Byebye P5

J

JoshP5

Hold the butter
:
AccordSportMT
I bought my P5 10.5 years ago with 52k on the odo. Now it's got 135k and over my ownership, it *never* broke down on me. Started right up every time I turned the key, and got me to my destination every time.

At 100k I replaced the timing belt and water pump, full expecting it to take me another 100k. But recently I took it into the mechanic to find out what was knocking in my front suspension and he advised me to not drive the car anymore as the passenger side frame rail was completely corroded where it attaches to the rear subframe. It's a shame, the motor still runs like a peach.

Now I've got to figure out with which high hoodline, thick roof pillar car to replace it. Modern cars look s*** compared to '90s and '00s cars.

Thanks Mazda for producing an outstanding product. No thanks Maryland for oversalting winter roads and killing my fine P5.
 
Major bummer. Sounds like you would've kept driving the P5 for many years to come. The dying breed mantra continues.

I recently have also considered parting ways my P5 to get into something newer (Mazda3). But not because the P5 is faltering, it's been a GA and FL car all 13 years so no rust fortunately. My wife can't drive a MT and recently there have been a couple instances where that has caused some inconvenience, so we're considering a newer AT car.
 
So sad to hear! She def had a lot of life left at that mileage point. Rust is the devil!

I just traded mine in after 10+ years of ownership too. Only time she left me stranded was in CT but not her fault. I pushed the original timing belt to 176K miles before it broke. She had just over 195K Saturday morning as I handed over the keys.

Any plans to part her out to raise some money for the new ride? What are your candidates for a reppacement?


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Me too?

JoshP5 said:
I bought my P5 10.5 years ago with 52k on the odo. Now it's got 135k and over my ownership, it *never* broke down on me. Started right up every time I turned the key, and got me to my destination every time.

At 100k I replaced the timing belt and water pump, full expecting it to take me another 100k. But recently I took it into the mechanic to find out what was knocking in my front suspension and he advised me to not drive the car anymore as the passenger side frame rail was completely corroded where it attaches to the rear subframe. It's a shame, the motor still runs like a peach.

Now I've got to figure out with which high hoodline, thick roof pillar car to replace it. Modern cars look s*** compared to '90s and '00s cars.

Thanks Mazda for producing an outstanding product. No thanks Maryland for oversalting winter roads and killing my fine P5.
Click to expand...

I might want a picture of that frame rail. I'm thinking I may have the identical issue - same side - also on a good running P5. I've seen it and had dismissed it, but never got in there and probed it to see how crumbly it all is getting.
 
Last edited:
Hank3 said:
My wife can't drive a MT and recently there have been a couple instances where that has caused some inconvenience, so we're considering a newer AT car.
Click to expand...
My wife the same. I'll do anything for her but I draw the line at my transmission. It was in our wedding vows. (bs)

CTt3P5 said:
So sad to hear! She def had a lot of life left at that mileage point. Rust is the devil!

I just traded mine in after 10+ years of ownership too. Only time she left me stranded was in CT but not her fault. I pushed the original timing belt to 176K miles before it broke. She had just over 195K Saturday morning as I handed over the keys.

Any plans to part her out to raise some money for the new ride? What are your candidates for a reppacement?


Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Were you still running the Miata rims on yours? That was a sweet setup. You got a lot more out of your P5 than I. My plan is to trade in at a dealership--I'll be happy if I can get $1500. Replacement candidates include Mazda6 Touring and a lightly used *gasp* Accord Sport. I've also got a crazy plan to get a low-mileage 2008 Mazda3 for sale in socal...got a buddy willing to check it out for me. It's a long shot though.

RABID_MP5 said:
I might want a picture of that frame rail. I'm thinking I may have the identical issue - same side - also on a good running P5. I've seen it and had dismissed it, but never got in there and probed it to see how crumbly it all is getting.
Click to expand...
I don't have a pic but if you have the same issue I do, you'll hear/feel something wrong. My car started making funny noises during parking lot maneuvers and a few months later started to subtly dive toward the apex of hurried corners. Honestly I'm a little nervous to drive it to the dealership to trade it in.
 
I might have to sell mine IF my fiance wants to move to new york, so I'll sell it before but we'll see..
I'm not all in for the idea because I dont want to sell my car (I love her waaaaaay too much) but I'd rather see her go to good hands than rust.
 
find a p5 with a bad or blown motor and swap your goods over! i agree, most new cars look like @$$
 
JoshP5 said:
Were you still running the Miata rims on yours? That was a sweet setup. You got a lot more out of your P5 than I. My plan is to trade in at a dealership--I'll be happy if I can get $1500. Replacement candidates include Mazda6 Touring and a lightly used *gasp* Accord Sport. I've also got a crazy plan to get a low-mileage 2008 Mazda3 for sale in socal...got a buddy willing to check it out for me. It's a long shot though.
Click to expand...

Yes I was still running those in the summer and they are still in my shed. Back in November I paid just over $500 to have BF Goodrich g-force comp 2 a/s installed. The dealer would have given me $800 for the car with these tire/wheels mounted. Instead I got $700 with the 14" steel wheels and nearly worn Nokian tires. :) The bonus is that the combo will fit my NC so my plan is to use them for the winter. If the weather gets too bad I'll drive the 3 with a dedicated set of winter tires. :)

An Accord?! j/k They are nice and you gotta do what is right for you. The 6's are nice though. That 3 may be a long shot but you just never know so it can't hurt to look into it. Wish you luck with whatever route you take.
 
Thanks bud! Wow they only offered $800--I need to prepare myself to get less than expected. Congrats on the CX-5 btw, my wife has been rolling a 2013 GT and loves it.
 
I would contact a fab shop or a 4x4 shop on getting it fixed. They have a bunch of experience modifying and strengthening frames. Would probably be a quick job for them. Would most likely be cheaper than the tax you would pay on a new vehicle..
 
I have some thru rust in that exact same area. Was thinking of welding a brace on it. Probably won't last long enough to worry about it though.


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Same here. I bought my P5 brand new in 2003 and it's been a great car. Fairly easy to work on myself, very few stupid problems, lots of support on this forum, it works great for my outdoor lifestyle hauling bikes and sea kayaks on the roof. The road noise can be annoying on long trips but otherwise it's fun to drive. The rear fenders and frame rail near the rear subframe/rear suspension mounting points are dust. It's been pretty bad for a couple of years but I haven't gotten rid of it because I don't really like a lot of the new cars. I can't get a new WRX hatch anymore and the GTI is too unreliable. I would probably enjoy Focus RS but the purchase price and repair bills are beyond my budget. I was under the car last month and I decided that I've been pressing my luck for too long. A structural failure while driving or getting rear ended and having the @$$ end of the car snap off and punch into the cabin would kinda suck. I bought a new Mazda 3i GT hatchback yesterday but I'm not even excited about it. It felt pretty bland during the test drive and I couldn't feel the Zoom Zoom that the reviews keep talking about. I pick it up tomorrow so hopefully I learn to love it.
 
mtnbiker26 said:
Same here. I bought my P5 brand new in 2003 and it's been a great car. Fairly easy to work on myself, very few stupid problems, lots of support on this forum, it works great for my outdoor lifestyle hauling bikes and sea kayaks on the roof. The road noise can be annoying on long trips but otherwise it's fun to drive. The rear fenders and frame rail near the rear subframe/rear suspension mounting points are dust. It's been pretty bad for a couple of years but I haven't gotten rid of it because I don't really like a lot of the new cars. I can't get a new WRX hatch anymore and the GTI is too unreliable. I would probably enjoy Focus RS but the purchase price and repair bills are beyond my budget. I was under the car last month and I decided that I've been pressing my luck for too long. A structural failure while driving or getting rear ended and having the @$$ end of the car snap off and punch into the cabin would kinda suck. I bought a new Mazda 3i GT hatchback yesterday but I'm not even excited about it. It felt pretty bland during the test drive and I couldn't feel the Zoom Zoom that the reviews keep talking about. I pick it up tomorrow so hopefully I learn to love it.
Click to expand...

2 months later. mazda3 for sale. new p5 purchased. lol jk. maybe you just need some suspension work to make it more exciting
 
Yep, I drove the 3 too. The problem with that line is you can only get the big engine with the higher trim package. The silly retractable heads up display and all the other bells and whistles don't contribute to the zoom-zoom ethos. And the performance isn't all that exciting imo. No question the build quality and interior materials are superior, but it seems like Mazda has lost their way a little. I want a decent family hauler with good performance without all the extra crap.

I couldn't get a decent price on a trade-in, so I sold the P5 to a fully informed private party. It'll be a great project for the buyer.

And sadly, after being a Mazda owner for 16 years, I've switched over to big H. In the end, had Mazda made the 6 as fast as it looks, they would have earned my money and continued loyalty. The Accord Sport is simply a better performer.
 
Yeah, I wish the S had sport suspension and 200HP instead of all the electronic stuff. I bought the 3i GT because the S wasn't worth the extra $2500 for toys. Sadly, it's just the direction that cars are headed in now. I need a low-roof hatchback to haul my outdoor gear, and I wanted sporty handling and manual shift. The 3 looks good, is a good value, gets good mileage and should be reliable. I researched the Focus ST, Fit, GTI and Impreza hatch but the 3 was the best compromise for me.
 
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