Behold! The Millenium Falcon! (Mazda5 content)

Oh, and yes, I know for a fact these are the first. I've been a long time PowerStop customer and have been watching their site ever since hearing they were working on these. When the part # finally hit I called everybody on the planet who carried PowerStop, and nobody could order it. It turned out that they hadn't updated their actual ordering software. The very nice people at PowerStop had me on the phone when they turned it "on" and I had Rob order it 30 seconds later, which he had drop shipped to me direct. They just came in last week.

Call Rob at Rob's Rod Shop (as seen in your latest GRM!) and order Part # K4494 which is the "1-click brake kit" and includes front and rear rotors and front and rear Z16 ceramic pads. The rear rotors only are part # JBR1356XPR.

I have done the proper initial break-in last night. They work great so far, I'll update later after some miles have gone by.

chandlerGTi wrote: So what's the $ for it.

List price is $328.99 & drop ship is usually $9.95, but make sure to ask for the GRM discount. Support your local GRM advertisers!

That's really not a bad price. Usually slotted rotors don't seem worth the extra cost to me. What are the pads like?

Cool! I did the Powerstop slotted/drilled rotors and matching pads on our '09 M5 in April (fronts only, rears were still fine at 95,000 kms). Front OEM rotors warped quickly and got noisy. So far the Powerstops are great. Great initial bite and no sign of warpage yet. Better pedal feel than the OEM stuff too.

In reply to Matt B:

Very good! They are much better than the factory pads for stopping distance, fade, and feel. They are slightly noisier. Don't know about the dust on the 5's application yet, but the same pads dust less on SWMBO's Grand Prix.

What type of manual transmission oil are you guys using? My '05 Mazda6 only likes the Expensive $20+/qt synthetic Ford fluid that came in the later CSVT's (MTX-75). Part number is #XT-M5-QS I think.

They used BC 80/90 in mine; I'm going to switch to synthetic in 35000 or so. I am thinking redline or motorcraft since they are both highly recommended by others who use them.

I used redline mt90. I even torqued the fill and drain plugs properly.

In reply to Javelin:

Not really related, but did you spring for the street warrior kit for the Vic or just the regular Powerstop kit?

Moar aggressive brakes for a few dollars more sounds great!

Since you guys have been talking these things up so much I didn't want to be let out of all the fun! Just brought home a 2013 Sport Manual and tucked it into the garage for the night. Basically zero options, but it has a third pedal, will seat the whole family, has a third pedal, was at a great price for a new car with 60k of powertrain warranty, has a third pedal, gets decent gas mileage, and is a freaking minivan with a third pedal! I'm pretty psyched about the whole six speed, if you can't tell.

After putting about 40 miles on it since we left the dealership, I actually am having serious thoughts about selling the conversion van and getting another one of these...

Weekend Update:

95K+ miles now. Oil and filter change in 14 minutes, including jacking/jackstands.

New A/C belt installed. Unpossible to do without removing compressor, I don't care what tool you have.

Timing mod done. noticeably more pep. Highly recommended!

Bled new brakes again, working so nice! Found a broken caliper retainer spring up front, bought new ones and installed. Probably shouldn't re-use those.

Cool. Let us know how the timing mod works for your mpg as well. Are you now using higher octane fuel?

In reply to bastomatic:

Not yet. I also haven't felt it pull timing yet, either. I have a scan tool I can plug in to monitor it. I'll get to that soon.

the local mazda dealer had these laying around at the SCCA solo nationals last week. Saw one with an msrp of under $22k. Don't know what they actually sell for, but that seems like a hell of a lot of vehicle.

Javelin wrote: New A/C belt installed. Unpossible to do without removing compressor, I don't care what tool you have.

Is that a stretch belt with no tensioner? If so there really IS a right tool for the job. Its cheap too.

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

Javelin wrote: New A/C belt installed. Unpossible to do without removing compressor, I don't care what tool you have.

Is that a stretch belt with no tensioner? If so there really IS a right tool for the job. Its cheap too.

Correct, stretch belt with no tensioner, and INCORRECT, no such tool for the job.

Tool 1 Tool 2 Tool 1 is vastly superior IMHO. Also the one used at the Mazda shop.

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:

Tool 2 is exactly what I was using, and no, it doesn't work. I highly doubt tool 1 would, either. The pulley on the A/C compressor freewheels, so the belt just spins and never goes on. I fought that thing for 20 minutes and it took less than 5 to just drop the compressor. That little magnet isn't going to do a thing to stop the freewheeling A/C pulley.

Don't see how that would matter as you're spinning all the pulleys the belt touches as you turn the engine over by hand.

Watch the video.

Watch the video for your tool.

The magnets on the other one let you start it one handed in more circumstances. Also note the freewheeling A/C pulley.

For everyone else playing along at home, most new cars will have this belt set-up within the next few years.

wae wrote: Since you guys have been talking these things up so much I didn't want to be let out of all the fun! Just brought home a 2013 Sport Manual and tucked it into the garage for the night. Basically zero options, but it has a third pedal, will seat the whole family, has a third pedal, was at a great price for a new car with 60k of powertrain warranty, has a third pedal, gets decent gas mileage, and is a freaking minivan with a third pedal! I'm pretty psyched about the whole six speed, if you can't tell. After putting about 40 miles on it since we left the dealership, I actually am having serious thoughts about selling the conversion van and getting another one of these...

I know I'm replying to an old post, but CONGRATS!!!

I miss the third pedal...a lot. I rarely get to drive the thing, so it berkeleys with me occasionally...like today...leaving the doctor's office, where we found out that trading in the Fit for the Five was DEFINITELY a good idea, as there's another little peanut on the way! ;)

Small peanuts in the Poop!!!

In the Mrs Poop at least. Well done.

Slipped one past the goalie or was the goalie pulled for the power play?

poopshovel wrote: I miss the third pedal...a lot. I rarely get to drive the thing, so it berkeleys with me occasionally...like today...leaving the doctor's office, where we found out that trading in the Fit for the Five was DEFINITELY a good idea, as there's another little peanut on the way! ;)

Congratulations!

poopshovel wrote: I know I'm replying to an old post, but CONGRATS!!! I miss the third pedal...a lot. I rarely get to drive the thing, so it berkeleys with me occasionally...like today...leaving the doctor's office, where we found out that trading in the Fit for the Five was DEFINITELY a good idea, as there's another little peanut on the way! ;)

Wow, congrats right back at you! Definitely going to need the extra space now!

Awesome Poopie - major congrats on the news!

Strangely enough, we are considering downsizing from the Mazda5 to a Leaf, at the same time as we are considering adding a second child. Are we nuts?