My new 5
#11
03-26-2011 | 04:13 PM
Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 44
hi 100 % on a rear sway bar i have a mazda speed sway bar on my 2012 mazda 5 it handles way better love it . on tire wear its been a draw back to owning a mazda 5 van but i realy like the mazda 5 vans i have 2,000 miles on my new van i just put mazda speed 18s on my van with kumho ecsta all season tires the dealer said they were 30,00 mile tires but if i get 20,000 out of them i will be happy . all so how was your mileage ? the best i can get is from 22 to 25 miles MPGon the 2.5 motor my old mazda 5 got from 22to 32 mpg had a 2.3 motor i like the powerc of the 2.5 motor . but with gas going up i kind of wish i had my 2.3 motor back .spencerfvee
Well let's just say that with +/-2* of negative camber, even regular rotations won't save tires for too long.
Before the camber links in my car, and afterall what is a Mazda5 but larger, heavier verion of the Mazda3, I would regularly see a difference in wear of 2/32's between the inside tread and outside. That's w/regular 5,000 mile rotations.
My car has only 63,000 on the clock. I now have 5,300 miles on my 4th set of tires.
Mazda supoosedly does this for stability, but it's a FWD car to begin with. And all FWD cars naturally understeer anyway.
The rear bar I suggested, in conjunction with the factory front bar will reduce the understeer.
There is another option I was recently made aware of too. It's a 3-way adjustable 32mm hollow bar from J Barone Racing that might be worth looking into, $195.
Before the camber links in my car, and afterall what is a Mazda5 but larger, heavier verion of the Mazda3, I would regularly see a difference in wear of 2/32's between the inside tread and outside. That's w/regular 5,000 mile rotations.
My car has only 63,000 on the clock. I now have 5,300 miles on my 4th set of tires.
Mazda supoosedly does this for stability, but it's a FWD car to begin with. And all FWD cars naturally understeer anyway.
The rear bar I suggested, in conjunction with the factory front bar will reduce the understeer.
There is another option I was recently made aware of too. It's a 3-way adjustable 32mm hollow bar from J Barone Racing that might be worth looking into, $195.
#13
03-26-2011 | 04:35 PM
Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 44
thanks for the reply yea i liked the 2.3 motor better for milage. my 2.5 is a gas hog. but i like the power of the 2.5 for hills and when i have 4 people in the van the 2.5 pulls better but with gas going up the 2.3 is a winner you did good by buying the 2010 take care spencerfvee
#14
03-26-2011 | 05:43 PM
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,666
From: Manor, TX (Outside of Austin)
Georgetown? They referred to it as Roger Beasley Central. I will try to clean it up from the trip after it stops raining/misting here.
I also got a bought an auto-dim compass mirror but they were out of the install kits that I would assume are just wiring and instructions.
I also got a bought an auto-dim compass mirror but they were out of the install kits that I would assume are just wiring and instructions.
Central used to be Roger Beasley Mazda North until changing the name of my dealer, which was called Premier in Georgetown.
Why didn't you buy the car in Arkansas or at least have it shipped there instead of spending what must have been a long day driving to and from?
Also, you can buy the install kit online for about 1/2 the cost as a dealer.
Had you asked ahead of time, the mirror is available online as well.
#16
03-26-2011 | 07:50 PM
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,666
From: Manor, TX (Outside of Austin)
I'm guessing its was a stock bar he bought as a take-off.
BUT here are a few links that I have for AM bars....
James Barone Racing
Mazda Performance Parts: Mazda3: Suspension
About this last link... a small company that I have personaly done several transactions with. They/he is primarily into Miata/MX-5's but I like his attitude and have had no problems getting what I've ordered in a timely fashion.,
While I do not have their rear bar (I have the 27mm RB rear and AWR adjustable links currently installed from Brian Goodwin Racing,) I do have the JBarone Racing heavy weight shift **** (650gms for those interested) and can vouch for them as well.
Either way, consider an upgrade in sway bar links if going w/one of these bars. The OE Mazda3/Mazda5 links are not designed to handle the extra load and WILL eventually fail.
Last edited by virgin1; 03-26-2011 at 07:52 PM.
#18
03-26-2011 | 09:09 PM
Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 44
hi john the bar is a mazda speed. it was in the mazda speed accessories book its a red bar i had to buy a set frount and rear. i got a good deal on bar set from my mazda dealer the parts guy was cleanning out old stock i had to make spacers so the bar would fit my 2012 5. i allso used 2011 mazda speed links . its better to just order a 2011 new mazda speed rear bar with mazda speed links. its the same bar i have. but its not painted red and you dont have to make spacers for the bar to fit . allso you have to talk the parts guy into useing a vin number off of a 2011 mazda speed 3. so he can order the parts i am not going to use the frount bar. the rear bar works great .it handles so much better my friend is a mazda teck and we did it at my shop we had the old bar off and the new bar on in 35 mins . spencerfvee
