New Mazda5 Owner, my 1st post/Mazda/car purchase/new car

[Mazda-5]

hey everyone,
I'm not really sure what the etiquette is, but I thought I would be polite and start my first post saying hello.

I'm a new Mazda5 owner. But that's not the only first:

• first time Mazda owner
• first time new car owner
• first time car purchase!

That's right. I somehow managed to get through life without ever buying a car - until a month ago! Here are the details

Mazda5 2012
Sport, no options
Purchase 10/10/2012 new

I have ~600 miles on it, and it still has that new car smell. I always thought of myself as a Honda or Toyota kind of guy - caring much more about practicality, economy, maintenance, reviews, etc. But the Mazda5 just really stuck as being the perfect sized car and very well priced. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy it's smooth ride, handling. And I love how it has so much room inside but still maneuvers and parks like a small car. A week after I bought the car, I found myself downloading every Mazda app on my phone, reading these forums, dreaming about installing a second horn, - things I couldn't have imagined doing before.

Anyway, I'm proud to be a Mazda5 owner, even if other people say "I can't believe you bought a minivan!"

Well, that's it for now.

 

[cdnballer]

Glad to hear about your first car ownership. The Mazda 5 was also the first brand new car that I purchased.

 

[cburrell]

Driving a vehicle that actually inspires you to drive more like A Mazda makes you want to make it even better. Let other people drive the appliance like cars that toyota and honda put out.

 

[hiko54]

Congrats and welcome to the forum! Joined just recently myself!

First off, you got a cool little sporty MICRO van! Not a 'minivan'! LOL You'll love the 5 and all it has to offer. Not sure what your previous vehicle was but I've had several Mazda's (3, Rx8, 5) and they all have one thing in common: A driving fun factor that doesn't exist in the other brands.

+1 on what cburrell said. Don't let the 'practical' look of the 5 fool you or anyone else; it is a pretty darn fun car to swing around turns and zip around in. It just so happens to be versatile and able to haul more people and luggage.

Looking forward to hearing about your experiences as you get to know your brand new 5 and learn more about it!

 

[ukulele]

Congrats on your purchase! I just bought my Mazda5 Touring about 2 months ago. After buying several cars made in North American and having them fall apart before 10K miles, I buy only cars made in Japan or Germany now. The 5 is a world car, however mine came from the line in Hiroshima. It's an all around great vehicle except that darn vibration between 50-75mph on the highway. I can't say much else about it because it may become a litigated matter soon, but hopefully there is someone up at Mazda North American Operations with half a brain that realizes making the customer happy and fixing the problem the first time should be priority #1, until now I have no evidence of that.

Hopefully your Sport does not exhibit the same problem.

 

[Nutella]

Congrats! I just got our 2012 Mazda5 GT 2 weeks ago! It's actually gently used at 28Kkms. Loaded to the max spec. Drives like a dream!! I do not have any vibrations. Even at 80MPH/130+km/h. Smooth as butter. LOVE this car and the leather, xenons, sunroof, bluetooth, heated seats, space, etc! Works real good for our 2 little girls 1.5 and 5.5 yrs old.

Looking at getting the soft cargo liner, LED reverse lights, LED interior lights, weather tech digital fit mats.

 

[ukulele]

Congrats! I just got our 2012 Mazda5 GT 2 weeks ago! It's actually gently used at 28Kkms. Loaded to the max spec. Drives like a dream!! I do not have any vibrations. Even at 80MPH/130+km/h. Smooth as butter. LOVE this car and the leather, xenons, sunroof, bluetooth, heated seats, space, etc! Works real good for our 2 little girls 1.5 and 5.5 yrs old.

Looking at getting the soft cargo liner, LED reverse lights, LED interior lights, weather tech digital fit mats.

Just out of curiosity, what brand/model tires you got?? Your in Ontario, good chance you didn't get Toyos.

I ordered the soft cargo liner off of eBay, it's okay, leaves some to be desired especially for around $100, the fit could be better and the "skirt" that covers the rear bumper should be made out of the same vinyl the rest of the cover is made of, but its made of some kind of polyester or rayon fabric.

 

[Nutella]

^ our Mazda5 is not new, it is 28000kms 1.5 yrs old. The tires are new, china all seasons (GrandPrix or something!) stock GT 17" size. Drove and rode great when we got it. But I didnt corner hard or anything. I dont care for better ones because the 5 is not being driving aggressively at all (save that for my '10 Civic Si!). Now I'm on winters on the 5. Also cheap china ones but gently used. Still drives like a dream -straight as an arrow.

I got the cargo cover from the dealer ($125+13%tax ontario rip off pricing) Quite disappointed. I thought it would cover the 2nd row captain's chairs but it doesn't. Just the 3rd row seats and rear floor.

 

[torquelover]

This is a great niche car with zero advertising support. At the last family holiday gathering, people were guessing Mazda 3 or Mazda SUV of some sort at a distance (offset frontal view) until they saw the sliding doors open. Funny to see a $20k microvan draw non-car people outside in the cold to have a closer look. Only other Mazda in the family has been a '90 929 S.

 

[ukulele]

This is a great niche car with zero advertising support. At the last family holiday gathering, people were guessing Mazda 3 or Mazda SUV of some sort at a distance (offset frontal view) until they saw the sliding doors open. Funny to see a $20k microvan draw non-car people outside in the cold to have a closer look. Only other Mazda in the family has been a '90 929 S.

Come to think of it I can't remember a car commercial for the Mazda5. I noticed Mazda's commercials around here advertise Mazda vehicles in general, like all of them at the same time, they show you short clips of the 3, the CX-5, the 6 etc. it's like they really don't want to sell Mazda5s and they do everything they can to hide them from public view... Haha

 

[phunky.buddha]

Hi!

 

[ukulele]

Hi!

(spin)

 

[1987cp]

Kind of neat having a new Mazda5 for your first car! Ours was my first ever new car purchase, first time for me having something under 6 years old and of living for more than a few months with something under 10 years old (then 20, then 30 ....) as my personal DD. (My wife's first and only car so far was bought Certified Used at 1 year old.) Previously, a fullsize body-on-frame wagon was my idea of practicality, and I still have some affection for that style vehicle, but this Mazda has me wishing I'd thought to replace my Colony Park with something like a first-gen MPV ... oh, at least 8-9 years ago, and especially by the time I got married!

 

[Silentnoise713]

Welcome. You took some big steps but not sure if you know what you've gotten yourself into. This forum will further promote you to DIY and add accessories (hopefully we can sway you to be the function over form) that you've never thought or heard of . Next on the list, some tools!

 

[1987cp]

Hm ... tools .... how about a Haynes manual? (apparently they're not yet doing one for the Five ....)

 

[Silentnoise713]

Hm ... tools .... how about a Haynes manual? (apparently they're not yet doing one for the Five ....)

Sounds like my kinda logic

There is a Factory Service Manual for an '07 (probably a lot more than 50% similar for +'12 owners) floating on the internet. FSM > Haynes but that's just MHO.

 

[1987cp]

FSM > Haynes but that's just MHO.

Very likely true, but my experience with Fords is that the factory manual is in several volumes at like $60 per volume (and a restocking fee if the manual is out of print and you have to order it from Helm and then find it's the wrong one), and no guarantee which volume you need for the repair you're undertaking, while the little Haynes and Chilton's manuals have most of the info you need in maybe 200-300 pages for like $20 (used to be $10).

 

[Rockin03mp5]

welcome to every newbie that this thread has!