Used 1st Gen - What to look for

duckyone

Member
:
08 Mazda 3
I am in the market for a used mid to late model (09-12) 1st Gen CX-9. I want the AWD version, as we deal with snow where I live and will be taking the vehicle up forest roads to hiking trailheads.

Some Questions I have relating to purchasing a used CX-9:

1. What should I be looking out for when buying used in the MYs?
2. What maintenance should have been done (or required to do) in the 60-100k mileage range? What mileage should the water pump, plugs/coils be replaced?
3. What sort of servicing/PMs should be done or checked for on the transfer case since I'm looking at the AWDs? I've read that the PTO/transfer case is a weak point in an overall reliable powertrain.
4. Any important TSB/Recalls I should make sure are addressed in the vehicle history?
5. What tires should I look for (any brand known to be ok)?
6. Any known issues with electronics? My understanding is that the power window motors go bad. Our '08 Mazda 3 has similar problems (Driver wont work when it's hot out, driver main switch doesn't work on rear windows, etc).
7. What is the real (not dealer starting priced) money value I should aim for with a purchase?

TIA
 
I am in the market for a used mid to late model (09-12) 1st Gen CX-9. I want the AWD version, as we deal with snow where I live and will be taking the vehicle up forest roads to hiking trailheads.

Some Questions I have relating to purchasing a used CX-9:

1. What should I be looking out for when buying used in the MYs?
2. What maintenance should have been done (or required to do) in the 60-100k mileage range? What mileage should the water pump, plugs/coils be replaced?
3. What sort of servicing/PMs should be done or checked for on the transfer case since I'm looking at the AWDs? I've read that the PTO/transfer case is a weak point in an overall reliable powertrain.
4. Any important TSB/Recalls I should make sure are addressed in the vehicle history?
5. What tires should I look for (any brand known to be ok)?
6. Any known issues with electronics? My understanding is that the power window motors go bad. Our '08 Mazda 3 has similar problems (Driver wont work when it's hot out, driver main switch doesn't work on rear windows, etc).
7. What is the real (not dealer starting priced) money value I should aim for with a purchase?

TIA

avoid the AWD, it's s***. just get some good winter tires instead.

otherwise a pretty decent choice.
 
avoid the AWD, it's s***. just get some good winter tires instead.

otherwise a pretty decent choice.

Because of the transfer case? There are definitely more FWD cars available, so that's ok. Plus the price saved versus an AWD I can put into winter tires.

Anything else I should be wary of when looking at a car on the lot? I hate buying used because I have no idea what the previous owner(s) did.
 
I am in the market for a used mid to late model (09-12) 1st Gen CX-9. I want the AWD version, as we deal with snow where I live and will be taking the vehicle up forest roads to hiking trailheads.

Some Questions I have relating to purchasing a used CX-9:

1. What should I be looking out for when buying used in the MYs?
2. What maintenance should have been done (or required to do) in the 60-100k mileage range? What mileage should the water pump, plugs/coils be replaced?
3. What sort of servicing/PMs should be done or checked for on the transfer case since I'm looking at the AWDs? I've read that the PTO/transfer case is a weak point in an overall reliable powertrain.
4. Any important TSB/Recalls I should make sure are addressed in the vehicle history?
5. What tires should I look for (any brand known to be ok)?
6. Any known issues with electronics? My understanding is that the power window motors go bad. Our '08 Mazda 3 has similar problems (Driver wont work when it's hot out, driver main switch doesn't work on rear windows, etc).
7. What is the real (not dealer starting priced) money value I should aim for with a purchase?

TIA

Plugs are supposed to be replaced at 60k. It's a little involved to get to the 3 plugs on the back side of the engine so a mechanic will ask for $$$ to do this.

I have replaced both front window motors. They are relatively cheap and pretty easy to fix yourself. The parts are available on rockauto.com...

The condensate drain tends to clog on these, which can destroy the HVAC blower. The OEM part is absurdly expensive but there are aftermarket parts available. Also, there are a couple of relays that can go bad which cause the HVAC blower to stay on.

There are a few recalls out there. One for bad grounding wires on the heated seats. There is a recall for takata airbags, but it is currently limited to a few model years. There is also a recall for corrosion on the lower control arms.

The big issues with these vehicles are water pumps and transfer cases.

The water pump, when it fails, can take the entire engine with it - water gets into the crankcase. Nobody can say for sure what mileage is a red flag, but 80-100k plus is when I'd start worrying.

Similarly, the transfer case is a weak point. Some people have figured out a way to change the gear oil in there, so I'd look for one with maintenance records that show this has been done. When it fails, it's expensive to replace.
 
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avoid the AWD, it's s***. just get some good winter tires instead.

otherwise a pretty decent choice.

Ridiculous. Have there been some transfer case issues? Sure. Is AWD "s***". Not at all.

There was a recall on one of the suspension components--check to make sure that recall was performed.

There is also a warranty extension on the brake booster; it's not a recall. But if you buy the car and have sudden brake loss, depending on the miles, that may still be under warranty.
 
Plugs are supposed to be replaced at 60k. It's a little involved to get to the 3 plugs on the back side of the engine so a mechanic will ask for $$$ to do this.

I have replaced both front window motors. They are relatively cheap and pretty easy to fix yourself. The parts are available on rockauto.com...

The condensate drain tends to clog on these, which can destroy the HVAC blower. The OEM part is absurdly expensive but there are aftermarket parts available. Also, there are a couple of relays that can go bad which cause the HVAC blower to stay on.

There are a few recalls out there. One for bad grounding wires on the heated seats. There is a recall for takata airbags, but it is currently limited to a few model years. There is also a recall for corrosion on the lower control arms.

The big issues with these vehicles are water pumps and transfer cases.

The water pump, when it fails, can take the entire engine with it - water gets into the crankcase. Nobody can say for sure what mileage is a red flag, but 80-100k plus is when I'd start worrying.

Similarly, the transfer case is a weak point. Some people have figured out a way to change the gear oil in there, so I'd look for one with maintenance records that show this has been done. When it fails, it's expensive to replace.

Thank you. Great information here. When you mention the condensate drain part, is it the drain itself you are saying there are cheaper alternatives for aftermarket, or the blower? If I was to get one of these, the miles would likely be in the 80-100k or near, so I will check into replacing the water pump preemptively.
 
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Thank you. Great information here. When you mention the condensate drain part, is it the drain itself you are saying there are cheaper alternatives for aftermarket, or the blower? If I was to get one of these, the miles would likely be in the 80-100k or near, so I will check into replacing the water pump preemptively.

Sorry for the confusion.

The drain gets filled up with leaves/pollen/dust/acorns/etc. There are threads on here on how to unclog it - the process is pretty easy. However, when the drain clogs, water fills up the HVAC vents in the dash until water flows into the blower, which can destroy the blower motor. The blower motor assembly is expensive (like $450 for OEM or so the last time I checked). My drain has clogged up 2 or 3 times (I have to park under a big oak tree)... The aftermarket part is 1/3 that, but it is a little louder.

There are instructions on this forum somewhere on how to DIY the water pump replacement - it is pretty involved, but you can save ~$1000 by doing it yourself. In my opinion, the water pump is the biggest issue with these cars - it is an inherent flaw in the engine design that Mazda inherited from Ford. I'm at ~85k miles right now, and I'm planning on replacing the pump around Christmas when I have some time.
 
Sorry for the confusion.

The drain gets filled up with leaves/pollen/dust/acorns/etc. There are threads on here on how to unclog it - the process is pretty easy. However, when the drain clogs, water fills up the HVAC vents in the dash until water flows into the blower, which can destroy the blower motor. The blower motor assembly is expensive (like $450 for OEM or so the last time I checked). My drain has clogged up 2 or 3 times (I have to park under a big oak tree)... The aftermarket part is 1/3 that, but it is a little louder.

There are instructions on this forum somewhere on how to DIY the water pump replacement - it is pretty involved, but you can save ~$1000 by doing it yourself. In my opinion, the water pump is the biggest issue with these cars - it is an inherent flaw in the engine design that Mazda inherited from Ford. I'm at ~85k miles right now, and I'm planning on replacing the pump around Christmas when I have some time.

Water Pump thread:

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123860369-CX-9-Water-Pump-Replacement-DIY-Guide

My 2008 FWD with only 77k has been a great vehicle.

The fuel pump died but that could have been running on empty too many times.

The suspension components were replaced under recall.

Nothing else material has occurred.

I only replaced the water pump because I suspected and corrected a bad VVT at the same time. Yes, it is involved but can be done in your garage in order to save ~$2k which is why I wrote the DIY guide. Many folks have put more miles than that on their's with no issues. Just be diligent about checking oil color (no milkshakes) and coolant levels.

My condensate drain clogged once due to crumbling leaf debris - easy 5 minute fix. If you park under trees in the fall, cover the intakes for a couple weeks.

Like any used car purchase, if you are not mechanically inclined, pay someone to look it over and under before buying.

And yes, skip the AWD and buy better tires.
 
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