What have you done to your CX-9 today?

Actually got a taste of the CX-9 in good snow/ice this past weekend. Still have the all-season OE H/L 400's on the vehicle, but even those did a good job (sometimes it comes down to just having new tread). Good 12" here in Denver (which is a pretty big snow for us) an didn't have any issues.

Anecdote: gave my wife the CX-9 yesterday to drive to work (didn't want her to have to deal with her GTI on un-plowed roads) and she was amazed how much faster the 9 heated up than her GTI (more for the other thread of ppl complaining about the CX-9 being slow, lol). At the same point in her drive, the 9 was at 1/3 on the temp gauge and her GTI's thermostat hasn't even moved at that point yet, typically.

Anyways, winter blows for having a new car. Exterior is soooo dirty, but it won't even get above freezing before the next snow event comes in later this week.
 
Too bad those floormats aren't truly clear, they would look a lot better. I keep seeing those office mats that office chairs roll on. The black Mazda rubber floormats are pretty nice I think. Pretty flexible and don't have the large grooves that are pretty annoying.
 
"what did......" blasting through snow drifts. So far very pleased with the traction and handling of this vehicle in the snow. For being 4400lbs (heaviest car I've ever owned) and the O.E. all-seasons, it has been very capable so far. I've never felt worried I'll get stuck on a hill, and with proper speed, that I'll be able to stop. It's actually pretty predictable in a slide (I've initiated a few small ones in safe locations to see how it feels). Predictably, it's plows in with a ton of understeer, but a little throttle and using a subtle pendulum technique, you can get a good corrective power-slide initiated... This oversteer (fun) is stopped pretty quickly though, with the nanny systems dumping power and forcing the car to understeer. I can appreciate RSC and TC, but sometimes it's more dangerous for the car to become a sideways brick that could have been corrected.

Anyway, I feel like I would have definitely gotten my money's worth out of snow tires this season (and might still, as March and April are our snowiest months), but just wanted to share my experience :)
 
I find the CX9's AWD works great in a forward direction. But the weight of the car really shows its head when stopping. Its by far the most slide happy of the 6 or so vehicles we currently own. Ill 100% be buying some snow tires before next winter for this car.
 
xxxmonoxidechil said:
I find the CX9's AWD works great in a forward direction. But the weight of the car really shows its head when stopping. Its by far the most slide happy of the 6 or so vehicles we currently own. Ill 100% be buying some snow tires before next winter for this car.
Click to expand...

Indeed, physics is a b*tch... I think if the O.E.s had any less than their full tread life and relatively new rubber that my report on stopping would be much different. I've activated the ABS as much as I expect from a car with all seasons though (not excessively in my opinion), but that all comes down to driving style. Snow tires are a must for any vehicle if you live in an area that gets snow OR ice (ice especially), and that is definitely the upgrade path for the car, since I have those Enkei RSF5's sitting around doing nothing.
 
voldsom said:
"what did......" blasting through snow drifts. So far very pleased with the traction and handling of this vehicle in the snow. For being 4400lbs (heaviest car I've ever owned) and the O.E. all-seasons, it has been very capable so far. I've never felt worried I'll get stuck on a hill, and with proper speed, that I'll be able to stop. It's actually pretty predictable in a slide (I've initiated a few small ones in safe locations to see how it feels). Predictably, it's plows in with a ton of understeer, but a little throttle and using a subtle pendulum technique, you can get a good corrective power-slide initiated... This oversteer (fun) is stopped pretty quickly though, with the nanny systems dumping power and forcing the car to understeer. I can appreciate RSC and TC, but sometimes it's more dangerous for the car to become a sideways brick that could have been corrected.

Anyway, I feel like I would have definitely gotten my money's worth out of snow tires this season (and might still, as March and April are our snowiest months), but just wanted to share my experience :)
Click to expand...

Only got about an inch yesterday morning but was able to "initiate" a couple power slides myself. I've had front, rear, and AWD heavy beasts before and I have to say this is the easiest to control in a slide. It's very predictable in a power slide if you don't lose your cool. The wife tends to freak out a little when I do one with her riding shotgun. Few more inches coming our way this weekend, just in time for Monday's commute.

And agree that the stockers seem to work well, however by this time next year it's going to be a must for a better all season or some dedicated winter shoes.
 
xxxmonoxidechil said:
Im using it as a viable excuse to put some 20's or even 22's on it for the summer. Make the OEM 18's a dedicated winter set up.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the perfect option :) It's the best use for reasonably sized OEM wheels. I would say the ride is pretty stiff on 20's, not sure how nice a 22 would be (although the look would be killer). I'm sure you'll post up your thoughts (i.e. pictures) when the buying season gets closer
 
All 3 of my other current Mazda's including the winter beater are on full coilovers and big sway bars. Ride being stiff isnt really a big worry for me. haha
 
Had to do some on-ramp blasting this morning because people were being morons and going 30mph merging into traffic at 70mph (it's shocking people don't realize how this can cause an issue). Planted the accelerator and this thing is NOT afraid to drop gears in auto. I couldn't believe it actually PULLED all the way to speed... Dunno, just had lower expectations for a big boat like this, but was pleasantly surprised :)
 
Does anyone here advocate actually turning off RSC and TC when roads get icey? What are pros and cons as I'm not real familiar with these features on my vehicle. Do they really help?
 
memphisj said:
Does anyone here advocate actually turning off RSC and TC when roads get icey? What are pros and cons as I'm not real familiar with these features on my vehicle. Do they really help?
Click to expand...

As far as the TC goes, I have not found a way to completely turn it off. According to the owner's manual, it reads like it will automatically turn on above 9 mph no matter what (pg 5-26). There can be a benefit to turning TC off on any car, but for the most part (normal driving) the TC system is smart enough to help, especially if you are just going straight, by dumping engine power.
What I'm about to say may sound like hubris, but the system can also be a detriment. If you are a driver who knows how to correct a slide with counter-steering and some power, TC often just sees you're in a slide and dumps power. This dangerously turns your managed oversteer into uncontrollable understeer. In other words, it prevents being a hooligan, but also stops you from correcting a slide.

According to the onwer's manual, the systems RSC uses the TC and ABS to help in side-slip situations, which is a little more advanced than just dumping engine torque like TC typically does. If it's like other systems, it uses yaw and acceleration sensors to figure out if you're in a situation that can roll you. You can't turn it off, nor would I ever. If I'm going over, I want the system to do everything it can to help.

As far as our CX-9's go, they do allow you to step out some with some proplerly applied steering and power. But if you get a little too aggressive, the TC takes over and dumps power. If you're already sliding while trying to turn, this just makes you plow more. If you want all out traction on ice, snow/ice tires are the only way to go. The electronics get you going, but will not stop you any better.

TL/DR: Not worth turning it off :)
 
I was told by the lady at the dealer that sold me the car to never turn of the tcs on the car. That was the one thing that she emphasized when she was showing me the features of the car.
 
kornholio said:
I was told by the lady at the dealer that sold me the car to never turn of the tcs on the car. That was the one thing that she emphasized when she was showing me the features of the car.
Click to expand...

Like I said, you really can't with this vehicle. It kicks back on after 9 mph anyway, so turning it off is really only used if your "stuck" according to the manual. Funny thing is, if the wheel with the speed sensor spins above 9mph, it will turn back on regardless of if you're stuck or not. I'm not entirely sure why they have the button there, as it seems rather pointless.
 
Yea, If your moving, it wont allow you to even shut it off. Mine will only do it from a dead stop. Then it turns itself back on once you hit 5mph or so. Its 1 thing id REALLY like to fix. My FWD car's are more fun for snow hoonin then the CX9. The only way to get it to kick out is going at speed and just barely kicking the butt out. If you give it just a tad to much, it just kills all power, then takes a few seconds to even give you throttle response back.
 
Actually caught a numerical milestone for once :)

IMG_2779_zpsyf8uqip7.jpg
 
Finally washed all the road grime and mud off the 9 from the past few weeks yesterday. Took a while, but the TLC was worth it. Got a new product too, Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 7, that I used after clay, before gold class wax. Awesome results. Super deep gloss and great reflections. Was overcast yesterday though so the pictures didn't do it justice (hence none here :) ). Will be excited to use it in the summer to see how it looks in full sun.

Also clay barred the windshield (saw it on an Adam's products video) and I HIGHLY recommend it. Using invisible glass is one thing, but a quick clay after you wash the car (while the windshield is still wet) did wonders. Followed up with invisible glass and the windshield is crystal clear, looks brand new (even though it's not that old anyway).
 
RANT (sorry (shrug)):
This doesn't really pertain to one thread in particular, but it's a funny observation I've found on the forum... With all the transfer case issues, everyone with a FWD is pretty quick to point out they're "glad I went with the FWD!"... But something has to be kept in mind... Some markets don't have ANY fwd models available... Like Colorado for example; the entire state, NOT ONE. Every CX-9 from 2014 and 2015 was an AWD, because ya know MOUNTAINS and SNOW. The closest FWD model is in Albuquerque, NM or Wichita, KS... FYI that's not close, lol. Also, as long as the issue is known, and people keep posting about it, practical and affordable maintenance plans can be created to rectify the issue (like changing the TC and diff fluids every 30k).

Sorry for the semi-rant, just tired of seeing "GLAD I GOT THE FWD" as the answer to someone with a TC issue. And props to everyone posting their stories and mileage for comparison. Makes us all more informed to avoid a crappy fate with a nice vehicle.
 
Please log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sm1ke
    • Like
What have you hauled with your CX-9?
2 3
Replies
42
Views
7K
sm1ke
sm1ke
T
  • Question
2020 CX-9 maintenance questions
Replies
12
Views
3K
ctbale
C
B
2021 CX-9 Vibrating
2
Replies
21
Views
6K
B_C2021
B

Latest posts

Back