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Mazda MPV Owners: Meet the Members

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  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    finally, we get what we've been hoping for since the "new" Mazda first came on the automotive scene two years ago!!! adequate power for passing and merging with traffic delivered by a silky smooth "tranny" coupled with an inspiring and ultra quiet ride!!! all this, plus all the "tweeks" and refinements Mazda has seen fit to include in just upgrading this '02 model, even down to the now audible "ping" sound to the turn signals, definitely end results in the sweetest of Dream Machines!!! hey, bring on those "Ody" boys now!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    besides the bigger engine and smooth "tranny", the "thing" i'm most impressed with in my new '02 LX is it's supple and compliant ride!!! i don't know what Mazda did to achieve such a remarkable ride!!! whether it was new spring ratings,readjustment of the variable steering ratios or simply by adding the new Dunlop (thank God, no Yokohamas this time)low profile 60 Series tires!!! whatever ever they did they definitely did it right this time!!! this "baby" tracks like an arrow and drives like a "dream!!! thanx guys!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    anyone ever noticed that with the 200HP "maxing out" at 6200 RPM, there is an ever so slight hesitation in the power surge initially until the motor gets up to about 3000 RPM and then the 200ft/lbs of low end torque start to kick in and then it's "Katie Bar the Door"!!! great for passing and merging with traffic, but not exactly the right setup if your so inclined to drag race your MPV!!! but then again, who from the ZOOM ZOOM Club would ever think of doing that child like act of agression???
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    does anyone out there know just what the final gear ratios are for the "tall end" (4th & 5th gears)of the new 5 speed A/T??? i've noticed my new 200 HP V 6 barely stirs even at 65MPH and "goes to sleep" while in final drive with anything under 50MPH!!! which is all OK with me if it gets the MPG i'm hoping for and besides it "snaps" down to a lower gear rather handily when called upon to accelerate up!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    my new '02 LX came through from the factory on consigment just as i would have ordered it!!! LOADED!!! the only things not on it are those items specified for the ES only!!! like leather seats, power side doors, moon roof and the deluxe 8 speaker audio system!!! and of all the many items i have to play with (Besides the Side Airbags)i enjoy the 8 way power driver's seat the most!!! simply from the fact that my wife is considerably shorter than i am and in our "old" DX we were never ever completely comfortable in it's permanent non adjustable seat!!! now, all we have to do is..zip zip..zoom zoom and we're just like sitting back home in our very own easy chair!!! that away Mazda!!!
  • khanir2000khanir2000 Member Posts: 2
    Please some body can tell me what is the S-plan and how to register in this plan.
    Thanks,
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    has anyone noticed that if you look at the redesigned sculpted front end of the '02 MPV a certain way it will seemingly looks longer and even wider than the snub nosed dropoff front end of a '00-'01 model!!! great job of visual illusion, Mazda guys!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    it would be blind luck, i'd say, to get your MPV off the Dealer's lot just as you would have ordered it in the first place!!! that is exactly what happened to me when i picked out our new Sage Green '02 LX complete with Rear Bumper Step Plate, Roof Rack, Dual A/C and Cassette Player along with the 4 Seasons PKG, Luxury PKG and most important of all, the Security PKG for safety sake!!! all this and the Dealer has agreed to throw in a pair of mounted front mud guards as part of the deal!!! not bad for a "gung ho" MPVer,to play with, i'd say!!!
  • beachnutbeachnut Member Posts: 291
    You're having quite a little party in here! Congrats on your upgrade, I'm envious! Why don't you come over to the main MPV thread and share some of your exuberance with some prospective buyers. Steve's a great host, I seriously doubt he'll step on you about any *wifey* comments
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    thanx for the comeback regarding my "vocal" expression of exuberence over my MPV and you're exactly right, i do have a tendency to go a bit over board!!! but, then again when you're 69 going on a 100 you've got to find something to get excited about, besides, it gives me an easy way to vent my "over the hill" hormonal urges and not harm any innocent bystander!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    i've been in and out of several MPV related forums over the past several years and for one reason or another, i've had to leave!!! but this time, with my current "love affair" for my new '02 LX in full "heat", i think i'll stay!!! besides, where else can i have more fun in a time of "emotional" need than with my fellow MPVers!!! thanx everybody!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    when i purchased my new '02 LX, i thought i would keep it forever and foolishly (perhaps) bought into an extended warranty and care and appearance package for what amounted to a "few" extra bucks, to say the least!!! did i do right or was it money down the drain!!! i'd greatly appreciate any "feedback" anyone can give me on this "sore spot" to what otherwise was a perfectly enjoyable transaction!!! thanx!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    i just got through reading through some old messages about the Dunlop 4000 tires and their ineffectiveness in wet and rainy conditions!!! i checked the sidewalls of my new '02 LX Dunlops and found out they are rated A in both traction as well as temperture along with a 360 treadwear rating!!! technically a great tire, on paper at least!!! but, i guess we won't really know for sure until we take it out into the "real" world of rain, mud, snow, sleet and ice, as they say at the "post office"!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    has anyone noticed that the engine compartment layout for the 3.0 liter version is much more accessible than the old cramped 2.5 liter Duratec was!!! all the fluid checks and refill openings are easy to get at and right where you want them!!! but then again there's the old plug replacement problem back against the firewall!!! what does one do??? hire a "pretzel" mechanic, at great expense i'm told, to go in and get at them or simply trade it off, like i did, before it's time to replace them??? and how about those high and low beams at night!!! for once you can see as far as the eye can see now in the dark!!! thanx Mazda!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    the MPV brochure mentions that there are 8 cup holders and 2 bottle holders available for use by the occupants!!! i come up with 11 including the slide outs!!! am i miss counting??? also i found the grocery bag hooks at the rear of the MPV, but what are the small hooks for underneath the assist bars on the back of the front seats???
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    since they have darken the window in the sliding doors, i've been experiencing some difficulty "seeing" or even being able to check the "blind spot" for cars when attempting a pass or making a lane change in traffic!!! anyone else having that problem when they turn their head to look???
  • owr084owr084 Member Posts: 46
    Are you counting the cup holder on the optional foldout table between the seats? That's probably how you get 11. As for the hooks on the assist bars - I can't say that I'll ever use them - they're for holding your purse! ;^)

    RBB
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    recently had the good fortune of riding in the passenger seat, for a change, while the wife "tooled" our new '02 LX "about" town!!! needless to say, i was as equally impressed as i was when i drove it for the first time!!! "try it, you'll like it"!!! also, i had asked our local Mazda dealer for his "Ad Plate" to be displayed on the front bumper!!! i felt i might as well let everybody know just where i had had the "good fortune" of buying it from as there our "far and few" MPVs besides me to be found on the road in our town!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    i wonder why, that after you buy your new MPV, you begin to notice that there are far and few of them on the road with you!!! strange feeling isn't it when you have to consider it is the finest, let alone "best buy" in "versatile minivans with a sports car feel" available to the prospective buyer on the market tody, "bar none"!!! are we that much smarter than the average buyer or is it that they simply have not seen the "light of common sense" as we all have!!! anyone with an idea on this, please let me know so i won't futher dispair over the fact just what all these poor people are simply missing out on due simply to their own "blissful" ignorance!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    has anyone noticed that the parking lights will flash once and then twice when the doorlocks are locked and unlocked by the key transmitter!!! smart fellows those Zoom Zoomers!!! also, what ever you do, hang on to those original ignition keys that came with your new MPV!!! they cost a whopping $46 each to replace due to a builtin "chip" that allows only your key to start your vehicle!!! double smart, again, Mazda, i think!!!
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    i had a pretty nice compliment paid to me when an older lady who was a complete stranger to me came up to my new MPV and asked, " what kind of Mercedes van are you the proud owner of"??? and i said "lady, you won't believe it, but that's not a Mercedes, it's a Mazda!!!" to which she replied, " how can that be when Benz is the leader in design and engineering and this is better looking than anything they've got that i have seen, anyway!!!" to which i adroitly replied, "Right On, Babycakes!!!"
  • fredswfredsw Member Posts: 12
    I just picked up my '02MPV ES and I love it. It's a great vehicle for us senior citizens, Easy entrance and exit, super comfort,perfect size and "zoom zoom".
    I made a wonderful deal at Sweeney Mazda in Cincinnati. I had a straightforward salesman, Keith Kennedy, who took fine care of me and gave me all the price breaks he could muster.I bought it under invoice! My ES has all, but the GFX pkg.
    I think Mazda has missed a market by not targetting us "old-timers" on this one.
  • pjd58pjd58 Member Posts: 366
    Congrats and Welcome fellow Buckeye. Almost purchased my 01 Protege at Sweeney. They couldn't locate the color and trim level I wanted. King's Mazda found my car in S.KY and I got a great deal.

    My Wife loves her 01 LX MPV.

    Many happy, safe miles!
    Pjd58
  • billmckinleybillmckinley Member Posts: 167
    As if I weren't feeling bad enough at having just passed my 59th birthday, you have to go ahead and label my beloved van a Fogeymobile! { I already knew because of its hydrogen sulfide problems that it was an "Old F--t", but this is intolerable.}

    Oh well, from one old whatever to another, congratulations on your purchase.

    Happy Miles!

    RJ
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Good idea Fred. Not to knock you 'experienced' folks, but the AARP is the fastest growing interest group in the US, and possibly they should be marketed to more.

    But, I'd like to think you and RJ are young at heart.

    /javadoc
  • dbs2001dbs2001 Member Posts: 46
    Welcome aboard Fred!

    This is from another OF who hit 62 last month & still going strong!

    Dennis
  • fredswfredsw Member Posts: 12
    Pjd,
    Kings was the first place I went to and the salesman was supposed to work up a deal and call me back that night. It wasn't that difficult, I wasn't trading, but after two days, I moved on and wound up at Sweeney's.They dealer traded for mine, also. I still haven't heard from Kings, I guess their business is booming! It's a shame, because I live less than two miles from them.
    As your elder member, I can honestly say, I feel younger in the MPV. It just makes sense for us old f..ts.I'm about to hit 66 and I'm not talking route here.I am young at heart!!!
  • beachnutbeachnut Member Posts: 291
    If I called my 62-year-young dad an OF, well, let's just say it wouldn't go over too good ;-)

    Congrats to all the new MPV owners, young and young-at-heart alike!

    ...and a Happy Father's Day to all dads!

    Scott
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I think my 65 year young dad can still kick my [non-permissible content removed] so I wouldn't try either.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    See, you guys spend too much time sitting in front of your computers surfing edmunds (like I don't, right?), so you've become, ahem, slow... and your dad's can catch you! Of course my pop can still haul in halibut better than I can. All those years of him hanging drywall, and me driving keyboards, eh? And I'm jealous that he's got a jetski at 63years young. If I could just get him to sell that Dakota and get an MPV van... (content)

    Yes, happy Dad's Day to y'all!

    /java
  • marti77marti77 Member Posts: 22
    thanx for the quick and only response to my post on assist rails and hooks and i'm like you, too, in that i would not hang my purse there either, but i would wear it over my shoulder for safe keeping, that is if i were so inclined....NOT!!!
  • bob57bob57 Member Posts: 302
    Good grief - I'm talking to a bunch of old people here. I thought I would be enlightened by what's new with my current age group but obviously I was wrong.
    Here we are in '02 and I remember when my father told me back in '41 that..ah...
    wait a minute....2002-1941=
    Nevermind.
  • wkb4447wkb4447 Member Posts: 14
    Looks like the 2002 MPV has finally placed the breed near the lead, the up-tick in power a welcome improvement. However, our 89er won't die. Oh, sure, when we fire it up in the morning, it roars like a screaming banshee...and, the quirky three door arrangement (not even a slider!) seems woefully out-of-date. But, it rides like a car, and gets us everywhere we need to go. Guess we'll wait a few more years and buy one of these 2002s in good condition.
  • lwhittylwhitty Member Posts: 12
    After lurking here on Edmunds for the past few weeks, and reading all the posts from the many satisfied and obviously intelligent MPV owners, my wife & I finally decided to pick up a 2002 LX for a great price yesterday. The MPV seems like a much better value than the other mini van on our list, the Odyssey. It's true what they say about being able to get a good deal the last day of the month. So far, we're thrilled with the vehicle.

    A previous post mentioned that the Duratec 3.0 engine has three of the plugs near the rear firewall. Is this true? I was told by the dealer that all six plugs were easily accessible from the front. I couldn't verify this because of the cover plate over the top of the engine. I was hoping to avoid the problem I had of replacing the rear plugs in my previous van, a Windstar, where you needed an extra joint in you arm between the wrist & elbow to get to them. But then again, since they don't have to be replaced for another 99,060 miles, I suppose I shouldn't worry about it.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    After a bit of wait we finally have our '02 MPV. Everything is basically the same as our old one but the drivetrain is MUCH, MUCH better. Front cup holders actually hold drinks rather than spill them on your leg on a hard right turn. The suspension feels a bit more stiff and the sliding doors now have a positive lock in the open position (no more express closes by slamming the brakes). Other than that, it still has all the great stuff that we've come to love.
  • beachnutbeachnut Member Posts: 291
    I'm jealous buddy - enjoy your latest ride! What color did you get btw? ES or LX? Your slamming brake method of closing the doors could still come in handy to shake all those admirin' wimmins loose from the MPV ;-)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Who says I wanna shake them loose?

    Got a rare and exotic Pure White LX with rear air and a step plate. Asked for a trailer hitch but it is either well concealed or missing. Udder dan dat, it's basically a strippy and will suit our crew well.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    LOL! Beach, maybe he figures with the extra 'zoom zoom,' he can just run away from the wimmins that chase him. You lucky guy (the van, not the wimmins). ;)
  • bagheerabagheera Member Posts: 2
    I can't believe it but our 3 year lease is almost up (well according to the dealer it is) so time to do research on the 2002 model. Have loved the 2000 MPV and it has served us well.

    So reading all the reviews it seems like the 3.0 is the big improvement.

    Any negatives noted so far out there?

    And on the lease, how's Mazda w/r/t the odd dent and scratch? Any other experiences to relate?

    Thanks
  • mefoghornmefoghorn Member Posts: 12
    After gaining confidence from the other boards here, my wife & I brought home an LX with mats, roof rack and bumper plate for $19,500 plus ttl on July 30. Great dealer experience here in Dallas. I was leaning toward a slightly used Grand Caravan. Like its bigger size and better-looking proportions. But since she drives it the most I relented. Probably will order some mud flaps at mazdastuff.com. Drives nice and great visibility. Neat features like wheel-mounted volume control and retractable windows. Breakin her in.
  • rc168rc168 Member Posts: 12
    I have been quite torn between MPV and Sienna for the last couple of months, but I am quite sure what I will get now--MPV seems to look better from whichever angel there is.

    I would like to solicit information from fellow CT residents about their dealership experience. I am willing to go across the state (it is not that big anyway ;-) ) or even MA if I could get a good deal somewhere.

    Appreciate it, have a good weekend.
  • scannerscanner Member Posts: 295
    I see you got the same deal on the exact same van as I, you were even in the same situation. I had a deal on a new similarly equipped Caravan for $20K, but the MPV's smaller size actually was a plus as I am not the primary driver either. Also had a great dealer experience. Plus the new 3.0 engine really made the difference for the MPV.
  • mefoghornmefoghorn Member Posts: 12
    Tony March Mazda in Hartford is getting good press over on the other forum for 2000+ MPV's.
  • jeffconjeffcon Member Posts: 2
    After owning a 323, and two 626's, I finally took the plunge this morning and got an MPV. We were out the door for just under 21K (including taxes [3%], tags and title), with a Silver MPV with Rear AC and 4-seasons. That was slightly under invoice before the 2K rebate. I'm glad my company got onboard with the S-plan; we used to be owned by GM and only got discounts on their cars, for what that is worth :)

    I did find that dealers don't want to give the S-Plan price over the phone, however. I called several dealers with the same model, and finally went to the one which seemed to be the most informative over the phone (and gave me an estimate that was really close). When it came time for numbers, he just brought out the invoice and said the price is the S-plan price +TTT +$25 processing, and not once did he have to find his district regional sales manager who was going to give me the deal of a lifetime ;) OOPS, that was a flashback to my first 626 experience.

    But for only having the van for 8 hours, I think it is great. It drives wonderfully (maybe better than my 99 626) and the kids love to climb all over it and reconfigure the seats.

    Now, my only question is, what is the next logical Mazda progression?
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Congrats...as far as the next progression? Sorry my friend, you are at the pinnacle until the RX-8 arrives. Of course, your 626 might want to loose a 62 later this year.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Welcome, glad you took the plunge! Yes, it'd be a tough call between the '6 and the RX-8. ;)
  • jeffconjeffcon Member Posts: 2
    Thanks. I guess a convertible RX-8 sounds good, once I jettison a few kids first. ;)
  • alexbethalexbeth Member Posts: 3
    Just picked up our '02 Sage Green MPV on Saturday. I have the S-plan so the purchase was rather simple. Wife will be driving the van the majority of the time. I will have to drive "her" 1 year old Elantra. Told her I would drive it for 1 year at which time I will be in a new Tribute. Lot's of highway miles will be put on the MPV, considering the Bra (Front Mask) or Hood Deflector. Anyone add either of these items to their van? If so what would be better?
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Car Bra's (IMO) can chafe the surface underneath. They do protect the front end well though.

    We have deflector's on both of our vehicles. It has saved our hoods from several rocks/road debris. It is easier to clean underneath. And it looks better (IMO).

    YMMV,
    -Brian
  • larry118larry118 Member Posts: 1
    I am Larry. Just got a 03'MPV Sage Green on Monday. It is a fancy car with multi-function 3-row seat and power rear windows. Also 0% financing release me a lot. Enjoy talking with you guys here and share the information.

    Merry Christmas!

    Larry
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