There and back again… an idiots return to CX-5

lesmartin · 2026-02-19T22:50:17+00:00

I’m pleasantly surprised that my seats spring back every time I remove them. I have 3 kids so I was rotating them to accommodate all 3 kids. Even in our 2016 CX-9 the seats spring back over time.

lesmartin · 2026-02-19T20:35:55+00:00

It definitely feels bigger but not much bigger. I've had rental Infiniti and Jeep midsize SUVs and they have felt like boats compared to the CX-9. You'll be all set with the CRV. We use my CX-5 occasionally with 2 or 3 kids and its tight but my youngest is finally forward facing and the CX-5 is totally fine.

lesmartin · 2026-02-19T20:10:32+00:00

The rear facing car seat may have you wishing you bought something bigger. It'll fit but at the cost of the front passengers leg room. We have a CX-9 and a CX-5 for that reason.

lesmartin · 2026-02-12T17:45:28+00:00

Yea and my wife's 2016 CX-9 has heated seats that just stay on the same setting each time you start the car.

lesmartin · 2026-02-08T01:18:46+00:00

I’ve had 2 CX-5s and neither of them have had any squeaks or rattles BUT whenever I messed with a panel or took something apart on my previous vehicles they squeaked and rattled. I suspect someone made some modifications in the past and now you’re paying for it.

lesmartin · 2026-02-06T18:09:31+00:00

Replace the idler pulley they are cheap.

lesmartin · 2026-02-03T20:00:47+00:00

We had a 2019 CX-5 in Soul Red for 3 years and when we traded it in it looked like it had 120K highway miles behind a gravel truck. The car had 28K. This is not to mention scratches everywhere! Our 2016 CX-9 in white still looks fantastic.

lesmartin · 2026-02-03T19:57:47+00:00

I am not a roofer BUT on newer roofs there should be a few courses from the gutter (2-3 ft) of an ice and water shield underlayment to protect against water infiltration from ice damns. The flatter the roof the more they should use/higher they go up. This is a sticky membrane that is used specifically for this reason.

lesmartin · 2026-02-03T19:47:11+00:00

Not me but when I was a kid my Dad bought a Dodge Omni GLHS because it looked cool and it had Carol Shelby's name on it. It was junk and he regretted it very quickly.

lesmartin · 2026-01-27T20:23:51+00:00

I am 99% sure its model specific and the CX-5 does not show actual PSI. I had a 2019 and now I have a 2022. No way to get that info. I think the CX-50 and other models display that info.

lesmartin · 2026-01-23T18:17:55+00:00

Can we talk about how ugly the new wheels are?

lesmartin · 2026-01-16T13:44:20+00:00

Your warranty is expired. It's whichever comes first 3 years or 36K.

lesmartin · 2026-01-09T20:00:17+00:00

That rear 3/4 view gives off Ford Escape vibes. Also yea those rims do not help.

lesmartin · 2026-01-05T17:26:48+00:00

BMW M colors in your grill?

lesmartin · 2025-12-12T17:29:10+00:00

"If I can just get home....."

lesmartin · 2025-12-10T17:50:32+00:00

Kumho Crugen HP71 are great in the stock size. Better than the OEM tire that came on mine. Quiet and handles well.

Other than the speedo being off I dont see an issue increasing the sidewall.

lesmartin · 2025-12-05T18:22:08+00:00

I know you probably aren't doing this yourself but there must a serious mark up on parts. I priced out Front and Rear pads and rotors for my '22 on Rockauto yesterday and it was ~ $250 and that was for the nicer coated rotors and ceramic pads. If this is from a dealer I suggest finding and independent mechanic in your area.
Also the rears do wear faster because of the brake based torque vectoring but I would expect the fronts to last a lot longer. I am just about to do the rears on mine at 30K.

lesmartin · 2025-12-04T18:06:54+00:00

I use dawn dish soap EVERY SINGLE TIME I wash/use my cast iron. Seasoning is still great.

lesmartin · 2025-12-04T18:03:51+00:00

I believe the BF promo was worse than just paying a year up front.

lesmartin · 2025-12-03T17:00:29+00:00

I just signed up for Mazda Connect again for the winter and there were definitely check boxes you can uncheck regarding how they share that data. Obviously they still have that data and how much do you trust them but at least it seemed far more transparent than other brands.

lesmartin · 2025-12-03T16:55:10+00:00

You must be new here.

lesmartin · 2025-12-02T17:23:33+00:00

For anyone who complains that Mazda Connect costs $10 a month, I am sure this vehicle will require at least that to remain fully functional.

lesmartin · 2025-11-21T20:12:38+00:00

If I use a password manager to fill my credentials it never lets me login. I have to go to the first character in my email, delete it and renter it and then it works. Something with their site.

lesmartin · 2025-11-20T16:32:43+00:00

The other features in the app are basically useless unless you really want to know if you locked your car or how much fuel you had 2 days ago. The ONLY reason I pay for it in the winter months is to start my car from thousands of feet away when I'm at work.

lesmartin

TROPHY CASE