2016~2023 Ultimate “Grand Tourer”

If you go the independent mechanic route, the price will easily go up 2.5x. The dealer route will be even worse - there was a repair estimate for $5k posted elsewhere.

If it were me, I'd fix it and sell it while used valuations are still sky high. I'm always wary of replacing heads on aluminum engines - the blocks can warp slightly over time, making getting a good seal difficult.

Will Carvana or some such site buy a car with a coolant leak? I'd see if they will give you an offer just to see what makes financial sense.
I’ve heard back from everywhere but independent shops. One local dealer wanted $7,900. The other wanted $15,000. If I can talk them down, I might go that route. I have a feeling they want to remove the engine to fix it.

Carvana came out same day to check it out. Offered $1,000 less than I paid for it (not including tax). It was actively dripping coolant while they looked at it. I will never buy from Carvana if they are willing to buy a broken vehicle.

My problem is after researching the other vehicle options, I’d end up in another CX-9! Next generation 4Runner is a contender but still 1-2 years out. Other option is the LX600 but there are issues with that new engine so don’t want to hop in that yet (kind of ironic, I know).

This couldn’t have happened at a worse time in regards to my time. I was talking with my wife and she reminded me that we are taking two trips in the next 6 weeks, I have two work trips in September, and we have guests here for 9 days. I won’t have time to do it myself until November. If a shop can do it for around $4k, I’ll go that route. If they can’t, I’ll sell to Carvana and look at new ones
 
I’ve heard back from everywhere but independent shops. One local dealer wanted $7,900. The other wanted $15,000. If I can talk them down, I might go that route. I have a feeling they want to remove the engine to fix it.

Carvana came out same day to check it out. Offered $1,000 less than I paid for it (not including tax). It was actively dripping coolant while they looked at it. I will never buy from Carvana if they are willing to buy a broken vehicle.

My problem is after researching the other vehicle options, I’d end up in another CX-9! Next generation 4Runner is a contender but still 1-2 years out. Other option is the LX600 but there are issues with that new engine so don’t want to hop in that yet (kind of ironic, I know).

This couldn’t have happened at a worse time in regards to my time. I was talking with my wife and she reminded me that we are taking two trips in the next 6 weeks, I have two work trips in September, and we have guests here for 9 days. I won’t have time to do it myself until November. If a shop can do it for around $4k, I’ll go that route. If they can’t, I’ll sell to Carvana and look at new ones

I'd sell it to Carvana. Tomorrow. 5+ years of use for $1K + tax? I'd take that deal.

The new ones are going for under MSRP now, you just need to look around.
 
I'd sell it to Carvana. Tomorrow. 5+ years of use for $1K + tax? I'd take that deal.

The new ones are going for under MSRP now, you just need to look around.
Wish it was that good. Bought it a year and half ago for $22,500 + tax. Carvana will take it for $21,500. All in, I’d be losing about $2,500. Although I’ve gotten mileage reimbursement for a total of $4,900 this year so I am technically positive on it even factoring in insurance for the last 1.5 years. The only thing holding me back is not wanting another car payment. I’ve been enjoying owning our cars outright
 
Wish it was that good. Bought it a year and half ago for $22,500 + tax. Carvana will take it for $21,500. All in, I’d be losing about $2,500. Although I’ve gotten mileage reimbursement for a total of $4,900 this year so I am technically positive on it even factoring in insurance for the last 1.5 years. The only thing holding me back is not wanting another car payment. I’ve been enjoying owning our cars outright

I understand the joy of no car payments - that's why I'm still rocking a 12 year old CX-9 that I bought in 2010. I've test driven and rented a bunch of other SUV/CUVs, and I didn't find anything that screamed "buy me!" loudly enough for me to take on a giant car payment. The vehicle that surprised me the most was a Chevy Tahoe rental that I got by accident after the Pacifica I was supposed to get was not available - the new ones have a modern independent suspension and Magneride shocks. It almost makes you forget you are driving something the size of a house. If I was forced to buy something right now I might end up in one of those. As it is, I'm going to try to wait out the chip supply issues. I've got my eye on a F150 Lightning (wife approved) or a Kia EV9.

Still, it still sounds like you didn't do too badly financially. It's a tough call. Good luck, whatever you decide.
 
Damn, sorry to hear @MGMGT16. I know you're well out of your warranty, but have you tried the dealer/Mazda Corporate to see if they're willing to help out with the bill in some way?
 
Damn, sorry to hear @MGMGT16. I know you're well out of your warranty, but have you tried the dealer/Mazda Corporate to see if they're willing to help out with the bill in some way?
Dealer told me to pound sand. They let me know they had one in under warranty and it ended up being $22k of work so “they were giving me a good deal at $15k.” I found a shop that is letting me order the parts and they’ll do the work for about $2k. Not bad IMO since I don’t have the time to do it right now. Same local dealer won’t let me order the parts through them either… And then they wonder why nobody likes them
 
Man, what a terrible dealer! I don't suppose there are any other dealers local to you that would be willing to go to bat for you with Madza Corporate? Though I suppose if that one dealer was going to charge you $15k, a partial goodwill may not even be worth it. Hope you can get this all sorted out soon, bad timing for sure.
 
Man, what a terrible dealer! I don't suppose there are any other dealers local to you that would be willing to go to bat for you with Madza Corporate? Though I suppose if that one dealer was going to charge you $15k, a partial goodwill may not even be worth it. Hope you can get this all sorted out soon, bad timing for sure.
One of the other local dealers said they were months out on being able to do that kind of work and the other quoted $7,900 for a cylinder head replacement or $7,500 for a replacement engine. There are two others but they are both over an hour away. After that, I am at 3 hours away.
 
Dealer told me to pound sand. They let me know they had one in under warranty and it ended up being $22k of work so “they were giving me a good deal at $15k.” I found a shop that is letting me order the parts and they’ll do the work for about $2k. Not bad IMO since I don’t have the time to do it right now. Same local dealer won’t let me order the parts through them either… And then they wonder why nobody likes them
Wow. Amazes me that dealer would think anyone was stupid enough to believe it would cost that much. $22 Grande , really? Thats just a major insult to intelligence.

At least the other dealer gave you a fair dealer markup price of $7500, albeit still too high.

Yeah the local shop for $2000 plus part's is the way ta go.

My position had always been to
1. buy New,
2. buy 3 year cpo with extended warranty or
3. Buy best beaters for $1000 before pandemic (now $5000 or less)

That way if something
goes wrong, you have sufficient warranty coverage or the cash to fix a beater.
 
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Little update. I’ve tried sourcing the parts myself over the last couple days. Called 19 dealerships across the states and they either won’t sell one to me or cancel my order after I place it (for those without a number to call). One dealership let me know that Mazda has everyone on an LPO and they are only allowed one head per week. He also said he had 6 vehicles waiting for heads so it would be a couple months before he could order one for me. I don’t have the time to sit around for months without a trustworthy vehicle so I guess it’s time to explore getting a new one. Also of note, I cleaned off the underside of my vehicle and have had it idle for about two hours over the last few days, always getting to operating temperature, and the leak/burning coolant smell are no longer there. Not sure what happened.

On the new vehicle front, the two local Lexus dealers have market adjustments but also have the same vehicles sitting on the lot for 2 months. They are also owned by the same person. I have a moral objection to getting a ‘21+ CX-9 from the local Mazda dealers that tried to charge so much for a head or engine replacement. I also accidentally mentioned the oil consumption TSB and my wife has vetoed another CX-9 for now. She wanted to look at Tellurides and Palisades until I let her know about the TSB for catching fire when put in park and the other one for being able to steal the vehicle with a screwdriver. So we are in a stalemate on new vehicle for now
 
Little update. I’ve tried sourcing the parts myself over the last couple days. Called 19 dealerships across the states and they either won’t sell one to me or cancel my order after I place it (for those without a number to call). One dealership let me know that Mazda has everyone on an LPO and they are only allowed one head per week. He also said he had 6 vehicles waiting for heads so it would be a couple months before he could order one for me. I don’t have the time to sit around for months without a trustworthy vehicle so I guess it’s time to explore getting a new one. Also of note, I cleaned off the underside of my vehicle and have had it idle for about two hours over the last few days, always getting to operating temperature, and the leak/burning coolant smell are no longer there. Not sure what happened.

On the new vehicle front, the two local Lexus dealers have market adjustments but also have the same vehicles sitting on the lot for 2 months. They are also owned by the same person. I have a moral objection to getting a ‘21+ CX-9 from the local Mazda dealers that tried to charge so much for a head or engine replacement. I also accidentally mentioned the oil consumption TSB and my wife has vetoed another CX-9 for now. She wanted to look at Tellurides and Palisades until I let her know about the TSB for catching fire when put in park and the other one for being able to steal the vehicle with a screwdriver. So we are in a stalemate on new vehicle for now
So based on the waitlist, it seems the engine coolant and head problem is more prevalent than they let on.. bad news for the rest of us....sounds like the tip of the iceberg.

Screwdriver theft ? Wow.
Well Insurance should cover any theft. Just check with dealer and see if that one vehicle can be oufitted with some sort of engine immobilizer and then get that one.
 
So based on the waitlist, it seems the engine coolant and head problem is more prevalent than they let on.. bad news for the rest of us....sounds like the tip of the iceberg.

Screwdriver theft ? Wow.
Well Insurance should cover any theft. Just check with dealer and see if that one vehicle can be oufitted with some sort of engine immobilizer and then get that one.

Waitlist could also just be due to part supply shortage. Meaning that they didn't stock a lot in their warehouses to start, and the backlog is because they can't get them made quickly enough due to the material/labour shortage. Who really knows.

Not like Nissan who had/has warehouses full of CVTs based on how often they had to replace them on recent models.
 
Little update. I’ve tried sourcing the parts myself over the last couple days. Called 19 dealerships across the states and they either won’t sell one to me or cancel my order after I place it (for those without a number to call). One dealership let me know that Mazda has everyone on an LPO and they are only allowed one head per week. He also said he had 6 vehicles waiting for heads so it would be a couple months before he could order one for me. I don’t have the time to sit around for months without a trustworthy vehicle so I guess it’s time to explore getting a new one. Also of note, I cleaned off the underside of my vehicle and have had it idle for about two hours over the last few days, always getting to operating temperature, and the leak/burning coolant smell are no longer there. Not sure what happened.

On the new vehicle front, the two local Lexus dealers have market adjustments but also have the same vehicles sitting on the lot for 2 months. They are also owned by the same person. I have a moral objection to getting a ‘21+ CX-9 from the local Mazda dealers that tried to charge so much for a head or engine replacement. I also accidentally mentioned the oil consumption TSB and my wife has vetoed another CX-9 for now. She wanted to look at Tellurides and Palisades until I let her know about the TSB for catching fire when put in park and the other one for being able to steal the vehicle with a screwdriver. So we are in a stalemate on new vehicle for now

I think you a blowing the Kia/Hyundai issues out of proportion just a bit. For one, Palisades/Tellurides come with push button start, so they can't be stolen using a USB cable or screwdriver. Also, the only fire issue I'm aware of is due to the trailer hitch wiring, which can be mitigated by pulling fuses. However, there is currently a stop sale order until they get a real fix, so even if your wife really wants one they aren't for sale at the moment.

The inventory of new cars is improving in some market segments but not all:

It seems like deals could be found on an Infiniti, a Volvo, a Lincoln, or almost anything made by Stellantis. Slim pickings, but desperate times...
 
I think you a blowing the Kia/Hyundai issues out of proportion just a bit. For one, Palisades/Tellurides come with push button start, so they can't be stolen using a USB cable or screwdriver. Also, the only fire issue I'm aware of is due to the trailer hitch wiring, which can be mitigated by pulling fuses. However, there is currently a stop sale order until they get a real fix, so even if your wife really wants one they aren't for sale at the moment.

Hyundai/KIA's recent recall history is eye-watering. 40+ page thread below.

 
The CX-9 Ultimate Grand Tourer has come to an end. After much pressure to find a new vehicle from my wife (fair, as I would also not want to be without a vehicle for very long), we bought a demo unit 2021 4Runner for $6k under MSRP with 2k miles on it. Old stock but the price was right. Replaced our 7 seat CX-9 with a 7 seat 4Runner. Third row is not as nice, but works for what we need. CX-9 smelled of burning coolant when we traded in but no leaks (weird right?). Dealership offered just under what we paid for it and lowered taxable amount so ended up being essentially a wash for the life of ownership.

This Mazda community is amazingly supportive and positive so I probably won’t leave completely. I would have preferred another CX-9 but an old drivetrain with proven reliability won out in the end. It is so boring to drive though 😂 Hoping I can get back in to a Mazda in the not too distant future. My wife is already talking about taking my 4Runner with the new tech and trading hers in for whatever I want. Will probably wait for the new CX-90 or get on that M3TH life unless life throws us a curveball.

As an aside, my SIL bought a new Kia Sportage against my recommendation and she has been back to the dealer a few times in her 10k miles of ownership so far for what I would call QC issues. Needless to say, I’m glad we are not in a Hyundai or Kia 😀

I’m rooting for Mazda in the next few years and really wish they had a solution for the oil consumption in the ‘21+. Hoping nobody else falls to the coolant leak but it sounds a bit more prolific than I first thought!
 
That's great news about getting the 4Runner under MSRP. That was one of the vehicles I was also considering when I bought my CX-9. In fact, it was also my first choice until I sat inside and drove the CX-9. I was going to get a Limited trim. After test driving the CX-9, I test drove the 4Runner just to be sure, and they definitely feel like totally different cars.

Hope everything goes well with the 4Runner!! I'm sure it'll be a problem-free experience.
 
That's great news about getting the 4Runner under MSRP. That was one of the vehicles I was also considering when I bought my CX-9. In fact, it was also my first choice until I sat inside and drove the CX-9. I was going to get a Limited trim. After test driving the CX-9, I test drove the 4Runner just to be sure, and they definitely feel like totally different cars.

Hope everything goes well with the 4Runner!! I'm sure it'll be a problem-free experience.
Yes.

The honda crv, Toyota 4 runner, nissan murano, Toyota rav4, Jeep... Nothing felt like the mazdas.

The small CX5 even felt more powerful than some of the v6. Went with a CX5 caused CX9 was too long. Just wish mazda didnt have the coolant/engine head problems. But otherwise nothing feels like a mazda. And it really goes since dropped to lightweight 16 inch wheels.

But the 4 runner does have the rear hatch sliding window so can haul long items and let them hang out back. One great feature that carmakers have removed from most vehicles. Had a rearhatch window that opened on my mariner. Miss that. Enjoy the rear window!
 
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Yes.

The honda crv, Toyota 4 runner, nissan murano, Toyota rav4, Jeep... Nothing felt like the mazdas.

The small CX5 even felt more powerful than some of the v6. Went with a CX5 caused CX9 was too long. Just wish mazda didnt have the coolant/engine head problems. But otherwise nothing feels like a mazda. And it really goes since dropped to lightweight 16 inch wheels.

But the 4 runner does have the rear hatch sliding window so can haul long items and let them hang out back. One great feature that carmakers have removed from most vehicles. Had a rearhatch window that opened on my mariner. Miss that. Enjoy the rear window!

Absolutely, the rear window and squared roofline are so valuable when carrying cargo. It makes the 4Runner so much more versatile.
 
Congrats on scoring the dinosaur. While mpg isn't the greatest, it's a very capable suv with strong resell and demand. Great choice!

And don't forget on the interwebs, no pics = it didn't happen
 
Congrats and I can't blame you considering the coolant/oil/cylinder head issues that have been discussed on the forum in detail. I drove a 4-Runner back in 2013 and it drove better than I would have expected but the poor mileage was a no-go. Considering the car market these days it sounds like you got a pretty good deal, enjoy.
 
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