## Post Whoring - Part 3 ##

[matroska]

This is fun...  

Funnily enough I do get a free coffee (at least there's a pot of cofee in the waiting area at St@fford  ) 

[matroska]

[amsandun]

I think the guy had good business which sold all the lamps and had to put up a bite shop 🤩

[fiat fan]

Someone smoked too much grass!

[amsandun]

  On 12/10/2024 at 4:10 PM, fiat fan said:

Someone smoked too much grass!

Expand  

කෑගල්ලනේ ඉතින් 😁ඕවා nothing...

Edited December 11, 2024 by amsandun

[Hyaenidae]

Found this super interesting post on Reddit. A Mazda master tech posted it, but it's good advice for almost any car.

 

 Due to the fact I'm getting tons of repeating PMs, and see many repeating posts, I decided I'll make a post that covers many known issues\facts about the CX-5. This way, I can just link it. Yes, I might forget something, but that's because I'm human. I've seen about 40K work orders of Mazda's, and about 10K of those were mine to take care of. I can not comment on the diesel models, since I've never seen one. I'll be talking in miles because Americans usually have more problems with conversions than the rest of us... But I prefer metric.

1.    "Which CX-5 is the most reliable one?"

2016.5 and 2017. Older are also great, but the 2016.5 and 2017 are the latest models with "tank reliability". This is due to the fact they don't have cylinder deactivation or i-stop, and no LED headlights\taillights (depends on trim, all have LED headlights, but some have auto level and tail lights). The headlights are about $1K each if they go out! Some lower trims of 2018+ also don't have CDA, and those will be reliable as well. Some early batch 2024s are also CDA (cylinder deactivation) free. Turbos (of any car) are less reliable than naturally aspirated CDA-free Mazda's, but might be more reliable than naturally aspirated Mazda's with CDA (more on that later). When you have a part that spins at 200,000 RPM, you can't expect the reliability of something that doesn't have that part. Overall, the higher the year after 2017, the more issues I've seen per mile.

2.    Mazda OEM brakes are crap.

Most of you will experience squeals and screeches. They're not bad at stopping, just noisy. So when you need brakes done eventually, switch to Brembo rotors and Akebono pads. If Brembo isn't available in your market, any mid-range and coated aftermarket rotors will still be better than Mazda's OEM... But I'll have to insist on the Akebono pads. Go on RockAuto and search for your model. Pretty much everything on the "daily driver" or "premium" categories will be much quieter than OEM. I prefer Akebono pads because (in my experience, and I haven't tried everything), their hardware fits the best.

3.    Most common issue (all CX-5s, and all Mazdas in general) is the infotainment.

CMUs are pretty rare (I've seen 4 in 7.5 years). Most of the time it's either an SD card, which creates bootloops (can be solved with a $30 SD card on Amazon) or a full screen screen (ghost touches, can be solved with a new screen for $150 at the junkyard, or just do this: https://youtu.be/wO9IQoH_2jQ). SD cards and screens I've seen going bad at least once every 2 weeks (on a slow week).

4.    Got a transmission you think is acting up?

Do this before going to a shop: https://youtu.be/TxU0y1DqTUc In my experience, this will solve it over 80% of the times.

 5.   "How to maintain my CX-5 so it'll last?"

Transmission+differential+transfer case fluid every 50K miles (remember, there is no such thing as "lifetime fluid", manufacturer says there is just because of EPA and CAFE standards, so they could show that maintaining the vehicle requires less crude oil products... For them, "lifetime" means the lifetime of the warranty period), coolant flush every 5 years, brake fluid every 5-10 years, oil change every 5K miles at most (with none-turbo) and 3K with turbos (unless you want your engine to start burning oil early), spark plugs every 60K miles (none-turbo) and 35K turbo at most, to keep your coils healthy. Replace your engine air filter and cabin filter every year, regardless... Your MAF sensor and blower fan will thank you for it, and the better mileage you'll get from a new engine filter will pay for itself (if you'll do it by yourself, which is a 3 minute job)... Do the cabin filter yourselves too. Both air and cabin filters you can go aftermarket, because you replace them frequently. Don't get high flow filters, or filters that are too restrictive. See this: https://youtu.be/sJ3L-E-ufYo

Get yourself a $5-$10 brake fluid tester on Amazon\AliExpress, and a $10 coolant gravity tester+a $15 cheap multimeter, and test your own fluids... It only takes a few seconds, and no one will scam you to replace them ahead of time. Here's how to test your coolant with a multimeter.

Walnut blasting intake valves every 70K miles. ( Hyaenidae: Applicable for GDI models I guess) Fuel system cleaner with high PEA content (Chevron Techron, redline, or Gumout All-In-One) every 8K miles, preferably add it just before a long (100+ miles drive). Keep your fuel tank at least 1\4 full at all times, to keep the pump cool. This will extend its useful life by a huge factor.

Using 100% synthetic (different from "full synthetic") engine oil, you don't need to track time, only mileage. Best will be Pennzoil Platinum, which is derived from natural gas and not crude oil. See this: https://youtu.be/7hJU112oUg8

6. "I don't like my tires".

Yes, those aren't great as well... Just use them up and get better tires, or get a better set and sell the old ones on FB marketplace.

Overall, Mazda's reliability (even later models) is still top 3-5 (depending which year ranking), and are still one of the best vehicles you'll get for what they cost (in terms of reliability, dynamics, and premium interior and accessories).

I prefer helping out with individual issues in a public thread, so others could find it when searching online for the same issue, so please either comment or make a post, and only then PM me with the post link, and then I'll help many, instead of one.

7. "Does my engine sounds weird?".

Watch this: https://youtu.be/cdjIF4jYQow

8. I can't help with "is this a good price to buy this car?"

I was never on sales. I CAN help with "is this a reasonable price for this service?".

9. Never go to a dealership for anything!

The only exception is complex diagnostics or warranty work. Go to a private shop that isn't a chain (a shop with only one location, maybe 2, in the entire country). Dealership are 2X more expensive, and the easy work (service) is done by the newest apprentices to "learn" on your vehicle, while the licensed techs are busy with diagnostics, complex work, PDIs, warranty, and safety certificates.

If you think I forgot something (which I probably have), please add it.

10. Have a newer Mazda?

Hate the app, the subscription model, and the fact the engine turns off when you open the door? Get this one instead. Takes 15-20 minutes to assemble, and doesn't turn off unless you don't have the fob with you when you press on the brake pedal.

Edit: "Will this hold true with other models?" Yes. But the years\trims that have CDA will be different. Anything else powertrain and infotainment related is the same.

Edit: Wow, I had no idea this was going to blow up like this. Give me 6-8 weeks to try and respond to all the inquiries, and update the list with the suggestions that you reminded me of.

11. "how to tell if I have cylinder deactivation?"

Under fuel economy in the infotainment system https://youtu.be/-JAlBM-31k8 Also, if you have this part on your exhaust, you got CDA. BTW, if you have a screeching\whistling noise when you start up or turn off the car, that's the part that's doing that. It doesn't mean it has to be replaced, just mean it's slightly worn. If you're under warranty, get it replaced. If you're out of warranty, wait for your engine light to turn on before you replace it.

Edit : if I haven't answered your question, it probably means someone else already asked it and it was answered. I'm going through all the comments, and now it's YOUR turn 😏 but I'm still trying to answer even repeating questions, they just go to the end of the line, since there are hundreds to answer. PMs will be the last to be answered (but they will eventually), since that only helps one person, and not everyone.

12. Someone reminded me of another known issue, which is mirrors not folding or making creeking noise when folding. This is usually the mirror motor assembly, not an easy diy or a cheap job. About $200-$250 per side. And this one you should go to the dealer for... It's very easy to break a few things if you do it incorrectly. Some people say lubricating works, but in my experience, it worked only about 20% of the times. But you have nothing to lose by trying, so here you go: https://youtu.be/NTZZUBafZgs

Edit: "If I have to choose between a 2024 with CDA or 2024 turbo, which should I choose". Well, I don't have enough data, as there's not enough mileage on those to see long term reliability, but If I was a betting man, I would go for the turbo. Turbo problems can be delayed with more vigorous maintenance (short interval oil changes), CDA problems are uncontrollable. But again, it's just an educated guess, so take it with a large grain of salt.

13. Another issue one commented reminded me of is "sticky" command console control buttons and joystick. This is usually caused from liquid damage, as those are stupidly placed next to the cup holders. Try this: Buy electrical contractor spray. Take out the battery negative terminal, spray a huge amount (1\4 to 1\2 of the can) of contactor spray on the buttons and bottom of the joystick, while you press and play with them. Then wait 5 minutes. Do that again, wait 10 minutes, reconnect the battery, start the car and check if it worked. Repeat if\when necessary.

14. Another known issue is the coolant valve (Mazda's fancy word for thermostat). Not very common, but not rare either. They are quite expensive though (about $700 all in). The good news are that there a cheaper fix than what the dealership tell you. Insist paying the labor hours stated in the TSB! READ THIS FIRST and make sure your vehicle is included: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2024/MC-11003350-0001.pdf

Edit for companies PMing me: No, I will not put an affiliate link or promote your product, not even if it's one that I recommended here already. There are 2 reasons for this... A. It will ruin the integrity of my post\recommendations. B. What if tomorrow your product isn't good anymore, and I want to edit the post and recommend something else? I won't be able to do it, since I'm getting money from you. Reddit is to help people, not to become another breeding ground for greedy "influencers" like ticktock or Instagram. If I wanted to sell stuff to people, I would've stayed at the dealership! So please stop approaching me.

Edit: apparently people are not happy with the shorter explanation version of why CDA is bad (for all manufacturers), so here's the long one: Thermodynamics. When you turn off two cylinders and the two others are firing, it means two cylinders are running colder than the other two. All cylinders share the same block and cylinder head. When some parts of the cylinder head are colder than other parts, the rate of expansion and contraction is different between areas of the same block of metal. Those stresses, in turn, can lead to either micro fractures in the head (cracked cylinder head eventually), or out of round of the bores (oil consumption eventually). This isn't just a Mazda problem, it's a problem with other manufacturers as well. Search "Chevrolet cylinder deactivation issues", or "Honda VCM issues" and see. Same issues across the board.

Edit for new owners: Do an oil change after the first 1000-1500 miles. No... Engines aren't really "broken in" at the factory. See this: https://youtu.be/X4424Q5lLR8

Edit for fellow Redditors: Please don't give me "awards" (unless you get them for free somehow). Donate that amount to what you think is a worthy cause. Writing "thank you, that was helpful" in the comments makes me much happier than getting an award. Reddit is a 20 billion dollars behemoth... They don't need your money, as they make enough from ads.

Edit for mods\general Redditors: I'll answer here because I was asked several times. Yes, you can copy my post and put it in any forum\sub you want. You don't need to give me credit or get my permission. It's nice that you ask... But you don't need to. The more people know about this, the better. Doesn't matter if it's from me or from you.

 

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Edited December 18, 2024 by Hyaenidae

[amsandun]

Engine says: බ්‍රෝ චෙක් එන්ජින් ලයිට් එක වැඩද බලන්න පත්තු කරේ 😜

[Hyaenidae]

WHAT GIVES A CAR A SOUL?

 

Sometimes, when I lay awake in bed thinking about my car, I wonder if my car is laying awake in the garage thinking about me too. It's probably not, but I'd like to think that my car is more than just a rolling piece of steel, glass and rubber. A noisy Subaru is definitely not short of character, that's for sure, but can a car be some sort of transient being? Can my car, or any other car for that matter, become...alive....*cue creepy music and stormy sounds effects*

 

Some cars have more character than others the day they roll off the assembly line. An STi is going to have more spunk than say a Toyota Camry, but does that translate to it having an actual soul? When I sit and think about it, maybe it's not so much the car's character that give it a soul, but it's something that blossoms over time. Maybe it's a high millage machine that refuses to die. Maybe it's a car that's been beat up in an accident but still drives straight. Maybe it's a car that's been on the road for more than 40 years and you cherish it more than your wife, but you won't tell her that because you know that would mean you'd be sleeping in it. Maybe it's simply a car that brings you joy in some way that another car can't.

 

So after much deliberation, I came to a conclusion. I think the soul of the car is tied to two things:

 

1. The car's character, and the attachment that you as an owner have to it.

2. The life that the vehicle itself has lived, regardless of the owner.

 

As I said before, while each car is something unique by itself, the longer that you own your car, the more of an attachment that you form with it. You learn all of it's little secrets, and what it can and can't do. You know what feelings are normal when you're behind the wheel, and when something is wrong. You know what noises it makes, and which ones are worth listening to. Sometimes if you whisper sweet nothings to it, it listens and magically starts to run better. But more than all of that, you share moments with your car that nobody else can take away from you. Traveling to far away lands, sliding sideways through snowy roads, and making friends (both of the human type and the machine type) along the way. But like real people, cars have flaws too. A Toyota MR2 would love to kill you on a daily basis if you're not careful, but yet there's people that still love them for their faults. Hell, people even give their cars human names too. If that's not some form of attachment, then I don't know what is.

 

So through it all, a car begins to take on almost a life of its own. When I first bought my Subaru in 2009, I didn't know diddly squat about anything. I couldn't drive stick, I've never owned a turbocharged car, let alone any kind of foreign car. But not long after I bought it, we started to share moments. I got the hang of shifting down pretty quickly (after being honked at a lot), started leaning more about what makes these cars tick (and just cars in general), and because of the Subaru community on NASIOC, I met a lot of great people who would become equally great life-long friends. No matter what we did though, we did it with our cars. Cruises through the back roads of Wisconsin, weekend retreats in Michigan for SnowDrift weekend, and taking turns going down the drag-strip for the Subaru Shootout. Next thing you know, I'm standing up in these people's weddings and I'm doing motor swaps in their garages for the first time. It doesn't take much for things to snow ball into something bigger, but I can trace everything back down to a single decision to buy my car, which is pretty remarkable.

 

The other aspect of a machine with a soul is the physical aspect of the car itself. While a new car is beautiful and pristine to look at with it's shiny paint and rust free body, it's almost a blank canvas in a way. The vehicle hasn't been used. It hasn't lived a car's life. There's something to be said about seeing a survivor classic car, or a 20 year old machine that's still chugging away on the road, caked in rust and dirt. A car like that earns my respect in my book, and all of the door dings and chipped paint along the way is just a way the car shares its life story with anyone that comes in contact with it.

 

For example, I'm pretty sure the hood of my car has more craters in it than the surface of the moon, but that's because I don't let it sit in my garage. My car sees a lot of highway miles because of my travels to work and other little road trips. I have door dings galore because the previous owner had kids and liked to ride their bicycles, and that just so happened to also be in the garage next to the car. You can do the math with how that worked out.

 

The dent in my front fender is from an accident I had when someone cut me off, just a few months after that exact same fender was repaired because I pulled a car out of snowbank and it wanted to thank me with a kiss. My roughed up front bumper is from hitting a snow bank while attempting to do a standing 180° turn at Sno*Drift last year - my bumper is evidence of how well I executed it.

 

The fact is that if you look at my car, you can see all of the imperfections, but they tell a story. While my car is no show car, and I still try my best to keep it nice, these things happen. But when it's all said and done, it's what makes my Subaru, my Subaru. And the best part of all of this is that when I decide to sell my car, those little imperfections stay with the car as if to say "This is what I've accomplished". The next owner will be able to make new memories with it, but it can't take away the moments I've already shared with it.

 

And it's the memories we share with our cars that leaves the most lasting impression. It's the stories you'll tell your friends or your kids someday. It's the reason why I've written about my car and why, despite its flaws, it was such a memorable vehicle to own. Because after you give up your keys to some new owner and say goodbye to your 4-wheeled friend for the last time, that's all that you'll be left with. So enjoy the moment, savor the memories, and drive it like you love it, because there isn't any shame in letting your car live a fun life too.

 

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Edited February 22 by Hyaenidae

[Hyaenidae]

Man sells his Dacia 1300 after 34 years of ownership