What have you done to your CX-5 today?

[shingles]

It seems easy enough to make a bracket with the shims machined in like Kedis82ZE8 has built. I don't understand why they don't build it that way...
Kedis82ZE8 - does it rub or touch the fender when mounted this way?

 

[Skorpio]

(popcorn) interesting to see how these hold up. I would've liked a factory option or standard, even. I have replaced OEM hood struts before, but this DIY might be new to many members. Any pics of the release clip area?

 

[Skorpio]

Metal clips in first two pictures.[/QUOTE]

Thanks bud, good job, and thanks for sharing. Know that I enjoy you working hard [emoji23]

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

the MIT strut was from Alibaba?

Ebay (Taiwan), but that seller also offers the LED lights now apparently.

 

[tibimakai]

That ratcheting bar is stiffening the chassy? You could use one for the front too. Just kidding.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Yeah... I was thinking about making a hack job Front Strut Brace out of one of them

LOL.. I thought that's what you ere using it for.. I don't think that will help since it's not directly into the chassis..but it beats the $200 autoexe bar lol.

 

[phantomdg]

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

Thought I would be the first to try these taillight assemblies. Its the pricepoint that I was waiting for. Seller advised that I should receive it in 7-10 business days. I will have to post my feedback about them as well as pics sometime next month.

Can't wait!

I received the taillights on 9/5/14 from the Ebay seller who is located in China delivered to me in less than 10 days from date of purchase. I installed them that evening.

First impressions out of the box: looks very cool and assembly and construction of the taillights look pretty good (I would rank it 9 out of 10). After installing all 4 pieces, fitment is not as good as the OEM taillights (I would rank it about 8.5 out of 10). After trying to make adjustments, all 4 pieces mounted OK but definitely did not fit flush and even as the OEM taillights.

Next impression was brightness and operation of the LED taillights. When I turned on the parking lights, these LED taillights looked extremely cool like the some Audi or Mercedes current taillights (I would rank it that look and coolness factor definitely 10 out of 10). I also noticed that it was extremely bright. I am not sure that was necessarily a good thing. Then I tested the LED signal lights. They actually emit more of an amber color. Worked fine so 10 of out of 10 there. Then I tested the brake lights. It was essentially a small strip of LEDS on the top portion of the outer taillights. They were not that much brighter than the parking lights. Because of that, I was really disappointed of it. I would rank that about a 6 or 7 out of 10.

After all that, my biggest concern was that the three nuts used to fasten each of the out taillights to the vehicles did not really keep them as secure as when the OEM ones were one. My conclusion as to why that was the case was design and use of the the type of black foam backing the Chinese manufacturer used on their taillights. The reason why I checked the secureness of the mount was that I purposely tried to move the outer taillights to see if they would potentially shake up and down during normal driving conditions. I concluded that they would, thus causing marring and damage to my brand new 2015 CX-5 where in some areas, there was definitely less than 1 mm clearance between the edge of the outer taillights and the paint of the rear quarter panels where they mounted.

All-in-all, the China made LED taillights look pretty cool, but I personally was not going to sacrifice any potential damage to the brand new factory paint just to look cool and different. I never drove with the LED taillights over the weekend. I ended removing them yesterday evening and put the OEM taillights back on. Mazda engineered the design and fitment of the OEM taillights very well. They sit and mount firmly, and clearance on the edges is just enough to make them a perfect fit.

My recommendation to anyone on this forum is to not spend the money on the China made LED taillights. I am actually returning them for a refund. But if you have to be cool and different, having the China made LED taillights is perhaps one way to be just that!

Yes, I am disappointed but have hopes as I have seen a differently designed LED taillights on a few Japanese websites. There's still a little hope for some better fitting LED taillights to mod our CX-5's!

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

I received the taillights on 9/5/14 from the Ebay seller who is located in China delivered to me in less than 10 days from date of purchase. I installed them that evening.

First impressions out of the box: looks very cool and assembly and construction of the taillights look pretty good (I would rank it 9 out of 10). After installing all 4 pieces, fitment is not as good as the


Yes, I am disappointed but have hopes as I have seen a differently designed LED taillights on a few Japanese websites. There's still a little hope for some better fitting LED taillights to mod our CX-5's!

Nice, nice, the picture did not load though. In the 2013, the lights a re not completely flush either, there is a gap around the rim. I have not seen the 2015. Always good to have a new item tried out thanks.

 

[mazdaspeedmyk]

Thanks for the review. The brake lights not being bright would have been my biggest concern.

 

[phantomdg]

Thanks for the review. The brake lights not being bright would have been my biggest concern.

Glad to help!

The shipping fee will not be reimbursed per the seller's terms but somebody here had to try them out! ;-)

 

[RedBaron]

Thank you for "taking one for the team". Excellent review!

 

[Kingcof22]

Its crazy... i just bought a crystal white 2015 cx5 grandtouring! my mind is still exploding!!! (smash)(smash)(smash)(blowup)(blowup)

 

[Skorpio]

Its crazy... i just bought a crystal white 2015 cx5 grandtouring! my mind is still exploding!!! (smash)(smash)(smash)(blowup)(blowup)

(hi) and congrats!

 

[djsiva]

 

[paris1]

Put that right up there with the decal of the little boy pissing on the (take your pick) Ford, Chevy or Ram logo djsiva.

 

[djsiva]

Put that right up there with the decal of the little boy pissing on the (take your pick) Ford, Chevy or Ram logo djsiva.

It amuses me for now. We'll see how long I keep it because it's not necessarily appropriate for people to see it when dropping my daughter off at pre-school. That's why it's placed there; it's more or less hidden unless you're right up on it.

 

[djsiva]

Its crazy... i just bought a crystal white 2015 cx5 grandtouring! my mind is still exploding!!! (smash)(smash)(smash)(blowup)(blowup)

Welcome!! And I think you picked a great color.

 

[djsiva]

I received the taillights on 9/5/14 from the Ebay seller who is located in China delivered to me in less than 10 days from date of purchase. I installed them that evening.

First impressions out of the box: looks very cool and assembly and construction of the taillights look pretty good (I would rank it 9 out of 10). After installing all 4 pieces, fitment is not as good as the OEM taillights (I would rank it about 8.5 out of 10). After trying to make adjustments, all 4 pieces mounted OK but definitely did not fit flush and even as the OEM taillights.

Next impression was brightness and operation of the LED taillights. When I turned on the parking lights, these LED taillights looked extremely cool like the some Audi or Mercedes current taillights (I would rank it that look and coolness factor definitely 10 out of 10). I also noticed that it was extremely bright. I am not sure that was necessarily a good thing. Then I tested the LED signal lights. They actually emit more of an amber color. Worked fine so 10 of out of 10 there. Then I tested the brake lights. It was essentially a small strip of LEDS on the top portion of the outer taillights. They were not that much brighter than the parking lights. Because of that, I was really disappointed of it. I would rank that about a 6 or 7 out of 10.

After all that, my biggest concern was that the three nuts used to fasten each of the out taillights to the vehicles did not really keep them as secure as when the OEM ones were one. My conclusion as to why that was the case was design and use of the the type of black foam backing the Chinese manufacturer used on their taillights. The reason why I checked the secureness of the mount was that I purposely tried to move the outer taillights to see if they would potentially shake up and down during normal driving conditions. I concluded that they would, thus causing marring and damage to my brand new 2015 CX-5 where in some areas, there was definitely less than 1 mm clearance between the edge of the outer taillights and the paint of the rear quarter panels where they mounted.

All-in-all, the China made LED taillights look pretty cool, but I personally was not going to sacrifice any potential damage to the brand new factory paint just to look cool and different. I never drove with the LED taillights over the weekend. I ended removing them yesterday evening and put the OEM taillights back on. Mazda engineered the design and fitment of the OEM taillights very well. They sit and mount firmly, and clearance on the edges is just enough to make them a perfect fit.

My recommendation to anyone on this forum is to not spend the money on the China made LED taillights. I am actually returning them for a refund. But if you have to be cool and different, having the China made LED taillights is perhaps one way to be just that!

Yes, I am disappointed but have hopes as I have seen a differently designed LED taillights on a few Japanese websites. There's still a little hope for some better fitting LED taillights to mod our CX-5's!

Hey Phantomdg, have you seen these? https://www.japanparts.com/parts/detail/45584

Are they similar to what you ordered from China?

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Hey Phantomdg, have you seen these? https://www.japanparts.com/parts/detail/45584

Are they similar to what you ordered from China?

I think those are different (the design looks different) and I DEFINETLY like the smoke inifiinti fx looking lights! those would go well even with the stock HIDS because they are mostly "white", - the amber reflector!
- sick

I think I'm about to buy those at the end of the month. I'll look around or a lower price.

 

[djsiva]

I think those are different (the design looks different) and I DEFINETLY like the smoke inifiinti fx looking lights! those would go well even with the stock HIDS because they are mostly "white", - the amber reflector!
- sick

I think I'm about to buy those at the end of the month. I'll look around or a lower price.

That's the same color I was looking at. I think it would look great with the CWP paint.