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Comments
But the weather is terrific! LOL!!
And car insurance is not cheap either. But we have "free" healthcare. Not perfect, but a more "supportive" system than in the US.
Oh yeah - we also get 30%-40% off!!! From our paycheques (if you make a decent living).
But I still love it!
Dinu
Dinu
And gas for 2.09? I wish. I have to use premium, so it's 2.30 a gallon.
Does the 6i or s require premium?
NO
Say what? "It will cost you $500+ a year to register your car." It cost $150 in NC. You will pay $1.57 a gallon for regular gas (it's high right now). A 2-bedroom apartment will run you $575 in a nice neighborhood and it cost you $90 for utilities a month. Annual taxes on your car will cost $148 and insurance for my Protegé is $700 a year.
Forget the apartment, with interest rates so low, you can get a 2-bedroom, 2-bath townhouse with a garage (for the new MZ6) for $670 a month (includes insurance and taxes).
Where cost of living is lower it makes car payments easier.
fowler3
I lied about the car registration. It won't go up until October 1st. Our wonderful Governor, Gray Doofus, tripled the registration fees and signed a new law just last weekend that gives illegal aliens driver licenses with no identification, background, or employment verifications. Just walk right in and get one. Oh, and while they are there because of our "Motor Voter" law, they get registered to vote too. Citizens on the other hand must turn over their first born son and present DNA samples...
And he can't figure out why we want to recall him...
blueguydotcom: I do a very similar commute... Oceanside to San Diego and back. If I spend less than three hours a day in my car, I'm doing pretty good. That's the reason I traded my beloved Protege ES 5-spd for a 6i auto.
I'm considering a stripped 6i for the drive as I don't like putting crazy miles on my new car. I'll probably end up with a late model miata though - lots of fun and perfect for drives home on the PCH.
I don't see the market falling, by the way. In Temecula and such it's going up even faster. They have more buyers than homes up there.
It's more relaxed on the freeway than the Miata, Jetta 1.8T, or Protege. Low freeway RPMs is one very welcome change for me compared to the Protege, and it gets very decent mileage for a midsize.
Right now the used Miata's running in the lead because it offers so much fun, it's something I'd drive on the weekends too, it's perfect for this area (at least between september-november and january-may) and I've read about supercharger mods that run about 3k and can turn it into a monster. Did I mention the RWD drivetrain and nimble handling?
The Mazda6 was actually a car I strongly considered when I was looking for my primary vehicle earlier this year. Liked the handling, interior, etc. I wasn'y crazy about the engine response of the V6 in either auto or stick but I've read that the 4's actually more responsive. I'll go tie it on this weekend...
I tried a pro but its power and handling (didn't do the mazdaspeed) weren't to my liking. Same goes for the Camcord and Civorolla. And I wouldn't touch a VW again unless it came with a supermodel.
As for Mazda's advertising I don't understand what Ford has to do with that. Mazda is responsible for themselves.
As for the yellow 6 I saw it in New Jersey.
As for the 6 not selling do you think you are going to see it like you see a Honda or Toyota all the time? No because Mazda doesn't have the reputation of those 2 manufacturers.
As for problems with cars if anybody ever has a problem with a Mazda they blame Ford and everything. When a Ford, GM, Honda, or Toyota has a problem people brush it to the side.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk
has named the Mazda 6 their Driver Power (kinda like JD Powers' surveys, but 'truly' scientific' for a change) Car of the Year ...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ae_data/special_features/newcarhonou- rs2003/NCH2003.pdf
Its on the last page. I'll quote ...
What makes the Mazda 6 a winner?
Why did the 6 win?
OWNERS loved the car,singling
out the build quality and brakes
as highlights.They also said the
driving experience is second to
none,and reliability first class.
Also...
Mazda's ground-breaking family car, the Mazda 6, polled the highest individual score in the survey, seeing off the likes of Porsche's Boxster and the BMW 5-series. A brilliant result for a remarkable car.
8/27/03 - Imaki
6/25/02 - Booth
8/31/00 - Hughes
12/15/99 - Fields
11/14/97 - Miller
newcar31: The lack of jobs may be true in NC, but I'm at a point in life where I don't need a job..!!! So I can revel in the lower cost of living that might allow me to have more playthings, like nice cars...
It's a real conversation piece, as most people don't know what kind of car it is and they are struck by its stylish good looks. Even the guys at the car wash break into choruses of the "Zoom-zoom-zoom" song while washing my car. I thought that was hysterical.
I haven't seen many around metro Detroit, except for the parking lot at work (Ford World HQ). There are a lot of Lapis Blue and Black MZ6's here. I get lots of questions from total strangers (what kind of car is that? oh, Mazda 626? no...?) and have had interesting conversations (mostly with guys) in store parking lots, etc., about the car's features, HP, and drive.
In fact, I had an interesting conversation with fellow Ford employee in the parking lot yesterday. He was quite fascinated by my car, so I gave him the nickel tour. We chatted for a few minutes, then he confessed that he was jealous of my 6 and that he was thinking of buying one. What is he driving now? A Jaguar X-type. A Jaguar owner jealous of a Mazda owner?!!! Well, ain't that something. LOL
Was he serious? Seems so, but who knows. My friend thinks that he was probably just flirting with me. ;-)
Loving my Mazda6 and thinking that NC does sound like a nice place to live ......
The AC in my 00 Protege' ES also worked very well.
Mark. : )
Hey, I know a lot of people like that. It makes me nuts.
Pardon me, but YUCKADOO!
--john cline ii who sure hopes that it isn't necessary to get a moonroof to get SAB/SAC on the wagons!
I already decided on the Mazda3 (if it drives like the 6 or PRO ES), but I'm frustrated at how many ppl they are turning off with these packages. I don't want BOSE (I listen mainly to dance music, so I need high highs and low lows) but would like SAB/SAC.
Dinu
And classy Sepang Green w/grey?
Why not? I usually keep my car at 65 or 66. Once in awhile I drop down to 60 as I know then the auto climate control will be running full blast for the entire drive.
I was just curious.
It's your car and whatever temperature you want is just all right with me! (cause it IS a hot little car!)
microrepair, I'll stop the NC sales pitch. It is cheaper here compared to up north and definately cheaper than CA and around DC. Jobs are scarce in the furniture business and gone in the textile business. But those are not the only businesses. If you repair PCs there is a big need for that here. I've seen shops so loaded you can't walk through them, the floor is covered with PCs.
carguy58 is on an "As for.." kick tonight.
silvercrown: Even my Dad (who's up in age and doesn't like much of anything these days) likes
my "pretty little car." I know the feeling well, getting old does that to you. Everything you use to enjoy you no longer can. After 65, ZOOMing is the last thing you want to do. Buying a car with a 5-year loan troubles you, what if you don't live 5 more years?
I had a cousin who bought a Lexus SC-400, he died half way through his payments, his son drove it behind the hearse. It was bright red, going in style was his way.
fowler3
I have never bought a Honda product for the same reason I may not be buying a Mazda this time (and haven't in the past).
Why can't these companies understand that everyone who wants SAFETY equipment (in the past ABS, now SAB/SAC and stability control) is not an automatic sucker for every other extra cost equipment option they can throw on the car, e.g., moonroofs, BOSE, etc.
This is not just greed, it either borders on or is immoral. I want the safety equipment and I will not buy a car with leather or a sunroof. If Mazda (or Honda for that matter) chooses not to make that particular combination available, I, as a consumer, have other choices. So far.
Why so adamant about moonroofs? I need the headroom. I would never use it. And I don't want to sacrifice the structural integrity of the roof by having a hole in it. Cars without sunroofs HAVE to be safer than those with. It's a choice. Or at least it SHOULD be.
Sigh.
Mark. : )
"It is cheaper here compared to up north and definately cheaper than CA and around DC. Jobs are scarce in the furniture business and gone in the textile business. But those are not the only businesses. If you repair PCs there is a big need for that here. I've seen shops so loaded you can't walk through them, the floor is covered with PCs."
Now there will be a wagon train of people flocking there thinking they can get a job fixing PC's.!! Even Silvercrown has it in mind...!!
Re: loans at "our" age... " Buying a car with a 5-year loan troubles you, what if you don't live 5 more years?"
Uh, I guess my attitude is; >I won't care at that point!< And don't most car loans include life insurance anyway? Same idea with a new roof on the house; forget about paying upfront for a 50 year warrantied roof.. Go for the 20 year version; if you live that long celebrate with another new roof!!
Back on subject: is the grey interior the only choice with the Sepang Green for '04???? Surely, it can't be...!!
I do still have a leather bomber jacket I received for Xmas 14 years ago. It sits in a hall closet, neglected and all alone. No parkas, ski jackets, windbreakers or any other jacket though. No need for them.
This is not just greed, it either borders on or is immoral. I want the safety equipment and I will not buy a car with leather or a sunroof. If Mazda (or Honda for that matter) chooses not to make that particular combination available, I, as a consumer, have other choices. So far.
Um, why is it immoral to make people pay for things they want? You don't have to buy a Honda/Mazda without SAB/SAC. You choose to buy one with or without those items. In the end, you make the choice. Blaming someone else for your choices is so typical of our culture but in the end you make the decision to cheap out or just suck up a measely 2 or 3k to get the protection you think you need.
Anyway
Re: "This is not just greed, it either borders on or is immoral. I want the safety equipment and I will not buy a car with leather or a sunroof."
I have the side air bags and curtains on my M6s but have no sunroof or leather. What's the beef?
Get the sports package and bose and call it good!
Here's the deal, if you don't like the looks of the sports package, then you don't like the looks of "the car you won't choose". My point is.... I don't like the way the Honda Accord looks. I didn't even shop that car... If the Honda came with EXACTLY the interior features, and safety equip I wanted I still WOULD NOT have bought the car. So if Mazda ONLY gives you the saftey equip you want in a Sports package, (and you don't like the sport) then you're not buying that car. Simple.
I don't know what the changes are for 04... but in 03 you COULD and people DID get all the safety stuff (traction control, side air curtains, etc) in a Mazda 6 s with NO leather and NO sunroof. There's one in my garage right now.
Pretty must the jist of it is they are so impressed with it in their long term test fleet that they wanted to write a short article about it even before the normal long term test report. They even suggested that they are having second thoughts about their Car of the Year (350z) and speculating that it should have been the 6. I really enjoyed a comment towards the end of the article about how after they finish driving the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, they pretty much can't wait to leave them and get behind the wheel of the 6.
Great article...I will probably never own a 6 (rx-8 hopefully), but I am a big Mazda fan and I am glad they are finally getting some credit for the sporty cars they build.
As for paying for things, I don't mind that at all. What I do mind is getting things I do NOT want. like leather or a moonroof. I don't want them even if they pay ME to take them. And I shouldn't have to take them to get a SAFETY option. See?
Why do you not want leather? Is it the cost issue, or do you just dislike leather?
I live in San Diego as well, but I rarely have my AC on unless it's a really hot day. I do live farely close to the coast though.
Hot and sweaty in the summer, cold and slippery in the winter. (and no, I'm not talking about an ex-girlfriend)