1st oil change, dealer says CX-9 requires full synthetic.

JPL

:
2018 Mazda6, CX-9
I know this not to be true, so it just makes me wonder about the competency of these dealerships as I've heard others talk about what their dealers say. There's a thread on here where a dealer said you CAN'T use synthetic in the 2nd gen CX-9. Obviously not true either. Dealers are supposed to be able to fix anything, yet they don't know basic things like this?

I went in planning on switching to synthetic so I didn't bother starting a conversation with the service person. I'm even sure that the CX-9 ships with conventional oil and here they're telling me synthetic is required.

So I wanted to get a sense of what other's dealers have said about this.
 
Your "dealer" is the commissioned service writer. They're salesmen of repair & maintenance service. The more they sell, the bigger their paycheck. If they don't sell enough, they get fired.

These service writers have varying degrees of training and knowledge. Very few (almost no one) in the dealership have any specific training on lubricants. They're expected by the customers to know the specifications for every car that drives in. What you read in your owner's manual is what's right. There is a chance the manufacturer issued a service update, but that isn't common.
 
Looked in the owners manual and it doesn't even use the words "conventional" or "synthetic". Just says 5w-30.
 
Just came from the dealer today buying oil filters and he told me to use conventional oil
 
Just came from the dealer today buying oil filters and he told me to use conventional oil

This is what's so aggravating. Not only that there is no consensus, but opposite guidelines to the most basic maintenance item. If Mazda dealers are clueless, I can only imagine taking the vehicle to an independent shop.

Plus, with respect to conventional and synthetic oil, the dealer should only suggest or recommend the type, not telling us one or the other must be used. I'm actually unaware of any vehicle that "requires" synthetic oil, perhaps except some specialty or high dollar cars. Certainly not any mainstream vehicle that I'm aware of.
 
They're expected by the customers to know the specifications for every car that drives in.
I find it hard to believe that a Mazda service writer is clueless when it comes to his own products and what it needs.
Of course a customer expects his Mazda dealership employee to know the specs of every Mazda that comes in. It's their job.
There aren't that many Mazda's either.
I mean, really, Mazda only makes half a dozen different models, and even less different engines.
Even a rookie employee with no previous training should be able to figure out what a CX-9 requires after working there for a week or two.
How hard can this be?
They are not working at an independent shop where they could potentially be exposed to dozens of vehicles and engines.
They work at an exclusively Mazda dealership, and they only have to deal with a handful of different engines and vehicle models.
If these guys can't learn the basics in that environment, then they need to get into another line of work.

You also need to take into account that not every customer is car savvy. Not everybody frequents car forums.
Are you saying that every soccer mom or senior driver should know the inner workings of the engine, and what it needs?
These folks go to the dealership expecting to meet up with a knowledgeable employee. Not some flaky service writer that hasn't a clue.
 
Check your owner's manual. "Only use SAE 5W-30 oil 'Certified for Gasoline Engines' by the American Petroleum Institute (API)."
Conventional or synthetic is merely a preference of choice.
 
Check your owner's manual. "Only use SAE 5W-30 oil 'Certified for Gasoline Engines' by the American Petroleum Institute (API)."
Conventional or synthetic is merely a preference of choice.

Yes, I know this. But apparently Mazda dealerships do not.

I know there's a ton of engines they have to keep track of in the current lineup (2 + turbo variant). So that's a lot of different oils to deal with.
 
The factory "Mazda Premium Engine Oil" is a 5w40 Synthetic made for Mazda by Castrol......used for all petrol variants except for Rotary Engines.

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

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(a) that oil might be labeled for Mazda by Castrol...it isn't made for Mazda
(b) it is neither the correct viscosity nor the correct Service Category for U.S. Mazdas.
 
(a) that oil might be labeled for Mazda by Castrol...it isn't made for Mazda
(b) it is neither the correct viscosity nor the correct Service Category for U.S. Mazdas.

Who its made for isn't relevant...just that Mazda approve it for use in the 2.5T. The manual for Australia requires Ilsac GF-4 or API SM or higher....

Manual list viscosity of 5w-30 or higher for higher temps, our climate is 0-40 degrees celsius so pretty spot on.....obviously colder climates you adjust the viscosity, but the classifications wouldn't change as they are US standards......

Here is what Castrol US recommends.....lines up with Australia specs? https://applications.castrol.com/oilselector/en_us/c/recommendation?vehicleType=cars-and-suvs&manufacturer=mazda&model=cx-9-tc-(2016-)&modelType=cx-9-skyactiv-g-2-5t-2wd-(2016-)

Not trying to be an arse but the metallurgy and tolerances are the same wherever the engine is shipped too...just the temperature range varies.
 
I know this not to be true, so it just makes me wonder about the competency of these dealerships as I've heard others talk about what their dealers say. There's a thread on here where a dealer said you CAN'T use synthetic in the 2nd gen CX-9. Obviously not true either. Dealers are supposed to be able to fix anything, yet they don't know basic things like this?

I went in planning on switching to synthetic so I didn't bother starting a conversation with the service person. I'm even sure that the CX-9 ships with conventional oil and here they're telling me synthetic is required.

So I wanted to get a sense of what other's dealers have said about this.

Saw that you are in Mass, which dealership are you working with? I'm going to be having this fight with them relatively soon and we have not had a good experience working together so far!
 
Foxy, I agree, the engines are the same, and there are similar climates in some regions...but the legal beagles who enforce the warranties are different.

Matt et al, keep in mind that there is no need to return to the dealership for anything except warranty repairs. Any licensed auto repair shop can do your routine maintenance and supply the paperwork to keep your warranty in full force. You can do it yourself, but documenting it for the warranty is a topic for a different thread.
 
Saw that you are in Mass, which dealership are you working with? I'm going to be having this fight with them relatively soon and we have not had a good experience working together so far!

Alden Mazda on the South coast.
 
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