08 CX9 is the worst automobile I have owned

[Lovers]

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned (I have bought my wife 9 new cars). 2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles. Brakes squeak horribly when backing up – long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

The interior (although the silver plastic under the front doors handles scratch easily) is decent, and the appearance is good.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.

[hamproof]

You'll do much better in a Buick Enclave if you are still looking for a 3 row.

On the same sentiment, MPG is really bad. But some folks here seem to get 22-24mpg w/o much effort. Go figure. I'm around 18mpg. Not complaining coz' I knew that going in. City is around 16mpg for me.

Ride is harsh with those 20" on bad Michigan roads, but someone said the ride is plush compared to his Bimmer. On smooth hwy roads, it is decent. On our piss poor Michigan roads, you can feel every single imperfection. A bit too much in my opinion.

Steering wheel does lock up once in a while, but I think that's coz' you jiggle/wiggle it right after you stop the engine. At least that's the case for me. Just apply pressure to turn the wheel while turning the "fake" key knob will usually fix this.

Remote control is indeed a joke. So much so I don't even use it. I carry it with me and press the door unlock button when I'm at the door. Many times I try to unlock the hatch using the remote, but it takes so many presses to unlock all the doors first before I can unlock the hatch that I'm already at the car by that time.

Interior is ok say compared to the Highlander or Pilot, but 08 could have used a trip computer no doubt. How could you not for a vehicle that cost $40k MSRP (GT AWD with Assist and Moonroof package).

Can't say much about the brakes. Usually these are wear and tear items. Not likely they'll be covered under the 3/36 warranty. If they are, usually case by case basis.

Now is not a good time to sell a gas guzzler.

[ceric]

Lovers,
Maybe you should tell us what are other "better vehicles" you have owned before...

[Stealth01]

We've had nothing but problems with our 07, too. Same problem with the brakes. Dealer "fixed" it, but now it's happening again. Brake heat shields bending. Weather stripping coming off. Windows that won't go up all the way because molding is crooked. Splines clicking when they shouldn't. All kinds of crap.

For the first year, my wife LOVED her CX-9. Said it was the first car she'd ever LOVED. Now, at the 2 year point, she HATES it. We'll be paying it down as much as possible by the end of the factory warranty, then trading it on something else. Very disappointing vehicle so far.

[Force-1]

Is there anyone here other than me who really doesn't care about the MPG? I've only checked mine a few times, out of curiosity, when I took long road trips. Other than that I never check, and don't care--just fill her up when needed.

If I cared about MPG I would have bought some POS hybrid.

[chiurw]

Is there anyone here other than me who really doesn't care about the MPG? I've only checked mine a few times, out of curiosity, when I took long road trips. Other than that I never check, and don't care--just fill her up when needed.

If I cared about MPG I would have bought some POS hybrid.

Agree with you there. I too checked out of curiosity but my first criteria in purchasing a crossover SUV was the people/cargo carrying capacity. Fuel economy did not enter into the equation. If fuel economy was the priority, then I would have purchased a hybrid or some other econobox.

As for the harsh ride, you should have purchased the Sport or Touring version with the 18" wheels instead of the GT with the 20" wheels. Motor Trend mentioned that the ride comfort was better on the other two models.

[vikefan7]

Yeah, I was a little surprised by the mpg's at first, but I don't let it bother me. It's a 4600 pound CUV so I wasn't expecting it to get the mpg's of a sedan. You won't find much better in any other vehicle with the people carrying capacity unless you go to a minivan. And neither my wife or I would be caught dead driving a minivan.

[Stealth01]

MPGs don't bother me. Actually not much worse than I get with my MS6, and better than we get in the grand cherokee.

And OUR CX-9 (Sport, 18-inch wheels) rides NICE. WHen it's not in the shop.

[wakblak]

To each his own opinion.
The remote is not that good, but the ability to push a button and open the door works for me just as well.
The gas mileage is as stated.
Never had a problem with the steering wheel.
20 inches will be harsher

[CX9 SportOwner]

We absolutely love our CX9. Ride, handling, performance, comfort, features are all great. Fantastic car.

If we cared that much about MPG we would have kept or CR-V. The driving experience alone is worth the reduction in mileage, but surprisingly, it's not much lower than the CR-V.

I still don't think it's a bad car because I have to press a button to engage certain functions. I still have to put my key in the door of my truck to unlock it, and turn hand cranks to operate the windows. Yikes!

[The-9]

Is there anyone here other than me who really doesn't care about the MPG? I've only checked mine a few times, out of curiosity, when I took long road trips. Other than that I never check, and don't care--just fill her up when needed.

If I cared about MPG I would have bought some POS hybrid.

I'm with ya Bro.!!


I own vehicles to own them and not worry about the best possible mpg I can get. How much savings per year is 1,2 or even 4 mpg? I spend more on toilet paper in a month (nailbyt)

And it is all about how you drive! Not so much the vehicle is not capable of advertise MPG because it is. I can take my SRT10 on a highway 100 mile ride and get 15-16mpg if I wanted to but it ain't fun. So getting around 13mpg on the highway makes me smile and 9mpg city makes me smile even more.

[The-9]

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned (I have bought my wife 9 new cars). 2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles. Brakes squeak horribly when backing up – long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

The interior (although the silver plastic under the front doors handles scratch easily) is decent, and the appearance is good.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.



By Chrysler.. Be Happy(idhitit)

[The-9]

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned (I have bought my wife 9 new cars). 2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles. Brakes squeak horribly when backing up – long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

The interior (although the silver plastic under the front doors handles scratch easily) is decent, and the appearance is good.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.



14 months of being abused by Mazda and the CX9 (dunno)

Go figure... (killit)(killit)(killit)


I think your the dumb ass who has kept the vehicle for that long so deal with it. And don't give me any shit about not being able to get rid of it either! You could afford to buy your wife 9 new vehicles since you have been married then you can afford to get rid of it..

[semrz1]

I felt sorry for this guy having problems with his CX-9.
When i bought 2007 model in Saudi, the only issue i had was the annoying buzzing alarm at 120 km/h and the speed delimiter 160km. Never had a single problem with that model. I left Saudi in 2008, and bought 2008 model in my home country. The only issue i had faced was the front rotor warping, but Mazda agent replaced both including brake pads since it is under warranty. Mileage wise, don't feel any pinch because gas is cheap here, about US$0.30 per liter. (yippy)
So, I'm going to continue having fun with my ride and hope no annoying issue pop up.

[badself]

I think your the dumb ass who has kept the vehicle for that long so deal with it. And don't give me any shit about not being able to get rid of it either! You could afford to buy your wife 9 new vehicles since you have been married then you can afford to get rid of it..

I've had my share of grief dealing with Mazda as well. Guess I'm a "dumb ass" too. Luckily, I don't resort to mud slinging when somebody puts down the car I bought, and the exact moment I unload it is my business and not that of some nobody banging away his or her frustrations on a keyboard.

I don't like the taste of the hater's post, either, but I will fight for the person's right to post their honest experience. This is the first and last time I'll be posting to your "opinion", for lack of a better word.

[Stealth01]

Agreed. The guy had a bad experience with Mazda and his CX-9. Doesn't mean he needs to be insulted. Ours has been horrible on reliability, and while our dealer has been good about TRYING to fix it, they can only do so much.

Chill out, The-9.

[The-9]

I've had my share of grief dealing with Mazda as well. Guess I'm a "dumb ass" too. Luckily, I don't resort to mud slinging when somebody puts down the car I bought, and the exact moment I unload it is my business and not that of some nobody banging away his or her frustrations on a keyboard.

I don't like the taste of the hater's post, either, but I will fight for the person's right to post their honest experience. This is the first and last time I'll be posting to your "opinion", for lack of a better word.


Some 1st timer comes on this board and slings crap about the vehicle so I sling some back. Whoopie... I wonder why his wife owned 9 new vehicles since they got married? Probably hated everyone and this one is no different. How do we know the way this person drives? Maybe like an idiot or maybe like a grandma. How do we know this vehicle is kept in good working order? I have seen people buy cars and a year later they look 5 years old or worse. Maybe that is why the factory rep rejected the brake fix request??


When he wrote his post, it became anyone's business so me telling him when to get rid of it was on point (mj)
Drill into what the guy writes and you may come back with a different opinion then you have now. (yes)

And for the OP, if this is reality you write, stop taking it up the ass and get of the ride. You got the coin so do it now and stop whining which I bet you have since day one.

[The-9]

Agreed. The guy had a bad experience with Mazda and his CX-9. Doesn't mean he needs to be insulted. Ours has been horrible on reliability, and while our dealer has been good about TRYING to fix it, they can only do so much.

Chill out, The-9.

I'm chilled. There are ways to post 1st time on a forum and he did not quite meet expectations. (shocked)

No asking for help, just condemning the vehicle and Mazda and showing the stupidity of keep the vehicle all this time when he has the change. Now I will say if he has been married for 45 years then maybe every 5 he gets his wife a new car but even then, he is doing OK and losing a couple of grand to get rid of a lemon should not be out of the question. But maybe he likes abuse from Mazda and the CX9, hell for 14 months he is obviously beaten up daily by it so a little smack from me should be no surprise (enguard)

[nyc1dxo]

I just came off a 1000 mile trip. Prior results was 17 MPH with alot of city driving. This trip gave me on average 22.3 MPH. One tank resulted in a 24.1 MPH. I was happy with my highway results. BTW, the ride was smooth!!

2009 CX-9 GT AWD

[Stealth01]

I just came off a 1000 mile trip. Prior results was 17 MPH with alot of city driving. This trip gave me on average 22.3 MPH. One tank resulted in a 24.1 MPH. I was happy with my highway results. BTW, the ride was smooth!!

2009 CX-9 GT AWD

Yeah, the ride of the CX-9 is exceptional, and the mileage was never a big issue for us. We were going to drive it to AZ soon, but I'm not sure I trust its reliability at this point.

[KRM9]

Aside from some complications with the navi, my overall experience so far has been pretty good with my '09 GT.

[Stealth01]

Aside from some complications with the navi, my overall experience so far has been pretty good with my '09 GT.

Our problems didn't start until the 2-year point. But we're a first-model-year car, too.

[tunersteve]

Wow, this thread went nowhere fast.

While I respect the man's gripes, I feel like there's more to this story than we're hearing. If the regional manager denied your request, why didn't you challenge it with Mazda a step higher? Seems like a legit complaint and something that needs to be addressed.

Second, coming onto an enthusiast board and whining and taking it seems like the wrong thing to do. Instead, be open to some suggestions and respect everyone on here. Your rant for a first post wasn't a smart move.

Sounds like, as with any model, the first year is prone to problems. If possible avoid them like the plague. You've got a warranty for a reason, and if they fail to honor it repeatedly, there are things called 'lemon laws' for a reason.

[ceric]

My suggestion to OP is
If you want a reliable and boring CUV, buy the Highlander. It gives you better MPG also.
If you want more utilities, buy the Pilot. It it as reliable as Highlander.
If you enjoy handling (and if you can afford it), buy a BMW X5 or Acura MDX.
The CX9 is simply the best mix of all aspects mentioned above at an affordable price.

IMHO, the problems the OP mentioned are relatively minor issues.
A good dealer would have taken care of those easily. 1st-year model comes with such
small issues (running changes as they like to call those).

My old '98 BMW 540iA got me stranded twice (actually three times, if you count limpping home in safe mode as one also). Now those ticked me off with the $55K I spent on it, not to mentioned other 20 issues I counted before I gave up counting.... Worst vehicle I ever owned, reliability-wise.

[Stealth01]

Second, coming onto an enthusiast board and whining and taking it seems like the wrong thing to do. Instead, be open to some suggestions and respect everyone on here. Your rant for a first post wasn't a smart move.

So we're not supposed to rant because this is an "enthusiast" board and everyone's too sensitive to accept criticism of the car? Gimme a break. Let's look at the OP's complaints:

2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles.

OK, his mileage is fairly average for an American driver.

Brakes squeak horribly when backing up –

KNOWN ISSUE. This is NOT something new and is a valid complaint. We've had the same issue on our 2007 and all the brake TSBs that were covered by our warranty (since Mazda USA SUCKS at fixing known problems after a year) didn't fix it.

long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)


Sounds like he got a lemon of a dealership too. So on top of an unreliable SUV, he's getting the run-around by Mazda too. Another VALID complaint.

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

Another known issue and another valid complaint. And a safety issue.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

Sounds a bit whiny there.

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

We haven't had a problem with mileage, but if you want good mileage, don't get an AWD SUV that weighs 4400 pounds.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

I agree with this statement, but that's only because the CX-9 is not made for off-roading. It is a SPORT utility vehicle, designed for ROADS.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.

My wife says the same thing. She LOVES her CX-9, but HATES the fact that we cannot rely on it to remain trouble-free for more than a month or so. So I sympathize with the OP.

Sounds like, as with any model, the first year is prone to problems. If possible avoid them like the plague. You've got a warranty for a reason, and if they fail to honor it repeatedly, there are things called 'lemon laws' for a reason.

Except the 2008 is not a first model year. 2007 was. And lemon laws are VERY specific in most states and almost impossible to take advantage of.

[tunersteve]

So we're not supposed to rant because this is an "enthusiast" board and everyone's too sensitive to accept criticism of the car? Gimme a break. Let's look at the OP's complaints:

I merely said that ranting to an enthusiast site isn't the brightest thing to do. Most of it has to do with tone. Your first post being an all out bitch fest isn't going to sit well with most people, and it was just friendly advice. Personally, sharing experiences (both good and bad) about your car is the reason we have these forums.


Except the 2008 is not a first model year. 2007 was. And lemon laws are VERY specific in most states and almost impossible to take advantage of.

I was unsure of the first model year, but the point I'm trying ot make here is quite simply know what you're able to do with the car and the legal options you may have. Ranting on here won't fix the car. Sell it or go and fight to get it fixed. If you've come here to look for sympathy, you've come to the wrong place.

[1sty]

I have to think that Lover just bought the wrong car for what he really wants.The CX-9 is marketed as a performance SUV not an economical family hauler. If your not an enthusiast, DO NOT BUY THIS SUV!


1. Any car with 20" wheels will be a harsh ride.
2. I have to agree with Lover, Mazda as a collective whole is by far the worst car company when it comes to dealing with customer complaints and issues. If you are used to Toyota or Honda levels of service, Mazda will likely be a culture shock. Where other brands have a few bad dealer service departments here and there, Mazda only has a few good ones.
3. If you get more then 20 mpg in a full size, 3 row SUV with massive 20" rims and a big V6 motor....consider yourself lucky or go back to school for basic multiplication and division as you are NOT getting what you are calculating. The pilot or highlander V6 engines only get a little better MPG. May I suggest a sedan, minivan, or Rav4?
4.The bad remote I can not comment on, I never used it. If range is the problem, try holding it under your chin...believe it or not, you can add some serious range doing this on most remotes.

There is no free lunch in this world. To get one thing, you have to give up something else. Want big ass shiny wheels, you are going to loose comfort and MPG. Want better MPG you are going to loose heavy accessories, sound deadening, or power.

If everyone could just cut each other some slack now and again when it comes to both complaints with a vehicle or with their affection for one we would have a much nicer community here.

[The-9]

OMG was I just a wee rough on the OP (smash)

Must be all those megs I take (hand)

[badself]

I have to agree with Lover, Mazda as a collective whole is by far the worst car company when it comes to dealing with customer complaints and issues. If you are used to Toyota or Honda levels of service, Mazda will likely be a culture shock. Where other brands have a few bad dealer service departments here and there, Mazda only has a few good ones.


Ain't that the ****i** truth. I'm just starting to step up my efforts in dealing with North American Mazda after going through two dealers to no avail. I may not get satisfaction, but at least I'll know I did everything possible up to and including legal action.

The next time I sign on the dotted line, the name Mazda will be nowhere on the contract. Screw me once Mazda, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.

[Stealth01]

I am SO lucky to have a great dealer service department. Without them, I wonder if any of this stuff would ever have been fixed at all. Mazda's GOT to get better about several things, IMHO.

1. They have to improve customer service and start being proactive on service issues. Their cars aren't perfect -- time to admit that and move on.

2. Warranty. 3 years/36K miles is WAY below the current industry standard and a COMPLETE vote of NO-CONFIDENCE in their cars by Mazda NA. Should be 5 year 50K miles with a 100K mile powertrain warranty.

3. They need to break the 300HP barrier. Either with the next MS6 or the MS3. Or the RX-8. Something. But that's a separate issue. :)

That said, I just washed the 9, got it all pretty for the wife (who's out driving the Grand Cherokee right now), and when I pulled it back into the garage and turned off the key, guess what happened? Yep. A/C fan came on. As soon as i re-started the engine, it turned off and did not come back on the second time I shut down.

[Force-1]

My CX-9 hasn't been the greatest when it comes to reliability, but I really do enjoy it. On the plus side, it's leased, so I will hand the keys back to Mazda in Nov 2010.

If I can just get the Bridgestone tires to last that long.....http://images.zaazu.com/img/goodluck-goodluck-luck-clover-smiley-emoticon-000671-large.gif

[o.c.cx9]

Decided to sell my 2008 grand touring AWD with new Mich tires and only 14000 miles.

Looking at the Acura TL Sh AWD. Yes going back to a sedan because my wife has a very reliable Honda Pilot.

Yes gas mileage sucks around town, but it's still a gook looking SUV.

To all who love the "9", good luck, I did for a while.

Time to move on.

Regards

[ceric]

I love my CX9 after 1yr 8mons and 19K miles. Still feels rock solid (always garaged, though).
1 minor assembly issue, and 3 TSBs corrected at oil changes.

[CX9 SportOwner]

I am wondering how many of the complaints are actually with dealers, and not Mazda corporate. People get crapped on by a dealer and tell others how the maker of the car treated them badly, which isn't accurate.

The relative problems I've had with our CX9, and all my other Mazdas were always taken care of, if not my the dealer, then by Mazda once they got involved.

On the other hand, Honda corporate tried very hard to make us pay for a expensive repair that they chose to ignore, and in many cases with other owners, they succeeded.

I'd like to see more specific details about what MAZDA did or did not do, and which issues were dealer related. Saying Mazda sucks because they didn't fix something is unfair. The dealers do the repairs, not Mazda. I had dealer problems with my two noises until Mazda got involved and made sure they got resolved. They have also been proactive about making sure the other minor issues with our car were taken care of.

IF Mazda did a poor job, then they deserve the criticism.

It's too bad lemons exist.

[The-9]

2. I have to agree with Lover, Mazda as a collective whole is by far the worst car company when it comes to dealing with customer complaints and issues. If you are used to Toyota or Honda levels of service, Mazda will likely be a culture shock. Where other brands have a few bad dealer service departments here and there, Mazda only has a few good ones.



No offense but you are living in a cave if you think Mazda is the worst.

Chrysler exceeds anyone's dreams of being the worst.

[WaxiP5]

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned (I have bought my wife 9 new cars). 2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles. Brakes squeak horribly when backing up – long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)

Do you drive in R all the way through? You back up maybe 10-20 feet in about what, 5-10 seconds? You might have dirty pads, try cleaning them, then re-bed.

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

You are maybe one of those who park with wheels turned all the way L or R. Try parking with your front wheels straight and give a bit more space between you and the next car.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

This happened to ours after 1 year of ownership, seems the remote is power hungry. Get new batteries...CR2025

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

Looks like someone did not do their homework nor read the Monroney label http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Miscellaneous/MonroneySticker.htm
Get a hybrid.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

Get a hybrid Caddy.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.

Make sure you research before buying.

[CX9 SportOwner]

See guys? I'm not the only one who thinks people need to apply a bit more common sense before buying and driving a car. Thanks for your insights, WaxiP5

Buy a 4500lb performance SUV and complain about MPG? Weird

Firm performance oriented suspension and don't like the ride? I love the firmer ride, personally, but then I'm a driver, not just a semi-active passenger like Cadillac owners.Leaving the tires cranked over and have to wiggle the wheel to unlock? Every car does that. GMs are less prone becasue of the sloppy play in their steering systems.

Remotes do not have tiny nuclear power plants. You do need to change the battery sometimes.

Environmental conditions affect brakes. Rain, puddles, etc can cause squeaking, which is not a warranty problem. It's rust and grime and brake dust on your pads and clips. Wash the car thoroughly. If it continues, clean the pads and clips and reassemble with anti squeal compound. Mazda also won't replace your gas because the car burned it in the engine.

Worst? Not even close. How about the paint falling off of GM and Chrysler cars, and they did nothing to fix it? SOP for those companies. And Honda making CR-V owners pay for a new head assembly because HONDA didn't want to amend the owners manual valve adjustment schedule.

"We bought this blue car and my wife HATES the color. Damn you Mazda!!"

[FORZDA 1]

This is the worst automobile I have ever owned (I have bought my wife 9 new cars). 2008 CX9 Grand Touring, 14 months old, 24k miles. Brakes squeak horribly when backing up – long story short – CSR at Mazda said no problem, will fix it, regional manager turned down request (had 13k miles – you should see the look on peoples faces when I tell them the denial story – bad PR move – Mazda)

The steering wheel “locks up” have been told several times to “wiggle it” – it eventually works, however, I would not like to depend upon this car in any type of emergency.

The remote controls are a joke – have to point it from the front of the car to have limited success.

The gas mileage is pathetic – I know why Mazda did not put a mpg reader in this POS.

Rides ok on a smooth road, although it rides, and sounds, horrible on a rough road.

The interior (although the silver plastic under the front doors handles scratch easily) is decent, and the appearance is good.

My wife and I discussed this car last night – she stated that she “hates it” so I will be looking for a new car soon, and not looking forward to taking a financial hit.

Too bad for you. I like my 2008 GT quite a lot and have none of the problems you mentioned. I own 5 Mazdas and they're all built with "Zoom Zoom" included rather than a plush ride and high fuel mileage. Do your research before spending your money.... It does seem odd that your one (and only one) post has generated so much crap posting from the crowd here. Oh well....

[Force-1]

I love the firmer ride, personally, but then I'm a driver, not just a semi-active passenger like Cadillac owners.

http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:forums.corvetteforum.com/get/images/smilies/toetap05.gif

[tx9]

Sounds like a case of bad luck or maybe I just got lucky. Other than oil and cabin filter changes, I haven't had any issues with my 9 after 24,000 miles of "spirited" driving. I prefer to drive German cars, however, my previous Audi and BMW left me standed far too many times so I decided to go with the zoom zoom which has worked out well. Try the Audi CUV, your wife will no doubt love the style and dealership pampering.

[SeCX-9]

After 15 months and 22K miles in my AWD GT and none of the problems this guy complains about. One minor gasket leak in transaxial, a broken gas cap teather and a few TSBs (silver paint pieces) is all I can complain about (knock on fake wood on the console). All fixed quickly, happily and without question by my local Mazda service department (Sentry West Mazda).

Just drove from Central MA down the length of Cape Cod this weekend and averaged about 20MPG. If you've ever driven the cape, you know how bad the traffic is during inflow, outflow and everywhere inbetween during the weekends.

It's not the quietest ride or the most luxurious ride or have the fastest pickup (except with manual) or best navigation system but it's held out good for me so far. As a backup, I invested in the extended warranty for bumper to bumper protection so there are no surprises later.

Even went so far as to let the wife buy a CX-7 last month based on this cars history.

[CX9 SportOwner]

5 Mazdas and not one ever stranded me.

[kosh2258]

Compared to the POS Grand Cherokee I owned prior to the CX9 this thing is golden. No question, my wife is a lot happier with it. Yes, the CX9 has some short comings but it's by no means the worst thing out there.

[cccx9]

1 year 1 month and 20K miles on the 08 CX-9 AWD. I'm getting exactly the MPG I thought I would when I researched it. 18 MPG combined. Got 22 MPG on long trip on I95.

Only issue is warped brake rotors which seem to happen on more cars than not these days. I've had the throttle issue once but it hasn't returned.

Other than that, rock solid. Everything is as expected. I find if you research and read review articles about the vehicle you're interested in then there aren't many surprises.

[not_too_shabby]

1 year 1 month and 20K miles on the 08 CX-9 AWD. I'm getting exactly the MPG I thought I would when I researched it. 18 MPG combined. Got 22 MPG on long trip on I95.

Only issue is warped brake rotors which seem to happen on more cars than not these days. I've had the throttle issue once but it hasn't returned.

Other than that, rock solid. Everything is as expected. I find if you research and read review articles about the vehicle you're interested in then there aren't many surprises.

I would love to get 18MPG combined. I'm lucky to get 16MPG combined at that is with 2/3 of my daily commute on the highway.

[The-9]

people need to realize gas mileage is relative to how you drive. Period.

[ceric]

I think we should all relax now.
The OP "Lovers" is probably never coming back.

[j30]

Have to chime in on Mazda service.....CRAP! (2007 touring) Had creaking clanking, crunching noises coming from right front side when it hits dips or up embankments first. I thought it has to be strut, bushings, crossarm, etc. The first time at dealer they lubed it...WTF. Noise came back immediately so I drove it some more and noise got worse and now clicking noises as well. 2nd time back to dealer they stopped the clicking noises only. I went back a third time and they said it was strut mount. They fixed it and now quiet.
Then same exact noises on left front. I have now had that side done twice and still have noises. WTF, it seems like I've been there 5 times for the same problem. And according to my work invoices they replaced the exact same strut mount parts both times on the left front. I find that HIGHLY unlikely. New parts don't go bad in a matter of weeks. I now will bring it back for a third time for this side to be fixed. I guess third time is the charm for them even when they know what the problem is. I'm beginning to think they are like the health insurance companies "deny all claims". Unless the customer keeps bringing it back. My warranty runs out soon so I definitely want this fixed. First time Mazda buyer, last time Mazda buyer. .02 cents.

[CX9 SportOwner]

You will find lousy service with every car make. Unless the maker is jerking you around, I wouldn't give up on them. Mazda still makes a better product than most, in my opinion.
I went round and round with my front end creaking and groaning and clicking until Mazda stepped in and got me an appointment with our original dealer to try again. THEN the dealer was more than cooperative and got the problems fixed. Turned out to be almost nothing, even though it sounded like the car was falling apart.

Remember, dealers are independent from the manufacturers.

[ceric]

My reaction to bad dealer service has always been "go to another one."

[j30]

I went round and round with my front end creaking and groaning and clicking until Mazda stepped in and got me an appointment with our original dealer to try again. THEN the dealer was more than cooperative and got the problems fixed. Turned out to be almost nothing, even though it sounded like the car was falling apart.

Remember, dealers are independent from the manufacturers.

I'm VERY curious to find out what the "almost nothing" was and what did they do/replace to fix it? Please let me know. Thanks.

[ceric]

I once had a piece a metal trapped between brake pad and rotor in my BMW.
It sounded like the brake is shot. Once the piece of metal was off, all went back to normal.
That is "almost nothing" in my case.

You know that dealers are very reluctant to track down noises problem because
- it takes time
- you CAN'T really charge customers a lot for doing that (they scream at you!)
The most common way is to brush it off, "it is normal", "they all do that"...
All dealers of all brands are similar when it comes to diagnosing noises problem.
Be patient. If dealers refuse to help, like SportOwner did, go up the chain to corporate Mazda and
raise your case there.

[CX9 SportOwner]

My clicking was the front left hub spline. Just needed a bit more grease.

The creaking and groaning under slow compression (speed bumps, braking, etc) was the upper stop bushings on the struts. He put heavy dielectric grease on the shafts and slid the bushings back down. Problem solved. If you have the same problem you can do it yourself with a packet of dielectric grease from your parts store.

It sounded like the front end was falling off, but it was all noise from the stops rubbing instead of sliding and the sound resonating through the body. No harm at all.

The frustrating thing was the 2 trips to our local dealer, and 3 trips to Phoenix (200 miles round trip) with parts replacement and I still had the noises. After Mazda stepped in and got me the appointment with the local dealer again, a different tech took me for a drive and immediately identified both noises the moment he heard them. Fixed in less than an hour with no parts.

Worst car? Not even remotely close. Best car I've ever owned, both for fun, function, and quality.

[NWCX9]

I'm willing to bet many of issues communicated on this forum are a small sample representation of quality issues happening with the CX9 and are in no manner a true reflection of the quality of this automobile (check all the major auto reviews documented out there). Even if 5% of the overall CX9 owners have serious quality issues that still means you have 95% of the owners who don't right?

Being a manufacturing engineer I can tell you its not uncommon for a major car producer or manufacture to have up to 5% quality control issues escape the production line (to to defects or design flaws before corrected) given the shear volume of units being produced/sold world wide. That would equate to potentially hundreds or thousands of units (depending on the total output of units). A 5% defect rate is considered pretty damn good in the manufacturing industry, especially on a relatively new car model.

I have only read a few folks on this forum (which is indeed NOT a total representation of the all the CX9 owners out there but rather a small random sample) and it tends to overwhelmly lean towards the positive side rather than the negative.

I spent more than a year researching cars for my family that would provide room (w/third row & cargo), comfort, some sport type handling (i.e. fun to drive), good looks and reliability which time and time again came to the CX9. To satisfy all this criteria meant I had to spend either quite a bit on a luxury CUV or settle for a Honda/Toyota/Subaru. I've owned both Toyota's and Hondas for years and I have to say they are the most boring and plain jane CUV's out there and drive like a tank. The Subaru, although the interior was very well designed style wise didn't come close to the performance or handling of the CX9. Not to mention IMO the CX9 looks a hell of lot more sporty than the Tribeca does.

Now I have never owned a Mazda before but both my brothers did and never had one issue. They come very close to Toyota and Honda in terms of quality and are catching up quick (on par with Subaru & Nissan) and in almost every case are far higher in quality to American CUV's IMO. Now I could eat crow in another year or two with my CX9 but I have faith it will perform for years to come. I've got 32K trouble free miles thus far with only having to machine my front rotors (which is NOT uncommon for a CUV of his size and weight). ZOOM-ZOOM!!

Just my .02.....

[AussieCX9]

Well said and I totally agree with you NWCX9.

To be honest I reckon the original post from "LOVER" was probably bogus and achieved the desired reaction from someone who possibly supports another brand of vehicle.

I had a chuckle to myself about how passionate and emotional we can all be when our buttons are pushed.

I think my CX9 is great...not perfect......just great. At the end of the day my wife & kids travel safely in a vehicle that meets our needs, I can afford to keep it running and that's all that really matters to me.

Aussie

[fellowkillla]

(2thumbs)(cheers)nwcx9, aussiecx9 well said cheers!

[DenverCX9]

I used this site to help me research the CX9 when we were shopping for a "new" (used) car for the wife this summer. We bought a '07 CX9 and have been very very pleased with it over the past 4-5 months. On the MPG angle, during the wife's normal drives around town & to & from work, she gets about 15mpg, but we took it on a 1500 mile round trip this summer and got 22-23 mpg per tank (even clocked a 24.3 on one tank!), which was very pleasing to see. For a V-6, AWD, 4600 pound vehicle carrying 5 passengers and all their gear, I'd say that's pretty damn good.