doubled the Mazda stable over the weekend - took delivery of 2011 CX9 AWD Touring

[c4racer]

Picked up a new 2011 CX9 AWD / touring over the weekend. Dolphin Gray / black. So far I'm pretty impressed with it.

I was looking for a car based mid-sized SUV with seating for 7 and good storage room that also was fun to drive and had good luxury appointments. CX9 was really the only one that fit all of those criteria! Acadia was really nice, but felt so huge and lumbering, and the Dodge Durango was questionable in terms of quality and how long it would stay together, plus had some ergonomic quirks and felt rather stale to drive too. Wife didn't want a Honda or Acura, and Toyota's are way too boring to me. The one that was closest was a used 2006-2008 Mercedes Benz R350, but I actually liked the way the Mazda drives better, plus I know it will give a lower cost of ownership over time. Wife also hates MBZ so that factored in.

We are replacing my beloved 2003 X5 4.6is, which is the hot rod of SUV's. Alpina tuned 340hp V8 and 5-speed transmission, sport suspension, 20" wheels with steamroller tires - 315's on the back!! It's a serious monster. But that was the main problem - the wife ends up driving the SUV more often than I do and that trend will continue with our oldest daughter getting her license this summer. So it was time to go for a more family oriented SUV and give up on my hot rod. I still have my 07 Corvette for truly fun driving anyway. The CX9 really makes a much better family vehicle, as much as the X5 is quite entertaining to drive! Anyway - it will be missed, but the CX9 fits our current overall family needs better.

Our daughter even drove it quite a bit this weekend - more than me actually - hey!! it was the first vehicle she has driven besides the wife's 03 Protege5 and she did very well adjusting to it. I never did let her drive the BEAST 4.6is...

We also bought the 03 Protege5 new and it has been a good little car. Has 140K miles on it now. Motor died at 120K due to a failed radiator, so replaced it with a $1K Japan take-out with 35K miles and never looked back. But couldn't part with it - wife really had bonded with it and we have two teenage drivers who will be sharing it with Mom.

 

[ceric]

Welcome to CX9 forum.

I had tons of issues with my old '98 BMW 540iA, mostly cooling system and thermo/cam sensors.
I don't think I will go back to BMW anytime soon.

Very happy with my CX9 after 3 1/2 yrs of ownership.
2 minor issues taken care of at oil changes.
Later model should be even more reliable, I suppose.

 

[c4racer]

Welcome to CX9 forum.

I had tons of issues with my old '98 BMW 540iA, mostly cooling system and thermo/cam sensors.
I don't think I will go back to BMW anytime soon.

Very happy with my CX9 after 3 1/2 yrs of ownership.
2 minor issues taken care of at oil changes.
Later model should be even more reliable, I suppose.

BMW's are simply not like Japanese cars. They require a lot more care and feeding. They are not for everybody. I really like them and I hope to keep at least one in the stable. Right now I have two which is probably flirting with trouble a bit too much. I can certainly handle 1 just fine. I would not own them if I could not do nearly all the wrenching tho - very expensive to maintain otherwise. But the overall driving experience is well worth it to me. Not to my wife tho - she doesn't care for them much. Like I said - not for everyone!

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

That's a nice 7 series. I've always liked BMW's but the cost of ownership kept me from pulling the trigger. That and the fact that they seem to be EVERYWHERE now. Mazda has done a nice job balancing driving enjoyment with long-term reliability and relative exclusivity. The CX-9 is my 7th Mazda in 22 years. Ironically many BMW loyalists say the new cars are a bit soft. Not sure if there's much truth in that. Funny Many Mazda loyalists feel the same way about the new 6. But I love mine just the same. Nice to hear your Protege ha become an integral part fo the family. Those little buggers go forever (barring radiator failures of course).

Good luck with the 9. Nice color BTW. We have a GT in Dolphin Gray. Very sophisticated color that tends to change with the light and angle.

 

[c4racer]

That's a nice 7 series. I've always liked BMW's but the cost of ownership kept me from pulling the trigger. That and the fact that they seem to be EVERYWHERE now. Mazda has done a nice job balancing driving enjoyment with long-term reliability and relative exclusivity. The CX-9 is my 7th Mazda in 22 years. Ironically many BMW loyalists say the new cars are a bit soft. Not sure if there's much truth in that. Funny Many Mazda loyalists feel the same way about the new 6. But I love mine just the same. Nice to hear your Protege ha become an integral part fo the family. Those little buggers go forever (barring radiator failures of course).

Good luck with the 9. Nice color BTW. We have a GT in Dolphin Gray. Very sophisticated color that tends to change with the light and angle.

I do think the new BMW's are too soft, and I think the new 3 is too soft compared to the Protege5, so I guess I'm in both loyalist camps on that subject! Ha. But I guess it's relative - not as soft as Toyota / Lexus or even Acura. We plan to test the theory on how far can a Protege run btw - especially when 35K mile motors are available for $1K shipped!!

The CX9 seems to have a nice ride while not being too floaty like the other cars I compared it against. Tho it sure is soft compared to my 4.6is. Again, all relative!

The dolphin gray is nice - looks a lot like Stealth Gray that I had on a 2005 CTSV and is also available on the GMC Denali's. In the garage it looks a lot like the Athracite on the 740, which is a darker gray with a hint of blue in it. But in the sun the green comes out a lot more in the dolphin. It suits the CX9 well, IMHO.

 

[table5511]

I used to covet the BMW E39, the E39 had the best models, whether 540 or M5. They just dont make em' like they used to. My brother-in-law's dad had a e39 M5 and I liked it much better than his current E60 M5. The E39 was just more of a "beast" in my opinion.

Welcome to the club!

 

[zoomzoom_fan]

Wecome to the forum.
BTW - is your car equipped with Navigation?

 

[ceric]

Forgot to mention that dolphin gray is such a nice color.
I wish they had that in 2008. I would have picked it over stormy blue mica.

 

[c4racer]

I used to covet the BMW E39, the E39 had the best models, whether 540 or M5. They just dont make em' like they used to. My brother-in-law's dad had a e39 M5 and I liked it much better than his current E60 M5. The E39 was just more of a "beast" in my opinion.

Welcome to the club!

agreed - I owned an E39 M5. Great car. I do miss it!! Not as much of a fan of the E60.

 

[c4racer]

Wecome to the forum.
BTW - is your car equipped with Navigation?

no nav, just has the moonroof / bose package which include back-up camera, and keyless entry / power liftgate. Those are the only two options. Sticker was $36K