Mazda5: Any comments/pics on 2008 sand interior?

[lisabudd]

Hello, my name is Lisa and I'm currently and newly obsessed with the Mazda5.

I rented a 2006 M5 and am hooked (not to mention my POS Passat has been in the shop for months). I did notice that the black cloth showed a lot of dirt-not good with 2 toddlers. I haven't seen any of the sand in any decent pictures or read any IRL opinions. I'm thinking it may be more forgiving and maybe even make the interior seem brighter/roomier (Passat is beige inside). Is it exactly the same fabric as the black except the color? Is the 2008 black the same as the 2006?

Thanks!

Lisa

 

[Benfolio]

Same black but different fabric. I doubt sand would be better at hiding stains. Actually I know it won't. My 2 year old made tons of messes in the back of our 5 but all of them came out.
AND I didn't have the fabric protected.
If you DO buy a 5, ask the dealer what kind of protection packages they offer. Ours has a nice one that will GUARANTEE they can get any stain (water based) out or they will buy you a new seat.

 

[lisabudd]

Hmmm...thanks. What's a reasonable price for a package like that?

 

[Benfolio]

We sell it for $525.00

Reasonable or not, a can of Scoth Guard is cheaper, but no guarantee stains are going to come out.

 

[qddave]

Hi Lisa,
My wife's 5 with sand interior is on its way to the port here in Michigan. Our ETA is 1/5/08, but it will likely be a week or so late. I had the same concerns about the shade of the sand, but all of the other Mazdas that have sand interiors are the same shade, so its safe to assume the 5's will match. As for pattern, the brochure shows a wavy pattern for the cloth. The CX-9 I was looking at a few weeks back has a similar pattern. It might be close to the same. I can post an update when we get our 5.

As for making the interior seem larger. I bet it will. My wife currently has a 2002 Protege with the beige interior and it does make the interior feel airier. With the shade open on the sunroof, even more so.

 

[schokie]

We just bought a 2008 Copper Red Touring that comes with the sand interior. Like you, I have a 2.5 y.o. and a 2 mo. old and was concerned about the interior choice and the potential for staining. Heavily debated the Copper Red (only with tan interior) or the Sunlight Silver (only with black interior). Pros and cons to each. Tan might show liquid stains better but not as bad on dust and dirt. Eventually decided on tan.

Have seat protectors (bottom) for the 2 kid's car seats and a back of the seat protector so the older one can't mark up the back of the driver's seat with her shoes. Still debating whether to buy two more back of seat protectors for the second row (don't want the stroller wheels to mark it up). They should have made the backs on these a hard plastic.

Also went to Wal-Mart and bought 4 cans of ScotchGard Auto and went to town in there before wife and kids got into it. Hopefully these measures should minimize any damage.

As for whether it feels bigger or smaller, hard to tell. I think the cabin may feel bigger with the tan. I did notice that the black passenger seat legroom felt bigger than the tan. In the tan, you really notice how little room your legs have.

Good luck!

 

[HotRodSaint]

Black might show dust, but this is easily removed with a vacuum (and it shouldn't even be an issue for anyone who cleans their car once a week).

The cheap(er) plastic Mazda uses will likely make the tan harder to hide the inevitable black scuff marks that come from moving things (I use a blanket, but accidents do happen).

But then I tend wear black shoes for the same reasons (and I wipe the dust off of them before I put them on).

 

[stick]

hey schokie,

where did u find these back seat protectors?
i need them for our seats in our CX7.

we have the saddle tan leather in our CX 7 and although we have not done any type of cleaning or conditioning, there are dirt marks/stains on there that is noticeable.

one trick that i learned that will clean them up like new is using soft scrub cleanser w/o the bleach then recondition them with a good leather cleaner afterwards.
i did that to my old acura legend and it came out looking like it did from the factory.