A Few Surprises from US 2018 Mazda CX-5

[Puyapim]

Surprising little facts: Corporate help desk number US confirms battery does not require ANY service. Then asked the same question to UK Corporate help desk: battery requires regular maint.
Question: Does the CX5 @ UK have a different altogether battery in comparison to US? My guess is NO.

Smart car owners know that the batteries need attention just like some other parts of the vehicle. However the vast majority of car owners struggle to keep up with basic maintenance like oil changes and simple fluid refills let alone check their battery. Some do not even know what a battery looks like or where it is.

Here on this forum the vast majority are knowledgeable about these things but we are the clear minority in the bigger picture.

 

[Xeler8ing]

Surprising little facts: Corporate help desk number US confirms battery does not require ANY service. Then asked the same question to UK Corporate help desk: battery requires regular maint.
Question: Does the CX5 @ UK have a different altogether battery in comparison to US? My guess is NO.

There have i-Stop so different battery hence require maintenance

 

[jthj]

In my focus the batter is half covered by the cowl. I don’t think they intended for me to do anything to it and I had my mechanic at the dealer change it. I’m pretty persnickety about maintenance and I have brake fluid flushed even though it’s not in the US version of the service schedule but is outside the us. That way for the Ford and Mazda. I think they just want to make maintenance look low for stupid US consumers lol. I’m definitely in the minority in the US when it comes to maintenance. My father in law was arguing with me that rotating tires is a scam his mechanic is using to get more money from him........

 

[Xeler8ing]

In my focus the batter is half covered by the cowl. I don’t think they intended for me to do anything to it and I had my mechanic at the dealer change it. I’m pretty persnickety about maintenance and I have brake fluid flushed even though it’s not in the US version of the service schedule but is outside the us. That way for the Ford and Mazda. I think they just want to make maintenance look low for stupid US consumers lol. I’m definitely in the minority in the US when it comes to maintenance. My father in law was arguing with me that rotating tires is a scam his mechanic is using to get more money from him........

Your father-in-law can rotate the tyres himself - how hard is it. Then take it to a shop to do wheel balancing and then all done

 

[jthj]

I rotate myself when I switch seasonally. I’ve never had them go out of balance.... but yea the local tire shop can fix that if it happens.

 

[Xeler8ing]

(thumb)

 

[jthj]

And anyway the Ford dealer I went to had a bundle with tire rotation and oil change for like $50 which is pretty reasonable actually.

 

[Xeler8ing]

And anyway the Ford dealer I went to had a bundle with tire rotation and oil change for like $50 which is pretty reasonable actually.

That is cheap. Over here it's probably a few hundred $

 

[jthj]

On the ST I’m using the full synthetic and a larger filter which increases capacity to 6 quarts and that is $120. Still not bad as that oil is over $10 a quart. First oil change is soon on the
CX-5 so I’ll see how the Mazda dealer is. I plan to go full synthetic there as well. The VW dealer did have higher service rates than Ford and I do think it was usually 2-3 hundred each time.

 

[Xeler8ing]

I see

 

[jthj]

The Fiesta had the 1.6 Ford which was an older engine. Naturally aspirated and port injection. Didn’t think it really would benefit from the better oil.

 

[Xeler8ing]

Over here we have Mazda capped price servicing. So here is first service cost and info (this is what I will be paying in the future):

 

[murky]

Surprising little facts: Corporate help desk number US confirms battery does not require ANY service. Then asked the same question to UK Corporate help desk: battery requires regular maint.
Question: Does the CX5 @ UK have a different altogether battery in comparison to US? My guess is NO.

Some of the discrepancy may be due to the fact that Mazda doesn't really care. Even if you ignore the battery, it will last the 3 years and 36,000 miles. After that its your problem. If the warranty period is longer somewhere, they may care more.

 

[bmninada]

Smart car owners know that the batteries need attention just like some other parts of the vehicle. However the vast majority of car owners struggle to keep up with basic maintenance like oil changes and simple fluid refills let alone check their battery. Some do not even know what a battery looks like or where it is.

Here on this forum the vast majority are knowledgeable about these things but we are the clear minority in the bigger picture.

Hear... hear..

Well said. I do agree to the part: don't know where the battery today.

Just today was in my trusted dealership to hand over my car so that they can finally fix the darn remote start. A lady with an expensive bag and a small dog waits in front of me to take the keys for the loaner car. Upon getting the keys walk away and then I hear a lot of shouting. It seems she was told loaner can't have pets and the only place is in the trunk of the car. So she carefully puts the dog tied to the emblem of the loaner RAV4 in the front and starts to drive off. Upon being stopped she explained and I heard it - you said the trunk of the car, that portion looks like it's the trunk of the car.

Now to come to think of it - the front of the new RAV4 is like the trunk of an elephant..............

 

[bmninada]

Your father-in-law can rotate the tyres himself - how hard is it. Then take it to a shop to do wheel balancing and then all done

I seriously consider wheel balancing is a scam, definitely not required every 5000 or 7500 miles.

 

[jthj]

Right? I’ve never had an issue where they went out of balance. If they do a weight fell off, very bad wear and you should deal with that, or the tire is defective.

 

[bmninada]

Right? I’ve never had an issue where they went out of balance. If they do a weight fell off, very bad wear and you should deal with that, or the tire is defective.

Correct and I recently faced it myself. Thanks to the folks here - could get it corrected. My comment was the routing maint. regularly pushed.

 

[Xeler8ing]

Wheel balance/alignment can generally done when:

• Rotating tyres
• New tyres installed
• Have hit a pothole/kerb that causes the vehicle not to steer correctly

 

[TheMAN]

Surprising little facts: Corporate help desk number US confirms battery does not require ANY service. Then asked the same question to UK Corporate help desk: battery requires regular maint.
Question: Does the CX5 @ UK have a different altogether battery in comparison to US? My guess is NO.

answer is NO

 

[TheMAN]

I’d rather not have a dead battery at the airport after a trip and I can’t leave it on a maintainer there. Also a new battery doesn’t cost that much....... maybe $150. I probably won’t keep the car long enough to replace the battery twice unless I get premature failures so it just doesn’t seem worth all the hassle to extend a little bit.

sure you can.... it's called solar powered
got one here too... works great

if you don't have one, disconnecting the battery does a lot to keep it from getting drained over time... it's also theft deterrent too