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Mazda6 Owners Meet the Members

maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
edited September 2014 in Mazda
My name is Malt and I'm a recovering alcoholic. Ok, not really recovering, but I drive a silver Mazda6i with nothing but floor mats. :-)
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  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Couldn't wait for me to do my "howdy all" post, hunh?

    Oh well..howdy all! If you would like any discussions included, please let me know. I'm still building the basic stuff here, but will attend to it asap.
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    All the easier to replace or clean up when you throw up on them, right?

    Anyway - where are all the rest of the owners? I've been trying to convince some people from the Yahoo group (mazda6) to chime in here as well - I think one came in a few days ago and reported on his purchase. Everyone seems to be too busy driving their new Mazda 6's!
  • rodlcwrodlcw Member Posts: 45
    Redfire Metallic. Auto, Sports, Comfort, Bose
    Side Airbags and Curtains, wheel Locks. I have had it 10 days, 460 miles. Yes, I could have done without all the extras, but my lease on previous car was up and I had extended to see what the 6 would be, so if I was going to buy a 6, I would be just be making payments for nothing on that lease, and this was for me the best choice of the 4 cars they had. Car handles well, has enough power for me and the manumatic can be useful, if I do not over use. The heated seats aren't quite what i would like to have. They seem to heat up quickly, but then after 2-3 minutes shut off. I would like it to stay on longer. Trunk space is very good. and the ability to release the fold down seats from trunk is a great idea. Illuminated ignition is nice, my Millenia did not have that, and previous
    MX-6's did, so I missed that. I will have to get use to the fancy gauges because I have to hit the dimmer cancel for daytime to see it, and then hit it again at night so they aren't so bright.
  • go2natego2nate Member Posts: 6
    Happy new year!

    We just bought our new 6 on New Year's eve. And I'm happy to say it feels great! What a way to bring in the new year. It's a Onyx Black, with beige interior (was cloth, but it's being replaced with beige leather, as I write). I think this car is a great buy!

    The only problem I'm having so far is a strange (almost burning like smell) that comes the inside of the car's compartment. Has anyone else had this problem? Our salesman said it some kind of coating that sprayed on the engine, or under the motor, and that it will go away after I break it in (it only has about 100 miles).

    Only time will tell how reliable this vehicle is but I'm hoping for the best. Give me some feedback on how you feel about your purchase, problems, or concern with your vehicle. In the meantime, let's enjoy our zoom, zoom, feeling.
  • mike1770mike1770 Member Posts: 20
    Steel Gray 6s, MT, leather, moonroof, 6-CD changer; decided against the Sport package. I've had it about 3 weeks now, 875 miles. My previous car was a Honda Prelude, so it's taken me some time to get used to driving the larger vehicle. The only QC problem I've noted was that the passenger-side seat heat didn't work, but the dealer's fixed that already.

    So far the car has been great. It's much quieter and smoother than my Prelude, and actually seems to handle better. Everyone that's seen the car thinks it's really beautiful. I'm just hoping that it'll be as reliable as my Honda.

    I do have some mild concerns about quality and resale value. I know in the past some of the Mazdas have had really poor resale. I tend to keep my cars a long time, though, so it's not as big an issue over the long haul. I live in Houston, a city with six Mazda dealers, and I've yet to see my first 6 (besides mine) on the road here. I hope it'll be a successful car for Mazda.

    Go2nate, I don't know what the burning smell would be -- I certainly haven't noticed it on mine. I would definitely take it back to the dealer if it continues.

    Has anyone noticed how bright the "cruise" lights are at night? And the dimmer doesn't work on them. They're easily the brightest light on the dash at night -- I find it somewhat annoying. I can't believe Mazda wouldn't have made them dim with the dashlights. Oh, well, minor complaints.

    I, too, would like to hear from other owners about how they're enjoying their new 6's. Hopefully we'll get a good following here on the owner's board.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    It's cosmolene. I noticed it on the cars I drove too. It will go away.
  • mileagemileage Member Posts: 9
    silver 6i, moonroof, alloy wheels, AT. 1500 miles. Lovin' it.
  • coasterbobcoasterbob Member Posts: 32
    steel-grey 6s, AT, sport, comfort, moon roof, bose, side air, wheel locks......took delivery on 12/16, and still haven't sseen another 6 on the road. About 700 miles so far. No real complaints, agree the seats heat up fast, and then tend to shut down. Looking forward to other owwner comments.
  • coakleysdcoakleysd Member Posts: 32
    I got mine on 1/2/03.
    Black 6s 5 Speed Manual Trans.
    Bose & Sport Pkg.
    Cassette deck & Sports grille
    approx. 400 miles

    Heritage Mazda
  • bme_cvbme_cv Member Posts: 8
    I got my 6i on the day before Thanksgiving. It is a bueatiful lapis blue one. I had an Acura Integra and found the handling of 6 is even better. 6 is much more comfortable and quiet than Integra. I think the reliability of 6 will not be bad as 626. Now I only hope the resale value of 6 will be as good as Integra.

    I already put 1200mi on my car. Even before break-in, driving 6 is fun, however after break-in, what an experience! I have to always keep an eye on the speed since it is very easy to get over the speed limit.

    I already saw three 6 (besides mine) on road, two blues, one grey.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    gray? is that what my silver beauty looks like? :(
    Hehehe. So where did you see me?
  • stretchsjestretchsje Member Posts: 700
    My name is Steve, I live in Silver Spring, MD (Washington DC), and this is legally my first car, new or used, ever.

    This thing is sweet once the engine is broken in- it really makes a large difference. In the next week, I should have 4 new speakers and the OEM 17" alloys. I LOVE THIS CAR!!!
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    base models rock! their value is subsidized by those with the options.
  • go2natego2nate Member Posts: 6
    I live in Houston also, and like you, I haven't seen a Mazda6 beside or anywhere else around me while I'm driving. Even when I'm not in it I haven't seen one and I've been looking for the past 8 days.

    I just got my car back and it now has leather interior, a spoiler (the lip type), and homelink.

    I LOVE IT!
  • bme_cvbme_cv Member Posts: 8
    If I remember correctly, I saw a steel gray one at El Toro road, Laguna Hills. Is it you? After I saw a blue one looking exactly as mine at Mission Viejo Mall, I only wish that Mazda6 will not be a so popular car like Camry/Accord.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    mine is Glacier Silver, so nope, but you might spot me near there or Alicia Pkwy and the 5.
  • morse3morse3 Member Posts: 5
    Boy, those 17" wheels sure look fine on my ride...
  • coasterbobcoasterbob Member Posts: 32
    I got the 1st 6s from my dealership (12/16)....and now I see 6s's on their lot with a V6 emblem on the driver door. It is the only way to differciate the i from the s. I have asked my salesman to get it for my car.
  • morse3morse3 Member Posts: 5
    Well, I am glad to know there are other Houston owners of the 6. I was beginning to think I was the only one since I haven't seen any 6's on the road.
  • jampedrojampedro Member Posts: 38
    Bought Japanese made model in Honduras last October.

    Good: Full rear seat headrests, folding side mirrors

    Bad: No aux. power port.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    Did anyone get the Bose system?
  • coasterbobcoasterbob Member Posts: 32
    and I am happy with the sound. of course, I am not an audiophile by any stretch so it's fine for me. I jus love to drive this car.......
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    Did you compare the Bose with the standard system before you bought? Do you think the standard systsem could be improved with better speakers, and how would that compare with the Bose system then, as far as sound quality (not volume)?
  • rodlcwrodlcw Member Posts: 45
    Like coasterbob, I am not an audiophile. Did not really compare the standard system.
  • redkey1redkey1 Member Posts: 270
    Does the 6 w/o the sport package has dual exhaust pipes?
  • coasterbobcoasterbob Member Posts: 32
    which included the bose, so I , also, did not compare. I jus wanted the steel-grey 6s, and took what it had! no regrets though
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    They all have dual exhausts.
  • ruefusruefus Member Posts: 254
    I ordered my 6s just before the first of the year. It hasn't been built yet and I'm hoping ot get a tour of the factory since I live close to it.

    It's essentially an every-option Sport Package car, including Bose, all-weather mats, homelink and cargo tray/organizer. The color will Sport Yellow.

    It's scheduled to be built the week of 2/3.

    Currently I'm driving a beat up '85 F250 since I sold my Stratus, so even though I've foregone doing a locator, the sooner the car shows up the better!!!
  • charlie_crcharlie_cr Member Posts: 5
    Well I ordered mine on December (like the first week) and it is bound to be here this week or the next... I can't wait!
    One curious thing about my purchase is that I did not test-drive it... as a matter of fact by the time I ordered the car I had not seen it in the real life, only on Internet photos and videos... but by the high compliments and awards I feel that I went the right way...

    Configuration... well down here is a little different than in the States... it has 2.0 motor, M/T, ABS/TCS, 16" alloy wheels, standard sound, auto climate control, and finish is performance white.

    Best Regards!
    Carlos Ch
  • jampedrojampedro Member Posts: 38
    Well, it looks like you'll get the same Japanese made model for Latin America that I got. We're stuck with the little 2.0 engine, but on our roads that's plenty. I can confirm after 3 mos. with my 6, the beauty of this car is handling, handling, handling. I've had absolutely no problems with the car, aside from a few 'kisses' on the bumpers which were my fault, but they're hardly noticeable. I had a local paint store make me a little jar of touch up paint.

    I have a unique color that I haven't seen mentioned on Edmunds. The salesman called it champagne, but the invoice says "plata viva" which I think is like metallic silver. In dim light it looks silver, but in sunlight it looks champagne. Certainly not like the metal grey they are selling in the States. It's really a beautiful color.

    I got the first AT off the boat from the dealer in October. He also had 2 MT's. Mine's the 'lujo' model with leather, sunroof, spoiler, electric windows and driver seat. Standard body, not sport with skirts, etc. My deal includes the factory CD player, which the dealer and I are still waiting for from Japan. He also installed an aftermarket alarm system with a remote control which locks/unlocks the doors. Also included VIN numbers etched on the windows and floor mats.

    In conclusion, I'm still thrilled with the car and will be even happier when the CD arrives.
  • kevineckkevineck Member Posts: 1
    Well, I ordered one this past Saturday. Steel gray 6s with 5sp, sport package, bose, leather, moonroof, comfort package, mirror w/ homelink, and the cargo tray/organizer. Gotta love S-Plan.

    Any one in the market for a silver 2000 Eclipse GT with 5sp, leather, sunroof, and low mileage? :-)
  • bcantanabcantana Member Posts: 3
    I like the others have not seen another Mazda6 on the road. I love the car. Redfire with the sport/auto trans. Standard stereo. It is a great car. I too am smelling the Cosmoline burning off the engine. I have put 480 miles on the car and am waiting to hit 600 so that I can start stretching it's legs a little bit.

    The "Manumatic" shilting is nice because the auto shift points seem to be a little sluggish. I have not "stood on it" however and maybe it will be a little quicker past the break in period.

    Handling is nice and tight. I have absolutely no complaints.

    Test drove one on 12/31 for the first time and drove one off the dealer lot on 1/1. Nice way to bring in the new year!

    -Ben Antanaitis
    Huntersville, NC
    bcantana@yahoo.com
  • bangadrum5bangadrum5 Member Posts: 2
    Well, I ordered one this past Saturday. Steel gray 6s with 5sp sport automatic, Side Air Bags/Side Air Curtains, sport package, bose, leather, moonroof, comfort package, and wheel locks. The dealer said I should have it in a week to ten days. The wait is killing me.
  • charlie_crcharlie_cr Member Posts: 5
    Hi there. Yes, Japan-made for Latin America, that's true. Dealer just called me... the boat arrived two days ago and that means the car should be here in 3 more business days... after the bureaucracy custom and inscription stuff. I'm very comfy with a 2.0 engine, as you said, our roads are not suited for such thing as a 3.5 V6 :)
    As far as I know, CD player is already there but I need an aftermarket alarm and Lo-Jack installation.
    Here in Costa Rica, I've seen three M6's on the road, one of them this morning. Surprise: all of them were metallic gray.
    Regards!

    PS. Pedro, what tips could you offer me on leather care?
  • jampedrojampedro Member Posts: 38
    Don't know much about leather care - first car I've had with leather. I've just been wiping my kids' footprints off with a damp cloth. However as others have noted, it seems a little harder than other leather seats I've been in. You should be able to find special cleaner/conditioner in a hardware or auto accessories place.

    BTW, I also got the dealer to include tinted windows 3M material. Really needed for the rays down here. Get yours to etch the VIN on the windows too.

    One thing I like is that the radio antenna is embedded in the rear window, not on the roof as I've seen in most pics of the Japanese made car for other regions. Also ours has single exhaust, adequate for a 2.0.

    This car is tight. Still love to drive it. Find a nice curvy road to Alajuela.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    This discussion is archived in Maintenance & Repair, but perhaps you can glean some helpful info there.

    Leather Seat Maintenance
  • ameen6ameen6 Member Posts: 16
    I picked up my new mazda6 today. A FULLY loaded Lapis Blue V6 with Manual Transmission. I purchased it from John Hine Mazda in San Diego (great dealership). They had a no haggle discount of $1,375 and with my graduate student discount I ended up paying $23,570. According to the sales guy -- and my own research – there have been only 4 FULLY loaded M6s with V6 and manual transmission in San Diego and Los Angeles. John Hine Mazda had a gray one in December – I drove that one in my first test drive – It sold in about a week. A dealership in L.A. – Galpin Mazda – had two silver ones; they also sold in about a week. The fourth was the one I purchased; John Hine Mazda got it for me in a dealer trade. It was originally property of Mazda of Riverside.

    After I put some miles on the car, I will report back with a complete review. For now, I’m just glad to say I finally own one!!!

    P.S. It had the “V6” emblem on the side of the front doors.
  • toolman02toolman02 Member Posts: 59
    ameen6, can i ask whether or not you financed your 6 through the Hine dealership?

    i tried to work with him, but the best apr he would give me was 6.5%. he got a little peeved when i said i wanted something around lower, and he said "Any rate less than about 4.9 is subvented from a manufacturer... you usually lose a rebate to get it." I thought 5% would be fair given a good/excellent credit rating and I've received other offers below that.
  • myphantom6myphantom6 Member Posts: 20
    to go to the Mazda 6 forum. There's a lot of conversations about how this car performs, and what to expect from it. It's also a good place to convince others how the Mazda 6 owners, and want-to-be owners, feel about getting in the "zoom" generation.
  • ameen6ameen6 Member Posts: 16
    put 9K down, and financed the rest ($16.5K) through the dealership. Hey gave me a rate of 4.99% for a 60 month loan. My credit score was 766.

    I don't think the dealership has any reason to try to charge you a higher finance rate. My understanding is that the only thing that determines your rate is your credit score. Ask the dealer what your credit score was.
  • musiclawyermusiclawyer Member Posts: 20
    Ended up convincing my wife to get the 6s afterall because I found one dealer 100 miles away willing to deal. Mine is red , comfort, leather, true manual, no chrome or bose but I like it very much. Got 24 mpg on my first ride home going up the mountain. ... I've not read much of the thread lately but could someone remind me where I could get a good tint job for the back passenger windows. My kids will complain about the sun. Will any Mazda dealer do it, and what would be the price? Can anyone recommend some private shops that would do it in Stockton, Sacramento area. Are there any caveats I should be aware of. Thanks.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    I wouldn't go to dealer to get the tint. They'll probably just send it and add a mark-up. You're better off going straight to a professional tint shop.
  • exit56exit56 Member Posts: 9
    Just picked up my 6s yesterday. Looked all over the northeast for one with a stick shift, Bose & Sport Package, but no sunroof (I'm too tall). Every time I found one through www.mazdausa.com, it seemed that the dealer had been out playing with it. One had over 500 miles on it and they offered it to me as a "new car."

    Ontario Mazda in Canandaigua, New York had a Lapis Blue with 5 miles on (buried under some snow I imagine). We did the deal over the phone on Saturday and I drove it home to Long Island Monday. ($1300 below window sticker if you must know).

    Forgive me for not breaking it in properly but I had it up to 105 mph before I knew it. What a sweet car for a 400 mile trip. The stereo's great, the Michelin Pilot tires hold the curves and there's plenty of power for passing.

    One funny glitch: whenever I put the climate control system on "auto," it put the air conditioning on. It was 6 degrees outside. Anyone know about this?
  • solowiow03solowiow03 Member Posts: 5
    Black 6s Sport

    Automatic :-( Would have had to wait until July to get one custom ordered, and by that time, I would be stationed who knows where flying AWACS.

    Has every single option offered, even the wheel locks.

    I am now spoiled.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Solo and Exit
  • ruefusruefus Member Posts: 254
    After waiting 10 weeks, my ordered 6s in Speed Yellow arrived on Saturday. Basically it's an every option car. Just like Solo, I am now spoiled.

    The dealer even let me apply the Toughguard I bought for it before they put the license plate on. Crazy shine.

    Go here for a couple pics:

    http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=306703- &make_type_query=make%3DMazda&model_brand_query=model%3D6- &tree=Mazda%206
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Nice ride Ruefus
  • cookie01cookie01 Member Posts: 369
    Finally! One plane ride and 5 1/2 hours driving later my new Mazda6s is in my garage, safe and happy.

    This is really the perfect car for someone who needs the space of a sedan, but wants the fun of a great-driving, handling and fun car. My 5 1/2 hour drive was a blast.

    When I get pictures going, I'll see if I can post them for folks to see.

    Cookie.
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    I know you've been searching a long time.
  • seretseseretse Member Posts: 6
    Hi everyone. I took delivery of my new Mazda 6s on Friday Feb. 14th. I convinced my wife of the "need" and usefulness of the upcoming RX-8 later this summer, so the 6s is actually hers :-)

    Steel Grey 6s, auto tranny, no sport package, fogs & sport grille. 550 miles so far, and absolutely no complaints.

    My only regret is not getting the Bose package as the rear speakers are weak at best. Has anyone here upgraded the standard sound system as yet?
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