Chris, glad to see you found our club, MPVClub.com. The website also covers the Mazda 5. I'm a regular fixture over there, with nearly 1700 posts. We are pretty enthusiastic about our vans and cars in general, and we love the "pee-vee" for what it is : a smaller and sportier alternative to 4500 pounds "mini"vans.
The trannies are pretty bulletproof, actually. It's the TCM module that acts up a bit, its fuzzy logic needing a flash from time to time. Weak spots are minor, like warping oem front rotors (warranty-covered) and creaking sway-bar bushings in the cold. Other than that, great little van, with a much better handling / ride combo than my Odyssey. The suspension of the MPV is its best asset, along with looks (esp. 2004-06). For the record, the van matches the published fuel econ numbers.
