Recent content by ljstevens

It sucks not having many choices for diesel cars in the US... especially when you have grown up in the UK, and know what engine options the same cars get throughout Europe. I really want a CX-5, but will currently only get one if a diesel comes to the US. The gas/petrol engine is a little weak...

A friend of mine has suggested it could be the actual sway bar bushings that are worn. I am willing to get some new bushings to try (only $20 or so). Any suggestions on the correct size? I see 1" and also 26mm... or are all sway bars a standard thickness?

I am 99.9% sure. When I roll out of my garage I go over a raised lip on the sidewalk ramp. If I drive slowly, the front wheels roll over and there is no clunking. As the rear wheels roll over and the suspension moves around in the rear, that is when I hear noises. It sounds like something is...

OK, time for an update - although it is a frustrated one! My sway bar end links finally arrived yesterday. I installed them last night, crossed my fingers, went for a quick test drive and... no improvement to the knocking :(. I now have new struts and new sway bar end links. Does anyone have any...

Hi Sorry for the late reply. I have been on vacation for a couple of weeks, and have just got back. Regarding the sway bar links, does this look like the item that I should order (I hope it is OK to post a reference link)? http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1402457 Thanks

Thanks for the reply and suggestions. Do you have any recommended places to get the wheel bearings and the swaybar endlinks? - even if it is a part number, I can use my personal assistant - Google (!) to help source them!

Hi All I have an interesting situation with my rear axle/suspension. It started with some whirring at the wheels. I immediately thought this to be the rear wheel bearings. I have about 75K on the car, and I am sure they have not been changed by the previous owner. We jacked up the car, took off...

Sorry for the delay in replying. Thanks for all the comments. To try and answer the points. I only use 93 gas from Shell or ConocoPhillips. I very rarely bury my foot for WOT, especially if the car is not up to temperature. This honestly happens even when I only tip the throttle in the rev range...

Hi Chimmike. Ha! I was trying to do it backwards in order to try and get an objective response as possible. I have been trying to isolate the cause of an issue with my car. I have tried changing spark plugs, mass airflow sensor and cleaning the CAI. It is hard to explain, but in summary my car...

Hi All. Does anyone know what the symptoms (driveability etc) would be in my MS3 if the stock BPV (I hope I am referring to this correctly) was either faulty or the seal around it was leaking or not keeping pressure? I hope some people will be able to provide some insight. I look forward to...

Fantastic news!

Great thanks for the info!

Wow, really sorry to hear this... horrible situation. My thoughts are that if you bought it from that dealership, aren't they liable to disclose or remove any of the non-standard parts before they sell it to you?

Hi All I posted a while back that I was have some stuttering/hesitation at lower revs when accelerating. I received some great advice - that the culprit was likely the Mass Air Flow senor. Using a MAF cleaner made a huge difference. However it seems my sensor is on the way out as after cleaning...

Great thanks. The bumper cover I am looking at is used, so has a few scratches on. Anyone have a good idea of an estimated price for sanding and painting the bumper cover. Should I go to Mazda to ensure 100% paint match? My car is the 2008 crystal white pearl mica. I am trying to gauge if I...