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Comments
I liked the "ALC" implementation better on the custom stereo I had in my pickup truck. With that, it would just adjust the volume, and you could set exactly how much it would vary the volume between 0 and 5db. I found in my truck that 3db was a pretty good setting...high enough to quiet down the stereo when I came to a stop, but low enough for it to work without me noticing it. The ALC in the Mazda 6 turned to level 1 is okay, but it still is noticable when it's working. Level 2 seems like the change is way to overbearing.
Mike
I saw a green 6 today: my 24th or 25th 6 sighting but It did not look good at all with the sport grille and the sport package. I have seen 4 6's in green. The car had new dealer plates on it. Somnebody in his 30-40 age range again. I haven't seen one woman drive a 6 yet.
Now the engine is what I was interested to test since this is basically a Jag modified Duratec block with VVT etc. I thought it was ok, a little disappointing on the low end. Sufficient power over 3000rpm but it sounded rough. The revving sounded high pitched and tinny (like a 4cycl) as compared to the BMW Inline 6 which gives a low guttural growl. Low end torque needs beefing up. Overall the Jag was a comfortable cruiser and a decent canyon carver. Took it on some twisty back roads. Had a nice sound system too. The 6 is very comparable to the Jag - for $20k less
Just as I said a long time ago. They are giving the car away now. What's the point of selling 10,000 units when you are making very little profit? A $14999 Mazda6 is a joke when you consider what they were trying to do when they first came out.
That said, 7000 unit is a nice increase. Wonder how many Elements they sold. :-)
As for Mazda 6 vs Jaguar. The Jaguar will probably cost more in the long run to maintain. Mazda reliability is better than Jaguar reliability. However the Jag has snob appeal and classic looks to it. Jaguar dealer will probably give you better customer service.
Not many people know what a Mazda6 is yet---still. The Element has the luxury of sharing showrooms with Civics and Accords. I think as more and more Mazda6s are on the road, more people will know what kind of car it is and more people will consider the car when they are shopping in that class.
CL
I mean revving, smoothness, pep??
FWIW, 5,913 blind people bought Elements last month.
http://hondanews.com/Forms/corp/*ws4d-db-query-Show.ws4d?*ws4d-db- -query-Show***004482***-wieck_media***-***corp(directory)***.ws4d- ?corp/results(r)_text.html
Come on over - I've been driving around for at least a week.
If a $14999 M6 is a joke, I was laughing for the entire ride home. OK, I actually paid $15238, but there *are* some of us out there that qualified for (almost) all the rebates, and the 0% - and wanted the base model all along.
OK, I wanted one upgrade: I'm getting the MP3/CD player installed on Saturday.
My husband really likes the Element (he's 25, btw), but I think it's incredibly ugly. Thank goodness we both agreed the 6 is beautiful.
I'd be "laughing all the way home" too if I could have had the deals that they are giving on the 6 now.
Interestingly, that's the same reason I'm not driving an Element. I'm figuring eventually the appeal of that ugly thing will wear off and I can get mine. But so far dealers in Atlanta aren't budging off MSRP for regular EX's. Never mind I want a 5 speed 4WD that they just started producing last month.
As far as the discounts on the Mazda6, there are dealers here giving S-plan prices to anyone who wants it. Rick Case or Jim Ellis, I don't recall which one.
so... has anybody seen that episode? what'd they say? do tell.
I was at a dealership just yesterday, and the salesman did mention the $1500 back as a new alternative to the 0% deal.
so yes. it's real.
I wouldn't have bought without the deals, incentives, rebates (I qualified for them all - including the new grad - 500, Mazda loyalty - 1000, Mazda Credit 250) and the 0%. I told the dealers' finance manager as much, and although he muttered something about my score being barely enough (I think I DIDN'T see a 7 as the first digit - looked like a 6 from where I sat, although that *shocks* me - I didn't look carefully, because ... ) he then said "OK you can get 0%/48 months but I'll have to call in a favor (Yeah, right!). I said 60 months or no deal, and he agreed within 0.25 seconds.
OK, Altima sales - here we come. And the others are surely going to sit up and take notice as well. Even with incentives, I doubt too many models/manufacturers are seeing this steady sales' growth. I just hope Mazda doesn't hurt themselves too much with the incentives - but doubt it. Turnover is key!
Another thing. Since this is technically "customer cash" does anyone take it as cash? It seems obvious that people would automatically apply it to the price of the car, but does anyone finance the full amount and take the cash?
Right on. And people are still buying sport package or MT 6's at a premium. On the average, I'd bet the average Mazda6 is selling with nearly the same discounts as the Accord, Camry, or Altima.
Besides, at least Mazda has the college grad rebate. That's very cool of them!
If you can get a '6 for $15,000, then surely it is the best value in the industry right now. A car that drives better than a TSX for nearly half the price? Oh yeah.
As for financing the entire amount and taking cash back, most loans require that you put something down.
Are they still taking off all of the discounts though? When I test drove a 6i about a month ago all of them (6i's) had invoice prices painted on their windshields. Invoice is actually a little below S-Plan, but they weren't giving any of the other discounts along with those prices. They said the discounts were already factored in. I'm guessing this is how they are getting to the "S-Plan" prices you heard about.
Because I qualify for the S-Plan, they were going to subtract the discounts from my S-Plan price which makes the sale price lower than their advertised invoice price.
So being an S-Plan customer still would have payed off in the end.
Here's an example:
6i 5-speed w/ premium package. (They had four of these, four with auto trannies, and no 6s's at the time.)
S-Plan = $18,446
Sticker = $19,950
Difference of: $1504
The invoice was something like $18,209 and that's what the average Joe would have to pay. Right now, I can get that same car for $16,446 (S-Plan minus $1500 rebate minus $500 college grad.)
Jim Ellis is giving a $2100 discount BEFORE rebates. That's from this weeks paper. I guess the S-plan thing is old news now.
Things are looking up in the sales area big time.
The $1,500 rebate on non-sport pkg. cars started yesterday and cannot be combined with 0%.
Also, for the $1500 cash back, what is the average financing rate with that- seeing as how you wouldn't be able to get the 0% deal with the $1500?
After some research, I bought my player (and panel) from mazdastuff.com for $282, including shipping. They quote $384 as MSRP. We're going to try and install it ourselves, with the dealer as backup - it should be sitting on my front porch right now.
Given my dealer's attitude about it, the MP3 player, while available, is definitely not a standard option. When I talked to a service guy at the dealer today about installation, he didn't even know where the player goes on the dash - maybe he was confusing it with the MD player or something.
I'm just glad Mazda offers it at all - while I love the dash design, it was hard to give up the MP3 stereo in my old 626. Not for long!
Interest rates through a non-captive bank vary according to your credit score. Someone with a 720+ score can expect 3.9% or so. Unless you are paying cash 0% is the way to go.
We just got back from a 4 days 1200 miles trip.
Me my wife, son and my mother, lots of bags and beach equipment.
We traveled in Florida from Palm Harbor to Key West.
I have rented a Mazda6 at Hertz for $171 - 4days total. It was M6i with automatic, as plain as it gets, 16" alloys 60profile tires and 4cylinder engine.
Here are my impressions.
First, car had 6K miles on and after 20 miles drive from airport felt broken-in but a little stiff so... I have checked all fluid levels and... typicaly Tranny and engine were slightly overfilled (Engine to Max on dipstick and tranny up to the top as well)
I quickly pumped out 1/3 of a quart of engine oil and about 1/3 of a quart of tranny fluid.
It definitely helped and car did reved easier and with less strain.
It was a long 7 hours trip with several stops (my 17 months son), I was not tired at all, A/C was on at all times, despite the heavy load car was solid and very very stabile at any speed.
Steering was quick precise and gave excelent feel to the car (it must feel even better with sport package and 50 profile tires).I took it to a 110 mph on I-75 a few times (thanks to my anti-radar) and... 6 shines at high speeds passing is so easy and I felt at full control over the car. Cabin is very quiet, at 100mph engine is at about 4K rpm and noise is more audible but is not making you tired and does not overwhelm.
Interior layout is almost ideal, all controls and interior materials have nice rich quality to it, steering feel is top notch.
Tranny is smooth but in automatic mode seems to be set to slow starts and smooth comfortable operation, when accelarating harder from a stop it really helps to use manual mode and shift thru the gears. I love the sound of 2.3l engine, it also feels lot more powerful than 160hp, M6 with auto weights over 3100lbs and 160 hp 2.3 feels refined, quiet, vibration and harshness free.
Sure when pushed hard to redline it will wake you up but it's not a noisy harshy growl but a song of the well spoken modern engine.
Mazda3 - hopefully 400 lbs lighter will be a blast with it!!!
Around town in the Key West, all of those tight and small streets were a great test of M6 city street handling, steering and braking.
It is planted, extemaly surefooted over bumps and body roll it kept to minimum. It is just a pure Zoom Zoom kinda car but not at a cost of a comfort!
We are very very impressed.
Job well done Mazda!
I suppose that's what is keeping the comments about it to a minimum.