Where have you driven your Mazda5 .. (Videos / photos)

[skyhawk]

I thought I would start a thread of the 'Mazda5' in action. i.e. doing its job.

This one is along Arizona I15 (connecting Utah to Nevada). Shows the loaded (6 passengers and cargo) Mazda 5, AC full blast. Cruising comfortably in the climbs and downhill. Part of our long drive (june 2011) from Saskatchewan All the way to Coronado Beach in San Diego.

 

[skyhawk]

Mazda 5 approaching a rest area Along the Montana I-15 in Lima

Our mazda5 doing its job. Short stop at a rest area. Notice the bug splatters in the windshield, and the bugs and stone hits on the mazda5 bra. 2nd time we used this bra. Highly recommended. And it does not look bad either.

 

[markuszoom5]

Lol

I thought I would start a thread of the 'Mazda5' in action. i.e. doing its job.

This one is along Arizona I15 (connecting Utah to Nevada). Shows the loaded (6 passengers and cargo) Mazda 5, AC full blast. Cruising comfortably in the climbs and downhill. Part of our long drive (june 2011) from Saskatchewan All the way to Coronado Beach in San Diego.

And i thought I had too much time on my hands...lol.

 

[skyhawk]

A new hobby. I collect mazda5 zoom-zoom experience.

 

[skyhawk]

Getting more out of our daily zoom-zoom experience. Take pictures/videos safely.

I thought I would share. It took me a while to finally settle on this method.
From an old table top tripod, removed one leg, attached metal plates with a double sided tape on the dash. Strong magnets secure the rig and allows for quick and easy removal.

 

[skyhawk]

Driven through hail (lucky they were just little ones)

Caught unprepared, we have driven our mazda5 through hail Although they were tiny little pebbles, the sound of the frozen thingies hitting the windshield is very scary.

We were lucky they were just small hail. I have since then kept a thick blanket in the car. When there is hail, I would stop by the side of the road and protect the windshield with a thick blanket.

video below is raw video with human reactions to the sound coming from the windshield as it deflected the little icy objects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN3buolbENQ

 

[Rockin03mp5]

You and your camera. Sweet though. Is it running all the time when you are in the car?

 

[skyhawk]

You and your camera. Sweet though. Is it running all the time when you are in the car?

Yes. Until it overheats, runs out of battery, or runs out of memory space. But I get a video clip out of every drive.

 

[skyhawk]

We needed a 2nd vehicle when our Mazda5 2006 GT got paid off. We were caught between a 2012 Mazda5 and a 2011 MAzda2. It took us a long time to decide - 1 day.
We decided to get the MAZDA2 as 'support vehicle' for the MAZDA5.

- This way, My 2006 MAZDA5 GT get to keep its spot in the one-car garage that we have. Had we gone for a new mazda5,
the 2006 would have ended up in the open. i.e. the new takes the garage of course.

- The MAzda2 is not that bad either. I still prefer the MAZDA5, but the 2 suits the younger drivers in the family, for
quick errands.. and short trips.

- I can now allow down-time for the MAZDA5.. for repair, and improvements.

Here's another video spam aboard the mazda2.

And like in the the MAZDA5, I'll be ordering the workshop manual for the 2.
I think they should come with every car anyway.

 

[markuszoom5]

Congrats man.

We needed a 2nd vehicle when our Mazda5 2006 GT got paid off. We were caught between a 2012 Mazda5 and a 2011 MAzda2. It took us a long time to decide - 1 day.
We decided to get the MAZDA2 as 'support vehicle' for the MAZDA5.

- This way, My 2006 MAZDA5 GT get to keep its spot in the one-car garage that we have. Had we gone for a new mazda5,
the 2006 would have ended up in the open. i.e. the new takes the garage of course.

- The MAzda2 is not that bad either. I still prefer the MAZDA5, but the 2 suits the younger drivers in the family, for
quick errands.. and short trips.

- I can now allow down-time for the MAZDA5.. for repair, and improvements.

Here's another video spam aboard the mazda2.

And like in the the MAZDA5, I'll be ordering the workshop manual for the 2.
I think they should come with every car anyway.

When I bought my brand new 2010 Mazda 5 in October 2010 my 22 year old sister rode in it and thought that it was a smooth but sporty ride, I told her that most Mazdas are geared toward sportiness, so she checked out a Mazda 2 and bought it right away. She got the Sport Model with hubcaps but it looks OK. She also considered the "ugly" Ford Fiesta and the too expensive Mini Cooper, but bought a gray Mazda 2. It rides like a GO-Cart and it's not underpowered @ all.

 

[markuszoom5]

She traded in her 2001 Oldsmobile Alero 4-banger for the Mazda2 and got $3800 for it, which I thought was a good deal considering it had 60000 Miles on it and I had spliced the brake lines several times to bring bank her brakes lol.

 

[Robotazky]

LOL!! This thread is hilarious. Anyway, I like the Mazda 2. I bet it's fun to drive.

Do they get the published MPG?

 

[skyhawk]

LOL!! This thread is hilarious. Anyway, I like the Mazda 2. I bet it's fun to drive.

Do they get the published MPG?

Maxitrip on mazda5, says I'm getting ave. 22mpg (city driving).
Built in trip computer on the MAzda2, says something like ave. 25mpg (9.1L/100km) city driving.

But many in the M2 forum are reporing much higher.
I think whatever difference will even out if you consider the zoom-zoom experience that we all get. .

 

[skyhawk]

Camera mount - to make use of that camera.

I thought I would share some ideas for those going on a long drive.
- make use of those point and shoot cameras.

here is my setup. I have upgraded from over the dash to driver's eye-level'.

 

[Rockin03mp5]

i know with my 11 mz6, it took at least 2000 miles before the average mpg was anywhere near reality.

nice buy on the 2 there. have been thinking about what to do when my lease is out. i like the "support" car idea.

 

[skyhawk]

A view of the outside from inside the MAZDA5.

 

[manualist]

What a beautiful place to live. Thanks for sharing.

 

[skyhawk]

What a beautiful place to live. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for viewing manualist.

The winter-tire equipped mazda5 is handling current road condition with flying colors.

 

[skyhawk]

Almost drove it to a fender bender.

I've read in forums how some experienced drivers dislike the ABS.

I think I now understand their point. The system is blind. It sees
a locked wheel, and it releases the brake. locks it again.. and so forth.
Unlike a human driver, it does not try locking the wheels to see if the
winter tires eventually bite. And releases the brakes when car starts to swerve.

The ABS should release the brakes Only when the car starts to swerve.

... Or I guess I can just drive slower and be prepared all the time. .

Video of a near fender-bender. I let go of the brakes at the last instant
for a quick maneuver to the right. And hit the brakes again.

 

[manualist]

Love your videos skyhawk! What was the music in this last one? The song is beautiful.
About the ABS, I think it can't just wait and hope that a locked wheel will gain traction later. Once wheels are locked you can't steer effectively. So it's functioning correctly. You just need keep more distance