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Mazda6 Wagon
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Took a Mazda 6 Sport Wagon GT-V6 out for a night time test drive and overall was pleased with the looks, comfort, drive and performance of the vehicle as much as you can be in a short drive. The one negative and it’s a big one concerned the red lighting. Now both my wife and I are in our fifties and our eyes aren’t what they use to be but surprisingly all the gauges and center stack controls looked quite blurry to both of us no matter how we adjusted the dimmer.
Maybe you get use to the red lighting after a while but I don’t feel like taking the gamble on this one, so onto the Santa Fe and see if the blue dash lighting is less blurry.
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
Granted, Mazda's CUV's are nice too, but they are in a large crowd of many choices. The 6 wagon and hatchback stand out as really well-equipped and fun to drive, efficient alternatives for folks who don't need to move all that extra metal around with them to have fun, and versatility.
Has anyone heard?
One would expect that (put in any business name here) Mazda would rather sell their higher-priced, higher-profit models. That's business. However when you're the consumer, it's good to be able to look for the choice.
That said, if we go with Mazda, I think we'd probably end of with the Wagon. What tips it for us is the issue of reliability. I don't know where I read it (Consumer Reports? Car and Driver?) but there is a significant decrease in problems with cars after year one (regardless of manufacturer or model), and even in the remaining years, the rate of problems reduces each year. There is even a marked decrease within the first year itself as the manufacturers fix bugs found in the initial product runs. Since the Wagon's been out for a number of years, but the CX-7 is fairly new, I think we'd go with the Wagon. I know it's just statistics, but my gut says any new model is going to have more problems than an older model.
Our car will be the family hauler used every day and we'd have almost no tolerance for having to take it in, and really no tolerance at all for anything that couldn't be fixed same day. Another, though less critical factor is the combination of poor mileage and premium gas in the CX-7 - that's a combination we're tired of in our current '00 Max SE.
In any event, that's my 2 cents!
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
So it looks like the rebates are the big thing. I believe their 4,750 for the 2006 and 2,000 for 2007 as of February. I was thinking about buying in Aug/Sept. Do you think the rebates on the 2007 will be that high by then??
Also, do most people think the cloth seats are good enough to last for 5-6 years and how comfortable are they compared to leather?? I live in a hotter location so "sticking" to the seats is not a thing I'm looking forward to.
Not a wagon, but I just got $5000 off MSRP or $3400 to $3800 below invoice (including the $2000 rebate) on a 2007 Mazda6 in Jan. So you never know when you might get lucky and happen to ask for the right price at the right time. About $4000 off was readily avaialable in my area...the extra $1000 was apparently because they wanted to sell one more unit.
I was prepared to wait for higher rebates, but since I got within $500 of the lowest price I thought I might hope to see, decided to buy now.
My Outback wagon does slightly better on the mileage, as it has an H4 but I think the AWD and AT probably reduce it's potential a bit.
No repairs needed for me yet either.
Thanks,
Jon Pousette-Dart
NYC
This is true, the '03-'05 cloth isn't very good, at least based on other owners accounts (my cloth seats in my '04 are still in good shape, with no pilling or fading, and this is with 45K miles on them).
For '06, the Mazda6 was freshened both inside and out, the seats were redesigned and upgraded, and the cloth material was upgraded significantly. I haven't heard any complaints about then yet...
Someone please sell me on why I should buy one. Also looking at all the small SUVs, but I am liking the wagon idea, but few make a wagon anymore.
They're not selling very well, at least compared to the SUVs and crossovers that are now storming the market, but it's a great deal if you need to haul stuff and don't want the bad handling, gas-guzzling traits of an SUV or most crossovers.
I can't get the Mazda 4 cyl engine which is Japenese, but only the Ford V6. I don't like anything about Ford.
The Duratec in the 6 is indeed a 3.0L from Ford, but Mazda did their own tuning and design to better suit their needs. The Duratec as a whole is a very reliable engine, having been in the Probe, Contour, and Taurus for years, with no major problems. My V6 has got 45K miles and still runs very well, with no issues to report.
Also, I am reading people get less than 20mpg? Does the new 6speed auto help that?
Can't help you here, since I've got the sedan. I have heard that the manual gets better mileage, that is, if you can find one... Which leads me to:
Also, why have I never seen a Mazda wagon on the road?
Yes, they are rare, but they're out there. I know of two of them that live near me. To me, that's part of their appeal, not having everyone else on the block own one.
Hope this helps. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Jon
May not have depreciated as much as you think, since they were probably being sold with big rebates and discounts two years ago, just as they are now.
New leftover 2006 Mazda6 wagons appear to be advertised at $16,500 around here. A dealer here (WI) has an ad saying they have 30 of them. With $2000 in rebates available, even a new 2007 Value Edition could be bought for $21,000 and probably even less.
You do have to get the V6 in the Wagon, if you want the 4 cyl you could get the hatchback, though.
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
From the inventory search on mazdausa.com (you might try a search on there in your area, too) looks like there is one base '06 with manual and another dealer in my area (Amato) has a base '06 with automatic.
Until last fall, I was using Mobil1 5W-20 which is full synthetic. Last oil change in November, I put in Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20, which is also full synthetic. Prior to that, only Mobil1 5W-20 was sold by the case in my area, so when the Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20 cases appeared for less money, I switched.
I change both oil and filter at about 6mo/7000mi.
Hopefully your car's mileage will increase slightly with age, mine did.
of oil and mileage. I will be putting in Amsoil 5W-20 from here on in, and in fact my mileage has gone up to about 25 mpg general driving.
Thanks
The only negative that came to mind was the V6 Ford heritage. Durability and gas guzzling concerns. I have since learned, thanks to this Forum, that only the block is Ford, with all the bits and pieces being unique to Mazda.
Reports on mileage vary dramatically on this board. I suspect it has to do with differences in driving styles. That said, I doubt it will do as well as my 2005 Monte Carlo (3400 V6 auto) which gets 27 mpg in regular fill ups and 33 on the highway (and I drive fast).
I bought a NEW 2006 basic wagon yesterday. I would have preferred an upscale with the leather seats, but none could be found with such a good price. I searched on cars.com and found several new 2006 basic wagons for $18,500. I chose a Pebble Ash (won’t show the dirt). As I was closing the deal by phone, the salesman offered me a further $500 discount because of some deal they had that was about to expire. So I got a new 2006 wagon for $18,000 plus a $350 dealer fee.
There are some other new '06 basic wagons at that price out there. There are also at least 2 brand new 2005 wagons available from dealers.
I think I done good.
By the way, I live in Canada, so will drive the car home and pay the usual GST/PST tax at the border (the same tax I would pay if I bought the car in Canada) plus a special federal import tax of about $150. The car has to be certified that it meets Canadian standards (it does). This certification is a free service at any Canadian Tire store.
The only difference in this car from one sold in Canada is that the air bag warning labels won’t be bi-lingual with French and the speedo/odometer will be in miles instead of klicks. No big deal. The only other difference will be the fatter wallet in my back pocket. $6,000 makes a big lump.
I look forward to posting my first drive impressions. In a week or so I will drive it home, a nice little 600 mile drive.
I have a couple of questions to ask of those with ownership and technical experience.
I live on a farm. My driveways is 500 yards long. We take snow tires very seriously here. One poster mentioned the high cost of 17” snow tires. Can I buy some 2005 Mazda 15” alloy wheels and use those for snow tires? Cheaper wheels and cheaper tires. Are the stud patterns the same?
The 626 automatic transmission (Ford) was a weak point of the car. One big help was to install a transmission cooler. This costs less than $100. I was wondering if this would be a good idea for the M6? My idea is to do it now, before trannies start to fail. Anyone here know for sure that the cooler on the M6 is adequate? Is the ’06 automatic a Ford product?
Fuel consumption, according to Transport Canada, is 12.6 l/100 km (23 mpg) in the city and 8.2 l/100 km (35 mpg) on the highway, a bit thirsty.
The Imperial gallon is about 20% bigger than the U.S. gallon, so the gov't estimate is about 28 miles highway to the US gallon. Is this higher than what you get on a highway trip?
I'm not too sure if 15" wheels will fit over the brakes without any clearance problems. I guess it depends on the wheels themselves. My advice is to either invest in a set of 16" steelies, or a used set of 16" wheels from a Mazda 3 or 6. I've got 16" steelies with 205/60-16 Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2s, and they've been excellent in the three seasons that I've used them.
Funny you should mention the Alpins. I had a set on my Buick Rendezvous for the first winter. We found them good winter tires except for deep snow - which is our driveway problem. Once we got out on the highway, they handled slush and cold very well. I replaced them with cheap WalMart tires with real agressive treads. Noisy, but the cars here with those tires are like snowmobiles.
We have nine cars here, and all except the Corvette are used year round, so we get a good feel for which snow tires work best for snow. The Wal MArt and Canadian Tire snows seem best - and they are the cheapest. Go figure.
The agressive tread tires are better in snow but noisy and a bit mushing on handling. A compromise, I guess.
On the transmissions, I used to own a 626 and I believe the I4 626 auto was a notorious-for-trouble Ford unit, the 6-cyl 626 auto was a seemingly more reliable Jatco unit, at least some of the Mazda6 autos also got a Jatco 5-speed, and I'm not sure what the 6-speed auto is but I think it is from yet another manufacturer. There are posts about strangeness with the Mazda6 automatics, but they seem to be more related to electronic issues than mechanical issues. Both of my Mazdas were/are equipped with manual trannys so I haven't followed those issues very closely.
At any rate, congrats on your purchase and I hope you enjoy it.
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
That's also what the Alpins are classified as well. Better winter traction without the loss of driving feel (or fun).
A salesman just told me I can buy the mirror with the compass and repalce the standard mirror. He quoted $200 which seems like an OK price for something that would please the wife.
I assume the compass needs some kind of electrical input. Would the wiring harness of a base 2006 wagon have the hook up for a compass?
I pick up the new wagon in Cincinnati in three days and will drive it back to Toronto. I have never driven a Mazda6, so look forward to the drive. My concerns are seating comfort for a 6 footer and gas economy.
I'm sure it's the same one they want to sell you... I think it was a $180 option on my 6, so the price is in the ballpark.
It haa a thin power cord in the back that goes under the windshield trim. I'll bet you a Canadian nickel your wagon is already prewired... I think all of the 6's are.
Nice choice on the wagon, I almost bought one myself, but after driving the 'Speed I was hooked on boost.
The new 6 speed ATX in the 2005 Mazda 6s's use a Toyota Type T-IV fluid known as JWS3309. This fluid can not mix with Mercon or Dexron fluids. A single half a cup of the WRONG fluid will completely destroy the transmission by causing the clutch packs to lock up, requiring a complete rebuild of the transmission to restore functionality.
The fluid is "supposedly" gold in color, and should not be mistaken for the standard red colored Mercon V fluid. Regardless, please make sure both the dealer, and whatever service department your using (especially quickie lubes as they sometimes "top off" fluids), is aware of this difference, and that failure to adhere to the stock fluid specifications WILL RESULT in TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
Once again, this only applies to the 6 speed 2005 Mazda 6s Aisin Warner Automatic Transmission.
Note: There is probably a fine print oil spec written on the trans dipstick.
Me: Each of us relates to a car from a different background and perspective. I am a Canadian who sometimes buys cars in the USA, if there is a price or condition advantage. For used cars there usually is. Arizona cars are rust free. For new cars, US Big3 cars are usually cheaper in Canada. My Corvettes were about $7,000 cheaper here, taking into account the difference in the dollar. Imports are usually about identically priced, although the model selection here is more limited.
I wanted a Mazda6 wagon, and the dealers here are sold out – so in effect there are no rebates to take advantage of. There are still a few available in the USA. I got mine for $17,900 plus a $380 dealer fee. That saved me about $7,000 Cdn ($6,000 USD) off list.
I live on a farm property with my wife and two adult children. There are three houses on the property. Each of us owns two cars, except me. I think I have 5. We share cars, matching the occasion to the best vehicle, so I have some understanding of a variety of cars. Parked out side are: 87 Corvette, 86 Celica with only 90K on it, 92 Tercel with a 150 hp twin cam, 92 Pathfinder, 93 Corolla Wagon, 95 MR2 Beams, 96 Renault Cube van, 97 Pontiac mini van, 03 Buick Rendezvous (base model, FWD only), 05 Monte Carlo.
The M6 Wagon. A base model “Pebble Ash” (sort of a silver-gold metallic). The drive home was on 4 lane divided highway all the way. Most of the time cruise speed was around 75mph (125kph). But I ran into a snow storm and at one time was barely ably to do 30 and spent a couple hours only doing 40.
Gas mileage – filled the tank 4 times. Mileage was:
26.4 mpg (US gallons) (31.7 mpg Imp gallons) (Note: The Imperial gallon used elsewhere in the world is 20% larger.)
27.2 (32.6)
25.8 (31.0)
26.7 (32.0)
In other words, mileage was good, but not great. I used cruise control about half the time on the high speed cruising. Since gas is so cheap in North America I guess mileage is not that big an issue. I would not have wanted to use this car last summer in France where gas was in the order of $8.00 a gallon.
The gas gauge was very linear and accurate. This is something GM does not get right. My GM mini vans go 200 kms before the needle starts to move. When it says ¾ full the tank is actually only ¼. When it says ¼ I have to be looking for a gas station real close by. Each quarter on the Mazda gauge was the same – about 125 miles.
Brakes. Seemed unremarkable. They worked well. The ABS has a very rapid pulse to it. Not as smooth as a Mercedes but much less noticeable than a Corvette. Just enough to let you know you have gone over the adhesion limit. I liked the brakes.
Traction control. At one point I was driving in a heavy snowfall with about 3 inches on the highway. Traffic was light, so I could drive any speed I wanted. I wanted to drive about 40 mph. Sometimes a yellow light would flash on the dash. It was the Traction Control light. It was reducing engine power to stop wheel spin. It was effective and unobtrusive. If I wanted full power, there is a button I could have pushed.
Headlights. They have adequate illumination. Not as good as my Buick Rendezvous. The Mazda6 uses very small lights with small reflectors. Given a choice, I would take more light every time.
I like to drive with my headlights and tail lights on during the daytime, but sometimes forget to turn them off and kill the battery. With cars with a light sensor it is easy to cover the sensor with a small piece of black tape, so the lights come on with the ignition and go off automatically.
The US version Mazda6 does not have daytime running lights nor does it have a light sensor. However, I discovered that I can just leave the light switch on because the lights are turned off 30 seconds after the key is removed.
Instrumentation. The gauges are all easy to read. I much prefer analogs to digital. The car does not have an oil pressure gauge nor an oil temperature gauge. I have cars with both and really like the information. The oil temperature gauge tells me when the engine has actually warmed up – about 5 minutes after the water temperature has stabilized. If the engine gets low on oil the oil temp gauge shows the problem long before the pressure gauge. I regard oil pressure warning lights as just about useless. They tell me why the engine just blew. In fact, that happened to me about a month ago while helping a friend retrieve a 93 V6 Cavalier.
I am a pilot and am used to scanning a full set of gauges so I know what is going on in real time. I would like to have more gauges and a warning buzzer if any gauge moved into the red.
I really like the outside air temperature read out. It could be a life or death gauge. Coming home I watched the OAT (Outside Air Temp) go from +4C to –4C. When it hit about -2C I started to see rear wheel cars in the ditch. At -3C I started to see FWD cars in the ditch and I knew it was time to really slow down. The gauge can be set to read temp in either C or F.
I did a little map reading at night. Each overhead light has a button to push to shine a light on the lap of either the driver or the passenger/navigator. It worked well.
Radio. Usually one of the first thing I do to a new car is scrap the speakers and install a set of Infinity speakers. They only cost about $50 a pair (on eBay) and dramatically improve sound quality. My audio tech tells me the factory speakers are $5.00 speakers – retail. This radio had pretty good sound. I will compare sound to another car before deciding to switch. The speakers may be just fine. If so, that will be a first. This is the base radio set up – not the Bose.
Handling. I was either driving straight on a highway or limping in a snow storm, so did not throw the car around at all. Handling seem perfectly fine. It felt quite secure at 80 mph. Being a new car, I did not want to drive it fast before the engine has been broken in. That said, if I want to drive fast, there are probably better cars in the driveway, but the M6 seems perfectly fine at ordinary highway speeds. It was not wind sensitive like a 240Z or a minivan or camber sensitive like a Corvette.
Comfort. I just spent a day in the car. Could not have done it if it was not comfortable. I am 6 feet, 250 pounds. I would have preferred that the seat pan was two inches longer. It only supported about half my thighs. However, the electric adjust allowed me to tilt the pan to the best abgle. Leg, head and shoulder room was good. It is easy to get in and out. (Compared to a Corvette, anything else is easy.)
The interior noise is low. I could hear the rear tires more than I would have liked, but that is typical of a wagon. Sedans are always quieter for that reason. I much prefe
I just confirmed there will be no wagon in the US. for 2008
Me: Each of us relates to a car from a different background and perspective. I am a Canadian who sometimes buys cars in the USA, if there is a price or condition advantage. For used cars there usually is. Arizona cars are rust free. For new cars, US Big3 cars are usually cheaper in Canada. My Corvettes were about $7,000 cheaper here, taking into account the difference in the dollar. Imports are usually about identically priced, although the model selection here is more limited.
I wanted a Mazda6 wagon, and the dealers here are sold out – so in effect there are no rebates to take advantage of. There are still a few available in the USA. I got mine for $17,900 plus a $380 dealer fee. That saved me about $7,000 Cdn ($6,000 USD) off list. The car is a basic wagon with automatic trans.
I live on a farm property with my wife and two adult children. There are three houses on the property. Each of us owns two cars, except me. I think I have 5. We share cars, matching the occasion to the best vehicle, so I have some understanding of a variety of cars. Parked out side are: 87 Corvette, 86 Celica with only 90K on it, 92 Tercel with a 150 hp twin cam, 92 Pathfinder, 93 Corolla Wagon, 95 MR2 Beams, 96 Renault Cube van, 97 Pontiac mini van, 03 Buick Rendezvous (base model, FWD only), 05 Monte Carlo.
The M6 Wagon. A base model “Pebble Ash” (sort of a silver-gold metallic). The drive home was on 4 lane divided highway all the way. Most of the time cruise speed was around 75mph (125kph). But I ran into a snow storm and at one time was barely ably to do 30 and spent a couple hours only doing 40.
Gas mileage – filled the tank 4 times. Mileage was:
26.4 mpg (US gallons) (31.7 mpg Imp gallons) (Note: The Imperial gallon used elsewhere in the world is 20% larger.)
27.2 (32.6)
25.8 (31.0)
26.7 (32.0)
In other words, mileage was good, but not great. I used cruise control about half the time on the high speed cruising. Since gas is so cheap in North America I guess mileage is not that big an issue. I would not have wanted to use this car last summer in France where gas was in the order of $8.00 a gallon.
The gas gauge was very linear and accurate. This is something GM does not get right. My GM mini vans go 200 kms before the needle starts to move. When it says ¾ full the tank is actually only ¼. When it says ¼ I have to be looking for a gas station real close by. Each quarter on the Mazda gauge was the same – about 125 miles.
Brakes. Seemed unremarkable. They worked well. The ABS has a very rapid pulse to it. Not as smooth as a Mercedes but much less noticeable than a Corvette. Just enough to let you know you have gone over the adhesion limit. I liked the brakes.
Traction control. At one point I was driving in a heavy snowfall with about 3 inches on the highway. Traffic was light, so I could drive any speed I wanted. I wanted to drive about 40 mph. Sometimes a yellow light would flash on the dash. It was the Traction Control light. It was reducing engine power to stop wheel spin. It was effective and unobtrusive. If I wanted full power, there is a button I could have pushed.
Headlights. They have adequate illumination. Not as good as my Buick Rendezvous. The Mazda6 uses very small lights with small reflectors. Given a choice, I would take more light every time.
I like to drive with my headlights and tail lights on during the daytime, but sometimes forget to turn them off and kill the battery. With cars with a light sensor it is easy to cover the sensor with a small piece of black tape, so the lights come on with the ignition and go off automatically.
The US version Mazda6 does not have daytime running lights nor does it have a light sensor. However, I discovered that I can just leave the light switch on because the lights are turned off 30 seconds after the key is removed.
Instrumentation. The gauges are all easy to read. I much prefer analogs to digital. The car does not have an oil pressure gauge nor an oil temperature gauge. I have cars with both and really like the information. The oil temperature gauge tells me when the engine has actually warmed up – about 5 minutes after the water temperature has stabilized. If the engine gets low on oil the oil temp gauge shows the problem long before the pressure gauge. I regard oil pressure warning lights as just about useless. They tell me why the engine just blew. In fact, that happened to me about a month ago while helping a friend retrieve a 93 V6 Cavalier.
I am a pilot and am used to scanning a full set of gauges so I know what is going on in real time. I would like to have more gauges and a warning buzzer if any gauge moved into the red.
I really like the outside air temperature read out. It could be a life or death gauge. Coming home I watched the OAT (Outside Air Temp) go from +4C to –4C. When it hit about -2C I started to see rear wheel cars in the ditch. At -3C I started to see FWD cars in the ditch and I knew it was time to really slow down. The gauge can be set to read temp in either C or F.
I did a little map reading at night. Each overhead light has a button to push to shine a light on the lap of either the driver or the passenger/navigator. It worked well.
Heater/Ventilation Some cars deliver heat much faster than others. Our Toyotas seem to give heat by the time we get to the end of the driveway. Did not check this feature since car was warm when delivered. Heat was adequate, but it was only around the freezing mark. Don't know how it would handle 20 below. The fan was not noisy. Our Buick has a terrible fan noise. The heater ducts allow air to be aimed all over the palce. I always use the two outside vents to aim at the side windows, to keep them clear.
The car allows a choice of recirculated air or fresh air. Unless fresh air is selected a car will tend to fog up. You can always spot the cars running on recirculate. All fogged up.
Radio. Usually one of the first thing I do to a new car is scrap the speakers and install a set of Infinity speakers. They only cost about $50 a pair (on eBay) and dramatically improve sound quality. My audio tech tells me the factory speakers are $5.00 speakers – retail. This radio had pretty good sound. I will compare sound to another car before deciding to switch. The speakers may be just fine. If so, that will be a first. This is the base radio set up – not the Bose.
Handling. I was either driving straight on a highway or limping in a snow storm, so did not throw the car around at all. Handling seem perfectly fine. It felt quite secure at 80 mph. Being a new car, I did not want to drive it fast before the engine has been broken in. That said, if I want to drive fast, there are probably better cars in the driveway, but the M6 seems perfectly fine at ordinary highway speeds. It was not win
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
The 2008 Mazda6 sedan and hatchback will get a tire pressure monitoring system standard for 2008, but little else has changed. A Bose stereo system is standard in the Touring trim level, 17-inch wheels are standard on the i Sport trim and there’s a standard alarm system on the Sport VE and Touring trims.