The V&R Machine Ownership Diary: Three Years In
While we took it on more than a few road trips, we kept our mileage down due to local errands, work runs, and other driving trips within the Twin Cities.
As of this month, we have owned our V&R Machine – the 2021 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S Touring Special Value SUV – for three years. This past year gave us plenty of experiences, while ensuring that we kept the miles lower than “normal.”
As of the date of publication, the V&R Machine has racked up short of 45,000 miles on the odometer. Since we took delivery, we racked up approximately 28,000 miles total during these three years. That comes out to an average of approximately 9,400 miles.
Keep in mind that an average vehicle would rack up approximately 12,000 miles a year, given normal circumstances. While we took it on more than a few road trips to Elkhart Lake and Chicago, we kept our mileage down due to local errands, work runs, and other driving trips within the Twin Cities.
On our last podcast, George stated that the V&R Machine were driven 7,880 miles in calendar year 2025. We sounded pretty confident that the only maintenance it needed were just oil changes and replacement of filters.
A month ago, we were scratching our heads trying to figure out why the transmission in the CX-5 had a lag in gear changes during cold weather from a cold start. This has been an issue that is known in the forums and have been around for as long as we had this SUV. We took it into a couple of local dealerships to get the transmission fluid replaced, as well as transfer case and rear differential fluids. At one of those visits, we also had the serpentine belts and windshield wipers replaced.
The challenge in not knowing what is wrong is that the transmission is the accessibility of the dipstick You have to detach the air box in order to get to it. Also, some dealerships have stated to owners that checking the transmission fluid via the dipstick might void the warranty. In addition, Mazda claims that the transmission fluid is there for the “lifetime” of the vehicle. That caused some debate from all parties, including ourselves
Another issue we had to deal with was the electrical system. When we fulfilled the Technical Service Bulletin on the thermostat last year, the dealership also replaced the battery. They found that original one was low in charging, so they asked for authorization to change it out for a new one.
A year later, we found that it was not as healthy as it should be. In fact, there were a couple of mornings when the V&R Machine did not turn over. After a couple of visits to dealership service departments, it was determined that the dashcams were draining energy from the battery. They considered it the culprit in the reason the CX-5 did not start, even on cold mornings. For now, the dashcams are unplugged until we figure out a reasonable solution to this issue.
With every oil change, we send an oil analysis to check the health of engine, as well as how the old oil stood up. The last analysis found a small number of aluminum particles in the sample. That caused some concern, because once you see metal particles in anything engine-related, it may be a caused for further problems.
One thing we suspected was the use of E15 88-octane unleaded fuel in the V&R Machine. Unbeknownst to us, Mazda’s engines are not fully compatible to take this kind of fuel, mainly due to the ethanol content of it. We think that may be one cause of the particles found in the oil sample. Our corrective action was to no longer put in the less expensive E15 88-octaine fuel into the CX-5 and stick to 87-octane unleaded gasoline.
This vehicle was purchased as. A way to gauge the ownership experience. That includes making mistakes and getting them corrected before anything goes completely wrong. We learn from every service visit about the SUV and understand how to stay on top of issues when they arise.
One thing we appreciate from the dealerships we take the V&R Machine in for service is that they gave us loaners while they have it in for service. Mostly, they have been newer Mazda CX-5 models. These loaners provided us a good comparison between our trusty steed to newer examples.
Some owners might not be as diligent in their maintenance routine. Or, may not know what a certain problem is on their vehicle. Or, simply do not care. It does not matter what you own, if you understand your vehicle, you can get on top of these issues and be able to communicate them to your service advisor, technician, or mechanic.
If there was one extra thing we do twice a year is to swap tires between the all-season ones with winter rubber. They are kept in a storage unit nearby for safe keeping until the next swap-out.
We continue to learn more about the 2021 Mazda CX-5 at every turn. So much so that we have been curious about the next generation 2026 model. After a service visit at one dealership, we swung by another local store to see one. On some items, they improved the vehicle. Thanks to a longer wheelbase, they expanded rear seat room, while maintaining the near 90-degree door opening. The drawback was the larger infotainment touchscreen and how the sun can cause issues deciphering several controls.
These are just a couple of items we noted on our brief drive in a 2026 CX-5. We are hoping to get one in for a full review – and, a video – on it soon. While we continue owning this 2021 Mazda CX-5, we report that it has been a good ownership experience so far. We’ve always said that we made the right decision to get one.
Photos by Randy Stern and George Torline