Few basic ?'s from a new MP5 owner

[NoRotorNoMotor]

Ive owned numerous RX7's in the past thats why i have this user name. When my 89 GTU died last summer I bought a 91 geo prizm in a pinch. Never had any problems with the $700 POS, but when the muffler fell off while driving down the highway a few weeks back i said screw it im getting a new car. I have always loved my RX7's so i took the RX8 and MP5 for a test drive. I chose the MP5 for cost and the fact I already own a rotary

The RX7 is going to be fixed in spring, just turns out that the only person in this crap town that knows anything about them besides the dealer doesnt take credit cards and i spent all my cash on the MP5 so i wouldnt have any car payments. Supposedly carbon has built up it the engine and seized it up. I wasnt driving at the time, so there was no engine damage, it just needs to be cracked open, carbon deposits scraped out and put back together. Still gonna cost over a grand though

Ok enough about my life story

Ive been around the forum for about a week now getting to know my new MP5 with all the helpful how-to's. I am planning on installing some sylvania cool blue headlamps(they were on sale here), doing the fog light mod, getting the windows tinted, getting the stupid white pinstripe and dealer sticker removed and adding an alarm/remote starter this week.

From the research i have done around here i guess i have a Black Mica 2003.5 MP5(has the trunk sub, no roof rack).

I have a few random questions i hope someone can help me with:

1. How do you get to the side marker lights to change them out? I would like to swap the yellow bulbs with blue ones cause i am doing a whole blue bulb theme thing. Im thinking it is way up under the dash which isnt gonna be fun for my big hands to get to.

2. Does the stock CD player have preamp outs in the back? I highly doubt it but thought i would ask anyway...also does it play burned cd's?

3. Does anyone know which wires are the + and - on the sub harness? If the stock cd player has no preamp out im going to tap into the line level from the sub to add an amp and the sub i took from my RX7, tapping into the sub thats already there seems like the easiest thing to do

4. What are the bulb sizes? I saw it in a thread but now i cant find it, I know the low beam are H7's, what about high beam and fog lights?

5. What mods can i do and still keep the factory warranty? I have never owned a car with a warranty that was still valid so I have no idea.

Ok thats all i can think of right now. Thanks in advance for any help.....zoom zoom

 

[loccusst]

No line out on factory deck and it can play burnt cds. The fogs are h3 not sure about the highs, for some reason H5 comes to mind. I think the side markers lens pops off, not sure on that one. You can do all sort of mods but the Mazda dealers will give you all kinds of crap about it. They seem to be the biggest asses when it comes to warranty. Welcome aboard by the way.

 

[GRMYSZN]

1. How do you get to the side marker lights to change them out? I would like to swap the yellow bulbs with blue ones cause i am doing a whole blue bulb theme thing. Im thinking it is way up under the dash which isnt gonna be fun for my big hands to get to.

2. Does the stock CD player have preamp outs in the back? I highly doubt it but thought i would ask anyway...also does it play burned cd's?

3. Does anyone know which wires are the + and - on the sub harness? If the stock cd player has no preamp out im going to tap into the line level from the sub to add an amp and the sub i took from my RX7, tapping into the sub thats already there seems like the easiest thing to do

4. What are the bulb sizes? I saw it in a thread but now i cant find it, I know the low beam are H7's, what about high beam and fog lights?

5. What mods can i do and still keep the factory warranty? I have never owned a car with a warranty that was still valid so I have no idea.

Ok thats all i can think of right now. Thanks in advance for any help.....zoom zoom

I doubt that the stock cd player has line level outs, I had to get a line out converter to go with my amps that I have. THe stock radios play CD-R's but not RW's.

As far as bulbs are concerned the high beams are 9005 and the fogs are H3's and the tails list a 7443 as the bulbs that fit but when I changed my tails to blue the 7444 were the ones that actually worked.

 

[KYMP5]

do a search for the dfinitive bulb size guide by KYRedp5, great listing of all the bulb sizes. Also look for a how to by kyred on how to switch the side markers with the clear ones from and rx7.
Some of the safe mods are and intake and exhaust. Really you can do whatever you want but it all comes down to how cool your dealership is regarding mods. Some dears like mods, others dont. You could also safely lower your car and add wheels with no questions from the dealer.

 

[NoRotorNoMotor]

ty for the replies, i saw the thread on the clear sidemarkers from a 3rd gen rx7 but it involves cutting and im horrible around power tools. i will tack a closer look at the other side markers to see if they pop off or if i have to access the bulb from inside under the dash. i would be outside doing the fog and headlights now if it werent -20 degrees and snowing

i have to take the car into the dealer tommorrow for an ABS problem so im gonna see if they will switch out the headlights for me real quick and save me 15 minutes. gonna give em some crap about bad night vision and needing better bulbs so maybe they pity me and install them free of charge

any idea on the wire harness for the pioneer spare tire sub? although it makes the stock stereo sound decent, it just isnt enough bass for me so i am either going to add my 300 watt mono sub amp and my dual 10" sub box or the 10" powered bazooka tube i have sitting around to keep things light. the bazooka sounded good in the rx7 but not sure how it will sound in a car with probably twice the interior volume and enclosed hatch. anyone have a bazooka tube in theirs?

i was wandering around the forums last night and came up with another question....when i turn on the defrost/floor heat it auto switches to fresh air, i didnt have a problem with that, but i noticed someone say it also turns on the A/C even though the A/C light does not come on...is this true?

that would explain somewhat poor acceleration off the line and maybe a little less gas mileage since i have been using the heat that way everytime i drive the car

BTW, if anyone has Advance Auto Parts in their town they have a sale on Sylvania Cool Blue($17) and Sylvania Silverstars($20) they are both buy one get one for 1/2 price and they come with a $4 and $5 mail in rebate respectively as well...just thought i would pass that on

 

[NoRotorNoMotor]

Doh, one more question i forgot about...How do i find out what production number my car is? thanks

 

[alexlitov]

you can't.

 

[cbcbd]

Doh, one more question i forgot about...How do i find out what production number my car is? thanks

There is no way to find it unless you have an msp. I called Mazda NA and they couldn't tell me. I used some hairbrained semi logic to try to figure out mine. I'm happy with my imaginary #

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42922&highlight=production

 

[NoRotorNoMotor]

Wow too much math

Im kinda tired but i sorta understood your "semi logic" but the numbers for '03 only went up to 143xxx and my vin number ends in 149786, maybe that has something to do with being a 2003.5 model

it isnt important, was just wondering if i had some cool production number like 69 or something

 

[SkinnyJoint]

ummm for the sidemarkers u have to like take off the wheel and take off the linner to the wheel well and u can get in there..... imjustagirl has hers done and when she was down here this weekend i asked her and this is what she said

 

[wickedgoodmazda]

side markers

as for the sidemarkers i have actually changed that out myself, you have to be careful not to scrach the paint but you can pop them off, i do believe i remember there is a notch on the top middle or bottom middle of it that you can push in with a flat head screwdriver, remember to be careful kinda use your hand and pull the rubber piece off and kinda move it out a little and you will see it its kinda a b**** but i think its better than removing your stearing wheel and what not. good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[NoRotorNoMotor]

ty all for the help, im gonna try to get some things changed out this week

turns out i am too lazy to even run a power cable from the battery to the trunk so im gonna pay circuit city to do it for me, unless they want $50 then i wont be so lazy

 

[wickedgoodmazda]

man its so ez to run that line, you should save the money buy some beer and get after it, the only part of my system i had installed was the line out converter, cuz it was a pain in the ass to get behind the radio. but get er done and show us some pics

 

[NRRfrogmanP5]

ummm for the sidemarkers u have to like take off the wheel and take off the linner to the wheel well and u can get in there..... imjustagirl has hers done and when she was down here this weekend i asked her and this is what she said

or u can just turn the wheel the opposite way and it fits fine too thats what i did

 

[loccusst]

Pulling the stereo out is easy...two sets of ford stereo tools. I would ask the dealership what kinda mods they frown on when you take it next....maybe kinda feel em out on what they deem as voiding the warranty.

 

[JOS3]

I have a few random questions i hope someone can help me with:

1. How do you get to the side marker lights to change them out? I would like to swap the yellow bulbs with blue ones cause i am doing a whole blue bulb theme thing. Im thinking it is way up under the dash which isnt gonna be fun for my big hands to get to.

2. Does the stock CD player have preamp outs in the back? I highly doubt it but thought i would ask anyway...also does it play burned cd's?

3. Does anyone know which wires are the + and - on the sub harness? If the stock cd player has no preamp out im going to tap into the line level from the sub to add an amp and the sub i took from my RX7, tapping into the sub thats already there seems like the easiest thing to do

4. What are the bulb sizes? I saw it in a thread but now i cant find it, I know the low beam are H7's, what about high beam and fog lights?

5. What mods can i do and still keep the factory warranty? I have never owned a car with a warranty that was still valid so I have no idea.

Ok thats all i can think of right now. Thanks in advance for any help.....zoom zoom

1. to get to the corner bulbs, you do not have to take the wheels off. just turn the wheel in the opposite direction of the side you want to work on and it will give you adequate room to work. remove a few of the wheel well liner screws and bend it back. it is very easy and only takes a few minutes.

2. no preamp outs and yes it plays burned cds

3. i dont know because im a n00b

4. low = H7, high = 9005, fog = H3

5. you can do whatever you want to your car so long as the parts you add/modify dont cause the car to fail. if you are going to mod your car you need to become familiar with the magnusson-moss act. their is a sticky about it somewhere titled, "warranty answers.." or something to that effect.

i see you are in green bay, we have a guy (smithers_0990) that lives in GB who comes to our meets every so often. maybe you can make it down sometime. its always good to see new faces.

 

[Natey]

1. to get to the corner bulbs, you do not have to take the wheels off. just turn the wheel in the opposite direction of the side you want to work on and it will give you adequate room to work. remove a few of the wheel well liner screws and bend it back. it is very easy and only takes a few minutes.

A good trick to remember when installing/cleaning a CAI filter.

 

[JOS3]

(2thumbs) thats the way i do that aswell.

 

[Replica]

Don't take comfort in the statements about warranty issues and that they will be honored as long as the part didn't cause the failure. You are at their mercy....

 

[Natey]

That's why I've kept my P5 completely stock.(angel)