What have you done to your Mazda5 today?

Miata rims. This is really the only mod the micro van ever needs. Instant better feel on acceleration and room to clear mazdaspeed calipers. 👏👏👏
 

Attachments

  • 8A4785BE-DA2C-4F38-B89F-256DFC886450.jpeg
    8A4785BE-DA2C-4F38-B89F-256DFC886450.jpeg
    137 KB · Views: 266
Last edited:
Currently putting off replacing the driver's side CV joint, now that I've figured out what that awful noise is, and why it changes with steering angle, and why it keeps getting worse even after doing the driver's side hub and both inner CV boots. 75k miles! Who knew CV joints could fail on a car so new?

I hope I just damaged the CV joint myself way back when I first removed the spindles so I could replace the brake rotors that were permanently fused to the hubs; otherwise, I suppose I can also look forward to doing halfshafts on our '16 MZ3 before it's even broken in.
 
Last edited:
My Mazda5, 2006 touring has driven its last chance power drive. I drove it through a few inches of high water during the storms. The next day cylinder 3 misfired. Confirmed some water had infiltrated the engine. An oil change and some cleanup and I thought it was good to go. Drove about another 20 miles and then it failed to shift into 3rd. I knew right away something was very wrong. Got code P0762. I pulled the trans dip stick and the fluid smelled awful and looked terrible with small black specks. It made it to 208,937 miles. The last mile will be to the auto wrecker.
 
That sounds terrible! It's awful when you have to make the decision between a major repair and a new vehicle.

I finally did my d/s axle shaft (cost 50% more than I'd budgeted; I'd been looking at the wrong item at napaonline!), and the grinding noise is still there. Still changes with steering angle. I'd really thought the noise was coming from in front of the driver's seat. I can easily get a p/s drive axle delivered here tomorrow, but the intermediate shaft and carrier bearing are very difficult to find.
 
Changed p/s shaft and wheel bearing; grinding noise is gone! Now maybe I can worry about other things like doing the brakes again (and actually buying new rear rotors like I should have done years ago) and even cosmetic things like washing the outside and cleaning the interior.
 
Whippii! Managed do disable lights with forscan! Before dipped beam (xenon) and parking lights were on all the time.
Now they light up when it gets dark enough outside.

Next step is to start working somekind DRL's

BTW. Do you US guys have some factory DRL's in your CW 5's?
 
What's CW mean?

My 5's grinding noise is gone, but it now has a nasty TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP at light throttle or transitioning on and off throttle. Or maybe I couldn't distinguish it from the grinding before. There's a slight shudder under moderate to heavy throttle, but the noise goes away. The tap-tap-tapping continues when coasting in Neutral, but not as loud.

I was going to take the front wheels for balancing, but there's not much point if the car isn't really drivable.
 
I would skip the 16" wheels and go right for a set of 17" Miata wheels. Paired with a set of 215/50-17 tires will transform the way the car feels.
em, you are saying that with 17" Miata wheels. Paired with a set of 215/50-17, it will feel like a car?
Anything else? Appreciate if you could expand on this?
 
So those wheels transform the Van into a Car like feel! Anything you could elaborate?
So I did some digging, and it looks like you have a Sport model with the OEM 16 inch wheels, and you don't drive all that much. The 17's will be an upgrade to the OEM 16 inch wheels. The 17's will give more road feel, and improve the handling from the stock suspension. They won't give a magical transformation to make it feel like a sports car, but they will help it not feel so remote on the road. Our Mazda5 with the OEM 17's was a bunch of fun to drive, but it still felt like a tall wagon. m Not running economy focused tires will help in the handling department, too.

What do you want out of the "car"?
 
Would the CX-5 2008-2015 rims/wheels the same as Miata?
No. The advantage to the Miata wheels is the weight. Miata wheels are much lighter weight. Mazda5 17" wheels are ~22lbs, CX5 wheels are about the same. Miata 17 wheels are ~17lbs. Lighter wheels will help with acceleration, braking, and handling.
 
No. The advantage to the Miata wheels is the weight. Miata wheels are much lighter weight. Mazda5 17" wheels are ~22lbs, CX5 wheels are about the same. Miata 17 wheels are ~17lbs. Lighter wheels will help with acceleration, braking, and handling.
Thanks @njaremka - that is a great insight for me. Appreciated.
 
Back