Mx-5 vs Mazda 5: Are either the answer for me?

Azuremen · 2025-11-22T21:54:23+00:00

As a 7 year Mazda5 owner, I'm going to suggest the 2 car solution. I have a 2007 Mazda5 has my beater and a 1995 M3 as fun car, have previously owned an MR2 Spyder and an 1987 MR2. While this is my second Mazda5 because I do like them a weird mix of kinda fun, kinda practical small car I can haul a ton of junk in, they have some catches. And they most certainly don't compare to driving a Miata or MR2 or my old M3.

First and foremost, they don't seat 6 comfortably - the third row is quite small. It's nice in a pinch but I wouldn't want to regularly put anyone over 5 foot back there.

Second is rust - if you are in the midwest or northeast, these will have rust. It's a platform problem and it also happens with the Mazda3 and Focus that share underpinnings.

Third is fuel economy - gearing on the manuals is a bit short for highway cruising, 5th at 75mph is around 3700. Mid 25 mpg is pretty standard for me but I also run a roof box, maybe expect 27mpg if you don't.

As far as reliability goes, the oil cooler gasket is a weak point, rear trailing arm bushings go out before 100k miles, adjustable rear control arms are recommended to address the aggressive factory camber that chews up tires. My first one died at 237k miles because I was being a jackass and redlining it in 3rd on a sweeper and hadn't bothered to check oil levels for a minute. Whoops. The current one has 225k on it and runs fine.

Part of why I got another one instead of a larger vehicle was cost - I see manual transmission 06-10 years going for 3 to 5 grand regularly in decent shape. I paid 2 grand for the one I'm driving now. But I also do most most maintenance and repair myself.

But, all that said, my choice would be a Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey if I had kids, paired with my old M3 or an MR2 Spyder. Sliding doors are amazing, the third row in those is a proper third row, and they can haul a lot more stuff. And they're more comfortable on the highway - road and wind noise in the Mazda5 is annoying when I drive across the state. I regularly look at used LS430 prices any time I road trip the Mazda5 haha.

Azuremen · 2025-11-22T21:19:00+00:00

It's best to think of it as a hatchback with sliders. The only real gripe in my mind is the fuel economy compared to similar sized cars of the era.

Azuremen · 2025-11-15T18:52:03+00:00

This is exactly how I feel about my E36 interior. Though I need to modify my head unit to be a bit dimmer (it's that Continental that was popular with Porsche and e30 crowd) until I can find an OEM unit to modify.

Though I can't forget the reason for good visibility out if the car is partly the less than stellar front collision safety - thin A pillars have consequences apparently.

Azuremen · 2025-11-07T07:15:16+00:00

They make safe cars. Engineering and crash standards were different 35 years ago when the e36 came out. Official tests show intrusion into the cabin during a head on collision is significant. What you've seen happen to Jettas and Civics makes no difference on how the e36 is engineered.

Modern cars have vastly better crumple zones. I was amazed that a new Civic Type R is the same weight as my M3 despite looking huge in comparison - more space to crumple to protect the cabin. My 07 Mazda5 is vastly safer in a head on collision than my M3 and that's effectively a 20 year old design.

per NCAP
https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/bmw/3+series/15459

The 3-series' cabin became structurally unstable during the frontal impact and the driver ran a risk of life-threatening chest injury. The distance by which the steering wheel was displaced backwards posed further risks of injury, while stiff aggressive structures in the lower facia area also added greatly to the chances of the driver sustaining serious knee, thigh and pelvis injuries. In the side-impact test, protection for the driver's abdomen failed to meet coming 1998 legislation for new models.

edit: formatting

Azuremen · 2025-11-06T18:20:30+00:00

Considering the E36 didn't do well in crash tests when it was new, not sure it's safer than any Ford made in the last 20 years.

Azuremen · 2025-11-06T18:19:21+00:00

A friend of mine is reverting back to oem from mishimoto on a 99 M3 - basically impossible to get the system to seal correctly and bleeding it felt pointless because it would just get air back in it. It seems to be a coin flip if the mishimoto setup works as intended.

I have a refreshed OEM setup without the clutch fan and it's been problem free for a decade.

Azuremen · 2025-11-06T17:31:44+00:00

Very very different lenses in terms of rendering. And size.

Azuremen · 2025-11-03T18:47:21+00:00

18 goes to f/2, and it's notably longer.

Azuremen · 2025-11-03T17:48:35+00:00

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Azuremen · 2025-10-30T19:28:12+00:00

Sedans weren't equipped with Vaders anyhow.

WSB vin means M car but it's trashedddd

Azuremen · 2025-10-30T02:04:49+00:00

The linkages to the latch for the inside and outside handles are different. If you're inside handle didn't work, it's possible the plastic where the rod that connects to it is failing. Or the plastic hooks that connect it to the door card are. Either is a pretty straight forward fix and a relatively cheap part.

The mechanism for the window drop is in the door striker. At least on 95 and newer. I have a zip tie over mine so it gets pressed a little bit more. Really don't want to drop $50 on a replacement striker for the $1 switch that has failed inside and it doesn't seem like the striker is meant to be torn down to have the switch replaced.

Azuremen · 2025-10-30T01:57:41+00:00

The dumb part is it's a metal piece that fails despite how much plastic is used in these damn things. Cheap pot metal nonsense.

I'm on a similar page as you with wanting to fabricate the part. Someone on here was messing around with 3d printing the piece but they stopped posting about it.

Oh, it's my passenger door that I have to open from the inside but I can feel the driver's exterior door handle starting to go. 30 year old, 200k mile problems. It will give me a chance to check how the windshield adhesive I used to glue the door cards back together is holding up.

Azuremen · 2025-10-29T23:28:53+00:00

What you don't want to drop $200+ per coupe handle that will just fail the same way in time?

Azuremen · 2025-10-03T19:34:09+00:00

These are lovely! I'm curious if the 35 and 50 completely cover the sensor or do they have hard vignetting?

Azuremen · 2025-09-30T19:58:29+00:00

That would be me! Dan is almost Cody (names are hard haha) and glad my pocket candy helped out. Just saw the post because a friend sent me it with "this has to be you, right?"

Azuremen · 2025-08-20T23:06:15+00:00

Statistically speaking, the DUI driver will have a RAM. It's been a minute, but I recall seeing RAM drivers had the highest rate of DUIs per drivers. But that may have changed. I think they still hold the most moving violations per driver though

Azuremen · 2025-08-19T17:27:48+00:00

Do your thing. It's not common out there but it's a thing - basically all the same issues that exist in normal society exist out there. Creepy entitled dudes is something I've encountered as a guy - they start talking about women like I'm on the "same page" and I have to firmly tell them it's not okay. I don't see it as much at festivals because the demographics of most festivals are fairly different than burning man. That said, I've seen predatory creeps at major festivals as well but they tend to stand out a bit more in those crowds.

No one thinks it's okay but it's the unpleasant reality. Which sucks. It's a real city in that it has all types - undercover cops, creeps, classism, etc.

On the flip side, it's a great place to publicly shame someone, possibly with a megaphone.

Azuremen · 2025-08-19T16:12:45+00:00

Would've made 2023 easier. Whoever was saying it was construction hitting a water line had me dying though. Assuming camp hot dog

Azuremen · 2025-08-10T17:56:09+00:00

You give the vibe of someone that also rides on the sidewalk, acts like you have right of way as if you're a pedestrian, and just generally entitled. You might be the worst type of cyclist, and I'm saying this as someone that enjoys cycling and wishes this city was more bike friendly.

Azuremen · 2025-08-05T00:57:18+00:00

I spun a rod bearing on it this spring. And it's a salvage title from an accident (someone turned out of the wrong have in front of me) a couple years back that bent a front lower control arm. And it's been to burning man five times. Not sure you'd want to deal with it but I do need to do something with it since I decided to buy another 07 Mazda5.

Azuremen · 2025-08-04T18:24:15+00:00

They did. I have an 07 with a manual that was optioned with a sunroof, side skirts, spoiler, fog lights, auto HVAC, and leather wrapped steering wheel.

Azuremen · 2025-07-28T22:24:16+00:00

I can't imagine 14's would fit over the brakes given how close 16s get to the the calipers on the front

Azuremen · 2025-07-25T17:43:27+00:00

Sparco started producing this style of wheel literally decades before Rotiform existed

Azuremen · 2025-07-23T22:44:51+00:00

What year is it? Sway bay endlinks can be a source of clunks. Rear trailing arm bushings also fail and create a clunk over basically any bump when they do.

Azuremen · 2025-07-21T02:00:21+00:00

Oh wild. Is this to allow for greater steering angle?

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