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Mazda CX9 Travel Trailer Towing

19 messages,  Last post on Aug 15, 2009 at 4:11 AM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda CX-9, Towing, SUV

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#16 of 19 Re: brake controller [abpelch1] by jneeve Jun 02, 2009 (8:47 pm)
Replying to: abpelch1 (Jun 02, 2009 8:32 am) I had a peek tonight, it's pretty easy to run the wires through the firewall - just pull out the battery and theres the large wiring grommet right there behind it... there's a little extra rubber 'nub' that sticks out and you can poke your wires through there..   Didnt have time to figure out the brake switch yet.   I did verify though that in my 09 at the rear below the storage compartment is the pre-wrire for the trailer wiring... (You need to take that entire compartment out to see the connector)
#17 of 19 Long towing trip finished by abpelch1 Jul 14, 2009 (8:55 am)
Just thought I'd post to let anyone interested know that I just finished a 9-day, 2500+ mile trip towing my popup trailer from Las Vegas, through northern California and Oregon and on to central Washington and back. From Vegas to Portland I drove with my 6 year old son and aunt, then picked up my wife and 9 month old son for the drive from Portland to Washington. That's 5 people, 2 bikes on the roof and towing a Starcraft Centennial 3606 which probably weighs close to 3500lbs fully loaded. My 2008 CX-9 Touring 2wd (with factory tow package) averaged 13.7 MPG through the entire trip while keeping the speed between 65-70mph. My best recorded MPG was 16.4 while traveling through the NV desert from Reno to Hawthorne, while the worst was 11.4 from Albany WA to Grants Pass. I had 2 bikes on the roof rack of the Mazda which probably didn't help with the mileage either. The weather was great, no snow, rain or wind to speak of. I towed in temperatures ranging from over 100 degrees in the deserts of NV to the mid-50's in Washington, and elevations ranging from sea level to over 7600' at Crater Lake. The steepest mountain grades required a drop into 3rd gear to maintain highway speeds, but 4th and 5th gear was usually more than enough to get through the milder grades. One thing I noticed is that the cruise control was quick to drop to 5th gear and hold it in situations where I could cancel the cruise and maintain speed in 6th gear. Because of this I found myself not using the cruise control as much as I would have liked in an effort to increase mileage by driving in 6th gear. The CX-9 drove great and was comfortable throughout the trip. My best testament to the comfort of the Mazda is that I was able to drive 15 hours on the final day without being fatigued. Other than the minor cruise control annoyance (and my 6 year old constantly asking when we'd be there), I had zero problems or complaints about the performance of this crossover. I'm sure it didn't tow as well as a big diesel truck would have, but at least I can successfully park my car at the grocery store on the first try for the 320+ days of the year when I don't need the towing capacity.   Replies to this message: tidester (Jul 14, 2009 9:31 am)
#18 of 19 Re: Long towing trip finished [abpelch1] by tidester HOST Jul 14, 2009 (9:31 am)
Replying to: abpelch1 (Jul 14, 2009 8:55 am) Thanks for the report! Sounds like it was a fun trip.   tidester, host SUVs and Smart Shopper
#19 of 19 2009 Mazda CX-9 Tow Report by newawdcx9 Aug 15, 2009 (4:11 am)
I just completed my summer vacation. Towed a Coleman Westlake popup from Northern Virginia to Vermont. 1750 miles total with an average of 15.8 MPG. My previous tow vehicle was a 1993 GMC Suburban. About 80% of the driving was with the camper attached. I ran 65-70 mph on the highway. The car is definitely a good tow vehicle. Not a stable as my Suburban but with much more power. shallow hills were usually climbed in 5th gear with moderate hills in 4th gear. I was always able to maintain speed in all hills. The ride is busier that my Suburban but still smooth enough for my wife to read and she gets car sick easily. Total weight on the trailer is an estimated 3000 lbs. Only 3 people in the car so not much gear in there. I even went over the Green Mountains at one point. Crested the top in 3rh gear at about 45 mpg on a very steep portion of the road. Overall a great replacement for my 16 year old Suburban.

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