Another FD part hits the "no longer available" list.
 

94-95 interior AC panel now unavailable.

There was supposedly one left but Ray Crowe apologized that it was an inventory error.

I drive a 93 and wanted to update all the black interior plastic since the 93 finish is crap. I already had the passenger door pull handle piece since the original one broke.

This is all brand spankin new.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...2/March004.jpg

Now the only thing I need is the AC panel. Damn it!!

are those '93 parts? If you're selling, I really need the the driver's side plastic parts!

No, they are all 94-95 parts. Those are the pieces I just bought. Dont get this confused with a for sale thread because none of this stuff is for sale.

are you sure those are 94-95 parts? they look like they have the smooth finish if the 93's. IIRC, the 94-95 parts have more of a texture, no?

They are 94-95 parts and they have a textured finish. The camera just didnt pick it up.

Huh, wonder why they would discontinue that piece? Seems odd considering they usually do that to the older '93 parts.

NOOOOoooo. I have a '94-'95 center panel and I've been meaning to getting the A/C panel too. Hopefully they will do another run sometime down the line. I agree its odd for them to discontinue the newer style instead of the older, but I guess there are a lot more cars with the older style.

Probably because there were only a few thousand 94/95s made. No worth it for them to stock it, or produce more of it. Manufacturers are only required to have replacement parts for a vehicle for something like 10 years, IIRC.

A moment of silence please.

Amen........Now someone sell me one!!!

what did you pay for each of those pieces, if you don't mind me asking?

List price:

Guage Hood = $337.10
Ash Tray = $84.30
Shifter Panel = $98.70
Drivers door switch panel = $372.35
Door compartment with lid = $226.30

I got them at a discounted price though but still added up to over $800

Ouch!!! Over $800! I will live with my 93 panels.

There is also the passenger door panel, no?

Another option is to take the '93 pieces to a body shop for repainting. Though, I'm nut sure even the black painted panels look good in person - I've only seen photos and they look a bit too glossy for my taste.

I mentioned in the first post that I already have the 94-95 passenger door panel but I referred to it as the pull handle. You're right about it being glossy, especially the guage hood. The sunlight hits it and reflects right up onto the windshield. I decided that new OEM panels were the way to go, especially since there is a limited supply.

800... holy crap!

why didn't you ust get the 93 pieces refinished black... or do what i'm doing and do it yourself?

i may be a student on a budget, but that's still alot of money for parts that don't make the car any faster or more reliabe!

It's all about what you want for your car. I decided that I wanted to go OEM. I didnt want painted OEM or overlays, I wanted entirely new panels (no scratches, no peeling, no chips, no dings) Keep in mind that U.S. FD's have been out of production for over 10 years now, so Mazda doesnt have to make anymore parts that wouldnt be used on Jspec 7's.

It is already apparent that the new original parts are becoming more scarce each year. If you were restoring the interior of an FB to OEM condition, would you want to buy someones panels that had been painted over and wouldnt be the factory finish? No, because it wouldnt be original. You'd wanna find the panels in the best condition possible. In this case, the best condition possible I could find on those pieces were new, but for the AC panel its now going to have to be used.

Some people dont care. Some people do.

Sorry Matt, I must have taken one of the last ones when I ordered one a few weeks ago. I got the 94/95 center console and the interior A/C panel due to scratching on my 93 interior. I'm actually putting it in now. I didn't get the gauge hood though. He did ask me why I was getting the 94 since mine's a 93 and then he ordered it for me.

Tim

gotcha... i'm just a function over form kind of person. on top of that i like to get my hands in a little bit of everything and at the same time save some cash.

It's hard to beat brand new Mazda parts for that kind of stuff, though. I don't mind paying good money for new Mazda parts, personally - most times you get something WAY better than you would have used.

Might want to see if there's someone at Mazda corporate you can talk to - there might be one SOMEWHERE, or you might be able to find out if it's truly discontinued.

Probably the dumbest discontinued part is the stock floor mats. I REALLY wish Mazda would make those again. Yes, there are nice aftermarket ones, but OEM parts sure are sweet.

Dale

just because ray no longer carries them..
and it doesnt show up on his list from dealers doesnt necessarily mean its no longer available...

I'm going to have to pick up a shifter panel, at only $98! My plastic tabs are broken. I'm with the above posters. Brand new OEM interior parts make such a huge difference on the way the car looks.

Ray said I got the last AC Panel a few weeks ago...sorry

Selling the old bin lid??:)

my left elbow took care of that a long time ago :)