Oil Change

Well, BMW oil change interval is long because they use full synthetic oil.
(used to own one)
Your Mazda (and mine) CX9 don't.
Mazda recommends 5000/7500 miles interval for oil change.
I stick with 5000 on the conservative side since a lot of my drives are very short.
Even if you use synthetic on the CX9 (half-blend or full), replace the oil before 7500 miles.
Otherwise, Mazda might not cover it with warranty if something goes wrong with the engine
after that.
Remember the Toyota oil sludge issue a few years back?
Back then, Toyota asked for maintenance records before engine with sludge problem was
covered for repair.
 
Never an issue going synthetic. Back in the day you were advised not to go from organic to synthetic or back the other way due to lack of better refinement for lack of a better term. I use the Mobil 1 and filter because Autozone gives a good deal. Instead of Mobil 1 oil and Fram filter ($50ish) I pay $29ish.
 
Did it last night. Went with the 5W-20 and filter from Mobil 1. Makes sense to put up $7 more for a top quality filter over a minimum of 6 months. I have not decided whether I will change the filter in 6 or 12.

Incidentally, on my past cars (one I still have), which were 1995 and 1996 Volvo 850 Turbos, I went synth from dino at about 100K miles. The engines were already leaking oil, and the synth did not make it worse, but I swear the engines felt better all around. From cold startup through normal temp and during hotter summer days. Personally, I am convinced it is not psychological, even with fresh dino juice. Synth is far better- period. I went back to dino at 195K miles for the 1996 and 245K for the 1995. I am pretty sure the dino juice is what did the 1996 engine in which is how I ended up here on Mazdas247.com. My 1995 has since gone back to Mobil 1.
 
Yup good combo. I've been running M1 5w-20 w/ the motorcraft filter and have been happy. The motorcraft filter is made by purolator to Ford's specs. It is the same as the OEM Mazda filter you would buy at the dealer. It probably isn't good for extended drains but works well for the 5K mi intervals I'm doing while under warranty.
 
I visited Oak Tree Mazda today for oil change.
$32.88 with coupon (from their website)
-$7 Mail-in-rebate (from Castrol with GTX 5W20)
=================
<$26 + TAX
Not a bad deal, right?
On top of that, OakTree Mazda gave it a very decent car wash.
(N-point inspection included - they gave me a full-inspection check list)

Next time, at 30K, I will do
- transfer case oil replacement (~$65)
- transmission fluid drain and refill (~$135)
in addition to the oil change.
These prices seem reasonable, but I definitely will find a 10%-15% off coupon.
 
Well, what do you think I should do....my CX-9 is at 62K miles but I dont know if the previous owner did any ATF servicing. If I do an ATF service will I run into transmission shock because the ATF may be so old that the trans is used to it that way and flushing/replacing with new clean ATF cause transmission problems?
 
Transmission shock is a fallacy. What causes the problem you're referring to is when a severely neglected transmission receives a flush, it loosens sludge that later travels through the transmission and plugs passages and in severe cases, cooler lines. The transmission dies from fluid starvation.
 
62K is not that old. And if, as I recall, the factory oil is synth, it should be fine to replace (if at all). From other vehicles, and other completely different transmissions, I have learned that changing the transmission fluid every 6 months-1 year can give a trans a much longer life.

If it is dino-juice (non-synth), then I would do it at least once a year. I hate that stuff.

How practical it is to change that often is quite another thing.
 
Cool, then I better let the experts do a drain (or pump) and refill. Just as an FYI the fluid Mazda uses for our CX-9's is none other then Motorcraft Mercon-SP part number #XT-6-QSP
 
I got the info on the Mercon-SP from my buddy that works at Riverside Mazda. Mercon-SP is not synthetic.

Also, it says: * Not recommend for CVT applications, Mercon SP, Ford Type F.

But our tansmissions are not CVT, they are conventional transmissions.
 
JWS3309 is not synthetic as I found out, which is even scarier since it is supposed to stay in your tranny for life-time. Can you believe that?!
Anyway, more reason to "drain and refill" the fluid.
My schedule is 30K-15K-15k..... for it.
It is true that a big portion is locked up in the torque converter.
Thru drain and refill frequently, eventually, you replace most of the fluid.
I'd stay with the same fluid though it seems that there are better kinds of fluid out there.
(exactly because if the dilution process)

In my old BMW (also life-time fluid), the fluid was synthetic, and there were four magnets at the floor plan to catch metal debris.

I agree with BlackCherry06, flushing the transmission accelerates the dislodging of metal debris. However, eventually they will cause problem anyway. Flushing the transmission is more like a stress test, which makes bad thing happens earlier only.

Anyway, my dealer only does drain and refill when I asked.
That is what I would do at 30K.
 
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