Tires are confusing. At Pacific Mazda, we carry tires from most major manufacturers and we specialize in knowing which ones are best suited to your Mazda, your driving habits, and the types of driving conditions you are likely to experience in Greater Victoria and on Vancouver Island.

The starting place when you are looking for new tires is to check what you currently have on your car, and to check the recommended tires in your Mazda’s Owners Manual. Mazda does not make tires – there is no such thing as a “Mazda tire” but major manufacturers such as Toyo, Pirelli, Michelin, etc. all make tires in their line that are best suited to certain models of Mazda vehicles.

Tire size is expressed something like this:

P185/75R14 82S.

You can find these numbers and letters on the sidewall of your tire – see the diagram below:

Those numbers and letters can seem like Greek, so let’s define them one at a time.

P: The first letter stands for the tire’s intended use. P is the most common and it means Passenger. LT stands for Light Truck. An LT tire has a sturdier construction than a P tire, and it can carry a greater load, which we will talk about later.

185: The width of the tire, from sidewall to sidewall, in millimeters. A 185 is 185 millimeters, or 18.5 centimeters, wide. The tread width is actually somewhat smaller than the tire’s actual width.

75: Aspect Ratio. This is the sidewall’s height from the inside diameter to the outside diameter. It is expressed as a percentage of the width. A 185/75 is 75 percent as tall as it is wide, making it approximately 138.75 millimeters tall. As aspect ratios decrease, the tire’s firmness increases. Smaller aspect ratios, such as 35 or 40 are generally reserved for performance tires on sports cars.

R: The tire’s type of construction. R stands for Radial, and all new cars and light trucks today use radials. You may also see B in this spot for Bias Ply. Bias ply tires were used prior to the mid 1970s.

14: The tire’s inner diameter, which matches the outer diameter of your car’s wheels.

82: Load Rating. Load ratings range from 0 to 279 and each has a corresponding weight associated with it. A 82 load rating means that tire is certified to carry up to 1050 pounds at maximum inflation pressure. If a car weighs 4000 pounds, then each tire handles 1000 pounds with no passengers or cargo aboard. If you intend to tow a heavy boat or trailer, you should buy tires with a higher load rating. This will require some math to figure out the vehicle weight, the trailer weight, and the weight of a load you may carry inside the vehicle while towing. Add it all up, divide by four, and make sure your replacement tires have a corresponding load rating.

H: Speed Rating. All passenger tires have a speed rating expressed as a letter. Those letters and the corresponding speeds the tires are capable of are included in this chart:
S: 112 mph
T: 118 mph
U: 124 mph
H: 130 mph
V: 149 mph
W: 168 mph
Y: 186 mph
Z: over 186 mph

A Speed Rating is really an indication of a tire’s ability to dissipate heat to avoid a blowout. Higher speeds mean greater heat buildup. Tires with higher speed ratings are constructed to handle heat better. In general, they also ride harder than tires with lower speed ratings. S-, T-, and U-rated tires are considered regular passenger-car tires. H- and V-ratings are reserved for touring tires, which are generally found on sport sedans. The Z rating is for performance tires found on sports cars.

M+S: Mud and Snow. This is an all-season tire. A summer performance tire would have no designation here.

For more information:

Call our tire experts in the Parts Department at Pacific Mazda (250) 385-5747.

Also check out this excellent information on WikiPedia

Thanks to Bob Mitchell, Parts Manager, for assembling the information in this article.

The all-new 2013 Mazda CX-5 has been recognized as a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The CX-5 received the organization’s highest possible crash safety rating of “Good” in all four tests conducted.

Earning a ‘Top Safety Pick’ distinction from the IIHS is a testament to the exceptional safety features of our all-new SKYACTIV-Body. Utilizing a straighter, more continuous frame, an extremely efficient multi-load path structure, and lighter yet stronger high-tensile steel, the SKYACTIV-Body was designed to achieve top ratings in crash tests around the world.

More information in the links below:

IIHS names Mazda CX-5 Top Safety Pick‎ Auto123

http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/press_releases/2013-mazda-cx-5-named-top-safety-pick-by-insurance-institute-for-highway-safety

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=746

Mazda took their time in arriving at the CPO party, but when they arrived, they really did it right. Pacific Mazda is excited to offer this program – it has several key benefits for the used car buyer to ensure peace of mind. One of the greatest benefits to the potential buyer is that the CPO vehicles often qualify for special, low-interest financing.

MAZDA CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

•  160-Point Detailed Inspection
• 7-Year/140,000-Kilometre Limited Powertrain Warranty*
• 24hr Emergency Roadside Assistance
• 30-Day/3,000-Kilometre Exchange Privilege
• CarProof® Vehicle History Report
• Zero Deductible
• Available Extended Warranty/Coverage
• Transferable Benefits

First of all – what is a cabin air filter?

In simple terms, the cabin air filter is a part of the air conditioning system in your car that filters the air coming into the passenger “cabin”. Do you ever get that “old gym sock” smell in your car? This is often caused by a dirty cabin air filter. Even if you don’t get the smell, the filter may become clogged with pollen, dust, and other pollutants and not function properly.

Allergy sufferers should pay particular attention to regular maintenance of the cabin air filter in their vehicles.

In most Mazdas, this is not an expensive procedure with prices ranging from $30 to  $75 including parts and labour.

Cabin filters really work but need to be replaced at regular intervals. The air you breathe is only as clean as the filter it goes through. A new cabin air filter will reduce airborne impurities such as pollen, dust, etc.

Recommended every 12-24 months

To book an appointment to get your cabin air filter changed, cal Pacific Mazda at 250-385-1355 or book online

For more details on the cabin air filter, read the rest of the article below:

Over the years, there have been a few significant changes in the air-conditioning systems in cars:

• as cars have gotten smaller and evaporators ( the unit that cools the air ) got smaller.
• refrigerant changed from R-12(Freon) to R-134a because of ozone depleting substance regulations.
• older, larger evaporators had lots of space around the tubes and fins for moisture from the air to run through without freezing. Dust, pollen, bacteria that came into the car through the fresh air intake was quickly washed out by the freely running water. The smaller, more compact evaporators were redesigned to increase efficiency but had little space for water flow. They also ran a bit warmer which didn’t pull as much moisture out of the air as before. The messy build up didn’t wash off, but sat on the evaporator and when warmed up created a foul smell  every time the fan was put on ( like old gym socks! ). It was a very difficult procedure to clean off this mess and reduce the smell.

Bottom line: Replace the cabin filter before the A/C season starts for efficient, clean A/C performance.

It surprised us because we thought we were a bit more expensive, but worth it. Your oil and filter were being changed by Mazda specialists who also gave your vehicle a check for other required maintenance and looked for outstanding warranty items or recall bulletins.

We  found that we were a price leader! (see below)

Compared with our competitors:

Basic Oil and Filter Service with Synthetic Oil

Mazda 4 month/8 km oil and filter service: 

Our Price…………….. $51.95 (plus tax, shop supplies, & environmental fee)

 (competitors $85.00 and up)*

• including synthetic 0/20 oil (applies to 2011 + vehicles)
• vehicle inspection report
• top up fluids
• set tire pressures

Compare Mr. Lube, Canadian Tire , Midas  prices starting at $85.00 and up*

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Basic Oil and Filter Service with Non-Synthetic Oil

Mazda 4 month/8 km oil and filter service : Our Price…………….. $41.95 (plus tax, shop supplies, & environmental fee)

(competitors $50.00 and up)*

including regular 5/20 or 5/30

• including regular 5/20 or 5/30 oil
• vehicle inspection report
• top up fluids
• set tire pressures

Compare Mr. Lube, Canadian Tire, Midas prices starting at $50.00 and up.*

We encourage you to bring your Mazda to Pacific Mazda for all service work. This will allow us to keep a full service history on your vehicle which is proven to improve your vehicle resale when you decide to buy a new vehicle. Although there is a perception that you pay a lot more for service at a franchised dealer, this is not the case – especially when you are doing apples-to-apples comparisons.

We value and appreciate your business and look forward to providing our customers with excellent service and a lasting relationship with people you can trust.

Book a service appointment now online or call 250-385-1355

*( based on phone survey Feb.22, 2012 inVictoria, BC)

Consumer Reports released its 2012 predicted reliability rankings for automotive manufacturers in October of 2011. Mazda was ranked fourth overall, and first among non-luxury, full line automakers – behind only Scion,Lexus and Acura. Consumer Reports predicted that every Mazda model would achieve better than industry average reliability, a feat that even Lexus and Acura failed match.

Today, Consumer Reports released its overall rankings for 2012 model year vehicles and Mazda scored an even more impressive feat, finishing second amongst all automobile manufacturers and only a single point behind first place finisher Subaru. These scores reflect not just predicted reliability, but overall test scores in areas of comfort, performance, value and fuel economy.

Powered by all-new SKYACTIV technology that boosts both power and fuel efficiency by more than 15%, superior driving dynamics and industry-leading levels of quality and reliability, Mazda offers and outstanding line-up of vehicles, including our ground-breaking new Mazda CX-5 compact SUV, the most fuel efficient compact SUV sold in North America including hybrids.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/consumer-reports-magazine/April-2012/who-makes-the-best-cars.html

Get your next service in March …

…you could win an iPod Touch!

  To book, call us at:

  250-385-1355

or

Email: service@mazdavictoria.com

 Draw Code: 3135 

Just mention this code when you book your service and you will be eligible to win.

Mazda is about to launch its most significant new vehicle since the 2004 Mazda3 – the 2013 Mazda CX-5 compact SUV. The first vehicle to fully embrace all of Mazda’s exclusive SKYACTIV technology, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 will launch with the best fuel economy in the compact SUV segment, class-leading driving dynamics, and Mazda’s all new “Kodo” design language. All this wrapped in an incredibly roomy and practical package that fits your lifestyle. We expect the Mazda CX-5 to make a big impact in the very popular compact SUV segment. Priced between $24,890 and $35,860 (Freight, PDE and air tax included) the 2013 Mazda CX-5 also represents a superb value.

To learn more about the 2013 Mazda CX-5 visit:
http://www.mazda.ca/MciWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=CX5#/home

To learn more about SKYACTIV technology visit:
http://www.mazda.ca/MciWeb/skyactiv.action

It’s important to us that current Mazda owners be given priority on our initial orders. That’s why we are contacting you today to invite you down to speak to us. We have already started to pre-sell incoming Mazda CX-5′s as you will see below so we urge you to act now. Mazda Canada is providing one initial CX-5 to all Canadian dealers in February as a display and test drive vehicle. Our initial orders will start to arrive in late February/early March.

Pacific Mazda’s Incoming 2013 Mazda CX-5′s

January Build – Late Febraury/Early March Delivery

2013 Mazda CX-5 GX FWD 6-Speed Manual Convenience Package Sky Blue Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD 6-Speed Automatic Metropolitan Grey — SOLD
2013 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD 6-Speed Automatic Technology Package Black Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GX AWD 6-Speed Automatic Convenience Package Aluminium Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GX AWD 6-Speed Automatic Convenience Package Aluminium Mica

February Build – Late March/Early April Delivery

2013 Mazda CX-5 GX FWD 6-Speed Manual Convenience Package Sky Blue Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GX FWD 6-Speed Automatic Convenience Package Sky Blue Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS FWD 6-Speed Automatic Metropolitan Grey
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS FWD 6-Speed Automatic Sky Blue Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS FWD 6-Speed Automatic Zeal Red
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD 6-Speed Automatic Crystal White Pearl
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD 6-Speed Automatic Metropolitan Grey — SOLD
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD 6-Speed Automatic Aluminium Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD 6-Speed Automatic Sky Blue Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD 6-Speed Automatic Metropolitan Grey
2013 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD 6-Speed Automatic Aluminium Mica
2013 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD 6-Speed Automatic Technology Package Metropolitan Grey

March Build – Late April/Early May Delivery