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Mazda Millenia

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Comments

  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    You really shouldn't push the car for the first 3,000-5,000 miles. This period is the "break-in" period for the engine, and it should be treated fairly gently. Hard acceleration is fine seldomly, but you should definitely take it easy. Driven hard during this period will seriously reduce the life of the engine.

    As far as acceleration... once the engine breaks in, acceleration will get better. Everything is very tight right now and will loosen up. Also, the traction control system on the Millenia S is a tad sensitive. The 210hp and 210lb-ft of torque from the supercharged 2.3L V6 can easily overcome the traction limits of the front tires. The traction control system will detect a hint of wheel spin and immediately retard engine timing to reduce power while maintaining rpm to keep the wheels from spinning. The computer will not allow full power until it has determined that full traction has been regained. The best acceleration method on the Millenia S with the traction control system engaged is smooth throttle from a stop and increasing throttle pressure as the vehicle speeds up. Otherwise, turn off the TCS button (dash should indicate "TCS OFF"). The acceleration of the Millenia S increases with speed. However, you do have to agree that the acceleration at freeway speeds is impressive.
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    I've had my 2001 S for 5 weeks, 1500 miles.
    1. Mileage: 1st fillup - 20 mpg Last fillup (this morning) - 25 mpg
    2. Acceleration: I have not experienced TCS slowing me down. Of course, I don't race the engine either, but I've had it once or twice up to 5,000 rpm (AFTER first 1000 miles). What I've noticed is that 'flooring it' doesn't work very well. You have to kind of press the pedal 3/4 of the way, get the car moving and then - quickly - floor it. This way I get _really_ good takeoff.
    As jstafender mentions, acceleration from 70mph up is just mind-boggling.

    I've also talked just yesterday to somebody with 1996 S - he described it as flawless. I hope mine stays that way.

    Tomek
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Jstandefer andTomekk,

    Thanks for your recommendations/suggestions. I will try driving my car with the TCS button off and let you know if it improves the acceleration. No, I don't push the car. If anything, I probably drive slower than most people. And yes, I agree this car is great on highways, quick and smooth.

    Richard
  • mojdodyrmojdodyr Member Posts: 23
    I have 2000 base millenia with only 7500 miles on it - sand mica with premium package and 4 season package. Unfortunately, I'll be trading it for a van soon - or could sell it now. Anyone interested - let me know at vitalyd@msn.com. It is my wife's car - absolutely clean, garage kept -love it, but need something bigger.
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Hi,

    I've been driving with the TCS off and I've noticed a slight improvement with acceleration. Thanks for the tip! However, I still notice that when I press the gas pedal from a stand still, the transmission often hesitates for a second or two and I feel a small vibration from the gas pedal. The engine/transmission is also noisier than usual. If I press the pedal a little harder (maybe half way down, not flooring it), the car picks up the speed, and it becomes quieter and smoother. Is this normal for Millenia S engine/transmission?
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    Rkchiou, today I actually chirped the tires pretty well from a still stand - makes me wonder if my TCS is working properly :-)
    No, I have not noticed what you're describing and since it hasn't been a problem I have not payed much attention to how my S accelerates from a still stand. Tomorrow I'll try to test it.
    Are you doing this on warm engine?
    Do you use 91+ pump octane (in my neck of the woods I use the common 93 octane)?
    Tomek
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    Good point on the fuel octane. The Millenia S REQUIRES premium fuel (91 octane or higher R+M/2 method). It does have a knock sensor but performance will decrease significantly without premium fuel.
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Hi Tomekk and Jstanfender,

    Yes, I only use 93 octane gas from Amoco. And yes, it usually happens when the engine is warm. Tomekk, try it with your A/C on. It appears to be more frequent when my A/C is on. I really love this car except for this. Hope it goes away with more mileage. I also read several comments in this forum regarding the "cranky" transmission with some Millenia S, could this be the problem with my car? If yes, is there anything I can do? BTW, I paid $26,500 for a white S (it had 66 miles) with four seasons, 17" chrome wheels, and 6 cd-changer. My MPG has improved slightly from 17 to 18. Again, thanks for your suggestions. This forum has been most helpful.

    Richard
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    Richard,

    I've tested it (with TCS off) and, so to say, it "goes like stink", shifting at ~5900 RPM. Of course, I've interrupted the test at 90mph... I had AC off, though. I'd recommend that you talk to your service department manager and invest some time in a test drive with him. What you're describing doesn't sound right. You could also "test-drive" another Millenia S to compare... :-) And remember, that for the first 12000 miles/1 year even "adjustments" are covered by the warranty, so use it.

    I've paid $26K for Sand Mica with 32.5 sticker. I went kayaking with my 5 year old son today - about 50 mile drive from my house, all highway. I was tremendously enjoying the car. Cruise at 80 is so effortless, much better than my previous car - 95 Passat GLX (5 speed wagon).

    Cranky transmission: Last week I bumped into my service manager when I was picking up wind deflector (for the sun roof) and I mentioned to him that in the morning, just after start, my tranny hesitates shifting from 2nd to 3rd. I press "Hold" in drive to force 3rd gear around 3000RPM. He said they get complaints about Millenia S trannys all the time, but the 2001s are by far the best. It's just not Lexus smooth, that's all.

    Tomek
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Tomekk,

    I did test drive a black S before I bought my white and don't remember it had this problem. Again, this problem usually happens only after 10-20 minutes of driving. Unfortunately, my dealer does not have any S in stock. I also check with a couple of dealers in my area and all of them are out of S. I guess I going to have to wait for a couple of weeks before I can test drive another Millenia S. And yes, I agree with you, my S is extremely quick, smooth, and quiet on highways.

    By the way, how much did it cost to install the wind deflector? Are you happy with it?

    Richard
  • mantagmantag Member Posts: 47
    Well, folks, hate to see my merlot mica baby go , but.... my goal was to sell before it hit 100k. right now it has 97,700 on it. new yokohama 225/55/16 V's tires/battery/hoses/brakes. put around $1500 into car with the tires/polished alum wheels, gold pkg,door visors. asking $9500. check it out on autotrader.com use 20876 as my zip code here in maryland. never had any engine problems like others have mentioned.
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    Richard,

    wind deflector was under $50, and took me 15 minutes to install. I can go up to 70-75 with my sunroof completely open. It works.
    When the sunroof is closed, above 65 or so (I do 85-90, on highways that I know, with radar detector) there is some wistle from it, but not too bad. Money well spent.

    I also got mudflaps (installed "free" at the dealer before delivery).

    I am kind of still looking for something similar to your acceleration problem, but to no avail so far...

    Hope this helps -

    Tomek
  • herndonsherndons Member Posts: 17
    Hello all
    Finally, I have some insight into my problem. I purchased a used 95 Millenia 2.5L earlier this year. The car had alot of problems when I bought but got it to almost new condition. The engine was replaced right before I purchased it and had only 40k miles on it. However, it did have a bad head which I promptly replaced. After that, the car was great. However, I had this vibration when I accelerated. I have about 93k miles now. I thought is was as a result of all the work done to the car.
    However, the vibration while accelerating didn't happen all the time. Just occasionally. Mostly after a California stop. Then, I noticed it was more intense when I had the AC on. So I thought, this couldn't be something mechanical because it occurred only occasionally. Then I thought of the TCS which I've read has cause many problems in Millenias. I switched it off and voila, NO TRANSMISSION VIBRATION!!!!! I was ecstatic! Then I went to the town hall yesterday and noticed that others had it. For a 2000 Millenia to have it definitely shows a flaw in the Mazda TCS system. Man, You would think they would have gotten it right after 6 years. Problem solved. Still have a clunky transmission though. Another Millenia drawback. Anybody out there have any insight on permanently disabling TCS?
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    Herndons,

    you're talking about 95 Millenia, Richard has 2001 Millenia S. DIFFERENT engine, DIFFERENT transmission.

    I have 2001 S and no sign of this (elusive) problem.
    Just my $0.02.

    Tomek
  • sreyemsreyem Member Posts: 9
    I just saw a 2000 Millenia with the Miller-Cycle engine (is that the Millenium Edition or the S?), Executive demo- whatever that means (6k miles), blk w/grey lthr, 17inch chrome wheels. discounted 10k (originally $32,500).

    I'm sure I could get them down even more. Is this something worth looking into? I'm a newbie to the Millenia, but not to Mazda. Any reliability issues? How long (miles) could I expect it to last?

    Any help- non-biased :) would be greatly appreciated as I may go in tonight or tomorrow to have a look.

    Thanks!
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    That Millenia you are looking at is an "S" model, not the Millenium Edition. The Millenium Edition was painted either Highlight Silver or Millenium Red and had the dark charcoal interior with synthetic suede seats and leather wrapped gear selector and parking brake handle.

    Execute demo means either a dealership manager used it as a "demo", or a Mazda corporate employee used it as a "demo" (the latter is called a "Brass Hat"). $22,500 is too high for that car. There is a $4,000 rebate on the 2001 models, plus discounts usually amounting to $2,000. That means you can pick up a brand new 2001 Millenia S for just a couple of thousand more. A more fair price would be between $20,000 and $20,500. Remember, this vehicle is in actuality a used car except for the fact that it hasn't been registered yet.

    In terms of reliability, the Millenia S is an excellent car. You should easily get 150,000+ miles out of it without any major problems. Of course, you must keep-up maintenance on the vehicle. The supercharger and valve train are quite sensitive to oil quality. Do realize that maintenance is quite expensive on this car, particularly spark plug and timing belt changes. It is a drawback, but the 2.3L Miller-Cycle V6 is a marvel of engineering and is about as refined as you can get.
  • sreyemsreyem Member Posts: 9
    The sales guy (I know, their product knowledge is usually "sub-par"- to be polite) said that this engine makes 260hp. I thought it only made 210. Am I mistaken?

    I'm familiar with caring for turbos, but don't know much about supercharged engines. Is there any special care that needs to be taken with them, and should I be concerned about whether those 6k miles were 6k "hard" miles?

    Thanks for your quick reply. I really appreciate it.
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    It's 210 BHP, 210 torque.

    Oil change should've been performed at 3K-5K miles.

    I've bought 2001 S brand new (sticker 32.5) for $26K six weeks ago.

    Hope this helps,

    Tomek
  • csuftitanscsuftitans Member Posts: 215
    Brian, for a couple thousands more, I would get the new 2001 Milenia. Many improvements were done to the car this past year, please take a look and test drive it before you buy the 2000 Millenia S. I know it cost more, but if you can qualify for Mazda 4.9% APR or even the 0% APR, you will ended up paying about the same. I don't think this rate is available on a used/demo car.

    cheers
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Tomek,

    Was it easy to install the wind deflector? Did you have to drill holes?

    BTW, my car is running better and quicker. I guess more mileage has helped "break in" the car. In addition, I did not have to use the A/C last week and I think that made a difference. Do you have some pictures of your car with wind deflector and mud flaps? I would like to see them. I plan to take pictures of my car this weekend and will post the link here sometime next week.

    Richard
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    Richard,

    the wind deflector has two hook-like contraptions that catch on the the edge of the sunroof opening - you tighten them with 2 screws, that's all. All you need is a Philips scredriver and 15 minutes (including reading the installation manual!). Really easy, just make sure the seal at the bottom of the deflector lays flat on the roof.

    Pictures? - I'm not THAT much in love with my car... :-) but now that you mention it, maybe I'll post something after the weekend. I really do like the mudflaps, I had them on my Passat and they do keep the car much cleaner on the sides (and tar-free, too!). Interestingly enough in some countries in Europe (as you can tell I am no native English speaker) they are required equipment as they reduce water spray thus improving visibility in the rain for those who follow you.

    I'm glad to hear your Millenia is running smoother. Enjoy it! and take it easy, you still have 50K miles of bumper-to-bumper warranty to iron out any glitches. I tell you, this car grows on me . . . I like it more and more every day.

    Tomek
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Hi,

    I went to Ebay's web site earlier today and saw several Millenias for sale. I noticed that several of them had rear spoiler. Did Mazda offer rear spoiler as an accessory for pre-2001 models? I looked at the list of accessories for 2001 Millenia and did not see rear spoiler. Where can I get one and how much do they cost?

    This is my first car with leather seats. A friend told me Lexol is the best product for leather seats. What do you guys use?

    Richard
  • tommyboisxty9tommyboisxty9 Member Posts: 8
    Currently starting to seriously consider a new car. After about another 1-2 months I'll have enough of my TBird payed off to sell it cheap and get rid of it. (NEVER EVER EVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

    Anyhow....
    I've actually been seriously considering/looking @ an Acura 3.2TL -- 99 or 00 model. 3.2L 225HP engine, schwwinngg LoL... but anyhow they are great cars, great reliability, but it's going to be slightly hard finding one for under $20000 with decent miles. Although, perhaps by the time I'm ready to buy (late Sept/Early Oct.) that'll be a better time for lower prices right (winter/fall time...)

    Anyhow, I also have always liked the Millenias. To me they are another Acura Legend (GREAT looking cars... just classy and understated and will continue to get looks for 10-15 years) I still see a 92 Legend on the road and damn thats a nice car.) But I digress....

    The really attractive part of the Millenia is the crappy resale --- 2000 Millenia S Milleniums for like $18-19k. with 20-30k mileage. I don't care about resale in this case (Acura or Mazda) because I plan on having the car throughout college -- (about 7 years) and I plan on putting tons of mileage on it (by the time I'm ready to sell it I should have added at least 120k)

    So I need a car that WILL last. Without a lot of major problems/maintenance. I can handle the 60k service (I'll just start my lil' "Service Fund")

    But I'm worried about the tranny... I had to replace that in my TBird and spend $750 on one from a junked car --- new was like $1900. Excuse me, that was actually to rebuild mine -- I don't even want to guess new price.

    According to Consumer Reports -- Reliability is "Very Good".
    With the engine getting the red circle with the dot (best) for 98 & 99 -- but a full black dot for 95! the three years avail. (some have insuff. data) 95--98--99 have the Very Good and Excellent for Trannys... so is it just that they aren't smooth, but still well built?

    I'm under the impression these are assembled in Japan which leads me to believe they have superior build quality inside (i.e. no squeaks/rattles, fit finish probs...) Over on the Acura TL board -- the TL is very good, however, many that have owned the Legends before hand (assembled in Japan, TL in US) said they notice a major difference and the Legend just felt more solid. Thats one part where the Millenia earns my vote if its true. Squeaks and rattles drive me insane -- and my TBIrd the whole thing is HORRID. I just have the radio blaring all the time.

    on the 2k Millenium Ed. with the BOSE -- whats the configuration of it?
    (speakers/wattage) The TL has a 5 speaker (4 doors & an Nd Woofer in the rear deck) it has good sound, but it could seriously use some tweeters. I'm not an audiophile, but I like to turn up a good song and get good solid bass and treble without it getting distorted but still sounding good.

    I guess that's it for now -- any thoughts, suggestions, etc etc. would be appreciated!!!
  • natevnatev Member Posts: 10
    in regards to the Millenium Ed....I have the silver one...purchased about 5 months ago w/ 4,000 miles on it for $22k....bought through my best friend who ran a dealership (was a rep. car)...stickerd for $32.5k.....After 5,000 miles I still love it .....just did the wheels (painted calipers and parts of rotors last weekend).....have gotten about 10 compliments on them since....overall though, great car...not super quick off the line, but simply flies on the highway...the Millenia's are soooooooo much more sleek and attractive than the Acura's (which I think have an ugly rear)....the Millenia really doesn't have a bad angle.....I have a couple of small adjustments to be made, but nothing not covered with the factory warranty they gave me, (5 yrs. or 50,000)....I plan to sell though in about 3-4 years.....In my opinion, it is one of the most aerodynamically shaped luxury/sport vehicles on the road (supported by it's great wind drag coefficient)...get the Mill. Ed. (6 CD in dash), speakers are OK, but I'm an audiophile and will revamp whole thing shortly (next project)....for everyday music lovers it is quite sufficient though...5 speakers, one in dash and standard 6x9 rear deck rears and 6 1/2 inch fronts....I am swapping all speakers and will use separates in the front to raise the sound stage to ear level....anymore advice and I'd be happy to respond......

    *****anyone out there have luck with an aftermarket muffler/exhaust system??? where????
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    Well, I finally pulled the trigger and purchased an '01 Millenia P Wednesday that will primarily be my wife's car (I still enjoy my Protege too much!). The price for the car was right at $22K which seems to be pretty good from what I have read. So far, it is a joy to drive and I can't help but doing a double-take every time I walk away from it! We got the Platinum color and it looks great. It will look even better once we get the windows tinted.

    The only other car we really considered was the Accord EX V6. In the end, we 1)thought the Millenia was more attractive, 2)thought the Millenia was a great bargain, and 3)didn't think the world needed another Accord on the road! Yeah, we give up some power and will probably get dinged a bit should we need to sell it anytime in the next few years, but in the end, we feel like we are in a much more luxurious car for less money, so I guess value is in the eye of the keyholder.

    Now we have to work on just having 825 posts. I think the Protege board gets that in a good day!
  • csuftitanscsuftitans Member Posts: 215
    Congrats on the new Millenia; love the new Millenia looks and improvements, hope I can upgrade my 2000 Millenia S to a 2001 model. BTW, our other car is a Mazda Protege too, but it's the 2002 Protege5; so we both own a Millenia and a Protege; very cool. what color is your Protege?. My Protege5 is black and my Millenia is black/grey (two-tone). Love both cars, but me and my wife are fighting to drive the Protege5 to work everyday. She drives the Protege much more than me nowadays; can't win a fight with the wifey. Anyway, please let us know how you like the 2001 Millenia; I especially loved the rear end styling and the improvements they made to the interior.

    zoom-zoom
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    csuftitans,

    wouldn't you lose a lot of money upgrading 2000 to 2001?

    Just curious how you justify that...
    Tomek
    with his 2001 S :-)
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    My Protege is a '99 ES and is black. I would have the P5 if they had it available back then! Unfortunately, my little gem is in the shop right now since I got a little sloppy going through an intersection a couple of weeks ago. My great experience (other than my recent driving incident) with the Protege has made me a believer in Mazda. I think their quality, at least on Japanese built products, rivals or best those of the more well known competitors.

    Even though I have the smaller engine in my Millenia, I can't wait to break it in a little and start opening her up some. The engine certainly sounds willing! The one thing I already love about the car is how much quieter it is than the Protege. I can actually appreciate the sound system!
  • csuftitanscsuftitans Member Posts: 215
    I love my 2000 Millenia S, but some of the new feature/improvements Mazda made to the 2001 model makes me go crazy. For sure I will upgrade my Millenia's tailight assembly with the 2001's tail lights along with the center lic plate holder panel. This will cost me about $1400; that's after a 10% discount at a Mazda dealer. Does anyone know a cheaper place to buy Mazda parts? I'll probably do this on My Millenia's 2yr anniversary in Jan 2002; hope I have enough extra money by then. I also love the new "Optitron" gauges on the 2001 Millenia; does anyone knows if it's even possible to replace the gauges?

    BTW, to anyone who has driven both Millenia and Millenia S, which one has a quiter engine. when I test drove a used '98 Millenia, I thought during idle, the Millenia's 2.5 V6 engine is quieter; about the same while driving.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I only test drove the "P". The "S" was out of the budget of what I wanted to spend on a new car. I think if you can spring for it, I would go for the "S" just for the extra 40 HP. Not that the 170 in mine is bad, I have just read too many good things about the Miller cycle engine.

    Oh, and the only thing I have found so far that bugs me is the fan control. Say you have the fan on the second setting and get too cold. You can't simply click it back one notch. You have to go through speeds 3 and 4 before you get back to one. Not a big deal, just an observation.
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    I test drove Millenia P (2.5L V6) before I drove (and bought) my Millenia S. The 2.5L is in general higher-pitched, the Miller cycle rougher sounding. I like the Miller cycle better though, especially the supercharger whistle when I step on it.

    Did you guys know that Merceded Benz in its newest 6 cyl AMG model uses Lysholm screw supercharger, just like Millenia S (they do it on a 3.2L V6 end up with something like 350BHP).

    csuftitans, I just searched www.google.com for "mazda millenia parts" and that's what it came back with - I'm sure you'll find more:

    http://www.corksport.com/others/millenia.html

    http://www.pricingcentral.com/mazda/millenia.html

    http://www.4autobodyparts.com/cgi-bin/4autobodyparts/body_parts.html?body=MAZDA&parts=MILLENIA

    http://www.mazdastuff.com/directory.cfm?CategoryID=77

    ... and so on.

    Good luck!
    Tomek
  • fwatsonfwatson Member Posts: 639
    I spent the weekend car shopping. Drove MaximaGLE, the best I could get was $23,774. Also the 'O2 Camry, best price $200 under MSRP. Then I got lucky. After hitting three Mazda dealers, I got my new Millenia P, MSRP $28,225, for $21,830. The car is absolutely gorgeous in Sterling Silver Metallic, with gray leather and sun roof standard equipment. Other than less rear seat room, this car so far outclasses the Maxima, that it is no contest. Of course, it does not have the power of the Max, but that is not important to me. It performs very well, even with the 2.5 V-6. The Camry was also gray leather, but the dashboard can't hold a candle to the Millenia, and the car falls far short in overall appearance and ambiance.

    Toyota dealers were very courteous, the Nissan dealers for the most part were not a good experience. But the whole buying experience at Courtesy Mazda was by far the most pleasant I have ever had.

    There are great incentives right now, so don't wait if you are wanting one of these beautiful cars.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    on the new car. Now I am not the newest one here! Great price on the car, too. They are really quite the bargain right now, especially for what you get. I don't know how they are selling any 626 ES-V6's now, especially since you can't find one with ABS and side airbags! We came to the same conclusion as you on the power. Sure it would be nice to have over 200 hp, but the 2.5l seems to do just fine in normal driving conditions. I didn't look at the Camry since they are notoriously conservative in and out, and I didn't think they would be dealing on the '02's. The Maxima is nearly the other extreme. My wife has never liked the looks on it. Both are fine cars though.
  • petergeorgepetergeorge Member Posts: 5
    Herndon, I was wondering if you could give me a little feedback

    My dad really likes the Millenia S. We've tried a 98 and 2000 model and both have a funny vibration at Freeway speeds (70 MPH/120KMH). We didn't notice the problem while gunnning it though, just at that speed. Is this similar to your problem that was solved by shutting off the traction control? My dad loves the car and will probably buy a used one, but this issue really bugs him.
  • csuftitanscsuftitans Member Posts: 215
    The only vibrations on my 2000 Millenia S is the result of the low profile tires on a 17" wheels. No funny vibrations from engine or transmission though.
  • petergeorgepetergeorge Member Posts: 5
    I'm sorry the models we drove were 98 and 99, so no 2000 vibrations here.

    Which are better though, 17s or 16s? (apart from the style factor)

    Do 17s give slightly more vibration and road noise as a compromise to superior handling?
  • petergeorgepetergeorge Member Posts: 5
    I agree completely about the Legend, what an amazing car. I think the Millenia is sort-of-kind-of a modern version of it though. You couldn't go wrong with a Millenia. My dad is in the same position. The Legend was his favourite car, but now he likes the updated feel of the Millenia. The Legends were pretty small inside too. Did you ever look at a J30? They're really a 300zx underneath; they even have the same 3.0 block as the base 300zx. They don't handle like the Legend though.
  • tomekktomekk Member Posts: 310
    I just did over 200 miles yesterday, going sometimes well over 90mph. No vibration at any speed, smooth as glass.
    Tire vibration can be usually cured by wheel balancing (done by somebody who KNOWS what he is doing) and - if that doesn't help - alignment (more $$$).

    I have 2001 S with 17 inchers. I don't think those 17 inchers are necessary, but they look good. There is no significant quality of ride difference between 16 and 17 inch wheels IMHO; 16 inchers are good enough.

    Tomek
  • fwatsonfwatson Member Posts: 639
    This has to be the best kept secret in a superb near luxury car in the world. I have now had the chance to accumulate about 200 miles on my new Millenia, and it is a wonderful car. They are complaining about the styling of the new ES300 on other boards, how did they miss this beauty? All I can say, is that their loss was my gain, because it allowed me to buy at $10000 or more below what they are going to pay for those new Lexus'.

    As far as the poor depreciation is concerned. I don't see how that can factor in, when they gave me at least two years worth of depreciation to start with. Sure feels good to have found such a bargain on what is obviously a world class vehicle.
  • csuftitanscsuftitans Member Posts: 215
    I agree about the new Lexus ES300's styling, while the front looks nice, the rear looks cheap and looks like the older Camry ('94-97 model). The 2001 Millenia however, has a very nice stylish, expensive look to it. I also agree that the discounts and rebates that you get on a new Millenia more than covers the depriciation for at least a year; it's especially good if you're financing it and keep it for a long time. Lease is just not worth it for me.

    BTW, I have to say that a 16 inchers on a Millenia will give you a slightly better ride, since the tires is higher profile, 55 series compared to 50 on a 17 inchers.
  • jcthom4jcthom4 Member Posts: 24
    I was considering an 02 Camry but the Millenia seems like an incredible deal for $22k.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    I don't know about Consumer Reports, but Carpoint (using a system where service departments and mechanics report problems on cars they work on) give the Millenia a 5 out of 5 rating for every year it has been produced (1995-present). They come up with one minor problem: the 1995 and 1996 models with the 2.5L engine experience spark plug wire failure. However, changed at the proper interval, I am sure they would be just fine.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I had not checked out that source, but I am not too surprised. Took the car in today for a little detailing by the dealer as they had left some plastic in a lot of places. It looks marvelous! My wife and I really like this car.
  • petergeorgepetergeorge Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the tire input...

    A couple years ago I drove a 98 ES 300. What a plain car, it really lacked personality.
  • rkchiourkchiou Member Posts: 8
    Jcthom4,

    One of the reasons I bought my 2001 Millenia S is that it got a very reliable rating from Consumer Reports. In the upscale cars category, it was placed as the third most reliable car, lower than Infinity I30 and Lexus ES300 but higher rating than Acura TL, BMW 3 series, Audi A4 and 6 other cars. Hope this helps!

    Richard
  • milleniaman1milleniaman1 Member Posts: 110
    I took my 99 base Millenia in for routine service on Wen...oil change, replaced fog lamp, fixed ding in windshield, and replaced wiper blades. Within an hour of picking up my car the check engine light came on. I assumed it was a loose gas cap...but the light didn't go away. Thurs afternoon I took the car back to the dealership...two error codes came...one having to do with O2 sensors for the emissions and the other saying that the car has misfired at least twice. Now I'm in a loner car...hopefully I'll have my Millenia back tomorrow. Other than that annoying light the car has been driving great.
  • fwatsonfwatson Member Posts: 639
    I am in the process of breaking in my new P before taking off on a long trip the end of Sept. I now have 250 miles on it, and it is proving to be a wonderful car. I will take it out again today for another 100 or so miles, then my wife and I will put some more on it tomorrow. While no breakin is required, they recommend at least 1000km of varied driving before putting it on the freeway for long stretches.

    Reliability wise, everything I find gives it top rating, including Consumer Reports, with a red dot rating, (the very best), and red checkmarks(the best) for every year available, except '95 which is average (black check mark), because of the spark plug wire problem apparently, as pointed out by jstandefer above.

    It truly is a great car so far, and the styling startles you when you go to your garage and see it. It is that beautiful, mine is Platinum Silver Mica, with light gray leather interior.

    By the way, if you are in the Tampa area, check Courtesy Mazda on Hillsbourough. No luxury building, just a great dealership that sold me a great car at rock bottom price. Know your stuff when you go to any dealer. Right now there are $4000 in incentives, and they go way down from there. I mean WAY down. Happy car hunting.
  • protegenicprotegenic Member Posts: 199
    I am just a little shy of 600 miles on my "P", but I'm ready to test her a little sometime this weekend once I break that figure. I am not expecting too much, but it will be fun to drive the car with a little heavier foot just to see how it responds. Like I said before, the engine seems very willing so far. I also love the exhaust note. Get the Lexus if you never want to hear the engine, but to me, that is all part of the driving experience. I don't even have to be going that fast if the engine is making it sound like I am!
  • misty8misty8 Member Posts: 15
    I've had the same problem with my base 99 on two occasions. The first time the dealer "reset" the light. The second time the light went out on its own after about 2 days before I got it back to the dealer to have it checked. I have heard that a loose gas cap can create the problem and the light may stay on until after your next fill-up of gas. I just had a major problem with a brake fluid leak. Thank goodness the car is still under warranty. The part alone was $1600. The dealer indicated that they had not experienced this problem before. If your brake warning light ever comes on, don't listen to a dealer if they say it's because your pads are worn and therefore the system needs more fluid. That's what they told me about 5000 miles ago. I went elsewhere and was told that my pads were fine. I suspect that I have had this leak for quite a while.
  • milleniaman1milleniaman1 Member Posts: 110
    It turns out that my O2 Sensor went bad. The part is on back order...until then I will just ignore the light.
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