Couple of Questions about CX-9 Touring Edition vs. GT

[Bruce Jones]

Hi All,

I am considering a 2012 CX-9 Touring edition and I have some questions:

1) My wife and I went for a test drive and appreciated the back up camera. But CNET says the camera is very poor in the rain & mist. What do you think?

2) What is the atvantage of the 20" tires in the GT edition? Handling?

3) We are looking at a Touring trim level with Moonroof/Bose, Roof Rails, etc. for $32,972 with $750 rebate and 0.0% financing. Good deal?

4) In the GT edition, how well does the blind-spot warning system work?

Thanks for your input!

-- Bruce

 

[tex2670]

I bought a GT in March--I really like it. As to your Q's:

1--I have to imagine that all back up cameras have reduced functionality in rain and mist--if the lens of any back up camera is wet with droplets of water, it's not going to be as clear.

2--I can't really say because I didn't drive any other CX-9 model. I can say that the GT drives so much better, smoother and quieter than my old Honda Pilot. I can't say that any of this relates to having 20" wheels, though.

3--I paid $34,299 for a GT, AWD, with moonroof, power liftgate, nav and roofrails; so I would have to think you could do a lot better.

4--The BSM works great. I read a lot of positive reviews about it, but didn't really factor it into my purchase. But it works like a charm, and isn't intrusive or annoying at all.

good luck.

 

[zoomzoom_fan]

Agree with tex2670. You should get much better deal on the Touring. 32k is OK, but I'm sure dealer still has room to move.

At first I thought the BSM was just another unnecessary gadget, like the tilting Navi screen , but once I started using it I just love it. It makes driving fun and a lot safer, it is not annoying at all. The basic idea is very easy - when the sensors detect a moving object in your blind spot a BSM light will illuminate in mirror's upper corner on the side where the object is detected. In addition the system will give you a warning signal when you turn the signal lever. The cool thing is that the system distinguishes between moving and stationary objects. For example if you drive close to a road barrier or parked cars the system will stay off.
I drove the base model once and initial dynamic was the main difference I noticed right away. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it seemed like the smaller wheels made it easier to accelerate. However the 20" wheels make the ride very smooth.
Myself, and probably most of the GT owners hate the Dueler tires. They are noisy and less durable that many other even less expensive equivalents.
The backup camera isn't any different from the one I have on my new Acura TL. Though I've heard the new models don't have the range lines on the screen, that's not good.
I had similar dilemma 2 years ago, spent $2,800 more for GT and don't regret it at all.
Good luck

 

[ceric]

zoomzoom_fan,
I think you gave too much credit to BSM.
It can't distinguish stationary from moving objects.
I got beeps at the turns from lamp posts and linked fences all the times
after I switched on the signal.

A couple reasons:
1) it is radar-based. So it only detects metal objects. Should there be a wood car (hypothetically)
BSM cannot see it at all. Or 100% fiberclass, for that matter.
2) it only activates when it hits 20mph. i.e. when you slow down, it deactivates to avoid annoying you.

Finally, I love BSM. The best $200(MSRP) I spent on any vehicle option.

Back in 2008 (4 years ago), I loved to show it off to MB/BMW/Lexus owners who sat in my
"cheap Mazda".

 

[HOLOHOLO]

I drove both and chose the loaded Touring, like you are considering. The GT is loaded with crap you might not want to pay for. On top of that, the AWD was pricey and I did not need it for roads in Hawaii. ;-)

The 20's are cool, but a harsher ride. Some folks regret this later. But combined with the AWD, it's the best, balanced, Zoom Zoom handling the SUV will get. (And the poorest mileage) Depends how you want to drive (and if you passengers want to be tossed around while feeling every road bump). Trade offs, right?

The camera and screen are better than most cars, but not the best. Keep the sunshade closed and you will see fine. At night it's fantastic.

The Bose sucks. The Sat radio does not work in the islands. BSM? Meh,... whatever happened to good mirrors!?

If you are paying invoice or less for the car, tricked out the way you want it, and they treat you with respect at the dealership, you have a win-win. Grinding the dealer down, or even making a spectacle in order to pay as little as possible for more car than you really need is a failed strategy, in my mind. Most Americans treat it as a game or a competition. It's not, it's a business deal. If the deal stinks, walk. The 0% Mazda financing is unbeatable! Just don't miss a payment.

Good luck Bruce. Hope you two find the car and the price that makes you happy.

 

[sts7049]

i didn't care so much for the harsher ride of the 20's, so i went with a touring myself. as for the camera, i haven't found the rain or mist to make it too unusable or anything. sure it gets water on it sometimes but for the most part it's fairly well shielded and works just fine.

 

[mzd]

I was quoted 28,500 for a Touring FWD without any add-on option and including 750 incentive, 500 current Mazda owner and 0% interest + tx & lic. I ended up getting the GT FWD with no added "crap options" for 2,000 more. For me, the GT gives a touch of luxury with some added extra such as HID, blind spot monitor, memory seat, keyless entry and keyless starting and some other little things like luminous dashboard etc. The 20" wheels look nice and make you feel good with its sporty handling, is a bit firm but does not feel that bad, especially for people in front and in second row seats. If I want, I can add a set of 18" aftermarket wheel and tire later on, but for now I enjoy the 20" just fine. Finding the GT FWD without any options added to the car is somewhat difficult as there are plenty of GT with either sunroof/bose, or navigation or rear entertaining system, and the dealer charges you a lot for these and some of them are not worth paying for.

 

[ceric]

Just want to add that,
It is not recommended to put on snow chains/cables on the 20".
Says so in OM.

 

[jbedoya]

For me the camera is very helpful. I typically park backward, so Camera fit comfortably in to the spaces, or even leave from tight parking spots on street I was much more use to square cars like the Jeeps, so Camera help me ensure I am not hitting anything with my curvy bumper, so far... success, not even a scratch. I actually would love to have front sensors as well (the Infinity J have both, all around camera and sensors... I am considering that one for my wife's car replacement)

BSM, is also helpful in my case, as - unfortunately - I do not always look over my shoulder before changing lanes. That feature become a must for me when we were considering choices and my wife almost crash a Mercedes R series which warn her before changing lanes .

 

[tex2670]

I drove both and chose the loaded Touring, like you are considering. The GT is loaded with crap you might not want to pay for. On top of that, the AWD was pricey and I did not need it for roads in Hawaii. ;-)

The 20's are cool, but a harsher ride. Some folks regret this later. But combined with the AWD, it's the best, balanced, Zoom Zoom handling the SUV will get. (And the poorest mileage) Depends how you want to drive (and if you passengers want to be tossed around while feeling every road bump). Trade offs, right?

The camera and screen are better than most cars, but not the best. Keep the sunshade closed and you will see fine. At night it's fantastic.

The Bose sucks. The Sat radio does not work in the islands. BSM? Meh,... whatever happened to good mirrors!?

If you are paying invoice or less for the car, tricked out the way you want it, and they treat you with respect at the dealership, you have a win-win. Grinding the dealer down, or even making a spectacle in order to pay as little as possible for more car than you really need is a failed strategy, in my mind. Most Americans treat it as a game or a competition. It's not, it's a business deal. If the deal stinks, walk. The 0% Mazda financing is unbeatable! Just don't miss a payment.

Good luck Bruce. Hope you two find the car and the price that makes you happy.

Not to get too far off topic, but buyers treat it as a game, or even a war, because that's what dealers have trained us to do. Throughout my CX-9 purchase process, every dealer warned "Be sure the quote you are getting from other dealers includes everything; we'll be here waiting if you find out it doesn't." I thought this was just standard high pressure tactics. Well, you know what? The best quote I had, from the dealer right down the road from my house, where I previously bought and serviced my Honda, did EXACTLY that--once I was ready to buy, the "quote" I had didn't include options I wanted, and factored in rebates that I didn't qualify for--even though I sat across from the salesman's desk, with my email print out of the "price", and him confirming it. So--I would not assume that the dealer will treat me with respect; I will approach them skeptically.

 

[mzd]

In general, the CX-9s usually come with option(s) already installed in Japan, so when you get a quote from dealer for a particular model, the price often includes installed options such as sunroof/bose stereo or rear entertainment system, etc., salesman just cannot quote you the price of a particular car with vin# that lists everything that come with the car and then tell you that the quoted price does not included added option. At least in my case, it was how I bought my car, and everything dealer quoted was in writing. In today's market, more things are dealt with and bought on line, so companies are more afraid of bad publicities, and so they won't double talk the deal if it is in writing. One thing we as potential buyers need to do is to clarify everything in writing and we should read carefully every line of conversation over the deal and ask the dealer to explicitly explain everything before you go to see the car. Things like whether the price is for cash or with financing with the dealer at what %, whether it includes incentives or not etc. in writing. The dealer I bought my car quoted me with two prices: one with financing and one if I pay cash. And the price is before tax, title and license fee. Nothing else added to that. When I went to pick up the car, it took about 1/2 hour for test drive and walk through and 1 hour to do paperwork. Nothing else is discussed regarding price because everything was agreed upon. It was so easy to buy a car that way.

 

[ceric]

Amen to that ^.
Last time I bought a vehicle from a floor salesperson was in 1997.

 

[tex2670]

In general, the CX-9s usually come with option(s) already installed in Japan, so when you get a quote from dealer for a particular model, the price often includes installed options such as sunroof/bose stereo or rear entertainment system, etc., salesman just cannot quote you the price of a particular car with vin# that lists everything that come with the car and then tell you that the quoted price does not included added option. At least in my case, it was how I bought my car, and everything dealer quoted was in writing. In today's market, more things are dealt with and bought on line, so companies are more afraid of bad publicities, and so they won't double talk the deal if it is in writing. One thing we as potential buyers need to do is to clarify everything in writing and we should read carefully every line of conversation over the deal and ask the dealer to explicitly explain everything before you go to see the car. Things like whether the price is for cash or with financing with the dealer at what %, whether it includes incentives or not etc. in writing. The dealer I bought my car quoted me with two prices: one with financing and one if I pay cash. And the price is before tax, title and license fee. Nothing else added to that. When I went to pick up the car, it took about 1/2 hour for test drive and walk through and 1 hour to do paperwork. Nothing else is discussed regarding price because everything was agreed upon. It was so easy to buy a car that way.

So true--but, the sad fact it, there are many people who do not buy this way. I was talking to a neighbor about my purchase process--this guy is a VP of finance at a major nationally-known company. He had no idea you could go on line, request quotes, and deal with sales people without ever going into the dealer until you pick up the car. I was shocked.

 

[Bruce Jones]

Thanks for your input. You really helped me make an informed decision.

I did some more searching of the local dealer inventory and found a GT CX-9 in copper red (my wife's fav) with the liftgate, bose/moonroof, and 6 CD changer BUT WITHOUT the Nav and rear DVD packages. The last two options make no sense to us with iphones and ipads. It also made the upgrade very affordable.

Perfect for us. Thanks everyone!

 

[HOLOHOLO]

Hard to find them like that, Bruce. Well done.