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Tends to be a little more than once or twice a year in the northeast
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Well, I live in the northeast, the extreme southern end of it, but I did go to school in Boston and travel extensively in the area for work. Let's get realistic. How many actual days of major snowfall are there really? Wappingers Falls (right near Newburgh, right?) averages about 20" a year in total snowfall, which is exactly the same as what my area near Philadelphia averages. That's not a lot where it is something you deal with on a daily basis. It's not like you live in Syracuse, Buffalo or Rochester and are getting 85-100+ inches of snow a year over the course of three months. From 2005 until today there was only two years where that area got heavy snow and that was in 2009 and 2011, which TOTALLED 15.8" and 26" respectively over the entire year. This current storm is expected to only bring 4-8 inches of snow in that area, same as Philadelphia and I'm sure I won't have any problems getting around in my FWD car tonight and tomorrow.
I'm not trying to be snarky, just saying to get realistic. I live where there is pretty much the same annual snowfall as what you get and there are maybe one or two times a year max where you would actually need an AWD vehicle to get around and even then, it's never for more then a day, if even that. In 2010 we regulary had 10" accumulations week after week and no one missed work over them. It snows overnight, crews clear the roads, clean off the car, good to go. Heck, the highways don't even look like they get snowed on anymore with all the pre-treatment they do.
If you want to buy the AWD vehicle, then go for it, I'm just trying to point out that it's a decent chunk of extra change to pay for something you will in honesty rarely actually need the capabilities of. If you owned the vehicle for 5 years, you may have seven days or so when you actually had a legit need for it. If it's worth spending $2,500 extra dollars for the added assurance on those seven days, then go for it. If you really like to play in the snow, go skiing, live up a steep gravel driveway, etc. then it's probably worth it to you. If it's just a commuter car, I think it's really not worth the added expense.
What data is out there that shows Mazda having worse long term reliability than Subaru?
10-15 years later, how much worse (in reliability) is Mazda compared to Honda and Toyota and Subaru. Any sites out there with real data?
One concern I have with Mazda is they are owned by Ford. Some Mazdas use many Ford parts. However, the CX-5 is built in Japan. Anyone know the percentage of Ford parts for the 2014 CX-5?
I might hold my nose and buy a Honda CRV or Acura if reliability is that much better. But the Mazda CX-5 really has my interest.
Please enlighten me about Mazda long term reliability. Also resale value. Compared to Honda and Toyota. 5 years out, 10 years out, 15 years out.
What data is out there that shows Mazda having worse long term reliability than Subaru?
10-15 years later, how much worse (in reliability) is Mazda compared to Honda and Toyota and Subaru. Any sites out there with real data?
One concern I have with Mazda is they are owned by Ford. Some Mazdas use many Ford parts. However, the CX-5 is built in Japan. Anyone know the percentage of Ford parts for the 2014 CX-5?
I might hold my nose and buy a Honda CRV or Acura if reliability is that much better. But the Mazda CX-5 really has my interest.
Please enlighten me about Mazda long term reliability. Also resale value. Compared to Honda and Toyota. 5 years out, 10 years out, 15 years out.
Data is not something easy to come by. I've posted this composite list before of the longterm vehicle dependability rankings published by JD Power. These cover around five year of composite data for vehicles manufactured between 2005-2009:
That's about as good of a number trend as you are going to get. Subuaru is not the stalwart of automotive reliability that it's fans would make it out to be. There were also individual years where Subaru ranked in the bottom 10, but on the whole they are solidly average.
Mazda is a different story and has been consistently in the bottom grouping. This obviously has nothing to do with Ford as Ford and Lincoln consistently outperform Mazda on these composite results. Remember, most of Ford's recent issues that made news and caused them to drop in rankings are entirely tied to their MyTouch systems, not anything actually wrong with the cars.
As for the Mazda-Ford relationship, Ford no longer owns/controls Mazda. From 1979 to 1996 Ford gradually increased its ownership stake until they held 33.3% of the company and appointed its leadership. Beginning in 2008 and continuing until 2010 Ford divested its stake in Mazda and they have severed most production and development ties. Ford still owns 3% of Mazda, but that has no bearing on development and vehicles.
As for the CX-5, it has no Ford components in it at all, at least in terms of any major systems. While Mazda and Ford used to share their platforms, the CX-5 is built on an entirely new platform solely designed by Mazda called SKYACTIV and is powered by Mazda engines, transmissions and drivetrain. Even the electronics are Mazda developed/sourced. The CX-5 is the first on the new platform and the SKYACTIV platform is the new base for all Mazda vehicles. The new Mazda6 is on this platform as of 2014. The Mazda3 should move to it soon (2015 MY), but is currently still on the same platform as the Ford Focus as is the Mazda5. The Mazda CX-9 currently rides on the same CD3 platform as the Ford Edge and Fusion; that is the same platform that underpinned the last gen Mazda6.
In terms of resale value, the top three brands by category in 2012 were:
Luxury: Acura, Lexus and Cadillac
Non-Luxury: Honda, Toyota and Mazda
So, while they are behind Honda and Toyota in that regard, they are generally considered pretty strong, but so is Subaru.
Jd power is awful. Consumer reports is far superior and includes a much larger sample size.
JD Power also measures initial quality, not long term reliability. Last consumer reports survey had the Toyotas in the top three spots, followed by Mazda and Subaru. I think they were in that order too, but but frankly they're up at 4 and 5 out of everyone so who cares?
Tends to be a little more than once or twice a year in the northeast
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And the Heartland. Even if it's not a ton of snow it will be freezing rain or melt/freeze overnight. I won't even consider driving the Maxima if it's slippery out there.
And the Heartland. Even if it's not a ton of snow it will be freezing rain or melt/freeze overnight. I won't even consider driving the Maxima if it's slippery out there.
Just put the right set of tires on your Maxima.
Up here, in the middle of the winter, it warms up and we get snow showers (a mixture of rain and snow). Since the ground is well below freezing the rain freezes on the ground. Then the same day the temperature drops, and the roads are covered with solid ice about 1/2" thick that stays there for several weeks.
AWD vehicles are very popular up here, but we still have the proper tires on our vehicles. My wife's Rav 4 4WD has a set of Blizzak tires. My truck has winter tires, but i have to leave the four wheels locked on 4x4 and drive from 25-55MPH to work depending on conditions.
This week the roads are finally getting patchy (sections of black ice followed by short sections of dry pavement), but it has taken over two weeks for some of the roads to get better.
Up here, in the middle of the winter, it warms up and we get snow showers (a mixture of rain and snow). Since the ground is well below freezing the rain freezes on the ground. Then the same day the temperature drops, and the roads are covered with solid ice about 1/2" thick that stays there for several weeks.
AWD vehicles are very popular up here, but we still have the proper tires on our vehicles. My wife's Rav 4 4WD has a set of Blizzak tires. My truck has winter tires, but i have to leave the four wheels locked on 4x4 and drive from 25-55MPH to work depending on conditions.
This week the roads are finally getting patchy (sections of black ice followed by short sections of dry pavement), but it has taken over two weeks for some of the roads to get better.
We have the correct tires on the Maxima. I just see no reason the drive it when we have an AWD SUV.
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