Can the 5 handle a dirt road? Is this a good price?

[PeterW]

I test drove a 2012 Mazda 5 Sport w/auto trans and the dealer is offering it for $16,500...no options to speak of. Is that a good deal?

I live seven miles off the highway up some hills on a dirt road. I wouldn't call it true "offroad" because it's bladed every so often, but after a rain there's washboarding and some potholes.

If I take it easy and drive carefully, would the 5 be OK? I've read about the 5 chewing up shocks....is this not a good idea?

I can't afford an AWD CX-5, so I'm hoping this works.

Thoughts please.

ps....newbie here...hi all!

 

[Orangutan]

If new, that's a great deal. The 2012 5 doesn't seem to have the suspension issues that the 2006-2010 did. I've done quite a bit of driving on roads like you're talking about and mine is still intact. I wouldn't say that the 5 would be my first choice for such a regular task, though.

Welcome, by the way.

 

[torquelover]

That's the lowest price I have seen for a new MZ5 Sport, especially since it's an auto. Take it slow, and you should be fine.

 

[ukulele]

My 2 cents... Sounds like you need a Jeep or something with AWD, maybe a Subaru. You said SEVEN miles, up a hill? I know your location is NM but you get any snow in the higher elevations during winter?? If you do, all the more reason to get something that drives taller and with torque at all the wheels. Again, just my 2 pennies, I know they will be tossing darts at a picture of my head now for saying this. LoL

And NO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A TOYOTA. But FJ Cruisers are nice!

 

[JMJinNC]

#1 - great price. Jump on it if it meets your needs.

#2 - dirt/gravel road - if you are confident in your driving ability, you should be fine. Get mudguards to help keep the gravel off the the sides of the car and out of the rear suspension. The only issue might be the very low front air dam. I've driven lots of gravel roads in FWD cars - no problem. Dedicated snow tires/wheels for the winter if you get snow. Maybe a more open tread pattern when you need to replace tires.

Don't get me started on the need for AWD...

JMJ

 

[cdnballer]

IMO the biggest issue you might face is the car bottoming out. The car sits pretty low to the ground and I've bottomed out twice already going over really small bumps. The side rails that you use to jack the car up sit very low.

 

[thaxman]

I test drove a 2012 Mazda 5 Sport w/auto trans and the dealer is offering it for $16,500...no options to speak of. Is that a good deal?

I live seven miles off the highway up some hills on a dirt road. I wouldn't call it true "offroad" because it's bladed every so often, but after a rain there's washboarding and some potholes.

If I take it easy and drive carefully, would the 5 be OK? I've read about the 5 chewing up shocks....is this not a good idea?

I can't afford an AWD CX-5, so I'm hoping this works.

Thoughts please.

ps....newbie here...hi all!

The 2012 revision uses new springs with a stiffer springrate, and I wouldn't be surprised if they have new shocks, though I have never done the research. But if one wanted to know, they could call the Mazda dealer and ask for PN for a 2010 and 2012 and see if they are the same part, then if they are, compare it to the 2006, but I doubt that last step would be neccessary.
As for issues, you would probably want to be sure that it has 16" wheels not the 17" wheels, so you have more sidewall, not only for ride comfort, but so that the tires take the abuse, not the frame and suspension. The Mz5 has plenty of clearance, and anywhere a normal passenger car can go, the Mz5 will do just fine. I've tested it. Short overhangs definitely help.

 

[eyeballs]

I've found the 5 feels fine off-road but ground clearance is a serious issue. I've already put a number of scuffs on the front bumper and undertray from rutted mountain dirt/gravel roads. I plan on putting on a larger diameter wheel/tire combo when the tires wear out.


JMJ - Mudguards do nothing for keeping gravel off the rear suspension. They will protect the paint behind the wheelwell and the front of a trailing vehicle.

 

[1987cp]

Wow ... 7 miles from an actual road? I would avoid a Five if at all reasonable - it really is a rather hard-riding car when the driving surface is questionable.

I was caused to drive my M5T about 4 miles on a dirt road once, and it took an hour or two for me to return to normal afterward. Never experienced such an awful ride, anywhere, ever. I maxed out at maybe 20mph ... my friends I was following were in a Suburban, a Windstar, a Venture, and a newer Caravan, and none of them exhibited any distress after the journey. Of course, aside from having huge and soft-riding vehicles with miles of suspension travel, I think they're all used to driving on nasty dirt trails pretty regularly, so maybe you'd deal just fine with what I consider intolerable jiggling and jostling.

I do have a notion of minus-1 sizing my car if I can ever afford it (maybe if/when it's time for new tires), but I doubt going from a 50 to 55 series tire would make much difference in off-road conditions.