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Mazda CX-7 Buying Decision!

dsptooldsptool Member Posts: 5
in Mazda
My wife and I thought the CX-7 was going to be great, but the problems we're reading up on in the forums are totally making us back track on our decision to lease one. Specifically, the AC issue would really make us look else where as it sounds like a design flaw that can't be fixed. Faulty fuel system issues are not something we would want to deal with either. Does anyone know if these are prominent on the '08's or only in the 07's?? Thanks in advance for any info!
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  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Specifically, the AC issue would really make us look else where as it sounds like a design flaw that can't be fixed.

    What, exactly, is the AC issue?

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • dsptooldsptool Member Posts: 5
    In some of the forums we've read that the AC perfomance is poor when the temperature is above 85f. Also, the temperature coming in the cabin is warmer than the outside temp when not using the a/c and temp turned all the way down. Sign seem to point to that the ac lines or condensor or whatever is positioned too near the turbo, heating it up and messing with performance. Engineering issue that cannot be fixed it seems. Maybe I read the posts wrong?
  • cx7lovercx7lover Member Posts: 90
    I wouldn't worry about it too much, if it's not performing well take it in. The A/C is great for me, but I just had the compressor replaced and that could be why, a new and improved compressor.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    Now, if this were my money, I'd be wondering why the compressor in a two-year-old car is going out. Some think this is normal?! I live in the Southwest, and I'm still running the original freon in the only compressor my 10-year-old car has ever had! I think you're right to be concerned. Do your research BEFORE you buy, I'd say, and never buy on looks alone! Only you know what you can and cannot accept in a car. I hope you get honest answers one way or the other.
  • dsptooldsptool Member Posts: 5
    You read my mind Iris. I couldn't get my head around the number of problems that seemed to be inherent in the CX. I Almost bought it anyway, but decided to go a whole different route. I actually went for an AWD sedan (Milan) instead. Crazy, I know. I didn't really need the extra space of a CUV and the Milan was more affordable for what I needed. Maybe when my current lease runs up in 3 years, i'll reevaluate. So far, no regrets! Thanks all for your posts.
  • irismgirismg Member Posts: 345
    Sounds like a well-informed decision! Fusion and Milan are good cars.
  • dmele426dmele426 Member Posts: 33
    i have a cx-7 AWD GT, awesome car, love the way it looks and for the money you do get a lot. My only issues witht he car are:
    - Gas consumption 15/21 (without using AC) not sure how much different it would be if i use the AC.
    -The car is a bit noisey, it seems to lack noise absorpition material all around.
    -Last but not least, if you have kids, consider that the back seat is a bit tight on leg room.
    I have 7K miles on my car, i got it x-mas 2007 and I really like it. However, if I had known about the gas consumtion issue, i think I would have bought the 2008 CRV, which is an awesome car as well. My wife owns the 2007 CRV LX and the car is great, not many options but very family friendly for our kids. :blush:
    if you have any more questions or concerns let me know
    dmele72406@nyc.rr.com
  • jaguar0027jaguar0027 Member Posts: 387
    A friend of mine is looking into buying a Mazda CX-7. Is there anything else other than AC issues, gas consumption, and legroom that would sway my opinion of this vehicle?

    Thank you.
  • zoom49zoom49 Member Posts: 76
    Our CX-7 07 gets reasonable fuel economy 18-23. It is FWD not AWD which seems to get lower mileage by about 2 mpg. Check legroom out for yourself with front seats in your normal driving location. There is not ton's of room but could be ok for your lifestyle. Our A/C is good, the issue we have is that the air comming out of the vents when the A/C is off is about 10 degrees hotter that the ambient temperature. This warm air out of the dash in vent mode seems to affect some automakers more than others. We are at 25,000 trouble free miles with only the gas cap issue on our early build.

    Zoom-Zoom
  • 1rubyred1rubyred Member Posts: 12
    Run Don't Walk Away From this CAR!!!

    I thought I'd love it but HATE it! I have A CEL on now, Along with an ABS light that won't go off. Will drag the car down to service first thing on Monday.

    You'll have to have AC on all the time or like having HOT air blowing in your face.

    You've been warned. I only have 7200 miles on the car and we keep cars until they fall apart. That will be at 15,000 miles? :lemon:
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    After a day of fun in the sun, why not stop in for some chat with your fellow CarSpace members?

    The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
  • cx7lovercx7lover Member Posts: 90
    If hes getting a new one, don't worry about anything, the A/C was updated to a bigger compressor, and the CEL's we're fixed for later builds.

    Don't let the people with issues sway you, it's unfortunate they got most of the first bad ones, but they're complaining is really irrelevent, it's not like Mazda isn't willing to fix them or not acknowledging there is an issue.
  • zoom08zoom08 Member Posts: 75
    I own a CX7 GT AWD 2008.
    Great car, fun to drive and with 30K on the odometer. I havent had a problem yet. So far it is just a simple oil change every 4K miles. This is a very safe car to drive, as for the issues you read in the blog, just keep on mind that the first year model had a lot of problems as usual. I have seen the 09 CX7 and I can see tha Mazda has fixed some of the things they did not do in the 08 model, so that is a good sign of thing to come. If I had a choice, I take a 2009 over the 2010 model. The turbo engine is a blast to drive.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Many newer cars, TOO many, do not have a coolant flow shutoff valve in the hose to the heater core. So even with the system OFF some heating of the incoming airflow will be HEATED, if not via actually flowing through the heater core then by radiant heating therefrom.

    Some help can be had by turning the system to MAXIMUM cooling before turning it off. If you simply turn it off the REHEAT/REMIX vane/door might be left in the partial REHEAT position.

    You can also do as I did, go to Home Depot and buy and install a manual water flow shutoff valve in that hose feeding the heater core. You may find that this improves the efficiency of your A/C quite significantly, especially if you have an automatic, temperature set, climate control system. I leave the valve shut throughout the summer, A/C cooling, period.
  • auto_girl_2009auto_girl_2009 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, I am in the market for a new car and the 2010 CX-7 s Grand Touring FWD is very appealing with all the bells and whistles compared to some luxury vehicles I'm considering. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a bit hung up on the vehicle being a Mazda and not a Lexus, Volvo, Infiniti, etc. BUT I'm trying to look past that. After test driving the CX-7 yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised with the plush interior and handling... gasp, I may be sold on it!

    Before I get too excited about it or start learning to cope with the Mazda logo on the hood, I have growing concerns on the reputation that Mazda carries as being "unreliable."

    I'm a bit spooked after reading numerous posts on this forum about some of the issues CX-7 owners encountered. In addition, J.D. Power & Assoc. gave it an "average" ranking in reliability (3 out of 5). However, I haven't seen any hard data on how the reliability was figured. In researching across multiple websites (Edmonds, J.D. Power & Assoc., U.S. News Auto Rankings, CR), I've found that no one really knows how to classify the CX-7. For example, U.S. News has it classified as a "mid-size SUV" but compares it to the RAV4 and CR-V, which are both classified as "compact SUVs" therefore skewing the review of the CX-7, in my opinion.

    All of this brings me back to my question of to buy the CX-7 or not to buy? I realize the CX-7 was introduced in 2007 and it takes a few years to work out the kinks on a new model; therefore, what is your confidence level in the 2010 CX-7?

    thanks in advance!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Mazda seems to be well ahead of the curve insofar as working out the kinks in the F/awd system but you seem to not need, or are not interested, in the F/awd model. That's just as well since the turbo motor seems to still be fraught with problems.

    I would NEVER recommend a FWD to anyone, and certainly not somewhat with the expectation of encountering wintertime adverse roadbed conditions. But I would say the small I4 FWD version seems a bit underpowered to me.

    Have you driven a Venza...?

    Were I currently in the market...2010 RX350 is equipped with the new Venza F/awd system.
  • justme73justme73 Member Posts: 2
    I'm shopping for my first car, and I'm split between the 2011 CX 7 the base with 4WD, and the 2011 Rav 4. We don't have many dealerships where I live, and these are the best two, in my opinion. I test drove the CX 7 and fell in love, but I have a few questions I'm hoping someone will answer for me.

    1) Do all models of CX 7 with 4WD have turbo?

    2) Are all the problems I have read about the turbo confined to certain model years (like 2007) or are they issues that occur after 3 or 4 years of use?

    3) Is it detrimental to the turbo system if regular fuel is used, just wondering as I've read either regular or premium can be used?

    4) A friend of mine informed me that Mazda products lose their future value at a faster rate than other CUV's such as Rav 4. Is that accurate?

    If I were buying on love alone, I'd buy the CX 7 in a heartbeat, but I'm looking for a car with long term durability and good trade in value, because I may look to trade it in on a newer model in 5 years or so, and I want to make the best decision I possibly can.

    Please help!!!
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Speaking strickly as an outsider I have seen nothing that indicates Mazda has done anything over the years to address the engine/turbo failure rate, or even worse, even acknowledge that a problem exists.

    Were I to for some reason (love its looks) purchase a CX-7 the first thing I would do is "wire" the turbo wastgate open just as "insurance".
  • justme73justme73 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your reply. Just curious, how would I "wire" the turbo wastgate open?
    I'm guessing you don't own a CX7, if not...why not? Again, I'm just trying to make the right decision. Would you think the Rav 4 is preferable?

    I also really like the transmission in the CX7, as I used to own a manual, and this has both manual and automatic. Do any other cars have this feature that you know of?

    Thank you for your answer. I placed a similar post on another mazda forum, and got a really snotty reply, which did not answer my questions at all.

    :confuse:
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..why not?..."

    I have an '01 F/awd RX300 with 80,000 miles still running fine.

    I guess if the only choice was RAV4 or CX-7 I'd choose the CX-7 and figure out how to "wire" the wastegate open.
  • zoom08zoom08 Member Posts: 75
    1. Not all models have the turbo engine. I have a 2008 GT AWD turbo. I love it. I had silly problems but nothing that I would say or make me not want to be a mazda owner. I am not sure how many miles you put a year but I drive at least 18K per year. If gas conservation is an issue, DO NOT BUY this CAR, get the honda CRV better mileage, smaller front seats but ample rear seating space.

    2. Previously, I drove a honda CRV Lx AWD. Great reliability, better quality inside in the cabin but boring as hell to drive. As for value, at the end of the day EVERY car will lose value the moment you drive it out of the dealership. As for how every often you change your cars???
    Personally, after 100K miles, i start looking for a new car as I drive between NYC, NJ and PA so I am in the highway and reliability is a huge issue for me.

    3. I bought my car in Dec 2007, all i do is change oil every 3 to 4K miles, got a new set of tires at 33K, I have done a wheel alignment at 53K miles and changed light bulbs and wipers. SO maintenance has been low. In comparison to my CRV, my mazda is more comfortable at the front, rear seat is ok. I have a baby seat in back plus luggage and that is enough space for me.

    If I could, I would like to look forward to trading up for the CX9, as there are many more standard features for that model than my CX7 but again overall experience is that I really love my car. AWESOME handling in snow and rain with the AWD system. CX is not bad but there is just no power once the car has 4 people and groceries. Honda engine is wimp.......leaves you wondering where is the horse power...
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..leaves you wondering where is the horse power..."

    As a safety measure many modern day FWD only vehicles have the engine automatically "derated" at lower speeds and/or in lower gear ratios. You may note that many of these same models, in F/awd "dress", have better 0-60 times since this derating is not really required.
  • stantonb1stantonb1 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2011
    In August I purchased a Brilliant Black CX-7. I had considered a Honda CRV and the Subaru Outback and Forester. My impressions were that the CX-7 simply gave me more vehicle and fun. My CX-7 listed out for $34,400 and I purchased it for $31,550. The CX-7 is a blast to drive, I do not have 500 miles on it yet, but those miles were enjoyable. The delivery of my CX-7 left me with some negative feelings. The CX-7 was not gone over and the Mazda preparation sheet was not checked off for the exterior. The roof had paint discoloration and the right rear quarter panel a finger nail size ding. The northeast Philadelphia dealer went over the roof and used a paint stick on the ding. I very seldom give up on anything, but immediately realized I was not getting satisfaction from the dealer on the ding and paint problems. I had to have the roof gone over 3 times by the dealer then just decided enough. I had my brand new CX-7 detailed and wow. The ding is still there but the brilliant black is now blinding, simply georgeus.

    Some things I think Mazda could have done better, the navigation system back up camera screen is a joke. It would be nice to have iPod integration. My wife would appreciate better interior lighting, especially when trying to load in the kids.

    In summation I really do like my CX-7, the features for the price are remarkable. The styling is alive and enlightening. I have a top notch mechanic and detail facility so I only worry about the dealer for warranty work. The Bose sound system is ok and I think I did well.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A reporter is hoping to interview a car shopper in S. California who is using the Internet to do automotive research. Please email pr@edmunds.com by Monday, September 19, 2011 with your daytime contact info and a few words about your experience.
  • alaskacx7alaskacx7 Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2011
    A couple of years ago I spied my first CX7 and fell in love but had a nearly new GMC at the time. I grew increasingly fond of MY PAYCHECK and decided that the oil companies were going to get less of it so I finally bought a 2011 CX7 iSport Front Wheel Drive in Copper Red Mica, only paid $20,900 + $700 for a 4-Yr Ext Warranty, 0% financing and got the dealer to go halves on all of the added options that I wanted. Been getting anywhere from 26 to 30 mpg (@ 1500 miles now) I opted for this model so that I would get the better mileage. I was paying $100 miles roundtrip to go to my cabin and now about $40! I don't feel the legroom is an issue but then I am always in the driver's seat ;) ! I have actually ridden in the back seat and it is not bad at all. So far I love this car and how it handles, it is a very comfortable ride, the controls are easy to reach & read and I love the iPod integration system, the only complaint I have is the road noise (it's not terrible just louder than I am used to) but then I came from a 3.5 ton GMC Envoy XUV hog that the dealer gave me high book on as trade in. I am going to check into seeing if there is a noise coating you can have applied to the under body. If you are in Anchorage and thinking of buying shoot me an email so that I can give you the specs on buying from Continental Motors because they pay your monthly payment for each buyer you turn on to them but you have to mention my name! :blush:
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited September 2011
    My Outback was a Continental car, but I got it second hand.

    (No birddogging for referral fees please.)
  • stantonb1stantonb1 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2011
    On September 1st I composed a letter to Mazda Customer Assistance Center and sent it with a copy of the New Car Get Ready Inspection form for my 2011 CX-7 S Grand Touring AWD. The letter had comments pertaining to the delivery of my CX-7. The Exterior Inspection area of the form was not completed and signed off on. There were problems with my CX-7 regarding the exterior. The CX-7 was delivered with a ding in the right rear quarter panel and the right rear roof was a mess. The letter was sent to the address provided by Mazda. It was sent via the USPS. Upon not receiving a reply I sent a FAX to Mazda Customer Assistance Center on September 11th to the number provided by Mazda. No response from the FAX either. Phoned Mazda at number provided in owners manual for Customer Assistance and received the attitude what do I want Mazda to do? When I phoned again I provided details and said all I would like from Mazda is acknowledgement of the situation.

    Next step is to have information sent to Mazda Customer Assistance with receipt of delivery.

    I can not say anything positive pertaining to Mazda Customer Assistance.
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