Mazda6 Sedan

johnclineii

One thing is for sure. If you buy before 9/2, and incentives increase afterwards, you won't be getting the increased incentive. Would you expect to pay them back if the incentive went down? To get the incentive you must take delivery from dealer stock BEFORE the incentive expires and AFTER it has started. No exceptions. Mazda, like all car makers, is VERY hard nosed about this. They have to be.

mjvchicago

I've seen about 3 MZ6 w/ sport around Chicago this past week (2 grey, one silver) and noticed how big the 17-inch wheels looked and how nicely they filled the wheel wells. Sharp! But I've never felt that the 17 inchers looked quite as big on my own MZ6 w/ sport. Mine's black so maybe there's a color contrast effect that makes the wheels look bigger on a lighter colored car.

Anyway, I decided to measure the wheels just to make sure the dealer hadn't switched my wheels for whatever reason. My rubber says R17 and when I took a tape measure to the wheel rim diameter to my surprise it was 18 inches! So I'm no longer woried that the dealer ripped me off, but now I'm wondering if I have 18-inch wheels now. To confirm I measured my wife's car's 14-inch wheels and sure enough the rim diameter was 14. So am I totally confused or what? Is there anyone out there that can shed some light here?

chikoo

what u saw must be the VALUE sport package cars.

chikoo

maybe extended lips?????

if the rubber says 17", then they will be 17" fitment size.

dinu01

http://thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layou- t/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1062065846157&call_page- id=968867497088&col=969048871196

Dinu

theparallax

Fowler, were you referring to me with the mesh grille installed on my Protege??

Here's a pic of the grille:
http://www.knology.net/~negatize/images/IMG_0703%20copy.jpg

I think it turned out fairly well.

microrepair

Has anyone run across any aftermarket performance prducts for the MZ6 yet? Like performance chips, intake headers, free-flow exhaust systems, etc?

carguy58

Saw 7 6's in a span of 3 days. The car is being driven by all age groups it looks like.

fowler3

Yes, I was. I like the way it looks on your car and it resembles the way the stainless steel mesh showed on the Mazda3 Sportif at the New York Auto Show.

Mazda has a new TV commercial running which mentions the 50 International Awards the MZ6 has received. Best one so far.

fowler3

dinu01

Re: Newest Commercial.

I guess they took my suggestion for a commercial that emphasizes that it's a World Car, not just a NA product.

Dinu

chikoo

should they go for a mazda desgined 2.3L "made in mexico engine" or a ford-designed -- mazda refined 3.0L "made in usa" engine ??

some went with the former. I went with the latter.

just felt like writing this. I dont know what I am trying to convey here.

a_l_hubcaps

Regarding the question about 17" or 18" wheels: You cannot measure wheel size accurately by putting a tape measure across the face of the wheel. The last two digits of the tire size code are the rim diameter, period.

-Andrew L

1wiseguy

I used to feel like I was the only one in this area driving a 6. I got mine in May and they'd only been sold here for a few months as at that time. I opted for silver with V6, GFX and everything but leather.

A month ago, a neighbour got a white one with full GFX (spoiler, skirts, etc). Now, three doors down, another neighbour got a red one, also with the works.

I may live on the one street in North America that has more new M6s than new Accords.

johnclineii

What about all those streets with Mazda dealerships?

(ducking and running)

gee35coupe

chikoo

I wondered.
we go out and buy a car that has great road feel.
than we put on a pair of thick soles with air cushion sneakers and drive our mz6.

is that not conflicting?

sure it is.

so last night I go out and buy myself a pair of thin soled, slim shoes from Bostonian for $49.99.

I put them on and go for a drive.

Guess what?

Last night was the first time I felt that I have a sports sedan with no issues of throttle lag and jerky shifts.

I could modulate the brake, the clutch, the gas pedal perfectly.

and the pedal feel is absolutely gorgeous.

I highly recommend everyone to do the same, if you want to really find out how much fun this car is.

jmulholl

I am looking at a 6s and was wondering about getting an aftermarket moonroof. Two reasons: 1) can make it easier to get the combo I want; 2) hope to get a larger opening that the factor 6, which is kinda small. Anybody have any experiences with aftermarket moonroofs? Particular companies to go to/stay away from? Thanks.
                         Joe

carguy58

If you live where I live it would been gone already a couple months ago.

anonymousposts

ASC does good aftermarket sunroof work but I usually stay away from aftermarket sunroofs. There is a frame around an aftermarket roof that you don't see with a factory roof. And nothing looks better than factory switches inside the car.

rays_car

...they claimed it would arrive in about 2 months. Think that's accurate, or was I misled?

The dealership, while friendly, seemed to know less than I did about options, packages, etc. All I did was scan the 'net (for the past 6 months!)

They said they just got the new info on Friday. I got a peek at their '04 list--no more Speed Yellow, adding 2 ext. colors, s comes std. w/ 17" but not power seat. Can now get gray or beige int. w/ sport pkg. You guys probably know all that already.

I think it's crap that you have to get Bose & Moonroof just to get SAB & SAC. $1785!!!

All I added was AT (traffic commute), Sport pkg w/ spoiler & the compass mirror (always wanted one of those).

Wondering if I should add the pwr seat for $300 before they actually order the car (allegedly Tuesday). I don't mind adjusting the seat manually, but will it still have Lumbar support & height adjust, etc? Anybody know?

This is the first time I've ever signed up for messaging of any kind, so if I botch any ettiquette, please let me know.

Thanks!

vocus

Ian2, sorry to hear about your accident. I don't know about in CA, but here in MD if you are more than about halfway through an intersection and get hit, the other driver usually is blamed. Although he had the right of way, he had enough time to slow down and not hit you, had be not been speeding. Also, if he created 84' of skid marks, he definitely was going too fast. I wouldn't worry about it, because I would think that the accident would be his fault and not yours. Of course, I don't know CA laws like I said. Good luck anyway.

Seat comfort: I found the seats more comfortable with leather in a couple cars I drove than with cloth. Maybe they're softer or something, I don't know. I will more than likely never have another car without leather seats though, they are very comfortable. Also, they come heated most of the time, which is a boon for long drives if you have a bad back.

Seat comfort between the 2 fronts could happen. Most cars now have height and lumbar in their driver's seats, but hardly any have the same features in the passenger's seat. Also, in a car with higher miles, more than likely the driver's seat is going to be more 'shaped' to the person who is always in it. This is the case for my buddy's 94 Cougar, which hurts my back like hell in the driver's seat, but not in the passenger seat (both seats have lumbar, but the driver side is 6-way power). Weird I know, but it can happen.

wenreder1

Here in Tampa, Florida I'm also READY to order a new '04 Mazda6, but similar to what "rays car" (#13715) said, my local Dealer has NO knowledge of, or actually wants anything to do with, the '04's yet. A great dealership, don't get me wrong, but narrowly focused only on ridding their lot of '03's !! I have been desperately trying to get ANY '04 info I can and so far the "rays car" post has helped me out quite a bit. You said the s models will ALL have 17" (50 series) tires ?? And does anyone know if Sepang Green will still be available? What are the two NEW colors? But my MAIN concern is GAS MILEAGE.... as a somewhat "aggressive" driver currently getting less than 18MPG in my '00 Acura TL (Premium gas only), is there a realistic chance I will be getting 22+ MPG in the 6s ?? Please fill me in.... Thanks !!

ambull

I thought for '04, the sport pkg comes with 16" wheels and 17" are optional. I heard the new colors are shimmering sand metallic, as found on the MPV, and copper. I've seen a picture of a copper-colored car from Europe, but I'm not sure if it's the same color or not. I think Sepang Green will still be available. Somebody correct me if this info is not right.

glideslopes

is tough to loose, however, it is nice to see sales taking off along with all the positive evaluations. It still amuses me how the couple items like the CEL, and a few people with a rattle here and there draws so much attention in here. This is a first year model, no? Yet the 03 Accord suffers from rotors fit for a golf cart, (class action pending) peeling paint, alignment problems, and V6 models requiring new welds in the floor pan. It's ok though. It's a Honda.

rays_car

Sepang was still on the list. I know Copper was there as a new color & I'm pretty sure Shimmering Sand was the other.

The musa site has '04 6 options, packages & pricing, including wheels, etc.

Tampa, take that list to your dealer & say "Order me this w/ this & this & this."

If anyone has any info on '04 arrival dates, I'd sure appreciate it. Is 2 months from ordering realistic?

ambull

The TV show added an NX nitrous kit to a Mazda6s. It went from 153.7hp at the wheels to 207.7hp, for a 54 hp gain.

steven39

hi folks, just wanted to know which part of the warranty is most important the powertrain or thebumper to bumper anotherwords lets say vw warranty is 4-50,000 bumper to bumper and the powertrain is 5- 60,000 and the mazda is 4-50,000.00
total including bumper to bumper and powertrain. which of these would be the better warranty.

johnclineii

huh? In this case, the VW warranty is obviously longer. Then again, more things seem to go wrong with VW's. Isn't your time and the hassle factor worth anything?

blueguydotcom

Do yourself a favor and check JD Power and CR for info on VW reliability. The terms reliability and VW should never be in the same sentence.

wenreder1

As many of us "hoping soon to be '04 owners" are presently doing, I am trying to configure my new vehicle and listing my "options" and "packages" from the little material (NO thanks to ANY Dealers) available (downloaded .PDF data sheet). These new '04 package requirements are absolutely ridiculous, as compared to the way the '03's were offered. I want an '04 "S" model in Sepang Green w/5sp. automatic trans., beige leather seats, side air bags/curtains and 17" wheels. No fancy bumpers/spoilers/wings !! Unlike the '03 models, where you had 8-way pwr. drv. seat standard on either cloth or leather, for '04 it's now a $300 option. Also, for '04 you cannot just order Leather seats. You must now get the (1LX) Luxury Package which is $1,500 and includes heated seats/mirrors (which is totally useless in Southern Florida where I live) and the 8-way drv. power adjust...... BUT, according to the data sheet, you CANNOT get this (1LX) option without (1SE) Sport Package ($710) which in my case is okay because just the 17" alone are $550, but I DO NOT want the rear spoiler. Luckliy for '04 there is a (2SE) Sport Package (like 1SE but without rear spoiler) but to get THIS (2SE) you MUST also get (3RA) Bose Audio Package ($635) and (MR1) Power Moonroof ($700). But the strangest requirement I have ever seen is to get (AB6) package - Side Air Bags/Curtains, you MUST get the Power Moon roof -and- Bose Audio. Now WHAT does the Bose & Moonroof have to do with side air bags/curtains ???? I am thoroughly confused as well as very dissappointed. I purposely waited for the '04's to come out assuming they would be a bit more "refined" and "de-bugged" than the first model year '03.... What a rude surprise for ME trying to get a 6s w/leather without $2000+ worth of unwanted other options :-( !!

johnclineii

Mazda apparently THINKS this is a way it can sneakily raise prices. What it seems not to realize is there are those of us who will not accept certain options even if they are free (leather and moonroofs, in my case), and others who will be pushed into looking at the competition and like what they see (Nissan, for example).

Mazda has neither the pricing power nor the exclusivity of product to be pulling stunts like this. It is QUITE ridiculous. I just hope they either quickly back off or the whole thing is some sort of sick joke to start with.

vocus

Take it from Blueguy and myself, 2 previous VW owners. You will more than likely need the longer warranty more on the VW than on the '6, if the predicted reliability from Consumer Reports and the past of both makes has any bearing.

wenreder1

I submitted #13726 ('04 Options) above - and was sincerely hoping there was a Mazda Dealer / Rep. / Salesperson reading THIS thread. The complexity and "inter-related requirements" of the '04 option packages have given potential purchasers (like ME) a VERY limited array of what actual options one can realistically order !! It's like.... the ONLY way to get THIS option, you MUST also buy this, this, this and that one too !! What is going on at Mazda ?? You got a GREAT thing.... Mazda6 .... work WITH us (potential buyers).... please !!

cmartin411

I hate to hear that. I too was hoping things would be more simple after last year's issues. I want a 6s w/ Sport, 17' wheels and NO rear spoiler. It sounds like that's not an option. It's almost as if Mazda purposely makes things difficult.

wenreder1

....for YOU, I think the options WILL work in your favor. There is a package (2SE) called: Sport Package without rear spoiler ($710) that includes sport F & R bumpers, side sill exts., fog lights (in headlight), dual oval exhaust outlets & titanium colored p.w. switch panels, but they actually do NOT list that 17" wheels ARE INCLUDED with this package. Hopefully I am wrong, but they list 17" alloy wheels as an additional $550. Just be aware that (according the the .PDF sheet I downloaded from Mazda dated Aug. 11th) in order for you to get this (2SE) Package you MUST ALSO get (1LX) Luxury Package ($1,500) which is Leather Seats, etc. -and- (3RA) Bose Audio Package ($635) which is not a bad deal considering just an "add-on" 6CD in-dash is a $500 option, but also you must get (MR1) Power Moonroof ($700) and (AB6) Side Air Bags/ Curtains. All-in-all this is not that bad of a "combination" and in YOUR case will be a great car. But you see, I do NOT want the moonroof or the sport package..... just a Sepang Green Mazda6s with Beige Leather seats, 17" wheels, Bose Audio and side air bags/curtains. But in MY case, I am going to be forced into also having to buy the non-wanted moonroof ($700) and Sport Package ($710). Not "the-end-of-the-world" for ME, but I wanted the clean, simple lines of the stock, NON-Sport Package bumpers without the side sill extensions, plus I have NO use for heated seats/mirrors in South Florida, and after having my last four vehicles with factory moonroofs (which I rarely used) I did NOT want another one (plus I'm 6' 1" and the extra "clearance" of a NON-moonroof make a roomier and "safer" situation for my "headroom"). Good luck cmartin411 :-) !! Please keep me informed as to what YOU find out... Thanks !!

pat

The "Search This Discussion" option on the page bar will help locate the numerous messages previously posted on the the issues of option packages.

johnclineii

True, but this stuff on the option packages is new for 2004. Pat, they have actually made them WORSE, not better...

I hope someone from Mazda is reading these forums!

mazda6s

You're right, they are going from bad to worse. For me, in order to get SAB/SAC on a s model, I will have to get the Sport Package, Bose Package, and Moonroof, none of which I want. This cranks the price up a couple of thousand dollars so I will have to consider other cars unless they come to their senses.

carguy58

Thery are even worse than Mazda's. Thats how Nissan lost my sale to Mazda in 1998. I don't know how Nissan can sell 150,000 Altima's with the crazy option packaging they have on that car. If the option packages are worse Mazda hasn't learned anything. They always give sales away to Honda, Nissan or GM by doing that crazy stuff. I thought Mazda learned their lesson. I guess they have not. They have what 1.5 percent of the Us market? In 1994 they had 2.5 pecent of the US Market? Mazda just keeps on shooting itself in the foot since 1994-1995. If Mazda keeps on doing this stuff they will have to pull out of the NA market because they will have no customers. They have lost so many customers since the 1995 model year started up 8 years ago. Customer Satisfaction has been one of Mazda's key problems since their fall from grace since the 95MY.

johnclineii

How does Nissan sell that many Altimas? Simple. Most people buy off the lot. They settle for what they want. When you sell as many cars as Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chevy--you can do that.

Mazda customers also buy off the lot. Except for the ones who don't buy at all because they can't get the option they want without a BUNCH of other expensive unrelated stuff. The latter number is not very significant to total sales at the big selling companies. Mazda is giving up a ton of sales that could help it tremendously.

And Audia8, if you are there, we aren't talking weirdo combinations here. We are talking such things as getting side air bags and curtains (a SAFETY item) without having to load the car to the gills with leather, a moonroof and who knows what else.

soon1

When I picked up my 6, I noticed a very tiny scratch (less than 1/4") at the bottom of the driver's door. The dealer gave me a bottle of touch up paint stating that black paint is very difficult to match but he would paint the door I was unhappy with the touch up pain. Is black that difficult to match and are there other issues with touch up paint? Would I be better off having the door painted?

mazdafun

I think you'll be happier trying to cover that one scratch than a bad repaint job.

Besides, you'll get plenty of scratches from road debris soon enough. Just go at the scratch with a small brush so you don't glop on too much paint. Use a few thin coats instead of one heavy one.

audia8q

The option packages have been a problem to some edmunds shoppers but we are not seeing or hearing too many option package concerns from consumers who are walking into our two mazda showrroms....perhaps some people never come in, but as we all know edmunds people are not the typical car buyer...The MZ6 is our best selling car line and it's sales continue to increase every month...
I am just not seeing the demand for safety stuff....I have posted before that safety items are not a popular items on the Mazda products. I like saftety stuff, with my driving habits I need all the airbags I can get!!! The buyers are just not opting to buy safety stuff. Consumers talk a big game about saftey stuff but they are passing on the safety options and still buying the car.

If I thought the packges were hurting my sales I would be the loudest mouth on here...nothing is perfect but overall I am happy with the MZ6.

cmartin411

steven39

hi folks, i was just comparing these 2 cars
to consider for purchase, both sticker close
to 20,000.00 at least down here in south fla. ok, base 6 has 4 wheel disks, accord has standard abs 6 does not. 6 has longer warranty, accord 36 months, 6 has both audio and cruise control switches on the steering wheel and they are ilumminated at night which is a nice touch.6 offers loaner cars for warranty service accord does not.so which car is the better deal and which will handle the road better. i just think think the accord is just plain looking. iam hopeing to get either cars soon. steve
iam still looking into the vw golf as well
cuz i just love the free coffee at the dealerships service lounge, and from what i have been hearing from others on this forum
if i get a vw golf or any vw i will be enjoying that free coffee quite often.lol

carguy58

to get with the program. I don't get why Mazda always has to do this. They had the RX-8 HP issue a week ago and now the crazy things with the option packges. Its unreal already. Mazda wonders why its sales are so low in NA for the 6. The option packages on the 6 are not helping gain any sales they could have had. Mazda needs to stop nickel and diming people because they are not in a position where they can do that. The new CEO of Mazda needs to do something because Mazda just doesn't help itself ever. They always make launching a product harder for themselves than it already is.

seaf

are a different type of car shopper than the typical person who does their research on a car online. I'd be willing to bet that the person doing the research online is more picky about which options they want and which they don't, and the person walking straight into a dealership is more willing to compromise on what's available in the lots.

Mazda can package these options anyway they want (hopefully more logical instead of money gouging), but the important missing piece is the ability to order it the exact way someone wants from the factory in a reasonable time (3-6 months is not good enough). In this age of internet connected computers, automated databases, and inventory management software, you'd think Mazda can build a custom-ordered car quicker in Michigan.

steven39

hi folks, while i was reading the consumer reviews portion of this site, i came across
a very interesting review by a person who just got a new mazda 6. i thought i would share part of that review here. he says that the mazda 6 is the result of what would
happen if a honda prelude and a honda accord
decided to have sex. needless to say, he was very impressed with the car as was almost all of the reviews that i read, which by the way almost all of the reviewers gave it a 10. this car is going to be like what the new altima was a few years ago except that while the excitment for the altima has died down some what, the 6 is going to take off like a rocket and i dont think the momentum is going to slow down as more and more people discover this car. it truly is a accord, camry, and altima killer for less money.mazda has hit a grand slam with this car and its just going to get better. i know people that have traded in some pretty high end cars for the 6, such as bmw, porsch, audi, among many others, and all have said that the 6 was one of the best cars out there and a steal for the money. now if i can only find a dealer who will budge from the msrp cuz most dealers in my area will not give any discounts on the 6.oh well thats the price we pay for success. i dont think i would have this problem byeing a chevy cavalier.

akumaz

steven39- Interesting comments there. I had no idea people were trading in Audi's and BMW's for the 6. I think a good idea for a future Mazda6 commercial would be current owners who traded in their luxury cars for a sporty 6. ^_^

I'm wondering if anyone has seen a US 2004 6 up close and in person. For those who have, how does teh exterior and interior look in comparison to 2003. Specifically, the interior cloth- to which I was not a fan of last model year- is of interest to me, as I'm wondering if they changed the texture and look of it.

thegreatvudini

See your post below on the Mazda6 Buying experience board.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Details:
=======
Glacier silver metallic.
V6
Manual transmission
App. Pkg.
Rear wing spoiler
Gray leather + comfort (no black for me...ughh)
6-cd changer (sounds way better than single cd player)
moonroof
fog lamps
cargo net
wheel locks

All from the factory. nothing dealer installed.

Price paid: 23,000 even (including TTL)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What was MSRP/Invoice? Of the $23,000 paid, what was the real price? In other words, did you pay invoice, above, or below?

To all the guys:
I am about to get a 6s AT-Roof-Leather-Comfort- Appearance-Bose (what else?) for invoice $23,611 (MSRP: $26,055). After a weak try from the salesguy to get me to up the offer, they accepted my price (invoice) with NO problem.
The only catch: the car was traded a couple times From Merced to Menlo then down to Salinas. I haven't seen the car yet, but the dealer (Menlo) is estimating the odo to read 350 by the time it gets back to him today. Is that too high? Should I get something in compensation? I don't have to buy it if the car looks out of the ordinary. Thanks for any input. Please make it pronto, because we will have to take delivery later today if it's in mint condition (no scratch/dent, etc.)

vudini