How come they "Ford/Mazda" decided not to make any trucks with the new 2.3 engine AND extended cab? I have a 98 b2500 and someday I would like to get a newer truck, but I just am not interested in the 6cyl, but I MUST have an extended cab. Any ideas if this is going to be offered?

Now isn't that just gay.

Manifest, according to the 2001 brochure that I have they do offer it. It shows the 2.3 being available in the SE 4x2 Cab Plus, but not in the 4x4. Did you try going to their web site and see if it shows up? I just picked this brochure up in January when I got my B4000.

The website will not allow the selection of the 2.3 with the extended cab; nor does the book that I have. I have also talked with my local dealers and they are unable to order me one. ;(

On top of this; I would like it to be a sport... but hey, can't get too picky right?

Well I don't know which is wrong, but the website at mazdausa.com wouldn't let me pick the 2.3 in anything other than the standard cab either. The brochure shows it being in either the Cab Plus or Cab Plus 4. Something else that's odd, their website lists the engine as having 135 hp and the brochure says 140 hp. I guess the dealer is right. That sucks. :( Did you try another dealer? There's a couple combos of the SOHC engine in the Ranger that some dealers swear aren't available, but people get them anyway.

I even went to ford to see if they are making the ext-cab rangers with the 2.3, I have yet to see one but I have not been there in a few months. I hope that for the 2002 year they decide to put them back in. Think of it, match that new 135-140hp 4cyl with a stick and you have yourself a peppy engine with good gas mileage. Why else not to by it... well unless I get extended cab these days there is just no way I am interested - not going back to putting grocery bags all over the passengers lap. :)

Don't blame you there man. The last two Rangers I had were extended cabs, as well as the Mazda. Funny thing was I got them for a completely different reason. I used to really get involved in huge stereo systems, so I bought a 90 Ranger extended cab just to install a monster system in. Have yet to get around to it 3 extended cabs later. Use it more for hauling groceries and laptops around in now. :)

With the ARE lid in back I have a huge trunk, but still need the space of the extended cab for passengers (son) and such.

Originally posted by Manifest
With the ARE lid in back I have a huge trunk, but still need the space of the extended cab for passengers (son) and such.

Do you have any pics of the lid? I really want to put one on mine. The only problem with it is it came with the factory adjutable tie downs on top of the bed rails, and they are screwed on. I need something that would sit over and outside these so I don't have 5 holes on each side of my bed. I think your 98 has the same bed on it as my 01 does. I'll get a picture of mine tomorrow so you can see what I'm talking about. They only stick up about 1/2" without the tie down loops on it, and there's maybe 1/2" of flat surface left outside of them before the bed rolls downward.

Check http://manifest.nopoc.com/mazda_b2500.htm for my pics.

still need the space of the extended cab for passengers (son) and such.

I hate to throw in my 0.02 worth - but that's no place to put a people, expecially a little people. Those jump seats are just teasers. If you are going to be putting someone back there on a regular basis or for an extended period of time, it's not safe and it's definately not comfortable. I'd hate to tell you to leave our little group here, but there are 4 door pickups out there that might be a better idea.:mad:

Do you have any safety ratings and such to back up such a remark? Also a 54 inch person has no problem fitting into those seats nor does he dislike using them. There is more padding there than in many of the child booster seats that I have looked at. So unless you have more information about how dangerous these seats are I think I will leave my truck firmly planted in my driveway.

Should I have said IMHO?

Nothing too concrete . . .

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/cars/1461.html

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/outreach/SafeSobr/21qp/html/national_child/thursday.html

Forget I mentioned it and Happy Mazda B-ing!

Guys,
I've questioned the safety factor of putting a person in the back seat of a mini pick-up as well. I prefer to use it as emergency seating and mainly just for carrying luggage. If you think about the way your neck moves, it is more flexible when your head tilts up or down than when you tilt it from side to side. Therefore I'd believe that it'd be best to be facing forward in the event of a head on collision. As well, if a head on collision was to occur then the rear passenger, instead of having his feet and arms in front of him to brace himself against the impact, has nothing to stop him from hurling into the rear of the front seats. Thirdly, with no headrest, in the event of a side impact, the head could easily be smacked against the harder parts of the interior and possibly the window. My experience is limited since the only time I have ever spent in the back of my truck was when cleaning the windows but I don't feel it's the safest place to be. As far as comfort goes, with all the bitching my friends do, I don't think it's too comfy. I've never read any actual safety records concerning this type of vehicle but it sure would be interesting to find out.
Later,
W.
p.s. Have a good weekend...I will. :drunk:

Originally posted by MazdaSOHC


Do you have any pics of the lid? I really want to put one on mine. The only problem with it is it came with the factory adjutable tie downs on top of the bed rails, and they are screwed on. I need something that would sit over and outside these so I don't have 5 holes on each side of my bed. I think your 98 has the same bed on it as my 01 does. I'll get a picture of mine tomorrow so you can see what I'm talking about. They only stick up about 1/2" without the tie down loops on it, and there's maybe 1/2" of flat surface left outside of them before the bed rolls downward.

Mazda, you need an AeroCover! ;) The rails that mount to the top rail of the bed for the cover to sit on come far enough out to completely cover the stake pocket holes. (You'd have to lose or relocate your stock tie downs though...)

Then, your lid would do this!

O-Ranger,

Yep, IMHO would of helped.

I checked out both of the links, one relates to that they didn't test the rears because they were too small to place the crash dummies in. The other was about putting passengers into the cargo or bed area of the truck. To tell you the truth it doesn't look like there is much on it at all.

SO-CAL TRUCKIN',

As for the frontal or rear collision, I can see your points... they are true. Except that is kind of thrown out the windows on a side impact collision. Are you saying that all the current cars our out. that we will hurt our necks if we are hit from the sides? Maybe. One good think about the back is that there is a padded seat in front of them that may absorb some of the impact. Who knows? I feel mostly comfortable having my son sit back there; I guess that is what counts.

SO-CAL, you might like what I just had delivered... :)

http://manifest.nopoc.com/pictures/01%20Pictures/01_OB_ThankYou.JPG

Thanks for the pics, Highwayman. I might look into one of those. I like having the ability to open 3 sections as well. I was really hoping to find something that wouldn't require me to remove the tie downs as they are going to leave 5 ugly holes on each side. Maybe I couldn cover them with rail guards after removing them. How'd you get that nasty dent on the rear fenders?


On the rear seat safety issues, I've got mixed opinions. On one hand, I don't think the government would let them use them if they weren't somewhat safe, but I wouldn't want to be back there in a crash. Remember the old Subaru Brat that had the seats in the back? I had one of those and every insurance company except one refused to insure it. Supposedly because of negative performance data from crash testing. And they had seat belts, and faced rearward like a child seat is supposed to.

The dent appeared on the truck one monday after one of the salesmen drove it home for the weekend. (or so i was told) It's been there ever since I bought the truck. :(

Originally posted by Highwayman
The dent appeared on the truck one monday after one of the salesmen drove it home for the weekend. (or so i was told) It's been there ever since I bought the truck. :(

Don't you hate the first dent on a new truck? I got the first one on mine last week. Somebody at work opened the company F-150 Super Duty door against mine and it hit right at the edge of where the small step is at the front of the bed, below the gas filler. I tried to tap it out from behind and probably made it worse as the paint cracked a little. Dented it in a good 1/2" or so. At least it wasn't my wife that put the first dent on this one. :rolleyes:

Cracking the paint yourself is bad... have you ever tried taking these dents to a dent wizard? They do not use smoke and mirrors - they have dediticated tools to take dents out. I have used them two and each time with results that astounded me. I have seen large dents from softballs being takend out and looking perfect after.

If I was ever to get body work done I would have them take out the worst just so I would not have to use much/any fillter.

Just my .02 cents.

p.s. I am in no way tied to Dent Wizard

I've seen some of Dent Wizards work, they do a good job. We had a bad hail storm here a couple years ago, and all three cars of my neighbors had bad damage on them. He was driving his Dodge Ram turbo diesel when it started, and it really pounded the front of it. After they got finished you couldn't find a spot on it. This was a small ding, and I've done quite a bit of body work in the past. I thought it would pop right out but I suppose I hit the inside with the edge of the hammer instead of the face. You can hardly see it, but if you look close you can see a small crack in the paint.

Originally posted by Manifest
Cracking the paint yourself is bad... have you ever tried taking these dents to a dent wizard? They do not use smoke and mirrors - they have dediticated tools to take dents out. I have used them two and each time with results that astounded me. I have seen large dents from softballs being takend out and looking perfect after.

If I was ever to get body work done I would have them take out the worst just so I would not have to use much/any fillter.

Just my .02 cents.

p.s. I am in no way tied to Dent Wizard

I'm not aware of anything like Dent Wizard. Maybe they don't have them down here? I dunno...

Originally posted by Highwayman


I'm not aware of anything like Dent Wizard. Maybe they don't have them down here? I dunno...

There are different companies that do the same kind of work, they fall under the category of "Paintless Dent Repair". A lot of them are roving repair shops that follow hail storms around and set up shop onsite to do damage repair. They can take out fairly large dents without having to repaint the vehicle. Dent Wizard is probably the largest, lots of car dealers here use them to remove door dings and minor dents before reselling a used vehicle.

They are out there. The reason why dealers don't seem to have them is that 4 cyl extended cabs are not big sellers. I imagine in a Mazda the same thinking applies.