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2002 Mazda B3000
Dual Sport P/U

Dependable Hauler
November 29, 2009 - The leak is definitely fixed - a lot of rain today, and the truck stayed dry.  After some disappointing results with expensive fabric cleaners, I was considering having the interior professionally cleaned.  Today, I picked up some Blue Coral carpet and upholstery cleaner from Advance Auto - I've used it before with great success - and had...  well, great success!   Woolite and Renuzit cleaners had done nothing, but the Blue Coral cleaned the seats right up like new.  I'll go ahead and get the truck cleaned and detailed,  and I am going to start keeping a cover on it.  After more than 8 years she's still hard to tell from a new one.
November 23, 2009 - Another year has come and gone and the Mazda soldiers on, now showing just of 66K miles.  Last year's trip to Hilton Head was uneventful.  The truck did great and also pulled the MG TC on a trailer up to a big antique import car show in Richmond, VA (about 100 miles away) in September.  The original battery shows no sign of getting tired after more than 8 years, and she still runs like new.  I was annoyed to see stains on the seat upholstery that didn't make sense.  I've kept them cleaned and vacuumed.  Then I found out they were water stains!  The first suspect was the sliding rear window seal, but putting sealer around that didn't help.  Then I took a closer look at the third brake light mounted on the back edge of the cab.  The leading edge had bowed from heat warping of the plastic body and had opened up a gap.  I pulled the light assembly and ran a bead of clear sealer all around.  It rained most of today and the inside stayed dry.  Now I have to figure out how to get the ^%##! water stains out!
October 17, 2008 - The Mazda has been flawless for seven years - she hasn't been driven too hard, given less than 60K on the odometer since 2001, but she's never so much as hiccupped.  She looks great too - the silver paint still shines like new, and the interior stays nice.  She'll be getting a workout in a couple of weeks, though.  I'm going to tow the 1929 Model A Ford pickup to the Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance.  That's 420 miles, but I am using a tow dolly and the Model A is pretty light.  Overall, it will be less strain than towing the 1973 MGB to Boston, and quite a bit less distance.  Still, I decided to go through the tuck and do some service.  She was due for an oil and filter, and I also replaced the air filter, plugs, front brake pads, and coolant, and rotated the tires.  The old spark plugs were still in great shape - for that matter, even the brake pads still had a lot of life left.  However, I'd rather go ahead and take care of things before they cause trouble.  The next item is likely to be the battery - it' still the factory original after 7 years. 
January 5, 2007 - The replacement cover showed up in short order, but weather and other activities kept me from getting it properly fit until today.  This frame has adjustable snaps which had to be repositioned for the new cover, but once I got them in place the cover fit very well.  Quite a bit better than the old cover, which I had to struggle to get on on a cool day and had to forget even trying if to put it back on if I took it off on a cold day.  We had an unusually nice day today - high 50s and sunny - so I also got the vehicles washed. 
December 10, 2007 - I'd let the truck go further than usual between changes - almost 7,000 miles (Bad Bob!), but the oil was still in good shape and right up to the level.  I got a new soft tonneau, but the cover was too small to snap - that's the issue I had with the 6+ year-old tonneau I am replacing!.  The company is sending me a new cover - if it doesn't fit, I'll have to send the whole kit back for a refund and try something else.
December 3, 2007 - The truck had an uneventful year.  The only thing I've done other than gas is replace the tailgate handle (for the second time) a couple of weeks ago, and tonight I had to replace the third brake light bulb.  Not bad for 56K miles and 6 years.  She still runs, drives, and looks like new.  With the house work and the Mazda currently in the body shop, the truck is getting a lot more use than usual.  She's due for state inspection this month, and an oil change.
January 24, 2007 - Nothing new to report, other than what appears to be a gain in mileage from the new tires.  I started driving the truck to work the past two weeks, and noted that the mixed driving number was just over 23 mpg!  That is surprising, given previous figures of 19 mpg.  In any case, the truck continues to be a great vehicle - reliable and nice to drive.
November 11, 2006 - I had an unpleasant surprise this past Tuesday - the truck had a flat when I went out to drive it to work.  Luckily, the spare (which I haven't checked since I bought the Mazda in 2001) was good, and I stopped by to have the tire fixed.  Turns out the Goodyear Wrangler, which has always had correct air pressure, never been overloaded, and had plenty of tread left, had split open on the inside sidewall!  At least it popped in the driveway, rather than the last time I used it - pulling the 1950 Jeepster back from North Carolina.  The next unpleasant surprise came when I found out how much a good 235/765 R 15 LT tire is.  So much for ordering Jeepster parts this month!  After the poor performance of the Goodyears, I opted to spend $20 per tire more and get Michelins.  The white letters look snazzy, and the truck rides and drives a little better.  When I wrote the tire purchase in the truck's service log, I noted that I've driven it only 4,000 since October 2005!   I plan to give her some more exercise this year.
April 3, 2006 - With well over a hundred cars in my past, this silver 2002 Mazda B3000 Dual Sport pickup truck is only the second one I purchased new.  The first was a dark green 2001 Mazda (below right) that lived less than 6 months and 5,000 miles before getting T-boned by a 1984 Buick going about 50 mph (below left).  The green truck was a 5-speed that I bought after a lot of hard looking and test drives.  Mazda trucks are Ford Rangers with slightly upscale trim.  Curiously, they sell for quite a bit less than the Ford version despite being identical except for grilles and taillights.  As an example, a 2001 Ranger with not quite as many options as the Mazda was $20,000, where the nicer Mazda was under $16,000!   The fit and finish are excellent, and it is very solid feeling. 

The solidity got tested by the afore-mentioned Buick in October of 2001 up on Skyline Drive.  Thanks to the 4x4 suspension, the truck sits higher than usual - I went airborne and did a full 360-degree rotation sideways, landing back on my wheels in a parking lot next to the road.  The glass blew out, air bags went off, and I wasn't sure if I was going to live.  Happily, I got out without a scratch, though there wasn't a straight body panel left on the truck.  The insurance company, no doubt grateful to be spared medical expenses, paid off the truck including my down payment and trade-in.  The dealership, Hampton Mazda, was terrific - I had bought the 2001 as part of a year-end-clearance deal, but they sold me the 2002 hot off the delivery truck for the same price.  And the 2002 had an automatic transmission and the bed extender! 

I have been very happy with the Mazda - it gets good mileage, rides comfortably on long trips, and I have towed an MGB from Virginia to Boston with it. It has about 46K miles on it now, and after a polish and wax, still looks brand new.  I have done nothing to it but change the oil and rotate the tires - can't ask for better service than that!

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