Mazda6 Sedan

anonymousposts · June 2003

"Seriously, I don't think there is a long haul sedan designed for GT speeds for $15K brand new."

I would have to disagree.

We test drove the Protege up to 70MPH. At 70MPH the Protege is fine. But the faster you go above 70 the noisier it gets. And it's not more noise accompanied by a rush or even a dose of power. It's just noisier. Had Mazda left the 1.8L engine in the Protege we probably would have kept it. And had a deal to good to refuse not presented itself after 7 months we would have kept it a bit longer. I didn't hate the car, I hated the engine.

chikoo · June 2003

if u disagree, at the very least give the name of a car ~15K that can run effortlessly at 90mph.

newcar31 · June 2003

There isn't a $15K car that can run effortlessly at 90 mph, that's why there was no mention of it by anon or gee. There are cars that get better gas mileage and are geared a little better for the freeway, but in no way can they cruise effortlessly at 90 mph. ANY of the cars in this price range are going to be somewhat strained and noisy at 90 mph. The only car I can think of that might be a little better than most at 90 mph in the lower price ranges would be an SE-R because it has a bigger engine......but the mileage is gonna be even worse than the Protege.

If anon and gee had asked me before they bought the Protege which car they should get for highspeed freeway cruising, I wouldn't have recommended the Protege. I could have told them that even if I have never driven or owned a Protege. I would have told them to look for something along the lines of a used Maxima, Acura TL, or something like that. Would have saved them a lot of money.

venus537 · June 2003

the four cylinders from the accord or camry (these are still not $15k cars though) should be pretty quiet and somewhat relaxed. have not driven the mazda6 i4, but would think that car would too. not that you could squirt up effortlessly from 90 mph like you can in those cars v6 counterparts.

gee35coupe · June 2003

90 mph isn't that fast. It may be illegal but it ain't gonna hurt no one if you do it on the open highway. Our 1993 Civic EX 2 door handled 90 and well above with no problems. The 1.6L engine didn't get buzzy like the 2.0 in the Pro. And it also wasn't geared like the Pro. It was running at a much lower RPM so it also still got well over 30 mpg.

Our 1996 and 1999 Civic EX 4 doors also handled 90 no problem. The Protege would DO 90 but the engine was thrashy at that speed because it was running near 5000 rpm. The chassis was in heaven at those speeds however. I'm sure a pre-2.0 Protege wouild have fit the bill quite nicely.

I owned a 1996 Celica that would cruise 110. On the cruise control.

We owned a couple Integras that were very quiet at 90 until I put a Flowmaster muffler on them. Then the exhaust was boomy but the engine was smooth as a sewing machine.

As we discussed in the Protege room at that time, that engine either needs longer gearing, hydraulic engine mounts, or balance shafts like the 2.0 in the Civic Si if they are going to have it run like that.

The Accord DX, base Camry, base Galant and Mazda6 base model are all close to $15k cars here in Atlanta. And I know any of those are great 90 mph plus car. I've driven all of them. Actually I'd say of those, the Accord and 6 are 100 mph+ cars.

Anyway my point is that it was the engine not the car. As usual in here folk get a little defensive. Just like the Leganza room(when it existed).

Late addition.....
I know the previous version of the Protege would fly on the highway. I drove several of them and they were awesome cars for the highway. In fact I would buy one of those today if a nice one came my way. They looked kinda sporty too.

carguy58 · June 2003

I have never done 90 mph and I don't intend to. In New Jersey we pay the 2nd highest insurance premiums next to New York. If I get a speeding ticket I'll have to work a 2nd Job. I'll be looking at working at Dunkin Donut's on my weekends off.

gee35coupe · June 2003

I live in near Atlanta. I have 2 Lexi (old ones) and a new Honda Accord EX in my garage. $2000 a year insurance. We've gotten a few tickets over the years. I call em a "travel tax". No big deal.

anonymousposts · June 2003

Don't forget about the base Jetta. Even though reliability sucks the Jetta is a highway car if there ever was one.

johnclineii · June 2003

Yep. I've seen them on the side of the highway. Something about a coil?

Now, can we get back to talking about the 6?

carguy58 · June 2003

a highay cruiser. I see people in their Jetta's passing me doing 80 mph. I guess those people who drive Jetta's know they're Jetta is "really fun to drive" at 80 mph.

anonymousposts · June 2003

Actually I was referring to the base 2.0L Jetta. The ignition coil problem affects the 1.8T.

carguy58 · June 2003

The Jetta is a classy looking car but its overpriced I feel.

anonymousposts · June 2003

Same here. But they drive great.

himiler · June 2003

They do drive great...in a straight line.

miata10ae · June 2003

Yawn....

Time for an MZ6 oil change.

kdshapiro · June 2003

I'm with you. The only way I'd do 90 in New Jersey, is if everybody else around me was doing 110. I would do the 90 in the right line. :0 Thankfully though years of not doing 90 has enabled me to get a fairly low insurance rate.

In New Jersey your car insurance rates can be raised if you get a ticket for jaywalking.

gee35coupe · June 2003

Atlanta's main countie also have some of the highest insurance rates. I live faaarr out in the burbs. Insurance is at least 50% cheaper.

And most highways are straight. So 90 is no problem in many cars as far as suspension capability.

capitano · June 2003

Saw 3 6's today. All three had the sport package (or perhaps the appearance package if they are about the same). One white, one black and one yellow.

Lately I had been seeing more minis than 6's and wondered why that was.

carguy58 · June 2003

The Mini has been out the longer than the 6 thats proably why.

About New Jersey Insurance rates I got into an accident with my 1st car. A month later I purchased the 626 back in 98 as a lease purchase. 200 dollars a month for a 4 door car. Crazy! People on 287 and the New Jersey Turnpike they like going 90 mph. At least drving in New Jersey is better than driving in NYC.

fowler3 · June 2003

*I see people in their Jetta's passing me doing 80 mph. I guess those people who drive Jetta's know they're Jetta is "really fun to drive" at 80 mph.*

They are trying to get to their dealers before they conkout on them. LOL!

By the way, the phrase is, "...their Jettas are...".

fowler3

akumaz · June 2003

In the strangest of coincidences, a friend of my buddy's bought a MZ6 back in March. I found out when he pulled up in a Lapis Blue 6s with sport package. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I admittedly acted like a boy-crazy teenage girl- asking all sorts of questions and begging for a ride. It was different riding as opposed to driving, but it was a smooth ride with little effort- along with total isolation from the outside. I can't see my future 6 without a black interior. Or leather.

As for the recent Jetta infatuation, my Golf is a Jetta hatchback. It's decent at highway speeds, but it can't do anymore than my previous car- a '91 Chevy Cavalier. I admit that the Golf has better tire grip (due to the suspension), but in general it feels almost TOO leisurely- probably because of the amount of time it takes to get to 60mph!

silvercrown · June 2003

The last 5 digits of my VIN start with 47. The order was placed near the end of April. I'm not sure exactly when the original order was put in the system. My dealer changed the configuration to match the specs for my order (which didn't take place until May) when that person decided to buy off the lot instead. The Build date is scheduled for Monday, June 23rd and it should arrive by mid-July. I hope this gives you some indication of the timeline in connection with the VINs. It appears that your theory about the most recent cars ending with 5xxxx is a good one.

I've got a video on how a car is built. I plan to watch it tomorrow. It shows how a Mustang is built, but it will give me some idea of what might be taking place when my MZ6 is built next week. Either way, it should be interesting stuff.

BTW, I had not heard about an extra warranty for Toyota owners who buy a MZ6. That's hard to believe. Why would Mazda offer an extra warranty to Honda and Toyota owners? Anyway, too bad it's over, as I'm moving from a Toyota to a MZ6. Oh well. I'm still eagerly anticipating my MZ6 next month. I can live with the current 4/50.

jcat707 · June 2003

I was just wondering what kind of notification do you get when you lock and unlock the MZ6 with the remote. When my parents and I went to the dealer to test drive a MZ6 nothing happened when you pressed lock or unlock. It was like this of 2 different cars at 2 different dealerships. Does the dealer change this when they deliver the car or what. My car (VW Passat) beeps the horn and flashes the lights when I lock and unlock the car.

chikoo · June 2003

Test drove a Lotus Espirit yesterday. Haloween Orange with Black hand sewn leather interior. Burbling V8. Sputtered, almost stalled, smoked a bit when starting up. But after that.....woooo. Anyway, it was not a long test drive, just around the block cause I clearly told that I was not going to BUY it.

chikoo · June 2003

I do agree that the Pro does feel a bit strained at a continuous 90+mph. No disagreeing on that. The gearing is to blame for that. With the kindof gearing the Pro has, I always wish that it had one more extra gear for CRUISING at relaxed rpms. 'cause there are times when I am no mood to dart on the highway.

gunit · June 2003

carguy58, $200 a month? what insurance company do you have in NJ? It depends on your driving record and who you have. I have NJ Mfg and only pay a tad over $800 per year for my '02 GTP coupe, pretty cheap for a peformance car. LOL, my '01 Infiniti I30t costs more to insure then the GTP, around $900. With NJM if you get one ticket they will NOT raise your rates, I got my first ticket back in October, right after I had the '02 modded, my first ticket in nearly 8 yrs!! Rates stayed the same.

chikoo · June 2003

I think it is justified to give appreciation where it is due. And the Duratec is one where it is missing. In the interest of all the car buying public, I thought it would be nice if some details about the Duratecc engine were made more easily available and discussed more thoroughly.

====================================================
In the world of automobile engines, Ford Motor Co.'s new Duratec V-6 line is proving to be a huge success. Introduced on April 4, 1994, this 24-valve, overhead cam unit has already won impressive accolades.

For example, in March, 1996, the original 2.5-liter version came in second in a national customer satisfaction survey by J.D. Power & Associates, a California market research company. Duratec was topped by only a slight margin by Cadillac's established Northstar V-8 engine. Surprising many, Duratec edged even the best units offered by Saturn Corp., Toyota Motor Mfg. Co., and Honda of America Mfg. Co.

.........

http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/qm/archives/0197/197fordengine- .html

newcar31 · June 2003

I still don't see where gee and anon are coming from. My brother has a 2002 Civic EX and it isn't any more relaxed on the freeway than the Protege. I used to own a 92 Integra and it revved even higher on the freeway than the Protege does. My buddie just sold his 99 Civic Si and that thing was a nightmare on the freeway because the revs are REALLY high. I don't even want to know where the tach needle rests at 90 mph in a 99' Civic Si. The Civics are smooth, but a 4 cyl will get boomy at high rpms no matter who made it.

I'll say it again, if you want a freeway car you don't get a compact 4 cyl sedan, period. Even if the Civic is better on the freeway, it is only marginally better and not better enough to warrant dumping a brand new Protege for a Civic.

Besides, here in Minneapolis/St. Paul, being able to do 90 mph on the freeway is rare. There is usually traffic preventing you from doing that and if there isn't, then you are BEGGING for a speeding ticket. I just put 1000 miles on a rental car in LA and those people haul [non-permissible content removed] when there's no traffic (rare), but most of the people still keep it below 90 mph. Atlanta must be unique.

carguy58 · June 2003

I was about 17 years old when I had my accident. I was a young driver and I just a leased a brand new car. Thats why my rates were so high at that time(its still crazy though I think they were that high though.) I pay 156 dollars a month for insurance now. I am in my early 20's and I drive a coupe. I have the same insurance company as you.

anonymousposts · June 2003

The issue isn't how high the car revs. We traded the Protege for a 00 Civic SI for crying out loud. Then we traded that 00 Civic SI for a 2002 Civic SI. Both SI's would rev at 4000RPM at 80. But although it was a little disconcerting at times to see the revs so high if you didn't look at the tach you wouldn't know it. Both SI engines were still smooth even at 100 MPH. The 02 SI even more so because it was equipped with balance shafts. Another example is the S2000. Sure it revs at 5000RPM at 80-90 but no one has ever said the engine was rough or loud. Even the 1.8 in the Miata is geared short but there is still power left when you are travelling at highway speeds.

Again, it's not the revs or even the noise. It's the buzziness accompanied by a complete lack of power once you get past 80 MPH. Maybe I was spoiled by being able to cruise 100 MPH all day long in my Accords but we just couldn't deal with the Protege. Loved that little car to death. We actually considered it to be our reliable Jetta because it drove THAT good. But that engine....

carguy58 · June 2003

Who goes 100 mph? I can't even imagine going 100 mph in my car.

Is the Protege Engine really that loud? I didn't notice the engine to be loud in my 98 626 yet auto reviewers attacted the last generation 626 for that.

anonymousposts · June 2003

We frequently take trips to Florida straight down Interstate 75. It's straight and flat and in the fast lane if you aren't doing at least 80 you will get bright-lighted, ran over, and flipped off. And that's by the cops.

On a sunny, cop-free day you will often see lines of people doing at least 100 MPH. Strangely, they are usually Hondas, BMWS, Benzes, and Expeditions/Navigators. Look for us near the back of the line. That's the safest place to be. I won't do 100MPH by myself but if you are behind 6 other people you have nothing to lose.

newcar31 · June 2003

"Is the Protege Engine really that loud?"

I don't think so, and I used to own a 92 Integra VTEC. Not a big difference in engine noise or smoothness IMO. Different power delivery? Yes.

I don't think there's a big difference between my brother's 1.7L in his 2002 Civic EX and my Protege either with regards to engine noise. They're both dogs on the freeway. He gets better mileage though.....

I dunno, maybe I was just spoiled by my Mustang that would do freeway speeds below 2000 rpms and if you downshifted to 3rd, you could blow away 99% of the cars on the road. Next the Mustang, pretty much all 4 cyl economy cars seem the same to me with regards to freeway performance. Being concerned about acceleration above 90 mph in a 4 cyl economy car seems silly to me.

anonymousposts · June 2003

Well I want my car to get 30MPG and be able to get out of it's own way at 90. You can't tell me your Mustang (I am assuming it was a V8) got 30 MPG.

We didn't have a GS-R Integra. We had the base 1.8L engine vs. the 1.7L VTEC engine that you had.

scottdude · June 2003

If you're the last one in a line of cars doing 100mph, wouldn't you be the one the cop would zoom up from behind to pull over?

r2s2 · June 2003

In the past 15 hours, members have posted about the Lotus Esprit, Protege, Ford Duratec [OK, maybe], Cadillac, Saturn, Toyota, Honda, Pontiac, Infiniti, Civic, Integra, Miata, Jetta, BMW, MBenz, Expedition, Navigator, Mustang. Not one mention of the MZ6.

PAT -- Can you direct me to the MZ6 Board please?

mazda6s · June 2003

"Look for us near the back of the line. That's the safest place to be. I won't do 100MPH by myself but if you are behind 6 other people you have nothing to lose."

Not true. Sometimes it's easier for them to pick off the last one in the pack. I know first hand, because I got my last speeding ticket that way. He clocked us from the median, then came up behind and got me.

r2s2 · June 2003

In the past 15 hours, members have posted about the Lotus Esprit, Protege, Ford Duratec [OK, maybe], Cadillac, Saturn, Toyota, Honda, Pontiac, Infiniti, Civic, Integra, Miata, Jetta, BMW, MBenz, Expedition, Navigator, Mustang. Not one mention of the MZ6.

PAT -- I seem to be lost. Can you direct me to the MZ6 Board please?

gee35coupe · June 2003

So I guess you were just unlucky. Actually whenever you get a ticket it's unlucky in my opinion. There are only so many patrols per mile. But anyway. Our tickets have ony come after we have slowed down to 80 or below and stopped being as vigilant as we are when traveling at higher speeds. We don't even use radar detectors since they seem to give a false sense of security. Additionally, some police are more likely to ticket you if they see a detector.

Besides at 100mph the cop would have to be trolling at over 100 to notice you. If a policeman comes up to get you at 100 he would have to had been notified by radio. Most times it's the car in the front that was seen and got reported. At least that's what has happened in our experience. We've seen countless lead cars get what had to be a horrific ticket, if not jail time.

To bring up the 6. On our test drive I got the 6 up to 95 mph. Rock solid. In fact I think the 6 would be perfect for that since the gearing is so long. Nice low rpm cruise with plenty of reserve up top for great passing power. I've always been a fan of higher revving top end power cars. Guess that's my Honda roots showing through.

pat · June 2003

r2s2 has a very valid point.

This is a topical discussion and the topic is the Mazda6. You need to keep that in mind.

Thanks.

cop414 · June 2003

Reference speeding tickets-
From one who knows, as I've been a police officer for 17+ years. If you have a pack traveling at any high rate of speed, usually the last car in the pack is the one that will be stopped and ticketed, although in my time on the road I have actually stopped two vehicles at once-that's a rare thing though. (I've done it twice, once with two cars and once with two truck tractors.)
As far as stopping someone going 100+ by radioing ahead, I've seen it done and have been a part of it, but I also know of countless times that vehicles traveling at very high speeds have been stopped by a single patrol car, it's not that hard and depends much on the roadway demographics as well as the officers driving experience and the departments rules and regulations concerning high speed pursuits.
BTW I'm also an accident reconstructionist if anyone (hopefully not) has any questions concerning that topic.
The fastest vehicle I have ever stopped was a Suzuki sportbike at 117 mph. Crazy people...
PS I am the proud owner of a redfire 6i, sport, leather, premium, mt.

pat · June 2003

pat Jun 22, 2003 4:10pm

"This is a topical discussion and the topic is the Mazda6. You need to keep that in mind."

Hmm ... there is an ECHO in here and it surely ain't of the Toyota variety because that too would be off-topic.

Comments, questions, opinions on the Mazda6 please folks?

igotamiata · June 2003

When locking and unlocking the 6 with the remote, just the lights flash. No horn beebing or obnoxious sound. I was so glad to see that when I bought my 6S...I hate hearing the horn or other sound when people lock their cars...especially when I lived in an apartment and people would come home at 3am and lock their cars...BEEEEP!!! Obnoxious!

jgriff · June 2003

Can any double confirm that 32# is for both the 16 & 17". That appears to what is printed the inside of the door.

The dealer had mine inflated to 33 to 33.5 (cold). I had to let some air out, getting it down to 32. Just wanted to make certain that was right.

seaf · June 2003

I would think the 17" with lower profiles would require a higher pressure, about 1-2 psi than the 'regular' 32psi. At least this is what is recommended by most aftermarket wheel/tire shops when you install plus size wheels on any vehicle.

miata10ae · June 2003

I was just wondering what kind of notification do you get when you lock and unlock the MZ6 with the remote.

You do get the lights flashing when you press the lock button once. If you want audible notification, press the lock button a second time within 5 secs of the first press. The horn will sound.

jgriff · June 2003

Heck I even checked out the Michelin site, & it states just about every spec except tire pressure.

http://michelinman.com/catalog/tires/MichelinPilotMXM4.html?tiret- ype=3&tire=9

At 32 it does seem too soft. Maybe it should be 33-34.

autohound1 · June 2003

I am considering buying Mazda6 4-cyl MT (hatch or wagon).... Can you tell me if you feel it has enough power to accelerate quickly from, say, 60 to 90 mph (highway passing, etc)? I test drove one and loved the acceleration around town, and I had a brief freeway stint to test acceleration, but felt it to be lacking a bit in the 60-90mph range. However, I may not have revved the engine high enough to get it into the power band. I'd be interested in your experiences regarding this. Also, what kind of mpg do you get on average and what mix city/hwy driving do you do?Thanks for any info you can offer.

caligirl94 · June 2003

I have a 6i MT as well (steel gray). I recently took a 330 mile road trip in each direction, the majority of which was spent on I-95. I was nearing the end of the break-in period and as it was I was having a hard time keeping it below 85. IMO, the 4-cylinder has plenty of power for passing, etc. The majority of the time I'm the only one in the car, so I can't say that it would be the same with a car full of people.

Earlier tonight (after giving my baby her first bath

), I was merging onto the freeway. I was doing about 50 or so on the onramp, and once I actually got on the freeway and over into the fast lane I looked down to check my speed. It was 75mph. I actually have to watch myself with this car because I don't feel the speed in it like I used to in my Protege. I often find myself going well above the speed limit without even realizing it.

I decided against the 6 cylinder for a couple of reasons. First, the fuel economy is definitely better in the 6i. Second, I know myself and I know that I did not need that extra power and would only end up getting myself in trouble with it. I'm really happy with my choice and I still end up beating most people off the line.

Just my two cents.

caligirl94 · June 2003

Also, for those who are interested:

Tank 1: mostly city driving, stop and go traffic with a/c on, 25.8 MPG

Tank 2: 90% freeway driving, speeds around 85 w/some stop and go, a/c on half the time, 29.4 MPG

Tank 3: 80% freeway driving, same speeds as above w/more stop and go, a/c on about half the time, 28.5 MPG

Mazda6 Sedan

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