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Mazda MPV Aftermarket & Accessories

24

Comments

  • billmckinleybillmckinley Member Posts: 167
    That's what makes driving around here soooooooooo much fun in the winter.

    RJ
  • blondemom1blondemom1 Member Posts: 90
    I think what you meant to say to maltb is:

    :'Pptthhhhhh**********
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Very well put. Thank you kindly for the assist blonde.



    --javadoc
  • msgjvhmsgjvh Member Posts: 196
    Is there something wrong with our lives that we live off this bulletin board?? As much as we are on here don't you think the should have an IRC channel for us. Or maybe even a java (heheheh) chat room??
  • blondemom1blondemom1 Member Posts: 90
    Nope, nothing wrong here, although my husband would probably disagree. I think we've all found a friendly place, filled with really nice people, and are having a pretty good time.

    However, we can all wonder why we're all here on a Friday night!

    :(
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    I was up late, doing a research paper (ugh!) and spied the seller that's been trickling step plates out on ebay. When I last spoke to him, he said that once his rating climbed to "10" then he can sell using a "buy now" feature, and would sell them for $27.95. Well, they're doing just that, and I snagged one for my neighbor (points scored!), and the seller said they'd be putting more step plates on ebay shortly.

    Just an FYI. Oh, cinka1, did you step plate arrive to your satisfaction from these people?

    --Javadoc
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    I'm closing the sale of that bumper step plate, and the seller told me that he'll sell more at $32.95 (includes shipping) to multiple customers. Email me if anyone's interested, and I'll forward you his email.

    --java
  • nngimnngim Member Posts: 6
    Anyone have the Mazda factory bra? (about $110 from the dealer) How is it?

    I am looking for a little protection for the front end on long road trips.
  • tango_28tango_28 Member Posts: 35
    Hey javadoc I'm interested in a step plate, can you please foward me his email address. Thanks
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Sure thing. Send me an offline email to javadoc@mail.com and I'll reply with his info. I just didn't want to broadcast his info to the masses. :-)

    --javadoc
  • an85aggiean85aggie Member Posts: 3
    Hey Blondemom1 - I have a clutter catcher in our 2000 Silver ES. My purse fits nicely on the floor between the front storage bin under the ashtray and the front of the CC. Only problem is that it slides if I take a corner too fast.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    I'm sorry I haven't responded to people's emails regarding step plates. I've been insanely busy studying for finals (yes, I'm a professional student), and a particularly nasty take-home final (40 pages worth of research papers).

    Also, I didn't want to expose anyone to a scam, if this guy on ebay were running one...so I wanted to wait until the part I ordered arrived. It's scheduled (according to UPS) to arrive tomorrow, and I'll respond to requests as soon as everything is a-okay. The seller has been very communicative and (it appears) up-front with me, but I'd be crushed if I were to cause any fellow MPVers to lose hard earned cash.

    Cheers!

    --javadoc
  • blacklxblacklx Member Posts: 60
    On the finals and the step plate. I hope that your finals are over with soon.

    I'm one of those looking forward to your review. Cinka did you get yours yet?
  • maryholmesmaryholmes Member Posts: 15
    I bought my new clutter catcher at Walmart, and I am wondering if anyone else is having a hard time using their emergency brake? I must admit I don't use one very often, but there really are times that you should.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Hi Mary,


    Didn't get a chance to welcome you over at Mee the Members, so welcome to our happy little world!


    The Clutter Catcher is a tight fit. Some people have installed it backwards (on purpose) and find it works better that way. The one in MochaVan (our van) is in front-ways and it encumbers the use of the hand-brake a bit. I find that you kind of have to turn your right hand sideways and use your first to fingers to operate it (highly technical, lol).


    Have fun with it!


    --javadoc


    p.s.... all you Cruisers that want the rear step plate for $27.95 plus s/h (about $5) go HERE for the information, and shameless homepage plug. ;-)

  • billmckinleybillmckinley Member Posts: 167
    The clutter catcher does indeed make the brake very hard to work. I've found that while it can be pulled up fairly easily [once you figure out where to grab it], getting it back down is next to impossible. But there's a way around it. The catcher fits really tightly, but not so tightly that it can't be slid forward and backward between the seats. A couple of light punch/pushes is all it takes to get the brake handle clear. When you need to use the brake, just put the car in park, push/punch/slide the device backwards, and pull up the break [Or plant your foot firmly on the foot brake before moving the CC and pulling up the parking brake and then put it in park]. With doors on both sides of the middle seats, nobody sitting back there will have to climb over it, so it's not a problem for it to intrude into the middle row.

    Not an ideal solution, but it gets the job done. And the CC is worth the inconvenience.

    And speaking of CC problems, has anyone noticed that the sliding hatch cover on it slides too easily? Every time I brake or go up or down a hill, the cover shifts, sometimes along its whole travel [We have some steeeeeeep hills here in PGH}. I was wondering if some vaseline on the track might provide just enough friction to keep it secured in place. Keeping it locked with the key pretty well defeats the purpose for me. I suppose I could lock it and leave the key in te lock, but with my luck, I'd break the key off--with the cover locked.

    RJ
  • blacklxblacklx Member Posts: 60
    Thanks for the info on the step plate. I looked at your site and you have a beautiful family.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    I just took the sliding top off. It's more trouble than it's worth. I, too, slide the entire unit forwards or backwards to get access to the parking brake. I normally leave it back to I can get to the parking brake. When I have a van full or on a long trip, I move it forward. It is very useful and I'm glad I have it.
  • julyarjulyar Member Posts: 35
    I don't have the clutter catcher, but I think someone posted a while back that if you put it in backward, that you can get to the break much more easily. You may try it and see if it works.
  • maryholmesmaryholmes Member Posts: 15
    Hi Everyone,

    Thanks for the responses. It is good to know I'm not the only one having a hard time getting to the brake.
  • pjd58pjd58 Member Posts: 366
    I don't like where the hand brake is located. Since the MPV was made in Japan, it doesn't surprise me that the van has a hand brake. I would prefer a foot emergency brake. We don't have a clutter catcher, since we prefer to walk to the middle row, without leaving the van. IMHO, the more nooks and crannies you have, the more junk and dirt accumulate. The ODY has a folding tray, with cup holders, I think It's a nice feature.
  • cinka1cinka1 Member Posts: 30
    Sorry to say, blacklx, the welcome kit with the touchup paint is only for the 2001 model. Go figure, guess we gotta talk our dealer into giving us one or pay the price.
    Javadoc - I got my step plate right away (2 days) and Ralph was great! Easy to work with. Liked your web page. Now I can put a face with a name. Great family - loved the christmas letter.
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Yeah, I got my part right away from Ralph, but was worried until I did. We're gonna order more from that guy in the future, prolly fog lights for MochaVan after our holiday.

    Thx for checking out the site. I noticed your domain in the traffic-log the other night. Someone in Sweden's been there an aweful lot too, maybe a long lost relative that wants to finance my dreams of having a coffeeshop! :-)

    --javadoc
  • blacklxblacklx Member Posts: 60
    Now I know why I was left out. Oh well, Maybe I can get my gallon of touch up paint the next time I'm at the dealer.

    I'm still thinking of the step plate just haven't gotten around to getting one. I'm glad that everyone had great experiences.
  • homer544homer544 Member Posts: 2
    I'm planning a long trip this summer in my 2001 DX and I'll need some extra space. I want to buy a cargo carrier to attach to my roof rack. Has anyone bought one of these and could recommend a good one? I've seen several on the road from Sears, maybe I'll head there but would appreciate advice. Thanks
  • pjd58pjd58 Member Posts: 366
    looks nice on our van. But, It really shows the dirt. I'm constantly rinsing off our step plate. I guess a little dirt is better than dings on the bumper.
  • billmckinleybillmckinley Member Posts: 167
    I was seriously thinking about getting the step plate, but after reading your post, maybe I'll wait until I get a ding or two on the bumper. Lesser of two evils sort of thing. :)

    Managed to unload a dozen 2x6x8's today without doing any damage to the bumper, thankfully [You don't want to know how I got them in in the first place. Let's just say that lumber makes a lousy armrest].

    RJ
  • pjd58pjd58 Member Posts: 366
    the step plate is functional, but dirt looks like a beacon on our sand mica van.

    You probably had to remove your clutter catcher to get that lumber in " the Prez ".

    I spent 3 hours today washing and waxing my 96 Protege. I was thinking of waxing my wife's MPV soon. I've read quite a few threads on waxing, and the consensus is " do it right away on a new car, to keep it looking new ".

    I noticed a very slight ding on the MPV today, hardly noticeable. It is located on the right rear door. Heck, one of my kids could have done it. I have one of those 20x20 two car garages, you have to be "Twiggy" to get out of your car. Mazda should make the door guard come further back on the van.
  • billmckinleybillmckinley Member Posts: 167
    I have a sand mica, and it has one ding--a slight one on the right rear door. No kids to blame it on though.

    You're right about the cc. Not sure what to expect, we also pulled the second row. They're as easy to get out and in as they're supposed to be. But 37 pounds weighs a ton when you're trying to yank them up and out.
    Either that or I'm showing my age.

    RJ
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    Has anyone ever removed the rear, folding seat from the van? Four adults are going on a three week road trip that will involve some camping. At first we thought about getting a cargo carrier, but decided against it because of the hazzle involved. We then thought about removing the rear seat altogether to insure we have enough room inside for all the gear. I noticed that when it is folded down there are only four bolts holding in place. It looks easy enough to do, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to put it back the way it was after the trip. If any one has done this, pls let me know how it worked out. Thanks, Carlos
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Why not fold the seat into the floor? The van comes with this feature so that you don't have to remove the seat. Actually removing the seat will only add a couple more cubes of storage than having the large flat rear area for your gear. But, maybe I'm missing something here.

    Cheers,

    --javadoc
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    I agree that folding the seat down is a great feature and we use it a lot, but it's the extra cargo capacity without the seat at all in the car that we are looking for. That "well" would be a great place to store tents, sleeping bags, etc. Since we won't need the seat during the trip, we would get rid of the extra weight and gain cargo capacity. That way we won't have to block the rear window with luggage. It looks like it would be easy enough to do - just wondered if anyone had tried it.
  • sr_srikanthsr_srikanth Member Posts: 41
    Hi, Some one was discussing in the other forum about the stand for the 9" tv/vcrs that can make them secure inside the van. Is there anything like that? Where I can buy them?

    I love my MPV. I am planning to install the RSES (from TMI www.backsettheater.com) in the van if I cannot find any good stand for the simpler solution. By the way has any one tried that back seat theater from TMI? Seems to be a good one.

    Thanks in advance.
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    Thanks for the tip on the RSES from TMI (though the link in your post is misspelled, here is the correct one: http://www.backseattheater.com/).


    I too wonder how well it integrates into MPV. Also on their site they show the wireless transmitter installed under 3rd row of seats. I'm curious if it can be installed under the passanger seat in the 1st row (I hope so).


    If anyone has an experience with this product, please share...

  • sr_srikanthsr_srikanth Member Posts: 41
    Sorry about the typo. I sent some enquiry mails to one of those support guys and they told me that the VCR is small enough that it can fit in a very compact space. I could not get the dimensions yet. I think it can be installed under any seat as long as it fits since it is wireless. In US they are selling this product in SAMSCLUB for $529.00 ( great deal ). If even one person gives me a positive feedback of the product I am going to install it.
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    Yes, the transmitter is wireless but it doesn't mean that it can be placed anywhere. It depends on what media is used to carry the signal (whether it is radio, infrared, something else). If it is infrared, then you probably cannot put it behind the screen which means that it would be impossible to put the transmitter in the first row. However if this is radio waves, then it can be placed virtually anywhere in the cabin. However the question of quality of reception and interference with other systems is still to be verified. I guess they tested it in many cars, anyway.

    Also, the price that you mentioned ($529), does it include VCR/VCP, headphones, transmitter, or only the overhead unit (LCD+receiver)? I'm asking because their site mention $1000 for the package (overhead unit + VCP + 2 headphones + transmitter + mounting kit). If Samsclub actually sells it all at $529.00, then it is definitely a very good deal. I wonder if this is available in Canada somehow...
  • sr_srikanthsr_srikanth Member Posts: 41
    I understand the wireless concept. I was not able to get much technical details from the site. Yes SAMSCLUB sells the whole package for that price. Only the wireless head phones are not included. AC whitney also sells the same thing for about $650. You should be able to buy that from their web site.
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    They claim to ship only to the 48 continental US states. I'm in Canada... Anyone knows if this is still possible?
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Sorry, I've been lurking (again) and you've perked my attention on this TMI system. From looking at a pic of the VCP, it looks like it's about 3x8x10. I haven't looked under the front passenger seat, but that just might fit, but it might be too tall. I could envision it being mounted in the rear left panel, where that nifty storage bay is. Well, with a little work anyhow. Looks like the transmitter (the white box w/ the antenna?) could be mounted elsewhere from the VCP, so possibly location of the VCP might not be critical.

    Now, I'm interested in it, since Mrs. Javadoc keeps wanting one to tame the beasts in back on our summer trips. Maybe I'll run over to Sam's at lunch and see if they have some. Let you know.

    --javadoc
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    From the description of the transmitter it mentions that it works at 2.4 GHz, so it is radio carrier and means that it can be mounted anywhere from the screen within 60 feet (according to their specs). Which is good.

    As for the VCP, you can use anything you want instead of the unit they sell. However I like theirs being capable of playing PAL/NTSC tapes. I have quite a lot of PAL records (I brought with me from Europe when I moved here), so it is a definite plus for this package...

    Java, please let me know if you find out anything. Also, it is particularly interesting if the picture quality is good (given the wireless nature of this beast). Also the display quality when viewed from angle (they claim to be good when viewed from +/- 45° horizontally, and +10°, -30° vertically but it won't hurt to check this anyway)...
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    What are the PAL/NTSC stds. about? I'm not in the know about these formats, but I suspect that the NTSC is a std. N. American format, no?

    Using the 2.4gig transmitter, be funny if you were on the freeway and started getting Barney instead of Veggie Tales all of a sudden...from the van 3 lanes over. Okay, I admit, Barney is not funny

    I'll go to Sam's...I need a good indigestion-inducing lunch anyhow, lol.

    --java
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    There are several color encoding formats in television industry. NTSC is the North American standard. Western Europe uses PAL. Eastern Europe and many Asian countries uses SECAM. There are many modifications of these formats as well. However in Europe most of electonics come multisystem capable of reproducing PAL/SECAM/NTSC. I really don't know why American market is so self-contained without any considerations of other standards... When I wanted to buy multisystem TV and VCR here I had to pay about 3-4 times more for equivalent system you can buy in any home electronics store. It's really crazy because color converter module costs $5 bucks to produce.

    So, I would really want to buy the unit capable of at least NTSC/PAL otherwise my daughter will have to watch her favorite cartoons in black&white (or I'll have to convert the tapes to NTSC for some additional $$$).
  • javadocjavadoc Member Posts: 1,167
    Well, I went to Sam's Club for lunch and after a greasy-tasty hotdog-thing (polish something or other?) I went and searched for this TMI system. Couldn't find it, and the guy working in the auto/electronics section looked at me as if I were from either Mars, Jupiter or the Gamma Quadrant, and uttered what I took as a grunt, but a negative grunt. Then, I found a manager, and they looked it up in "the computer" and said, "Nope, not available here. Only in the Lower 48. They have some in Kent (Washington), but won't be shipping here." Of course, he had no particulars, so I'll have to make time on my vacation.

    Incidentally, it's item 637388 at Sam's Club.

    --javadoc
  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    What about their online store (http://www.samsclub.com/)? It's listed there. From the front page you can do a product search. Just enter "TMI" in the text box and the theater will be the only product found.


    Here is what they state about shipping:


    Shipping Options


    Standard 7 to 10 business days

    Standard shipping is ground delivery via small package carrier.


    Premium 3 to 5 business days

    Premium shipping is air shipped via small package carrier.


    Express 2 to 3 business days

    Express shipping is air shipped via small package carrier.


    Shipping Information

    This product ships to the 48 contiguous states only


    I guess this should still be possible... At least for the residents of those 48 states...

  • alexv1nalexv1n Member Posts: 248
    I just lookes through the description of the product at Sam's club web site and here is what is included:

    Kit Includes:
    6.8" Active Matrix LCD Screen with (1) internal speaker
    Internal 2.4 GHz receiver
    Internal infrared wireless transmitter for optional headphones
    Wireless Transmitter (for audio and video)
    Hardware kit
    Complete step by step installation instructions

    So, it does NOT include the VCP. Basically it is the monitor, transmitter and mounting kit. The TMI's web site offers this plus stereo VCP with 181 channel TV tuner and 2 wireless headphones for $1,000. There's one more thing that bothers me here. Sam's club note only one internal speaker on the monitor, while TMI's web site states "(2) Internal stereo speakers with deluxe speaker grills".

    So, it appears that Sam's price isn't that good overall.
  • blacklxblacklx Member Posts: 60
    I'm not very up to date with these things, we don't even own a DVD but I have noticed a "system in a bag" it hooks to the front seats and I'm not sure what all it includes. I'm seen it on sale at several different store for around $300. Has anyone tried those? I'm sure that the quality isn't the greatest but for the kids I wouldn't care. I also like the idea that it's portable. We only have 2 children so they would both be able to see it easily. I suppose if you had 3 kids you could attach it to the second row.

    Our kids are only 1 and 2 , I didn't really like the idea of letting them watch tv in the van but if this is something that is half-way decent, it might be worth it. We do have a road trip coming up in June and hope to take longer ones later if this goes ok.

    I just wondered if it was a total piece of junk. I don't won't want something that won't work at all but I also don't feel the need for an expensive system.
  • tango_28tango_28 Member Posts: 35
    Has anyone put a K&N airfilter into their MPV? I put K&N airfilter into our 1996 Explorer and made a difference in the higher rpms. It also made it get 1 more mpg on the highway.
  • 2boysdad2boysdad Member Posts: 7
    You can now get a K&N filter for your 2000/1 MPV. Model #33-2177. K&N tech support has the details. Ph# 1-800-858-3333. We have one on our 115 hp New Beetle and have no problem keeping up with the traffic here in Colorado.
  • superchunk98superchunk98 Member Posts: 1
    our deflector rattles in strong winds and is so annoying that i'm thinking of taking it off. it also is making marks in the wax that probably won't come off withouta serious detail. maybe it will leave one of those wonderful discolorizations too. how bout aftermarket chips to boost up the power like all those civic owners are using? --- 97'4x4 owner
  • mls64mls64 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks to 2boysdad, I ordered a K&N Filtercharger [from www.SummitRacing.com for $39.99!] and installed it today. Wow! The engine seems to have a bit more power at the high end of the rev range. It was a subtle but definitely a noticeable difference. I highly recommend this upgrade.

    Mike
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