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Comments
wagon production starts in march.
CL
Ugh!
Ugh!
Ugh!
Mazda - soon as you get this silly stain stuff figured out, PLEASE start coming out with performance parts
CL
That's all the US comparisons I can think of.
CL
An excellent Protege tradition has been lost with the 3... relatively large back seats. The back seats in the 3 are cramped, especially leg room. My knees were pressed against the front seat, which I adjusted for my driving taste. I am only 5'8"!
However, the switch gear felt good... better than the 6. And the trunk paneling and cargo area was extremely good. I haven't driven one, but it should drive pretty good. I don't know... I'll have to look at more of them to make a better opinion. I just felt the quality was not up to the 3rd Gen Protege's, which I have owned two of ('99 ES and '03 P5). The sad thing is that this 3 was more expensive than my 6, and it still didn't have the xenon/tire pressure monitoring/navigation package!
I had a 2001 Protege ES and I have a 2003 6i and they don't share any visable interior pieces. The gauges, vents, HVAC controls, visors, CD/stereo, lock & window switches are all different.
The 6's interior is a lot better, especially the dash covering. Some publication (can't remember) said it was similiar to what you'd find in a BMW, and I'd agree. I almost leased a 3 series instead of getting my 6. I didn't like the hard plastic dash in my Protege, and it looks like Mazda didn't change that in the 3.
Has anyone installed a remote car starter on their 6?
Maybe the one you saw needed a little PDI?
Dinu
About the Honda thing their repuatation is very strong where as Mazda gets bashed all the time because of Ford.
I guess Mazda 6 sales must be climbing, because this board now seems to be gripped by a problem that the Accord has had for a while -- people read anecdotal complaints by a handful of owners and assume that the whole car line is in trouble. Folks, that's just silly. You simply cannot gauge a car's reliability by the number of problems listed on internet forums. Otherwise, no one would EVER buy an Accord or Camry (check their Problems discussions)... or, for that matter, any car at all.
I understand completely if someone is turned away from the 6 due to the rust issue. I certainly won't recommend it to anyone until I am satisfied the issue is resolved. But now the entire car is a mirage, or (worse) a Pontiac?? Puhleeze...
CL
I mean I had a pleasent experience with my Mazda 626. It did show me Mazda can build a reliable product that holds together and never breaks down but that was 5 years ago. For the record I was mad because my battery went dead and attributed it to not buying a Honda or a Nissan but I got over it. It just seems like Mazda always going to live in Honda's shadow. Honda just always has the better product than Mazda.
Finally, yes I like the 6 but is the car hype or is it real? Nissan and Honda just always have Mazda's number. It just seems like Mazda cannot get out of Honda or Nissan's shadow. I would forget about Toyota. They are the Japanese Ford(nice functional cars but not much else.) Mazda is the Japanese Chrysler(nice styled cars but no respect anywhere else.) Chrysler has always lived in Ford and GM's shadow.
Never hear about dissatisfied Honda owners? You need to check out the Accord Problems discussion. Even a fine car such as the Accord has its share of issues and disgruntled owners. Or you could just ask me about the Hondas I've owned...
You mention dissatisfied 6 owners, yet many of the posters recently dissing the 6 don't even own one (see above). But I give up... believe what you want.
CL
The DW has an 02 MPV. It has 21,000 miles on it. It has been to the dealer for the Fog Light Recall. Otherwise I have performed the same maintenance as mentioned above. She has not had a single issue to complain about.
So far the first 9,100 miles on my 6s have been rock solid. I had two bolts tightened on the drivers door window for a "rattle." I had the "stain", "rust?" repaired on my doors. Only time will tell. I enjoy driving my 6s more than the day I purchased it.
If you look at the Mazda reliability data you will see very little difference between it and Honda/Toyota.
You made the correct choice. Congrats!!!
Mark.
Livaudais: What Honda's have you owned? I'm just curious and if any what kind of problems have you had with them?
Carguy, I've owned 2 Civics and a CRX Si. My first Civic was a rattle trap that also left me stranded a few times with transaxle problems. It was the most disappointing car I've owned to date. I had a love/hate relationship with the CRX. I loved the way it looked and handled, the engine and 5-speed were smooth and sporty... but it too rattled enough to drive me crazy. My last Civic was a fine, albeit dull, car. My personal experience -- and that's all it is, just more anecdotes -- is that Hondas are not the paragons of quality people assume. They're fine cars, no doubt...but the best vehicle I've owned to date was a Toyota, and the most fun is now a Mazda. I can't tell you how much I enjoy this car... and yet, I probably wouldn't buy another unless I were sure the rust issue is resolved. (I'd probably buy a TSX instead).
If the 6's reputation is now tainted with rust, I'd say that Honda's is coated with teflon :-) Hats off to them, though, there's a reason they have such a great reputation.
CL
But......I have now had two check engine lights, that haven't worried me too much, since they were simple computer glitches. I also have the staining/rust issue. My biggest problem is Mazda's lack of communicating this problem to its owners. I have been told over and over again by a Mazda "specialist" that they would be informing all affected owners by mail of this problem. I have yet to receive anything. I just thank god my dealer is on my side. They want their body shop guys to look at, because they think the staining they see is rust bleed from an area rusting out of view in the sash cavity. Here's hoping mazda fixes the problem and doesn't ruin a great car. The longer i keep getting the run around, the more doubts i get.
Anyway rust issue aside its nice CR rates the 6's reliability that high.
Finally, Does anybody on this board have an 04 6 that isn't rusting? That would tell me if Mazda fixed their manufacturing defect. Of course most owners 03 6's rusted over a period of 5 months it seems like so it could be hard to tell how 04 6's paint jobs will be over the long haul. I look at the 6 whenever I see one. The paint job seems to be nice so the rust issue is kinda weird.
Of course Mazda won't endorse it. If they didn't test it, or sell it to you, then they want nothing to do with it. Geesh, they wouldn't endorse a different tire when I called them. They said to buy the same one that came on the car and if I bought a different one it was at my own risk.
Get a reputable shop to install a brand name starter and you'll be fine. Check around, I'm sure some one has one installed in a 6.
(I have owned over 60 cars)
CL
All four of my door hinges started to squeak like the dickens once the temp dropped. I'm not sure if these are lubed during the PDI but it's very annoying. It should be taken care of during my first oil change.
The major rattle source is the console. Based on how others have fared with their dealers I'm inclined to let it ride lest they scratch the damn thing or break something else trying to fix the problem area(s).
I have thought about one of those remote starters because the car is so cold when I get out of work. Maybe on my next car.
Because I see one about as often as I see a Viper or Ferrari.
CL
I see as many as TSX's as I see 6's. Maybe a little more TSX sightings.
I see alot of 3 Series too. Alot of Ford Explorer's, Honda Accord's, Nissan Altima's and Toyota Camry's. Pretty much the usual of what everybody sees on the roads nowadays.
Finally, I see alot of the 93-97 626's does anybody see alot of them?