much better versatility. Not to mention neat features, sportier looks, and more a open airy feeling to the interior.
The dealer's price was an absolute insult. The salesman went through this long speech about how giving me this price means they will not over-allow for my trades and that whatever negative equity I have will be added to this price. Since I did do my homework, I knew the price was a horrible deal. I guess this small town dealer doesn't need to sell 1 of its 6 minivans.
I agree with your thoughts on stronger low end torque. Unfortunately, the MPV comes with the Ford Duratec engine. While I have never been a big fan of anything made by Ford...it is suppose to be one of their finer engines. I have read that a couple years down the road Mazda will be putting in their own engine, as well as making the MPV bigger.Though it's smaller size and styling sets it apart from all the others...a peppier engine would be a definite plus. Good luck on whatever you decide to purchase.
I have a 2003 LX w/sport package, and I'm not at all satisfied with the longevity of the stock Dunlop 17" tires. Has anyone tried a plus zero/one size? No price difference (actually can be cheaper) and more brand selection.
how to determine if a cabin air filter is in place? I have the '02 LX with 4 seasons and rear air and security package. I can't find the filter feature on any of the vehicle equipment lists but the manual indicates that it might be there.
I just put 17" 225/55 ZR17 Falken Ziex-512 tires on my 2002 MPV ES last week. I LOVE them...though they will probably not help with your longevity problem. They help in every way though, with noise level, vibration, and handling. It is truly amazing.
My other choice was going to be the Pirelli PZero Nero...but they were hard to get and more expensive.
Some people have been putting the new Michelin (Aqua something.)
I would definitely go with a different size...the 225/55/R17 works, but they are 3-4/10ths of an inch smaller in diameter (-1 or 2 MPH on the speedo). The 235/55 R17 also works, and is 1/10th of an inch bigger. (Hardly any change in the speedo.)
Good luck...I love my tire change, but was more interested in a higher speed rating and improved handling than longevity.
We have a new 2004 ES. I thought we needed more rubber on the ground (a larger contact patch). I visited our local tire store and asked about tires of the same diameter, but wider. They could get several 235/55 R17 brands, but all would be custom order, and pretty high prices (like $700-900 for a set), and our old tires were worth nothing to them as trade-ins.
It didn't take me long to decide to run the original Dunlops a while longer. BTW- when we rotated the Dunlops at 4000 miles, the tire guys said the tires appeared to be not worn at all. Nice!
Take a look at Tirerack.com. They list 21 tires in that size for H rated and up. Sure, the pricey tires there are close to $200, but there are others much lower.
Thanks for the good info. I too would like a better performing tire, but I live in Ohio and have to consider snow in the decision. I have Dunlop SP Sport A2s (formerly D60 A2) on my other car (91' G20) and really like them. A plus size would allow me to get the A2s for the MPV. I hadn't considered the Pirelli's or Falken's, although I had a set of Falken's on my old 91 Mazda Protoge LX - good tire for the money.
While I like the MPV w/17" rims, the stock tires do look a little tall & narrow for the van. The upcoming replacement will be a good time to rectify that problem...
I have not posted in over a year just wanted to stop by and tell you all that my 02 LX is real lemon and I wish I never bought the POS:
1. At 29K repeated check engine light and rough idle, etc. after many trips to dealer found a hose that looked like someone took a hunting knife a slashed a gash in it. dealer replaced; but STRIKE ONE.
2. At 58K check engine light comes on and the engine sounded like it was going to implode. Crawl it to the dealer. PCV stuck, found water in all 6 plug housings, valve cover gasket shows signs of seepage. Dealer installs new PCV as one time good will; does nothing about seepage; silicones plug fittings. STRIKE TWO.
3. At 63K, as wife opens pass. door I casually glance over and my eye spots an orange color at bottom of door inside. Closer review reveals metal is RUSTING—this car is only 27 months old. Driver door, same area is also rusting; dealer fixes under rust warranty but a big STRIKE THREE.
4. Now I know I have a lemon and a POS so decide to trade UP to a Toyota highlander. Trade in value, wow should I dare say, well why not; a whopping 8500 I paid 22000. STRIKE FOUR.
5. Highlander V6 has known hesitation problem; will not buy for now; stuck driving this POS and seeing my trade-in value nose dive to ZERO.
Sorry, to hear of the problems with your MPV. But, I'm not gonna run away from mine. There is always going to be a few lemons ...even with the best & most reliable cars.I'm not a mechanic...but there are a lot worse things that can happen with a car than problems 1-3.Reguarding your low trade in value. You do have a "whopping" 63k miles on a van a little over 2 years old. This is about 33,000 more miles than average. You could probably get a couple k more by selling it yourself. Goodluck.
Sorry to hear that specialexport is having these problems. He obviously never owned a Ford.
My '01 has 65K. The battery went dead last year. I know there was something else...oh, yeah, no, wait..that was just the ashtray I emptied. Never mind.
I agree with the other posters. You haven't had much in the way of problems, and your dealer took care of them. What do you expect after 63K+ miles in two years?
Juat a warning: Toyotas are NOT what they used to be. Check out some of the Toyota boards here on Edmunds. You may be unpleasantly surprised at what you find. I speak with some authority, as I have owned two Toyota Tacomas, and both were VERY problematic. Yeah, I know I should have learned after the first one, but I was pretty stuck on Toyotas at the time. If you expect perfection, try a Lexus. Oh, they break too. Good Luck!
Comments
My one complaint of course are the standard tires. Has anyone changed tires recently? I would like to keep the standard 17in wheels though. Any suggestions.
AJN
AJN
I think our '02 MPV ES is experiencing the PCV dilemma, getting an occasional lumpy idle, no CEL and normal acceleration is strong. Hear a air vacuum noise at idle from underneath/behind the engine. Goes in Wednesday for the repair.
-Brian
Hybrid Vehicles Chat Room
Immediately following at 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET, we keep the chat party going with the Mazda Mania chat.
Mazda Mania Chat Room
The Town Hall chats are a great place to take these message board topics LIVE. Hope to see you there this week!
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
AJN
got a loaner - they use Enterprise. I'm driving a Dakota SLT 4x4 quad cab.
-Brian
-Brian
Ours was a LX with touring package. It had 91,000 miles on it and was scrupulously maintained. What would be a fair value for that car? Second, is a replacement Mazda the best choice now that we are forced into a replacement. Our Mazda was paid for as of June 15. I'm not finding anything comparable at our local CarMax. I did, however, find a couple of low-miles Mercury Villagers that were loaded... However, the offset crash results are giving me pause. I spoke with insurance agent and our rates would actually go DOWN with Villager. Why is this?
Anybody with experience comparing the two vans, please let me hear... I remember when we bought MPV, I was dismayed to see all the bad reviews -- but it's now (and has been) a CR recommended buy. I absolutely loved it when we lived in Florida. We later moved and encountered hills where the lack of power that was never even a factor before came into play at times.
Our other car is a 1994 Toyota Corolla (next in line for replacement until MPV crash). I'm trying to keep payment reasonably low as I figure Corolla won't last forever. So far, though, pretty good.
Thanks for any help / insight.
My mother in law has a Mercury Villager and loves hers. It has the Nissan built powertrain...is pretty reliable. Should be able to get a really good price on a used Villager/Quest twin.(as opposed to the Hondas or Toyotas)Good Luck!
Last, I think when our MPV was new (2000), it spent a lot of time at shop. Model was brand new and there were some things that needed to be worked out. After about the first six months, it was the car of my dreams. But not during the early days! Not sure I want to relive all that. Also, Mazda dealer near us has convinced us to go to the next one over -- they tend to order parts, schedule appointments, and fail to tell you parts haven't come in until after you've gotten up early and sat in their waiting room for a couple of hours... They left a trade magazine out and it indicated they were in top 10 for repair receipts. They were NOT in top 25 for customer satisfaction!!
So, I'm hoping for a Mazda that is ready to be cared for by local repair shop, mostly. (That was another thing that drove me to think about a Quest -- that and the fact CarMax hardly has any MPVs.)
Thanks
Steve, Host
NOTE: This is a NEW time slot for this week!
Hybrid Vehicles Chat Room
Immediately following at 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET, we keep the chat party going with the Mazda Mania chat.
Mazda Mania Chat Room
The Town Hall chats are a great place to take these message board topics LIVE. Hope to see you there this week!
PF Flyer
Host
Pickups & News & Views Message Boards
Our 2000 MPV was problem-free, so this has come as a complete shock. However, dealer should be motivated to make this work. They had to pay for a tow, then foot the bill for a week of rental of a minivan while we took a planned vacation. HOWEVER, I see bank has dinged us with an NSF fee as they presented check to bank during the 5-day holding period for a large check (we had an insurance settlement for a crash that totaled our first MPV). I hope they can do something -- the car we bought had four seaasons, which is hard to find here. It also had a moonroof, which was just nice ... and also the traction control and side air bags, which were mandatory as far as we were concerned (side air bag deployed during crash, bruising/cracking ribs and probably preventing something a lot worse).
I hope it's just a bad start ... it would be hard to sour us on MPVs, but this particular one seems to be trying hard!
I'm thinking we got a relatively good deal though -- paid $3K under invoice for a sunshine silver LX with
LX plus package
four seasons
cargo nets
bumper step
moon roof
roof rack
If it's running now, it'll be a good car, I hope. We had planned on keeping 2000 "until the wheels fall off" but never dreamed it would happen in an accident.
The dealership rented a Grand Caravan for us to vacation in (our MPV died just before planned vacation). Our opinions of it (2005, with 176 miles on odometer when we got it) mainly reinforced our decision to get another MPV. The finish wasn't as good and kids missed the working rear windows. It was larger and thus harder to maneuver. We DID like the separate a/c temperature controls for driver and passenger though. Stow 'n' gos would probably be of limited usefulness to us on a daily basis but were good on vacation. We didn't use the luggage rack (no need) and would have with the MPV, packing the same amount of stuff.
Bev
- Wish tuning on steering wheel went DOWN as well as up! Why didn't they design that to go either way!?!
- Driver controlled interior lights - switch to turn overheads off and on...like cars have had since I was born!!
- Power door lock ability on the PASS. door...yeah, they have it in 2004, but what bozo wouldn't have put it in from the initial design!? Vans/Cars have had power buttons on the PASS. door since the 60's!!
- MPG should be better with a 5 speed than it is. I'm getting 19 around town and 25 on highway. My old 95 DC got about the same around town but only 23 on highway.
Other than these issues, it IS a quality vehicle after 30K miles! Zoom-Zoom!
Does anyone know what it take for Mazda to redesign a part, recall it, and replace it?
Rectified this problem on my 02 MPV a few days ago after CEL code P0171. The dealer told me after replacing split PCV hose for about 30 MPVs at their location, Mazda has improved the part with a thicker hose. I hope you also have the improved part installed.
lawlee
The question is, how does the 04 model ride, especially with the 17" wheels? I thought the Caravan was perfect in that regard and I'm looking to get away from a rough riding car after driving my sports coupe. Do the 16" wheels ride significantly better or is there not much of a difference? Do you people consider the MPV to be too rough riding? How smoothly does the 5 speed auto shift? How smooth and quiet is the V6? Any other known problems besides the PCV hose? How quiet is the road and wind noise in comparison to the Caravan?
Some other general questions: How does the standard LX stereo sound? Is the LX already pre-wired for the additional speakers of the ES for easy upgrading at a later date? I'd prefer to have cloth and at least the LX plus package. The 4 seasons package is nice but hard to find in my area. Is the a/t oil cooler available separate as a Mazda accessory? Does anyone know whether you can add an overhead DVD screen when you have a sunroof installed, whether it be factory or aftermarket?
The 00 MPV was known for its light easy gliding side doors. Did the addition of power doors ruin this? How easily does it open by hand? I really hate this feature and have no use for it but if I get a great deal on an ES I would be stuck with it. Anyone have problems with these doors? My sister had so many problems with her 00 Odyssey's power doors that I'm turned off on the idea of having them.
Last questions: My dealer has an 04 ES Tsunami Blue demonstator. I have no idea how many miles it has but I'm sure around 4k. I'd imagine you can't get the $3500 rebate on this van so what would be a fair price for it? Sticker is $30k if I remember correctly (it had moonroof, 4 seasons). Offer 23k perhaps? If you guys had the choice, would you get this ES or buy a new LX? I could care less about the leather but I do like the 9 speaker stereo, moonroof, and 4 seasons package. Does the Tsunami Blue look purplish in the sun (I saw it at night) or does it look more like a deep bright blue?
Thanks for any and all insight! I never thought I would be jazzed at the idea of owning a minivan, but I really think the MPV is a great idea and a perfect fit for my lifestyle. Plus, the big rebates make it possible to own since my trade has lots of negative equity.
I had the dealer do the first oil change at 5k on our '02 ES and then changed to Mobil-1 at 6.5k, going 6 months between changes (or about 5k miles). YMMV. :-)
-Brian
Anyone have the power doors? Are they slow to open and close? Do they have annoying beepers? Can they be turned off and used manually? If so, how much more difficult are they to open?
Any opinions on the base stereo and 9 seaker setup? My current ride has a 360 watt factory Infinity sound system with 8" subwoofer so I'm afraid to drop down to the base stereo. The Caravan's 6 speaker setup sounded reasonably good though.
Anyway, thanks are in order to everyone who have helped me out so far. You guys are a nice group in here! I might go down to the dealer this weekend and take a test drive and see how willing they are to deal. I'll let ya'll know if anything happens.
Make sure that you pay close attention to how the transmission shifts and reacts to the stop and go driving on the city roads.
The rough ride and concerns on the transmission could become the main reason driving the new buyers away from it.
We, too, live in an area where four seasons is hard to find. This particular van was one of two that had it -- and it happened to also have the automatic doors. We'd had a 2000 MPV and felt no real need for them. (Doors ARE light and aren't a problem to open or close.) The power doors DO have beepers, but they go on if car moves and doors are not closed. You cannot open a power door unless car is in park (which in my opinion is a GOOD thing).
we planned on turning off the doors and going manual -- but ended up liking the power doors. they're quieter and we have no problem with our 9-year-old slamming them!
I don't have complaints about the ride. It's firm and carlike. For a longer trip, the bigger vans have their advantages -- more cargo room and smoother ride -- but for 98 percent of my driving, this is ideal.
hope that is somewhat helpful.
The dash is lit in green right? I'm trying to get away from red lighting and I find green to be much more soothing at night then all the new colors that are in cars now.
Will there be any model changes for the 2005 MPV? Exterior? Interior? Our third child is on the way - so we are gung-ho for the MINI of minivans.
epond
The dealer I bought my MPV from wanted to take the rebate from the sticker price.Go to another dealer and start at invoice. Also,if quick acceleration is a priority I would think the 3.3 V6 in the Dodge Caravan to be mediocre at best.
I also felt the handling was better in the Caravan as was the extremely well controlled yet comfy ride. The MPV's handling was not quite what I expected from the "soul of a sportscar" minivan. I must say the MPV has more comfortable seats, better visibility, and much better versatility. Not to mention neat features, sportier looks, and more a open airy feeling to the interior.
The dealer's price was an absolute insult. The salesman went through this long speech about how giving me this price means they will not over-allow for my trades and that whatever negative equity I have will be added to this price. Since I did do my homework, I knew the price was a horrible deal. I guess this small town dealer doesn't need to sell 1 of its 6 minivans.
John
My other choice was going to be the Pirelli PZero Nero...but they were hard to get and more expensive.
Some people have been putting the new Michelin (Aqua something.)
I would definitely go with a different size...the 225/55/R17 works, but they are 3-4/10ths of an inch smaller in diameter (-1 or 2 MPH on the speedo). The 235/55 R17 also works, and is 1/10th of an inch bigger. (Hardly any change in the speedo.)
Good luck...I love my tire change, but was more interested in a higher speed rating and improved handling than longevity.
Plus they look awesome...
It didn't take me long to decide to run the original Dunlops a while longer. BTW- when we rotated the Dunlops at 4000 miles, the tire guys said the tires appeared to be not worn at all. Nice!
Here's a link, it's for 2003 MPV ES, but is the same for 2004: http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=EA1&url=/tires/Compare1.jsp&a- mp;startIndex=0&vehicleSearch=true&width=235%2F&ratio- =55&diameter=17&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&- amp;pagemark=1&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_- rating=WR&speed_rating=YR&speed_rating=ZR&x=16&y=- 5&EAF=Y&make=Mazda&model=MPV+ES&autoModClar=&- year=2003
-Brian
While I like the MPV w/17" rims, the stock tires do look a little tall & narrow for the van. The upcoming replacement will be a good time to rectify that problem...
http://www.mazda.com/publicity/release/200408/0824e.html
Meade
1. At 29K repeated check engine light and rough idle, etc. after many trips to dealer found a hose that looked like someone took a hunting knife a slashed a gash in it. dealer replaced; but STRIKE ONE.
2. At 58K check engine light comes on and the engine sounded like it was going to implode. Crawl it to the dealer. PCV stuck, found water in all 6 plug housings, valve cover gasket shows signs of seepage. Dealer installs new PCV as one time good will; does nothing about seepage; silicones plug fittings. STRIKE TWO.
3. At 63K, as wife opens pass. door I casually glance over and my eye spots an orange color at bottom of door inside. Closer review reveals metal is RUSTING—this car is only 27 months old. Driver door, same area is also rusting; dealer fixes under rust warranty but a big STRIKE THREE.
4. Now I know I have a lemon and a POS so decide to trade UP to a Toyota highlander. Trade in value, wow should I dare say, well why not; a whopping 8500 I paid 22000.
STRIKE FOUR.
5. Highlander V6 has known hesitation problem; will not buy for now; stuck driving this POS and seeing my trade-in value nose dive to ZERO.
Run, do not walk away from this vehicle.
SpecialExport
Sorry about the resale value, perhaps if you think of it as a POS, it also looks like a POS that no one wants.
John
My '01 has 65K. The battery went dead last year. I know there was something else...oh, yeah, no, wait..that was just the ashtray I emptied.
Never mind.
Juat a warning: Toyotas are NOT what they used to be. Check out some of the Toyota boards here on Edmunds. You may be unpleasantly surprised at what you find. I speak with some authority, as I have owned two Toyota Tacomas, and both were VERY problematic. Yeah, I know I should have learned after the first one, but I was pretty stuck on Toyotas at the time. If you expect perfection, try a Lexus. Oh, they break too. Good Luck!