Upgrades Nearly Completed (Pics)

Mark12345 · Sep 20, 2013

Well, I picked up our CX-5 Touring about 2 weeks ago to be used as our daily commuter as it is a decent gas sipper with AWD and cargo room. However we wanted to accentuate it's good looks.

So in the past week I've added:
- Niche Concourse 20" wheels/tires
- TRS HID PnP (XB35 H11B @ 5000K)
- LED foglight covers
- Factory all weather floor mats
- Factory mud flaps
- Curtis III hitch
- Custom 3M bra

Notes:
- Front mud flaps suck. Doesn't provide the coverage. Getting new aftermarket ones soon.
- Installing the HID bulb on the driver's side suck. Very little room to get your hands in there to tighten the bulb
- Hitch is a 2 person job, especially class II as it is heavier
- Love the Niche Concourse wheels. Looks aftermarket and factory at the same time. I think 255-45-20 tires are the largest you can go with factory springs without rubbing. https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
- If I hadn't gone with bigger wheels, I was thinkin of lowering with H&R springs. Now I'll just stick with the factory setup. The added clearance is good for taking up to the mountains, don't have to worry about rubbing, etc.

Next Week Project ToDo's:
- Front and rear seat covers
- Upgrade foglight bulbs??
- Not sure what to do with DRL bulbs. Any help here is appreciated!
- …then done. That's all I'm putting in on this daily commuter

Thank you for all the great advice by CX-5 members! Made the upgrades a little easier for sure!

Attached are some before and after pics…enjoy!

.

Rumble79 · Sep 20, 2013

Car looks great. Love the LED covers, but you should have gone with 6000k low beams as the colour is a bit mismatched now. Wheels look great. If my wife wasn't the primary driver of ours, I'd get 20's as well.

Mark12345 · Sep 20, 2013

Thanks! Yeah I debated on 6000K but I'm okay with a slight variance in color for now.
The 20" wheels/tires (255-45-20) isn't bad at all. It rides like a BMW…slightly firmer with much better turn-in, control and stability.

D_Frost · Sep 20, 2013

Looks good... very similar to what I've got going so far, though I haven't decided on wheels yet.

RE: DRL Bulbs, did you mean to turn off the DRL (on the high beam bulb) when driving without headlights? There are instructions in the How-To section: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123829602-Daytime-Running-Light-Disable-Instructions

Mark12345 · Sep 20, 2013

I disable the DRLs with the instructions you referenced - thanks!

Now for the fog lights...I was thinking of converting H9 to H11 for better brightness instead of going with HIDs...thoughts?

raden · Sep 21, 2013

Those lights are slick! Car is looking real good OP.

Mark12345 · Sep 21, 2013

raden said:
Those lights are slick! Car is looking real good OP.

Thank you! I'm surprised at how well it rides and handles with either factory or aftermarket wheels/tires (naughty)

Mark12345 · Sep 21, 2013

I decided to go with 2500K bulbs for the foglights...definitely will help in inclement weather

aelaan · Sep 30, 2013

WOW - that is all I can say, you did a really great job with the car, love the wheels!! I would keep my 17" and mount some winter tires on them, I am in Canada so I need them. I am getting the 3M bra on mine this week, I have the CX5 GS model with the NAV added. Been cuddling (detailing) it this weekend and looked at some of the updates in the forums. Great source of inspiration. Thanks for posting.

squeaky · Oct 5, 2013

What LED Fog covers did you end up with?

Mark12345 · Nov 24, 2013

Decided to sell my Niche 20's
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123835901-20-quot-Niche-Concourse-Wheels-Tires

I'm asking $1,500 + shipping.

Chris_Top_Her · Nov 24, 2013

What made you sell them?

TreyP · Nov 25, 2013

Chris_Top_Her said:
What made you sell them?

They were super ugly?

Mark12345 · Nov 25, 2013

TreyP ... No, they're actually really nice. It's a cute little CUV as you can tell from the pics. Probably as cute as yours?

Chris ... I made up my mind. Will give the CX-5 to my daughter. She is in high school and needs it for after school sports, etc and will take it with her to college. But the 20's are a little rougher for downtown usage and probably just asking to to be stolen. I'll drive the C'Turbo for awhile and look into the Mecan as my next project.

tibimakai · Nov 25, 2013

I have seen the Mecan at the LA auto show and personally I didn't like it. I like my CX5 much better.

Mark12345 · Nov 25, 2013

tibimakai said:
I have seen the Mecan at the LA auto show and personally I didn't like it. I like my CX5 much better.

Yeah Mecan and CX-5 are completely in different car categories and price points.
Mecan Turbo is 400hp monster (with options for about $90K) and CX-5 is a cute good handling, gas sipper (~$25K AWD Touring)
Mecan S will go for about $60K (lightly optioned)
The CX-5 is perfect for my daughter as a daily driver. She loves the look of CX-5 as it looks "more stylish and cuter" than the RAV-4 and Ford Escape.

Chris_Top_Her · Nov 25, 2013

Mark12345 said:
Yeah Mecan and CX-5 are completely in different car categories and price points.
Mecan Turbo is 400hp monster (with options for about $90K) and CX-5 is a cute good handling, gas sipper (~$25K AWD Touring)
Mecan S will go for about $60K (lightly optioned)
The CX-5 is perfect for my daughter as a daily driver. She loves the look of CX-5 as it looks "more stylish and cuter" than the RAV-4 and Ford Escape.

Yes, I am young single and training to be a pilot. In case you were wondering. Man we already have some things in common like the same cars too!

Upgrades Nearly Completed (Pics)

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