Mazda6 Wagon

ashish

I haven't had any fog in my area since I bought the wagon 6 days ago, but when I turned on the fog lights on a dark two-lane road, they did a good job of lighting low and wide. They seemed comparable to my Integra and M3's fog lights which are lower to the ground. However, those may do a better job throwing light into the distance - not sure until I get real fog. I'm sure you can get after-market lights to put into the 6s bottom grill openings.

joey2brix

Issue has a good review of the 6 wagon. Good old C&D wanted MORE power. Like I said, Mazda's zoom-zoom image,220HP and 5-speed are a great combo. Glade they didn't bother with the 4 cyl.

dudleyr

I generally don't like my preferences to be at the expense of others, so while I would much prefer the 4-cyl and would not even consider the V-6, I am happy for those that like the V-6. I realize some people feel what they want is all that should be offered - oh well.

joey2brix

I agree, but many times it's the slow selling 4 banger tha gets the discounts and the 6, which most want, are in shorter supply and don't get the financing deals and discounts. One engine simplifies the model configs. At least the Mazda 3 is only slightly smaller as an option.

dudleyr

The 3 would be fine if it were a wagon, real nice vehicle though, just not nearly as much cargo room as a wagon.

jchan2

There's a few 4 Cylinder wagons out there. Here's a list of what I could think of:
VW Passat 1.8T
Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe (calling it a wagon really is a stretch though)
Subaru Impreza/Saab 9-2X
Saab 9-5
Audi A4 Avant
VW Jetta
I'm sure there's more out there...... Just can't remember them right now off the top of my head.

mhaber468

I test drove the automatic and wasn't that happy with it. I know both the auto and manual are 5-speed. Does anyone know if the ratios are the same? Anyone with impressions of the auto versus manual?

Anyway, I liked the car a lot. I did hear road noise at lower speed and rougher surfaces. Highway cruising was smooth and quiet. The gas pedal felt too firm to me, or maybe it was the lack of low-end torque I always read about.

I thought the cargo area features were very cool - standard gate/net, cover, remote releases for rear seats.

I'm still considering the Legacy and 9-5.

tomsr1

Because the dealer was knocking off $3500.The test drive was not the fun I hoped for.On paper the 220 hp with autoshift sounds good but not in the real world.I have an 01 Acura TL rated at 225 hp with auto shift and it is a powerhouse by comparison.I decided on a Highlander only because of its quality and features not it's
driving dynamics.So I'm keeping the TL and the wifey gets the HL.Maybe I should have tried a VW Passat for fun factor.What's
better Passat or Mazda?

jlasorsa

I think if I would have compared my wagon to a Acura TL or a IS 300 of a 5 series BMW I might have thought it to be lacking also. You knock the 6wagon for not having the driving dynamics of your Acura then buy a bigger slower SUV and say driving dynamics wasn't a factor in your decision. If you were really thinking about the 6 maybe you should have compared to Passat or one of the other wagons out there.

jlasorsa

From reading alot of your posts I get the impression that your not real happy with the 6wagon or Mazda in general. No 4cylinder, 3 to small, 6 to big, Why do I have to get this option to get that option. So why do you spend so much time in this discussion talking about a car that you would never consider buying and a company that has failed to make a car that would match your exact preferences.

dudleyr

If it wasn't so close to being right I wouldn't care and wouldn't be here. I like Mazdas, and wish they offered a more flexible ordering system (they have gotten better) and broke the mold of Honda and Toyota. I have never said they were not good cars, just not configured to my liking.

All I want is an efficient vehicle that can carry 5 people (0n occasion - I have a minivan for long trips) comfortably with their luggage/gear etc. It has to be fun to drive and handle well. Station wagons have a huge advantage because they have more rear headroom, and more luggage space than sedans. The 6 wagon is about perfect on all counts, but it is far from being efficient. I don't think anybody would disagree with that - it uses more fuel than a Corvette, or a full sized Buick after all. The 4-cyl. engine would help cure this.

The 3 is a litte smaller, but could work if there was a wagon, but alas there is not one available.

While I think the 6 is not very efficient, I think the 3 is a model of efficiency with it's base engine. It is very peppy and efficient. Consumer Reports got the 3 to 60 in 8.6 seconds (9.6 for the automatic) which is good for their "street start" from idle. They also got 42 mpg on the highway (38 for the automatic) in real driving, which is also very good.

Also a stick shift is a must (as you can see from the performance and efficiency gains noted above, as well for control and fun).

BTW I never said the 6 was too big.

For those who think a 4 cylinder wagon won't sell - just look at the Outback/Legacy.

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simonsez5

I'd have to agree with dudley on the efficency issue, that's the one thing right now that's keeping me from reaching for my cheque book. Up here in Canada gas prices are on average 0.80 cents a litre which translates roughly to 3.00 a gallon!! Ouch!!! The 6Wagon is an amazing vehicle at an attractive price, there's not much out there to compare it too, it's got everything an enthusiast with a family would want, excellent passenger and cargo room, styling, handling, enough mmmpphhh and the availability of a stick!! , I think Mazda might have to go back to the drawing board and find a way to make that V6 more efficient or will they be the next ones to jump into the hybrid phenomenon? The wagon unfortunately made it's red carpet debut at a time when gas prices are at their highest and to you tell you the truth I really don't think they will ever come back down the way they were!!! For now, the 3 hatch will remain on my buying list.

bullwinkle99

Any word on 6wagon towing ability? I haven't seen any mention of it on the mazda web site and need the capability of towing a 1500-2000lb tent trailer.

grahamb

I have a 5-door 6 and the manual says not to tow anything...not sure if it's different for the wagon.

jlasorsa

I'm getting the same gas mileage I was getting with my 4 cylinder 97 CRV about 24 to 25 on hwy driving about 80mph. And my wagon is alot more fun to drive and holds just as much stuff. I guess it all depends on what kind of car your comparing the wagon to. Like a Suv that gets 15 mpg the wagons 25mpg looks pretty good. Or you can compare to a civic that gets 30+ and the wagons 25 not so good. So really what you should do is compare to other wagons out there. And you'll see that the wagons that do get alittle better gas mileage don't come close the the styling,cargo room,handling and the zoom zoom of the 6wagon. And the ones that do are going to cost alot more to buy. I think alot of the people complaining that wagon doesn't come with a 4 cylinder are the same one's that will say it's under powered if Mazda did put a 4 cylinder in the wagon. I agree the 3 is a great looking car and if Mazda didn't come out with 6 wagon I would have got the 3 5door.

jlasorsa

My manual also says not to tow anything. I've check with U-haul and they have a hitch for the wagon. I'm putting one on for my bike rack. Don't think I'll pull anything.

zapityzap

We purchased our 6 Wagon almost a month ago. The dealer installed a hidden hitch for us. We then drove 350 miles through mountains and desert with an 8 ft Uhaul trailer loaded with stuff.

The car handled beautifully through the mountains. I have an auto transmission, but, I used the manual mode option to shift down to third gear while going up and down the steep parts.

The car got 17.5 MPG through the mountains with the trailer. City driving now, without trailer, I get only 20 MPG.

Today, at 850 miles, I had jiffy lube put in mobil 1 synthetic, 0-20 wt.

I'm not worried about warranty problems at all.

We love this car and hope we can drive it at least 10 years... maybe more. I would recommend it to anyone. We considered either a VW Jetta or Passat TDI wagon, but went with the 6 because when the gas prices jumped, there were no TDIs available. Besides, we got the 1500 rebate, so the difference we had paid (at MSRP) for the Passat will buy alot of gas for our 6.

btw, I have not noticed any road noise. If you adjust the stereo so it gets louder as you go faster you won't notice a thing.

Happy Motoring.

audia8q

Mazda has told us to avoid using synthetic oil in their cars.

bamacar

Any reason why? Is this in the Mazda owners manuals? I wonder if it is the fear people would wait too long between changes, or is there something specific to Mazda engines that is not compatible with synthetics?

ericzoom

The only car Mazda says not to use synthetic oil in is the RX8,because of the rotary engine. They say this will void the warranty.

audia8q

Since my mechanical abilities are zero, I didn't ask why. I wouldn't understand the explination anyway...but this is what the mazda service factory rep told us. He said if the consumer is determined to do it, they should break in the car with the factory recommended oil first.

ericzoom.....the reason its a really big no-no on the RX-8 is synthetic oil damages the seals on the rotary engine.

zapityzap

If you do a little google search, you'll find a mazda 6 forum where they discuss the issue of synthetic oil at length.

If you use synthetic oil in your 6:
1. It does not void your warranty

2. It is actually good for your engine and should result in better performance and longer life

subie_wrx

I just test drove the wagon with leather. My kids hated the back seat, and when we got back from the drive, I sat in back. Very hard, unforgiving seats. Otherwise I loved the car. Are the cloth seats any more comfortable in back? The dealer was closing and we didn't have time to get keys to try one out.

audia8q

I never said it voided the warranty on the MZ6...and all the research in the world about synthetic oil still leaves alot of debate. I was just passing along what was suggested by a factory service employees info.

newcar31

Motorcraft 5w20 is marketed as "semi-synthetic" and dealerships use it as regular oil in the Mazda6. I use it in my 6i. It's a hydro-cracked synthetic, and many "full synthetics" are too.

boomer63

I believe some folks were wondering about cycle time if a wagon was ordered. I placed my order April 8th ..the car arrived on the lot
July 2. So, you are looking at 12-14 weeks.

ccwinslow

Thanks. If mine arrives in that timeframe, it will be just in time for a weekend trip we've planned to Atlanta (a 5 hr drive one way). Fingers crossed.

javapowered

Will your order be a 2004 or 2005? I just found out from our dealer that our wagon ordered on May 12th was going to come in as a 2005, ie. no $1500 rebate. So now we are having to find a 2004 from another dealership with similar options.

hboyd

Rich: 1) Will the 2005 MZ6 Wagon production also start in August? 2) What are the Configurations? 3) Will colors and/or option packages change at all?

I assume the '05s should be "readily" available in mid-September. Is that realist? We've pushed back our purchase due to vacationing time...hehe [The good 'ol Camry is still running well.]

Thanks for all your input on these boards.

MARTIN

uffdaole

Have 1800 miles on 6 wagon delivered June 11th. Weekend trip 674 miles, mostly interstate 75-80MPH AC on constant, 26.4 gal used. Figures to almost 26 per gal,approx same as old 98 outback, even a bit better! Love this car. Much as I look, cant find any faults Great road car. Best to all!!!

tzoomer

I have optional FOG LIGHTS, in the bumper rather than the light cluster. They do not work independently of the headlights. Also see manual 5-40: the headlights must be on for the fogs to work! This of course defeats their whole purpose, which is to reduce backscatter in fog and snow by using a low, flat beam AND by shutting down the high-mounted headlights!! Dealer told me this is a Safety Regulation (anybody know why?).

Has anybody else noticed that it's hard to find information in the Manual between all the WARNING! and Caution! boxes?
There are no instructions on using an interior Heater: apparently I have to set the AC control to a low temperature even if I shut AC off, if I don't want hot air to come out the air vents—is that your experience, folks?

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ccwinslow

I had assumed it would be a 2004. The salesman didn't say anything about a $1,500 rebate!! I'm not happy about that.

javapowered

In his defense, there was no rebate on the wagon before mid-June or so, but it is now nationwide according to Mazdausa.com. It's good on all 2004s until Sept.1st. We ordered ours in hopes that it would be in effect when the car arrived. You might want to double check that yours is a 2004, though, because if it was bumped to a 2005 there may be no rebate until the 2004s are gone, and you get whatever rebates are valid on your model year at the time of delivery. Fortunately, we've switched to trading with another dealership for a wagon identical to the one we ordered except for the interior color.

tzoomer

If you want to buy a cargo mat to protect the fuzzy cardboard at the back of your wagon, there may be a wait. At least in the Midwest, they are on backorder, no date. If your dealer doesn't have one in stock, have them search inventories at other dealers.

Cargo mats are useful accessories if you ever truck anything interesting (wet, sandy, fishy, dirty, hairy, greasy...). I think utility mats should be standard, or even built in, since this IS a wagon. I agree the tie-downs ought to be metal. And maybe add some "grocery bag" hooks, too.

tzoomer

I'm driving a MZ6 sport-automatic. (That was a compromise with a significant other driver.) Unfortunately, there's nothing like a short-throw manual with properly placed pedals for snick-snick, and zoom-zoom. I use the "manual" side of the AT to upshift when I get frustrated with the standard econo-mode of the automatic, or especially downshifting to get engine breaking. But I suspect it will be a bad habit to mix modes. In "manual" mode, the actual shift point is controlled by a little brain somewhere, and not your hand or clutch foot, so I find it unpredictable. You cannot tell which of the 5 gears it is in by the relative location of the stick, since it's only a self-centering paddle, but have to look at numbers on the dash. Then again, it will not let you downshift if speed is too high for that gear, and may shift up on its own if it detects lugging.

I suspect the gearing is not the same. The cheapo manual book doesn't say but does give different recommended normal upshifts for the two transmissions with the V6 engine:

  manual
2nd 17 mph
3rd 30
4th 35
5th 39

  AT in "manual" (limits depend on throttle position)
          
3rd 6-25
4th 15-40
5th 27-53

in hard kickdown:

3rd 27+
4th 42+
5th 109+

Downshifts will happen automatically when speeds fall into the AT "manual" ranges, or you can kick them down at the "kickdown" speeds or below: 109-, 42-, 27-. The AT "manual" brain will also shut off fuel if you get the tach into the red zone.

Does that make sense?

With AT my left foot is bored. What to do? Maybe I should use it to kick the squirrels under the hood (this is just a metaphor, PETA).

sapphireblue

In Edmunds, the only Mazda 6 wagon listed is a 2004 and manual-shift. As my S.O. is sketchy on driving a stick, we need to go automatic. Does the 6 wagon offer auto as an option (in 2004 and/or 2005)? Or is it manual-shift only?

-sapphireblue

grahamb

it's the only one listed because you have to add auto as a $900 option....if you read the post above you, you would have seen the person talking about his/her auto.

The 2004 is a 5 speed auto...the 2005 gets a new 6 speed auto that is supposedly great.

justin

does the 6 wagon have adjustable rear headrests? when i looked at the sedan is 2003 it did not.

thanks.

wongpres

Yes, the wagon and hatchback have adjustable rear headrests.

suydam

We're considering replacing our Subaru Forester and recently drove the Mazda 6 wagon which we really liked. We would like to get better in-town mileage than the Forester does (pretty much around 20 mpg). What kind of mileage have you folks been getting? And how is the 6 in bad weather? I'm guessing that in both cases it will be similar to my Nissan Maxima, which gets around 22-23 in town, and is pretty reliable in the snow with traction control but not quite as good as the Forester which has AWD. Thanks in advance for the info.

dudleyr

The EPA of the 6 wagon is below the Forrestor and the Maxima. The new Subaru wagon is significantly better than your old Forrestor 23/30, and the handling is on par with the Mazda. It is not as peppy though.

mazda6s

For any of you that have checked this out, which is easier to put a rear bike rack on, the Mazda6 wagon or the Mazda6 5-door? I'm assuming that using a hitch-mounted rack would be the same for both, but the rear mounted type (with straps) would be a totally different story. It seems that with either model, part the rack would rest on the rear glass, which always makes me a little nervous.

jul

Got my M6 wagon Aug 04, and love it! Only problem: wipers get very violent after about 10 minutes being used, then progressively get worse. Usually have to keep them off and just turn them on to clear the water when it gets really bad. Dealer tried to fix this 3x, and now still unresolved. Someone on the other boards here suggested replacing wipers with non-mazda brand. Did that, but haven't had a chance to check them in the rain yet. Will keep you all posted on the results. Dealer has been great, they're looking into this problem, as all the wagons on their lot are doing the same thing.
Anyone here have this experience?
Any suggestions?

suydam

Just picked up my new 2004 Mazda6 wagon. I really like it! Someone earlier mentioned that they got a squall blue wagon and added grey leather, so I did too along with heated seats. It looks great. I got an '04 off the lot and that was all it was missing to make it perfect for me. It already had auto trans, bose, moonroof and the safety package as well as a few other smaller items like the cargo tray and mats. Wonderful driving car!

aristotle

I really like the looks of the Mazda6 Wagon! I can see that most/all owners seem to truly enjoy the car. The only negatives I have heard so far are the fuel (in)efficiency and road noise.

Is the road noise very noticeable? Does anyone know if Mazda has any plans to address the road noise issues in the next year model?

suydam

I had also heard that the 6 had a problem with road noise but in the week I've been driving it I haven't noticed it at all. Sure, it's not as whisper-quiet as my Maxima, but compared to the 4 cyl Forester it replaced it's much quieter! So I think it may be a matter of degree and what you compare it to. The V6 is very smooth and I love driving it!

fierymango

Bought it at the end of May, just clocked 10K yesterday.

Glacier Silver Metallic with luxury package as only option.

Thus far:

Maintenence: Just oil changes. Brakes squealing a bit, so they're due.

Repairs: 0

Impressions: Love it. I spend a lot of time lifting cargo in and out (I run poker tournaments at night) and the nicely designed cargo area is a major plus. I bought a set of bungee cords from Costco, which nicely fill the two side cubbies, and they have seen a lot of use. Also had a lot of use for the clean storage under the cargo floor (especially for hiding stuff before football games). The highway cruise is really one of its best elements. Virtually no wind noise, and road noise is fairly muted. Driving it back-to-back against my wife's Protege really helps you appreciate the hushed quality. The seats have proven incredibly comfortable, and are still my favorite place to sit, anywhere (again, they especially stand out next to the Protege). Definitely recommend the upgrades on those.

My only real complaints are the front brakes being REALLY dusty and wearing somewhat fast, and the need to manually adjust the brightness of the electroluminescent guages for rain (they dim when you turn the headlights on).

On the whole, at this point I would recommend this car without a second thought to anyone considering one.

ccwinslow

It depends on the road surface. Smooth, black asphalt is very quiet. With concrete there's a bit of a moan. It doesn't bother me.