No Roof Rails
- Thread starter Pitter
- Start date
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- 2019 CX-5 GTR
simple: $$$
cheaper to sell the vehicle without them
more profit for the dealer to sell and install them.
cheaper to sell the vehicle without them
more profit for the dealer to sell and install them.
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- 2020 CX5 Signature
I would guess that most people have no need for them and would rather not pay for them. Mine came with them, would have preferred that it didn't as it just raised the price. I paid for something I will never, ever use. Sadly it was the only car in my color withing a few hundred miles.
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- 2020 CX-5 Signature Azul Metalico
Yes looks, that's what I thought. And yes I can imagine the majority of owners don't need them. I on the other hand do as I live on a country property and periodically need to buy boards, fenceposts and so on. I would own a pickup as well but can't afford the extra vehicle tax.
Looks/cost. IMO they should be standard, this is a small SUV and some "SUV stuff" like roof rails would be welcome. At $400+ from the dealer its ludicrous pricing.
The CX-30 comes with them standard on the higher trim and IMO improves the looks on its small stature.
The CX-30 comes with them standard on the higher trim and IMO improves the looks on its small stature.
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- Pueblo county CO
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- CX-5 Sport 16.5 6M
Same here, essentially, although I have used them a couple of times. I could have gotten aftermarket either cheaper or some with more versatility like Thule or something.
They do increase the utility at a low cost.
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- Occupied Calif.
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- 2019 CX 5 GT-R
When I bought my 2019 GT-Reserve, every GT-R and Signature model on the dealer's lot was already fitted with roof rails. It was done at the factory as it was listed on the factory window sticker and not on a supplemental dealer installed additional cost sticker. I asked the salesman why, and he said that customer surveys indicated that they looked better. The cross rails were still optional. I guess I like how they look. But I will never attach the cross rails or carry anything up there.
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- 2019 CX-5 Signature
Same thing when we got our Sig in December '19. I also prefer the look with them installed.
Also, they are installed at the port, not the factory. Still, a way better option than having an inexperienced tech at the dealer doing it. They can't even be trusted to put your plates on correctly. One of the vehicles I purchased several years ago was delivered to me with the rear plate upside down!
The rails were one of the final negotiating points when I bought the car. Told the salesperson I preferred not to have them and wasn't going to pay $400 extra for something I didn't want. I told them they could remove the rails and sell 'em to somebody else, but she said they don't do that. Anxious to close the deal, she gave me an additional $400 off the price and a pair of the filler plates from a car that was having rails installed for another customer.
Removing the rails got put on the back burner long enough that I got used to seeing them and they're still on the car a year later. The filler panels are up in the rafters if I ever decide I want to swap them out.
Removing the rails got put on the back burner long enough that I got used to seeing them and they're still on the car a year later. The filler panels are up in the rafters if I ever decide I want to swap them out.
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- Pueblo county CO
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- CX-5 Sport 16.5 6M
$400? Mine were listed at $250 and the sales guy said they might be able to delete them but I decided to keep them. I could have gotten some for less but they matched the paint.
Are we both talking about the side rails? I looked at my original paperwork showing the port-installed side side rails have an invoice price of $320 and retail price of $400.
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- Pueblo county CO
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- CX-5 Sport 16.5 6M
Yeah, 4 years ago they were cheaper I guess.
I bought some OEM crossbars from an online dealer at a discount.
My rails match the paint but the crossbars are black.
I've seen Subaru and Toyota integrated rails that are black (abs?) and they look sturdy but they kind of remind me of Dodge Caliber somehow.
I put them all back on just before the 4th of July, planning a camping trip. I notice a slight additional sound I didn't hear before. Probably the crossbars mostly but I have a feeling the rails contribute. They don't seem like they could help the aerodynamics any.
Someone mentioned rails on the cx30. It also has considerable black body cladding on the fenders. Ok, but that's not exactly the cx5 look, if you ask me.
It might make for an interesting cx5 version, though. They could offer a cx5 with a off-road/cross country option package.
bronzeglide
2021 CX-5 Signature
I think the roof rails look cheap and prefer the car without them. Installation involves cutting some other trim, so it isn't reversible without replacement parts. Our dealer puts them on most of their inventory, I think for the markup. When negotiating, they kept quoting cars that had them installed and I had to look through their inventory and point out the ones that didn't have them.
Another reason they may not come from factory is they may slightly degrade fuel economy and/or noise, vibration , and harshness. We see the lengths Mazda went through to improve fuel economy by 1/2 mpg or whatever with cylinder deactivation.
Another reason they may not come from factory is they may slightly degrade fuel economy and/or noise, vibration , and harshness. We see the lengths Mazda went through to improve fuel economy by 1/2 mpg or whatever with cylinder deactivation.
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I was astounded that the CX 5 didn't come with roof rails. The dealer wanted a fortune for them, plus I would have had to wait up to two weeks for them to get them and install them. This is Colorado where nearly everyone carries skis, bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, hang gliders, you name it. All the other vehicles in this class come with side rails, and then you buy whatever aftermarket rack you want.
I always have a top box on for gear, and usually one bike rack on top and two on a hitch mount behind the car. I told the dealer to forget it and bought the Mazda side rails online. I had them in just a couple of days and installation was just a matter of removing the plastic covers and bolting the rails on. They were going to charge me $200 for 20 minutes labor. The only problem was that I couldn't find any black ones, so I ended up with chrome, but I can live with it.
I then first bought the Mazda crossbars, but found them to be pretty useless. I ended up with a Yakima rack that attaches to the side rails, and now the car functions like an SUV should.
I always have a top box on for gear, and usually one bike rack on top and two on a hitch mount behind the car. I told the dealer to forget it and bought the Mazda side rails online. I had them in just a couple of days and installation was just a matter of removing the plastic covers and bolting the rails on. They were going to charge me $200 for 20 minutes labor. The only problem was that I couldn't find any black ones, so I ended up with chrome, but I can live with it.
I then first bought the Mazda crossbars, but found them to be pretty useless. I ended up with a Yakima rack that attaches to the side rails, and now the car functions like an SUV should.
