I own a 2006 Mazda 5, having owned it slightly less than one year. Today, while waiting to give it a fast wash to get some of the road salt off, a gentleman taps on my window and asks whether I was aware that a piece was falling off. I get out and look and sure enough the skirt trim piece running between the wheels along the doors is hanging off from the rear wheel end. I immediately drive to the dealership where they remove it. I am told that likely a piece off ice or a drift or something has hit it from the bottom and has caused a clip to break. This will cost me $400. installed to be replaced. Since I am not in the habit of running over large chunks of ice, curbs or snowbanks, I am wondering how winter worthy this vehicle is. I am not replacing this until spring since I want to be sure it won't happen again this winter since we have lots off ice and snow gracing our roads and driveways right now. I also want to be sure the salt is totally gone from the area to be attached to the new skirt. I don't trust the dealership to do it at all.[:@]

 

well... onlinemazdaparrts.com selling a pair for $300. not sure are they painted or not. or canyou justbuy one side... Check will them before you do anything... It is just up to you... can you install it yourself. You may save some money by install it yourself...

 

Thank you! I am looking into this.

 

Quote from your post
"I am told that likely a piece off ice or a drift or something has hit it from the bottom and has caused a clip to break."

Did you hear or feel anything impact the vehicle or did they show you an impact point on the side skirt to prove that this had been the case?? If this cannot be demonstrated then who is to know if maybe a clip just came loose and the wind caught it and tore it more loose?? In which case it should be a warrantable complaint. Would look into that as well.

 

Me again. I wrote the president of Mazda Canada, Mr. Romano. My letter was shuffled to an underling who is presently "investigating my complaint." After a lengthy phonecall to my workplace where the gentleman tried to brush off all my annoyances with the dealership ( scrubbing sound in rear must be gas in the tank, cold weather making car sound like a twelve year old clunker with a spring problem is normal, the cracking sounds coming from windshield area until car warms up in frigid weather is also normal and finally the skirt problem), I was told that the dealerships serve as Mazda's eyes and ears and he would have to see what they say before he could make decisions regarding the skirt issue. I guess I have to wait awhile longer. Meantime, the missing skirt is being noticed and I don't hesitate telling why it is so.

 

I have finally received a reply from Mazda Canada in the form of a telephone call from Customer Service regarding my skirt or apron problem. The long and short is that they will not pay for a new skirt, will not consider that the prolonged frigid cold might have snapped a clip, that the warranty does not cover this. They say the dealership has to be their eyes and ears and they have to believe the dealer over the customer. If I want to replace the piece, it will cost me $400.00. I had also mentioned in my original letter that the car creaks like a 12 year old car with spring problems and that the windshield makes cracking noises when the temperature dips into the frigid zone. I mentioned that the dealership told me that it happens in the cold. The Customer Service rep says since the dealership failed to write the complaint in my file then I have no bases for complaint. If the next dealership was closer I would consider switching. Mazda backs the dealership over customers, apparently.