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Refer to the TSX vs. Mazda6 forum for a very involved discussion on how some people "REALLY" don't care about how loaded their cars are. I'm sure there are those that feel the same way about the MS6 vs {insert car here}.
By the way the TL isn't any more expensive than a similarly equipped MS6 than the same MS6 would be over a comparable TSX.
That's me, I don't care about leather or a moonroof and would actually prefer to not have them. I'd rather have 270 hp, 280 lbs-ft @ 2000 rpm, and AWD, than leather or a moonroof any day. Any day....and that's the difference between the TSX and Mazdaspeed6 at the baseprice point.
*I* would MUCH rather have a Mazdaspeed6 with cloth seats and no moonroof, than a TSX with leather and a moonroof for within $1000 of the same price.
The SP23 mazda3 will be limited to a small percentage of production and any unscheduled orders will spread out over March and April.
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The MAZDA MANIA chat is on TONIGHT. Join us for the '05 season of chat! Check out the schedule
I have final sales numbers for the 3 and 6 as well for 04:
3 sold 76K total units in 04.
6 sold 72K total units in 04.
Mazda sold 263K units in 2004 which was a 3% increase in sales from 258K units sold in 2003.
The 76K units sold for the 3 in 2004 is off from when the Protege sold 78K and 83K units in 2001 and 2002 respectively. Finally, I don't think Mazda spent as much on incentives on the 3 as they did on the Protege back a couple years ago though.
The 72K units for the 6 sold was an increase over 2003 6 sales in which the 6 sold 66K units. I think last full year 626 sales was 2001 in which the 626 sold 50K units so the 6 is doing better than the car it replaces. I wish I had 626 sales for 98, 99 and 2000. 2002 626 sales were 40K units but that was the last year for the 626 ever.
And the new Miata DOES arrive soon, doesn't it? If they run short in the last model year of the old production run, that probably won't hurt all that much. It will just prime the customers for the new one when it arrives!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
A year ago mazda shifted the entire inventory carrying costs to dealers...the old way, Mazda corp ordered the cars and stocked them at the port and we could stock alot less cars. Replacing a sold unit only took 10 days...
now there is no port inventory and all dealer orders are direct with the factory...so a japanese built car is ordered 4-5 months out...They essentially want dealers to have 4 months inventory on hand...well that dog doesnt hunt, many dealers would go broke stocking 4 months of inventory at all times...so mazda dealers are learning how to "work" the allocation system to keep less cars on hand...but if there is a problem with incomming units or a spike in sales a shortage quickly appears.
Thanks for the excellent messages! Here are a few questions that may enlighten the rest of us.
Is the Japanese plant the sole source for the Mazda3?
Has Mazda ever planned to expand their Mazda3 production beyond?
Isn't the Mazda6 built in the US and elsewhere?
Would a US Mazda3 ever be possible?
What is the rationale in choosing a certain facility? Is it more than capacity?
Which makes one wonder how integrated the industry actually is? In other words, even though Volvo, Mazda, Jaguar are all part of the Ford family certain realities remain: a Mazda3 could not be built in a Ford plant in the case of a disaster or accident like the fire the Hiroshima plant experienced.
MZ3 is only built in japan..
yes, MZ3 production projections have been increased..the factory is running full shifts.
MZ6 is built in US and Japan. The MZ6speed will only be built in japan, this is the only MZ6 imported to the US.
I don't expect mazda to build the 3 in the US. Mazda only has one US factory. Mazda's Flat Rock plant builds the MZ6 and the Ford Mustang also. It is a huge plant that has alot of capacity, Ford needed the space to build the new mustang and it seemed like a good fit. The three new models for mazda this year will all be built in Japan.
The rationale in choosing a plant is essentially economics, capacity and supply chain. One example of this is the MZ6 platform which is spawning 10 Ford and Lincoln/Mercury vehicles. This may not be possible if the platform was exclusivly built in japan.
It would be almost impossible to shift production from one plant to the next without alot of planning and time. Example, Mazda shifted production of the B-series from the Edison, NJ Ford Ranger plant to the Minneapolis Ranger plant this past year and we lost 7 months of production. the B-series and Ranger are apx 99% the same vehicle...We had 6 months of warnings about this change so we were able to bulk up the inventories. With the MZ3 and the Volvo version, they only share apx 55-65% so it would be nearly impossible to shift production quickly and economically.
Hope this helps.
I hope business in 2005 is good for you.
You kinda wish you still had the old allocation system right now doesn't?
"They essentially want dealers to have 4 months inventory on hand...well that dog doesnt hunt, many dealers would go broke stocking 4 months of inventory at all times...so mazda dealers are learning how to "work" the allocation system to keep less cars on hand..but if there is a problem with incomming units or a spike in sales a shortage quickly appears."
I think your last sentence describes what has happened with the Mazda 3 in terms of Mazda seeing increased demand but they can;t do nothing about it because of their current allocation system right? Also another question about MZ 3 inventory. Is the 3 sedan model just in demand because I had seen some generous deals on leftover 04 hatchback models in the paper a few months ago but no really good deals for the sedan model.
Finally, Another Mazda note: the 6 ousold the 3 last month again for the second straight month I think. The 6 outsold the 3 by some 1500 units. I think the 6 sold 7000 units and the 3 sold 5,418 units last month. Still 3 sales increased from 4,071 units sold in November to the 5,418 units sold in December.
But even after everything is moved and you are up and running other problems will pop up - a machine that ran for years at the old plant at 600 per minute - now will only do 450. Take this times the 50 machines that were transferred and you can start to understand how difficult it is to move a production line.
I think Mazda can rebuilt the damaged plant much faster and easier then they could move / start up production of the Mazda3 at another facility.
"Hiroshima, Japan - Mazda Motor Corporation announced today that the paint shop at its Ujina No.1 Plant (U1) that was damaged during a fire in December 2004 is to be completely restored, resuming full production with integrated painting and vehicle assembly in April 2005.
Initial estimates of a 70,000 unit production loss have also been revised, with strong recovery efforts Mazda has undertaken to produce an estimated 40,000 additional units, resulting in a loss of an estimated 30,000 units due to the fire's interruption."
Toyota is planning to press home its advantage in hybrid cars and ramp up production to 1 million units a year within five years, according to president Fujio Cho ... In the next 12 months, Toyota will build 300,000 hybrids, including 180,000 Prius models. A hybrid version of the Lexus RX will go on sale this year, with electric motors driving all four wheels. Toyota will also build Japanese-market hybrid minivans. "Eventually each model range will have a hybrid version," said Cho.
Cho said Toyota was striving to bring the price of hybrids down through economies of scale. "It costs more than an average car because of the battery, motor, inverter and so on. But with improved design and manufacturing methods, and increased volume, we have reduced costs significantly. I can't say when a hybrid will reach parity with a conventional vehicle but it's our objective."
I would love to see Ford give them the green light to develop the next Ranger, so that the B-series could stay in the game and be more Mazda than Ford. (although it would probably have to use Ford engines). C'mon, zoom zoom company - you need a sport truck!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
When will the '06's be introduced. Maybe by now the '06's are in production, so it's a little misleading on the '05 model year.
Funny that Mazda dedicates so much of its resources to every detail of this model, and remains fiercely committed to it, despite annual sales that have never hit 6 digits (and were down to 9500 last year). Yet Toyota, giant that it is, killed the Celica for dropping below 20K per year, and the MR2 as well.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
npaladin....They didnt give any other details...but I will pass them along as I get them. Once I saw the vehicle and the Aviator concept I had a feeling it was going to get approved. also...no third row seating.
Surprised it doesn't have a 3rd row, even if it's just a 'token' that doesn't really hold adults.
At this meeting did you see any photos or hear more details (like pricing) of the 3 MPS (aka Mazdaspeed 3) to update the article from Edmunds newsite?
HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda is readying a 'hot hatch' version of the Mazda3 — and we're talking jalapeño! The 3 MPS (Mazda Performance Series) uses the same 2.3-liter engine as the bigger 6 MPS, and this could make the car the hottest hatch on the market.
The 6 MPS puts out 256 horsepower — way more than the VW Golf GTI (197 hp) or the forthcoming Opel/Vauxhall Astra VXR (237 hp). This should give the 3 MPS a 0-to-60 mph time of below 7 seconds — blistering performance.
The 3 MPS will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and will go on sale shortly after. Its aggressive styling affirms Mazda is quickly shaking off its fuddy-duddy image, helped by the RX-8 and MX-5 sports cars.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I'm not sure where the Tribute (Escape clone) fits in there....seems to be redundant after the MX-Cross comes out.
Mazda 5 - I think is due in the fall 2005 as a '06 model. Much smaller than the MX-Cross or the MPV van.
MZ6speed....274hp 280ft lb torque - september/october (maybe sooner)
MZ5...july/Aug arrival.
cross sport (to be named later) fall 2006
Tribute will remain in line-up when cross sport arrives... the cross sport will be very car-like and larger compared to the Tribute.
2006 Miata fits tall people
audia8q - don't all convertibles by definition fit tall people? They have no roof! :-P
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
For me personally, I'm not a big fan of turbo engines, I'd rather just have a normally aspirated engine...less maintenance problems.
I wouldn't sell turbocharged vehicles short (especially if you live in high altitudes), if I were you... :shades:
Meade
I wouldn't judge all turbo cars based on a few Saab and VW cars, which are high maintenance whether they have a turbo or not.
I'd say VW and SAAB was the biggest problem. Not the the aspiration of the engine.
I'm not aware of any extra maintenance required for turbo vehicles, and like I said before and like gee35 also pointed out, I don't think it was the turbos that were the problems with VWs and Saabs.
But anyway, I like turbo cars, they're fun. I love the feeling of the boost coming on and I love the sound. I had a co-worker who had a modified Eclipse and that thing was insane. It really put you in your seat and the turbo was so loud it sounded like a turbo diesel semi truck's turbo going up a mountain.
I also remember going to the weekend races at Brainerd International and watching the Buick Grand Nationals. When those those things were in the burn out box, they let out an awesome ear piercing shriek.
So getting back to the topic somewhat, if I were looking at this Mazda CrossSport SUV/crossover/people mover thingy - just give me the 3.0 V6..
If we're talking about a Miata or an RX-8, that's a different animal....
Neither the dealer I purchased the car from, the Mazda dealer where it now sits for a third day not yet serviced or Mazda USA whom I emailed.I've been told to expect my car next week. If Mazda is going to compete with Nissan they need to get their customer service act together.They are off to a very bad start with me.
I had two friends look at my car over the weekend when it was running and one was ready to buy one this week. When I told him how disinterested Mazda was in getting it fixed he crossed the 6 off. It wasn't the reliability it was the lack of service that changed his mind.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102461