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

Mine goes out exactly at 130F. ScanGauge is so cool, and also very useful indeed.
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)
 
First semi-long trip in the 5: down to Chicago, then Joliet, then back last night (in the rain, with some decent traffic) for a total of ~300 miles.

ScanGauge is so cool, and also very useful indeed.

That it is!! I was fooling around with a bunch. Very interesting to know average MPH (~45mph incl traffic), monitor the instantaneous MPG (cruising at 70mph in 6th on level ground it reports ~30mpg). Average for over 300 miles was ~26mpg. *edited after calibrating at second fill up, initial reading was about 10% optimistic*
Putting on the cruise and watching the LOD (engine load 0-100%) and TPS (throttle position 0-100) vary when going up/down hills or clicking "up" or "down" speed is neat, as is seeing what the trip cost in $ of fuel and lbs of CO2.
Great addition to the 5, and gives you something to do on long car rides :)

I'm still very happy with the location down in the space where there was 4 blank buttons. I can reach the buttons with my left hand resting on my knee, and can view the screen with a quick flick of my eyes.
As an experiment I pretended it was in front of the shifter, and for me it requires not only dropping my eyes but also moving my head a bit to the right. Definitely more distracting than to the left of the steering column.
The only downside to this place is the reflection is visible in the side glass, just above the top of the door trim. It's only visible out of the corner of my eye or when I use the sideview, and I got used to it after a bit.
 
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Actually, I wound up moving it up a bit higher. BTW, I do ham radio on long rides. Talk to other hams all around the world while driving :)
 

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yeah you've got plenty to keep you occupied during long roadtrips :)

Why do you still have that warning tag hanging from the glovebox??? I'm trying to figure out how to remove the warning stickers/iron-ons from the sunshades. Those warning stickers on the pillars about the sliding doors also annoy me - will be taking a heat gun to those soon.
 
Oh yeah, that, my coworkers keep asking me, including my son,"why do you still have that warning sticker?" LOL. Yeah, it's a constant reminder of the new car! That spot for the ScanGauge is a good spot, better than where I had it previously I am finding out.

Here's another picture of the ScanGauge, but also, look through the windshield of the M5GT. Yep, that's my other toy, urr, I mean my wife's.
Why do you still have that warning tag hanging from the glovebox??? I'm trying to figure out how to remove the warning stickers/iron-ons from the sunshades. Those warning stickers on the pillars about the sliding doors also annoy me - will be taking a heat gun to those soon.
 

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Man I wished I can put front mud guards on, but, the ones for non-GT does not fit. Also, got a response from Mazda today that they are not planning on making the front guards for the GT trim level. BTW, with regards to the 4 blanks left of the driver, first one on GT trim has the HID elevation adjustment slider. So probably another reason not to put the Scangauge there.
 
BTW, with regards to the 4 blanks left of the driver, first one on GT trim has the HID elevation adjustment slider. So probably another reason not to put the Scangauge there.

gotcha - what about on top of the steering column? Be like a 928 or probe with movable gauge(s).
 
Hey nurb,

is your bluetooth speaker just a speaker? do you still need to talk into your phone?

wondering because my wife really likes my mazda6's bluetooth in the car, and i want to get her something like that... without replacing the headunit for now.
 
yo mp5 - no it's got a mic also. I put my phone either in a cupholder or in the the little cubby under the shift knob, and the unit automatically links with the Blackberry when it's within 20 feet or so.
Also can do voice dialing just like a bluetooth headset.
Very happy with it, everyone I talk with says they hear me loud and clear and their voices come through well.
Battery life is excellent as well. Can go weeks on standby, though I turn it off when I'm not behind the wheel since the wife drives the M5 most of the time and she doesn't have a BT phone.

What's wrong with the Mazda's built-in bluetooth? I was disappointed not to be able to get this with the base model 6MT, but never tried one out on a Touring.
 
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Thanks for the info. Looks like a winner.

I'm getting one for the wife since the 2008 Mz5 doesn't have bluetooth.

She really likes my 2011 Mz6's built-in bluetooth.
 
Thanks for the info. Looks like a winner.
I'm getting one for the wife since the 2008 Mz5 doesn't have bluetooth.
She really likes my 2011 Mz6's built-in bluetooth.
ah gotcha.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who uses a handsfree device, seems like every other driver I see on the roads around here has a phone plastered to their face....
 

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