Mazda Millenia

audia8q · December 2002

Some magazines have tried to label the 6 as a replcement Millenia but its not...at least Mazda does not think so.

the mazda6 has more interior space than the Millenia. Front and rear head room, rear leg room and total passenger volume is quite a bit bigger than the Millenia.
example...the millenia rear seat legroom is 34.1 and the Mazda6 is 36.5'' total volume in the millenia is 91 vs 96 in the mazda6. The only area the Millenia is a bit bigger is front seat legroom. beats the 6 by one inch....alot of people don't realize the Millenia has a small interior, not much bigger than the Protege. Its the long wheelbase and body that throws people off.

edmund2460 · December 2002

I'm thinking of getting an M because of the apparent good deals available. I have a 91 Protege, and I don't want the same highway ride, which is noisy and choppy on uneven pavement. It's also a high revving engine. Can someone contrast this with the Millennia? How about cost to maintain? There's some mention here about a $1000 service at 60K. Is that for the Miller engine? (I am not interested in this model). I think this car is one of the nicest looking cars I've seen. Thanks for any advice.

1st_millenia · December 2002

Fellow Millenia owners,

First, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and will have a festive New Year's!

I own a base model 1998 Millenia. It currently has 80,500 miles. When I bought it, it had 67,000 miles. The owner's manual suggests that if the car was purchased in California or MA, the timing belt needs to be changed at 105K miles; any other state at 60K.

Of course I don't understand the logic behind it--Are California models built more sturdy? The Mazda customer service were of no help.

If anyone can part wisdom upon me on this topic, including when is a good time to replace the timing belt, shall be the receipent of my adulance! LOL. Thanks.

csuftitans · December 2002

I think it's because in California, with the tighter emission standard, all manufacturers are required to have it's timing belt warranted until at least 100K (I read this somewhere on this board), so Mazda doesn't require you to replace it until 105K. I believe this is true for year '00 and up or maybe even '99, but please check your owners manual for that.

edmund2460, the ride on Millenia P is very smooth and quiet, unlike any current protege; not even close. Hoever, the S model is a tiny bit noisier and bumpier than the P model, but still better than a protege. If you're buying new, then you won't have to worry about changing the timing belt until 105K miles for the S model, I'm not sure about the P model; it might not need it, don't quote me on this. Good Luck, it's one heck of a car for the money.

sbiss · December 2002

I have a 2000 Millenium Base (now P) and have been nothing but thrilled with the car. It has great styling, and it is nice to drive something a bit unique in this Accord/Camry world. In my opinion, it is the most value for the money, when you consider the hefty rebates and discounts.

There are those who sing the praises of the Miller engine in the S, but I believe the 2.5V6 is adequate. It will not win drag races, but it can give you power when you need it. My previous vehicle, Probe GT with same Mazda 2.5V6, performed well over the 6 years I had it.

Reliability has been reported to be as good as Honda and Toyota. The only problem I have experienced is some squeaky rear sway bars, which were replaced under warranty.

I, too, once had a Protege years ago. The Milennia ride is head and shoulders above the econobox.

I do not think you will go wrong with a choice of the Millenia, unless you are looking for resale value. The hefty discounts erode resale value significantly.

1st_millenia · December 2002

Csuftitans,

Thanks for your advice. I called up Mazda's customer service again and spoke to another person who turned out to be a lot more helpful.

The reason for the discrepancy is what you said--California's environmental law where the part is required to be in the car. However, Mazda nevertheless recommends servicing at 60K.

I asked the Mazda rep if the timing belt in CA is built to last 'til 105K, and she flat out said "NO!"

What I don't understand is why would they then put in the owner's manual to have it serviced at 105K? Wouldn't that be negligible?

Anyway, I have to find out a good place to get timing belt serviced.

billyperks · December 2002

Hey guys just letting you all know that I finally landed a somewhat good deal on a 2003 Acura 3.2TLS.
I got it at $200 over invoice-picked it up yesterday,so far so good.Apart from the snowy streets that keeps messing up the lovely White diamond pearl paint.
I will be dropping by on this board now and then because I still have love for the Millenia.
Between us-its a much better looking car than the TL.:)

tomekk · December 2002

Billyperks,

how's the transition? Whats different (for better or worse) compared with the Millenia? (you had S, right?)

And do you know if next year's TL will be based on the new Accord or they'll keep the old platform?

Thanks,
Tomek

tuckerdog1 · December 2002

Does anybody have any suggestions for a repair manual for a 2002 Millenia S? The only thing I've been able to find online is a Chiltons that covers just about every car Mazda ever made, and ends with the 1998 models. I'm skeptical about how much info will be on the Millenia when so many different models are covered ( 323/MX3/MX6/Protege/626/Millenia/etc ). And ending with the 1998 model year, I suspect there are some differences in the 02's that would not be there. I asked my dealer about getting one of their shop manuals, but they are a tad pricey ( over $100 ), and they said not geared to the average do it yourself person.
Also, anybody have any experience with a bra on their car? I personally do not like the way they look, and have heard they can do more harm than they prevent. But there is a gravel quary about 7 miles down the freeway, and the debris those gravel trucks drop on the road is starting to beat up my front end pretty bad. So I thought a bra might become necessary. My dealer says Mazda does not even offer a bra as an option for the Millenia.

Thanks, Fred

billyperks · January 2003

To tell you the truth I am still in transition,just picked it up on 12/30/02.

Right now I think it is for the better,don't get me wrong now, the two cars are great but I think the Acura wins on the following points-
Engine 3.2 (tls) amazing power
Interior is a bit more spacious
Does a better job soaking up those pot holes
Sequential Sport shift(fun to play with- I would rather the real thing.)
I think the service is going to top that of Mazda's,they installed a set of mud guards for free and they also washed the salt and snow that was on the car.

Overall I think the the fit and finish of both cars are on par.
The Mazda white pearl paint is much better also the Mazda Bose is better IMHO.

I am going to repeat myself,if Mazda had slap that Amati name on the Millenia and did the right upgrades and marketing this car would be right up there with the lexuses, benzes, bmw's etc etc.

I will keep you posted on how the Acura is holding up.

PS- I had the "P", but I drove the "S" for about a week.

fwatson · January 2003

on the new 3.2 billyperks. I was at the veterenarians a couple of weeks ago. I exited the building with a couple that went to a new 3.2 TL sitting next to the sidewalk. I got a chance to take a fairly good look at it as I spoke with them. It really is a beautiful car and I hope you are happy with yours. They had just traded a Lincoln LS in on it and he had been very unhappy with the LS.

My '01 P is at 8000 miles now, and the only news to report on it is no news. Up until this point it has performed flawlessly with no problem of any kind. It has had three oil/filter changes, and I rotated the tires at 7500. If you find your Acura as satisfying as I have my MM-P, you have made a good choice. I'll be looking forward to updates from you on the Acura, as I know you have been fair with your assessment of the MM. It should make a good comparison.

I am sure you will find the extra power noticable, but still for my use I find nothing lacking with the MM.

Happy Acura New Year.

Edit: I got a tiny rock chip on the hood that I tried to touch up with the bottle of paint Mazda sent me. The problem is the touch-up paint is very thin (I shook the dickens out of it) and appeared it would not look good if I left it, so I wiped it off. Have the rest of you had that problem with the touch-up paint?

billyperks · January 2003

Thanks for the support- I will keep you guys posted on any faultiness with the Acura.

As for the stone chips-Your best bet is to leave them alone.When I had the Millenia (pearl white) I tried to hide my stone chips with the touch up paint,turned out worse when I applied the paint.

There are certain mishaps on a car that you just cannot avoid,what are you going to do? put a bra on? I would advise you not to - it takes away the looks of the car and in the long run it is going to scar the paint.

If you do a lot of highway driving, I would suggest you stay as far back from the car in front of you- I know it sounds anal but that is one way of avoiding those nasty stone chips.

Catch you guys later:)

sprocketboy · January 2003

After the first 2,000 miles in my 2000 MM S I have been very pleased. For Christmas it received a nice set of Sumitomo HTR+ ultra high-performance tires, and an unexpected brake job. Well, it has 55,000 miles and this maybe should not have been unexpected. The tires seem excellent, and suprisingly quiet. Handling has greatly improved, far better than one would expect with tires @ $89.

I have noticed that the gas guage on the Millenia is miserably pessimistic. I let it go most of the way to "E" and I still have not put in more than 11 gallons. That takes me around 280 miles, but I know that there are still 7 gallons in there. A) Does everyone else have this problem and

is there anything mechanical that can be done. I had a 280ZX with a marvellous split guage, showing the full tank and the last quarter. Mind you, the way it went through gas this was necessary...

sbiss · January 2003

I am undecided about the look of the bra on my 2000 Millenia, but I purchased one for extended highway travel for front end protection. I purchased the bra from JCWhitney on the web; I think it ran around $70. Mazda did offer one back in 2000 for >$100. The Millenia accessory phamphlet shows a pic. The bra I have was made by LeBra. It is pretty easy to install with the exception of two tabs which slide between the headlights and the bumper area. One side has always been difficult to push in due to tight clearance with the weatherstripping around the headlight.

tomekk · January 2003

I agree the gas gauge in MM is very pessimistic.
I always drive about 300-340 miles on a tank, with the gauge pointer getting all the way to E. Even then I can only put up to 15 gallons max (after mostly city driving). I never had the guts to run it up to, say, 380 miles on a tank.
On the other hand after first pump shutoff I can still squeeze 2 gallons in - after that, the gauge moves off of F after 80 miles or so.
Tomek

tomekk · January 2003

I'm just trying to gauge if the TL-S is worth the extra money... what was the difference between your P and TL-S? (I've paid 26K for my S).
Tomek

billyperks · January 2003

Remember the Millenia was a lease, my capitalized cost was around $23,000.00.
As for the TLS I paid 29,253,roughly $200.00 over invoice.But with all the Dealer holdbacks and back door transactions with Dealer and Manufacturer,they are the ones who get the long end of the stick.Hey, what can you do.
I think its worth the extra dough if you are in it for the long run- say 15 years.
With 228 miles so far the car is doing okay-no rattles, no sqeaks, solid as a rock.
Your question regarding the platform-I really dont care if they change it, all I know is, this car is well put together. Secondly, I could not wait until summer.What if they changed it to resemble the Accord,then the TLS wound'nt even be on my list.
I have to say this again-the power and acceleration is AMAZING,I feel invincible on the highway

billyperks · January 2003

Tom

I think you were right with your assumptions.
Looks like the 2004 TL will be based on the Accord platform.Car and Driver has a picture of the Japanesse Accord which they say will wear a Acura badge in the U.S.A with a few modifications.
Good thing I got the 2003 year model.

But what if they had made the 2004 Acura similar in looks the Millenia, then I would be upset.
You or Frank Watson mentioned in one of your post a long time ago that we as the consumer cannot keep up with the Manufacturers.I think that is so true,I think we should all be satisfied with the car we have untill its useful life is over.
If we try to get the latest model each year it would be like a dog chasing its tail.

maltb · January 2003

The 2004 Acura you speak of will be the TSX: basically the Accord sold in Europe and only available with a 4cyl that makes around 200hp.

billyperks · January 2003

Thought it was the TL, I did'nt even know Acura was adding another car to their line up.

maltb · January 2003

It's to fill the gap where the 4dr Integra once was.

tuckerdog1 · January 2003

I checked JC Whitney for the bra, but they only offer one that fits 95-99 ( cost is $59.00 ). I was not very keen on the idea of the bra anyway. Billyperks is probably right, the little stuff is gonna happen, and ya just have to live with it.
I do think I'll try the touch up paint though. I tried it in the past on my Mazda truck when some lowlife keyed the tailgate. And as most here have said, it doesn't work too well. But I read on a car care website, that if you use a non-dyed round toothpick, with next to zero paint on it,and dab the chipped spot just once,then let dry. Then repeat several times over several days, until the level of the paint builds up to the car's paint, then rub out, it's supposed to work pretty well. I'll let you know how well ( or poorly ) it turns out.

Fred

tomekk · January 2003

If you feel invincible, I hope you have good radar detector... :-)

"consumer cannot keep up with the Manufacturers" - oh, yes, GM's biggest invention: planned obsolescence.

billyperks · January 2003

Any comments- For those of you who have not seen it, go to CNN.COM and view the Detriot Car Show.
It can also be seen in this months issue of Car and Driver.

sbiss · January 2003

The version JC Whitney sells fits the 2000 as well. I checked LeBra's website before I bought it. If fits fine on my 2000 Millenia.

mparthasarat · January 2003

Hello everyone,

A few days ago my 95 millenia s had a charging problem (the charge light came on). I had the alternator tested; the problem was later diagnosed as a defective harmonic balancer. I had that replaced. Now, while the charging problem has been solved, an additional problem has come up; the check engine light and the "hold" light keep flashing, and the car's shifting is rough between first and second gears. This problem seems to have been caused by the charging problem, but everytime I clear the codes the problem comes back. Any ideas as to what might be wrong?

Many thanks
mp

maltb · January 2003

what's one more inaccuracy with all the rest, eh speed?

MP, sounds like a trans problem but you should probably have those codes read rather than constantly reset.

dominick33 · January 2003

Hey MP,
Have you changed you're trans screen and fluid in the 100K miles? My millenia doesen't have many miles on it but it sounds like this is a potential weak spot with enough miles / years.
Dom

mparthasarat · January 2003

Thanks for your messages guys. I did have the transmission power flushed about 10k miles ago and there were no problems after that. It was only when the charging problem occured that the "hold" light started flashing. I am just so frustrated with the car. For the first 100k miles there were NO problems; not one, other than routine maintenance. Since then it is one problem after another, e.g., drive axle boots, broken belt tensioner, oil pressure switch malfunction, cracked plastic radiator, broken harmonic balancer, now the hold light, and the latest problem (which I will deal with later) a leak in the exhaust manifold which promises to be expensive. The problem is of course that I love the car so much that I cannot bear to get rid of it, especially at the going rate of less than 5k. A dilemma, indeed.

Best wishes, MP

mparthasarat · January 2003

A friend adviced me that the transmission malfunction may be caused by a blown fuse. I checked, but found no fuse protecting the transmission components, unless they are somewhere else, away from the main fuse boxes. Any advice would be much appreciated.

MP

phatpat · January 2003

Greetings all, I'm just trying to find anyone out there that has a 95 -97 Millenia S that can give me any info on what to expect pass 100,000 miles in terms of maintenance and repairs. I have a 95 S with about 80,000 miles on it and to be pefectly honest up until this point I haven't run into allot of problems, some but nothing too out of the ordinary. Although it has the supercharged engine I don't necessarily beat it up but I like to make sure it's there from time to time. I guess I'm a little worried because the history of the car so far has been okay so I've heard the horror stories and wanted to find out anything I can do in the way of prevention. Any response would be greatly appreciated.

tuckerdog1 · January 2003

Well, only had our beauty about 6 weeks and I had an accident. Sick to my stomach over it. But now I need to deal with the insurance & repair shop. I've never had to do this before. Anybody have any advice on anything I should be sure to do or not do?

Thanks,
Fred

billyperks · January 2003

I do not know how severe the damage is but one thing I can advise you to do is-

Have your insurance company lay out the money for genuwine Mazda sheet metal only.Some insurance companies would rather use after market products to suit their budget.Stand firm in your argument and make them pay for MAZDA REPLACEMENT PARTS ONLY.

Hope you are ok.

tuckerdog1 · January 2003

Thanks Billyperks,
I am okay. Not much of an accident really. The airbags didn't even deploy. But the repair is over 6K before they've even pried off the sheetmetal to look for damage under the hood.
Not getting any grief from the insurance about real Mazda replacement parts. In fact, the dealer I bought the car from, also has several other high end dealerships around here ( Saab, Volvo, Porsche, Audi ). And the insurance guy said he has a specific shop he sends those cars to when they get bent. And he felt the millenia rated the same treatment. I thought that was good of him, but I did my own checking, and it turned out to be the truth.

Thanks again,
Fred

heybrady · January 2003

I am graduating college in a couple of months and just bought a 1999 MM base with 34k for 12grand. Pretty good deal I think, mint condition. Do and of you guys have any tips/hints/suggestions about the car??? Also, any details on this 60,000 mile service I am hearing about.

This forum was helpful to me when I was looking for cars, so Thank You everyone for posting.

Thanks,

Brady

fwatson · January 2003

Quote heybrady
"Also, any details on this 60,000 mile service I am hearing about."

At 60000 miles, unless you have an extended warranty, maintenance is up to your discretion. The unblown P model shouldn't require any maintenance any other car on the road needs at that point. And recommended replacement of the timing belt does not come until 105000 miles.

Do normal maintenance the same as you would on any other fine automobile, and your MM should last 200000 miles with no problem. It is a very reliable car as compared to any brand you can name. Proof of that is on both Carpoint.com and in Consumer Reports, despite some who have come on this forum deriding the Millenia.

Ultimately any car is apt to have a problem of some sort, after all they are very complicated mechanical devices. But in the real world, this Made in Japan from almost 100% Japanese sourced parts is a great choice. Enjoy your new car.

ssteele1 · January 2003

I need to make this comment for anybody out there who lives in hilly terrain with steep driveways and covered with snow or icy conditions...don't try driving with the stock Dunlop tires labeled M&S. My 2002 Millenia with tire size 215-50R-17 is uncontrollable in these conditions. To make matters worse, we can't find winter tires this size anywhere and I mean anywhere. The local tire dealers tell me that I should leave this car sitting in the garage. Why didn't Mazda tell us that the 17" tire size would be such a problem. These stock tires did also hydroplane in the rain too. Hope to see any answers or good suggestions.

maltb · January 2003

I'd look for some 16" steel rims and mount snow tires on them for the winter months. When things warm up, put the 17s back on and enjoy the open road. I'm in a warm climate, so I don't know this first hand, but it seems that no matter what make you drive, this is all too common.

tomekk · January 2003

I have to say that these Dunlops (SP5000?) are - for me - very good in snow, much better that Goodyear Eagle GAs on Passat GLX I used to have.
I live in the Boston area, and drive up North a lot to ski... so, your remarks, ssteele, come to me as a bit of surprise.
TCS not helping?
Tomek

kbaer · January 2003

Just wondering if this is a good deal...MilleniaS with 6-Disc CD, moonroof deflector, cargo net, auto-dimming mirror and window tint. $23,900 out the door including Tax, Tag, Title.

We haven't test driven the car to see if we like it yet, but plan to stop by the dealership after work this evening. Guess we'll try both models to see the difference. I think there's more room to play in this deal, but just wanted other opinions from here.

Thanks,

KBinFL

tomekk · January 2003

Looks like a good deal (I paid 26K for mine in June '01)... if it is new, of course :-)

mustangdrew · January 2003

Just curious, but what dealer and is this in Tampa, Florida?

fwatson · January 2003

I got mine last year at Courtesy Mazda in Tampa. Give them a try before making your final deal. Nobody else was even close to them on bottom line.

jahmikes · January 2003

I have a 95 Millenia that has been stalling and shutting off
recently. The check engine light is on. Since the light came on , I
have chnge dteh distributor, the throttle positiuon sensor and the
EGR. The car is still shutting off. It happans after driving for
about 25 minutes. The TCS light goes to off by itself, the car kinda
shudders when this happens, and then a few minutes later the car
shuts off all together. Sometimes teh Hold light flashes right before
the car shuts off. I then ahve to wait a few minutes before it will
start back up. In the mornings, when I satrt the car up after it has
rested all night, it drives fo rabout 25 minutes an then the cycle
starts all over again. Is anyone familair with this and if so , what
needs to be done to fix the problem.

tonym10 · February 2003

Hello fellow Millenia Owners:
Just wanted to brag about my 97 S. Bought it
2-1/2 years ago with 80,000 miles. It now has
106,000...with ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER
(except the check engine light which has been on for over a year). I'm not going to change the
timing belt for all those $'s, since if it goes,
no damage to the engine will occur, besides I
know somebody with an old 626 with over 160,000
miles, that never changed his timing belt!
Also, the Bose stereo is spectacular! The new
Judas Priest CD really blasts!

jabiomed · February 2003

My 99 "S," with about 40K miles (original owner) seems to have developed a steering problem over the past year or two. The car seems to follow every imperfection in the road and seems very "uncertain" in it's directionality ---that's the only way I can describe it. The steering also feels incredibly light, like there is no contact with the road. I had the alignment checked by the dealer more than a year ago (they said it was fine,) and then I brought it into Bear Frame & Axle here in Denver, who said it was slightly misaligned, but they brought it back to spec. The problem still exists, however. Incidentally, I've been running Blizzaks for at least a couple of years. Wear pattern looks normal on all four tires; pressure is set at 30 all around. I've come to hate driving the car and I'm thinking about getting rid of it. Other than this problem, the car has been flawless since I bought it. Anyone out there have any ideas?

fwatson · February 2003

I would suggest swapping tires if possible and see what happens. That would seem to be the best place to start troubleshooting. My bet is that a change back to a high quality touring or performance tire would solve the problem.
=============================================

http://www.epinions.com/auto-review-1F46-12132368-3995B672-prod1

QUOTE--------
The Brigestone Blizzaks are, without a doubt, one of the finest working snow and ice tires on the market today. But one caveat is in order. Snow tires are not held to the same traction and treadwear standards as regular all season and highway tires are. The UTQG rating which sets the government standard for tires does not apply to snow tires.

As such, the Blizzaks would be rated very low on the treadwear scale. These tires are excellent in snow and ice, top notch, traction would be rated very high. But when the pavement turns back to bare, so does the tread on the Blizzaks. These tires do not do very well at all on bare pavement. They handle well and pump water well, but they wear out like pencil erasers if now taken off right away in the spring.

If you live in Upper Michigan, Northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, Higher elevation mountainous areas, etc. these would do very well for you. If you live in an area where you really don't have long winters, you may want to opt for a longer wearing tire, unless of course price is no object and you don't mind buying a set every year.---------END QUOTE

tomekk · February 2003

The tire pressure on my Millenia S (as indicated on a door frame label) should be 33 front, 31 rear. I chose to run 34/32, as I tend to drive a bit faster than the 65 mph limit...
I think in your case you should think about those worn, underinflated Blizzaks. These tires have top 1/3 of the thread usable (made of some special compound), the rest shouldn't be driven on.
Hope this helps - Tomek

skspgh · February 2003

I don't know how to proceed and really would appreciate help on what to do next. Not knowing much about wheels/tires, I could certainly use some advise.
3 months ago my driver side front tire went flat, so I went to the local gararge and had the flat reparied. The guy said that the alloyed wheels on the S were 'peeling' and showed me some silver residue on his hand. He claimed that the air was leaking between the wheel and rim of the wheel (where the peeling is occuring). He said, go to Mazda with this. When I went to the dealer, they said "the front tire had broken belts. Required 6 ounces of wheel weights. Tire seams appear to have broken belts. Suggest replacing RF tire". 3 months passed. Yesterday, both my front tires were flat!! The local garage guy filled air in both to keep me going. It's been 2 days and the tires aren't flat yet (they will be, but this implies a slow leak, like the kind he spoke about). Now, I don't know what to do.
Is this a Dunlap tire problem? Should I go to them? Is this a Mazda problem? I mean, I have 15,000 miles on the car only. Even if I shell out the cash and buy new tires, what happens 6 months from now if this happens again - whom do I got to? Certainly the less air in the tires (from the leak) may now have damaged the belts, but shouldn't Dunlap help? Or shouldn't Mazda? How do I resolve, please, please assist asap....

Thanks, -Sean.

rrschlesinger · February 2003

I have an 01 S with 6,700 miles on it. Around town I never get more than 14.5 mpg, with moderate acceleration, i.e. I don't step on it. Is this normal for this car? Has anyone had any luck with using synthetic oil or a K&N filter to improve mpg? Any suggestions?

Second question, when I floor the accelerator going about 10-20 mph the transmission won't down shift. Is this normal? Has anyone had any success with reprogramming the chip or some other type of performance improvement.

Third question, the emergency brake handle hits my knee all the time, has anyone had any success with bending it out of the way?

Mazda Millenia

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