Mazda6 Sedan

ashutoshsm

Mine charged 25, and since it was small enough - I didn't bother to raise the issue about S-Plan excluding doc fees.

Tax - I *think* my tax was calculated after deducting rebates/discounts etc - but I'll have to check to be sure.

mazdamarla

Here in MI, tax is calculated on the negotiated price, and THEN they deduct the rebates and such. The State needs to suck you dry for every penny they possibly can. :-P

cubfan2

Mazda needs some web programmers...their site would not even properly reflect Appearance package v.s. Sport package etc. when you selected Options...I should have read the signs now that my appearance package has been eliminated.

So tell me honestly, my dealer said definitely there'd be no change to the line for 2004 in terms of appearance package v.s. basic v.s. sport package. Is my car now obsolete for having Appearance package? I feel lied to...

mazda6s

The first person to get the real, complete '04 option package combos and stand-alone option list(ok, or a url link to them) gets a gold star by their name!

seaf

Has anyone figured out how to reprogram the 'Hello' that is displayed when the stereo is turned on? I haven't finished reading the manual yet, and not sure if it's even in there. Maybe someone with patience will try it, like holding down a combination of buttons, or doing that while turning the key on...

brodie19

What is S-plan ???

jcat707

I think that the S-Plan is the Mazda version of the Ford A-Plan. Ford's A-Plan is special pricing for ford employees. It's like 3% over or under invoice. I'm sure someone on this board can explain it much better than I can. i was just giving it a shot.

ashutoshsm

... like it Its even my avataar you-know-where!

Of course, it would be cool to customize it - OR you could get an MP3 player installed, and have only one track on it with a certain name - so that name stays on the display all the time! Of course, you would then be unable to listen to any other music, but it would be cool. Or jump to a new track with a new message, if you prefer!

Ahhh - perhaps I'll write a little script (in Linux, of course) to reprogram the ID3 tag information of a succession of songs based on the information contined in a text file (previously created to show a certain dynamically changing messge!)

soon1

does the s-plan exclude dealer's charging conveyance fees? Also, my dealer said that there is a charge for Hartford Assessment that brings the s-plan price ($100 below invoice) to about $90 over invoice. does anyone know anything about this charge? The dealer showed me the invoice and the s-plan price is printed on it and is about $90 over invoice. Minor point since it is a great deal but just wanted to know.

fowler3

a car at 1.5% over "invoice", the dealer can not charge doc fee, and the buyer agrees to take the price offered on his trade-in car. No negotiating.

To get the S-plan the buyer has to be an employee of, or a family member or friend has to be employed by, an "associate company" of Ford Motor Co. or an organization associated with Ford Motor Co, such as EAA, Experimental Aircraft Association. Check their web site. Pay $40 to join. There may be a time limit before you can use it.

If you know somebody who works for a supplier, for example, who would help you get the S-plan.

In any case, the buyer has to get a PIN number to give to the dealer to qualify for the S-plan. It's the dealer's option whether they accept the S-plan or not. Sort of like fast food places -- "at participating locations". If the dealer you go to does not, then go to another one.

Conveyance fee, i.e. Delivery charge -- everybody pays that.

State taxes: Can you figure the state tax mentally on the final price? If not take a pocket calculater with you to "compare" figures.

fowler3

chikoo

So i finally got it.
A silver MZ6s/5MT + app pkg + wing spoiler + fog lamps(awesome looks) + moonroof + gray leather(looks elegant inside the silver) + comfort + 6-cd

The dealer did not charge me any doc fee.
The whole deal was done on the phone. I just drove down 75 miles in my Pro ES, signed on the dotted line and drove off. Took 1 hour to walk out of the dealership. I had to leave my Pro there, which i will get it back on saturday with the help of a friend.

Anyway, my final deal was $23,000(TTL included).

chikoo

Last week when I auditioned a black mz6s, the sound system was horrible. But on my silver mz6s which has a factory installed 6-cd changer, the sound is simply awesome crisp and clear. Much better than my 99 Protege ES. I tend to think that the guys in the factory must have run out of regular speakers and must have installed the bose speakers to complete the car. no way would the factory standard sound so great.

Must be my lucky day.

Oh, did I mention that the car rolled of the truck just yesterday? So my darling did not have to sweat it out in the dealers lot for weeks under the blazing sun.

I must be lucky!!!!

meinrad

I'm taking you to Vegas.

chikoo

I'd love to go there too Raymond. Been looking for that vacation for 3 years now.

dinu01

Are you keeping the PRO or selling it?

Dinu

timadams

I'm certainly NOT just interested in straight-line acceleration. Truth be told, I couldn't get the salesperson to stop jabbering long enough to pay any attention to the car, even after I told her to wind her window up and please be quiet. She still insisted on yacking. I was more interested in getting back and ending the test drive than evaluating the car.

I'll go back when they have a V6 's' and insist on a different salesperson or a test drive alone.

chikoo

I still have the Pro. I may trade it in later when I go for the MPV.

glideslopes

Lot's of nice changes on the 04. : )

ashutoshsm

Nice combo of features! Put a lot of miles on i already? (the drive back, and then some!)

So, without the Premium Package, no alloy wheels, right?

I'd agree on the sound system - while it could be better (my upgrade system in the Pro was loads better), it isn't bad, per se.

chikoo

I have the MZ6S.

Regarding the sound system, I doubt if it could get better without spending anything less than $700, the way it is now. The sound is Toooo goood. Excellent imaging and clarity. Not like the one I heard on the single cd player that comes standard.

Specs:
======
V6, Manual 5 Speed

Exterior: GLACIER SILVER METALLIC

Interior: GRAY LEATHER

Packages:
COMFORT PACKAGE POWER MOONROOF ULEV EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT LEATHER SEAT UPHOLSTERY APPEARANCE PACKAGE IN-DASH 6-DISC CD CHANGER CARGO NET FOG LAMPS REAR WING SPOILER ALARM SHOCK SENSOR UPGRADE WHEEL LOCKS

chikoo

I got one and it is all in Japanese. So did they get the sound system from Japan? Whooooo.

ashutoshsm

The 6S doesn't come with the wheel covers but 16" alloys standard!

I too noticed an increase in output from the MP3 player, compared to the single-disc player that was in there previously. Better amp, perhaps? I'm not complaining! I remember thinking to myself "Hmmm, gonna need better speakers soon" until I had the MP3 player installed. Now its just "Hmm, better speakers might help, someday"!

chikoo

but to me it ain't worth the hassle. I doubt I could improve upon the sound, which is already better than the "highly acclaimed factory standard on 99 Pro ES"

stumack1

...low speed torque completely turned me off this car. I like the styling, the room, and the build quality was good, but I drove a 4-cyl (Canadian GS-I4) a month or so ago and it was downright gutless (with a distinctive flat spot) merging into traffic or off the line. Lots of punch higher up in the rev range, but untractable in traffic.
 
Bring it on Mazda fans...I'm not married to any make, but the M6 is NOT selling. I can count on one hand the number I have actually seen on the road since introduction (in an area of 600,000 people). I think the performance in lower speed situations may be turning off potential buyers.

chikoo

Mazda did the same thing in 1999 with the 1.8Lprotege. Gutless low end power. Then in 2001, it came out with a 2.0L with better torque low down.

But right now, rev happy is what they are gunning for. So low torque is a compromise, i believe

carguy58

a black 6 the other day on my way to work. Didn't have a rear spoiler on it or anything like that. It had new car plates that said Maxon on them(thats the dealer in Union, NJ.) I see 6's alot. Everybody says how rare the 6 is on these boards. Not rare where I live. I only see alot alot of 6's in Central Jersey for some reason. I only saw 1 in Nothern Jersey. Whenever I go up to Northern Jersey everybody is driving an Acura TL or BMW 3 Series.

the_big_h

on the road

I am in Northern VA, however, where there are around 8 - 10 Mazda dealers in the area...

ian2

Did you drive a AT or MT? I find my 6i 5MT plenty peppy to lug around in traffic. The throttle lag kind of annoys me though.

seaf

I noticed in the manual that it says the AC will turn on if you turn the vents to the feett/dash or dash settings even though the AC light will not come on. I'll bet this saps power for a lot of people test driving the car without knowing it. Also may account for some of the low mileage reported.

stumack1

...an AT car. "Throttle Lag" is an excellent term to describe the condition. I did turn the AC on and off to see if that was the cause. I did like the ride...firm and sporty but not harsh. And the exterior and interior design has it all over the Camcord.

fowler3

The way to get around the A/C being on in feet/dash
and Dash modes is to dial in some heat. Use the Temperature control, which will bring warm (not hot) air through the lower ducts and the ones at the ends of the dash.

fowler3

fowler3

Is there a difference between the Bose option and the 6-CD Changer option speakers? I wonder if they use better door speakers for the Changer and add the rear sub-woofer and amp in the Bose?

fowler3

cookie01

I think the low-end improves with miles.. Or it might just be "getting used" to it and learning what to do with it. I have the 6-cyl auto. I used to get stuck on the line, but after 5000 miles I can beat most folks off the line. I think it's just a loosening up and also knowing what to do to make it go.
Also, saves on squeelin the tires.

seaf

I understand turning up the heat will warm things up. But I don't like not able to TURN OFF the AC compressor if the vents is in the dash setting, it's the power sap that bothers me, not the cold air.

brozhnik

My only remaining problem with purchasing a Mazda6 is that even with leather, the seat (bottom) is too hard (for my body, given the two hours I drive in a day). Some of you mentioned aftermarket seats that are more comfortable-- anybody know of any places I can get them? Suggested sources, dealers, other solutions, etc?
Thanks!

chikoo

I find Mazda seats (MZ6 and Protege ES) to be firm , like Orthopaedic doctors suggest.
Never had I had my butt pain in the Protege ES even when I was driving 4 hours at a stretch.

I drove @2hrs yesterday to get my car, but my back or butt did not ache. I am 5'11" and weigh 170lbs, but have no flesh on the butt.

dinu01

You better get used to it

Most new cars have this or a similar "feature" that forces the A/C on when a certain HVAC position is chosen.

Dinu

microrepair

(not firm butts)...

The 1988 MX-6 I had, included what I thought initially were very hard seats. But after it had 1000 miles on it I drove from Mass. around the Great Lakes in 7 days (3000 miles) with as many as 10 hours behind the wheel in one day. I never felt so refreshed after spending that much time in a car in the 40+ years I've been driving. The firmness was just what the chiropractor ordered for my bad back. Of course it had more adjustments than the current MZ6 seats so it was easy to adapt it to fit your backside. I wasn't expecting such firm seats to be so comfortable but I owned that car for more than 9 years and used to look forward to driving it each and every day, beacuse of the seats and it's handling dynamics and the sweet 12 valve 4 cyl 2.2L engine. Best car I've ever owned and I'm looking forward to possibly owning the MZ6s (wagon?) in the near future..

seaf

Yeah I'm starting to see the trends these days with the AC, I thought in Hondas you could at least turn off the AC manually after selecting the dash vents. At least it did in my 1999 civic.

As for seat firmness, I think firm seats are good for your back, they can support the S curve of your back better and longer than soft seats. Especially if you get the lumbar support option. And as long as there's plenty of foam (which there is in the Mazda6), your butt shouldn't complain too much either.

mazda6s

Here's an idea - call a couple of upholstery shops and see if they can add some padding under the factory seat cover. This would cost much less than aftermarket leather.

The reason I suggest this is that a couple of years ago there was a car I wanted to buy with leather seats and I hate leather seats. So, I got an idea, and I called a couple shops to see if they could change out the center panels on the seats for some nice cloth. Now, I myself thought it was sort of a whacky idea and I thought they might laugh at me, but as it turns out this is not unusual at all and both shops had done it for other customers! So, it's worth a couple of phone calls if that's the only thing you don't like about the Mazda6.

Just an idea ...

panamaltd2

All Mazda seats seem firm at first but then after you sit in them you will find that you are not fatigued even after long car ride. They really make a world of difference.

Side note - Today as I was walking around downtown I saw a disgused Rolls Phantom drive by followed be another masked and taped M series BMW Z4 followed by the new 5 series. It was weird but BMW is always testing new cars here and to tell you the truth they all looked really bad. The new roller doesn't even look very special. What has happened to BMW?

jbchapman

I have the 6S with leather seats. They are firm, but I find they are comfortable even on 2+ hour drives. After 7,000 miles, I am still reasonably satisfied with them. However, I do have a few minor complaints:

1) The seat feels too wide (I know I'm a voice in the wilderness here -- the opposite complaint is more common). As a consequence my butt slides around when I corner hard.

2) The center panel of the seat back doesn't rise high enough for me (I'm taller than average). I find that I am very aware of the seam between the panel and the outer cushion cutting across my shoulder blades.

3) There are times when I would welcome an extra notch of lumbar support.

mazdafun

I hate the styling of the newer BMWs. Of course, with all the electronics they've added (and that obnoxious iDrive, incomprehensible seat controls etc.), their reliability and daily usability have really degraded, all which detracts from what is otherwise a fine line of driver's cars (the SUV X-series aren't real driver's cars...they handle like pretty much any SUV, heavily and numbly). IF I were in the market for a BMW, it'd be for a used one from the late 80s to mid 90s, definitely NOT a new one. That's OK, they cost too much anyway, so I'm glad I'm no longer tempted.

chikoo

>>>Is there a difference between the Bose option and the 6-CD Changer option speakers? I wonder if they use better door speakers for the Changer and add the rear sub-woofer and amp in the Bose<<<<

It is not mentioned anywhere. So I guess not.
Whatever it is, I am definitely happy with the sound on my MZ6. I just played Enigma on it. Excellent sound resolution. Very Bose like, meaning not too much emphasis on the glassy sound and pretty good "regular" bass, enough to shake the sidemirrors on the door at volume of ~20, but no unwanted vibrations from the speakers itself.

Anyway, I enjoy listening at ~10(my max) so that is good enough for me.

6_is_good

My 6 S glacier sliver sport got keyed last week--Starts on the hood, down the drivers side fender to the drivers side door.

ian2

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident. I hate people who have no respect for others' properties, such as slamming the door into the car beside them. Keying just takes it to the next level. Where about did you park your car? Some ghetto neighbourhood?

mazdamarla

That really sucks. Whereas door dings are usually accidental/not paying attention, you KNOW keying was done on purpose, with malice.

robr2

Just a thought - you may not have been keyed. Someone carrying a large purse, gym bag, backpack on one shoulder may have caused it. My DW has a purse with a brass clasp that used to bounce off our cars all time and drive me nuts.

ian2

dragged his bag across the hood, and around the fender? That's as about as bad as keying the car! This is why I always park my week-old 6 as far down the parking lot as possible.

newcar31

"Whereas door dings are usually accidental/not paying attention"

IMO, very few door dings could be considered accidents. About the only accidental door ding I can think of would be when the wind takes your door and it flys open. Everything else is pure carelessness IMO. It's either parking too close, or not caring about door dings. You have kids? Pay attention to them when they get out. You are responsible for what your kids do. I have NEVER dinged anyone's door in 10 years of driving. Why? Because I never park too close to anyone and I always watch where my door is going when I open it. I cannot stand people who don't pay attention to that, and if they ding my door, they deserve a size 12 to the body panel.