Mazda6 Sedan

stretchsje

correct, and the bumper doesn't stick out as much in Europe either. Ours is rated for 5mph though

MazdaSexy and MazdaSuccess... those are good!

dinu01

Mazda Sexy and MazdaSuccess

Now for us Canadians: MazdaGetIt (GT). What about the GS? MazdaGas?

Dinu

dinu01

have no worries. I will stay away from any Silver one with 46 clicks.

$500 for the spoiler is what most manufacturers charge for their wings. $800 seems a little far-fetched.

Dinu

jason777

Watch this.

Price of car A-plan is $32,500+tax = $37,375 aprox Canadian.

In 3 years car is worth $17,000.00

$37,375-$17,000 = $20,375.00

So to buy it if I was keeping it for 3 years would cost me $20,375 + 2275 in lost interest on money in bank = real cost = $22650

To lease it at $588.00 per week for 36 months
= $21168

Conclusion this car is cheaper to lease and on top of everything else I have the money sitting in the bank if I should happen to loose my job.

Also if I bought it and crashed it then it would be worth a lot less again.

Better to lease!

Jason.

mazdafun

I like the hatchback job, especially the lower set of fog lights and the rear bumper fascia.

[snicker] The wagon has whiskers on its rear window.

The wheels they put on the wagon really don't gel with the car either.

tsnoozer

Before reading this board I had no idea what a Mazda 6 was. Having to buy a car this weekend I took a test drive just to see for myself what the deal is with this car. I was all set to buy either an Accord or an Altima but my plans were derailed.

I first drove Mazda 6 in both the 4 and 6 cylinder models auto and manual. All 4 types were a blast but my favorite was the 4 cylinder manual, it was extremely engaging and put a smile on my face during the entire test drive. The 6 cylinder manual was even more fun but I feared that it would be a ticket collector as staying under the speed limit was a challenge.

Leaving the Mazda dealer I then drove both the Accord and the Altima in the 4 and 6 cylinder models. I only drove the automatics as for some reason a manual in these relatively large cars wasn't and option I wanted to consider. Both of these cars were great but did not put a smile on face like the Mazda did. In fact all throughout these test drives I kept thinking of the Mazda.

To make a long story short I ended up buying a 6S manual with the sport package in silver. I know others would disagree but I think the sport package looks great and it wasn't available on the lot in a 4 cylinder manual, so I made myself (evil grin!!) take the 6s.

I usually don't buy first year designs but this car is such a departure from the norm (FUN) that I couldn't resist.

BTW I'm 46 years old 6'2" 175 lbs and the car fits me like a glove. If anyone is looking for a partical affordable 4 door sport sedan - this is it. I haven't such fun driving a car in years.

jtkz13

Congrats on the new purchase

fowler3

Congratulations! NOW, that's what I call "Getting It!"

dinu01: GS could mean Grand Sport.

Should we give aromas an honorary STO6 sticker for the aftermarket spoiler?

fowler3

P.S. You have to be a Protegé owner to know what "STO" means. Dinu will explain it to you.

ruefus

Regardless of whether it's Mazda6, 'the 6', 6s, Mazda6s, 6i, S or i - nobody I've run into recently has had any trouble remembering the car itself or who makes it.

In that regard, which is really the only one that matters - Mazda has hit a grand slam.

fowler3

Now that may be the meaning of GS.

**In that regard, which is really the only one that matters - Mazda has hit a grand slam.**

fowler3

fowler3

**BTW I'm 46 years old 6'2" 175 lbs and the car fits me like a glove.**

Well, kid, I couldn't agree with you more. I had the same feeling on my test drive. It is hard to hold below the posted speed limit. I was doing 70mph on a posted 45mph rural two-lane road and thinking I was going 45.

Dinu01 and BigZ; Check the inboard headlights, you may find a driving light bulb sticking out. It's on the US versions. The fog light on non-sport package models has the lens, but no wiring harness and bulb. Which is much nicer than some bright metal lens cover. During daylight driving other drivers will think it has fogs.

fowler3

aromas

Alright fowler3 tell me what STO6 means, Dinu's not around and I have no patience(same reason why it only took me 2 days to buy a 6 off the lot after test driving it even though my lease isn't up for another month.)

stretchsje: "Ours is rated for 5mph though". What do you mean?

I actually prefer the look of the Euro 6 as the one thing that bothers me about the styling here is the rear bumper does seem to stick out too much, reminds me of a Cavalier. Not as sleek. Oh well no car is perfect. I'll just keep thinking of the horrid back end of the Accord and I'll feel much better.

jmess

The wife decided she liked the Maz6 better than the Accord EX. I like the EX better but it will be her car so she out voted me. I am biased towards the Accord because we have had lots of Hondas and have had very good luck with them. I also like the EX equipment bundling which makes it easier to buy a car.

The wife liked the 6 because it felt like a smaller more nimble car to her than the Accord EX. She is pretty short and was also more comfortable with driving position in the 6 over the Accord. She prefered the interior and exterior styling of the 6 over the Accord. She also liked the fact the Mazda warranty was longer. We never had a problem with Hondas but they are behind the competition with the warranty now. Toyotas and Mazdas are pretty reliable cars and they have a longer warranty.

We were able to easily negotiated a cash deal on a 4cyl automatic with: Premium pkg, moon roof, abs, and side air bags. The agreed price was $300 over invoice. The dealer didn't have the car we wanted in stock so we are waiting to see what they have coming. We refused to pay additional $$ for a dealer trade and can wait until they get what we want or decide to cover the trade costs.

They let me take out a demo 4cyl automatic with the alloy wheels by myself and I drove it at a pretty good clip through some curvey roads that I know pretty well. For a FWD car it has nice balance and steering feel but sorry it still drives like a FWD car and will push under throttle at high corning loads. The 5 speed would probably be a better combo with the smaller engine but the performance of the 4cyl with the slush box was adequate until you try an set a lap record. Another reason I like the Accord is because it has a 5 speed auto with the 4cyl engine where the 6 has a 4 speed.

My daily driver is an IS300 SportCross which has RWD and limited slip diff. Not the fastest car on the planet but a very pleasant road car. The nice thing about the wife getting the 6 is I will be able to drive the IS more often. Not that the 6 isn't nice to drive but there is nothing like a smooth reving inline 6 in a well balanced RWD car.

stretchsje

"Ours is rated for 5mph though".

I was referring to our bumpers. In the US, we have 5mph bumpers- they can absorb a bigger impact than the smaller Euro counterparts.

mazda6s

Another thing for those (like me) debating the choice between the 6i and 6s. The 2.5L V6 in the last 626 made 165 hp and 161 lb/ft. This is only 5 hp and 6 lb/ft more than the 6i. The curb weight of the 6i w/MT is 15 lbs less than the 626 LX-V6 w/MT.
As I recall driving the LX-V6, it was fast enough.

stretchsje

That 2.5l V6 was one sweet engine in its day. Loved the MX-6... too bad I didn't come CLOSE to fitting in it.

barryso

"Another thing for those (like me) debating the choice between the 6i and 6s. The 2.5L V6 in the last 626 made 165 hp and 161 lb/ft. This is only 5 hp and 6 lb/ft more than the 6i. The curb weight of the 6i w/MT is 15 lbs less than the 626 LX-V6 w/MT.
As I recall driving the LX-V6, it was fast enough."

I posted a long ramble in the Mazda6 vs. Accord board about the two engines.

Basically, the 6s does have the grunt to keep shifting to a minimum and has a better clutch release from 1st gear.

The 6i needs to be above 3200 for fun but its just a hoot when you rev it. It boogies the car down the road when you turn it up. The 6i front end feels much lighter and its clutch release is a bit lighter, too. But driven well, it sure is "fast enough".

Like you, I was undecided on the engine but drove the two cars back to back to get another impression. Based on driving dynamics and fun I decided to get the 6i with a lot of goodies.

Now it gets thorny. According to my dealer, Mazda USA won't put a 6i together with abs, leather and a moonroof unless you get the sport package. If you want the leather and moonroof without the sport package you have to get the 6s.

So if the dealer is correct it comes down to a near base 6i or a fancy 6s.

Anybody else run into this?

dinu01

STO6? I'm not sure I remember Jim. Seriously.

Dinu

dinu01

From what I know GM won't be importing the Pontiac GTO into Canada b/c it does not meet Canada's 8km/h (5mph) bumper crash test. The GTO's bumpers apparently are designed for 4km/h and from what I understand b/c of this and the astronomical re-design costs to bring it to 8km/h we only get to see pics of this car. So does this mean that the US does not have 5mph bumper tests mandatory but that automakers design their cars for 5mph just so they can sell their products in Canada?

Dinu
8km/h - 5mph Protege bumper!

capitano

I don't htink that could be the case. Grey market Euro imports to the US have to get their bumpers upgraded to 5mph standards. I can't see this being a requirement based on some agreement with Canada i.e. just in case it gets exported to Canada some day. So I think the 5mph is a firm US requirement.

I haven't been tracking the GTO so this is the first I've heard. Seems to me they'd have to upgrade the bumpers for the US as well as Canada.

dinu01

By looking at your calculation, I can see how leasing is less expensive as far as your payments go. However, what I would also account for is that fact that if you lease a Mazda6 for 36 months, return it and then get another one for another 36 months what you have is this:

$588*72mths=$42.336 in payments over 6 years
After 6 years, you still don't have a car, hence you have $0.00 in assets, and if you want a new vehicle (new or used), you don't have any money that you would normally have back from the sale of your 6 year old Mazda6 which should net you $7.000-8.000 or so.

I don't want to argue with you the benefits and drawbacks of leasing (there are other forums for this) b/c I know how tempting leasing can be: new car all the time with lower payments, yet in the long run it does not make sense financially (for ME at least).

Cheers!
Dinu

mazda6s

Have you considered getting the 6i-MT with just ABS/TCS, and then get after-market leather and sunroof installed?

dinu01

Congrats on the 6!

Post any experiences (likes, dislikes, suggestions to Mazda) in this forum.

Dinu

fjb323

Can anyone help with information on the availability of the Sport Grill for the "6s"?
 I haven't been able to locate price or supplier.
thanks
fjb323

dinu01

Is available through your Mazda dealer (at least it's pictured in the Mazda6 Canadian brochure).

Dinu

dinu01

From: http://www.mazda.com/publicity/public/200212/1225e.html

"[Atenza/Mazda6: Award Winning Status]
Award Country/Region Date Announced
1) 2002 Good Design Award (G mark) Japan
 Oct.1
2)'02-'03 Japan Car of the Year: 10 Best Japan Nov.1
3)Hall of Fame: Excellent Developer Award Japan Nov.6
4)2003 RJC Car of the Year Japan Nov.20
5) Japan Car Design Award: Golden Marker Trophy
(commercial production) Japan *
6)Car & Driver: The 2003 10 Best U.S.A Dec.11
7)Fleet World Magazine: Best Newcomer Award U.K Jun.2
8)Britain's Auto 1: Car of The Year U.K Dec.17
9)Great Austrian Automobile Award Austria Oct.7
10)New Car of the Year Scotland Oct.26
11)Semperit Irish Car of the Year Ireland
 Nov.22
12)Car of 2003 in Czech Republic Czech Republic
 Nov.11
13)Family Car of the Year Sweden Nov.11
14) European Car of the Year: 2nd place(highest placed Japanese car) Europe Nov.19
15)Auto Blic magazine: Croatian Auto 1. Croatia Dec.11
16)Best Car in Lithuania in 2003 Lithuania Dec.16
17)Le Moniteur Automobile: Family Car of the Year Belgium Dec.19
18)National Business Review (weekly newspaper): Car of the year New Zealand Oct.18
19) New Zealand Company Vehicle and Executive Car Magazine: Business Car of the Year New Zealand Dec.9
20)Australia's Best Car Awards: Best Mid-Size Car Over $25,000 Australia Nov.6
21)The Straits Times: Best Medium Family Sedan/Hatchback Singapore Oct.19
22)Auto magazine: Car of The Year (chosen by readers) Israel *
23)Auto magazine: Best Premium Compact Israel *
*Announced in the January 2003 issue."

Dinu

1wiseguy

I didn't actually buy the 6 yet. But I probably will. Haven't even driven it yet cause I'm waiting for a day where I have time during the day and its not snowing or 20 below zero. That ruled out January!!! Oh yeah- I also have to convince the wife to trade in the SUV...a 99 ML320 with 55000 km (35000 miles approx). She likes it more than I do, but I'm the one who drives it every day. A good solid vehicle, but no "zoom zoom"

As far as tax and financing are concerned, it's not an issue. My ML 320 has a black book trade-in value of 33-35K so I expect to literally "trade" it in. With tax being payable on the net price after trade-in, I will be paying 15% on virtually nothing. Same goes for financing.

The prices I quoted were given to me by the APA. I expect that X-Plan will be similar (and not as much of a great deal as I first expected). There doesn't appear to be a huge mark up on this car in Canada.

stretchsje

According to my dealer, Mazda USA wont put a 6i together with abs, leather and a moonroof unless you get the sport package. If you want the leather and moonroof without the sport package you have to get the 6s.

Most of what you hear about bundling packages is a lie. Mazda only builds certain combinations at the factory, but you can get one differently from those bundles. Dealers have been feeding us too much of this crap to sell whats on their lot. I dunno why- it broke sales for me, but most dealers flat out denied it was possible. Truth is, you can get the car customized if you order one, and a good dealer will work with you on this. Ask about port installed options (PIO options).

There has been some talk of dealers who will NOT order a custom built Mazda6 from the NA factory; claiming that Mazda isnt taking orders. Well, this got back to the President of Mazda USA through my wife whom works at AAI and believe it or not he came down to the floor of the factory and wanted to know what dealers had said that - it is *NOT* true in any way, shape or form.

I do not want to put all of that online; but would like the names of dealers and where they are located to get to him.

You can post it here, PM me on this forum or email me at [follow this link]

fowler3

On the Protegé board, we are not allowed to use a certain slang term which descibes a competitor's small car that has been heavily moded: i.e. body cladding and a huge wing, for example. Edmunds considers it an ethnic word.

So, we came up with STO -- stupid tricked out.

Of course, we are just kidding when we use STO.

fowler3

dinu01

If you have a trade-in that will net you $30.000+, then you're in a much better position to deal than others. For those that start with a small amount as a downpayment, financing rates, and hence the total price of the vehicle are much more important, but I see you won't be paying much after the trade-in.

When are you thinking of getting the 6? I heard we'll get more cold weather in ONT/PQ in February - watched this long-term weather report on The Weather Network.

Dinu

vocus

Back in the late 70s/early 80s, I think the bumper standard in the US was 5mph. Sometime in the 80s, though, they dropped the standard to 2.5mph. I am pretty sure this is true, at least it's what I have heard. Maybe that's the difference...

1wiseguy

I hope to take it for a test drive in the next 2 weeks and then make arrangements. I like the GFX package but am concerned that driving over snow and ice boulders (unavoidable at this time of year) will wreck it. I'm also wary of speed bumps.

Any idea what the ground clearance is on the 6 with or without the GFX? My wife's honda has a 5 inch clearance and that's barely enough to make it over some of the speed bumps I go over each day.

I've spoken with a few dealers already and at the end of the day, whoever makes the best offer (combined low price/high trade in) will get my business. Only three Mazda dealers in Ottawa but the APA quote was from a dealership in Montreal.

barryso

"Dealers have been feeding us too much of this crap to sell whats on their lot."

It isn't quite that simple. When I first asked about a custom build they really believed they could order me the car any way I liked it. They had no problem putting in the a special order to the factory, either.

It was only later when we were getting into the real nitty gritty of placing the order they discovered they couldn't get the winning combo built. I was given the impression they got that information directly from Mazda.

I would have placed the order on Friday and waited impatiently for the car if they could have built it. So it wasn't in the dealers best interest having me walk out of the place in a bewildered state of mind. Thats the last thing they want when somebody is so close to a sale, particularly after having me put close to 20 miles on a few of their new cars.

The dealership, IMHO, was trying to do a good job and had their hands tied by a weird set of rules that Mazda USA imposes (or some really bad information about how the cars can be ordered). Either way, it has delayed a sale.

BTW, I've enjoyed your commentary on the 6 quite a bit. Keep the info coming!

mazdafun

It's true.

Domestic makers dropped theirs pretty quickly to 2.5 when that legistlation got passed (guess who lobbied for it?). Most imports stuck with 5mph-rated bumpers. They made it a marketing issue. CR continues to test bumpers at 5mph. Guess what? 2.5mph bumpers yielded much more damage and repair cost.

Now, though the legal limit is 2.5mph-rated bumpers, most mfrs put 5mph bumpers on their offerings so they're competitive. CR tests to this, the automotive insurance testing group tests to this, insurance companies charge more for vehicles with the wimpier bumpers. They should go ahead and return the floor to 5mph.

dinu01

I know my PRO is 5.5" and I haven't had any trouble with the car floatin on top of snow. The 6 that I saw 2 weeks ago had at least 5" (maybe a bit more?) which should be ok. Now for the GFX package, it could add 1"-2.5" at the most and while that's fine for summer, I know how careful one must be with a lower car - had a 93 Civic and had that car a few times on top of parking lot cement blocks. With the Protege no such problems - it goes over them until you get to the front tires. I am VERY careful when backing in though - heard a guy with a P5 that knocked off the chrome muffler tip.

Dinu

stretchsje

OK, barryso, if that's what happened, I'd believe it.

I had the exact opposite happen- I was told so often that I couldn't order the car, until I went to a no-haggle place. Friendliness was their strong poing, and I thought I was going to call their bluff in roping me in. The guy called Mazda to verify I could get the options I wanted (not available from the factory) could be port-installed.

Exact opposite of what happened to you. You may want to check with another dealer; you may not. Up to you.

Though, I'll admit, I think the base 6i holds the most value of all the combos. In the end, that's why I 'settled' on it.

stretchsje

Best review ever!!!
http://www.epinions.com/content_88812588676

(gave up on trying to host it myself... stupid firewall/DSL/IIS)

anibus99

drove home last thursday with a new steel gray Mazda6 after lurking on these discussion boards for about 3 weeks!

6i, manumatic, sports package (sans-spoiler), black leather, moonroof, bose and so on.

the engine is magnificent, especially in manual mode, plenty of response for me. the seat and driver's setup is just outstanding.

believe Mazda when they tell you they benchmarked the A4! they're now my Japanese BMW, at half the cost.

i just look for excuses to drive now!

dinu01

Yep, I know the feeling! Even after 18 mths of driving my Protege, the same applies. Most Mazda owners on Edmunds feel the same.

Congrats!

Dinu

anibus99

drove home last thursday with a new steel gray Mazda6 after lurking on these discussion boards for about 3 weeks!

6i, manumatic, sports package (sans-spoiler), black leather, moonroof, bose and so on.

the engine is magnificent, especially in manual mode, plenty of response for me. the seat and driver's setup is just outstanding.

believe Mazda when they tell you they benchmarked the A4! they're now my Japanese BMW, at half the cost.

i just look for excuses to drive now!

vocus

They did benchmark the A4, and mostly got to their target. I love especially the way the doors sounds/feels when you slam it.

mazda6s

You're tempting me. I keep saying I'll hold out for a factory order to get the ABS/TCS and SAB/SAC packages. But then I found the color I want (Lapis Blue) in a base 6i-MT within driving distance. I keep thinking, geez, screw the safety stuff, I could just put on some alloy wheels and be really to roll. Holy crap, I'm waivering!

stretchsje

That's EXACTLY what I did. Drive now. You'll have too stupid of a grin to worry later.

I wanted a redfire 6i MT with premium, sport, and ABS/TCS. Got a base model with ULEV equipment (first RED base model on the East coast!), just because it was within driving distance, the price was right, and I knew I wouldn't get $2000 more worth of excitement from those packages, especially when I'd have to wait two months.

It's kind of fun starting with a base model and spending the saved money to personalize your car. Personalize != coffee can exhaust, yuck. Read the M6 Owners: Modifications thread for what I'm doing.

stretchsje

New showroom design- might help sales, resale value, or Mazda brand image. Maybe? Or it will it just make higher costs for dealerships?

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=42266

...An industrial look

The overall look of the store is like a giant service bay. Rather than traditional interior walls, Mazda went with an industrial theme, using horizontal-slatted metal siding. A gleaming yellow Mazda6 is mounted on a towering, glass-enclosed lift just inside the entrance.

Other design cues include a faux wind-tunnel fan behind the store's showcase vehicle - most likely the upcoming RX-8. The floors are cement, rather than tile. Climate control ductwork is exposed, rather than hidden behind drywall. Track lighting dangles shamelessly from the soaring ceilings.

In the sales area, there are no "hot-boxes" for sales negotiation. All dealings are out in the open. Consumers and sales staff share a computer, and staff members are instructed to refer to third-party Internet sites such as Edmunds.com and kbb.com, the Kelley Blue Book site, to take some of the distrust out of the deal.

Espresso and a video game

A MazdaCafe serves espresso and has a flat-screen TV showing Mazda vehicles at top speed. A nearby monitor allows shoppers to try their hand at driving an RX-8 on a Sony PlayStation Gran Turismo video game.

The store's exterior has the same wild paint scheme, which would seem more at home at an amusement park than at a car dealership....

There's more if you have access to autonews, but copying and pasting a whole article is a no-no here. Can I get away with a few paragraphs?

pda97

Mazda sold only 2254 6s for the month of January ? Did the 6 go on sale late last December or mid January 03 ? Is there a supply problem ? Maybe Feb will be better. But this is a scary figure for a new model. At this rate, the car will be cancelled in a couple of yrs.

vocus

The car went on sale at the end of November, I think. Availability just became better in December though.

I have only seen one 6 model on the road here in MD, and that's driving 80 miles daily from the DC area to Baltimore...

maltb

Sales are much lower than planned. I think it may have to do with the high lease rates on the mazda6. Keep an eye out for some coming lease deals.

badtranny999

Gee, 2254 units for Jan. is pretty ghastly. Honda sells at least 15 times that figure. That's nowhere near the 80k units Mazda had planned to sell. But I think it was a fluke. Decent supplies of 6's are just now showing up at dealers. But it did indeed start going on sale in Dec.--dealers had better start moving that car...........the Mazda dealer in my area had scads of them. But the salesman I talked to hasn't even called me back..........the 6 just has too much competition. I was looking at an Altima last wk and it's just a totally regal auto, it looks far more expensive than it is. And the Accord is growing on me too, both in looks and with aggressive deals........WHERE does the 6 fit in??

vocus

Heard about the high lease rates from a couple people here on the board. Some attractive lease deals should definitely increase sales.

vocus

I was waiting for someone to post something like that...

But the truth is, where are all the 6s?? Like I said, I haven't seen one on the road yet here in MD, and the dealerships around here are loaded with them at this point.

In fairness, though, the January sales figures don't tell the whole story. I am sure the car had to have time to ramp up as far as production, so it should be ok now.