After two weeks of driving, it's time to get started doing maintanence on the car. While the car runs great, I did decide to give it a few tune up parts since it does have 36K and it is a 2004. I was hoping to change oil, ATF and coolant. At the end, I was only able to change coolant. I couldnt do ATF because Mazda doesnt provide a drain plug for the pan! That means I have to buy a new gasket and drop the new pan to do it!!!! I couldnt change the oil neither because the oil filter is so tight and at such a tight place! To make matters worse, the air filter is a pain to get to too. What's up with all the stupid engineers who cant make a car that is more mechanics friendly? I still have to check/lube/bleed the brakes and do the rear differential. Please wish me luck!

All those jobs are pretty easy on the 8 - once you have skinned a few knukles learning how to do them ........
There are some good tips on this site on all those tasks .
EG - did you undo the bolt on the engine to completely drain coolant ?

Umm, most automatic transmissions don't have a drain plug, at least not in the last 30 years or so.

you usually want to replace the filter while changing ATF... which requires dropping the pan...

Most ATF I have changed has a drain plug on it, other than Mazda's. (Volvo, Saabs)

^toyota's do as well...but a lot of the newer cars don't have them b/c the atf lasts 100k miles or more. most gm's i believe (or was it ford) don't have one b/c the scheduled maintainence is the same as changing the filter (i.e. droping the pan).

when are you supposed to change teh fluid in an auto 8?

awe wel i have a 6-sp so i change mine out abotu every 20k...sometimes a lill less

they don't install a plug because you should check the pump filter screen with the fluid change