Potential M5 Purchase

[flatfoot]

Hello to all.
I have been looking for a forum for Mazda M5,s and finally found this one. I hope you dont mind me asking a few question.

I went into a dealership looking to see a Ford Escape and happened to see this Mazda that caught my eye. I sat in it, worked the doors and seats, and said this feels like an amazing vehicle. I checked the door sticker and did a double take when I saw the price and what is standard. It comes standard with everything I desire in a car, and a sport with auto and state tax, would go out the door for less then 20,000.

Well, I have three questions to ask.

1) I drive a lot through the u.s. and canada during the summer months, and was wondering what is the availability in case of breakdown, of having a place to fix under warranty. Do all Ford dealers handle Mazda.? Could I run into a problem, finding a service area in more remote area?

2) I love air conditioner, and have seen some posts of the a/c not being that good. The dealer says"well the back seat passengers might have to open the windows, after all its a van" I have had vans, with no rear ducts for a/c and it cooled down just fine and fast.
Is the Mazda 5 less then desirable with the a/c,, especially if you are in a warm climate? If at least the front passenger cant get cool in 90 degree heat, I cant use the vehicle. Also, I will not be getting tints, so please dont factor that in. LOL

3) I hear about the underpower business. All the reviews I read state that the car is fine, but under a full load they think it would be underpowered, but they never ever test it that way, and thats a shame.
I had a 1991 dodge van, which is almost the same size as the M5, and though it had a 6 cylinder engine, the horsepower was about the same, and almost the same weight and dimensions, and the car was more then up to the task. If the mazda is just as peppy as the old dodge van, then I would be happy.

Oh, one more question. Since I am completely unfamiliar with the mazda family of automobiles, what is usually the reliability factor of mazda,s and the availability of parts at the service centers. Do they treat you right.

Hope to be a mazda owner soon. You can email me direct also, if you want.

Much regards Flatfoot

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Answers in bold

Hello to all.
I have been looking for a forum for Mazda M5,s and finally found this one. I hope you dont mind me asking a few question.

I went into a dealership looking to see a Ford Escape and happened to see this Mazda that caught my eye. I sat in it, worked the doors and seats, and said this feels like an amazing vehicle. I checked the door sticker and did a double take when I saw the price and what is standard. It comes standard with everything I desire in a car, and a sport with auto and state tax, would go out the door for less then 20,000.

Well, I have three questions to ask.

1) I drive a lot through the u.s. and canada during the summer months, and was wondering what is the availability in case of breakdown, of having a place to fix under warranty. Do all Ford dealers handle Mazda.? Could I run into a problem, finding a service area in more remote area?

Unless the Ford dealer also sells Mazda it's not guaranteed that they will service them. Mazda and Ford are still mutual exclusive in terms of sales and service

2) I love air conditioner, and have seen some posts of the a/c not being that good. The dealer says"well the back seat passengers might have to open the windows, after all its a van" I have had vans, with no rear ducts for a/c and it cooled down just fine and fast.
Is the Mazda 5 less then desirable with the a/c,, especially if you are in a warm climate? If at least the front passenger cant get cool in 90 degree heat, I cant use the vehicle. Also, I will not be getting tints, so please dont factor that in. LOL

The AC is on the weak side if you expect it to cool the hot air in a sitting car. The key is to leave the back windows open until all the hot air is vented and then, after closing all windows, switch the air to recirculating mode. The car will cool down within 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the car will not cool down well when it is idling at a standstill. Personally I'll be tinting my 5 next summer to help. The Salesman who told you that you need to leave the back windows open at all times is full of it.

3) I hear about the underpower business. All the reviews I read state that the car is fine, but under a full load they think it would be underpowered, but they never ever test it that way, and thats a shame.
I had a 1991 dodge van, which is almost the same size as the M5, and though it had a 6 cylinder engine, the horsepower was about the same, and almost the same weight and dimensions, and the car was more then up to the task. If the mazda is just as peppy as the old dodge van, then I would be happy.

If you can drive a 5 speed then get the 5 speed. People who think the 5 is underpowered don't know how to drive a hihg revving engine like the 5's. As long as you keep it in it's sweet spot (2500-5500 RPM then you'll be fine. My family took a 500 mile trip with a full load and had no issues. I personally found the auto a bit slow to downshift. I find that most small engines operate better with a manual anyway

Oh, one more question. Since I am completely unfamiliar with the mazda family of automobiles, what is usually the reliability factor of mazda,s and the availability of parts at the service centers. Do they treat you right.

All depends on your dealer. Mazda as a company is excellent and as long as you take care of your Mazda it will last a LONG time. I've found Mazda the Company to be very Customer service friendly. However like any car maker it's the dealer who is mainly responsible for CS. I've owned (5) Mazda cars and dollar for dollar they present a better value than what I feel are overpriced choices from Toyota and Honda. No problems with reliability either. Though some people loose sight of the fact that ANY complex mechanical device does have the chance of breaking at some point. It's all about keeping perspective nad finding the right dealer. My dealer has been FANTASTIC.

Hope to be a mazda owner soon. You can email me direct also, if you want.

Hope this helps

Much regards Flatfoot

My responses are bolded above

 

[~JoJo~]

don't know much about the warranty part but the A/C is fine, and the car is a bit underpower when you are going uphill, but fine otherwise.

 

[Rocket]

You are not going to break down, so don't worry about that.

A/C is fine. I live in a hot, humid state and I am not complaining. You are going to use the highest fan setting, and the recirc button, but you are going to stay cool.

What is your definition of power? The 5 performs fine. Buy the 5 speed if you must. But remember, it is a 4 cylinder mini van. If you want a Porsche, buy one.

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

In canada we send out a dogsled to service your mazda in the winter and in the summer we go bareback on any local horse... unless you need a tow we use a cow.

Power is fine and so is A/C (tint windows) BTW our 3rd row windows do not open in Canada....

Ok back to topic.... may you pass our sleds and horses when you come north eh.

BUY THE CAR

 

[doctorz]

The A/C works fine. We had our 5 in 100 degree humid weather this summer and it cooled the interior down well. Front seat passengers will have no problem; third row passengers may take a little longer to cool down, but if you direct the center vents up and back, it'll be fine.

The 5-speed, which is what we have, is most definitely NOT underpowered, even with a full load of passengers and the A/C on. I did test drive the automatic and think it would be a little slow under the same conditions from a standstill, but that's the nature of 4 cylinder engines. The auto 5 is still considerably faster than our old '97 CR-V.

 

[Wuster]

And don't forget that you get road side service from Mazda for 4yrs/50,000 miles. So if it does break down. Call the 1-800 number and Mazda will send someone to tow it to the nearest dealership.

Now, the location of the nearest dealership also depends on where you live. I've noticed that most of the Mazda dealerships are concentrated near big cities (e.g., I live in Loundon County in the suburbs of DC, but the nearest Mazda dealership to me is in Tysons Corner 20 miles away and just outside of the beltway.) But I haven't had any issues with the Mazda3 that I owned or the Mazda5 that we currently have.

I just put gas in it and change the oil every 5k miles.

We haven't had any problems with the AC (the windows are tinted in our car), and I think there is adequate hp in the 5.

 

[flatfoot]

Responses

Thanks to all the people who have responded so far, and may do in the future.
I need to get the auto, because the wifey does not drive stick, and I live in an urban area, and dont think I want to be driving a stick in the traffic for hours at a time.
As long as it is safe enough to blend into a fast moving highway or parway, that is enough speed for me.
The a/c I am still concerned about, and since the summer has passed there is no real way to test it.
I have seen reports that someone lives in south texas, and the a/c is fine, and some who live in the mid atlantic states and say the a/c is pitifull. Its hard to know which is more accurate unless I could test it myself on a warm day, and see what my individual comfort level is.
Oh well, any additional input would be appreciated.
I cant tint the windows, because of highly restricted local law, and also, I am a bit older, and my night vision is not as good as it once was, and I dont want to decrease it, by tinting.

Thanks to one and all

 

[jlk_250]

Sounds like the Mz5 could be an excellent value for you. I'm in MN and my wife has a Mz5 manual. So here's my take on it. Ford dealers aren't any more likely to service it than they would a Honda. Separate companies. The AC isn't super strong and it's a long way to the back but even in 90F+ temps I never heard a complaint. To me it's a non-issue even with no tint and 3rd row seats that don't open. I've never driven an automatic Mz5 but for the manual transmission it's a stretch to call it underpowered. Certainly it's not particularly quick but it's at least close to average. Finally, this is our first Mazda and I have no concerns about its reliability. However, I live in a metro area with several nearby Mazda dealerships. These days I wouldn't expect to need much dealer service but I guess if I lived far from a Mazda dealer I might purchase something else instead. I think the car is a bargain and it's the best match for our needs by far so I'd get one anyway.

 

[doctorz]

As long as it is safe enough to blend into a fast moving highway or parway, that is enough speed for me.
The a/c I am still concerned about, and since the summer has passed there is no real way to test it.

Where do you live? We live in Maryland, but over the summer we had our 5 through Tennessee and Mississippi when it was 100 degrees outside. The A/C works fine. It's not so strong that you can just turn it on and forget about it; it helps to put the windows down for the first couple of minutes, turn on recirc, and (my experience) direct the vents upwards. We've had passengers in the third row under these conditions and they were fine. My opinion is that the A/C is a little weaker than most domestics, but better than all the Hondas we've owned. Front seat passengers will NOT suffer in 90 degree temperatures, that I think we can all guarantee you.

The 5 will get you up to highway speeds under any circumstances. If you're used to a six cylinder engine (you said you'd had a '91 Dodge van), driving a four cylinder is a little different--you have to rev the engine to get to your power band, which means stomping on the accelerator pedal. This is where the 5-speed helps, but others may have an opinion about whether the manuamtic offers any advantage here.

 

[Wuster]

For the a/c you can try closing/partial close the two side vents. This produce a strong air flow through the two center vents. Then angle the two center vents slight upwards, because hot air rises and that will help to cool the car faster.

The other thing you can do is to get a sun shade for the windshield. It's a big dash, and since it's black, it'll absorb a lot of solar heat. You can have the best ac system in the world, but it still won't be very effective if it has to blow through hot air ducts. So the sun shade will help to keep the dash cooler and ac will work better.

 

[opus]

Tinting of the back windows combined with the AC protocol (closed side vents, center vents directed upwards) will keep things comfy well into the 90's even with six in the car.

The power is more than adequate, it is even semi-sporty off the line with the 5 spd. Once you understand that it is not a sin to rev the engine into the 4and5 thousand RPM range you will find more than adequate performance even when fully loaded. It will never blow anyone away at the stop light, but it will get up to speed on almost any freeway on ramp. The same cannot be said for other vehicles in this class, the 4cyl VUE and 4 cyl Jeep Liberty come to mind here.

 

[was98strat]

Tinting of the back windows combined with the AC protocol (closed side vents, center vents directed upwards) will keep things comfy well into the 90's even with six in the car.

The power is more than adequate, it is even semi-sporty off the line with the 5 spd. Once you understand that it is not a sin to rev the engine into the 4and5 thousand RPM range you will find more than adequate performance even when fully loaded. It will never blow anyone away at the stop light, but it will get up to speed on almost any freeway on ramp. The same cannot be said for other vehicles in this class, the 4cyl VUE and 4 cyl Jeep Liberty come to mind here.

not to mention the Toyota Matrix. what a gutless wonder. I don't undersand why its so popular!!!

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

Ok Straight Talk On Ac

OK REMEMBER ONE THING.....only educated ppl know this...

When in A/C mode we have a choise to circulate the FRESH AIR from OUTSIDE (LITTLE ICON WITH HOOD OPEN AND ARROW OF AIR GOING IN) or RECIRCULATE <<(key word) within the car (LITTLE ICON WITH HOOD CLOSED AND A U TURN EMBLEM).

Alright here it is... is someone is sucking in 40C degree air and is trying to cool the car well your SOL. Change the RECIRCULATE to the interior. Conversly in winter if you suck in -40C it will always be cold when trying to heat the car.

JMO I hear it all the time and ppl didn't know of this issue.... ANY DEFROST postion with the vents the car sucks air from outside...

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

A/C + outside air = no fogging.

OK REMEMBER ONE THING.....only educated ppl know this...

When in A/C mode we have a choise to circulate the FRESH AIR from OUTSIDE (LITTLE ICON WITH HOOD OPEN AND ARROW OF AIR GOING IN) or RECIRCULATE <<(key word) within the car (LITTLE ICON WITH HOOD CLOSED AND A U TURN EMBLEM).

Alright here it is... is someone is sucking in 40C degree air and is trying to cool the car well your SOL. Change the RECIRCULATE to the interior. Conversly in winter if you suck in -40C it will always be cold when trying to heat the car.

JMO I hear it all the time and ppl didn't know of this issue.... ANY DEFROST postion with the vents the car sucks air from outside...

A very good point. Another thing people don't realize is that A/C aids in defrosting by removing the water vaport that causes condensation on the interior of the window. And the reason why Mazda controls don't allow recirc in defrost mode is because human beings expel water vapor/ sweat, etc, which creates a humind environment, which in turn causes condensation. I find it funny when I see someone in a driving along with their windows fogged. I want to open the window and yell at them to switch their controls to outside air and turn on the A/C.

Now cars are more intelligent and block recirc when in defrost mode, but older cars still allow both modes to be used together- which is the quickest way to cause fogging.