Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Mazda CX-9 Tires and Wheels

2

Comments

  • howardruhowardru Member Posts: 155
    Roof rack!
  • treebarktreebark Member Posts: 1
    I don't want to thread hijack but 1) what was Ceric's post that made you change your mind and 2) what other forum (if that is allowed to ask) did you see it on. As a new owner (soon anyway) I wanted to find as many resources as I could. Hmmm, wonder if there is a resource center out there for CX-7 links!

    Also, getting a GT and nearly all review sites seem to mention they are rougher and nosier tires than the 18s, so thus my interest in what Ceric said. Some sort of advantage of having 20s over 18s?
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    It is much tougher to find a tire chain for 20" wheel. In fact, the manual recommends you not to install tire chain on the 20" due to possibility of chains scratching the wheels.

    So, there you have it. The only upsides for the 20" wheels are
    - better cornering (shorter side-wall)
    - look

    Other than those, 20" wheels are heavier (even combining with tires), which is bad for a lot of criteria (stopping distance, acceleration, MPG, etc.) Add the difficulty to obtain tire chains (actually you could, but they are usually more expensive than the 18" one). Besides, the seller does not guarante that there will be no rubbing between chains and wheels (due to short side walls).

    Just my two cents.
  • vermontervermonter Member Posts: 10
    We recently purchased an AWD CX-9 GT here in Vermont. A couple days after buying the car, we received about 10" of snow from a storm. The AWD did fine, but the tires definately needed to be swapped out for proper winter treads. We had already ordered Bridgestone Blizzaks and 18" alloy rims (you can find a set for about $1,000 for both rims and tires at Tire Rack). We put on the Blizzaks - a very popular winter tire up here - and they made a profound difference. We also have them on our Subbie Outback, which can go just about anywhere.

    If we bought the same Blizzaks for the 20" rims, the package would have cost the same and we would not have the benefit of an extra set of rims. The tire companies make a substantially higher margin off tires for larger rim sizes. Now the 20" wheels are in the basement until summer and the winters will get only half the use (they are sharp looking too).
  • vikefan7vikefan7 Member Posts: 8
    Where the heck did you see that deal? I've been trying to find 18" rims and tires and the cheapest I could find on their site was like $1400. What exactly did you get?
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    I don't think he/she meant OE wheels of 18".
    Alloy wheels can differ greatly in prices. If you want the OE 18", the best prices would probably be from your local craigslist due to shipping cost.
  • howardruhowardru Member Posts: 155
    Rims alone for $1400? Are you looking at the original Mazda?

    I purchased 4 new 18" rims, plus TPMS, plus 18" DMZ-3 Blizzaks shipped to my house for $1400 from TireRack.

    The Sport Edition Rims on TireRack are shiny and good enough for winter.
  • vikefan7vikefan7 Member Posts: 8
    No, it was rims and tires for $1400 and not the OEM wheels.
  • vermontervermonter Member Posts: 10
    Like post #62 mentioned, I bought the Sport Edition rims (SE-14) on tire rack in bright silver and the DMZ-3 Blizzaks. No TPMS. Total cost on Tire Rack is $1,124 before shipping. Our Mazda dealer agreed to offer us the same package through Tire Rack at their cost, which came to a little over $1,000 including tax and shipping. Great looking rims and wonderful winter tread.

    We don't rely on TPMS up here. Yesterday when I walked to work, it was negative 6 degrees f. Today it warmed up to 40. The very first week we bought the Mazda, when we still had the 20" rims and summer tires on, the TPMS light came on and turned off about 4 times due to the fluctuation in the temps. A below zero night and sunny 20 degree day will do it most times.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Interesting to me about the TPMS.
    I did an experiment with my daughter on tire pressure vs MPG.
    At 60f when we tested it, the TPMS does not light up until somewhere between 20 to 25psi (i.e. OK at 25psi, light up at 20psi). Tires are warm up after low-speed driving.

    Basically, you were saying that -6f caused one of the tire to go below 25psi. The absolute zero is -273f. Temp fluctuation from -6 to 40f is less than 20% compared to 273f. The PSI change should be less than 6psi is it was 30psi.
    In short, I suspect one of your tires has low pressure (i.e. < 30psi).
    You might want to check for it.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The absolute zero is -273f.

    Actually, absolute zero is about -459.7° Fahrenheit which is about -273° Celsius.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    My bad. Been away from chemistry for way too long...
    Anyway, in that case, the % is more like 10% instead of 20%. That means a drop from 40f down to -6f will only cause 3psi difference.... If I am correct this time. ;)
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    A good rule of thumb is that the pressure changes by about 1 psi for every 10° F change in temperature.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • vermontervermonter Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for the calculations, very interesting. We are vigilent about monitoring our tire pressure and rely on a handheld digital gauge. Do you think the impact of the sun on the sidewalls, when parked, could increase the temp enough to account for the TPMS light turning on and off?

    I'll reiterate that this only seems to happen when we have extreme temp fluctuations and is not an every day occurence. The dealer as well as a local garage said that TPMS often give false alarms in the colder winter climates.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Sunlight will certainly heat up the tires though the heat transfer would likely be more via the metal wheels/rims as opposed to the sidewalls.

    I can't say whether that is sufficient to trip the TPMS but those systems are supposed to be designed to deal properly with changes in ambient temperature. It could be that the threshold for triggering the lights is overly sensitive or the TPMS itself is defective. It would be interesting to know whether others have experienced this problem in other geographic locations.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • pgoddenpgodden Member Posts: 3
    I have had my 2008 CX9 for about a year now, and have had two accidents, serious ones both requiring claims to the insurance company. I really think that this car has serious issues in winter conditions. Both accidents were sliding on ice and not being able to control the car.

    The first back in February, I was pulling from a stop sign turning right onto a icey road, the backend swung all the way to the left and the wheels locked, I slid 30ft into a parked car. No, I wasn't going too fast but at the time I thought that I musta messed up some how and the feelings of danger I feel when driving the car,is the result of going from a Chrysler 300 to a crossover.

    This winter, I have always felt that the car slips and slides a lot. Its random based on uncleared snow on the roads, icey conditions etc.

    This morning I was driving over a bridge going 80km per hour, roads had a little snow on them but nothing in the wheel tracks, all of the sudden out of the blue it felt like I had no traction, there wasn't major slippage but the car felt very unstable. Luckily I kept the steering wheel perfectly straight and the road was smooth so I slowed down, pulled into the inside lane to feel more stable. Every other car around was driving the same speed, it was only me having problems.

    So tonight, I was leaving the office traveling at about 30km, on a road that was packed uncleared snow/ice and bumpy with a slight decline, first the back end swung slightly to the left (20 degree) and after about 20ft I corrected it by not panicking and not hitting the brake, then, the car hit another bump and swung violently to the right (90 degrees), i was sliding down the street praying not to hit parked trucks, after about 40ft I was able to correct the 9 and get it straight only to run head on into a cement marker pylon. there was nothing I could do.

    I truly believe that the stock 20in tires with the shape, weight and center of gravity of this truck is a problem on icey roads. I wish i could return the car but that is unreasonable. I am 48 years old and have driven from 30years with no accidents but after driving this car in the snow and ice I have had 2 in less than a year.

    I guess i will have to get it fixed, as I am in Canada I am unsure of "The Tire Rack" in this subject. Does anyone have any idea of what or where to buy 18in tires etc in Calgary or somewhere cloe at least?

    thanks for listening, lucky to be alive but totally unhappy with the winter performance of the vehicle.

    Paul
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    That sounds scary! You're probably right that better tires will remedy the situation. You didn't mention it but I wonder whether you experienced any particularly windy weather on those slip sliding days.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • pgoddenpgodden Member Posts: 3
    Not really, actually no. Just very cold days...
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    That rules out the long shot thought that I had. A high profile vehicle would be more susceptible to being pushed around by the wind on slick ice. Back to the tire theory! :)

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    WOW! Sorry about your experience...Paul if only you lived closer I would trade you my 18" Touring chrome wheels for your 20" wheels. I live in So California, so I would never experience the troubles you are going through.
  • juanijuani Member Posts: 1
    I got a 2007 CX-9... same city..same problem. I bought it last summer, so I loved it unitl now.
    Last snow storm I couldn't even go up the hill to park my car in my garage. The worst was that I had to go all the way down and when I reached the street (flat) I got stuck in the snow. It wasn't a big pile, just crappy tires. Also I don't know if the AWD is working properly, because I can see that snow was only accumulated in the front driver tire and not the others. Anybody knows if this is normal? The transfer case was replaced a month ago and I don't know if I should take it back to the dealearship
    .
    Going back to the tires, I just got bought mine 20inch from Integra Tires and they have to ship them from Ontario. I called several places last weekend and they were the only ones that have them. All the others were sold out, without any shipment coming anytime soon. I think that you have to use Tirerack.com, anyways seems to be the best deal around (less than $1000 for hte Blizzak DM shipped to Calgary)

    Good luck!
  • cscokidcscokid Member Posts: 2
    Anyone notice that the actual 20" rims that are being sold with this years model is not the same as the rims that are shown on numerous photos of the 2010 model all over the web? Can anyone explain the discrepancy? I actually like the rims show in all the marketing photos online better than the ones that are actually coming with the car...">
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    This is so well-known.
    The OE Bridgestone is one of the worst all-season tires.
    The same one can be found on Highlander.
    Get Yokohama Parada Spec-X.
    You will love it. :)
  • breldbreld Member Posts: 6,698
    I just purchased a CX-9 Grand Touring a week ago and was able to get around just fine here in Denver with a recent snowstorm. I'd imagine this is due to the tires being new - my understanding is once the stock Bridgestone's start wearing, they are indeed terrible in the snow.

    So not wanting to wait until that happens, I already purchased a set of 18" wheels and winter tires to use for the winter months.

    Other SUVs may come stock with tires more effective in snow, but any vehicle will benefit from snow tires in winter conditions.

    2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2024 Corvette - 2024 BMW X5 - 2023 Tesla Model Y

  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    18"???????????...don't you have to maintain the 20" size in order not to screw up the speedometer?...maybe I am misinformed....please enlighten me..thanks
  • howardruhowardru Member Posts: 155
    SVOFAN2 . No.

    Just get alternate tires that have equivalent diameter so the odometer is accurate. For my 20" tires, the equivalent in 18" tires that I got for Blizzaks was 235/65 R18.

    Lots of websites online that will show you alternate sizes that keep the same diameter to assure the odometer and speedomerters are correct.

    And if you have the NAV, there is a Tire change calibration that will automatically adjust the slight difference in tire diameter.
  • wjtinatlwjtinatl Member Posts: 50
    Agreed on the B'stone H/L400, low tread wear, poor handling and noisy. But... the Yokohama Parada is on national back-order, quoted 12 weeks+. Yokohama's website doesn't list the Spec-X in the 245/50-20 size anymore so I wonder if they've been discontinued? Not a lot of other choices; Michelin Latitude (H rated), Goodyear Wrangler and Eagle RS-A (poor reviews & previous experience), Pirelli Scorpion STR (have 'em on our Navigator, they suck!) or Toyo. Leaning toward the Michelin. Any words of wisdom?
  • jimsbimjimsbim Member Posts: 4
    Can anyone confirm that Mazda RX8 OE 18" wheels would fit on a 2008 cx9? All the specs that I can find on the net are the same - 5x114.3 lug pattern, 12mmx1.5 lug nuts, 67.1 hub diameter, 18", the only spec I can't confirm is that the RX8 wheels are also 7.5" wide. I thinking about buying a used set, and use them 3 months out of the year for snow tires. Anyone know?
  • jimsbimjimsbim Member Posts: 4
    Hello, did you get the RX8 18" wheels and put thme on your cx9? I'm considering the same thing right now, for snow tires. The nice thing is that you can get a nice set of used rx8 wheels with TPMS for a nice price. I just want to confirm they fit properly and have appropriate weight capacity. Please let me know. thanks, Jim
  • dbrodbro Member Posts: 1
    I need new tires for the CX9 grand Tour. Any recommendation on which ones are good. The dealer is telling me to replace it with GoodYear Eagle RS-A.
    I have a 2007 CX9 Grand Tour
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Look at this page.
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?skipOver=true&width=245%2F&r- - - - atio=50&diameter=20&x=11&y=9

    Pay attention to prices vs scores (red numbers).
    You will see why many are recommending Yoko Parada Spec-X (score=8.4)
    I just had it installed a few days ago. Much better tires than OE lousy tires (and for $200?! Bridgestone must be smoking something funny... score is 4.8!!!)

    RS-A (H-rated) is at least cheaper with score of 5.5. That is at least a good trade-off from Yoko Spec-X. If you take your CX9 to snowy areas, I would highly recommend the Yoko Spec-X (see reviews from users with millions of miles on them). If you only drive it on dry and wet, RS-A may be good enough for you. Again, it depends on where you drive it.
  • msuvetmsuvet Member Posts: 54
    I would like to get the Yokohama Paradas for my 2008 CX-9 grand touring, but the 245/50-20 are out of stock for months.

    I read on another forum that the 255/50-20 size would be an acceptable alternative.

    They are 1.3 % larger (?) in diameter, according to an online tire calculator.

    Does this all sound right, before I have them ordered?

    Thanks!
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    You should be fine with this alternative. The reason the tire is 1.3% larger in diameter is because it is also 10mm wider (255 instead of 245). Therefore, instead of being 122.50mm high from rim bead to tread (hence (50)% of 245), the alternative will yield 127.50mm height (50% of 255). The only thing it affects is your speedometer which will be reading 1.3% slower. i.e. Your speedo will read 60mph when you are really traveling 59.22mph...not a very big change.

    Hope this helps!
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    I second the opinion.
    However, some tire places will refuse to install non-factory size of tires for you.
    I bought from tirerack.com and have them ship to a local "authorized installer" (listed on tirerack.com). The local shop usually does not care.

    Do yourself a big favor. Get rid of that lousy tires ASAP and send Mazda a complaint email about it. I did.
  • 20thaeguy20thaeguy Member Posts: 12
    25,000 miles and the 20" tires on my 2008 cx9 gt are pretty much shot. Not looking forward to the cost of replacements.
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    We have about 20k miles on our tires, and when I do the quarter-in-the-tread test, it comes to the top of Washington's head, which means there is 4/32" of usable tread. This might explain why we're slipping a little more in the snow than last year, every website I read says that you need 6/32" of tread for adequate snow driving (which would be the top of Lincoln's memorial on the penny test, and we're nowhere close). So 25k miles is probably as long as we'll have ours, just like you.

    The OE tires do suck, wore out rather quickly, and they got loud quickly. In fact, I'm beginning to believe that most performance all-seasons just suck. I have a Mazdaspeed 3, and the all-season tires I bought a year ago are basically at 3/32", and that's only 16k miles. I can barely get out of my snowy driveway, never mind trying to get up steep hills, or trying to brake down those hills. So I threw in the towel and bought a winter tire package, and I'm going with dedicated summer tires in warmer months. I wonder if I should do the same with the CX-9...
  • doggrandmadoggrandma Member Posts: 144
    Someone on another Mazda thread commented that the AWD CX9 has more problems than the FWD version. Anybody else heard that?
  • wsrbubberwsrbubber Member Posts: 3
    Hi, I am looking to factory order a new CX9 GT and live in a snowy part of PA. Does anyone have experience with having the dealer switch out the new tires on a vehicle before delivery to something that may work better in the snow? I would like to have the Yohohama tires on the car when it is delivered to me. Is it asking too much to expect the dealer to absorb the cost of the tire switch? I would think it shouldn't cost them much since they would get to keep the OE tires.
  • felixa7felixa7 Member Posts: 15
    I have a CX-9 with 20" wheels. It's a fun car to drive. But it's wider than I originally thought and I'm having some trouble turning. The rear of the car seems to pull away from the direction of the turn even when I do a soft turn at 35 or 40 mph. Is this just an issue of me getting used to the car? I've been driving an '01 Pathfinder for a long time; know how to drive an SUV. Is the problem the tires? If so, will the Yoko do the trick? They seem to be extremely popular on this forum.
  • jcpharmjcpharm Member Posts: 92
    i have 20" wheels and have no such problem. i would get that checked out.
  • felixa7felixa7 Member Posts: 15
    All -- after reading the many recommendations for the Yoko Spec-X tires, I ordered a set (245 for 20" rims). I've had my CX-9 for less than 3 weeks; first snow was earlier this week and the car skidded all over the place.

    Only Nevada had the tires in stock. They're supposed to arrive in a week. Question: many of you have said that the tires are out of stock; so, is the Nevada option a crock? Also, are the Yoko tires better in the snow than using 18" rims with snow tires? Are they at least comparable in terms of traction? I'm not as concerned about road noise and feeling bumps. I'm just interested in making smooth turns on dry pavement and feeling secure in the snow/ice.

    Also, is it better to downshift or brake on snow/ice.
  • jcpharmjcpharm Member Posts: 92
    1) If someone says they have Yokos in the right size and the price is right for you, i don't think you can assume it is a crock. typically many of us look at tirerack.com for availability and reasonable pricing (that is where i got my Pirelli scorpions). tirerack inventory on ANY tire can change day-to-day. one day the website told me Yokos were backordered until Dec 2009 and then the next day they were available in early December.

    2) Yokos are not likely better than snow tires. snow tires are the best for traction. the problem is that you would typically not use snow tires year round thus you will have to seasonally change between snow and summer or all-seasons. that can be a pain if you don't need the utility of snow tires so some people (like myself) just want an all-season that can handle a little bit of snow and ice. although, ice traction will always be a problem for all-season tires, Yokos included.

    just my opinion.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I presume you ordered from tirerack.com as they have a Nevada warehouse.

    I've dealt with them exclusively for tires for that past 10 years and have never had an issue with them. If they say they are in stock in NV, I would believe them.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    When I ordered mine, it said 12/24. However, mine were shipped to me around 12/10. I was surprised by tirerack.com. I also did business with them for more than four times. Very decent internet dealer. Lots of info on wheels and tires on their website.
  • felixa7felixa7 Member Posts: 15
    I'm here with my AWD CX-9 in an area that is dealing with the blizzard of of '10. The streets have been plowed leaving a thin layer of ice and packed snow on the ground. My CX-9, with factory installed tires, performed remarkably well after getting out of my driveway, where it struggled with the buildup of snow that the plow left behind. So, in what setting will the Yokos really improve my control over the car? When there are 1 to 2 inches of snow on the ground? When snow is actually falling? When there is pounding rain? Is the benefit over time as Yokos are much more durable? I understand now that the Yokos don't compare with snow tires, but I'm trying to better understand where people have really felt the difference.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    I took my CX9 with newly installed Yoko Spec-X up for skiing last month.
    Felt very secured on all situations. Of course, I did not take it off roads other than paved roadways or around ski resort.

    Based on the customers' review on tirerack.com, the Yoko Spec-X is better in all aspects than the lousy OE Bridgestone Dueler. H/L.

    Very heavy storms a few days back in Bay Area. Love my Yoko as well.
    Perform seamlessly w/o slippage or hydroplanning.
  • felixa7felixa7 Member Posts: 15
    I just had tires on my new CX-9 replaced -- I now have the Yoko Spec-X. After the installation, my TPMS warning icon is showing (the little, boiling pot with an exclamation mark in it). Will this go away after a while? Or do I need to take the car back to have them adjust the sensors?

    Also, I've already got a little dent in the cheap, sort of plastic runner underneath the front bumper. The recent snows along the East Coast have taken their toll on the car! Have you heard of people getting dents in that runner popped back out or does the whole thing have to be replaced.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    edited February 2010
    Read the owner's manual.
    There is a section describing how to reset it.
    If no luck, the one who installed your new tires might have damaged the sensors while doing the mounting. :(

    BTW, the icon shows a cross-section of a tire with a "!" mark in it, not a boiling pot. :P
  • gungagunga Member Posts: 16
    What are the best 20" Mud & Snow tires as replacement on a 2010 AWD.
    Don't want pure Snow's.
  • ozeyozey Member Posts: 18
    I have 20K on my CX9 GT and I need new tires, any recommendations? Thanks!
Sign In or Register to comment.