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Mazda6 Sedan

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Comments

  • twinturbotimtwinturbotim Member Posts: 26
    When does the new 6 hatchback come out on the market?
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    april maybe?
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    they start production of the 5-door in Feb....they should start shipping by early march.

    wagon production starts in march.
  • grove4grove4 Member Posts: 95
    I had finally been pushed to the end of my rope with mazda.I had the rust fixed and it started coming back.I had the screech when you turn the wheel and the dealer put the new pad holders on and it still screeched.The bass in the left front speaker rattled the door and the dealer could not fix it.Mainly the rust was my biggest hangup.And all mazda would do is keep telling me to take it back to the dealer.I had a beautiful silver 6s auto with the sport grill.It really is a shame because I feel mazda had so much potential with the 6 and they blew it.If quality control or even further testing before the release of the car could have prevented all this.If you go to epinions.com you can see how the love affair with the mazda6 is wearing off as the miles start going up for the owners,problems,and more problems.In my opinion the rust issue is inexcusible in this day and age.Well I got 19k on a trade for a 03 EXV6 accord that was the general managers car for 6k miles.Back in june when I bought the mazda it was 25k and I traded a 98 accord for it.I never had a problem with the accord but I wanted somthing more exciting.I can say the mazda impressed me before all the problems started.I see all these post here pretty much bashing the accord or trying to make the 6 equivelent.I can tell you first hand that the only thing you sacrafice going to the accord is steering and braking.Otherwise there is more room and a higher quality interior(I scratched my silver plastic with the car vac hose at the car wash just reaching over to the passenger side).Engine is much smoother and more powerful.So to the guy a few post back talking a bout refinement,the accord is refinement in every way.Not to mention the two things that keeps people coming back like me.Reliability,and resale.I feel like Im starting to sound like a honda rep,but I was just so ticked off with the mazda and the way mazda handled me I feel like they owed me a better product for my hard earned money.Heck, an apology letter,a letter telling people to look under the weatherstripping and bring it in.I got absolutely nowhere with mazda and I will not buy another one again or recommend one to anybody.I sure hope you guys can get better help than I did.We all bought the 6 for the same reasons and I hope this experience I had is not a common one with everyone here.Good luck to you all.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    for 2004 include the Mazda 6 and 3 in the sedan category. The 6 made both the Top Picks and the Editors' Most Wanted list. Among competing vehicles, the Passat was the other sedan to make the lists. Seems that our opinions and those of the editors are in, um, accord.

    CL
  • grove4grove4 Member Posts: 95
    Dont want to to start arguing over this but car and driver and consumer reports took the accord overall,along with others.I would have picked the 6 if I only had it a month and did not know the real deal.I even bought one as stated earlier.It was my experience after a 6 months of ownership.
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    Your response to 'twinturbo' above made me think, for a fleeting instant, that a twinturbo 6 was going to come out soon. Apparently NOT.

    Ugh!
    Ugh!
    Ugh!

    Mazda - soon as you get this silly stain stuff figured out, PLEASE start coming out with performance parts :)
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    Drove my 6 in over 2-3 inches of snow at my apartment on semi-shredded stock Michelin tires - excellent snow manners, very stable, I could force the wheels to spin and the car to slide, but at a very expected/known threshold. All in all - HIGHLY impressive. Just like 99.9% of the things about the car :) And in my book, that's good enough to KEEP on coming back to Mazda.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    I don't want to argue either. My post was not intended as a response to yours. I'm sorry to hear of your experience with your 6. The rust is a real issue, and my car is affected as well. Otherwise, my car has been perfect after 5 months. I'm sure you know that any individual car can be a lemon or a star. I hope you have a long and pleasant ownership experience with your new car.

    CL
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    sorry,....but like a fine wine, good things take time. The MZSpeed6 will eventually show up.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    I'm sorry to hear about your 6. I'm in the same boat with you, although I won't be looking at an Accord as a replacement. I was thinking about the new Mazda3, but after seeing one in person at the dealership, I was highly disappointed. Hopefully, there will be a leftover Protege or Protege5 when I get rid of my 6. However, the new Prius has caught my eye... it's the anti-zoom, but there's no zoom-zoom when all you ever do is crawl down the freeway at 2 mph. At least I could easily triple the absurdly low mileage (19-20mpg, 90% highway) I get in my 4-cyl 6.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Car and Driver had the Accord and 6 tied for first place. Didn't they say they made a mistake in the initial comparison and then in the next issue stated that they should have tied?
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    You're thinking of Road & Track. C&D ranked the Accord first, 6 second in a comparison of 4 cyl cars. CR likes Passat or Accord, depending on the model. Automobile likes the 6. Edmunds likes the Passat first, 6 second -- dropped the Accord off its list of favorites this year. MT did not directly compare the 2.

    That's all the US comparisons I can think of.

    CL
  • buggywhipbuggywhip Member Posts: 188
    grove, you really deserve better. I am so sorry for your bad 6 experience. You lost some $$$, but not a lot. It was a learning experience. I sat in a base 6i at the auto show and I truly was not impressed with the interior quality. It was, IMO, on par with a Civic, but not quite equal to the Accord. The seats were truly disappointing--the Altima seats were far more ample. I read that the 6i shares some interior pieces with the Protege which, if true, is a real kick in the teeth to a 6 buyer. Honda would never share parts like that..............jstand, I have followed with great interest your 6 experience, here and on the other site. 20 mpg hwy for a 4cyl car is unacceptable. You gotta be leaking gas! But I disagree with you about the 3. I think the 3 is a mini-mercedes, esp. w/ its interior............it looks more and more like the 6 is japanese in name only! Maybe it's true that Mazda is just a japanese Pontiac. Brrrr. Scary.
  • ian2ian2 Member Posts: 168
    ... except that Mazdas are built for drivers and they back it up with the handling and driving experience. Pontiac on the other hand offers neither except in the GTO.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    I really liked the look of the exterior and interior of the 3. However, I found the interior build to be lacking, especially in comparison to the Protege/Protege5, which it supercedes. My biggest gripe has to do with the doors, which sound like they came off a '91 Protege. They shudder and rattle when you close them, and some of the many pieces that make up the door panel were so loose that you could move them around about 1/4" in any direction. The sun visors (in Protege tradition) were as cheap as can be, but at least the Protege is padded vinyl; the 3 has hard plastic visors and the mirror covers click loudly and feel like they are going to break when you open and close them. What's with the blue glow at the top of the instrument panel and at the base of the HVAC/radio stack when you open the doors?

    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!
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    "I read that the 6i shares some interior pieces with the Protege which, if true, is a real kick in the teeth to a 6 buyer."

    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.
  • stretchsjestretchsje Member Posts: 700
    THe Mazda6 service manual indicated (if it was being read properly) that the 4cyl manual tranny in the Mazda6 is from the Protege. THe V6 manual tranny is different- dunno what its origins are. Both feel the same, and very different from the Protege. Confused yet?
  • mazdamarlamazdamarla Member Posts: 350
    I'm in Michigan, so it sure would be nice to come out to a nice warm car at the end of the day - or in the morning. It's gettin' COLD outside now!!! I notice the heated seats don't kick in IMMEDIATELY - at least in my car. Probably about a minute or two go by before I feel my backside start warming up. I called my Mazda dealership and talked to the service manager, and he said that neither the dealership nor Mazda "endorse" any remote car starter, even if it's dealer-installed. They don't do them at all. I'd have to go to a local stereo-type place and have one, and then if something did screw something up, my warranty could be voided. So I doubt I'll do it - at least until after 4 years are up.

    Has anyone installed a remote car starter on their 6?
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    be very cautious about having a remote starter installed by anyone but your mazda dealer. The MZ6 has a CAN engine mgt system that does not act well to things being installed like remote starters. Especially if the wires get spliced!!! We have several directives from Mazda saying they have seen "NO start" problems caused by aftermarket remotes and some other aftermarket items.....mazda is rejecting all warranty claims caused by aftermarket parts and accessories.
  • dinu01dinu01 Member Posts: 2,586
    The ones I've sat in (2sedans and 1HB so far) have not had these issues. Their panels were screwed together tightly and the noise the doors made when closed sounded good.

    Maybe the one you saw needed a little PDI?

    Dinu
  • dantodanto Member Posts: 24
    As some of you know I work as a team leader at the Mazda 6 plant. I am writing in response to earlier posts implying that the Mazda 6 must be inferior to Japanese built cars because it is built in the US. A couple of years ago when we were building the Mazda 626 and the Mercury Cougar we were puzzled by the negative quality reports about the Cougar. The Mazda 626 was among the top of its class in quality month after month yet the cougar was among the worst in its class. How can such a disparity occur given that both vehicles were built on the same line with the same people using the same tools? The answer is engineering! The Cougar was poorly and hastily engineered in Europe (took three years from concept to mass production) while the 626 was well engineered in Japan. Having been through three generations of the 626, two generation of the Probe and one of the Cougar, the current 6 is by far the best car we've ever produced at AAI! I might be a little biased in saying this but we feel proud to be building this great car in the US! No, we don't build perfect cars but neither does anyone else! What we do build is solid, world-class vehicles that can go toe to toe with anyone else. To prove this point all you have to do is read some of the many glaring reviews about the 6!
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    that would be Mitsubishi. Pontiac's don't have as good as interior's as Mazda's: no way. As people start to have problems with their 6 did Mazda not build a reliable car? I saw alot of MSN Reviews bashing the 6(anybody can write anything really.) Its sad Mazda had a winner here and they might have just blown it themselves. As far as the Accord there is problems with rattling on 03's. but no rust. Maybe the Mazda 6 was just a nice looking car that just is a mirage. I hate bashing it but Mazda owners are starting to turn on Mazda which isn't a good thing.

    About the Honda thing their repuatation is very strong where as Mazda gets bashed all the time because of Ford.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    has been exceptional so far. Online reviews appear to have been saturated by some moron with a vendetta and too much time on his hands -- check the *other forum* for more on this. It's too early to tell about the car's long-term reliability, but so far Consumer Reports suggests that it is at least as reliable (if not more so) as its main Japanese competitors.

    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
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    Mazda owners are just dissatisfied with the 6 after owning it for like a year. People just don't feel the same way about their Altima or Accord. They don't regret their purchase.

    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.
  • buggywhipbuggywhip Member Posts: 188
    I used to think Mitsu was the Japanese Pontiac, but I changed my mind when they dropped the stick from the Galant and gave the Lancer such an underpowered base engine. The latest Galant is competent but bloated. Mitsu screams Olds now. So is Mazda the new Asian Pontiac??..........I'm not convinced the Cougar was poorly engineered. It was based on the well-proven Contour platform. The Cougar should have been flawless. That was one rad-looking car.............and it is surely true than anything you read on the internet is anecdotal and usually not representative of the whole. But this rust issue seems different. The thing is, I'll bet a lot of people don't even know they have the rust b/c it's hidden behind the weatherstripping.............I don't have a prob with the 6 and Protege sharing gearboxes. Mazda makes great gearboxes.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    you have a preconceived notion that you're clinging to. Research the Owner's reviews on Edmunds about the 6: the average score is 9.3. Sound dissatisfied to you?

    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
  • twinturbotimtwinturbotim Member Posts: 26
    I think I have decided to go with the Mazda 6 for my next car. Sure, it may not be as refined as an Acura TSX, but its elegant enough and gets the job done. Just one question, how reliable and what is the longevity of Mazdas in general?
  • glideslopesglideslopes Member Posts: 431
    I sold a 00 Protege' ES MT with 60,000 miles prior to buying my 6s in 03. I never had a single issue from the day of delivery. The dealer performed the 30,000 mile service. Otherwise I completed all fluid and filter changes, lubrication and tire rotation.

    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.
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    They don't feel the same at all. Part of that probably has to do with the 6 being a cable linkage and the Protege being a rod linkage. The gear ratios are also very different, the 6 has much taller gearing. The 6 shifts better than the Protege when it's cold and it's easier to shift into first if you're moving a little bit. The 6 also has less play in the shifter.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    Mitsu used to be the Japanese BMW, then they were the Japanese Pontiac now they are the Japanese olds. ok!

    Livaudais: What Honda's have you owned? I'm just curious and if any what kind of problems have you had with them?
  • grove4grove4 Member Posts: 95
    The 6 is a great car and so is the accord and camry.The difference is that on the accords problems and solutions board the issues are all minor(mostly)and all different.The 6 is one big widespread rust issue. And several others that are all common with many cars.And why so many cars after the certain build date still affected with rust?It just needs more quality control.If this stuff could be fixed it would be the frontrunner with about 20 more ponies.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    Agreed about the rust issue -- it is a real problem that seems to affect many cars. To be fair, the other cars you mentioned have some not-so-minor issues affecting several of them as well ... but nothing as potentially serious as rust. CR suggests that initial quality of the 6 is actually better than the Accord, but the Accord ain't rusting....

    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
  • replayreplay Member Posts: 11
    I've had my Mazda 6 since June and love it. After being stuck in a Dodge stratus the last couple of weeks do to an accident i appreciate the 6's driving experience even more. The dodge isn't even in the same league.

    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.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    If enough people looked under the weather stripping would the 6's reliability rating be lower? As I said a while back CR does count Paint/Body/Trim as a reliability stat in determining a cars overall reliability.

    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.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Again folks, we are not going to talk about the Accord here.
  • mazdamarlamazdamarla Member Posts: 350
    Yeah, I know. And my Mazda dealer won't install remote car starters - PERIOD. I've already decided I'm not going to do it. If the dealer and/or Mazda won't endorse it or recommend one, then I'm not going to screw with it. It sure woulda been nice, tho....
    :)
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Remote car starters just waste gas and lead to carbon build up in the engine b/c the vehicle is idling so long.
  • seafseaf Member Posts: 339
    are probably a bad idea due to safety and waste of gas. Maybe another route is to get a seatwarmer that acts quicker?
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    That is if you have an automatic. We have 2 car starters and they work great! Wish I could get one on my P5, but no one will put one in a 5 speed. It can be done, but no one wants to touch it.

    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.
  • waydewayde Member Posts: 198
    get some heated seats installed (that's assuming you don't have them already)
  • brucee1brucee1 Member Posts: 3
    Bought my 6 GT-6 Auto Feb. 14/03, have 32,000 km.(20,000+ miles) on it. It is a great car - super handling & braking, more than adequate power, very comfortable and the sound it makes when accelerating is addictive. I notice on reading messages that a lot of owners are mentioning rust or staining. My 6 has seen about 3 months of Cdn. winter & salted roads since I bought it. I cleaned it and inspected it carefully today and cannot find a trace of anything like that. It is probably the most enjoyable car that I have owned.
    (I have owned over 60 cars)
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    Saw 2 of them in Raleigh yesterday -- my car is no longer unique in this area... Both had sport pkg, 1 had the V6 badge and 1 did not. That's a good looking car! ;-)

    CL
  • mazdamarlamazdamarla Member Posts: 350
    I already have the heated leather seats. But it seems to take a good couple minutes before they kick in and I can feel the heat on my backside. Besides, they only heat your rearend. My face, feet, etc. are still freezing while I wait for the warm air to finally come out of the vents.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    Is it just me, or does it take forever before hot air starts coming out? Even after 5 minutes of warming up, I don't get adequate heat until I have been driving for 15 minutes or so. I'm in San Diego (although it has been dropping into the 30's at night), so I can't imagine what it's like in colder climates. Getting heat to my feet is an even bigger problem! In my ex-Protege and current Protege5, you are in an oven within 5 minutes and it will bake your feet even on the lowest fan setting.
  • midwesttradermidwesttrader Member Posts: 291
    accord7 - my complaint is not a major one.

    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).
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    a miracle when they see a 6?

    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.
  • jstandeferjstandefer Member Posts: 805
    "How come everybody acts like a miracle when they see a 6?"

    Because I see one about as often as I see a Viper or Ferrari.
  • livaudaislivaudais Member Posts: 55
    I am seeing more and more 6's. I just hadn't seen any other Sepang Greens -- then 2 in one day. Where I live (near the Research Triangle Park in NC), the most common car seems to be the BMW 3 Series. I still see more TSX's than 6's in this neck of the woods. carguy has a point, though, the novelty of 6 sightings is wearing off.

    CL
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    50 of them it wears off. I usually see couples or single's drving them. You do see 6's with tinted windows and after exhausts on occasion.

    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?
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