bluesideup wrote: It is the Autobarn Mazda Speed 5 project. I like this pic with the four helmeted people in it.The entire build is on Facebook under the name Speed 5 Project. There's some pretty detailed documentation. Pic isn't working, my webfu isn't strong enough
This may help your Fu...
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/facebook-hotlinking/34793/page1/
That autobarn speed 5 project looks great.
IIRC there was also a turbo, manual trans 3.5L Honda Odyssey that competed in One Lap a year or two ago. Considering the 3.5 starts close to MS3 hp, i think the turbo one probably made 400-500hp.
As far as shocks on the 3, i keep hearing about this but didnt have any issues on the one i had. My fiancee owned an 04 from new and when we sold it at 130k all the shocks were original and not wasted. You could tell they were not performing perfectly, but they performed better than brand new parts-store struts ive used.... 
I wonder if Mazda cheaped out on the shocks after that first year?
Sorry to resurect this old thread, but how do you like the shifting feel of the Mazda 5? I hate shifting the gears on my Protege5 (clunky) and if it's anything like that, I'll just get an auto. I'm looking for an 06-08.
In reply to mw:
You want a 08 or newer.
5 speed auto a few more armrests in key places rear vents.
mw wrote: Sorry to resurect this old thread, but how do you like the shifting feel of the Mazda 5? I hate shifting the gears on my Protege5 (clunky) and if it's anything like that, I'll just get an auto. I'm looking for an 06-08.
No problem on the resurrection, I'll be updating it from time to time as I do things to the Falcon anyways. We're preparing for a road trip to the coast for a 3-day camping trip over Memorial weekend now.
Anyways, to answer the question, the shifting is not bad for a FWD. It sucks compared to a Miata or FB RX-7, but the throws are shorter than my 944 for example. Better shifting than my SHO, EXP, and 1G Protege all were. Could be my rosy memory, but I think the Talons and Integra shifted better.
I've never driven a Mazda3 though, so I don't know how it compares. The 6-speed MS3 certainly shifted nicely. BTW, the 11 Mazda5's are 6-speeds now.
A little update. We took the Falcon to the coast (Cape Disappointment) for camping over Memorial Day. Just filled it up and got my best tank so far, 27.5 MPG! That was fully laden with stuff (2 bikes, tent, steel awning, grill, enough food to feed a family of grizzlies, clothes, tarps, etc, etc) and dropping the hammer every time we had to pass a log truck on the twisty 2-lanes there and back. Got over 300 miles on the tank as well (I fill up at 1/4 tank unless road-tripping).
No Eco driving, no aero mods. Stock Mazda5 on Toyo Proxes T1R's with a freaking roof rack! Not bad!
Have you adjusted the crank angle sensor to advance the timing at all? I did it on our last oil change and it seems to have picked up an additional 2mpg average and a few more horses even using 87 octane.
No long road trips with it yet but I was able to get 30mpg highway at 70mph. mixed driving is 25-27mpg since doing the mod.
Slight thread jack since I love my Mazda5 but don't feel that it deserves its own thread.
My take is that given the options for 6 seaters, or even roomy 5-seat wagons, it's the best vehicle in the US market, bar none. In Europe, where 5 speed people carriers are a dime a dozen, it wouldn't stand out. The foot well is cramped, the clutch travel is oddly curved, the brakes are grabby, and the left-right movement on the shifter is huuuge. Shifting to 5th feels like you're reaching for the glove box. It's not a sports car by any means.
That said, it's still awesome. I can transport a whole family of 5 + our stuff and row my own gears while I'm doing it, and it didn't cost much at all. There's not a lot of cars out there you can say that about. I've tossed the keys to a bunch of people, and everyone hands them back with a smile on their face and a nice comment about how it drives.
Also, TL Type-S wheels fit great once you ream out the center bores. This is on H&R springs with ebay rear camber arms:
Wow I really like that look! Love the color and the wheels. How wide are the tires and what struts are you running?
And did you just have a machine shop increase the center bore?
The tires are stock for a TL - 235/45R17. It's a tight fit, but I was able to fine-tune the clearance on the rear with the camber arms. Stock struts until they blow, which I'm expecting any day now.
I took the wheels to a wheel shop for the center bores. I think the guy just threw them on a lathe and eyeballed it, but they're all pretty close to spot on (67.1mm, iirc). The only other thing to be mindful of us that Honda uses a spherical lug seat, so I got black S2000 CR lug nuts with matching wheel looks.
Javelin wrote:Twin_Cam wrote: Ok, I'll say it: MS6 drivetrain swap. Now. Do it.Probably can't. Flat floorpan negates driveshaft. I'll look into it when that time comes though!
Rope Drive!
In reply to steronz:
What were the brand name of your rear camber arms?
In reply to FlightService:
The cheapest ones on eBay. I think all adjustable Mazda3/Focus/V40/C30/whatever camber arms are cranked out by the same factory. Mine had some kind of a brand name (poorly) ground off.
Rope Drive!
For some reason that term reminds me of driving an air cooled vw bus.
In reply to steronz:
thanks
In reply to steronz:
Looks nice!
bluesideup wrote: Have you adjusted the crank angle sensor to advance the timing at all? I did it on our last oil change and it seems to have picked up an additional 2mpg average and a few more horses even using 87 octane. No long road trips with it yet but I was able to get 30mpg highway at 70mph. mixed driving is 25-27mpg since doing the mod.
Is there a writeup on this somewhere? I have a Mazda3 and and I'm guessing the same procedure would apply.
Here's a youtube video showing how to get it done. You don't have to jack it up at all.
In reply to FlightService:
If anyone needs some Mazda5/Focus/3 camber arms, I have a pair of SPC/Eibach ones taking up space in the garage that I'd sell for the price of the Ebay junk.
The name buzzed off the ebay ones is probably SPC, and they probably buzzed it off the pair of real ones that they used to create the molds for the knockoffs in some chinese sweatshop.
bluesideup wrote: Here's a youtube video showing how to get it done. You don't have to jack it up at all. Mazda3 Timing Mod
Excellent! This will be done at the next service! (Which is like next week)
I'm curious as to how the 5 compares with the Forester. The Forester is about the same price, can be had with 5 speed, standard awd, 21/27 vs 21/28 gas mileage, and has 170hp vs the 5's157. The only down I see is that it can't seat six. The Forester is also rated to tow (2400lbs)- I couldn't find reference to the 5's capacity.
I did really like the 5 when I checked it out at the auto show, and that 6th seat is a pretty big deal.
My MIL has a last-gen Forrester (09?) and I've driven it many times. The fuel economy figures are distant goals, in the real-world it gets closer to 18MPG (with a roof rack). The standard non-turbo engine is anemic as well. The big difference though, is that it is significantly smaller on the inside, in all areas. The front row is more cramped, the second row is WAY more cramped, and it doesn't have a 3rd row. It also hauls way less stuff.
That said, I have never driven the new-gen ones, and I really like the 2.5XT (WRX drivetrain) Forrester's that I did test drive.
5 v forester is an interesting comparison id never thought of before.
I can only echo Javelin and say that the forester wont come close to its mpg rating, while the mazda will blow past its own.
The subaru 2.5 na is a great motor but not for a car that heavy/lossy. I havent driven a 2.3/5spd 5, but ive raced against a lightly modded 2.3/5spd 3 and beat that with a sohc neon. So.. i cant imagine the 5 is much faster than a forester but i think it would feel better.
The best part about the 5 isn't the extra person that you can haul, it's how much more versatile it is when hauling combinations of people and stuff. You can fit a LOT of stuff in there along with 4 comfortable adults. Or you can fold all the seats flat and sleep in there if you want.
I'm seeing a 5 in my not-so-distant future. Digging the updates.
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