I <3 teh mazda5!

So, clearly it sounds like a case of racial profiling and unjust targeting. Have you contacted the ACLU for this violation of your human rights?

JohnRW1621 wrote:

poopshovel wrote:

JohnRW1621 wrote: In reply to Matt B: Three big boys placed in the back too. Myself being the "middle size" at 6'1" and 240lbs. I am sure the sleeping in the MZ5 (laid out) was much better than the Integra.

Wait a minute now. Who all was in the back? Pretty sure I was the "Middle Size."

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt of likely weighing less than I do making you the relatively small guy of the group. It was easy to consider Wayne as having a couple pounds on you and I. I had not realized that a grey MZ5 could draw as much attention for the law as a red Ferrari. Maybe the cops are so interested in it that they feel compelled to stop you along the road just to get a better look at it.

Aaaah. I had it in my head that Skinny Steve was in the back with us.

JohnRW1621 wrote: So, clearly it sounds like a case of racial profiling and unjust targeting. Have you contacted the ACLU for this violation of your human rights?

Clearly.

Damn. I just got all nostalgic for a second.

http://www.jimellismazdamarietta.com/used/Honda/2011-Honda-Fit-a08f2c180a0a00e00024f9376fe99749.htm

chandlerGTi wrote: I've been pulled over twice in mine (red); both times let go with a verbal warning. Not quite as incognito as a civic but it is pretty good unless you are driving nutty.

True story: The first week I had my 5 I accidentally did a peel-out merging into traffic leaving work... right in front of a cop. He gave the stink eye to every single car in the line except me!

I have to say, with all that weight in the back, all-seasons, open diff, plus a manny tranny it is ridiculously easy to chirp and peel tires in the maz5. Michelle and I end up in giggle fits pretty often whilst merely trying to turn-n-merge into traffic.

Amusement notwithstanding, I keep daydreaming about fitting a MS3 tranny with the LSD to help things out, but I haven't confirmed whether or not it'll bolt up.

Of course, I could just get better tires...

In reply to Matt B:

The trans bolts up when connected to the DISI, so I imagine it would as long as the MZR we have has the same bolt pattern. I've often thought of doing that, too.

So, basically all I'd need to do is source a trans from a first-gen MS3 for my 06 5? Sweet.

edit- I just realized you said we need to confirm the bolt patterns. There's so much shared between the platforms though, I'd be surprised if they were different.

In reply to Matt B:

My clutch is getting weak. Everybody chip in some $$$ so I can buy a used MS3 trans and I'll be the guinea pig!

Maybe if your kid "accidentally" hit the buy now option on an ebay auction.

FeeBay has them for around $800 plus shipping. Interesting...

Hmmm, not bad. That's a fair sight cheaper than I've seen them. I guess it'd be too much to ask for a used-but-functional clutch to come packaged with them as well.

I need to do the rear struts first anyway.

Didn't C&D have a helluva time getting theirs to run?

I thought they switched the whole shebang though, not just a transmission. Either way, I'm admittedly not familiar with the details of that story. Only that it happened.

Apparently I-R-confused about the swapped five(s). The one I was thinking about was the One Lap car built by Autobahn Mazda of Countryside. According to this little Motortrend blog page they made it sound easy to swap the whole thing over.

http://blogs.motortrend.com/2010-one-lap-of-america-the-rise-of-the-giantkillers-at-midamerica-2654.html#axzz2YlTycEOm

The MS3 swap is a bolt in, but requires more than just the transmission. I looked into it seriously for our MZ3, and aside from the trans you need axles, possibly hubs to fit the larger axles, shift linkage modification, and I think there was something else, but I can't remember.

Sonic wrote: The MS3 swap is a bolt in, but requires more than just the transmission. I looked into it seriously for our MZ3, and aside from the trans you need axles, possibly hubs to fit the larger axles, shift linkage modification, and I think there was something else, but I can't remember.

I have a friend that did this to his 2005 mz3, he bought a rolled ms3 from another friend- car had gone paint side down at BIR. IDK what exactly's involved, but it's effectively the whole front sub-assembly, gauge cluster, and ECU/TCU. I have no idea if he re-harnessed it, though I imagine he did.

OK, you guys have talked this 'mini' mini van up enough I've started thinking about a used one. I'd imagine Rx-8 wheels would fit, there are lots of suspension upgrade paths... But, how slow are these things with an auto tranny?

RX-8 wheels do fit, I don't know what tires come on those but you might want to check fitment.

My wife's is an '08 with the 5 speed auto. I wouldn't call it slow but it's not fast in a straight line. It'll lay rubber but some on ramps have me wishing for another 100hp. If you get one with the 4 speed auto it's going to feel slow, we had a Mazda3 with that trans and in certain situations it felt really slow.

Faster than a Fit! which ain't sayin a lot. Obviously slower than the beefcake caravan, but probably a little easier on the wallet too. I'd say "adequate." Again, a 75-90 jaunt on the highway is no problem, and that's with (literally) 500+ pounds of people and baby gear. 160-something lb-ft. of torque is a big jump from what I'm used to.

Also, ours is the Big Block (2.5) 5-spd auto. I get the sense that the 1g's feel a lot slower, but they're also the waaaay better value. There were a couple 1g's on CL for 1/3 what we paid for this thing.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-mazda-5-grand-touring-tested-mazda-5-review

Sonic wrote: The MS3 swap is a bolt in, but requires more than just the transmission. I looked into it seriously for our MZ3, and aside from the trans you need axles, possibly hubs to fit the larger axles, shift linkage modification, and I think there was something else, but I can't remember.

That's for the whole enchilada (DISI motor + MT6), which has been done successfully at least twice. Mazda built the 1 Lap MS5 (which has been for sale for like $20K+ for awhile) and C&D copied it for their Boss Wagon series. C&D's issue was getting the gauges to work, which they solved by going aftermarket. I think they still have it.

C&D Boss Wagon Mazdaspeed5

all this talk of hot-rodded 5's makes me want to do the TL-S manual swap in wifey's '03 Ody. it's got 238k on it, and is being dropped from daily service next spring.

There is a guy on mazdas24-7 that has a ms3 swapped 5 also; he calles it boss wagon 2.0 and has something like 18k miles on the swap. Should be doable once the prices come down a bit.

huh - I bought my X3 at Momentum Motorcars not 1/2 mile up Cobb Parkway from that place!!! Small world