By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
As for what I'm hitchin' - really just a bike rack and perhaps a cargo tray at times. I despise roof racks as they ruin the lines of any car. Strap racks are cumbersome and end up destroying the paint (and bike) no matter how hard you try.
I didn't follow the car market all that closely, and I would say that Mazda had an indistinct reputation in my mind. It was just kinda there, with no strong perception of what they are all about in terms of quality, attitude, Japanese or Korean, etc.
As I've become more familiar now with the company, I have a clearer idea of what they're all about. Most people don't do much research though, and never get past the initial stage of indifferance.
I'll have to check it out again in the sunshine, but on an overcast day, it wasn't happening for me.
not to say it looks bad.. just.. eh.
I wish I could say that I loved it.. it would have ended my handwringing over choosing from the other colors!
I want the freakin' titanium grey. bring it to me NOW. grrr.
Tidbits:
1) Displays both ID3 tags and filenames
2) It resumes play where you left off in the MP3 file when you restart the car.
3) The Disk change button navigates through directories on the CD.
And he feels that it will work with the Bose installation in addition to the basic speaker setup -- the outputs are identical to the 6-disc changer which works with and without the Bose.
Cool... Can't wait for mine to come in!
Maybe they'll clear this up when it hits the street
If you currently have the Bose, though, you lose the 6-disc capabilities.
However... If you're willing to make the minor effort to post an ad on eBay or one of the Mazda 6 sites, I'm certain you could easily sell the 6-CD changer (which doesn't require the Bose equipment) for $250 to $300. So in the end, you're only out about $100 and a little effort.
But yeah, it's a better option for base system users. (Six MP3 CDs would be just about confusing! 60 hours of music to manage in your car could cause wrecks. :-)
As for the price, the MP3 player is $380, and the 6-disc head unit that's included with the Bose is about $500. So given the comparable prices for such equipment usually, the MP3 player is less overpriced than the 6-disc unit. :-) (Obviously both are overpriced.)
I saw my 11th 6(yup 11th) on the New Jersey Turnpike. It was white with the spoiler on it. They say Mazda isn't selling alot of 6's. In Jersey the 6 is hoottt!
All this mp3 talk baffles me. Can somebody explain it to me? I mean, why not burn mp3s to CD and play those in either the single or 6 disc CD changer? What am I missing here??
I'm an old fogey in so many ways. But even *I* think MP3's are great!
And yes, I am the one waiting for Sirius from the factory. So I suppose I ain't as much a fogey about car audio as I am about most things!
(Hmmmm, posting from a DSL connection, as well...maybe I just think I'm a geezer!)
However - I think the big rush for MP3's is a bit much. Yes - it's cool. BUT...
A single CD with MP3's on it does NOT hold 60 hours of music - only about 10. The MP3 player option is a single-CD, not a 6 disc.
Max capacity to max capacity, an MP3 CD holds maybe two hours more music. But, if you want to swap out for some fresh music, you've got to take ALL 10 hours out at once - and put an entirely different 10 hours in. I rarely, if ever change all 6 discs at once. Some CD's are a staple in my car, some aren't.
Never mind the fact that to put any music in the car beyond a single, normal CD, you've got to convert it to MP3, then organize it along with 10 hours of other music to get max playing time and then burn the friggin' thing. Then remember to label each CD corretly. *yawn*
The holy grail IMHO - an AUX input through the Tape/MD input for a portable MP3 player like a Creative Nomad or something. House your ENTIRE library in a portable machine without sacrificing in-car flexibility.
Mazda, are you listening?
Also, I use MP3s to listen to audiobooks (converted from Audible.com) quite a bit. Many of these are longer than a single CD. The conversion's a lot easier than trying to break them across multiple audio CDs. And with an MP3 player, I can just burn those to CDRW and erase them after listening.
As for Ruefus' process, it's only that convoluted if you haven't ripped any of your CDs to MP3. I have a 20GB directory already containing my entire CD collection, pre-ripped at 192KB. So it's a simple matter of copying.
Plus I often create my own mixes. If I wanted to create, say, a 90's mix, I'd still have to drag songs to my CD, and figure out which 12 or 13 would fit. Then I'd have a little over an hour of 90s music, that would start repeating pretty quickly on random. With an MP3 player, I can create a directory with 6 or more hours of 90s tunes, and just toss 'em in the directory without having to precisely fit them on an 80-minute disc.
But hey, to each his own. We all like different things. I'd find a 6-disc player to be more of a pain, and I'm really excited about getting MP3. And there are people over on Mazda6Club.com who are actually enthused over the minidisc player, which I don't get at all.
Perhaps with the factory and Bose options, neither of which has much high frequency extention, the difference won't be too obvious.
I love MP3s, but I sure don't go nuts over them like some people. It's a vastly inferior medium. Dolby Digital does a fairly good job with compressed audio- I was hoping that would catch on as a recording medium. Now, I hope MP3-2 comes out soon, which seperates the low and high frequency sounds when compressing. That ought to improve things a little bit.
I have a good background in both data compression and audio, and look forward to SACD replacing CDs. With MP3s being in such high demand, it's obvious the casual user does not care about high-fidelity recording mediums. Why buy a SACD only to make an MP3 from it?
I'm not sure what I'm trying to prove by posting this. I guess that, given a choice between six audio CDs or one MP3 disc, the choice should be obvious. An MP3 disc does not hold NEARLY the same amount of music if you record your MP3s at a respectable quality, and to combine albums on an MP3 player ALWAYS means loss of quality. On a 6CD changer, you can make a CD of MP3s, and still keep your authentic pressed albums on tap for play- and without sound quality loss.
Again, I'm an advocate of MP3s and any form of audio compression- but the acoustics aren't 'there' yet. I once tried to prove myself (and a friend) wrong here by using the best MP3 codecs to record a few songs, and the difference was always plainly obvious. On a boombox or factory stereo it wouldn't be, but if you're shelling out big bucks for the MP3 system, you're probably interested enough in audio to have a hi-fi system to play them on, too.
Take the 6 CD changer, and wait for newer audio compression technologies that analyze the audio stream better and record at higher sampling rates.
I agree with what you've said about MP3s. However, the average driver isn't an audiophile, and would typically only notice the difference in a 192K VBR MP3 file and a real CD if they made a direct comparison.
I can hear the difference myself, but in a car environment, I find 192K VBR MP3 quality good enough, given the mediocre quality of the speakers, the road noise, etc.
I would get it, I think it really improves the look of the front end and makes it more aggresive and unique from all the other Mazdas that share that chrome mustache. I personally don't like too much chrome on a car.
To each his own - MP3's are cool, no doubt.
But again - if you want to swap out for some fresh music, you've got to take ALL 10 hours out at once - and put an entirely different 10 hours in. If you organize by genre or decade, that means you're listening to 6 hours of the same stuff. I doubt anyone ever does that on a regular basis.
I've got Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elvis, Hoobastank, some Jazz & Country in there right now. To me - an MP3 CD is useless for this type of variety since I'll never remmeber that 6 wildly different artists are on the same CD. If I want throw in something new - pop out a single hour & put a new one in.
What'd really be cool is if they'd break down and build a 6 disc that reads MP3's. How hard could it be?
and ruefus's last comment really throws me.. "build a 6 disc that reads mp3s". huh? I've recorded mp3s downloaded from the computer and then burned them to CD to play in my car. no problem.
I don't get it. *scratches head furiously*
In the meantime, you could always devote 300MB of each MP3 CD to the same 5 CDs you always have installed and still have more variety. :-)
Combustible1,
When you've burned MP3s to CD, you've been converting them back to CD audio format (although with all of the reduced quality of MP3s intact :-).
The Mazda MP3 player lets you fill a CD with MP3 files still in MP3 format. That is, instead of choosing "Music CD" in your burner program, you choose "Data CD," as if were burning a disc to play the MP3 files in your computer.
So instead of 80 minutes of music on a CD, you can fit 800. From what I've read, the Mazda player treats each subdirectory as if it were a separate disc.
(Sorry if we're boring some of you with this MP3 talk, but you have to admit it beats the "The 6 sux0rz! Acc0rd rulez!" stuff that was going on before. :-)
"The holy grail IMHO - an AUX input through the Tape/MD input for a portable MP3 player like a Creative Nomad or something. House your ENTIRE library in a portable machine without sacrificing in-car flexibility."
Agreed. I have a 40gb Nomad and would love to have the better sound quality of an input jack vs. a tape adapter.
And I have to disagree about the blanket denouncement of MP3 quality. It's true, if you're downloading (stealing) 128K bps MP3s using Kazaa and its ilk, you're going to get some sub-cassette-quality music there. But if you encode your own MP3s using quality products like Exact Audio Copy with the LAME DLL (say, VBR with a range from 160 to 320k bps), there's very, very little degradation in quality. Sure, you'd notice the difference in those files on an audiophile system, but not on your typical sub-$700 car stereo setup.
It's all in the m4d 1337 Mp3 3nc0d1ng 5kill2, baby! :-)
Took my buddy out for a drive, he currently has a Mustang and used to own a Trans-Am, and showed him what the car can do best. After we got out of the car he was quiet, I asked what's wrong, he said he was speechless. He said not only does this car handle better than the Mustang but is a notch above the Trans-Am! I think he's in love.
Does anybody with too much money in their hands put premium gas in the car, if so did it make a difference? I'd be willing to pay the extra for gas if it gave a noticeable improvement.
:-)
I can't wait for a magazine to review a 10,000 mile old '6. Nobody believes us fanatics.
Apparently it is quite the tourist attraction in the summer but this time of year there is hardly anybody using it. There are signs posted on it that warn trucks to use alternate routes.It lies near the Tennesee border. To anybody who lives near there on this board maybe you should check it out. Warning: For thrill seekers only!
As for Deal's Gap... Go to www.miata.net and search the "Best Drives/Road Trips" forum on "The Gap" or "Deal's Gap." You'll find hundreds of messages about the drive. They have a big annual gathering of Miatae there.
I was happy to get rid of the chrome "mustache." I never liked that look on the 6. Mine's in Steel Grey, by the way, without the sport package. Anyway, if you do order the grill, it's very simple to put it in yourself -- there's no reason to pay the dealer to do it.
It's still a beautiful drive though, especially in the Spring when the dogwood and redbud are in bloom. Try mid to late April. All summer and the Fall are good times too. Crowded on weekends.
There are overlooks, places to pull off and take in the views. Be sure to bring a camera. Magnificent views, waterfalls, hiking trails, etc. Places to stop for dining: Boone, Blowing Rock, Little Switzerland, Cherokee, Magie's Valley.
In Boone go to the Daniel Boone Inn, for $12.95 they serve a fantastic dinner: Fried chicken, country ham, ham biscuits, yellow corn, green beans, cole slaw, beats, country-style steak, potatoes with gravy, fried apples, and of course a delicious homemade cobbler. All of the items listed are served. No menu. Best places to stay overnight: Pidgeon Forge and Gatlinburg, both in Tennessee.
fowler3
we should take a page out of the Miata's book and stage our own annual convention there, at least then I could convince one of you guys to let me try your MT thru it.
Skyray: I saw the chrome accent on a Protege. Please don't do it.
First, the MP3 format is not a loseless compression no matter what sampling rate. That means the sound quality is worse than the CD source. The MP3 format is popular because the file sizes are smaller. This means that you can cram a whole bunch of MP3 files onto a CDR disc - but it's pretty useless if the player doesn't recognize the MP3 format.
It's also possible to take MP3 files on your PC and convert them into the CD-Audio format while burning them onto a CDR. This is what combustible1 is doing. This gives you compatibility with almost all players, but this process requires the MP3 files to be expanded in size. You could in theory (although it would be pretty stupid) copy a CD by converting them to MP3 files on you PC and then back to CD-Audio on a CDR. The people who want MP3 players in their car want it for convenience - more songs per disc and easier to make compilations from their PC.
Personally, I do not download MP3 files from the Internet. I have started copying my personal CD collection to my PC using Windows Media 9 player and the loseless WMA compression. This format allows me to have smaller files (not as small as MP3 files) with NO loss in quality. These files would be fine for portable hard drive based WMA players although I don't have one of those either.
Lastly, what I really want in my next new car is a DVD-Audio player with 5.1 channel setup. This is kind of the opposite of the MP3 format. The songs take up more space, not less. The DVD-Audio format is similar to the DVD-Video format that has 4.7GB of storage per side instead of the 640MB that a CD has. I want DVD-Audio because it has a higher sampling rate that CDs and it allows for multi-channel recording. When I listen DVD-Audio discs at home, it's like listening to music with new ears. I know Panasonic is working on some players for the car, but the trick is going to be the center channel speaker. Guess what I thought when I saw that storage bin on top of the center console in the Mazda 6 - speaker!
I'm afraid that I'm in the minority here. Most people prefer convenience over quality. Cell phones and MP3 are the biggest examples. Maybe if more people hear the DVD-Audio or SACD music, they would buy it. Especially when it doesn't cost any more. I hoping that car manufacturers can step up and create the perfect listening environment. After all, you should be able to make it sound great when you can measure all the acoustic properties - at least until the car moves.
gtyler2000,
The problem is, the average Joe on the streets can't appreciate the difference between standard CDs and DVD-Audio/SACD. Heck, the average Joe on the street is listening to Britney and Eminem anyway, where it really doesn't matter. :-)
Check out www.corksport.com for more 6 parts. They have a different type of front grille, have rear clear lens and you can put an "Atenza" badge on back of your 6. Also, if you have any extra $ check out www.Duratecperformance.com. The have a header kit for the V6 for I think about $700 (ouch!). It's suppose to give an extra 17hp at the wheels.
When I download songs from the net, it's either to try them out, or, because I anticipate replacing all my CDs with DVD-audio eventually, and I don't want to waste a lot more money on the current CD technology when the newer media of DVD-audio & SACD are well on their way.
I too like the standard grille, but the sports grille is growing on me. I've seen a 3rd grille somewhere that I like better than either, but I'm not sure if it's even available for purchase yet.
Putting the Atenza badge on the back? I like it! Wouldn't touch the clear lights though, too boyracerish.
One thing you can do with the grille if you like the original but don't like the chrome is paint the chrome piece the color of the car. Saw a picture of that somewhere and it looked good.
How come Gee35 never responded about doing the GAP. Maybe he meant that he bought a sweater???
Saw my second 6 this morning, driving into my parking lot, a black 6s sport shining in the sun. Never saw a black before, looked nice. Weird, though, I drive 300 miles a week for work. And I’ve yet to see one on the road. Only the two that I have seen in Newark (where I work)
Octane ratings are an measure of resistance to pre-ignition. The higher the number, the greater the resistance. What that means is that lower octane gas is easier to ignite. Higher octane gas is harder to ignite. Lower octane gas has more btu's per unit than higher octane gas so it delivers more power per cycle, but this difference is quite small.
The test drive was a nice combination of town and highway driving.
We first went thru the streets of Maple Shade,NJ. The car behaved very nicely on the small cobblestone roads of Maple shade. The we took the highway. I actually stopped at the entrance of the ramp, put the car in 1st gear, waited for 0 incoming traffic/merging traffic, mashed the gas pedal down(almost to the floor), and WOOOOOOOO.....what a throaty engine And guess What? I could not feel any TORQUE STEER. I get torgue steer on my 120hp Protege Auto if I did mashed the gas medal. But not here. Great Engg. by Mazda.
Something that I did not like: I heard the sound of tumbling, like when you open or close a safe, while shifting gears. In other words, I could hear the sound of gears "falling" in their desired place.
The last Suzuki I owned & drove had nothing like that. It would simply shift without any clunks or thunks.
Any ideas on why this transmission behaves/sounds like this?
it's just the opposite.. white is the combination of all colors, where as black is the absence of all color.
Speed Yellow 4-cyl Automatic (sorry - I'm just not a manual shifting girl). Sport Package. Premium Package. Bose Package, Leather/Comfort Package (these are all givens, as they're required in the Sport Package bundle).
All weather floor mats, Sport Grille, Moonroof, SCA/ABS, Wheel Locks. The only ? is whether to get the Alarm Shock Sensor Upgrade thing. A guy here at work has it on his Protege and they turned it off because it's too sensitive. Don't know if I want the hassle of an alarm going off at every little bump and nudge, you know?
I guess I'll deal with the Black leather - it DOES go well with the bright yellow. And I guess I'll just suck it up and deal with the 17" wheels. Maybe I'm just worrying about nothing - if ruefus (that was you, wasn't it) dealt with snow, etc. just fine this year, and others have, maybe I won't have to shell out extra for smaller rims/snow tires, etc.
MSRP on the website is $25,150. I've emailed the dealer with my PIN to see what S-Plan pricing would be for me. Of course then I'll have to add back in 6% sales tax, etc.
So...how's your decision-making coming along? ;-)
('Course, as I prolly won't buy for at least a couple months yet - want to save up more money - this could all change. Not that I'm prone to indecisiveness or anything............ HA!)
Maybe I got the color spectrum thing backwards, but my point is that white isn't a real color - not for a car, anyway. IMO, of course. Besides getting dirty on a daily basis, this car screams for something a little more vibrant than white