Mazda2 Thread

ptmeyer84 wrote: Anybody else notice their 2's windshield loves to attract rocks? I have fixed 3 rock chips since I have owned mine. Just in case anyone cares... My 2 is sitting at 4900 miles and getting 39 mpg average on my commute. Definitely better than my 91 Volvo 740 which was averaging 20. The difference between what I was paying for gas with the 740 vs what I am paying now is enough to cover the 2's payments!

Mine is only claiming 30, but my commute sucks, it's all surface streets where the lights are badly timed, so it's 0-45-0 every 1/2mi.

I haven't had any windshield chips yet (knocking on wood) but I've gotten tons around the grille and hood opening for whatever reason. The one I'm really scared of is a broken fog light, I had one on my Si and they cost a ton to replace.

Max_Archer wrote:

ptmeyer84 wrote: Anybody else notice their 2's windshield loves to attract rocks? I have fixed 3 rock chips since I have owned mine. Just in case anyone cares... My 2 is sitting at 4900 miles and getting 39 mpg average on my commute. Definitely better than my 91 Volvo 740 which was averaging 20. The difference between what I was paying for gas with the 740 vs what I am paying now is enough to cover the 2's payments!

Mine is only claiming 30, but my commute sucks, it's all surface streets where the lights are badly timed, so it's 0-45-0 every 1/2mi. I haven't had any windshield chips yet (knocking on wood) but I've gotten tons around the grille and hood opening for whatever reason. The one I'm really scared of is a broken fog light, I had one on my Si and they cost a ton to replace.

My commute is 70 miles round trip through rolling cornfields. I have a total of 4 90 degree turns. I have done commute similar to yours but through Omaha and I am not sure which is worse. I hated the stop and go but I am not a fan of fighting to stay awake for 30 minutes twice a day.
Also, I am wishing I would have splurged for cruise control.

ptmeyer84 wrote:

Max_Archer wrote:

ptmeyer84 wrote: Anybody else notice their 2's windshield loves to attract rocks? I have fixed 3 rock chips since I have owned mine. Just in case anyone cares... My 2 is sitting at 4900 miles and getting 39 mpg average on my commute. Definitely better than my 91 Volvo 740 which was averaging 20. The difference between what I was paying for gas with the 740 vs what I am paying now is enough to cover the 2's payments!

Mine is only claiming 30, but my commute sucks, it's all surface streets where the lights are badly timed, so it's 0-45-0 every 1/2mi. I haven't had any windshield chips yet (knocking on wood) but I've gotten tons around the grille and hood opening for whatever reason. The one I'm really scared of is a broken fog light, I had one on my Si and they cost a ton to replace.

My commute is 70 miles round trip through rolling cornfields. I have a total of 4 90 degree turns. I have done commute similar to yours but through Omaha and I am not sure which is worse. I hated the stop and go but I am not a fan of fighting to stay awake for 30 minutes twice a day. Also, I am wishing I would have splurged for cruise control.

You could always put an aftermarket cruise control setup in. I think a few people have done it, and it's not supposed to be all that hard.

Max_Archer wrote: Speaking of headunits. I'm not sure if yours is a sport or a Touring, but there's finally a wheel adapter out that lets you install a headunit without "breaking" the touring's trip computer. They were talking about it on Mazdas24/7, I'll see if I can dig the info up if you're interested.

It's a Touring model & the trip computer is in the instrument cluster not part of the stereo display like the 3's were. I don't see how replacing the HU would affect the trip computer if it's in the cluster?

In reply to MA$$hole:

I'm not sure exactly why, but I think it has to do with the way the wiring harness is routed. Removing the stock HU for whatever reason stops the steering wheel's INFO button from working, so your trip computer is stuck displaying whatever it was set to when you removed the HU. This new setup (I think it's from "axess" or "axxess" or some other misspelling of access) somehow fixes that.

No pics yet but the new HU is in. No issues with the trip computer either.

MA$$hole wrote: No pics yet but the new HU is in. No issues with the trip computer either.

Hmm. Maybe it's not the HU itself, and those harnesses that let you use your stock steering wheel audio controls that breaks the trip computer. That would actually make a lot more sense, wouldn't it?

Does the clutch drive anyone else nuts on the 2? Mine seems to engage a bit rough on the first few gears. I know how to drive stick and never had this problem on any of the twenty or so other manual cars I've owned. I noticed my mother's 2004 TSX is similar-ish.

Yeah, I rarely get smooth shifts in mine. It's probably because everything is electronic and the clutch engagement is stupid tall.

Max_Archer wrote: Anybody up to anything interesting in the Mazda2 world lately? ... Andy will probably have some updates on this eventually, but I saw him mention on 24/7 that he'd raised his redline to 7200. A bump in redline has been one of the things I really have been feeling like the car needs, and I'll be really interested in seeing how it holds up over time, because I'd love to tune my car the same way. I'll also be interested to see how the car does on the dyno with the new tune.

Been running national events out west. Three more wins, including a tough one in the Bump class at the Packwood Pro. Had to dig deep for that.

Got a preliminary tune from Dynotronics/DPtune just before heading out, but no time for dyno before/after. The raised limiter was a huge help, though. The 1-2 shift feels a lot less like a grocery getter as it drops from 7000->4000 rpm, instead of 6300->3300. Mid-range definitely improved.

Car was on the rollers today to get a baseline "before" pass for the next step: custom long-tube header...design and materials by Burns Stainless, fabbed by Laivins Race Cars (see CJ Wilson Racing). Exit will be through a Magnaflow spun-cat hi-flow. We'll be writing that up for the magazine. Burns' X-Design parametric exhaust modeling software specs out your header for you, and the service is free when you buy your parts from them. Their merge collectors are the finest made.

After that, we'll get a better tune and head to Toledo for the Pro.

In reply to Andy Hollis:

Where is Burns located?

According to the web site, they're in Costa Mesa, CA. Looking at it from waaaay over here, that would just a ways down the road from you....

I drove one today....was pretty surprised. I hadn't really seen this thread, and I guess I was expecting something terrible.

I nearly caved in and bought it....thought I'd look at some used FITs as well before I buy a new car.

Anyone had a fit and gone to this? Or have both ? We already have a (gasp) odyssey touring in the driveway....would be kinda a sick joke to have a mini-me sitting next to the "dream-crusher" (as my wife calls it).

The thing I like about the fit is you can get one a couple years old now and they also have a B-spec package available

skullsroad wrote: Yeah, I rarely get smooth shifts in mine. It's probably because everything is electronic and the clutch engagement is stupid tall.

My MZ5 is the same way, I feel like I have to relearn it everytime I drive it.

I drove the fit today...it was terrible in comparison.

If I'm going to buy an "appliance" car, the 2 will be it. I'm just having a hard time choking down 15K for something I'm not really excited about. Used 330 and M3 keep coming up in my mind, but broken down in garage seem to appear slightly after that.

chandlerGTi wrote:

skullsroad wrote: Yeah, I rarely get smooth shifts in mine. It's probably because everything is electronic and the clutch engagement is stupid tall.

My MZ5 is the same way, I feel like I have to relearn it everytime I drive it.

My 2011 Honda Accord 5- speed is the same way. Rev hang is common with these cars. I feel like I don't know how to shift after 35 years of manual transmissions.

Made a deal on a 2 today. Let me know what you think....14285 OTD puts the price of the car right around 13,300. Picking it up on Monday. Now off to read about what suspension to order!

I would love to know how to raise the rpm limiter. I checked the dp website and they dont have anything for the 2. Look forward to that!

Andy Hollis wrote:

Max_Archer wrote: Anybody up to anything interesting in the Mazda2 world lately? ... Andy will probably have some updates on this eventually, but I saw him mention on 24/7 that he'd raised his redline to 7200. A bump in redline has been one of the things I really have been feeling like the car needs, and I'll be really interested in seeing how it holds up over time, because I'd love to tune my car the same way. I'll also be interested to see how the car does on the dyno with the new tune.

Been running national events out west. Three more wins, including a tough one in the Bump class at the Packwood Pro. Had to dig deep for that. Got a preliminary tune from Dynotronics/DPtune just before heading out, but no time for dyno before/after. The raised limiter was a huge help, though. The 1-2 shift feels a lot less like a grocery getter as it drops from 7000->4000 rpm, instead of 6300->3300. Mid-range definitely improved. Car was on the rollers today to get a baseline "before" pass for the next step: custom long-tube header...design and materials by Burns Stainless, fabbed by Laivins Race Cars (see CJ Wilson Racing). Exit will be through a Magnaflow spun-cat hi-flow. We'll be writing that up for the magazine. Burns' X-Design parametric exhaust modeling software specs out your header for you, and the service is free when you buy your parts from them. Their merge collectors are the finest made. After that, we'll get a better tune and head to Toledo for the Pro.

The 2 has some kind of thing that's supposed to make it easier for new drivers to not look like idiots when driving stick. Somehow it smoothes out the clutch engagement when you get off the clutch quickly. It's not like the BMW ones where it's an actual regulator valve thingy in the clutch line that you can take out, either. Nobody's quite sure how it works, but one guy put an ACT clutch in his car and said that it totally transforms the car.

singleslammer wrote: I would love to know how to raise the rpm limiter. I checked the dp website and they dont have anything for the 2. Look forward to that!

Web site is not current. Mazda 2 tunes are available from DPTune/Dynotronics. Call Joe and he can hook you up. Don't send email...call him if you want it.

If you want to know the full range of what they have, and some power increase expectations, check out the Pisani web site. That's his partner in Italy.

TAftonomos wrote: Made a deal on a 2 today. Let me know what you think....14285 OTD puts the price of the car right around 13,300. Picking it up on Monday. Now off to read about what suspension to order!

Excellent! At that price, I'm guessing it's a Sport, right? I went to a local Mazda stealership last night to check out their inventory. Unfortunately, the green manual 2 I wanted to see had been sold, but I was able to poke around some of the others they had on the lot. There are quite a few listed within 250 miles of here with a stick in the color I want. Aside from that, other options aren't too important right now.

Yes on the sport. I figure I can add cruise for a few hundred bucks. Since I'll be ordering some wheels for it anyway I might as well save the 1500$ or so for upgrades.

I read somewhere that installing the steering wheel from the touring model along with flashing the ecu will enable all of the touring models electronics like cruise, tulip computer, etc...

Datsun310Guy wrote:

chandlerGTi wrote:

skullsroad wrote: Yeah, I rarely get smooth shifts in mine. It's probably because everything is electronic and the clutch engagement is stupid tall.

My MZ5 is the same way, I feel like I have to relearn it everytime I drive it.

My 2011 Honda Accord 5- speed is the same way. Rev hang is common with these cars. I feel like I don't know how to shift after 35 years of manual transmissions.

Good to know I am not the only one that feels that way. For me, I think it is the combination of some kind of shift lag and the lack of any low end torque.