Brand new cx-5 - what's the first thing you do?

D

Dan_from_oregon

Member
:
2016 CX-5 Grand Touring AWD
I'm talking about mods, tweaks, upgrades etc. Mazdas - and cars from this decade -- are alien to me so I'd love to hear what you guys have done.

Funny side note:

The guy from the Toyota dealer called (I had test driven many cars last week). Pushy and cocky little d-bag of salesman. I told him I bought a cx-5 and he got very upset and wanted to know why I hadn't asked him to test the RAV4. He had this tone in his voice like I was going to regret not getting a RAV4 the rest of my life. I just hung up on him more or less because he really annoyed me. Anyway I saw a new RAV4 on the road tonight and just started laughing. Why the hell would I want to drive one of those clunky minivan-looking eyesores?!
 
The first thing you can consider is to get interior LED light set. And these cheap eBay aesthetics are nice to have too (actually Aliexpress is even cheaper!). Then wait for Chris_Top_Her to chime in and he'll give you all kind of mod advice.

Personally I believe Toyota RAV4 does have one nice virtue: better reliability.
 
Dan_from_oregon said:
I'm talking about mods, tweaks, upgrades etc. Mazdas - and cars from this decade -- are alien to me so I'd love to hear what you guys have done.
Click to expand...

First thing I've done with my previous 5 new vehicles is to spray all the electrical connectors and grounds with penetrating dielectric grease. This creates an oxygen barrier and repels water to keep oxidation of the copper connections to a minimum. Because new vehicles are more dependent upon computers and sensors than ever before, this helps increase reliability down the road. it also makes a good plastic lubricant so the connectors are easier to plug/unplug.

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0603823

I haven't had an electrical problem since I started doing this 15 years ago and I still have all the vehicles that I've treated this way.
 
If you're fussy about keeping up the appearance of your new ride, invest in some clear plastic film protection for the front end.
 
The first thing I did was to get some floor mats (OEM), mud flaps (OEM for the front - aftermarket for the rear), and the rear cargo cover. These are available on the web, probably for less than the price your dealer charges.
 
Dan_from_oregon said:
I'm talking about mods, tweaks, upgrades etc. Mazdas - and cars from this decade -- are alien to me so I'd love to hear what you guys have done.

Funny side note:

The guy from the Toyota dealer called (I had test driven many cars last week). Pushy and cocky little d-bag of salesman. I told him I bought a cx-5 and he got very upset and wanted to know why I hadn't asked him to test the RAV4. He had this tone in his voice like I was going to regret not getting a RAV4 the rest of my life. I just hung up on him more or less because he really annoyed me. Anyway I saw a new RAV4 on the road tonight and just started laughing. Why the hell would I want to drive one of those clunky minivan-looking eyesores?!
Click to expand...
Look at a CRV and imagine that RAV4 owners think similar, lol.

Anyway, I tinted the front windows with ceramic.
 
yrwei52 said:
The first thing you can consider is to get interior LED light set. And these cheap eBay aesthetics are nice to have too (actually Aliexpress is even cheaper!). Then wait for Chris_Top_Her to chime in and he'll give you all kind of mod advice.

Personally I believe Toyota RAV4 does have one nice virtue: better reliability.
Click to expand...

And locked AWD. THat is the main benefit to the RAV that I saw.
 
Dan_from_oregon said:
I saw a new RAV4 on the road tonight and just started laughing. Why the hell would I want to drive one of those clunky minivan-looking eyesores?!
Click to expand...

I tested the RAV, it didn't drive bad, but it didn't drive good either. Plowed through corners, lots of body lean, and it didn't inspire confidence. That is the Toyota problem, they want to make it appeal to everyone, so it ends up being a bland nothing-special car.
 
GP 2004 said:
.... That is the Toyota problem, they want to make it appeal to everyone, so it ends up being a bland nothing-special car.
Click to expand...

I've always thought of Toyota as the Chevrolet of import auto's. A much more reliable variation of one, of course.

Just like Chevrolet: if they accidentally let an exciting vehicle out the door they will turn it into a boring bowl of oatmeal on 4 wheels on the next model update. Take the 2nd gen Tacoma, for example.
 
Congrats on your new ride.....ENJOY!! (drive) You will now be compelled to equip your new baby with everything you never knew you 'needed'! See my never-ending list below - not including all the cleaners, polishes, waxes, protectants, etc., etc. But it's ALL good & exciting!! (2thumbs)
 
As soon as the CX5 was pulled into the driveway, I removed all the dealer decals they love to put on the back. Small one by the chrome CX5 logo and the large 2ft dealer name on the back window. Up here most dealers use the back window for their advertising.
 
Sekmor said:
As soon as the CX5 was pulled into the driveway, I removed all the dealer decals they love to put on the back. Small one by the chrome CX5 logo and the large 2ft dealer name on the back window. Up here most dealers use the back window for their advertising.
Click to expand...

Yep. I always tell the dealer/sales person not to put any dealer decals on the car. My car is not a moving advertisement for their dealership unless they want to pay me for that privilege.
 
Dan_from_oregon said:
I'm talking about mods, tweaks, upgrades etc. Mazdas - and cars from this decade -- are alien to me so I'd love to hear what you guys have done.
Click to expand...

Wash the outside of the vehicle and wheels with Dawn blue dish washing liquid. Dawn removes any grease, dealer wax, and grime from the vehicle. This preps the surfaces (and wheels) for a full compliment of Zaino products. http://www.zainostore.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

Purchase a nice set of floormats of your choice for front, rear and cargo area. Most popular are OEM, Husky, Weathertech, 3DMaxpider.

I also immediately scheduled to have my front windows tinted to match the rears.

I ordered an OEM hood edge protector, Chinese mud flaps, OEM side window deflectors/visors and OEM moonroof deflector.
 
Sekmor said:
As soon as the CX5 was pulled into the driveway, I removed all the dealer decals they love to put on the back. Small one by the chrome CX5 logo and the large 2ft dealer name on the back window. Up here most dealers use the back window for their advertising.
Click to expand...

Haha that's actually the first thing I did. The "tattooed" the back with their logo and web address which thankfully came off pretty easily. I used some stuff I had to get rid of the glue. I hate that crap. I should have told the dealer to take it off. Of course I ditched the bright yellow dealer promo plates and frames the moment I got home.

I see someone mentioned cargo net/tray/etc - I think that's where I'm headed. Then I'll look at the interior LED lights. Thanks everyone for th suggestions. I'm excited and don't know where to begin haha.

I suppose the RAV4 is good for what it is but IMO it looks so bland. I love how the cx-5 looks (the zoom zoom look as I call it) and at least where I live you don't see a ton of them on the road. I also considered a mazda6 but I hate how the display sticks out of the dash. Looks after market. I test drove a couple toyotas and they drove all right and had decent bells and whistles but their cars just look so boring. Plus is it just me or does the RAV4 seem rather underpowered?
 
Dan_from_oregon said:
I see someone mentioned cargo net/tray/etc - I think that's where I'm headed.
Click to expand...
Mazda OEM Retractable Cargo Cover is a must to have. It's even available at Amazon. For $108 USD shipped to the US, I like Canadian Findway liners.

Dan_from_oregon said:
I suppose the RAV4 is good for what it is but IMO it looks so bland. ... Plus is it just me or does the RAV4 seem rather underpowered?
Click to expand...
Since Toyota ditched V6 on RAV4, its current 2.5L 176hp in-line 4 is indeed a bit underpowered.
 
@yrwei52: do you have a link for a retractable cargo cover for the 2016? I seem to be struggling to find the $108 one and I really want to buy it haha
 
Clear bra and weather tech floor and cargo mats. O-yeah I also upgraded the speakers and added a JL Audio micro sub for more depth to the music. Too bad that the CX5 is so loud inside that even with 460 watts of continuous power it's not as enjoyable to listen to at highway speeds. Sounds amazing at lower speeds though.
 
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