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Comments
I was going to get the 17s, but I have gotten used to the 16s and I decided that I didn't want to mess with having two different sets of tires (winter and summer) like I did with my Protege. I know the tires that come on the 17s are all seasons, but they're low profile and they ride harsher than 16s with the 60 series tires...that, and the fact that I have rust. Don't know how long I will have this car.
I haven't seen many 6's lately. Maybe the dreaded rust issue is making its way around I did see a red fire 6 with sport grille and spoiler on Thursday though.
About the 04 MPV I caught a brief view of it my local Mazda dealer. At first it looks overstyled. I really liked the 2000-2001 MPV. Maybe the 04 will grow on me.
I feel for those of you that have it, but the rest of us that don't would really like to just talk about the car!
Thank You.
a really light metallic beige.
NICE!
Yawn.
I plan to buy steel rims since the salt can pit/cause real damage to alloys. Does anyone know if I need to replace the 17" wheels with other 17" wheels? Since the 6 can also be configured with 16" wheels, I was wondering if those would work for the winter.
And if I change the wheel size, will the speedo/odo readings be accurate (i.e will having 16" tires mean I'm going slower than the speed on my odo or faster?).
Finally, anyone have any suggestions for a tire that's quiet, has good winter performance, and isn't too soft (since most winter driving is on dry pavement and I dont want to replace the tires after one season).
Gosh this place is slow.
I would go for a 6 if your are looking for the sportiest 4 door out there but don't be fooled this car is deceptively quick once you get it going in AT and just plain fast if you get manual. Haven't heard anything about transmission problems and hopefully the rust problem will be solved by the time you buy one. The car is a hoot to drive and feels very secure on the road even at the highest speeds.
Wait for the hatch to come out next spring, has a more youthful look and is more practical if that's your desire. Rust shouldn't be a concern by then. Since you don't have kids(I hope)get a stick.
go snag one up while supplies last!
Save the power for when you're better equipped to handle it.
" Im just concerned about the mechanical defects and longevity of mazdas. Thats why I am completely clueless on what to do"
The Protege/P5 has been outstanding! The 6 is (except for the rust issue which will/should be fixed by the time you're ready to buy). The MPV and Miata are good too. If you're looking at any of these cars you'll be fine reliability-wise.
But as everyone has said, unless you wanna pay more for insurance than for the car, get a used car. Seriously.
Dinu
Down side - if it gets above 50 degrees, or almost always dry pavement - you will wear faster.
The first 50% of this tire is a soft compound great for ICE!!! The tread after that is better than an all season - but you do lose the ice traction after that. Depending on your driving habits - I generally can get two winters out of a set - I just leave them on after March of the second year and finish wearing them out.
I used them on a Ford Ranger the first time - 2wd, and went places the 4wds were stuck in. Two foot of snow and ice were just regular pavement.
Cannot reccomend a tire more highly.
The staining issue gave me pause for all of about, oh, a minute before I continued along my purchase path of the 6s hatch. It's the sweetest ride available for the money, no doubt in my mind.
Down side - if it gets above 50 degrees, or almost always dry pavement - you will wear faster.
The first 50% of this tire is a soft compound great for ICE!!! The tread after that is better than an all season - but you do lose the ice traction after that. Depending on your driving habits - I generally can get two winters out of a set - I just leave them on after March of the second year and finish wearing them out.
I used them on a Ford Ranger the first time - 2wd, and went places the 4wds were stuck in. Two foot of snow and ice were just regular pavement.
Cannot reccomend a tire more highly.
the pics online were much more impressive. the car had 30 day tags, but they wern't red, they were blue. usually here in VA the 30 day temp tags are red. perhaps blue temp tags are from MD or DC?
anyway, i didn't expect a hatch 6 until spring!
Dinu
there are two Mazda dealers close to 66 and the toll road - Rosenthal Tysons and Rosenthal Arlington. maybe is was a "special" car as you mentioned....
they need to scrap those aftermarket looking taillights, and put the car in an elegant color. could be a hit out here in the burbs!
I live in Canada and have a stick and have never had a problem with it. I actually like it better...more control over what's going on, IMO.
All this talk about snow tires and MT vs AT in the snow. Just drive slow in the snow, don't try anything stupid like going over a 2 foot high snow bank or taking an on/off-ramp at 55 mphs and you'll be fine. Most people drive too fast when it's slippery outside. Practice in a icy parking lot how a car handles when it looses traction and it can do a lot more for you than snow tires or 4WD will in terms of safety.
I've gone through my share of Minnesota winters, all on regular FWD cars with AT and all-season tires, never had any accidents. A few times stuck in snow (once every 2 winters), but mostly because the streets haven't been plowed in the morning yet, and those situations could've been avoided too if I had stopped to think before plowing ahead.
I don't really downshift to slow down, I just let off the gas and then use the brakes. Compared to an automatic, I figure I've saved a a lot of brake pad and rotor wear by just letting off the gas and leaving it in gear when slowing down.
You guys are great drivers, I found going over .5mph on black ice to be hazardous to my health.
I actually drove a stick for 12 years. You have more control in snow at the expense of inadvertently causing slippage.
But I never felt safer as I did with my 4WD. The 4wd will brake all wheels at once and 2 feet of snow never slowed me down.
In fact, the stock 16" on my 6s actually handled a 6" snow storm up here on Monday with 40 mph winds quite nicely.
Mark.