12th Sep 2020, 00:39
Sorry, Covid and all, haven't been back to this blog for a while.
Eventually I did take it to two upholsterers. Neither were able to guarantee a fix that wouldn't visually affect the seats. So I just forced my frame to adjust. It did. Though those damn bolsters can get me sometimes.
12th Sep 2020, 00:50
I think Mazda owners think about what they're driving. Honda, Toyota owners... it's just an appliance for them. And the funny thing about that is that they choose transportation without thinking about the reliability factor. Both companies built glorious reputations in the nineties and early 21st century for reliability. Which they well deserved. Top three/top four... but recently, neither Toyota nor Honda have scored in the top 10 brands. But Consumer Reports rates Mazda brand number 3 behind some very big hitters.
Were the appliance buyers watching their chequebooks and screening the competition, they ought to switch (just speculating).
1st Nov 2020, 01:57
A few clicks short of 50,000.
Just keeps humming along.
Replaced tires with the same OEM tire. Toyo A36. This is an excellent tire. All weather/All season.
Can't find a fault with them. They're quiet, handle tight, ride comfortably (for a 19 incher), and brake quick. Even in winter they stacked up well against previous, expensive, snow tire purchases over the years. Don't get me wrong, they are not snow tires. But with AWD they worked well enough in all seasons to get the nod again for that purpose. They're also affordable. Saved a bucket full over the more recognized more heavily marketed brands. Also, these tires never left the pavement.
The originals had begun to flirt with wearing out, though there's still 10k of tread left, it's not enough for another Ontario winter. And there are other reasons to let them go. Over time rubber dries out, stiffening the sidewalls and tread. The stiffer side walls banging and crashing over broken and generally un-cared for roads, making life just a little bit less comfortable. The new tires cured that immediately. The new suppleness greatly improved the ride.
This was not another review of the CX-5, which is still doing great. But Toyo's tires were worthy of praise.
2nd Apr 2021, 05:42
April 1. 57,000km.
So... it's the end for this car. Lease is up. This is a good, almost great car. Tight body construction, high quality interior, amazing handling, reliable (according to Consumer Reports Mazda's are the most reliable brand). But those 19 inch tires... Yech!
Would have gotten another one, but there's not much change in the vehicle. The interior colour choices are boring, the infotainment system is outdated and surpassed by many competitors. Though the infotainment system works well and is easy to master. The rotary dial makes it easy to control without having to give too much visual concentration over to the screen. The HUD is really good. The car is heads above the CR-V (owners can't get any heat from the engine and freeze in the winter) and RAV-4 (I drove one while looking for our replacement - punishing ride, no leather, and tonnes of cheap plastic inside).
So... what wooed me away? A 2021 Nissan Rogue. A little bigger. Better electronics. Platinum model sports the fanciest interior and best leather in the segment. Rides a little better than the Mazda. But the Mazda has slightly better handling and rain sensing wipers. Rogue seats are also a little bigger and seem, at least at this point more comfy (we'll see).
That's it then. Signing off. I don't have the Rogue yet, but will start a comment on it after a couple thousand clicks.
9th Mar 2020, 18:27
I agree entirely with the comment about 19 inch wheels being completely useless on any small SUV or sedan vehicle. It's totally a marketing thing, so people want more and more. Yes, it looks good, but the tires are too expensive to replace, too easy to damage over potholes, on many cars the ride quality is affected, and there's another problem: the car maker will have no choice but to deliver the car with cheap quality tires because 18 or 19 inch tires are already expensive. So when purchasing a new vehicle - no matter the brand, look for 16, 17 or at worst 18 inch wheels.
And there's another marketing scam that makes people pay for nothing: the double exhaust offered on the highest trims on several car brands and models. These double exhaust are completely useless: the 'power' increase is totally worthless, and you pay hundreds for just an extra needless part on the car (compared to a single exhaust) that will be more to replace when it gets old.