What year for LED taillight?

[slik5]

My recently purchased 2008 5 came with LED tails. Is this an OEM light?

 

[tuanies]

Yep, on the Grand Touring iirc

 

[slik5]

I was wondering that, since my insurance claims it's a sport.

 

[thaxman]

do you have automatic climate control, fog lights, skirts under the doors, and a spoiler over the 3rd brake light?

 

[TheDirtyGoatee]

do you have automatic climate control, fog lights, skirts under the doors, and a spoiler over the 3rd brake light?

If you have the above mentioned, I will take the parts my sport didn't come with and trade you those parts that are swappable. Damn sport trim level not getting any styling options.

 

[slik5]

do you have automatic climate control, fog lights, skirts under the doors, and a spoiler over the 3rd brake light?

Yes, all of the above.

 

[slik5]

If you have the above mentioned, I will take the parts my sport didn't come with and trade you those parts that are swappable. Damn sport trim level not getting any styling options.

Good one!

 

[slik5]

I really love my 5, only have 2 months with it and truly enjoy it. Just that weird crunch noise when I stop and go, can't find the source yet. Might be the cowl or the strut bearings?

 

[flcruising]

The T (touring) has all that thaxman mentioned + moonroof. The GT has all that thaxman mentioned + moonroof, leather seats, and HID headlamps. Sport has none of that except some exterior styling upgrades, of which LED taillights was not.

The crunching sound you hear, if suspension related, most likely will be the sway bar bushing or end-links. Bushings are an inexpensive replacement if you do it yourself. PLENTY of threads here on that.

 

[Indelibility]

The T (touring) has all that thaxman mentioned + moonroof. The GT has all that thaxman mentioned + moonroof, leather seats, and HID headlamps. Sport has none of that except some exterior styling upgrades, of which LED taillights was not.

The crunching sound you hear, if suspension related, most likely will be the sway bar bushing or end-links. Bushings are an inexpensive replacement if you do it yourself. PLENTY of threads here on that.

I think PLENTY is an understatement, lol.

 

[slik5]

The bushings and endlinks visually look ok. It's my next to do, remove and replace. And yes, PLENTY of threads, been reading one by one. Thanks!

 

[thaxman]

Your swaybar bushings very well can pass a visual inspection and be crumbling under the brackets. Mine were. Congrats on having a Touring but paying insurance for a Sport (unless you have a history of collecting checks for totalled cars - then get that corrected ASAP!)

 

[slik5]

Your swaybar bushings very well can pass a visual inspection and be crumbling under the brackets. Mine were. Congrats on having a Touring but paying insurance for a Sport (unless you have a history of collecting checks for totalled cars - then get that corrected ASAP!)

Going to check up on that. I bought it at a used car dealership.

 

[rodslinger]

do you have automatic climate control, fog lights, skirts under the doors, and a spoiler over the 3rd brake light?

Just to note. Those are also part of an option package for the sport. They called it the "sport plus". Fog lamps were stand alone option.Automatic climate control was included as a standard item in the Sport starting in 08 also. I have a sport with the plus package which has the spoiler, skirts, etc...

Leather steering wheel would be the key item to check for. The sport had a plastic wheel. Touring had leather.

Picture of the 08 Sport I used to have. Manual with auto climate control.

 

[loosenut]

That plastic steering wheel was the first thing I chucked, it felt so cheap. I replaced it with a Speed3 wheel and couldn't be happier. Just a note, all first gen mazda 3 steering wheels are a direct swap and its an extremely easy change.

 

[rodslinger]

.... Just a note, all first gen mazda 3 steering wheels are a direct swap and its an extremely easy change.

Ended up doing that myself. Got a leather wheel out of a 3. The red lighting from the 3 matched the red/white gauge lighting better anyway.

 

[tuanies]

The same applies for the second gen too. I used a Mazda3 steering wheel on my 5.

 

[loosenut]

I saw that you had done the swap, tuanies, and should have expanded my statement to include 2nd gen as well. I'm sure it's just as nice an improvement for 2nd gen owners.

rodslinger, I agree about the lighting change matching the cluster better, but I have to admit that the green lighting is easier for my eyes to focus on during night time driving. I still miss my wife's '05 mz3 with the all red instrument/radio lighting though. I thought that was a cool interior.

 

[slik5]

Yes, also have the leather steering wheel. Is there a way to request a build sheet or something similar to verify trim level? I'm thinking it might be necessary for the insurance to know.

 

[loosenut]

Your nearest Mazda dealer should be able to provide a VIN sheet for you upon request. You may have to show proof of ownership, due to certain info on the sheet, but it shows trim level, warranty history and can show maintenance history if done at a Mazda dealer or reporting aftermarket facility. It also has key cut code in case you would ever lose your keys. There may or may not be a charge for it. This report is recorded and kept by Mazda.
Almost forgot, it will show any open recalls as well.