The Mazda CX-9 is a type of SUV that is larger and designed to carry more passengers and cargo. The 2019 version has some modern features that make it safe and comfortable for families.
Front brakes are the parts of a car that help it stop when you press the brake pedal. They can wear out over time and need to be replaced to ensure the car stops safely.
The battery is what powers the car's electrical systems and helps start the engine. If it's not working well, the car might not start or have electrical problems.
Brake pads and rotors are parts that help the car stop. The pads press against the rotors when you brake, and they need to be replaced regularly to keep the brakes working well.
Brake pads are the parts that help your car stop when you press the brake pedal. They wear down over time and need to be checked regularly to ensure they work properly.
Gasoline direct injection is a way of getting fuel into the engine that helps it run better and use less gas. Sometimes, it can cause carbon buildup that needs to be cleaned out.
Brake percentage shows how much of the brake pad is left in terms of a percentage. If you have 10% left, it's time to replace them, but measuring the thickness is a better way to know for sure.
Air filters keep dirt out of the engine by filtering the air that goes in. They need to be checked and changed regularly to help the engine work better.
GDI cleaning is a service for cars with a specific type of fuel system that helps keep the engine clean. It prevents problems caused by dirt and buildup inside the engine.
Spark plugs are small parts in the engine that help start the car by creating a spark. They need to be changed regularly to keep the engine running well.
Ball joints are parts of your car's suspension that help the wheels move up and down while keeping them aligned. If they are loose or worn out, it can affect how your car handles and drives.
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Hi, it's Mark Bossard. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive, Vancouver's best
auto service experience. And we're talking cars. How are you doing, Bernie?
Doing very well. So today's guest is a 2019 Mazda CX-9. What was going on with this vehicle?
So the owner of this vehicle booked an appointment. He'd been to our shop before and he'd had
a quote from a Mazda dealer for some work. Apparently he needed front brakes urgently.
They were worn down to two millimeters, need to be replaced right away. Battery need to be
replaced. There's a couple other service items they'd recommended. And so he came to us to get
the work done and also just a second opinion to make sure it needed to be done. So what did you
find when you started checking for this? Yeah, we were preemptive, is that the right word? We
preordered all the parts that we figured we need for the job, battery, pads and rotors for the front.
But we told them we're going to do an inspection first, make sure your brakes do need to be done
and see what the conditions. So we did a brake inspection. We were shocked to find that the
front and rear brake pads had six millimeters remaining on them. The rotors were nice and
smooth. There was no need at all to replace the brakes. No urgency. I would estimate these brakes
would last for at least a year, maybe two at the current conditions. Sent the pads and rotors back,
tested the battery. It was old, but it tested fine and had a conversation with the customer.
He decided, you know what, I'll leave the battery for now. It's not giving me any grief.
Seems to be okay. So we said, yeah, okay, let's leave it for now. There was a couple items that
needed to be done. The spark plugs were due for replacement and also we did a gasoline direct
injection cleaning, which basically removes carbon deposits from the engine combustion chambers and
the valves, which helps with engine performance and prevent further costs down the road for costly
repairs. On the brakes, what's the general thickness of a new pair, brand new? On a car like this,
it's probably in the 10 to 12 millimeter range. So assuming the 12 millimeter, some shops and people
use a percentage of brakes, which to a person's mind makes more sense. All my brakes have 10%
left. That's urgently needing to be done. If they have 80, then I don't need to worry about them.
But really the true way to look at brakes is to measure them. And I'd say that if these brakes
were 12 millimeters new, then six millimeters is a 50% remaining, which is a lot. But if you look
in our video show notes, there'll be a picture of a little display tool that we have that you
can see what the different thicknesses of the brakes are. So with batteries, I know you recommend
sometimes after a certain amount of time, like this is a seven year old vehicle. So it's probably the
battery that came with the car new. What's the kind of rule of thumb? What would happen if you
left the battery in too long? The average age of a battery is about five years. There's some
import cars with big, huge batteries that tend to last longer. They're inside the car. They tend to
stay a little warmer. They're less exposed to the elements. They'll often last longer than the five
year period. But things you'll notice as the battery deteriorates. And in the worst case scenario,
of course, the car won't, you go to start just click or doesn't do anything. That's an immediate
battery failure. But generally over time, as the battery gets weaker, it won't charge as well.
And you might notice a fluctuation like when you're stopped at a light with some accessories on
your lights might go a little dimmer. So you might notice little fluctuations and things like that.
Any performance issues, that's a good time to replace a battery. Some cars have warnings too.
I just think about a Volvo we're working on. It has a warning on the dash. You shut the key off.
We see this a lot with Volvos. It says battery level low, accessories switched off. And actually
Volvo's Mercedes, a lot of cars will actually do that. They'll switch the accessories off. They
detect the battery low. When you see those messages, it's time to change them. But Maz is not that
sophisticated. So the test is the good thing to do. And what else did you find? Here's the vehicle.
Yeah. So there's the vehicle. The vehicle's in the shop. It's got 71,000 kilometers.
Yeah. Yeah. So quite low mileage for a seven year old car. So this is our inspection. And
there's some interesting things. When we send our inspections out to our clients, you can review it.
We can send an estimate and the client can approve or decline the work, which you can see
on the right hand side with the check marks. The other thing we found is the air filter was very
dirty. Not to throw dealers under the bus too much, but we find a lot of cars that come from a dealer
service have dirty air filters, which I'm not sure why they don't inspect them more often,
but I have my theories. Anyways, so the battery, we made a note, just charge and keep an eye on it.
And then for a couple maintenance services, the spark plugs and the GDI cleaning were due.
If we look at the next page of the inspection, all the good items, which don't quite show up,
but we have to expand the inspection. There's our notes in the front brakes. You see the red
arrows pointing to the six millimeters on both sides, six millimeters on the rear as well. So
yeah, that's it. And then we have a review that the customer left. Yeah, he was very happy. So
a couple days after we left, he left us a nice review. Another happy customer. Another happy
customer. So what's the lesson here? Is the lesson that we need to get things checked two times
before we get service for our car? Just come to Pollock. It would appear, I like to say that.
We do have customers who come to us and we do a diagnostic and an inspection,
give the customer an estimate, and then they choose to go elsewhere and just full disclosure.
I've had other places where they say, Hey, it wasn't at all what you said it was, which is interesting
because we've actually documented the actual issue that we see and have videos and photos of like
loose ball joints. They don't, it was something else. So I don't know what's happening there, but
generally we tend to be pretty honest. So second opinions are not always a bad idea,
or just find something you trust and stick with them. And sometimes that takes a little while.
Yeah, if you're going to spend $3,000 on your car, it's probably worth the time, if you have it,
to get it checked out somewhere. Or if you're in Vancouver, the guys to trust are at Pollock
Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada, you can reach them online to book your appointment,
PollockAutomotive.com. Or you can call them at 604-327-7112 to book your appointment.
You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pollock Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Thanks so much for watching and listening. Thanks, Bernie. Thank you, Mark. Thanks for watching.
About this episode
A 2019 Mazda CX-9 was brought in for urgent brake and battery replacements after a dealer's recommendation. Upon inspection, the brakes were found to have plenty of life left, while the battery, though old, was still functional. The discussion also covered the importance of regular inspections, the longevity of batteries, and the need for spark plug replacements and engine cleaning. The episode emphasizes the value of second opinions in automotive service and highlights the experiences of satisfied customers.
