Remote starter and other annoyances from new owner

I

ipj00

Member
:
Mazda Cx-5 GT
I just bough ta new Cx-5 GT and while I love the overall feel and drive of the car there are some things I find were not very well thought out.
1. No power lift gate option when very other competitor seems to have one.
2. Android auto has been mentioned before here and I really hope they can update this.
3. Minor complaint but rear vents anyone?
4. The remote starter they gave me was locally installed, not the official Mazda one which I suppose saved me a few hundred. But here's what gets me, to prevent theft Mazda decided it was a good idea to have the car turn off if any of the doors are opened after remote start is used...what?!? So you basically have to start the car twice if you use the remote start. In the winter if you want to warm your car up and then open the car to retrieve an windshield scraper your car turns off. Anyone else get this feature and thought it was dumb?

I guess I am venting but it's useful stuff to consider if you are thinking about buying. Great car but when you buy a top trim level these kinds of things just leave you scratching your head.
 
ipj00 said:
1. No power lift gate option when very other competitor seems to have one.
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I think this is subjective/personal preference. For the majority of the targeted buyers of the CX-5, this is actually a plus, so, maybe it doesn't justify the cost to provide the option.

2. Android auto has been mentioned before here and I really hope they can update this.
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Yes, would have been nice to have Android auto. But it's somewhat subjective, too, as I'm totally happy with the 2016 Infotainment system, I don't even bother plug my phone in, and don't want to waste its battery on casting to the car.

3. Minor complaint but rear vents anyone?
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There are rear vents under the front seats.

4. The remote starter they gave me was locally installed, not the official Mazda one which I suppose saved me a few hundred. But here's what gets me, to prevent theft Mazda decided it was a good idea to have the car turn off if any of the doors are opened after remote start is used...what?!? So you basically have to start the car twice if you use the remote start. In the winter if you want to warm your car up and then open the car to retrieve an windshield scraper your car turns off. Anyone else get this feature and thought it was dumb?
Click to expand...
Same thing with my CompuStar. The car turns off when opening the door is pretty standard across brands with push-start button, I think. When the car turns off when I open the door to grab a scraper, I'd just stick my foot on the brake and hit the Start button again since I'm already within range (don't even have to climb onto the seat), then drive off when I'm done cleaning off the snow/ice.

I guess I am venting but it's useful stuff to consider if you are thinking about buying. Great car but when you buy a top trim level these kinds of things just leave you scratching your head.
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I guess you could have learned a little more details beforehand (I actually went through most of the posts on this forum before getting the CX-5). But given that Mazda is moving the CX-5 into luxury segment (see the other post), hopefully your wish will come true. In the mean time, enjoy the fun driving experience (and if not, perhaps a Lexus or other luxury cars might suit your needs better :)
 
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ipj00 said:
I just bough ta new Cx-5 GT and while I love the overall feel and drive of the car there are some things I find were not very well thought out.
1. No power lift gate option when very other competitor seems to have one.
2. Android auto has been mentioned before here and I really hope they can update this.
3. Minor complaint but rear vents anyone?
4. The remote starter they gave me was locally installed, not the official Mazda one which I suppose saved me a few hundred. But here's what gets me, to prevent theft Mazda decided it was a good idea to have the car turn off if any of the doors are opened after remote start is used...what?!? So you basically have to start the car twice if you use the remote start. In the winter if you want to warm your car up and then open the car to retrieve an windshield scraper your car turns off. Anyone else get this feature and thought it was dumb?

I guess I am venting but it's useful stuff to consider if you are thinking about buying. Great car but when you buy a top trim level these kinds of things just leave you scratching your head.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum! Enjoy your new ride!

1. I do not want the extra weight, I can press a button, and use my arm...
2. I Could care less about android auto or apple car play... I do not operate phone while driving car...
3. Rear seat FACE vents would be nice when there is people back there... but at least there is the vents under the seat for the feet...
4. Remote starter shutoff feature is for anti-theft as I understand it... However, I do not waste any time or fuel letting car idle...

It's OK to vent! Maybe some of these features/expectations will be fixed for you in the next TOP-LINE SIGNATURE model CX-5???
 
The OPs list does not affect me, warmer climate and lift gate does not make a difference to me.
The only vehicle that does offer rear vents in this price range is Nissan Rogue as far as I know. If you did your shopping I think you would still see CX > Rogue in some aspects.
 
Remote start is the one thing I still can't believe the cx5 doesn't come with. 3 of my previous cars, oldest being 2007 all came with remote start from the factory.

I was going to purchase from the dealer until I heard about having to turn the car off and restarting it once you get in. My Chevy Cruze with keyless start/entry all I had to do was press button to start like normal, and it stayed running. If I didn't have keys on me, it wouldn't let me drive... so I don't see why Mazda didn't do it that way.

I've gotten used to not having it, but it would be nice to have on those brutal cold days, even just to defrost the windows
 
pmill said:
Remote start is the one thing I still can't believe the cx5 doesn't come with. 3 of my previous cars, oldest being 2007 all came with remote start from the factory.

I was going to purchase from the dealer until I heard about having to turn the car off and restarting it once you get in. My Chevy Cruze with keyless start/entry all I had to do was press button to start like normal, and it stayed running. If I didn't have keys on me, it wouldn't let me drive... so I don't see why Mazda didn't do it that way.

I've gotten used to not having it, but it would be nice to have on those brutal cold days, even just to defrost the windows
Click to expand...

Hopefully Mazda will not copy anything GM comes out with.
 
In regards to the remote start, if you use your key, the actual cut key that's inside the fob, it shouldn't turn the car off as I understand it. I talked to one shop last year and they seemed to think that they might be a work around that would allow the keyfob to still unlock the doors and keep the engine running but I don't remember what that was. It's pretty common with every remote start, You wouldn't want your car broken into and driven off if it was remote started.
 
sillyxone said:
ipj00 said:
3. Minor complaint but rear vents anyone?
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There are rear vents under the front seats.
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Rear AC vents are different from those heater vents hidden underneath the front seats! Those heater vents have been there for every sedan since 1950's! Yeah you can say Mazda does put AC air through these under-seat vents, but physics says they're not effective to serve as an AC vents! And they're not adjustable to blow the needed cold air upward into you face during the hot summer!

sillyxone said:
⋯(and if not, perhaps a Lexus or other luxury cars might suit your needs better :)
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You don't have to get a Lexus or other "luxury" CUVs to have those features mentioned by OP. Honda CR-V is the one and there're others in the same compatible compact CUV category.
 
Kaps said:
The only vehicle that does offer rear vents in this price range is Nissan Rogue as far as I know.
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Almost every compatible compact CUVs offers rear AC vents including Honda CR-V to name one! Toyota RAV4 has one too but they're located at the top of front dash, still better than nothing!
 
yrwei52 said:
Almost every compatible compact CUVs offers rear AC vents including Honda CR-V to name one! Toyota RAV4 has one too but they're located at the top of front dash, still better than nothing!
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So they are front dash vents and not rear vents then? Or is the dash in the rear for Rav4?
 
Kaps said:
yrwei52 said:
Almost every compatible compact CUVs offers rear AC vents including Honda CR-V to name one! Toyota RAV4 has one too but they're located at the top of front dash, still better than nothing!
Click to expand...
So they are front dash vents and not rear vents then? Or is the dash in the rear for Rav4?
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Toyota RAV4 used to have traditional rear AC vents located at the rear end of center console. But they changed for newer model years and moved rear AC vents to the top center of the front dash, like those vents for the windshield defroster, but they aim upward towards the rear seating area. Nevertheless nobody likes the change!
 
I have never had a rear passenger complain about vents. I always point one of the dash vents back there and I'm likely to get a complaint about it being too cold. Your mileage may vary...
 
I knew about all these points (except #4), I mentioned prior to buying the cx-5 but they obviously weren't deal breakers. I'd take something that I want to drive over these features any day. As said by others, rear face vents are offered throughout the segment and so is a power liftgate which is useful for someone with shoulder problems but obviously not a big deal for others.

The remote start is probably the biggest head scratcher IMHO, because i know plenty of people who have them in their cars and the car just requires you to press the push start again before driving off. The turning the engine off thing just seems like an inefficient way to prevent theft.

Anyways good to hear other opinions, thanks!...and I don't think I'd pay 10k more for a luxury brand with these features haha.
 
craigo said:
I have never had a rear passenger complain about vents. I always point one of the dash vents back there and I'm likely to get a complaint about it being too cold. Your mileage may vary...
Click to expand...

So true. I have my daughter in the back seat 80% of the time, and the front vents are more than strong enough to deliver the heat/AC air to her (with the fan on #1 or #2). Beside, I have a sensitive nose so no direct fan blowing into my face, thus, most of the air is delivered directly to the back seats instead.
 
I for one am glad it does NOT have a power hatch, can't tell you how many times with my Subaru I accidentally hit the button on the key fob and it opened smacking against the inside of the garage door , and BTW I love people who b**** about features missing AFTER they buy the car !
 
I find myself closing and reclosing the hatch a lot because it didn't shut all the way. I wish there was at least a soft close in the back. This is something knew that car didn't have, but didn't think I would want until I actually got the car.

Regarding the remote start... my nissan would shut off if I pressed on the brake before I turned the key. This worked well.
 
Remote start for my Camaro causes it to run in a limited mode where you can't shift or do anything with the electronics etc until you put your foot on the brake and hit the start button again - then everything is enabled; it does not turn off in between. Seems to work well.
 
ductman said:
I for one am glad it does NOT have a power hatch, can't tell you how many times with my Subaru I accidentally hit the button on the key fob and it opened smacking against the inside of the garage door , and BTW I love people who b**** about features missing AFTER they buy the car !
Click to expand...

If it makes you feel better, i was bitching about the missing features before I bought the car too :)
 
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