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Hey, what's wrong with Marshall?
john cline ii, from the home of the Thundering Herd! (and not a few Mazda's!)
I've been intrigued with the Sepang Green ever since Fowler3 sent me some pics of the 6 in that color. However, I've only seen it in person once at the dealership. I didn't get the best view of the color as it was a cloudy day and the car was a little dirty. What's appealing is that it seems a little more unique and different and it may be easier to keep clean, similar to silver.
Just curious to get some opinions on these two colors. Has anyone chosen either of these colors? If so, how do you like your color choice? How easy/difficult will it be to keep these 2 (respective) colors clean and maintain them?
As always interested in and appreciative of the opinions of this board.
TIA,
SilverCrown
Hey, does anyone know what Sepang means?
I think it is a very classy color. With the beige interior it is very rich in its color scheme. Strangly I was torn between the Green and the Steel. It is a unique color and I like that a lot! It is a great expample of understated fun! Proper in looks and crazy under the skin!
It's not possible to special order, say, a red exterior and a gray interior, is it?
basically let the engine run throughout the rev range, to loosen up the engine.
basically, what I would do is, on your long road trip, don't use the cruise control, vary your speed from 60-80mph, and upshift/downshift here and there to alter the rpm and speed.
think of it as stretching out the drivetrain :-D
When is the AWD wagon due?
Will it be offered with a manual tranny?
Will there be a Mazdaspeed wagon?
If its just going to be a Mazdaspeed sedan then will it have AWD or will it be FWD?
How far did you have to go to get it?
Does anybody know what that special pricing is? Why is it not offered on the car with the Sport Pckg?
Thanks.
"For those who may know.
When is the AWD wagon due?
Will it be offered with a manual tranny?
Will there be a Mazdaspeed wagon?
If its just going to be a Mazdaspeed sedan then will it have AWD or will it be FWD?"
1. Wagon is due first quarter of 2004 as a 2005. AWD is not confirmed but expected.
2. Almost certainly
3. No MazdaSpeed model has been confirmed for North America.
4. The only MazdaSpeed 6 candidate is the MPS 6, which was a hatch. Most likely any MazdaSpeed 6 would be AWD, to avoid the massive torque steer. But again, nobody knows for sure at this point.
The dealer just called and offered to sell me a black 6i MT w/Sport, Bose, ABS/SAB, Moonroof, Comfort, Leather (basically fully loaded) for $500 over invoice. Ideally I wanted Steel Gray or Redfire, but there really aren't any to be found around here. I turned down $800 over invoice at the end of last month, which leads me to believe they're desperate.
My problems:
How much of a problem is it to own a black car? I've never owned one, but I've heard it shows dirt really easily, gets super hot in summer, and shows every little ding/dent.
Also, I know if I order the price is negotiable if I order it, but I'm not sure how good a price I'll get on ordering a manual transmission 6. If any of you can share your experiences on ordering and cost, please do.
Lastly, is that a pretty good price for a 6i MT w/sport (and other goodies)? I've heard they're hard to come by and this is in the Washington DC area.
Thanks
For heat it didn't bother me.To me any colour of leather inside is gonna be alot hotter than cloth. If you like black go for it, just be prepared to maintain it more if you want to keep it clean and make sure you hand dry it because water marks show up very prominently after you wash it and still makes it look dirty.
With car engines, it is recommended not to run the engine hard. When breaking in an airplane engine, it's the exact opposite- you're supposed to run it very hard. I'm not sure why there's a difference, and have been on an unsuccessful crusade to find out.
I actually talked to another dealer a bit of a distance from here, and it looks like he might be getting a gray 6i in, which is more of what I want. Thanks again, and for now the issue of buying a black car is on hold.
If you see hardly any snow in winter where you live then black is easier to keep clean. We get alot of snow where I am and what frustrated me the most was the road salt accumalating around the doors which really made it look terrible 4 months of the year. If I lived in a warmer climate I wouldn't be concerned as much with black.
Suprised to see that the RX-8 beat out the G35 coupe and Cobra considering how much cheaper and less power it has over the others but then again it is a true sports car in the Miata vein. C & D really seems to appreciate Mazda. I think R & T rated the RX-8 above the 350Z and the Cobra awhile back too. Man I can't wait to test drive this car. They also rated the Protege 5 and LX #1 in 2 different comparisons tests. High praise considering it was a accumulated score done with many judges so you can't say it was biased.
My dealer must be a pretty big volume dealer because they seem to have multiples of all the colors, 6i's and 6s's, MT's & AT's. Maybe you should take a vacation and come to FL (Cory Fairbanks Mazda in Longwood, FL) buy a 6 and drive it home. I don't know their zipcode of hand, but if you put in 32713 on the dealer locator, it will be the closest one.
You are trying to loosen up the working parts and seat the rings so it will have power when your need it after break in. And to prevent it using oil.
stretchsje said, **With car engines, it is recommended not to run the engine hard. When breaking in an airplane engine, it's the exact opposite- you're supposed to run it very hard. I'm not sure why there's a difference, and have been on an unsuccessful crusade to find out.**
With airplane engines the max RPM is much lower than in a car engine. Full throttle is about 3250rpm, you cruise at RPMs as low as 2500 and can maintain altitude (level flight) at 1900rpm. The worst thing a pilot can do is run the engine wide-open all the time after break in. It can throw a rod, even explode.
When I was learning to fly, one of the planes I rented wouldn't develop full power (RPM) on takeoff. I took it back to the flight school and my instructor said it was me, not the plane. I went back up and the RPM was lower, brought it back and refused to fly it. Next day a mechanic checked it, one piston head had a big, spiral crack in it, only a half inch of metal holding it together. If it had let go in the air...I wouldn't be writing this.
With your new car, baby it at first, and it will baby you the rest of its life.
If you are going on a long motor trip and the car is new, leave a day earlier so there will be time to vary your speeds and RPMs. Try to have at least 1000 miles on the odo before starting out. Don't use the cruise control and don't drive at a steady speed. Map a route that takes you near Maxda dealers along the way for "insurance".
fowler3
How convenient!
2 rattles in the headliner (one above driver and one in rear of car somewhere)
1 VERY annoying rattle in the center stack
1 rattle on the front passenger side door
1 loud rattle on the rear right hand door
Now on top of the rattles ... I've had my automatic transmission slip and get stuck in 1st gear on 2 occassions; one in a parking lot, and another coming onto the highway (almost a major accident on that one). The engine went WAY into the red line and wouldn't shift - I had to throw it in manual to avoid getting plowed by a tractor trailer.
I took my 6 into the dealer to have the problems corrected last week, and I almost ripped my hair out when I received their response: "Any noises we heard during our test drive around the parking lot were within acceptable range. Also your transmission is fine, we drove it for a few minutes and didn't encounter any problems." I raised hell with them, and yet they were adamant about their statement. ACCEPTABLE RANGE!?!? And they didn't even look at the mechanics of the transmission!
I mean, what the hell? I've just spent 25,000 on a vehicle and it sounds like a ratty tin can and slips gears in the first month and 2k miles? I wouldn't even call this acceptable on an economy car --- my 1998 Toyota Corolla has only 1 rattle and I've driven that thing since new for 110,000 miles without a single service required.
I love the car as far as looks and handling ... but on the whole, I'm very VERY disappointed with my purchase. I should have bought an Acura.
Hope you're close to some other Mazda dealers that know how to do business.
Mike
Easier said than done. I have about 1000 miles so far and I could not resist the temptation of redlining. This car begs to be driven hard. I think it is good after all (makes me feel good at least) since the engine gets to break in at all rpms. As long as you don't stay close to redline for long it should not harm the engine. The manual says "No special break-in necessary" but they recommend for the first 600 miles not to race the engine and not to drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine rpm for extended periods of time.
Otherwise, you can tell your dealer you want to escalate the request to Mazda's regional service manager.
About 2,500 miles so far on my 6 and no rattles or problems besides the initial Check Engine light that was fixed right after purchase.
Also, I find myself in awe of how great this car is and how good it makes me feel. Thanks all for the break-in advice. It revs so freely, but I think I'll keep in below 4500 as much as possible for the first 1000. I know it's been discussed, and I'm too time-constrained to go search but should I change the oil at 1000, and should I use dino or synthetic?
This arguement is mechanically sound to me, and it is the recommended break-in for an airplane engine. This should have nothing to do with the max or typical RPM of the engine, I wouldn't think.
Perhaps the engines are run really, really hard for a very short duration at the factory, and upon delivery we're supposed to finish the break-in by running them a bit more calmly. That's as good of a hypothesis as I can come up with.
What kind of rattles are they? could you describe them?
I am surprised because Mazda has an excellent build quality. I have a Protege ES with 51,000 miles on V rated tires and the only thing that rattles in my car is my steel wristwatch band. Other than that, the whole car is as tight as day one.
Regarding the automatic tranny, do you have the i or the s?
The rattles are a real shame and a good dealer should be willing to help you. Find another dealer.
A transmission problem this early on is unacceptable by any standards. If Mazda won't handle it nicely then take of the gloves and hit them hard.
Depending on where you live your state may have "lemon" laws. As long as you handle yourself properly (keep logs, records, reciepts, etc.) a car that is a "lemon" will have to be replaced. These laws vary by state but essentially the dealer/car company has several tries to fix a problem before the law says they lose and have to replace the vehicle.
Do a Google search with your state and "lemon law" to find information that can steer you in the right direction.
I urge you to take your Mazda to a different Mazda service department--not your originating dealer.
Ask to speak with the service manager. Explain to the service manager that you are unhappy with your purchase because of the problems you've been experiencing. Explain that you'd like these issues resolved immediately.
(Be nice though!)
If you'd like, I can recommend a Mazda service department in your area?
Sarah
My understanding, after many decades of automobile ownership, is that it is OK to rev up to redline on occasion but do it gently. Do NOT floor the accelerator pedal at any time during the break-in period. In other words, do not subject it to heavy loads. Otherwise very the engine rpm's through the entire range. This should give the engine a chance to seat itself and be very responsive..
Just because this person is hearing noises doesn't mean the transmission is going out.
It isn't neccessary to "hit them hard". Perhaps this person should simply bring it to another service department?
This is the BEGINNING of the process. The vehicle has only been looked at once.
I think you'll find that while one service department fails, another will succeed.
I know it's frustrating to purchase a vehicle only to have several problems occur soon thereafter.
Please don't overreact and scare this person. All he or she needs to do is be firm, not "hit them hard" and speak to a service manager at another dealer.
Believe me, Mazda doesn't want an unhappy customer.
Don't listen to some of the hysterical posts, you wont get anything resolved in your lifetime!!!
I would trust the manufacturer on this issue since they have many engineers and technicians who work on the this and have done many many more tests and analyzed the results to determine a method that works best for lots of engines. Their simple motivation is to make a reliable car that sells well. Whereas other who think they have a "secret formula" may have other agendas such as working for engine rebuilders, or trying to promote certain products, or just feel like they possess knowledge that is over and beyond what everyone else knows.
The noises/rattles from the interior are forgivable since they don't have anything to do with the safety of the car. The transmission problems, though, sounded far more serious than just noises. It sounds serious and needs to be fixed for safety concerns.
"This is the BEGINNING of the process. The vehicle has only been looked at once.
I think you'll find that while one service department fails, another will succeed."
It has been looked at once for a serious problem and the problem was overlooked. Sure, you still have to be nice and decent and let another Mazda dealer have a shot at fixing it. You still have to be civil and treat folks nice. I don't want to suggest that you fly off the handle and become uncivil to every Mazda employee.
You sure won't get ANYTHING fixed if you act like a jerk.
But you also have to keep records of all your attempts to get satisfaction to protect yourself. If another dealer (or dealers) won't make it right then you take your documentation through the proper channels and get it made right.
If it was my car I would have already had a nice long (civil) conversation with the owner of the place to ask him "Why would ANYONE buy a second car from your dealership?".
I wasn't suggesting you thought flying off the handle was the right thing to do. Sorry if I implied that!
I think the nicest thing about the 6 is that it's a sports car, but it has refinement. I can sit in the car with it idling and not hear the engine. I can drive down a bumpy road or over speed bumps and almost not feel a thing. Yet, when you want it to be a sports car, it's there for you with a great engine growl and excellent "throw it around" handing.
I'll definitely be taking the scenic route home from work today. Can't get this smile off my face...
Mike