Since I didn't see anyone else start this yet(hope I didn't miss it....), I figure I would since I am interested.

What all did Mazda 'cut corners' on to save money on the s5?

 

I think it's a safe bet to say that they crapped out on the electrical system.

Also, the interior is pretty basic, although I personally love it and would have it no other way.

 

THE TEMP GAUGE!!!


Has 3 different "views"

Cold - Normal - Blown Motor

Um... interior... I dont want to say they cheaped out on the OMP.... but I see no reason why they went from mechanical to electrical.

 

lol temp gauge...so true

 

Nothing was, if you're comparing it to the earlier Zenki FC.  Almost everything stayed the same or got better/stronger.

The car MSRP'd close to $30,000 when it was new, and it compared to the price of a Corvette back then!  It was damn expensive back in the day!


-Ted

 

30? Uh.. i thoguht it was 18 for the turbo, which was the most expensive, 16 for the GXL which was next in line.

 

I would say the water pump neck changing to plastic was a bad move. I would say I can break plastic a lot easier than aluminum.

 

They cheaped out on things by making them options as opposed to standard. For example, s4 GXLs came with an LSD standard. Not so on s5 GXLs(I realize they're not the same model, but you get the picture). Aluminum underbelly pans were standard on S4 TII's, non existant on S5 TII's(as far as I have seen). Stuff like that. The interior is one place where I would say they made SIGNIFICANT improvements. I don't see how you could say they cut corners there. Electrical systems are the same? I've never had a problem with any of my 3 s5's electrical systems.

Steve

 

One of the single funnest lines on the board!

 

what makes people say this about the temp guage? i never understood this. when its cold, it takes my guage a lot longer to move to where it normally sits. could someone explain this complaint a little bit better? and yes, i have an S5.
i've also had a couple electrical issues. no fires, though.

 

There are actually quite a few short cuts on the S5 cars.

From simple things like the high beam switch, changing from the electronic latching switch in the S4, to the mechanical latching switch of the S5.

Or the wiper/hazard switch that on the S5 models the Hazard symbol does not flash when the switch is activated, while the S4 does.

Or moving the high mounted rear hatch light, to the side of the trunk/hatch area, so that the S5 didn't have to run the wires.

Or the integration of the security system into the CPU.

Or the much smaller gauges (especially the tach).

To the things like, the uberlighct German Aluminum jack on the S4, getting replaced with an ordinary steel jack on the S5 cars.

Or the complete lack of a LSD on S5 FCs except the GTUs and Turbo.

Or all S5 coupes using the same soft springs despite a almost 200 lbs difference between models.

Or the complete lamness of the S5 engine speed sensing power steering, that most people would rather not have power steering, than have that lame system. (yes I know the Turbo did keep the S4 vehicle speed sensing steering, in the S5 Turbo, but by the end of the S5 production it was the only FC that did).

And the Pulstation Dampner and fuel rails... On the S4 the PD or fuel pressure regulator could be replaced without even unbolting the rail. Yet in the S5 you had to replace the whole rail when there is a leak or problem because Mazda (well Nippondenso actually) welded the PD and regulator onto the fuel rails to save costs.

How about the plastic end links on the stabilzer bars... Yep, thats right. The S5 FCs use plastic endlinks, unlike the metal end links of the S4 cars (maybe these were not cost cutting, but rather Mazda figured out that they needed weight savings somewhere after all?).

I could go on and on...

 

The S5 gauge is just a "dummy" gauge, as opposed to a true analog gauge like the S4. The S5 only has 3 settings. I cant remember the exact temperatures off hand, but it wont move up to out of the normal area until the engine is almost overheated. The s4 gauge will move in accordance to any change in temp. The S5s "normal" area is a wide range.

 

Mark, you didn't mention the Temp guage! do you have any beef with it? preferably detailed or explained dislike.

::you know i've wondered that. at what temp does it move up to 'C' as opposed to sitting below it at its lowest stance. the way people say it makes it sound like it literally jumps from one setting to another. which, in a way it may, but i just think of it differently.. hard to explain.
also, the way its explained makes it sound like it has a narrower range. you said it doesn't come on until its "nearly overheated." well, say it started to move at 150F. mine sits just under halfway, say thats 190F. so all the way at the top, by ratio/percentage, would be 230F.
if an S5 were to start moving earlier, say 90F, than it would seem to have the broader range. (i cant use examples for an S4 because i have never owned or noticed where their temp needle sits).

 

Actaully The temp gauge was fine on the S5 cars (other than it is smaller then the S4 gauge).

Its the sender that they screwed up on.

A S5 gauge using a S4 sender works great. Problem is that most Mazda dealers have disconntinued to carry the S4 sensor, since the S5 one screws right in to replace it.

 

For all the S5 Guy's with the temp guage problem. Could we swap this out and put in a S4 guage or something like that?
I guess the best idea would just install a true water temp guage right?

 

Wow, you got lucky. They must have been replaced at some point. My s4 has a mind-boggling amount of electrical problems, so I don't see how they improved the wiring that much for the s5's. Another thing I've noticed is that the interior of the stock rads are plastic. Most everything else has been replaced with aftermarket stuff, so I don't know about any of the other things.

 

so the S4 sender is the key then, huh? wow, that'd be awkward. having a new sender and seeing completely "different" temperature readings.

i planned on getting a good digital temp guage (digital as in actual numbers changing; like a digital clock). any recommendations while we're on the subject?

 

Apex'i makes good gauges, but dont know about digital. Check out greddy and Autometer, too.

 

the S5 wiring is way better... I don't have any problems either. everything works.

 

where is the sending unit for temp at on a S5? Looked at FSM but didn't see it there.

 

wow. sounds like i got lucky that i bought an s4. stiffer suspension, better gauges, lsd... YAY!!!

i did notice that my suspension is a lot stiffer than my friends s5. compared to mine, his car is a cadilac!

 

Reduced oil consumption. The mechanical OMP is affected only by rpm and throttle position. The electronic OMP is controlled by the ECU, so it's output is based on far more inputs. Because the engine's oil needs can be more accurately determined, only the required amount is injected, unlike a mechanical OMP, which errs on the side of caution more often. Same reason we don't use carbs any more.

Are you sure? The temp sensor is only a simple thermistor, so how can it have three steps? It seems more logical that the steps are in the gauge's operation. I've seen the instructions for linearising the FD's temp gauge, and it's the gauge that's altered, not the sender.

Both series' have there pluses and minuses, but personally I feel there were so many improvements made to the S5 that it's easier to bring the S5's deficiencies up to S4 level than the other way around.

 

You bring up an interesting point about the power steering sensor. I have significant loss of power on the top end (over 65 mph per hour is almost impossible). I figured my 5th and 6th ports are clogged because I can't budge the shaft with the engine off. But now you have me wondering, because my power steering no longer works, could that be reducing my engine power above 4000 RPM??????

1991 S5 Coupe Automatic.

By the way, I have never had an electrical problem in 150,000 miles of driving the beast.

 

Damn, wish I had s5 electronics. I think the only electronics that actualy work right on my car are the headlights and the fan controls.

 

In Honolulu, Hawaii, the dealers were listing them at $26,000 and change.



-Ted