Mazda6 Sedan

mazdamarla

I believe the side tests were done in a 6 WITHOUT the SAB/SCA's however. They don't come as standard equipment, which is what is tested unless the mfr. also chooses to provide a side-airbag-equipped model.

Wish they'd test one with the SAB/SCA's.

seaf

The accord 2dr results in 5 stars all around, even the sides, without side airbags either. So it does seem like the mazda structure could've been better.

miata10ae

It is easier to achieve a stiffer structure with a 2dr car than a 4dr car so it is not fair to compare the two.

ian2

If you look at last year's Accord or Civic, the sedan always does better in the side crash test than the coupe. I presume the 03 sedan will follow this trend.

The odd thing I saw is that the BMW 3-series got a 3-star rating, with side airbags and curtains. The head injury criterion (HIC) is lower than the Accord's though (no surprise).

ambull

Oh great! Just what we need.

seaf

So what's the theory behind 2dr sedan's structure being better than 4dr? I would think it's the opposite in that the B billar provides an additional support in a side collision whereas 2dr cars don't have it.

Since the 2003 BMW 3 series was based on an older design, I can understand why it did so bad, I guess the airbags helped in the head and chest area, but the weak structure showed through in the pelvic area (no airbags below chest level).

kdshapiro

Hmm. BMW 3 series still gets an overall excellent for crashworthiness. And the average deathrate is still lower than average for some vehicles.

jitkl

Has anyone gotten a descent deal on a Mazda 6 (V6) in or around the Houston area. I would appreciate any information. Moreover, I've been contemplating between the Mazda 6, Volvo S40, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. I've read the professional reviews, etc.. but I was just wondering what ppl's personal opinions were. Is the Mazda louder than the other cars mentioned. What about the climate control.. It seemed like the A/C didn't cool as fast, as compared to my sister's car. What sort of opinions do you all have as to the interior accessories; lights, etc.. And finally, the lights during night driving, since I've only test driven it during the day time. Thanks..

blueguydotcom

Hmm. BMW 3 series still gets an overall excellent for crashworthiness. And the average deathrate is still lower than average for some vehicles.

yeah but the side impact scores are scary low (11-20% chance of serious injury). http://thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6204&sid=173&am- p;n=156

gilbrook

Trying to do a Mazda6 Build, but Mazda site not working for me. Pages stay black for almost an eternity and/or I get a network error message. This is the only web site that doesn't work for me. I called Mazda and they say it is working fine. (??)

Anyone else experiencing this prob?

fowler3

on a Mac? Some web sites won't open for Macs.

And, yes, I'm sure the MZ6s has a timing chain.

Maybe Mazda should have used Volvo's trick, a steel girder setup in the back seat. Remember that video on the news?

The only "wreck" I had today was with a wheeled highchair in a MacDonald's, took a piece hyde off my right leg. Ouch! No SAC!

fowler3

skyray

I hate the Nissan orange, but if they'd do the Evolution Orange from the 2000 Miata, I would sell my 2003 6s and get a 2004 hatchback. :-)

jgriff

Gold, it is such an over used & dated color.

miata10ae

I was thinking in terms of 2dr sports car like a Porsche or an RX-7. Not a 2dr sedan. My bad if my comment was out of context.

In crash tests such as the ones produced by NHTSA the B pillar might have a negative effect on the test since it might be the cause of head injuries. Sometimes, and this also depends on driving position, you can see the dummy's head hitting the B pillar thus reducing the score. The same car with SAB/SAC can achieve a perfect score for a side impact although in both tests the structure of the car was bent the same way.

pipez2k

I'm 16 years old and recently purchased my new lapis blue mazda 6 with sport, premium, and bose audio packages. I'm clearing up a lot of mess that i went through to try and figure the one simple question, "Is the Bose Audio option really worth the extra $635?" and the answer is yes, if u want to look at statistics or the mind of a 16 year old heavy metal fan. It really doesnt matter. The fact of the matter is, the 6 disc in-dash cd changer is a $500 dealer installed option. The entire bose system is, as i said before, $635. Leaving all of the bose speakers and subwoofer for a measly $135. Is it the loudest i've ever heard? no. Is it the best i've ever heard, no. But the to the point statement i would give this system, it rocks. It caps off at a volume level of 34 delivering a loud but somewhat brassy sound. The best volume to get the most out of the system is around 20-22. When going above level 22, the bass declines and it struggles more on the higher frequencies, my theory for this is that they simply did not give the system a high enough powered amplifier (200 watts, mounted on the subwoofer itself). The midrange speakers (the door speakers) provide a substantial amount of bass (the front door speakers definitely provide much more bass than the rear ones). So i conclude with one statement, if your looking for a good crisp system, this definitely provides you with what you need. And for the record, when i drive with my mom, she yells at me for it being too loud when its on 8 volume. Cap it at 22, let your ears adjust to the sound and u will be very pleased. I hope this post helps you potential buyers out as i had a hell of a time deciding what to do with this.

skibry1

I was bummed when I saw they didn't keep the freeport
green from the doubleought 626! We luv that at certain angles one gets a wisp of the primary color.
Kinda unique!

Volume @ 22! Talk 'bout glutton for punishment! How does one see with watering eyes? I'm 46...8 watts is plenty for us.
  PS. where is freeport in the rainbow?

dinu01

Gold just wouldn't look good on the M6. Why? The car's exterior styling is not bland enough for it, just like a Camry in Yellow or Lapis Blue would look out of place.

That Nissan orange colour is not bad, but I think it only works well on larger cars - Murano/Maxima. The M6 is too "compact" for that colour to have a positive effect on it (or something like that).

Dinu

bean3422

There is some truth in the manufacturer's claims about these "test" crashes. (No I don't work for any car manufacturer.)

I almost guarantee that if they crashed the exact same car again, they would come up with different scores. The only possible way to be even a little scientific would be to test 10 or more cars and take the average. The government and especially the Insurance Institute are not going to spend the money to do that, and I doubt manufacturers would provide that many cars.

So the Civic 4-door doing better than the 2-door could very well be a fluke...it certainly doesn't make sense from an engineering standpoint.

I really think that people put way too much emphasis on these crash tests. If a car does well within a certain range, then chances are it will be just as safe as another car that did marginally better.

I mean even if they were off in their barrier by an inch, it could make a difference in the score. In the real world, we are not guaranteed that the car running the redlight will hit us exactly where the crash test barrier does in the test! (Tongue firmly in cheek!)

Lnelson1

Well after waiting since March, I finally got my car. 6S, 5 speed, Sport Pkg..loaded. I have had it for two weeks now and it was worth the wait!!!!! However, while waiting for this car, I was getting impatient and drove everything else (Audi A4, Saab 9-3, Accord, TSX,and even rented a 6i Auto for a week) and came SOOOOO close to cancelling my order to get something else.

Let me share recommendations for potential 6 buyers.

1)DONT get the automatic. This car is made for the 5 speed. Based upon my drive with the 6i, the car does not seem to be matched to the automatic very well. I believe thats why Consumer Reports downgraded it slightly. The automatic will not give you the pure driving pleasure. If you are not 5 speed proficient, this car has the smoothest clutch and shifter. You will easily get there.

2) This car is not made for potential Camry/Accord owners. It is a drivers car with practicality. It is not the same class as , although most comparisons are with the CAMCORD. If you want a CAMCORD....buy one. This is not the car for you.

3)The cloth seats are not as comfortable as the leather. I don't know why, it just is.

4) The Bose is worth the money.

5) Why do they even build this car without the Sport Package???? Beats me. A mistake IMO. Exception: The red guages. They are neat, sure, but the crispness and legibility at night is not good. The numbers appear "fuzzy" with red. Everything else should be standard issue.

6) The Audi and 9-3 are nice. The 6 will be more reliable. Guaranteed.

7) The TSX outdoes the 6 for luxury. The 6 is more of a pure drivers car but not as luxurious. (also 4-5K less) My opinion based upon living with both cars for more than just a test drive.

combustible1

great post, very well reasoned.

and they say the youth of this county are all messed up! (and he's even a heavy metal fan too!!)

now, as far as OWNING a new car at age 16?! all I can say is.. is your family looking for an older brother? I can move in within the week.

;-)

flatliner

On June 27 I finally went to my local Mazda dealer and bought a new 6s, 5 speed manual with the appearance package, the Bose system, and the rear wing spoiler. I have been super pleased with the car so far, except for one thing: I noticed a few days after purchase that my rear left door speaker did not work. I called my sales person, told him the story and he said he would make me an appointment for July 3 to get it repaired. I showed up bright & early that morning at the service department. When I got there, they had no idea I was coming. Obviously no appointment had been made. Since they weren't busy, I let that go. Left the car, they said they'd call me later in the day to tell me when it would be ready. I got a call LATE in the day that they didn't have the speaker in stock and had to order it. Can't believe they didn't check this while I was there in the morning, but again I let it slide. Picked my car up unrepaired and waited for a phone call to let me know when speaker had come in. That call came on July 9. I made another appointment for July 14. Took car in and again explained the problem: left rear speaker doesn't work, but when I faded the sound to the rear left not only did that speaker not come on...the FRONT left speaker DID come on, but very muted. I told them this whole story and that I didn't think it was the speaker that was the problem. (I sell car audio for a living and know something about ruling out components of a problem to find the REAL problem). I told them I thought it was either a wiring problem or a problem with the amp. Even the tech looked at me with glazed eyes as I was telling him this. He said it was probably the radio. I asked him why and he couldn't come up with an answer. Well, so far they've replaced the radio, and the speaker and just this morning they determined it is the AMP! This service department doesn't seem to have a clue about the sound system in the car at all! So, here it is July 16, and I still don't have my car back. The amp is now on order. I may have my car back by the end of the week. I just hope that when I get it back, everything else in the dash still works and I have NO rattles. I can't believe how incompetent this service dept. seems to be!...Plus look at how much time (money) they are wasting!....So that's my story!....I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

combustible1

on the new car.

and I totally agree with you on the seats. I don't know why, but the leather are more comfortable. They must alter the padding or something.

rmgpsu

Congratulations...sounds like my car setup is the same as yours. It's great to hear positive thoughts about the clutch and shifter...I was beginning to think I was the only one who liked it. Seems like a few owners are pretty unhappy with the gearshifting on the 5-speed, with complaints about smooth shifting and a high clutch-engage point...personally I just don't see it.

I like the red gauges too, but my complaint is that many of the warning lights are in red too. It's easy to miss a CEL or something if you're not paying close attention (I did it)...especially if the brightness is turned up. Just a head's up to be careful. The "headlights-on" light is in green, and I think "low-gas" is yellow, but the main cluster of warning lights seems to be all red.

I'll stay away from your thoughts on the other cars (although I agree), since I don't seem to fare too well in message-board brawls.

rmgpsu

The CEL is actually yellow, not red (at least in my car, w/ sport package). Although some of the warning lights are indeed red. I must be colorblind. Sorry for the inaccurate info.

cookie01

I'm almost at 4000 miles on the 6 and loving it every day.
Congrats to all the newbies here and especially to Marla who waited ssssoooooooooo long!!!

On the Bose... I love it.! I'm not 16 and can't chance trying it out at 22, but I know at 12 it's pretty rockin'!

Is the M6 Bose "speed sensitive" volume? I think I read that it is, but I've not really noticed it working that way. In my former car it was VERY noticable.. when you slowed to a stop, the volume went way down. But in the Mazda I can't quite be sure I hear a difference.

How does that work anyway? How does the radio know if you're going fast or slow? Modern technology... amazing!

seaf

has a sensor that measures what sound level in the cabin, if it's high, it turns up the volume accordingly, and when it's low it turns it down. Not much to do with how fast you go, but usually it's related (going faster means louder cabin noises from engine, wind, and tires).

It may not be noticeable because the difference in sound level when you're idling and cruising at hwy speeds is less since this is a much more modern and refined car.

thegreatvudini

How does it work? No one has answered my question a few posts back.. Do you really get a better price than haggling on your own? Do you also get all the rebates/ loyalty/ 0% financing on top of the S-plan pricing? Thanks.

cookie01

If I'm yelling at the bad drivers around me the sound goes up?
ha! No wonder it sounds the same all the time...heheheh

cookie01

Might be wrong, but I believe you can only get S-plan if you or a relative works for Ford/Mazda or one of it's "partners"

My sis works for a power company that is in contract w/ Ford so she can get S-Plan. But I wasn't enough of a relative to get the same treatment.

bluong1

is a 3500 miles fun drive and not-too-serious race from one end to another in Europe participate by twenty constructors. Mazda has won the 2003 edition with the M6 2.3l engine. Toyota arrived in second position more than two hours later. Whooo hooo!

Bruno

Kirstie_H

Don't forget tonight's member-to-member open chat!


http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Pop in for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

miata10ae

Regarding the bose, you would have to actually set it to ALC(Auto Level Control) 1, 2, or 3 otherwise by default this option is off. I believe the higher the setting the most noticeable it becomes.

caligirl94

Ouch! On my way home today, I had the misfortune of running over the drive shaft that had come off of a delivery truck in front of me. I'm not talking about one sitting up on top of the bed of the truck- this was the one used to drive the truck. Both of my driver's side tires were flat. Luckily for me, the truck had already pulled over and a traffic cop was there as well to help us (me and the two other drivers with flat tires) get the insurance info from the guy.

I've got to say, standing alongside the highway in 95 degree mid-afternoon temperatures is not my idea of a fun time. (Though I did see a silver 6 pass by as I waited) Once the tow truck came, he had to put the spare on the rear tire just to tow it to the dealership. Turns out the thing not only pierced the tires, it went right through the rims as well. Now they have to wait until the insurance adjustor checks to make sure there wasn't any undercarriage damage and ok the repairs. Talk about a pain in the rear.

The dealer is going to order the tires and rims once everything is ok'd, but they think it'll be at least Monday or Tuesday before it's ready. I'm in a rental car in the meantime.

Oh, and for those who are curious-
According to the dealer (who wasn't positive since they hadn't ordered them before) they seemed to think the rims would be up to $400 a piece, and the tires an additional $200 a piece. Sounds pricey, but as long as the other guy's insurance company covers it, I don't care. I want my car back to new. (Only has 3,000 miles on it)

Ok, enough of my ranting. Just wanted to share my painful experience with you all.

Hope everyone else is enjoying their 6.

fowler3

sorry about your accident, hope they get it fixed soon. Seems like this happens all to often when one buys a new car. On the Protegé board we had three who were rearended in one week, not in the same cities. The odds seem to catch up with us at the wrong time.

fowler3

robr2

Glad you're OK. Consider yourself lucky. 2 weeks ago I had the misfortune of impacting an errant wheel and tire off a Camry in the next lane with my Accord. Yes - the left rear tire came off the car and directly in front of me.

They're up to 30 of hours of labor to repair it so far according to the insurance company.

fowler3

I think it is very strange that with all the stereo manufacturers out there, why do car companies put crappy systems in their cars? Having the CD-changer optional is fine, but even the 6i should have a decent sound system. I didn't say equal to home theater, just better than what they seem to install. Or they should at least offer upgrade packages -- amps, speakers, etc. -- and make them easy for dealers to install.

Personally, I think the standard audio system should be all that is necessary for 75% of the buyers and have one above average option for the other 25%. If the Bose actually costs $135 then that would be the base model. Any audio system that doesn't produce good bass is a piece of crap.

Service technicians are not audio techs and no two people hear alike. It has been said by audio reviewers when buying speakers and comparing high-priced models to medium-price ones, "If you can't hear the difference don't pay the difference." But in a car, most people will hear similarly.

fowler3

fowler3

That sounds like some idiot inspecting the Camry forgot to tighten the lugs on one wheel. It happens.

I saw a car turn a corner and the left rear wheel kept going down the street the car had been on. Don't know how long it took for it to sag at the back, but I'll bet the driver was surprised.

fowler3

dinu01

Sorry to hear about your incidents caligirl94 and robr2.

It's a shame that a little care from the people that inspect/repair/operate these vehicles is not exercised more often.

Glad both of you are OK though.

Dinu

r2s2

I like the Bose. But I'm partial to the brand: in my home I have a large Lifestyle System as well as a compact Acoustic Wave system (Paul Harvey are you listening?). The MZ6 system of course can't touch the former in sound, but seems better to me than the latter.

As far as volume is concerned, my ears would be bleeding at the 22 level!

ian2

I placed an order for a 6i 5MT with sport package, Bose, leather and everything through carsdirect.com. Hopefully they will be able to locate a car with such configuration. There's only one such car in the inventory on Mazda's site around San Diego. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

regfootball

I wouldn't touch anything bose with a ten foot pole. Unless I wanted to open the window and start to shove armfuls of money out of it, that's what kind of VALUE Bose is. Of course MAzda may force me to get it if i get a six.

For the home....Paradigm speakers. Best value and top notch sound. Couple that with a quality box like Marantz or Denon and you are good to go.

In the car I've owned only Pioneer decks and one Blaupunkt. The Pioneers are ridiculously powerful for their price and they seem to have all bases covered. The Blaupunkt I was not terribly impressed with. Its in A+ shape, and in my closet, anyone make me an offer? I have used high grade Kenwood speakers and have liked them.

gilbrook

Thanks Fowler3...

I'm am using IE (and Netscape) browsers on a Macintosh. Looks like I'm out of luck trying to bring up the Mazda site to do a Mazda6 build.

ashutoshsm

I agree totally!

Bose - overpriced and overrated except in the 6, where an expensive 6-CD changer is thrown in)

Pioneer - great deal for the money - I had a Pioneer head unit, 6CD changer and XM radio in my Pro, coupled with - you guessed it - Kenwood Speakers (not Excelons, but the next best). Great sound! I didn't ever feel the need for a sub - my rear window shook at 40% colume (12-13 out of 30!) I have never, ever, even once exceeded 20 on the head unit (max 30) since I added the Kenwoods front and rear.

For the home - a high-end Pioneer Elite 8xx series Dolby Digital 6.1/7.1 receiver/amp - great value again! And JBL speakers (also a great value with lots of power! Somedya I'll get Polks or Klipchs or something) with a decent Yamaha (also someday, Polk or Klipsch) sub.

I listened to the Bose systems in CC and BB, and they don't even begin to compare to my (admittedly middle-of-the-line) setup No wonder they set them up separately and pump the volume up - so you don't have a basis for comparison with the 'real' high-end stuff

thegreatvudini

that's what we are... right now.. with Pioneer and Kenwood.
Let's get back to Zoom zoom!

panamaltd2

I have no problem doing anything on the Mazda website with my Mac. Are you using OS X? Even if you are not you really should not be having any problems. My Mac surfs the site way better than my mother's stupid PC (No more PCs for this family, of course my mother's will probably die before the end of the summer in proper PC tradition). Make sure you have the current version of IE, Mazda'a website does have some involved animation that may not be supported in older versions.

panamaltd2

Has anyone else noticed that on the edmunds buying guide for sedans there is a 10 most reccomended list which you can get to by clicking on a picture of a Mazda6 yet the 6 does not show up on the list! Instead there are cars like the Jaguar S-type and Hyundai Elantra both not to great cars. Surely the Mazda6 is better than those cars, not to mention the new Accord. What are they thinking?!

newcar31

what is the size of the allen wrench used to drain the oil out of the filter housing on the 4 cyl cars? What will I need to remove the plastic shroud that covers the oil pan? Phillips head, nut driver, allen wrench? Also, what have people been using to get the filter cap off? I just picked up some Motorcraft 5w20 at wally world and am ready to change the oil in this beast at 1200 miles.

When I worked at J-lube, this would have been one of the cars that would cause the pit guy to start throwing wrenches. An internal filter AND a plastic shroud to remove. That's a double pain in the butt.

I would have posted this in another thread in the owner's forums, but this room has more traffic.

Thanks in advance!

fowler3

A trip to San Diego would be great don't you think?
Very different from Canada and lots of twisty roads on the way home.

I can't open much on the Mazda web site due to old operating system and old browser. Need to switch to newer Mac etc. Just lazy about doing it.

fowler3

flatliner

Got my car back yesterday. All is finally fine. New radio and new amp later, the system sounds like it should. For those of you on the fence about the Bose system, you should get it if you like listening to music more than just having something on in the background. The standard system sounds really bad, with almost no sound from the rear speakers and no bass at all. The Bose package is not that expensive in the scheme of things, plus you move up to a 6 disc changer as well. The sound is so much better, there isn't any comparison. Of course, you could get even better sound by doing an after market upgrade, but that would be a lot of trouble with the shape of the 6 instrument panel and how it's arranged. Besides, why would anyone want to ruin the look?....Go ahead and get the Bose. You will not regret it, plus your car will not change it's dash appearance.

Up to 950 miles now. Still smiling every time I drive it. Also, GET THE 5 SPEED! Much more fun, no matter which engine you have.

Mike

akumaz

I got a call from my salesman today about a 6i automatic that came in. It's fully loaded- Bose sound system, leather, moonroof, ABS (supposedly)- with everything I was planning to do aftermarket. The only problem seems to be the price (around $23-24K), but I'm wondering if it would be comparable to the upgrades I was planning with a base 6i (leather, moonroof, upgraded sound system). Would it be better to get the more loaded 6, or settle with the base 6i and build upon it? Either way, I'm going to have my 6 sometime within the next 2 weeks.