So long CX5...

W

Woodys2718

Member
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2016 CX 5 GT AWD, Tech & IActivesense
Well, I made the decision mid week to move on from my CX5.

With the recent new purchase of 2 four wheelers and many trips planned to northern WI (~300 miles one way) I couldn't see myself using the CX5 to tow this far as frequently as we plan.

Could it have done it, probably. Would I have enjoyed it, no. Would the CX5 longevity suffer, I think so. We talked about heading west as well on a four wheeler vacation in 2017, and I certainly wouldn't have seen us taking the CX5 loaded with 2 machines, 2 people and all the gear.

So, I found a Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss edition with the new (in the US) 2.8L Duramax Diesel. Man it is quite a vehicle. The seats are sooo soft and supple, now they really make my 16 GT leather seats feel like sitting on a sheet of plywood... sorry folks. We took it on its first towing trip today about 100 miles round trip. It was amazing, sooo much torque, I found it difficult to not speed in 55 mph zones. It just wants to go. And the automatic engine braking while in Tow mode was pretty neat too.

 
Congrats on the new truck. Seems like a much better fit for your needs. Our cx5 is my wife's DD and while it is plenty adequate as a commuter vehicle, I always get a slight grin driving my v6 accord.
 
Maybe it's just me. But I don't see the CX5 crowd being in the same boat as the 4wheeler and snowmobile crowd. But I'm sure your new truck is more to your liking.
 
Too much generalizing going on around here about what people do/want/need. I think that truck is nice. Snowmobiling, would be my choice; I'm already down with skiing and ice skating. I'd be willing to use my CX-5 for the occasional tow, but I wouldn't make it a regular deal. I value the handling too much to add towing fatigue to the chassis. If it came down to needing a frequent tow vehicle, I'd pick up an older low price vehicle for towing. But I wouldn't want a pickup truck for a DD either.
 
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A 4x4 truck is not in the same market category as a Mazda CX5. A CUV is a CUV and a truck is a truck. So it's not a fair comparison.

I am not a fan of GM and I have owned GM vehicles and reliability was always a problem. I don't trust GM and long term durability for some models is unknown. I always had to replace starters, alternators, water pumps, engines leaking and burning oil, has always plagued my GM vehicles. Plus GM vehicles depreciate like a sinking rock. Intellichoice shows a 32% depreciation rate on the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss and only a 3 star NHTSA safety rating.

I hope your Chevy serves you well and doesn't have issues but I personally don't trust GM and any new engine lineup is a crap shoot. I hope the diesel engine is NOT a GM design and it's outsourced to someone who know how to build diesels. If it's a GM diesel then get the extended warranty.

The main point is that comparing a Chevy truck to a Mazda CUV is not a fair comparison. A truck is a truck and a CUV is a CUV
 
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Did you sold your cx-5 after few weeks driving? The tuck look nice, but I don't usually tow anything.
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
I'm pretty sure that's a Fiat motor.
Click to expand...
Fiat?! GM's 2.8L Duramax LWN diesel is based on a diesel from VM Motori S.p.A. who is an Italian diesel engine manufacturing company wholly-owned by Fiat Group Automobiles. But GM spent four years modifying it so that it meets US 50-state diesel emission standard. But the use of timing belt on this GM version Duramax diesel definitely turns me off.
 
yrwei52 said:
Fiat?! GM's 2.8L Duramax LWN diesel is based on a diesel from VM Motori S.p.A. who is an Italian diesel engine manufacturing company wholly-owned by Fiat Group Automobiles. But GM spent four years modifying it so that it meets US 50-state diesel emission standard. But the use of timing belt on this GM version Duramax diesel definitely turns me off.
Click to expand...

So it is a Fiat motor in the Colorado. I know Fiat cars are not that reliable.

Is it a rubber belt or steel timing chain?

No urea?
 
4 Years modifying to meet US emissions.. Where's our sky-d though..
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
4 Years modifying to meet US emissions.. Where's our sky-d though..
Click to expand...

Volkswagen's diesel debacle has all but killed diesel in the USA. Don't hold your breath for a SkyActiv diesel in the USA. It's not coming anytime soon.

US car buyers don't want diesel and VW drove the final nail into the diesel coffin here in the USA.
 
Chris_Top_Her said:
4 Years modifying to meet US emissions.. Where's our sky-d though..
Click to expand...
SkyActiv-D has enough problems need to be resolved. Although looks good on specs with big torque, but meeting US emission standard without any ill-effects is still a big hurdle to overcome!

Timing belt is made of rubber, one of unpredictable material you can use, and requires expensive routine replacement. No urea been used as far as I know.
 
yrwei52 said:
Timing belt is made of rubber, one of unpredictable material you can use, and requires expensive routine replacement. No urea been used as far as I know.
Click to expand...

I had an Olds that had the stupid rubber timing belt. Nothing but headaches. Cost around $1,000 to do the replacement every 50k miles. If the belt broke it would cause catastrophic engine failure.
 
Lbear said:
I had an Olds that had the stupid rubber timing belt. Nothing but headaches. Cost around $1,000 to do the replacement every 50k miles. If the belt broke it would cause catastrophic engine failure.
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Exactly! Although most timing belt now should last 105,000 miles. GM decided to use timing belt on Duramax diesel mainly for less noise but sacrificing longevity.
 
GM's 2.8L Duramax diesel uses the same Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) as SA-D uses. Don't know if it'll have the same problem like SA-D with fuel oil dilution due to it's enable to complete active regenerations to clean the diesel particulate filter with too many short trips.
 
I just crossed this bridge. looked at f150s, we had tacomas at my old job but I just dont need a truck right now. maybe every 2000 or 3000 miles I might want to haul something, so I put a 200o pound hitch in the cx5. if I really want to haul something, penske 16 foot truck, $50 DONE! but if ya got wheelers or sleds, the cx5 is not the right ride. but dang my 10 day old, 398mile cx5 is soo much fun to drive
 
Lbear said:
The main point is that comparing a Chevy truck to a Mazda CUV is not a fair comparison. A truck is a truck and a CUV is a CUV
Click to expand...

I never understood this. It is perfectly fair in the eye of the purchaser. What, there is some morality cause in play when someone cross shops vehicle segments? Who are you to determine what is a fair comparison if you aren't the one making the purchase. People cross shop segments all the time and life goes on.
 
IMO: Towing a single quad, snowmobile or PWC is fine with CX-5. I've done a single quad or snowmobile and it does fine. Two would be too much with my un-braked trailers.
 
Yes, we had a lifestyle change.

This spring I decided I wanted a 4 wheeler and purchased one. A few weeks later, my girlfriend decided she wanted a four wheeler as well.

After planning several trips with some friends, I just didn't want to place that much stress on my CX5 every spring, summer and fall towing these beasts.
 
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