What have you done to your Mazda5 today?

[Silentnoise713]

New wiper blades. Why did my stock ones suck sooo badly that I felt a need to replace them at less than 1,500 miles?

Try taking a razor blade and scrapping it end to end (one smooth motion, back and forth). Many times the wiper blade tips are just stuck with dirty build up and scraping it will help clear it out.

 

[coolmazda5]

New wiper blades. Why did my stock ones suck sooo badly that I felt a need to replace them at less than 1,500 miles?

Might be spent some time outdoors at the dealer before the sale? My 06 ones lasted 3 years or so. Try cleaning them gently with a wipe and Windex, sometimes they are just filthy

 

[SuperJETT]

I'm in the middle of new front rotors/pads, just waiting for my wife to get back with the parts to put back on. Looks like the rear need it too as the right rear has quite a bit of runout and drags like crazy. No wonder our mileage has been under 20mpg lately.

 

[dw8]

Just changed the drive belts today.

 

[mpvue]

washed and vaccumed the 5 today; even though it's supposed to rain soon, there was SO much salt on it I couldn't see out the back window!

 

[skyhawk]

I parked my M5 beside another M5.. Far enough to minimize possibility of door dings.

Both vehicles display their 'black' winter tires with pride.

 

[Rockin03mp5]

Vacuumed and wiped up the interior of the 5 today. Put in the winter mats, a little late.

Didnt bother with the outside.

And here is the new addition courtesy of some parking lot admirer.

 

[BPboiler3]

ouch!

haha and dont you love how well a baby seat fits facing rear in the 5? I cant drive with our's behind the drivers seat..and with it behind the passenger seat my knees are smashed into the dash...fml!

 

[Sounbwoy]

Vacuumed and cleaned mine yesterday..I don't have WeatherTech $$ but I need some winter mats as well..

 

[jeffc]

ouch!

haha and dont you love how well a baby seat fits facing rear in the 5? I cant drive with our's behind the drivers seat..and with it behind the passenger seat my knees are smashed into the dash...fml!

you should have seen it in my old Matrix. The 5 has way more room!

 

[skyhawk]

Vacuumed and wiped up the interior of the 5 today. Put in the winter mats, a little late.

That baby seat will be facing forward very very shortly.

 

[skyhawk]

Man I want one of those Soundracers... but $50... lol...

My daughter wanted it for her mazda3. So I took this last video of the soundracer in action lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb85eoKbRF8

 

[mpvue]

rear facing baby seats do take some careful placing, and some seats are better than others. for our 1st kid, I couldn't even get the seat in our '94 626!
and, you 'll be flipping it forward VERY soon!
fortunately we won't be doing THAT again; 3 kids and I'm DONE!

 

[chapel]

bought our car today

 

[Rockin03mp5]

ouch!

haha and dont you love how well a baby seat fits facing rear in the 5? I cant drive with our's behind the drivers seat..and with it behind the passenger seat my knees are smashed into the dash...fml!

actually, the baby seat fits well. the picture may be deceiving since i have the drivers seat all the way back since i am 6'0'' tall. (also, the baby seat is a large brittax) i wish it could go back further. now my protege5, well, i have to have the baby seat in the passenger side. i also bought a seat with a shorter back for that one.

That baby seat will be facing forward very very shortly.

yes it will. the little one is 14 months and over 20 lbs now. i could change it any day, but it is safer to be rear facing.

 

[twintrbo]

Its a 2 part problem with the rear facing seats. First off, it's a compromise to have one seat that can face either way. The angle needed to be rear facing is way out of wack with the amount of space available in ANY non minivan. Problem 2 is, I believe, that the seats are intended to be mounted in the middle seat which does not exist on the 5. This would make the seat extend between the front seats but this option is not possible for us. I did a ton of research before buying the seat we have and there is as much as a 8" difference in length from seat to seat!

 

[chapel]

our Recaro Como fit rearward facing just fine in the middle row
If you've ever seen a Recaro seat, you'll know they're only second in hugeness to the Britax Marathon

 

[twintrbo]

Its not the physical size that matters. Its the angle it needs to sit at to level the seat properly. The Britax, although large, has a separate swivel base that allows the angle to be right without adding length. The old seat I had needed a 6" high spacer under the front of the seat to sit "level" when rear facing. Imagine how much more room it needed when you tilted it back that far. Not to mention, the deeper the dent in the seat cushion, the more of a spacer you needed!

 

[chapel]

oh, I know what you mean
Yeah, the Recaros have only two tilt positions: forward facing and rear facing...
I was able to get it to fit behind the passenger seat fine and still have room to sit (I'm 6'3")

We love that it has LATCH. our 2001 Saab was the last year to NOT have it

 

[jeffc]

Getting the windows tinted today. I'll post before and afters when it gets back. Also getting my winter tires mounted on my new mazda 3 alloys tomorrow.