I realize this is a Mazda CX-9 forum and people will have some biased opinions and that's perfectly OK and expected.
I have a 2017 CX-9 Signature with about 45k miles on it. The car is in great shape, with no mechanical issues, except some brake and suspension noises from time to time.
A few components are starting to show some wear - steering wheel leather, passenger seat, paint, etc, but nothing major yet. Gas mileage is OK, but I don't drive too much.
I bought the car almost new, it was a certified model with only 8k miles and I paid $35k for it - 3 yrs ago. It's been a reliable daily driver. I like how it drives/handles (similar to a sedan) but I keep wishing it had more power and I definitely wish it had a better, more capable AWD system during the winter months when I spend a lot of time in the mountains. Snow tires do help.
We have 3 tall kids who are starting to get involved in various outdoor activities, sports, etc. They have the gear to move around - bikes, scooters, kayaks, paddleboards, snowboards, etc I am also very much a DIY guy and I'm very frequently involved in house projects, doing repairs, building stuff, helping friends/family, and being at the hardware store at least once a week. I lost count how many times I had to stuff 10ft long 2x4s and 2x6s in my CX-9 .... trying not to scratch the interior. It's an interesting adventure every time, and so far, my interior is flawless. ... but I hate the lack of cargo space when I need it.
You see where I am going with this. My CX-9 is a good car, but it's a bit small for my family and my needs, especially for my projects and kids' stuff. I wish it had more cargo space where I could just dump things and not worry about it. We already have another SUV (wife's Q7) and an older minivan so we can move people around when needed.
My idea is to swap my CX-9 Signature for a nice, loaded 4-door pickup truck - like a Dodge RAM or Toyota Tundra or Ford F150. Something with real 4x4, real cargo bed, real towing capacity, and still have 4 doors with enough seats for 5 people + all the nice touches in the cabin. The new RAM Trucks.... in Limited trim are extremely nice inside. They rival many luxury cars. Amazing seats, great leather ergonomics, comfort and technology ... plus the option to get a nice turbo-diesel engine with a great MPG rating. The Toyota Tundra, even if a bit outdated, is large, comfortable, and extremely reliable & capable truck. Ford just introduced an updated 2021 F150 that looks amazing, at least on paper.
I never had a truck as my primary daily driver, so I am wondering how much of a change would that be if I give up my CX-9 for it? Am I overlooking any other drawbacks or disadvantages that will come up with such a swap? Obviously, unless I get a diesel option, the MPG rating will be bad with any truck, but I am OK with that.
Thanks!
I have a 2017 CX-9 Signature with about 45k miles on it. The car is in great shape, with no mechanical issues, except some brake and suspension noises from time to time.
A few components are starting to show some wear - steering wheel leather, passenger seat, paint, etc, but nothing major yet. Gas mileage is OK, but I don't drive too much.
I bought the car almost new, it was a certified model with only 8k miles and I paid $35k for it - 3 yrs ago. It's been a reliable daily driver. I like how it drives/handles (similar to a sedan) but I keep wishing it had more power and I definitely wish it had a better, more capable AWD system during the winter months when I spend a lot of time in the mountains. Snow tires do help.
We have 3 tall kids who are starting to get involved in various outdoor activities, sports, etc. They have the gear to move around - bikes, scooters, kayaks, paddleboards, snowboards, etc I am also very much a DIY guy and I'm very frequently involved in house projects, doing repairs, building stuff, helping friends/family, and being at the hardware store at least once a week. I lost count how many times I had to stuff 10ft long 2x4s and 2x6s in my CX-9 .... trying not to scratch the interior. It's an interesting adventure every time, and so far, my interior is flawless. ... but I hate the lack of cargo space when I need it.
You see where I am going with this. My CX-9 is a good car, but it's a bit small for my family and my needs, especially for my projects and kids' stuff. I wish it had more cargo space where I could just dump things and not worry about it. We already have another SUV (wife's Q7) and an older minivan so we can move people around when needed.
My idea is to swap my CX-9 Signature for a nice, loaded 4-door pickup truck - like a Dodge RAM or Toyota Tundra or Ford F150. Something with real 4x4, real cargo bed, real towing capacity, and still have 4 doors with enough seats for 5 people + all the nice touches in the cabin. The new RAM Trucks.... in Limited trim are extremely nice inside. They rival many luxury cars. Amazing seats, great leather ergonomics, comfort and technology ... plus the option to get a nice turbo-diesel engine with a great MPG rating. The Toyota Tundra, even if a bit outdated, is large, comfortable, and extremely reliable & capable truck. Ford just introduced an updated 2021 F150 that looks amazing, at least on paper.
I never had a truck as my primary daily driver, so I am wondering how much of a change would that be if I give up my CX-9 for it? Am I overlooking any other drawbacks or disadvantages that will come up with such a swap? Obviously, unless I get a diesel option, the MPG rating will be bad with any truck, but I am OK with that.
Thanks!