Mazda5 Interior / Cargo Flexibility Photos

[coolmazda5]

3 car seats

2 rear facing seats on the 2nd row and 1 large forward facing seat on the 3rd row. split 3rd row seat taken down to leave some space for cargo.

In car seat language it is very tight now, including the space taken from the driver's seat and the very limited legroom for the 3rd row car seat:

 

[chapel]

1/2" thick cardboard from shipping containers here at work:

Ooo, smart.

I went to get this shed at home depot:

We had to take it out of the box and spend several minutes with a very nice Home Depot person finding the right angles and stacking to get it all in, but it fit and the home depot guy asked, "Is this a crossover?" "Not really." "Who makes this car?" "Mazda" "'Dear Mazda, you'll never guess what we got in your car." "Actually," I said, "there's a whole forum about the amazing things you can get in this car."

I love you mazda 5!

Yo Dawg... we herd you liek storage so we put a shed in your shed so you can store while you drive.

 

[jatco]

okay...I cheated. I took the rear seats off.....

 

[coolmazda5]

^^ Sweeeet. How easy was to take the seats off?

 

[Sounbwoy]

How long did those tiedown buckles last? Aren't they made of plastic?

 

[jatco]

there are only 5 bolts on the rear seat and it is very easy to take it out. the tie down didn't do much, they are just plastic luggage ties. Once the bike got in there it can't move anywhere. the left side of the bike have stand against on the floor. and middle seat against the right side of the bike. I just have to fill the front and the rear with some old pillows and tie the front and rear brakes.

 

[Mntnbkr]

Rear cargo lighting

Hey Jatco-
Not intending to hijack this great longtime thread...keep it going...
I noticed you souped up the rear cargo lighting with LEDs. I've been wanting to do the same - was going to use Oznium individual LEDs (3) in the overhead tied to the crappy lower switched cargo light. Looks like you used a light bar...please tell me about it. thx.

 

[5phreak]

road trip for the company to pick up some cable:

resulted in - lowrider!

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

Oh my, that's a lot of wire! How much weight is that in total? You do realize that just because there is space for it, doesn't mean the suspension can handle the load. Our beloved 5s are just 3s with a big butt!

 

[Foolish]

Hey, Mntnbkr: I recently picked up two of these in white and one in blue on clearance at Microcenter. I'm planning to use 1 or 2 in the back of the 5 and the other one in the back of the P5. They're 12V, 3 watt, and 1/4 round in shape. My plan also was to wire them into the (mostly useless) light in the back!

I'm not great with automotive electrics, but I'm not bad, so I think I can handle it. I'm also not sure how much light they're going to put out, so it may be a lot of effort for very little payoff, but I guess we'll see.

Incidentally, Annapolis isn't that far from me. If you'd like, you should come down to my place, we'll put our heads together on this project, light up both of our 5s, then go for a mountain bike ride!

 

[5phreak]

Oh my, that's a lot of wire! How much weight is that in total? You do realize that just because there is space for it, doesn't mean the suspension can handle the load. Our beloved 5s are just 3s with a big butt!

not really sure how much that weighs, but it's probably less than putting a person in every seat. I'm guessing each spool weighted about 50 lbs.

 

[MAZDASPEED MX5]

Jatco wins!

 

[johnnybeltway]

Hey folks. Anybody have any luck hauling lumber in their 5? I am going to gave to pick up some 2x4's this weekend, 8 footers. I haven't really checked to see if they will fit, but I imagine that I could get them in on an angle from the back corner to the front...somehow. If I do Ill sure post some pics.

I Plan on measuring first, but figured you guys might know.

 

[DKaz]

I don't recall having problems, they went straight through the centre to the gear shift area. Now if only I had taken pictures of the 4x8 sheets of drywall I carried in my 5 as well. at an angle with over 30" sticking out the back but the 5 did the job. Of course with the roof rack now I wouldn't carry in the car anymore but yea.

 

[mpvue]

if my 5 was older and beat up, I might try drywall and lumber inside, but it's our only vehicle, and I don't want to mess around w/ the child seat and booster seat
it's easier to just throw the thule up on the roof. I've carried 20+ landscape timbers up there!

 

[chief_wiggum]

While it's not as impressive as a motorcycle, i was glad to fit a twin mattress, box spring and frame and close the hatch; though my knees were in my chest for the short drive home, it beat paying $70 for delivery!

 

[jeffc]

Hey folks. Anybody have any luck hauling lumber in their 5? I am going to gave to pick up some 2x4's this weekend, 8 footers. I haven't really checked to see if they will fit, but I imagine that I could get them in on an angle from the back corner to the front...somehow. If I do Ill sure post some pics.

I Plan on measuring first, but figured you guys might know.

Just hauled some 2x4x10' home the other day no problem

 

[coolmazda5]

While it's not as impressive as a motorcycle, i was glad to fit a twin mattress, box spring and frame and close the hatch; though my knees were in my chest for the short drive home, it beat paying $70 for delivery!

Good thing you didn't brake hard or else that frame...

 

[mazdadude]

While it's not as impressive as a motorcycle, i was glad to fit a twin mattress, box spring and frame and close the hatch; though my knees were in my chest for the short drive home, it beat paying $70 for delivery!

That is great!!!

Now where to put the mini fridge, and stove???

 

[Mntnbkr]

Yep - a 2" x 4' x 8' will JUST fit up the middle to the (auto) shifter. Not sure about manual. When I had a bunch (6 or 8) I had to keep a hand on them to prevent and accidental shift to neutral as they JUST clear the shifter.

Also, (LEGAL DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY BAD MOVES OR POOR DECISIONS YOU MAY MAKE - LIKE I DID - there now that that's out of the way), you CAN fit an 11' WV split rail fence timber diagionally inside with the end on the dash, *****BUT**** DO NOT USE ANY FORCE OR CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD - IT MAY/WILL SHATTER. At least mine did. I sooo lightly nudged it into the corner with a rag over the end and pow. I think there must have been a staple or sharp edge. So the $15 fence rung became a $250 +15 Safelite windshield. Lucky me. The good news is that the new windshield glass must be thicker as the interior noise level is lower.
Our little 5 can do it all - just use caution when loading and hauling - lots of glass.