ScanGaugeE, Miata Shift Knob, Splash Guards & Tailgate Step Plate Install

[Nurburgringer]

Installed some goodies on our 2012 M5 6MT yesterday.

First up, the https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)
Thanks to dieseldriver for the tip on this neat little device.
It fits just about perfectly in the space where on my 5 where there are 4 do-nothing buttons (ROW gets power doors. Bastards!).
After a few careful but simple steps it looks like Mazda planned on the eScan going there.
Nice to know the coolant and manifold air temp and voltage, and interesting to track CO2 level, MPG, GPH, max RPM/speed coolant temp, etc. Can customize the display with over 60 color choices, data to display, units etc. Very slick.

Steps:
Gently pop the lower dash valence away from the dash. I first removed the small panel next to the dead pedal (gently pop out) but you may not even need to do this.

Pop out the 4 blanks, trim plastic a bit until eScan fits snugly inside. I used a utility blade heated up with a MAP torch. Doesn't take much trimming at all, so little you can always go back to the blanks (or stock-sized buttons) if you no longer want the scangauge. Only non-reversible mod is the hole you drill next to the OBD port, which is totally invisible unless you basically lay in the footwell looking straight up.
Wrap excess cord (about 5-1/2' out of the provided 6' cord) and secure with zip ties.

Drilled a hole next to the OBD port to snake the cord behind the dash.

Plug in Gauge, position in empty space.

Here's it's showing water temp and voltage:

This is what it looks like from my seating position. Totally blocked of course when making left turns, but shouldn't be looking down there when turning anyway.... When going straight the whole screen is visible, while still keeping the wheel low enough to see the tach, speedo and fuel display.
A bit higher would be better, but short of sticking the display on the steering column (block fuel gauge and odometer) or plunking it somewhere else on the dash (ugly, where to hide to cord?) this is the best place I could come up with. Right in front of the shifter would also work pretty well, but this is just as low and requires running the cord a bit to close to the shift linkage IMO.

I used the supplied velcro to keep the display tilted up slightly so it's easier to read. Will buy some double-sided tape to hold it more firmly, but even now it doesn't move much at all even when pushing the buttons.
I've already set it for the 5's 16 gallon tank, and for the next 2 fill ups it needs to be 'calibrated' to get the most accurate DTE and MPG readings.
Very happy with this thing!

 

[Nurburgringer]

Miata shift knob

Next up, a leather and stainless steel Miata 6MT shift knob.

I first tried out an old Momo Superanatomic knob left over from an old CRX I used to have. Looked good (dark blue leather, close enough to black), great patina, but didn't feel quite right with the angle of the shift shaft and my arm.

There are plenty of very fine Momo shift knobs on Ebay for less moola, but sticking with a Mazda part, plus having the correct shift pattern on the knob (for my wife ) was worth a few extra bucks to me.

All Mazda parts were ordered on Monday from http://www.mazdaparts.org. They called me 10 minutes after ordering to confirm I wanted wiper blades for a 5, not a Miata, and all parts were received on Friday via free UPS Ground with order over $100. Great customer service from Med Center, I look forward to dealing with them again.

Here's the box upon opening:

All parts laid out:

Installing the $109 Miata knob couldn't be easier: unscrew 5's stock rubber knob, screw on Miata knob.

I did pop out the shifter surround to take a peek at the mechanism inside, and to puta few small zip ties around the shaft to ensure the boot would be flush with the bottom of the knob. The stock knob has a little clip to keep the boot tight against it's bottom, where the Miata's SS bottom trim piece does not.

Even though I'm apparently not very bright, having paid WAY too much for the Miata shift knob, I'm very happy with it.
Strange, 90210 never replied to my post or PM asking politely for a link to any of those <$30, leather/stainless 2012 Miata shift knobs.... oh well.

 

[Nurburgringer]

Front splash guards

Also from Med Center these $50 splash guards are also very easy to install if not all that effective (see below).

Note: these will not work with side-sill equipped 5s, without (I imagine) serious modifications to the sills.

For those with Sport models, all you have to do is remove the one screw and 2 lower push-tabs from behind the wheel inside of the wheel well, and one big plug from the front of the rocker panel underside.
The splash guard then fits very nicely over the 4 holes, snapping into the big lower one and held tight with the 2 push-tabs and one screw.

Before:

During install:

After:

Of course I then proceeded to spend 30 minutes washing the car and wheels (dusty pads!) including a proper chamois dry. Then my wife and I drove over to a friend's house for dinner, through a street that had been soaked with water only for about 50'. I went through slowly, but this is what I came out to this morning:

Tough to see in the picture, but it doesn't look like the guards did much at all to keep front tire spray off the side of the car. Even with the stock 16" rims the edge of the front tires is just over the edge of the fender lip, so unless you get jeep-style flares the gorgeous sides will be getting hit with all kinds of road grime. Eh it'd look worse, faster, if I'd chosen black.

 

[Nurburgringer]

Tailgate step plate

$40 from Med Center , installing this step guard is a 10 minute job. Clean the bumper well (I used a residue-free spray), note the center arrow, test fit, peel off the thin tape (touches the vertical part of bumper), push on, lift up front edge to remove larger 2-sided tape part, and press on firmly. Voila.

Before:

After:

 

[Nurburgringer]

Last mod for now: https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned).

This works great. Turns on automatically when your phone is within 20'. Voice dialing, announces caller name, clear mic and speaker, and more functions I haven't figured out yet.
Supposedly the battery lasts weeks between charges (same micro-USB as my Blackberry, which is nice).

That pretty much puts the icing on our 5's cake.

The $23 aluminum dead pedal (for a 2012 Miata) I also received won't work without serious modding. From the pics it looks like just a flat piece of aluminum, drilled and maybe with rubber buds for grip. In actuality it's a rather large plastic housing that gets screwed over the Miata's carpet as you can see here:

There must not be any dead pedal to speak of in a Miata if this fits in the footwell. The 5 has a nicely located deadpedal already, I just wanted to spice it up a bit with aluminum.

Will take some measurements and maybe go with one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5884f51a85
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suba...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2eb84d063e
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Spar...3402538?pt=Race_Car_Parts&hash=item1e6760982a

If I get bored maybe some low-key LED lighting inside - our BMW was orange LEDs in the ceiling console that bath the shifter area in a gentle orange light. That would be cool on the 5, maybe in red though.

The only other retrofitted option I'm seriously considering is the auto-dimming mirror with compass and homelink.

My dealer will match their price and install for $99, which seems fair considering it requires running power to the mirror and hiding everything (and possibly gluing the mirror to the windshield?). I could probably do it, but I could also end up screwing it up royally....
Homelink would be neat, the compass and auto-dimming more a novelty, so I don't think I'll be able to justify the cost just to get rid of my garage door remote.

Unless 90210 kindly shares a link where these same exact mirrors can be bought for $75

 

[vinisterz]

Thanks for sharing the pictures and process of your install.

 

[Nurburgringer]

you're welcome Vin (drinks)

 

[Rockin03mp5]

Very nice. I need to get a scangauge.

 

[Nurburgringer]

Very nice. I need to get a scangauge.

Thanks - it's for sure neat, but by no means necessary for us. If it didn't fit so well in the existing blank-button spot I wouldn't be so crazy about it.
I would have gladly paid $50 more if it displayed tire pressures.

 

[Rockin03mp5]

I was just checking that space while driving today... i cannot see them (the blanks).... the spoke of the steering wheel blocks that spot for me.

 

[Nurburgringer]

I was just checking that space while driving today... i cannot see them (the blanks).... the spoke of the steering wheel blocks that spot for me.

Hmmm, you must like to put the steering wheel lower than I do.
As you can see in the pic it's very close to blocking either the scangauge OR the fuel bars and odometer, but you can see both (barely)

It's not something I plan on checking very often when driving.
Fiddling around with it tonight (my wife drove the 5 on some errands today) I discovered that it records the max speed and RPM attained that day.
At least once my wife hit 79mph, and 5450 rpm!

 

[dieseldriver]

You might want to check out the ScanGauge-II, it has a lot more functionality than the ScanGaugeE. It's over $55 more than ScanGaugeE however and slightly longer too. I opted for the ScanGaugeE because I wanted a smaller one that fits just about anywhere, and all I really wanted was the coolant temperature meter. So I currently have it set to read Coolant and Air Inlet temperatures.

Thanks - it's for sure neat, but by no means necessary for us. If it didn't fit so well in the existing blank-button spot I wouldn't be so crazy about it.
I would have gladly paid $50 more if it displayed tire pressures.

 

[dieseldriver]

Hi Nurburgringer,

Very nice, wow you wasted no time in getting that ScanGauge and installing it. I originally did the similar thing, mounted on the left side. But after using it for a bit, I moved it below the shifter because I could not read it very well. I am now thinking of making a bracket for it with double backed tapes on each side so I can clear the RJ45 cable out the back. Then I can mount it just about anywhere. I would like it a bit higher so that it's within eye-level, for readability and also for safety reasons.

My next mod is to add a remote display unit for my Valentine one. Once I am done with that mod, I will post some photos. I am into things like this but without making any permanent modifications. I am a believer of Velcros

Pete

Installed some goodies on our 2012 M5 6MT yesterday.

First up, the https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)
Thanks to dieseldriver for the tip on this neat little device.
It fits just about perfectly in the space where on my 5 where there are 4 do-nothing buttons (ROW gets power doors. Bastards!).
After a few careful but simple steps it looks like Mazda planned on the eScan going there.
Nice to know the coolant and manifold air temp and voltage, and interesting to track CO2 level, MPG, GPH, max RPM/speed coolant temp, etc. Can customize the display with over 60 color choices, data to display, units etc. Very slick.

Steps:
Gently pop the lower dash valence away from the dash. I first removed the small panel next to the dead pedal (gently pop out) but you may not even need to do this.

Pop out the 4 blanks, trim plastic a bit until eScan fits snugly inside. I used a utility blade heated up with a MAP torch. Doesn't take much trimming at all, so little you can always go back to the blanks (or stock-sized buttons) if you no longer want the scangauge. Only non-reversible mod is the hole you drill next to the OBD port, which is totally invisible unless you basically lay in the footwell looking straight up.
Wrap excess cord (about 5-1/2' out of the provided 6' cord) and secure with zip ties.

Drilled a hole next to the OBD port to snake the cord behind the dash.

Plug in Gauge, position in empty space.

Here's it's showing water temp and voltage:

This is what it looks like from my seating position. Totally blocked of course when making left turns, but shouldn't be looking down there when turning anyway.... When going straight the whole screen is visible, while still keeping the wheel low enough to see the tach, speedo and fuel display.
A bit higher would be better, but short of sticking the display on the steering column (block fuel gauge and odometer) or plunking it somewhere else on the dash (ugly, where to hide to cord?) this is the best place I could come up with. Right in front of the shifter would also work pretty well, but this is just as low and requires running the cord a bit to close to the shift linkage IMO.

I used the supplied velcro to keep the display tilted up slightly so it's easier to read. Will buy some double-sided tape to hold it more firmly, but even now it doesn't move much at all even when pushing the buttons.
I've already set it for the 5's 16 gallon tank, and for the next 2 fill ups it needs to be 'calibrated' to get the most accurate DTE and MPG readings.
Very happy with this thing!

 

[Nurburgringer]

You might want to check out the ScanGauge-II, it has a lot more functionality than the ScanGaugeE.

Thanks - I saw the more capable version right after ordering an 'E'. But I think the only significant difference is the "II" can calculate horsepower, and on some cars show trans temp?
Anyway, the 'E' does enough for my purposes - like you I wanted to know the coolant temp and voltage (mainly just cause I like to know these things )

Hi Nurburgringer,

Very nice, wow you wasted no time in getting that ScanGauge and installing it. I originally did the similar thing, mounted on the left side. But after using it for a bit, I moved it below the shifter because I could not read it very well.

lol yeah when I get a new toy I don't waste time...
Can you post a pic of the current location under the shifter? I would think this is even lower than the button-blanks on the left side?
I agree the left side isn't ideal from a visibility standpoint, but I can see it well enough and having the wire completely hidden without cutting/drilling too many holes was too convenient to pass up.
Post up details when you get the Valentine1 installed please! I likely won't be doing this (I have other cars that are much easier to speed with....) but sounds like a neat project.
Here's a pic from the morning of my wedding last year when I was taking a German buddy for a spirited ride. Merciless undercover copper didn't cut me any slack when I pleaded that I had to get to the chapel on time.

 

[Rockin03mp5]

WI cops have nothing better to do.

 

[Nurburgringer]

my buddy, a cop whose patrols downtown Milwaukee and the Northside, would dissagree with you.... tough job.

 

[Rockin03mp5]

That is in the city.

I was talking about the highway patrol. Whenever I drive through, they are everywhere.

 

[Nurburgringer]

That is in the city.
I was talking about the highway patrol. Whenever I drive through, they are everywhere.

I got you, but haven't really noticed more (bored) highway cops here than for example NJ where I grew up.
Just frustrating that they nab me for doing 80 on a quiet Sunday morning, both hands on the wheel, no cell phone, car in great shape (new tires, suspension, steering etc) when there are tons of jalopies flying around on bald tires with driver's yapping on cell phones.

 

[Nurburgringer]

Drove the 5 for her first fill up today and 'calibrated' the ScanGauge for the first of two recommended times.
For the first fill up you only tell it that you did in fact fill it up, and enter the $/gallon.
For fill-up #2 (ideally at the same exact pump, letting it click off automatically) you're supposed to compare the actual fuel needed to fill vs. calculated, and it will make an adjustment to it's DTE/MPG/Fuel used etc algorithms based on your input.

I gassed up soon after the "low fuel" light came on and it took 12.9 gallons. A bit over-cautious that fuel light is IMO....
Anyway that's ~24.5mpg mixed town/HWY for the first tank, not too shabby!

Also kept watch on the blue thermometer lights (meant to tell you not to expect any warm air out of the vents) as she warmed up. The blue light went out when the ScanGauge read 129F (took about 2 minutes to go from 'cold' 60F ambient), FWIW.

(drinks)

 

[dieseldriver]

Okay, tomorrow morning, I am going to do a photo shoot before we head over to the temple. I will post up some "upgrade" picture of things I've installed recently. I added the exhaust finisher, and the two covex mirrors that were from Japan. It's actually very cool looking. Also the door molding, also from Japan. We have a Japanese supermarket near my house and they have a Japanese auto aftermarket store in there. I think for the time being, I may go there more often than I go to WalMart or Home Depot!

Thanks - I saw the more capable version right after ordering an 'E'. But I think the only significant difference is the "II" can calculate horsepower, and on some cars show trans temp?
Anyway, the 'E' does enough for my purposes - like you I wanted to know the coolant temp and voltage (mainly just cause I like to know these things )

lol yeah when I get a new toy I don't waste time...
Can you post a pic of the current location under the shifter? I would think this is even lower than the button-blanks on the left side?
I agree the left side isn't ideal from a visibility standpoint, but I can see it well enough and having the wire completely hidden without cutting/drilling too many holes was too convenient to pass up.
Post up details when you get the Valentine1 installed please! I likely won't be doing this (I have other cars that are much easier to speed with....) but sounds like a neat project.
Here's a pic from the morning of my wedding last year when I was taking a German buddy for a spirited ride. Merciless undercover copper didn't cut me any slack when I pleaded that I had to get to the chapel on time.