Came from an '11 Ram, really couldn't be happier!

ArmyofOne

Member
:
2014 Mazda CX-5
Hello all! A little background on me: My name is Josh. I medically retired from the US Army (due to wounds sustained in combat) on January 15th of this year. My wife and I moved here to Van Alstyne, TX (I lived in Fort Worth Prior to the service, my parents and brother still live there), where we set up in our new home. I took a job at PACCAR Leasing (Peterbilt's Leasing Co) as a diesel technician working on late model Peterbilt and Kenworth Rigs.

The job is great but it comes with a LONG commute (100 miles per day round trip) :eek:, and a 50% pay cut from the service. So rather than take a hit in the quality of lifestyle department, my wife and I decided to sell our boat which we had not used in a year, and trade in our pickup. We had a 2011 Ram 1500 Big Horn. We LOVED it and it was paid for, but the fuel economy with my commute, and the fact that I have land 80 miles in both directions I want to be able to frequent, and the pay cut I had to take when I left the service, meant there was just no place in our lives for the Ram anymore. I always told my wife that if the truck ever became a burden, I would sell it in a heartbeat. That was the ONLY condition she had with me getting one to begin with, and of course, I agreed. So, last monday, I put the boat up for sale. It was gone on friday. I hadnt used it in a year, its been sitting, I just haven't had the time to even think about fishing.

In comes the CX-5. Purchased at Eldorado Mazda on 21 June 2014, it was literally the most painless buying experience I have ever had. I have had more anguish over buying a TV. We got a SMOKING deal. They quite literally paid us to take it. It has minor hail damage and because its an "old" 2014 (oct 13 build date), they dropped the price to 23k. Then gave me a $1,500 rebate, then a $500 veterans discount, then subtracted another $3k for the hail.

Then we talked trade in, AFTER we agreed on the price of the car. They ended up giving me just over $28.5k for my Ram after some back and forth, which I took, paid for the car, and walked out with the difference stashed for some goodies LOL.

So without further delay, our new 2014 Mazda CX-5 FWD Touring in Sky Blue Mica:


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First mod is already done-6000K HID's. They were in my Ram :)

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welcome if the dent is in metal you may be able to get it out with a heat gun and some liquid N
 
Its in the hood, and the roof. Its all over them. I am calling a PDR guy next month to come out and look at it.
 
Amazing deal on the CX-5 and I'm sure its well deserved with your service to our country. Granted it doesn't have the authority or perhaps the comfort of the Ram, its good to know that you can jump from a big pickup to a CX-5 and be happy with it.

Your CX-5 looks great in pictures. Any close ups on the hail damage? Would be nice to see some before and afters with PDR work done. Also, is that a Griot's 3" random orbital polisher I see?
 
Amazing deal on the CX-5 and I'm sure its well deserved with your service to our country. Granted it doesn't have the authority or perhaps the comfort of the Ram, its good to know that you can jump from a big pickup to a CX-5 and be happy with it.

Your CX-5 looks great in pictures. Any close ups on the hail damage? Would be nice to see some before and afters with PDR work done. Also, is that a Griot's 3" random orbital polisher I see?

Speaking of that, the polisher I got is on sale for like $25 right now
 
Welcome, congrats on your CX-5, and thank you for your service! Sky Blue is an awesome color, and blue CX-5s are the fastest (drive2)

Speaking of that, the polisher I got is on sale for like $25 right now

Is this the HF one you just bought? What's wrong with it? I could be interested as a back up.
 
Its in the hood, and the roof. Its all over them. I am calling a PDR guy next month to come out and look at it.

I'd wait till the fall before having work done to hail dents. It gets so hot in Texas, some of those dings will pop out on their own during summer. That's what others have told me anyway.
 
Welcome to the club and thank you for your service! Let me know how the HIDs work out as I am interested in putting some into my CX-5 as well.
 
Welcome and congratulations on your new CX-5!
I think the big discounts you got are a well deserved 'thank you' for your service to our country.

Just curious, have you considered a smaller vehicle (e.g. 40 MPG Mazda 3) for your commute?
 
Welcome to the club and thank you for your service! Let me know how the HIDs work out as I am interested in putting some into my CX-5 as well.

If you're thinking about aftermarket HIDs, trust me, do it. I have had HIDs in all my cars (non OEM) and it's like night and day over halogens. And with your stock projector lens you should have no problem with glare. And you'll be saving your alternator about 20 watts (lol2)
 
Good story, good writeup, good pics. Smokin deal!
I too sold my truck for the CX5 - I immediately bought a 1000lb capacity 4 ' x 8' trailer for the CX5 (foldable HF trailer but it's fine) - which is a 2' bigger bed than my truck had.
 
If you're thinking about aftermarket HIDs, trust me, do it. I have had HIDs in all my cars (non OEM) and it's like night and day over halogens. And with your stock projector lens you should have no problem with glare. And you'll be saving your alternator about 20 watts (lol2)

"No problem with glare" is quite optimistic. There is glare using PnP hid kits in the factory halogen projectors. Not as much as typical PnP in halogen reflector housings.
 
Welcome and congratulations on your new CX-5!
I think the big discounts you got are a well deserved 'thank you' for your service to our country.

Just curious, have you considered a smaller vehicle (e.g. 40 MPG Mazda 3) for your commute?

I commute most days in a 1992 ford escort. It does about the same as the CX-5, but don't want to buy ANOTHER new car just yet.

I AM VERY interested in the Mazda 3's, and when the time comes in a year or so to replace the old beater, I may just end up in one.
 
Any cutoff shots for the HID at night facing a wall? Really curious about how high it's aimed and how bad the glare might be.
 
If you're thinking about aftermarket HIDs, trust me, do it. I have had HIDs in all my cars (non OEM) and it's like night and day over halogens. And with your stock projector lens you should have no problem with glare. And you'll be saving your alternator about 20 watts (lol2)

"No problem with glare" is quite optimistic. There is glare using PnP hid kits in the factory halogen projectors. Not as much as typical PnP in halogen reflector housings.

I was one of those annoying people who put a DDM kit in a halogen reflector housing (eek2). Luckily my lights had so much oxidation that I think it dimmed it quite a bit. I was considering getting a 35 watt (or should I do 55 watt) DDM kit for my Mazda but only if it doesn't glare that much. I guess I'll just look at others' opinions and go from there.
 
"No problem with glare" is quite optimistic. There is glare using PnP hid kits in the factory halogen projectors. Not as much as typical PnP in halogen reflector housings.

Considering that thousands or millions of people that are on the roads right now are using PNP kits with halogens like Aggie did, the projectors will not produce nearly the glare as they do. People are not going to pay thousands of $ to retrofit an OEM system when a PNP is $100 (or less). So, in that respect, I don't see a "problem with glare" compare with everyone currently else on the road using a PNP.
 
Doesn't exactly justify eliminating of the "problem" as glare and improper light distribution still exist... Therefore, unwanted glare is still a problem.
 
Unwanted and improper glare is a problem with OEM headlights. Have you ever thought "those oncoming are sure bright", and it's a new Cadillac Escalade? I have. Until the new variable shielded LED lights Mercedes will have coming out with in the next 5 years, every headlight will have some sort of unwanted glare. It's acceptable glare I'm speaking of. And too me, a HID bulb made for a projector lenses, aimed correctly, is acceptable glare to me. Now the Escalade's OEM HIDs- barely acceptable, to my eyes.
 
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