Mazda6 Sedan

dinu01

I think Motoring 2003 (and previous years) is the most balanced TV car show. They test drive cars that most people actually buy, unlike other shows and mags that only drive $50.000+vehicles.

I also like www.canadiandriver.com as a solid source of used car info and new car test drives...

Dinu

dinu01

Don't worry about the 6. It will do better than the 626, although too many people still think Mazdas are inferior to Honda/Toyota b/c of Ford's involvement that screwed-up so many cars (Tribute, 626 autos, B series...)

Dinu

steve_on

Just took a look at a 6, and can say I'm impressed.

As others have noted, it is smaller than the Accord but still quite nice.

I will say that there are a lot of Ford parts in the car, from the moon roof to a few other bits and pieces.

The dealer had only a 4 banger, so did not test drive, but it seemed like a nice solid car.

As to value, well on the Mazda site a fully loaded 6 prices out about $26,000, which is very close to a Honda which IMHO is a notch above in fit and finish and not to mention the package contents, i.e. EX with leather has all the goodies. Mazda is like a Ford, one from column A, one from B, etc etc. How about nice simple packages.

fowler3

Guys, I just got home from test-driving a Mazda6S 3.0ltr 6-cylinder!! It's AWESUME!! I have always wondered what that word really means -- now I know!

It's incredibly smooth and quiet, a very luxurious ride in every sence of the word. Nothing like a Protegé. More like what you would expect a Lexus LS 430 to ride like, with handling like the Pro, only more refined. Quick steering, no body roll on curves. Easy to park despite the 38.8 foot turning circle.

The six is unbelieveable in it's smoothness and power. The salesman drove it way out in the country while I gawked at the fine interior details and quality materials. Then I drove it back over twisty, two-lane country roads. The speed limit was posted 45mph, a glance at the speedo brought me up short -- 65+mph, I sware it felt like 45! There's no sound from the engine to let you know it's zooming. What a blast! And the whole time keeping perfect composure on curves. Braking is quick and positive, peddle pressure is moderate. Not the hard stomp the Pro requires. I wanted to keep on going forever! The Mazda6 is a touring car with pizzaz.

The steering is very light, you have to be mindful of it, small turns make big changes.

The materials inside are first rate, and the guy who said they look cheap is dead wrong! The cloth trim is not plush, it IS a nice, durable hardfinish which will be very serviceable in the long run. Most men know that hardfinished fabrics last longer in suits and pants. Velour is too soft and shows wear quickly.

The seats are on the firm side, but nothing like the ones in Hondas and Toyotas, which are too hard.
When passing over undulating road surfaces they give a little to soften the ride. Good lateral support at all times. The 8-way power seat is a must have.

Now, about my complaints, when I didn't know what I was talking about before driving the car:

(1) The "tacky" immitation titanium center stack -- is NOT tacky at all! It's not like in the photos, it's very subdued and quite handsome. Almost a gunmetal grey finish. I like it a LOT!

(2) The windshield has the blue tint at the top and NO distortion, as someone mentioned in their testdrive.

(3) The test car had the sport-shift AT tranny, a delight to use.

(4) The Mazda6i gets an Alpine stereo, the 6S gets the Bose. Sound quality is good on the Bose and the standard steering wheel controls make everything easy and they are illuminated at night!

(5) Tires on the test car are Micheline 205/60R/16 on alloys. Much fatter than the 15inch tires on a Pro LX, the sidewall is thicker and absorbs road shock nicely. The ride is superior to anything else I have ever driven for such a short wheelbase car. At LAST, somebody finally made a car with a wheelbase less than 109-inches that rides like a luxury car.

(6) The backseat has plenty of legroom. I had the front seatback raked quite a bit more than most people like it, and I had plenty of room in the back. The seat is higher than in a Pro and very comfortable and supportive, I'm 5ft-11 165lbs. Good headroom throughout, no sunroof.

(7) Frankly, I didn't see anything I didn't like!!
The headlights are amazing and the brakelights far exceed the new-look of the Altima's. Bright easy to see with radiating reflectors like the Jaguar.

(8) The top of the dash is covered in a soft-touch material like the door bolsters on the Protegé. The armrests are not padded, but neither were they padded on the last Honda Accord series. simply cloth-covered.

(9) Pricing with NO dealer padding: The Mazda6i 4-cly with sport-shift AT, no alloys is $19,200. The Mazda6S with sport-shift and almost everything else except sunroof is stickered $22,100, both include $520 destination charge. Not bad, and there's so much more listed as standard that's optional on Hondas and Camrys, which don't come close in fit and finish and luxury. IMO.

This is MY next car for sure! I might even be selling them, the older salesman for the older buyers. It interested the dealer.

fowler3

stretchsje

"The Mazda6i gets an Alpine stereo, the 6S gets the Bose. Sound quality is good on the Bose...."

A) But Alpine makes better stuff than Bose!

I had a chance to sit in (but not drive, since it had just sold) a 6 yesterday and was very disappointed with the Bose stereo. It would be ok as a factory stereo, but not a $500 option. I drove my wife's Camry to the dealership, and even with her base factory stereo (the cheapest one they offer, but still made by JBL), it was another league above the Bose in about every way.

BTW, I'm a huge home audio enthusiast, and play guitar, if that counts for anything.

anonymousposts

Who knows I might buy one. My significant other just let my 02 SI roll down our driveway and into our mailbox. He said I can either get a new bumper or a new car. Hmmmm.....

Seriously he better be glad I am still in love with the SI or I would be taking him up on that offer for a new Accord, 6, Audi A4, or something.

chikoo

how to properly adjust a stero system.

chicagopro

Ms. Anonymous, isn't this the second Si that's gotten banged up?

anonymousposts

Yup, second one. First one was totalled (not my fault). It really isn't that bad, just a slight mishap but I like my new cars to stay perfect. A little touch up paint and a new license plate cover and everything will be OK though. No more white Hondas after this one though :I

The back seat of the Accord is actually pretty roomy once you get in. Will you ride in the Accord if they let you drive or would it just be too ..... weird?

sd1228

!! CONGRATULATIONS MAZDA !!

Guys and Gals:
Can't wait to give you this news
New York Times has picked Mazda6 as their #1 pick in midsize sedan market against usual suspects (accord, passat, camry, altima and many
others). You have to check out the article. I have posted links at the end of this post.

As far as I know, this is the first comparison shootout that is published so far.

Rankingwise
#1 spot : Mazda 6i by wide margin (as per the article)
# 2 spot : Passat won by very small margin against Accord
# 3 spot : Accord

Some of the comments:

..If the Mazda6 were appearing on Broadway, its marquis would have as many raves as The Producers.

..It looks like a more expensive car.A stunning, rich interior..

..The most fun I've had all day. It feels like a true rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Brilliantly matched suspension, performance and appearance.

..Nimble and lively — it really has the European handling dialed in.

..The Mazda6 steers and handles better than the Passat. It's the most fun I'd had in a Mazda since the Miata.

..The Mazda6 is not just entertaining to drive, it has room for a four-member family and more trunk space than the Accord, my third choice. It is more nimble than the Passat, my second choice, probably because it is more than 200 pounds lighter, and the body motions are more tightly controlled.

..I'm tired of boring interiors. The Mazda6 has a beautiful cabin inside its attractive skin. The car has spirit, too. Mazda engineers have magically made a front-drive family car feel like a rear-drive sport sedan.

link #1:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/24/automobiles/24AUTO.html

link #2:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/24/automobiles/24PICK.html

dinu01

that it looks like the 6 is "the $#!T"? (is this OK Pat?)

WOO HOO!

I must admit, I like Mazdas! Yes, I'm a Mazdaholic.

Dinu
Mazdaholic Annonymus

stretchsje

"Bose is good for people who do not know how to properly adjust a stero system"

Except, there is no user setup for a factory stereo. The car acoustics are constant, unlike home speakers where acoustics vary widely from room to room. Everything for the car should be precalibrated, making adjustments unnecessary, especially for a stereo in this price range.

Is it really an Alpine unit from the factory? Alpine's low-end head unit is actually very, very nice. I thought the head unit was the same for the base and Bose stereos, though, so I have a hard time believing the basic stereo is by Alpine. Sounds like a saleman's BS to me.

atsang1

Long time veiwer, first time posting.
Have anyone tested 6i AT? Anyone knows how long it takes from 0 to 60?
According to Consumer Guide, the acceleration for 6i AT is rated 4, but Camry is rated 5 and Accord is rated 6 for 4cyl model, but 6i has 160 while Camry only has 150 hp I believe, any idea? Could that be the performance of the auto transmissoin?

fowler3

I will check it out Monday! What little time I listened to the Bose radio, it sounded good, not excellent, but we didn't tune in a great station with lots of bass. So didn't hear the 10-inch amplified woofer.

The dealer said to come back and drive any of them I wanted to. Would like to go near dark to see the instrumentation in red. They said it is awesume even on the Mazda6i. The car I drove did not have the electroluminescent lighting which comes with the Sports Package.

Interesting thing, just about all the equipment one could want is standard on both the 6i and the 6S. There is NO entry level stripper. Fog lights mounted with the headlights are a special package or the buyer can get dealer-installed fog lights mounted in the bumper like the Pro ES. By the way, the 8-way power seat includes lumbar support, I didn't notice any discomfort like the Pro has.

It's a hellofagreatcar in any configuration!!!

You have to drive one! No way to explain it in words. The first impression reminded me of big_H's description when he first drove the RX-7. There's a RUSH in power you did't expect. There's a SOLID feel you did't expect. There's a heavy feel you didn't expect, yet it is nimble. There's nothing boring about it.

Those headlights bothered me at first, like a row of flashlights. On seeing them up close you are thankful Mazda had the courage NOT to copy the dozens of other aluminum foil and clear plastic reflector models -- ala Camry, Lexus ES300, and Altima, 85% BS 15% lamp!

The top of the backseat looks a little odd without simulated headrests, but it makes rear visibility better considering the raked V-shape of the body. It also makes lowering the backrests possible with the latches in the trunk -- neato! Good compromise.

The 16-inch alloys are beefier looking than the 17-inch wheels. Different design too. Color choices are limited to Black, Grey, Light Green, Yellow, Blue, Red, Silver, and White. Metallics, no Micas. No Sandlewood, no Emerald Green, no Sand. I wish the grey was the special Titanium Grey used on the 2001 Special Edition Miata, THAT would make an awesume Mazda6!

fowler3

maltb

Yeah, that sales guy was blowing smoke. Bose doesn't even make the head units on cars equipped with Bose "systems". In previous Mazda vehicles, the Bose system head units were Panasonic and the standard systems were FMS. I wouldn't doubt that this holds true for the 6 but I haven't checked it yet.

chicagopro

Yeah, white cars show every little scratch, don't they? Since I spend all my time driving and parking in the city, I could probably stand to have my rear bumper painted every week.

Not sure if I would want to drive the Accord. You're right, might be too weird.



--Dale

bklynguy

I noticed that the US version 6 doesn't have rear head restraints. The Euro version of the 6 does. Did visibility play a role or is Mazda trying to keep the costs down / profits up ?

chikoo

should be like the Accord / Altima ...beefed up support integrated within the seat...looks better than separate headrests.

anonymousposts

We dropped by a Mazda dealer tonight to look at the 6 but the dealer was closed so we couldn't sit in one. Exterior impressions: It's OK. I looked at a silver 4 cylinder with leather/roof but I just didn't feel it. You car people know what I mean. Saw a base black V6 5-speed and it moved me more than the silver one but not sure if it moves me enough to buy one. We really need to test drive one. They had several on their lot. Has anybody gotten word of how these are selling? They had some in every combination.

I think that white SI's are cursed where I am concerned. First one was totalled. Second one has already needed a new windshield (stray rock's suck) and decided to play tackle with the mailbox. What will happen next?? I don't even wanna think about it .........

jskho

The Bose + 6CD is like $6xx.
The 6CD alone is $500.
So for $1XX you should not expect too much.

fowler3

fowler3

priced with ABS and Traction Control (requires the Premium Package), 4-speed sport AT = $21,615.

PP includes alloys, 8-way power seat, perimeter alarm. Required for side and curtain air bags.

Best value, best performance is the 6s which includes 5-speed sport AT, 16-inch alloys, ABS/TC, 8-way power seat, automatic climate control, perimeter alarm system, remote keyless entry, wheel locks,rear mud flaps,and cargo net = $22,625. Both include $520 delivery. (Neither include the Bose audio nor 6-disc CD changer.) Both do have an AM/FM/CD player with 6 speakers. Cassette player $200 opt. Moonroof is $700.

That's only $1,010 difference, no brainer!

If gas stays around US$1.42 a gallon and the six engine burns regular (I don't what it requires), the difference in annual fuel cost for 10,000 miles would be only $71. Cheap for so much power! Interpolate for your mileage.

fowler3

venus537

the 98 Accord was a signifcantly better car than the 97 Accord and Honda has NOT slipped in quality (early odys did have problems though). this is backed up by JD powers and consumer reports surveys. Mazda was above average in powers latest durability survey, but far behind Honda. i'm happy for you protege owners, now at least you can be envious of a sedan within Mazda. but you guys/gals come across as an insecure lot who feel it's necessary to bash the latest accord. no other opinions excepted.

by the way i test drove the mazda 6s today. i wasn't expecting such great fit and finish and high quality. must say an all around damn nice car. it's on my list for my next car. also looking forward to the acura tsx.

i have a link to consumer guide's road test. i find it fair and balanced. this is not to be confused with consumer reports.

http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/37129.htm

csuftitans

while wife went shopping at a mall, I went to one of the big Mazda dealership in Irvine. They have three in stock, silver and red 6i and grey 6s, all auto. I couldn't test drove any of them since they've all been sold. I got to sit on them though, turn on the engine and play with the bose sound system. Overall, my first impression is that the quality of the car is very good. The door closes with a very nice solid thump like the P5, but heavier, the leather is very nice and feels very smooth, all the buttons and knobs feels very solid and expensive, the steering wheels reminds me of Audi A6 that I test drove recently; smaller in size but beefier than my Millenia's, bose sound system sounded pretty good, definitely better than my friends JBL system on his new Camry, the steel grey metallic color definitely looks darker in person compared to the ones on the catalog.
Overall, I love the car, but can't stand the salesperson. I don't want to say to much about him, but get this, he said that Mazda will ONLY bring 15000 Mazda6 to the US; DUHHHHH.
Anyway, my only problem now is to try sell my '00 Millenia S, which I was planning to keep for at least 6 years, but now that the 6 is out; I don't think I can wait even a year to get this car.

BTW, I think AutoAlliance has improved a lot in terms of quality; my '93 626 ES wasn't close to the new 6 in terms of quality feel.

edmund2460

Liked your 6 review. If I remember we both bought our PRO's from the same dealer in High Point. Is there still an S plan price? Did the $22K you quoted include the side air bags and curtains? You didn't hear any wind noise at higher speeds? My ES forces me to turn the radio up two notches from idle volume to be able to hear it on the road. Are the same salespeople there at Parks? and the sales mgr?

stretchsje

"...bose sound system sounded pretty good, definitely better than my friends JBL system on his new Camry"

I know listening is subjective, but that Bose system was typical Bose. No highs, no realism, but clean mids-midbass. I didn't listen to anything with much low bass, so I'm not sure how hard the subwoofer plays. No way it was better than the JBL (except maybe in bass-- since the JBL sys lacks a subwoofer, bass can be loose and boomy), or just about any aftermarket system, especially a $500 one (I can't believe this lousy Bose add-on costs this much!), would put it to shame. Your average consumer who thinks Bose's home speakers reproduce music faithfully will probably also like this stereo. I had heard Bose's car stereos were better than their home counterparts, but certainly didn't think that myself. The very nature of car stereos makes it impossible to do a direct A-B comparison (typical Bose marketing-- notice how in stores Bose is always at a display by itself). If it were possible to directly compare, even the most casual listeners would hear all the music they were missing.

I parked next to the 6, and played the CD in it just before getting back into the Camry and leaving. The JBL system in the Camry much more life to it (greater presence, larger soundstage), and came standard. Actually, I was shocked at the immediate difference in sound quality, and when I returned home I told my wife, "The 6 was awesome(!), but you'll still have the better stereo." That was my way of saying I'd have to replace it. I'm a music nut.

Most people love Bose speakers until they've had a chance to compare them to something else in the same price range.

On a side note, the US gets an 8" subwoofer on the rear deck, whereas our overseas friends got a smaller subwoofer cleverly mounted in the spare tire. The sub does intrude into the trunk space, but not much. I did not test drive the car (it was sold), so I didn't get to play with the speed-sensitive volume.

The last Bose Acoustimas loudspeaker system I saw reviewed in a respectable magazine (I think Home Theater mag) measured it at ~55hz-~13khz +/- 12.5db. This means that not even can Bose's flagship speaker not reproduce the entire audio spectrum, but the frequencies within it deviate such that certain frequencies are over twice a loud as others. Imagine hearing different parts of a harmony at such different volumes. As I said, it doesn't reproduce the music faithfully. Typical systems run 35hz-18khz +/-3db, or better.

Sorry for the lengthy bashing; I didn't start out with that intention. I hope this is seen as educational rather than insulting, honestly.

...and it's my wife's Camry, which I was driving to my father's to change the oil and rotate the tires. No flaming for driving a Camry either!!

chikoo

and hence my statement that it is canned for people who cannot tune their stereo system. What that means that Bose has pre-defined frequencies that are most likely attractive to the average buyer and has enhanced them, unfortunately people with good sense of music like you(me included) will not love it.
Come to think of it,it is the head unit's fault for not reproducing faithfully & if the head unit is not Bose, well....u know my drift....since the speakers themselves are pretty full range ones(@6", i presume).

BTW, I did not sleep last night(ok I went to sleep at 5:00AM ) 'cause I just brought myself a YAMAHA Natural sound reciever...tooo good....Jagjit singh sounded amazingly REAL...as if he was singing in my room.

For music enthusiasts: Jagjit singh is an Indian Singer, specializing in GHAZALS, a form of Indian classical songs, which have very meaningful lyrics.

fowler3

Yes, the $22K price includes side airbags. They are packaged with ABS/TC at $850, ABS/TC alone for the 6i are $400. And, yes, I went to Parks Mazda, the sales staff has changed -- they are always rotating sales people to/from their other dealerships: Parks Mazda, Ashbero Mazda, Ashboro Honda, and Parks Chevrolet. I have to qualify the wind noise: I am mostly deaf. I don't hear wind noise in my Pro, mainly road/tire noise like a roaring sound. One reviewer said the body cladding parts create a lot of wind noise on the Mazda6. Maybe that's why they call the wing a spoiler -- it spoils your peace and tranquility, not to mention your music.

I don't know about an S-Plan. Last thing I read on that, you have to join EAA for one year before using it. See EAA.com

Venus537 -- I still did NOT like the '98 Accord. I didn't find it better in any way, did find it very uncomfortable and flimsy. Compared to the new Mazda6 the '98 Accord was a dog! Not to insult dogs mind you, just no other medafor handy. After all, dog spelled backwards is god -- mans' two best friends.

fowler3

vocus

I don't know what you mean about white cars. My Jetta is white, and doesn't show nicks hardly at all compared to the black Pro ES I had before. I know I will NEVER have another black car again!

Anon, it does sound like your SIs are cursed. Maybe you should leave Honda and try something else.

vocus

I stopped past one Mazda dealer last night (they were closed already), but there were no 6 models on the lot! Come on Mazda, give us in MD the new 6 already!

panamaltd2

First mazda6 came rolling into Santa Barbara today. Drove by the dealership and saw it sitting there in the middle of the outside Mazda display. I almost hit the car in front of me! I stopped and had to take a look at it. They had ONE Black 6i there, fully loaded. But it had WHEELCOVERS!!! i was dissapointed that they would even offer wheel covers on something as sporty as the 6. Another shocker... The dealer was asking (make sure you are sitting down) $27,980 for the 6i, major dealer markup for the first one on the lot, but wheelcovers??? The car is beautiful but I was not able to sit in it because the dealership was closed. The interior looked amazing! I could tell that it was very high quality without even sitting in it. The leather looks great and for one I love the Titanium center console, looks very modern and sporty. I am very impressed but still waiting for the Mazda3.

doodle4

i finally got to drive a 6s. the 6 cyl is very quick and responsive. brakes are great. looks fine. interior is very comfortable. the 6 i drove had cloth seats and automatic. i have yet to see a sports package nor drive the manual tranny. since i wanted to get a feel for the car, i just put it in drive and took off. i did not use the sportmatic. at one point in the drive i turned a corner and came face to face with railroad tracks and 100 to 150 yards of straightaway after them. this was a two lane road and after the striaght stretch all i could see were trees. of course i punched the gas and hit the tracks doing 45. the rumble was beautifull. some may call that noise, i do not. the cabin did not budge. no sway or roll. doing 60-65 without even feeling it. the salesman mentions that there is a curve up ahead. all i see are trees. when i get close, i see the downhill left angled compact s-curve. touch the brakes and enter the curve doing 45. one hand on the wheel the car sails through without any roll. you did not even know you were in a curve. at the bottom i've got 30 feet before a stop sign. i stop on a dime without any jolt. very smooth. i try to not show my enthusiasm to the salesman. i think - can we do this again with a 5-speed manual. ok you get the picture, i like the car. now for some questions. i did not here any wind noise doing 60-65. if anyone has driven a sport package can you please let me know if the added styling like the spoiler causes any noise and how the car looks. since i have no experience with these sportmatic trannys and in this first drive i did not use it, i would like to know if the feel is anything like a stick which i am used to and seriously considering for my 6s. just some nice honest opinions please. which would you get and why. thanks in advance for any input.

venus537

Jettas may not be cursed, but it sounds like your particular Jetta is cursed. Read about your bad news in the Jetta forum.

fowler3
not going to argue with you on the mazda 6, it's one sweet car. i'll probably take it over the new accord. but i'm awaiting the tsx.

dinu01

As a rule of thumb, if you can drive a 5spd, ALWAYS buy it!

Cheaper
More fun
Less problems - Mazda auto trannies may not be the best around - I have a 2001 PRO ES auto and that's the only thing I'm not 100% sure of about this car. I guess it goes to the 626/Trubute tranny woes... I heard of some issues w.manumatics in the P5, so if you can, stay away from autos.

Glad to see you liked it. Looks like you also had a nice route for the test drive.

Dinu

anonymousposts

vocus: I actually agree with you about white showing less scratches than any other color but silver. It is also one of the easiest colors to touch up. I said I wouldn't buy another white Honda because of the luck I've had with these 2 SI's. I'll stick to silver or black next time

Although I am beginning to believe that I am cursed when it comes to the 02 SI's I can't think of anything else I would rather drive right now for $16,000. Everything else I want is at least in the low $20's. I will just stick with this car a while longer and hope nothing else happens. IF something else does happen then I will head straight for the closest "H" dealer, "A" dealer (if the TSX is out) or maybe even the Mazda dealer for a 6 .. maybe the wagon will be out by then.

There are plenty of 6's here in Atlanta at Jim Ellis Mazda. They had an ad in last weeks paper saying they had 39 6's available.

venus537

the 6 i test drove had the sports package. they didn't have any v6s without this package. i hate the spoiler (make that all spoilers) and all the other stupid add ons and would rather have the 16" wheels for quieter road noise. so to the point, as far as noise levels, the sports package may have higher road noise due to the larger tires. i found the car to be somewhat noisier that my jetta. that would change with 80mph + runs though becuase the jetta engine starts to become intrusive.

newcar31

I don't think the 5sp auto is made by Mazda. I believe it's a Jatco unit.

mazdamikey75

My local dealer down her in S. Florida just got the 6 in a few days ago so I decieded to take a look at one. The Mazda 6 is awesome. The styling inside and out is better in person than in pictures! Quality seems to be as good and perhaps even better than the new Accord. The 6 interior makes the Altima interior look like '86 Hyundai Excel.
The 3.0 liter V6 is extreamly powerful with no torque steer. Its smooth and quiet and low RPM but nail the gas and the sound turns into a satisfying growl. The 5 speed sport automatic works well. I really loved the way this car steers and handles, easily best in class.
I'll go so far as to say this is new class leader. No other mid-priced sedan offers this sort of driving fun. And when the Sportwagon and five door hatchback models debut, Mazda will have a market all to themselves.

anonymousposts

And still nobody has bought one?

stretchsje

"And still nobody has bought one?"

Somebody bought the one I wanted to test drive, and the only one I've seen so far. Maryland doesn't have any!!!

wolverine_x

yeah, and still nobody here is brave enough to buy one... Come on guys...Who's gonna have the honor of being the first Mazda 6 owner in Edmund's TH? Anyone?????

diploid

Perhaps the new owners are having too much fun to come here and play with you guys.

dinu01

Jampedro from Honduras is the first one I believe. But that's the Japanese built one (which I'll rather have over the Flat Rock one).

Dinu

vocus

Well everyone in the forum has had the no power problem that I had, so I know it's the coils. Just makes me mad that it had to happen on a Saturday though! It could have been worse. It could have happend on Friday night in the parking lot at work. Then I would have been screwed.

fowler3

Comparing the prices of the 6i and 6s it gets very
interesting when the margin narrows:

Mazda6i 4cyl 5-speed base price $19,050 (MazdaUSA)
Mazda6s 6cyl 5-speed base price $21,620 (MazdaUSA)

(4-speed sport AT (6i) $850 and 5-speed sport AT (6s)
$900, optional)

But considering the Mazda6s comes with the Premium Package
items, to make the cars similar, adding the Premium Package
and ABS/TC to the 6i, it gets closer:

Mazda6i 4cyl 5-speed price..........$20,300 (MazdaUSA)
Mazda6s 6cyl 5-speed base price $21,620 (MazdaUSA)
Difference......................$ 1,300 more 6s.

If $21,000 is your limit, you could also add side air
bags and side-curtains for $450, chrome lock nuts for
the alloys, rear mud flaps, and cargo net - $100.00.
(Front mud flaps standard)

Mazda6i 4cyl 5-speed price..........$20,850 (MazdaUSA)
Mazda6s 6cyl 5-speed base price $21,620 (MazdaUSA)
Difference......................$ 770 more for 6s

The options make the difference depending on which
ones you choose -- your have to haves. Depending on
your insurance company's dicounts for safety options
you can get it down to $570 difference for the 6s.
Would you do without ABS/TC and side air bags for the
six cylinder engine?

fowler3

vocus

I read a Consumer Guide review of the 6 tonight, and it called the 4-cyl/auto combo "adequate". They said using the manual shift feature makes it feel sporty though. I have yet to drive any 6 yet, because no MD dealers have them.

I did sit inside one at the NYIAS in April when I went, but it's been too long. I can't remember hardly anything about the car. I still wanna drive one though, when they finally get here.

fowler3

In the Mazda6, the 6s with the 6-cylinder is a forgone conclusion -- the one MUST HAVE to really experience what the car has to offer, what makes it AWESUME! With the 6i you will have a larger Protegé with most of the standard goodies, underpowered.

One reviewer said the 4-cylinder loves to be reved and hits its best power curve above 4000rpm. A small engine reved all the time will burn gas; the 6-cylinder loafing along at 75mph to 85mph will give better fuel economy and be a lot quieter. The 6s I drove yesterday hardly made a sound, it was very quiet and smooth. It's hard to hold it down to slower speed limits, 70mph feels like 45mph or less. You HAVE TO LOOK at the speedo! You can't drive by ear (wind and tire noise).

If I had to keep the price close to $22,000, I would opt for the 6s and add only the 5-speed sport AT...$22,520. Keep in mind the $520 is the included delivery fee.

fowler3

pcballa706

anyone know what insurance is gonna be like for the mazda 6 compared to cars of its class(ie accord,altima, passat)?

fowler3

You can always check with your insurance carrier to see what it will be BEFORE buying. Be sure you give them the all the information, especially the safety items such as ABS and air bags and the model you will be purchasing. Also check with other insurance companies for better rates.

A lot depends on the Mazda6's rating after crash testing. Safety options mean discounts.

fowler3

vocus

Since it's a brand new car coming out, they will more than likely rate it as compared to the 626. I don't know what the insurance was like on those, but it should be reasonable.