Help me pimp my ride - 2017 Mazda CX-9

Hey there,

I am absolutely excited to be part of the Mazda family. I just got myself a 2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature Sonic Silver. This baby is perfect for all my future family road trips. And the best part? I already have some 22-inch chrome rims that are gonna look sick on this ride!

Now, here's where I need your input, folks. I was thinking of leaving the rims chrome, but I don't wanna look like I'm trying too hard to impress anyone (even though I totally am!). So, I'm gonna plasti-dip them, but I'm not sure what color would complement the car's current color.

Do you have any suggestions or examples of what colors might look dope on this ride? I'm open to anything, except flashy colors like red or neon. so hit me up with your wildest ideas! I promise to post some pics once I've made my decision. Thanks in advance, y'all!

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Not sure about plastidip simply because I've read about and seen way too many articles/videos that showed poor resistance to the elements. Looks good when new but hideous when it starts peeling. If you want something that will last much longer, consider powder coating. For reference, there's a place here in NJ that does tire dismount/mount + re-balance + powder coat in any color for about $150 per wheel. You shouldn't need to spend too far from that. Gun metal gray always looks good. Best of luck!
 
I agree with what @normandelli said. Applying plastidip or other similar products also probably won't hold up well on chrome, and it can also be very hard to remove in some cases. I would powdercoat the wheels if anything.

As far as colour goes, gunmetal gray is a very safe colour. I had a silver car and powdercoated the wheels on it a dark blue. I thought it looked alright, but I definitely prefer lighter colours over darker ones now.
 
Another agree. I've used Plastidip many times over the years (never on wheels) and it will eventually start chipping. You'll be having to do constant touchups. As mentioned, powder coat is the way to go.. And if you don't want to look like you are trying to over impress, gray or black are pretty much your best options.
 
Thank you all for the insights,

After reviewing Normandelli's powder coating option, it appears that their prices are quite affordable. However, as a Canadian/Quebec resident, I have found that prices in my area are significantly higher. Consequently, I intend to explore other alternatives, but if I cannot secure satisfactory prices, I may choose the hyper dip option instead only for this year. This is mainly due to Canada's brief summer season of only four to five months, and by law, winter tires must be installed by October/November. Therefore, I am not overly concerned about performing yearly touch-ups if they can last at least a summer.
 
Sounds like a plan. Post your pics when you have your new ride set up. Good luck and welcome to the forum!
 
Hmmm, I feel like a nice satin bronze finish would greatly complement the Sonic Silver Metallic paint. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try a satin finished jade green, which I think would look killer especially with white painted calipers.
 
CX9Bank,

Although powder coating costs may be higher where you are, they're always worth the cost. 😁

Seriously, should you ever go that route, one thing you can do is use Plasti-Dip to test a short list of colors you may be interested in to decide what shade looks best for your taste. Just make sure you lay it on thick so it's easier to peel and don't leave it on too long.

As gphin said, share the pics! 👍
 
Yo Bank,
To truly complete the “pimped ride” experience, you might start with reruns of 70’s cop shows like “Starsky and Hutch.”

Dudes like Huggie Bear sported most excellent threads for fashion ideas.
Fuzzy top hats, canes, multi-color patchwork ankle length coats, stack shoes, feathers etc. 😝

U might wanna stay away from places like Figueroa in L.A. or 14th Street in D.C. while cruzin’ 😎

Oh and install an 8 track

I know you're just playing off the thread title, but if you have any serious suggestions for the OP, I'm sure they'd love to hear them (y)
 
As opposed to what most have said here, plastidip last surprisingly well on wheels. The reason being that there is not a lot of impact. Plastidip on bumper, mirrors or roof = no. Plastidip on wheels. Yes. I have plastidip both cars and it held up more than 5 years on each. That photo was after 5 years of summer use (i had a set of winter wheels). No touch up.

However ! I don’t recommend it because it is a huge pain to keep clean. Even if you put their glossy coating on, it has a rubbery texture and the dust and dirt sticks to it really bad. Next time i would try the hyperdip instead since it i supposed to be smooth to the touch (but a bit harder to remove).

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Yo year 2000 called. JK I don't want to get banned.

Do you have pic of your 22s? I think the look of the wheel can impact the color choice. Like the open thin spoke design from above can pull color off much better than the fat spokes like the Edge.
 
Just saying the plastidip held ;) The OEM Ford wheels were far from nice. No offense taken, that car is long gone.

I agree that the wheel design should affect the color choice. I also find that the hardware behind the wheel affects it. Black wheel showcase the brake and caliper a lot better than bright silver ones. But the stock CX-9 disk brake hardware is pretty small for my taste, especially on 22’s and i think the calipers are not painted, so if my wheels would be very open i would use a brighter color on the CX-9, if my wheels have more of a closed design then a darker color would be fine.

In short, we need pics of the wheels.
 
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