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4WD doesn't help you stop..in fact, the added weight of the 4WD system will increase your stopping distances on ice. 4WD is great for helping you to get going though.
As far as I know, when I press on the brake pedal, all four brakes are being applied.
It just lets you control which gear the engine will run in. A nice thing about the Sport Auto in the 6 (4 speed Ford/Mazda unit in the I and 5 speed JatCo in the S) is that it WILL hold a gear upto redline and bounce you fof the limiter. So it won't dumb things down like the Lexuses or Acuras of the world by shifting intot he next gear for you.
Ideally, of course, get the Manual - which DOES have a real clutch. Clutchless manuals are only available one xotic (expensive!) cars
I just want a car that nobody has and that is safe.
Hmm, how about a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS? Basically all the goodness of the WRX with a torquey and well behaved 2.5-H4 engine instead of the WRX's insane 2.0-H4T. They are pretty rare, excellent in snow with the AWD, and the handling is great. Other than the missing hood scoop, they look nearly identical to the WRX.
Disclaimer: the RS is not in the same class as the Mazda6, it's a smaller car and a bit less refined. But I guarantee it will keep a smile on your face just like the 6, only it might be a bit more mischeivious of a smile....
I would NOT recommend a WRX for a teenager, it's just too powerful and can get you in a lot of trouble fast. The RS is like the WRX's calmer sibling.
Craig
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.
I've never had "snow tires" specifically in the past. Always just had all-seasons that I kept on year-round. Would all-seasons cost less? Plus they'd last longer probably. And THEY have a mileage warranty whereas "snow tires" don't.
Like my dearly missed 2001 Protege, your sport package 6 has low profile, high performance, all season tires....but you can't have great high performance traits AND great all season traits in the same tire. So what you get is a compromise. Compared to real, summer high performance tires, your all season high performance tires are step down. Compared to real winter tires, your all season high performance tires are a big step down.
Then again if you live in an area where you get major snow accumulation the whole winter it may be a good idea to get snow tires to lessen the chance of being stuck on side streets but that's the only reason I would do it but even in Toronto I've never experienced enough snow to worry about getting stuck. The plows come pretty quickly.
Makes you wonder how we got thru winter with our old RWD cars back in the good old days without traction control and such. Nowadays it's a breeze. It's not the cars it's the drivers.
Driving like a moron in the snow is not limited to SUV drivers. Friend of mine with a SUV ended up in a ditch because a person driving a Honda cut him off. Rather than hit the car, he drove into a ditch. There was about 6 inches of snow on the ground at the time.
Tim: I assume Colorado winter's are pretty bad(worse than Toronto which is average) so if you are worried about getting stuck then I would but if not I found my 6 to be quite stable in snow. Just promise to drive with caution especially because you're a new driver. I've driven thru 19 Canadian winters and have never lost control of my car in the snow. Sometimes it's unavoidable but don't drive like a psycho and you'll minimize the danger.
Seriously though, your driving skill is much more important than if you have snow tires or not.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
As for alloys in the winter, just make sure you hose them down with water once every 2 weeks at least and they'll be fine.
They will look as good in 4 years as the day you purchased the car.
The only exception I would make is if you drive a lot of high speed expressway miles with the salt and gravel on the roads. This can have a sandblasting effect that no polymer finish will protect.
Mark. : )
I saw a commercial advertising it last night during the Dolphins/Skins game. It said $2500 cash back or 0% for 60 months on select 2003 6's. NOT 2004's. Fine print that I didn't bother to read appeared at the bottom.
Edmunds also shows the $2500 rebate for my region. Only on non-sport models. Maybe it's just not available in yours?
The "aero kit" of the sport package can be dealer installed. The aero appearance pieces come pre-painted.
Anyway, my question to current 6 owners concerns oil changes away from Mazda dealerships. Do the independent shops or Jiffy Lubes handle the oil cannister without any problems? Aside from the rust issue, that is one of the reasons I may not buy a 6. I can't change the oil myself anymore, and I don't have a lot of confidence in local shops doing an oil change effectivfely on anything other than a standard filter.
I use the Motorcraft OEM filter on my Taurus as I have a filter cap wrench that fits the knurling on the end of this filter and is easier to use than a strap type wrench. The filter is a bit tight to access on my Taurus, but relatively easy with the cap wrench. You can buy the Motorcraft filter at many discount parts places for usually less than $4. The Motorcraft filter is FL820S. Any oil change place should have plenty of filters to fit the V-6 Mazda6 as there are a lot of Duratec Tauri out there getting oil changes every day.
I have no idea what filter is used on the 4 cylinder Mazda6.
Sounds like you've already made up your mind. I have a 6i and change my own oil. I used to work at oil change joints. Like you, I have no confidence in those places OR the dealership, ESPECIALLY considering that the 6i uses an internal canister filter. That's why I do it myself.
There are MULTITUDES of threads, with diagrams, maps, instructions and photographs on some websites already! I've had it done at my local mechanic's garage once, watching the whole time, as he and I figured it all out together, and done it at a friend's place on ramps once, so far. Not that difficult.
Of course, I bought my own filter each time, and my own Mobil 1 0W20 Synthetic oil. The mechanic charged me $15 labor only.
Some people have had a tough time taking the first filter off for the first change - they stabbed it with scredrivers, chopsticks etc to get better leverage!!!
The 6i filter cartridge is also on VERY tight, so I had mine done at a shop the first time. I since found a tool at the Mazda dealership parts dept. that opens the filter easily.
I haven't seen one, but I'm guessing that it's some kind of cap that fits over the fitler canister cover just right. The canister cover is plastic, so I wouldn't use metal tools on it unless they fit perfectly. I don't use a tool, I've been lucky enough to unscrew it with my hand, even on the first oil change. I struggled pretty badly the last time though, so I might have to check out what ashu is talking about.
Admittedly, I haven't used it yet, but Todd described it perfectly. And its the same hard plasticky material that the cartridge and our intake manifolds are made of. Not metallic.