New owner of 2012 CX-9!

[Purpleorchid]

Hello folks. Yesterday I sadly said goodbye to my 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited wagon and traded her in for a brand new 2012 CX-9 GT AWD in Crystal White Pearl Mica! The dealership had only had them for a week and I was the first one to buy a 2012.

It was quite by accident that I came across the CX-9. I knew it was a car on the list since the beginning that met my criteria: ability to carry 4 adults + car seat comfortably, Ikea/Home Depot capabilities, and AWD. Last year I drove a 2010 Audi Q5...meh...not as much fun as my Legacy GT. Half a year ago, I drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee...nice but not worth the $40+k they wanted for it. So we started looking for used cars. Sat in used Toyota Sequoias, Land Cruisers, 4Runners, Acura MDXs, Honda Pilots but didn't drive any of them. Checked a Mercedes R350 last week.

This week I was about to go check out a used Highlander Hybrid with a third row. Had second thoughts and never went. The next day my husband says I should look at a new 2011 CX-9. So I finally checked the Mazda USA website. The pics/specs were intriguing enough to go check out in person.

We both finished early yesterday and went to the dealer. Sat in a Mazda5 first. Much bigger and useful than expected. Onto the CX-9.

Looked a Dolphin Blue 2011 Sport over. Wanted leather, so onto the 2012 Dolphin Blue GT AWD. Liked the features, so decided to take it for a spin. Nice and smooth!

Finished test drive and looked at the White instead for the tan interior (my Subuaru has tan).

Next thing I know, we're inside seeing how much my car is worth and negotiating on the price. Then I'm in the finance office signing 500 sheets of paper...okay, maybe 499 sheets of paper.

So what was an initial search for a used car $15-20k, turned into a brand new 2012! I took delivery at 11 miles and I think I'm still less than 20 miles on the odometer, but so far I like it!

Now I'll have to go to the Legacy forums and say goodbye.

But hello CX-9 forum!

 

[ceric]

Let me be the first to welcome you.
Great choice.
I have mine for 3+ years now. Still lov'in it.

 

[table5511]

Welcome!!

 

[ehelp]

LOL, guess that is is why the wife will not let me go to the dealer to get my oil changed ...She is worried I will walk out with a 2012 and she loves her present cx-9 to much ...

 

[goacom]

How much did you pay? Am in the process of getting a 2011 Dolphin Grey Touring. Did not go for the GT as I felt the ride was a little more "bouncy". What are the differences between the 2011s and '12s?

 

[Rawyzf]

Congrats and welcome.

if you don't mind sharing what they offered for incentives on the 2012, I am sure a few folks wouldn't mind knowing

 

[Purpleorchid]

The only incentive mentioned was 1.9% financing for the 2012. The 2011s have 0% financing. Seeing as how they just got the 2012s in last week, I got $1000 over invoice. I know in general, car dealerships try to suck as much money from buyers, but I enjoyed the dealership and they were not sleazy, so I didn't bother haggling too much. If I was going to buy a 2011, I would have haggled more.

I brought my CX9 to the dealer yesterday to get my roof rails, front matching tint and paint protection installed (licensed 3M installer, plus saves me from having to make a separate appointment at a third party place even though it costs a little more...the last thing I want is a rock chip before I can get it installed). I won't get my car back for another 1.5 days. I miss it already!

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Congratulations. We love our Dolphon Gray 2010. The CX-9 is about the best value out there right now. And still kicking the competitions a$$ even with it's 6 year old design.

 

[table5511]

Nice job purple! Now make sure when you go to pick it back up that you look real good at the wheels & body to make sure a technician didn't curb the wheels or put any dings in the car. (speaking from first hand experience)

 

[Purpleorchid]

Good tip helbigtw. I already was planning on inspecting the tint and paint protection closely, but I will make sure I check the body and wheels too. And I hope my record gets better with this car. My Subaru Legacy GT got its' first door ding from someone within the first three weeks! My husband got his first door ding on his one week old car...a big door ding

So wish me no door dings at all!

Oh and my OEM bumper chrome step plate is en route from mazdaparts.org as well as my Digital Fit Liner floor mats (full set) from WeatherTech. Weeeeee!

 

[goacom]

Right now, I can get a 2011 Touring (Dolphin grey) with the moon roof/bose/power lift gate for $30,600 after incentives and 0% financing, or around $30,000 if I pay with cash. MSRP is around $34.7 and invoice is around 32K. Do you folks think this is a good deal?

 

[table5511]

My wife always yells at me for parking next to an island away from the store like .5 miles from the entrance. Then I point out to her the lack of door dings we have. Hey, if she is so tight on money, what better way to protect your money than park alllllll the way at the end of the parking lot.

 

[crikey]

My wife always yells at me for parking next to an island away from the store like .5 miles from the entrance. Then I point out to her the lack of door dings we have. Hey, if she is so tight on money, what better way to protect your money than park alllllll the way at the end of the parking lot.

I do the same thing. And I tell my wife that it's good exercise to walk a little. That, and no door dings.

 

[Marc (NJ)]

I do the same thing. And I tell my wife that it's good exercise to walk a little. That, and no door dings.

Me too!

 

[goacom]

Tell her that, or get a minivan with sliding doors, lol!

 

[teedeebee]

@Purpleorchid...your reference to signing "499 documents" in the business office made me smile as we could all relate to that experience...not unlike buying a house.

Elegant exterior/interior color combination too. Enjoy it! ...and let me add my name to the list of those who park in the next zip code when using public parking lots. When kids swing car doors open uncontrolled it's bad enough, but my back really goes up when an adult does it.

 

[sjg]

Purpleorchid: I can't believe I missed this. I too moved from an '05 Legacy GT Limited Wagon. Sold it in 2009 when I grabbed my CX-9 AWD Touring at a great price when they were clearing room for the 2010s. I loved the Legacy but needed more space (more car seats, large dog) and was prepared to merely appreciate the CX-9. As time goes on I like the CX-9 more and more. Maybe not in love but definitely more than an appreciation. It's really a matter of understanding how the CX-9 is so useful and also drives so well.
We strongly considered the Subaru Tribeca and liked the way the handling was so similar to the Legacy but it's a highly compromised crossover (2nd and 3rd rows really can't be used at the same time) and it has less space than the CX-9 while delivering worse mileage.
A few things you'll notice on the CX-9 coming from the Legacy GT: The CX-9 is not as fun to drive but it's still pretty car-like and at, or near, the top of its class. You will no longer be able to surprise a BMW at a stop light but who cares? I miss the Legacy's awesome sunroof on the 5 days a year I actually use a sunroof. The Legacy is probably better built but the CX-9 isn't badly screwed together. Unless you drove the Legacy really hard you're going to a significant drop in mileage but you won't need premium gas. You'll have a lot more space for family and friends. Even the 3rd row is OK for most. Subaru's AWD is legendary but the Legacy GT's wheels/tires and rear drive bias made it a little touchy in snow and slippery conditions. The CX-9's AWD system is nowhere near as entertaining but in really slippery conditions I've found it more sure-footed...probably because of the front drive bias.
I hope you continue to enjoy your car.

 

[FryingDutchman]

Congrats!

I pulled the trigger myself this weekend, picking up a 2011 GT AWD. My wife and I looked at a LOT of cars (and minivans, and SUVs, and it felt like somewhere in there we took a ride in a golf cart if I'm not mistaken).

We were at an impasse over the SUV vs. Minivan - she refused the minivan, I thought it was best for us given the situation, but in the end I capitulated with one understanding - I wanted an SUV that drove like a car. Most of these things are unibody and AWD now anyway, so no reason for them to feel like a truck.

Out of all of them - Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, Honda, Audi - I enjoyed the CX-9 the most.

So much so, that I got pulled over for speeding about 5 miles from the dealership. Luckily, the NYS trooper took pity on me with the new car and let me slide. I look forward to getting a chance to drive it whenever I can wrench it away from the wife, who I basically had to drag against her will to the Mazda dealership in the first place to test drive it (she was hoping for a luxury SUV).

 

[Antonio DiMarco]

Congratulations

Funny My wife, who drove a Mz5 before the 9 feels a bit spoiled by the CX-9's accomodations. I've driven luxury SUV's before and I'd say the 9 offers about 90% of what you would get in one of those 50-80K SUV's. Not as high plastics and leather quality as well as slightly obsolete Infotainment are the major differences, while the CX-9 dynamic abilty is pretty neck and neck IMO.

 

[FryingDutchman]

My wife upon driving the car once we got it home - 'it's much, much nicer than I thought it would be' and the ever popular 'I didn't like it at first...'

I asked about the second comment, she said she didn't want to say anything because she saw how much I liked the car. Then, somehow, the CX-9 went from being my daily driver to hers. I really need to learn to start getting stuff in writing from her...