Does anyone know, if the mazda 6 new 2.3 and 3.0 engines will be driven by a silent chain belt(better for high reving technology, engine execution as whole), instead of the conventional type which frequently needs replacing (mediocre performance)?? I surely hope they at least covered that aspect, which should be standard in all car engines made from 2002-2003. The addition of a "variable valve timing" as an innovation breakthrough, would be considered a sorry excuse, since its been conered for several years already (by honda, toyota etc). And if not driven by silent chain belt(gut feeling), how in heavens does mazda 2.3 3.0 L engines make that deficiency otherwise compare to the likes of a honda vtech engines used in accords, and nissans engines used in the altimas, where they already are driven by a silent chain belt and have the variable valve timing down plus extras like "drive by wire"; for example??? Or is the plain truth, mazda is still two steps behind the powertrain game??
I've never heard of a "silent chain belt". Can you describe what you are talking about or provide a link to some info?
You are right about VVT not being a breakthrough. I had aftermarket VVT on my '77 rabbit 15 years ago. It's a simple advance mechanism in the cam pulley.
Steel Timing Chain Many engines have a rubber timing belt that needs regular replacement. sentra's engines each have a steel timing chain, which needs no scheduled maintenance. You save money in the long run.
nissan, and now honda cars have adodted this steel timing belt. It is very crucial to further enhance 1)the longetivity of it for iself and used to 2)performing for your whole engine works.
Anyone else know how the Mazda engines seperates or brings forward extra innovations regarding their powertrain in comparison to a Honda vtech, Nissan or Toyota engines which have loads of gadgets already??
Yes, the MSN article. I use a Mac and Navigator so the font looks like 8-point italic. The font cn be changed in Navigtor, I've forgotten how. Checked the menu bar, there's a way.
Maltb: You mentioned the headlights yesterday. The lowbeam units seem to have a cutoff above and below to make a flat beam, is this correct? How are the lowbeams compared to units with reflectors?
The low beams are a projector type and as you stated, they have a clean cut off as the European lamps have been doing for years. As far as projector beams vs a standard reflector? I don't have a clue, but I think it's more of a space issue. Anyone have some good facts?
I see the current '00 626 LX 4cyl. manual tran. has a trade-in of $7,500.. Not Good for a vehicle that's MSRP was $18,000+... I've seen these sold for $14,995. BUT 50% depreciation from what would be considered a GREAT buy and in less than 3 years!
I've noticed new versions of old models usually fall into the same depreciation zone.
If the "6" does no better, and we don't see the same $3,000 off MSRP, we're really getting ripped a you know what...
blueguy--Frankly, I don't have time to go on a lot of test drives (kids, job), so I have to rely on other peoples' opinions (including yours!) to narrow my choices a little. So I'll probably compare the 6 with the Altima and Passat, but I'm not going to test drive a Camry or a Taurus,because they're not what I'm interested in. I agree that you shouldn't just buy a 6 because the reviewers liked it.
In my opinion you're definitely picking the 6's true competition. If you lean toward luxury the Passat will probably woo you. Lean toward raw performance, I'd bet altima (though many here would scream otherwise). And if you want the best combination of both traits, the 6 is the clear winner.
BTW, I've got the whole, work, mortgage and until recently grad school grind too. I just find the time to pop into dealerships for 45 minutes or so to take a car out and try it on (or I end up helping family and friends look for cars on the weekends). I'd hate to miss something great because the R&T guys bagged on it. i don't even like SUVs but I've driven most of them. Shrug.
I'm new to this board, just found it yesterday. I took delivery of a Mazda 6s on Tuesday evening this week. My Honda Prelude was totalled about six weeks ago, so I found myself in the market for a new car. I looked at Honda (I really loved my Prelude,) Audi, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Acura. None of the cars really thrilled me, and I was waiting for the Mazda6 to come out. I was finally able to test drive one, and liked it. The trouble was in finding a manual transmission model. I finally found the one I wanted, but the dealer (Jeff Haas Mazda in Houston) wasn't willing to negotiate. The dealer I found that would give a discount (2% off MSRP, Jay Marks Mazda)couldn't find the car I wanted. To make a long story short, I ended up paying pretty close to MSRP for the car (the dealer discounted the "dealer items" they had put on -- tinted windows and "permaplate," -- that I didn't want anyway.) But MT 6's are pretty rare in the Houston area at this time, and I had to make a decision, as I was paying for a rental car out of my own pocket. Anyway, I got exactly the model and color I wanted (6s, manual transmission, Steel Gray, moonroof.) The car is great -- quiet, composed, good power, good transmission (though I was spoiled by the 5-speed in my Honda.) The sound system (standard radio/cd player) is very good, though I've ordered the cd changer for it, which the dealer will swap out when it arrives.
I'll be checking back in and posting my impressions as I put miles on the car (it's got around 330 on the odometer now.) If anyone has questions, feel free to post -- I'll try to answer.
Jedlicka gives every car he rates either a 7 or an 8...think one time I saw a 6, don't remember the car.
Anyway...I agree that he can be pretty tough, and I always read his reviews through a couple of times. Most significant thing he seemed not to like was the manual shifting. This should not weigh in the decison of those who will opt for an automatic. Is this a big minus for those who might buy a manual transmission?
**As far as projector beams vs a standard reflector? I don't have a clue, but I think it's more of a space issue. Anyone have some good facts?**
I hope they aren't real projector lamps! Those suckers are very expensive to replace if they are broken or burn out. Last time I read about them they cost $1500 each. Maybe Mazda found a supplier with a similar lamp at a better price. It's a space issue if they designed it that way, which seems to be the case in the 6. Small as the lamp looks, a projector lamp has a power supply (?) behind the lamp that's about 12-inches long.
What I was asking is, is the lowbeam bright, is it good illumination?
Mazda also offers fog lights which go in the bumper facia on either side of the air intake. I think they are dealer installed. The dummy fog lamps on the 6i and 6s are replaced with real fogs in the Sport Package. Not a good place for fogs IMO, but maybe they don't get broken as often next to the headlights.
My last drive was on a crowded 10 lane highway with a 4i auto, dealer riding shotgun.
A different dealer today insisted I go have fun with the car, and I took a speed yellow 6i MT out for a spin.
Whew :-)
I do agree with the comment that the steering is too light at highway speeds, and the stock tires really suck.
The manual was a blast to drive, though, and the car was pretty confident through turns. The 6i had adequate acceleration, but top-gear passing was lacking. Luckily, 3rd gear was tons-o-fun.
This is definately going to be a windows-down car in the summer. With the manual, engine revs are SWEET!
I think you are confusing High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps with projector beams.
As far as the low beam being bright, I think it's on par with other vehicles. I suppose an effective fog/driving light would be nice. I'm not sure if the ones on the 6 are beneficial. Perhaps some of our sport package owners can chime in with their impressions of illumination with the fogs on and off.
First off, as some of you know I drive a 1995 300ZX Twin Turbo. It is a 5 spd manual, and has a Jim Wolf Technology high-pressure clutch. Now, in order to keep pedal pressure at a reasonable amount, JWT moved the shift fork pivot point in. This has the side effect of moving the engagement point very close to the floor. It is not very linear either (a little like a racing clutch as far as street clutched go).
Now, I state all this because whenever I jump into a "normal" manual transmission car, I tend to need some time to get used to the higher friction point and the added linearity of the engagement. I generall overrev the engine and move my left foot too little due to being used to a very twitchy clutch. When I hopped in the 6, I noticed immediately that the engagement point is pretty low to the ground- not as much as my Z, but a lot more than typical sedans nowadays. I was also happy to notice that the engagement is not too "soft" in that the clutch grabs early and transfer torque very well. You can crawl the car with the clutch alone, which is impressive for a four-cylinder car.
Now for the not-so-great comments. The stickshift is quite good in that the gates are easy to find, there is no heavy 5th gear return spring like on my Z, and I *think* there is a double-cone synchro on every forward gear. It is pretty special to have a double-cone synchro on an overdrive gear... my Z doesn't even use double-cones on fourth gear! If I'm mistaken about the synchros on this transmission, please let me know... I'm just going by what the literature says. Anyway, yeah, the not-so-good comments: the shifter itself is a little too heavy IMO. Now this is totally subjective so don't take my comment as saying it's "bad" because it isn't. It will just take some getting used to on my part. Also, I didn't like how the shift boot moved around right underneath the chrome ring on the knob- could have just been a loose attachment on this one car though.
I also am not the happiest about the accelerator pedal. There's a little too much of a dead-zone before throttle is applied IMO. If the car is drive-by-wire some reprogramming could solve this (Dinan does this with the 3-series Bimmer for example). It was easy for me to bog the car due to the far less sensistive pedal than what I am used to... again, this will probably "go away" after I get accustomed to the driving style the car requires to be smooth (a lot more aggressive).
Note that most of my comments are positive, and pretty much all negative comments revolve around controls that I am simply not used to. I'm confident that in time, I would begin to "prefer" the controls of the '6 over my current vehicle. It's just a matter of getting smooth with it.
I thought my parents were going to get a Mazda6. My Dad loved it. I really wanted them to get it. My Mom wanted something a little more luxury. Crap. They had a Camry and my Mom wanted another one. They were ready to spend $27K on an absolutely loaded Camry. Oh no. I HAD to intervene. Surely there had to be something better than a $27K Camry, so I brainstormed.
Accord? Nah, ugly lookin'. Maxima? See Accord. Altima? Not luxury enough for Mom. Used Japanese near luxury sedan (ES 300, TL)? They're used.
Then I heard an ad on the radio for scorchin' deals on Infiniti I35s. I forgot about those cars. These are pretty conservitively stlyed near luxury sedans, and they look much better than the Maxima IMO. I told my Dad about it and he checked them out. They just got one with sunroof and sunshade package and the winter package for $29K and 3.9% for 48 months. It's got tons of useless luxury features that my Mom is sure to love. She doesn't know what the hell a beam axle is anyways. I'd rather they got the 6, but an I35 is better than a Camry. It's more spendy, but IMO it's worth it over a loaded Camry. Now Mom is armed with 255hp and 246 lbs-ft of torque. I might have to pay them a visit and check it out. I wonder if you can turn the traction control off......?
"The new five-speed manual transmission employs linked dual-cone synchronizers in first and second gears, where the load on the synchronizers is the greatest. Highly durable carbon synchronizers are used in third and fourth gears, where the load is light but speedy operation is required the most. These synchronizers have greater heat and wear resistance, while achieving approx. 30% greater friction coefficient compared to conventional brass materials. This has reduced the driver's effort required for both quick and slow shifting by 15-20%. The lever synchronizer, a new mechanism adopted in fifth and reverse gears, is based on the principle of leverage. This lever synchronizer has reduced the number of parts and the weight by 0.25 kg, by adopting just one common ring, which is usually two, applicable for both fifth and reverse gear."
So seeing as how someone ordered his with only the features they wanted are they taking custom factory orders now? I would more seriously look at one if I could get a black or yellow 6s 5 speed, loaded with everything. The problem is the manual tranny.
I think you can. My co-worker has an 02 I35 which he has pretty much thrown the keys to at me a couple times. I have yet to flog... I mean drive it yet. I might take him up on his offer.
I had a rental Maxima SE (02) and hated the seats though, so I thought the I35 wouldn't be much different. I will ask him about the traction control though. You might be able to find out on Infinti's site though.
Nice first drive review. Basically the dead zone part is there for several purposes 1)disengage from understeer in any way 2)to minimize engine and cabin vibration since it is a small engine on a midsize car 3) help 15 percent in gas consumption increase 3) keep it in full composure at all times. I always wondered why mazdaz front drive sedans or miatas were slow fun car to drive rather than fast fun cars to drive which makes more sense, but now i understand, that Mazda wants you the owner to command the car and not the other way around. They want to give you the full control, and this is why they dissasociate from pure power thus add higher to handling and braking abilities, and this where the fun part kicks in. But they to make this deficiency up by giving you the best clutch (mazda 6i) i have engaged, in a car of its class.
To further strenthen my opinion is the Mazda protoge es i own. Yes it is surely slow by standard, has that "Dead zone", but i just love working with the clutch and reving the car, twisting and turning, a true form of hands on "driving". In contrast to my Nissan SER sentra, which is absolutely fast naturally (2.5 175 horse motor), but that sudden speed seriously hampers stability on turns (though the suspension is beefed up), also braking falters, eats gas like no tomorrow (21 mpg on streets), thus the car owns me more than i can it.
i like speed, like everyone else but its just not meant for cars like mazda 6 which demand stability = fun and the only way the ALTIMA(2.5 175 horse v4 engine fast car for its kind) for example, gets away with this, is that it has to sacrifices its turning radius(which is like buick wide)hurting its athletism capabilites, and also braking has too much stress to come to a proper stop, thus somewhat unstable car over all, to further add insult, the worst clutch i have engaged in.
You will get used to the mazda 6, it will grow on you =].
We (my wife and I) also have a protege (P5) and i have not noticed the dead zone at all. I may have misrepresented what I felt about it. I don't see it as a lack of power at all (it's not)... I see it the way it is- unnecessary pedal travel designed to smooth out unnecessary driver input. IMO (and that's IMHO), a true driver's car should be less delicate than that. It should allow for driver error rather than dull the effects of a twitchy foot. I guess I've been driving sports cars for too long but it will definitely take some time to get used to. I hope I can reprogram the drive-by-wire to be more aggressive.
can i ask you, how one can one reprogram that drive by wire?? because if its possible, and doesn't compromise with the other functions of the car, i will look into doing that also.
it's not something easily done by an owner... in fact i can count on my hands how many people i know that can do something like that. And I can count even less who would be willing to risk damaging the ECU. To answer your question, though... the alteration basically sums up to changing the drive-by-wire throttle map portion of the ECU program. Most likely it requires a socketing of a chip on the ECU board. The only company I can think of that would want to undertake this endeavor is mazdaspeed. I dont know if they will come out with an ECU reprogram but i cant think of another tuner that would.
For reference, this quote comes from Dinan's website (the premier tuner of BMW): "Reprogramming the "drive by wire" throttle system speeds up throttle response, leaving the driver with the feeling of increased power output. This software is currently 49 State Emissions Legal."
I can just see the happiness of the lawyer for the other side who would represent the injured victim's family if you have an accident in a vehicle whose drive by wire has been modified. And I doubt SERIOUSLY the insurance company would even cover you. Also, the modifier would also get to join you as a defendant in that lawsuit. I would think twice, three times, even four before I did this.
Just think, the child who you hit will have a lawyer who WILL claim the modification caused, or at least contributed to, the accident.
Why would Mazda want to put a car out on the market whose gas pedal was far more sensitive than the Accords, Camrys, Civics and Escorts that most buyers will be moving out of?
Just hit 1003 miles on the car. Now we'll see how it really is.
By the way, someone asked a while ago...when I was going 80 on the highway, the car was at 3250 RPMs or so. That's in the 4-cyl in 4th gear with the auto-manual engaged.
"In about three months the new Maxima comes out...(and a new I35 based on it?)"
That's the thing. I tried to find out if the I35 was going to go away with the Maxima's redesign, but the I35 board is as dead as Abraham Lincoln. I don't think Infiniti would discontinue their best selling model, but I heard somewhere that they want to be all RWD for their cars. My parents knew about that and didn't care because they like the conservative style of the current model. It somehow reminds them of their 92' Camry.
About the 6's throttle, I believe you will get accustomed to it. I have not driven the 6 yet (hasn't arrived in Canada) but I had a similar experience like that once.
A few years ago, when I was still a student, I had to sell my Protege in order to balance my budget. My father, who had a company car at the time, loaned me his Camry. It was an old model, before they became buick-like coffins. Anyway, the throttle on that car was exactly as you described. It had kind of a dead zone at the top and I really didn't like it but over time, I got accustomed to it.
A few years later, I bought a Protege. Man... I missed the Camry's linear throttle. The protege's felt overly sensitive. I'd get half the power by pushing the pedal 1/4 of the way in. I had less control, especially on icy roads.
I think the reason I was frustrated at first with the Camry's throttle was because I didn't get the power I expected when pushing the pedal. In cars like the Protege, flooring the pedal is no different from pushing it 3/4 of the way in. In cars with linear throttle, you have to push it down all the way to the floor.
I don't know whether this experience applies to you. If not, then disregard this post.
What do miles cost. If I were to lease, I'd need 30K/year, but I'd do a short term lease.
The idea of a 2 year lease with 30K miles/year to use as my work car has my interest. This way, I know what my costs are and can drive a car mostly under warranty and get a new one every couple of years.
I am/was looking at this for a 3'er because there is a period of factory included maintenance as well. There is something about just paying for gas and insurance, and getting a new car every other year that interests me.
A lease is just another way of financing the USAGE of the car, but without owning it at the end. If you lease and provide for that many miles, I think you will be SHOCKED at how much it will cost. The 6 already has a comparatively low residual. You may not even be able to find anyone willing to lease on those terms. The lessor will want to take into account the projected value of a two year old 6 with 60,000 miles. Somehow, I bet that is projected to relatively low.
I presume those are for 15K/year, otherwise, if those are for 25K/year, I might need to visit my local Mazda store on Dec 26th.
So for a cap cost of about $20K for a 6i equipped as I like, the lease payment is $444.
But that's just for 30K total miles, so I'd have to pony up another $4500 or just under $200/month for the additional miles.
That's in the neigborhood of where I thought, about 15K in lease costs or about 0.25/mile plus fuel and insurance and hopefully only scheduled maintenance.
I'm figuring my cost/mile at about $0.34 and a new car every 24 months, at these rates, give or take a bit.
While nearly double the beater, I could probably stop owning two cars and just drive one, thus making my transportation costs nearly the same.
Like I said, I also think i'll get used to it. Like my original review said, pretty much all of my concerns were subjective and probably will become far less relevant when I get accustomed to the car. Do I still wish that the throttle was not so "safe?" yeah I do... in a perfect world. But I know it's just a quirk that I will get used to with the car and then adapt to, just like my current car's clutch is like an on-off switch and I got used to that. In fact, in comparison, the '6 will be a MUCH easier car to drive. I was merely making the comment that I noticed it, and that others may as well but they shouldn't confuse it for a lack of power (non "car people" often will, unfortunately).
Leasing a base 6i assuming you can get the rate quoted and the cap cost at Edmunds TMV of 18144, with a 41% residual for 36 months (using the 39 month money factor and residual) is about $344/month + tax
Same car for 48 months at the rates and 38% residual quoted by Rich is $284/month + tax
but the I35 board is as dead as Abraham Lincoln. I don't think Infiniti would discontinue their best selling model, but I heard somewhere that they want to be all RWD for their cars.
BTW, rumor has it on Fresh Alloy that the next gen I35 will be AWD. There's also talk the Max will be AWD too in another effort to differentiate it from the Altima as the two cars will share engines and platforms.
In the recent weeks I have been battling in my head between the Accord EX-L 5MT and the Mazda6s 5MT and I have decided on the 6. I'd like some feedback on what i want before i go and buy it. I am going for Red 6s w/ Sport and Bose packages. I am going to get aftermarker leather through the dealer (two tone, tan and red with red door inserts) since the stock leather required some other expensive packages. I absolutley loved test driving the 6s manual and felt very mediocre about the EX-L 5MT. The only thing holding me onto the accord was the stupid Dual Zone Climate Controls and I have so totally let them go for the superior sound, ride, and steering. I am 16, and going to buy from Gunther Mazda in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
I haven't found anything about the next I35. I guess I really haven't looked that hard either. I thought the I35 was the best seller, but I can see how the G has surpassed it. Doesn't matter anyway, my parents already bought the 2003 I35 and the G35 is definately not what Mom or Dad needs. I think the I35 is a little more luxurious and less hard edged than the G35. I asked my Dad if he checked out the G35 but I think it was a little too flashy and modern looking for the older Scandinavian. They don't get it until the day after Christmas, so I'll have to check it out then. If I had to shop the Infiniti lot, I would have had to have that coupe....that thing is sweet.
...on places like this because when I got my Protege when I was 15, I didn't want every single person telling me I'm a spoiled little brat even though I'm paying for the car, and the insurance for the damn thing.
If you were 16, and you were offered the chance to get a new car, I'm sure pretty much all of us would not refuse. Only time I have a problem is when they get a car like this, and don't take care of it/respect it.
Comments
You are right about VVT not being a breakthrough. I had aftermarket VVT on my '77 rabbit 15 years ago. It's a simple advance mechanism in the cam pulley.
Being that I just dropped $1500 on a new XR70 for my son last night, it may have to wait until next month.
Steel Timing Chain
Many engines have a rubber timing belt that needs regular replacement. sentra's engines each have a steel timing chain, which needs no scheduled maintenance. You save money in the long run.
nissan, and now honda cars have adodted this steel timing belt. It is very crucial to further enhance 1)the longetivity of it for iself and used to 2)performing for your whole engine works.
Anyone else know how the Mazda engines seperates or brings forward extra innovations regarding their powertrain in comparison to a Honda vtech, Nissan or Toyota engines which have loads of gadgets already??
Checked the menu bar, there's a way.
Maltb: You mentioned the headlights yesterday. The lowbeam units seem to have a cutoff above and below to make a flat beam, is this correct? How are the lowbeams compared to units with reflectors?
fowler3
I trade about every 30 months, 35,000 miles...
I see the current '00 626 LX 4cyl. manual tran. has a trade-in of $7,500..
Not Good for a vehicle that's MSRP was $18,000+... I've seen these sold for $14,995. BUT 50% depreciation from what would be considered a GREAT buy and in less than 3 years!
I've noticed new versions of old models usually fall into the same depreciation zone.
If the "6" does no better, and we don't see the same $3,000 off MSRP, we're really getting ripped a you know what...
Soooo, anyone have a clue?
In my opinion you're definitely picking the 6's true competition. If you lean toward luxury the Passat will probably woo you. Lean toward raw performance, I'd bet altima (though many here would scream otherwise). And if you want the best combination of both traits, the 6 is the clear winner.
BTW, I've got the whole, work, mortgage and until recently grad school grind too. I just find the time to pop into dealerships for 45 minutes or so to take a car out and try it on (or I end up helping family and friends look for cars on the weekends). I'd hate to miss something great because the R&T guys bagged on it. i don't even like SUVs but I've driven most of them. Shrug.
I'll be checking back in and posting my impressions as I put miles on the car (it's got around 330 on the odometer now.) If anyone has questions, feel free to post -- I'll try to answer.
Mike1770
Anyway...I agree that he can be pretty tough, and I always read his reviews through a couple of times. Most significant thing he seemed not to like was the manual shifting. This should not weigh in the decison of those who will opt for an automatic. Is this a big minus for those who might buy a manual transmission?
I hope they aren't real projector lamps! Those suckers are very expensive to replace if they are broken or burn out. Last time I read about them they cost $1500 each. Maybe Mazda found a supplier with a similar lamp at a better price. It's a space issue if they designed it that way, which seems to be the case in the 6. Small as the lamp looks, a projector lamp has a power supply (?) behind the lamp that's about 12-inches long.
What I was asking is, is the lowbeam bright, is it good illumination?
Mazda also offers fog lights which go in the bumper facia on either side of the air intake. I think they are dealer installed. The dummy fog lamps on the 6i and 6s are replaced with real fogs in the Sport Package. Not a good place for fogs IMO, but maybe they don't get broken as often next to the headlights.
fowler3
A different dealer today insisted I go have fun with the car, and I took a speed yellow 6i MT out for a spin.
Whew :-)
I do agree with the comment that the steering is too light at highway speeds, and the stock tires really suck.
The manual was a blast to drive, though, and the car was pretty confident through turns. The 6i had adequate acceleration, but top-gear passing was lacking. Luckily, 3rd gear was tons-o-fun.
This is definately going to be a windows-down car in the summer. With the manual, engine revs are SWEET!
As far as the low beam being bright, I think it's on par with other vehicles. I suppose an effective fog/driving light would be nice. I'm not sure if the ones on the 6 are beneficial. Perhaps some of our sport package owners can chime in with their impressions of illumination with the fogs on and off.
Now, I state all this because whenever I jump into a "normal" manual transmission car, I tend to need some time to get used to the higher friction point and the added linearity of the engagement. I generall overrev the engine and move my left foot too little due to being used to a very twitchy clutch. When I hopped in the 6, I noticed immediately that the engagement point is pretty low to the ground- not as much as my Z, but a lot more than typical sedans nowadays. I was also happy to notice that the engagement is not too "soft" in that the clutch grabs early and transfer torque very well. You can crawl the car with the clutch alone, which is impressive for a four-cylinder car.
Now for the not-so-great comments. The stickshift is quite good in that the gates are easy to find, there is no heavy 5th gear return spring like on my Z, and I *think* there is a double-cone synchro on every forward gear. It is pretty special to have a double-cone synchro on an overdrive gear... my Z doesn't even use double-cones on fourth gear! If I'm mistaken about the synchros on this transmission, please let me know... I'm just going by what the literature says.
Anyway, yeah, the not-so-good comments: the shifter itself is a little too heavy IMO. Now this is totally subjective so don't take my comment as saying it's "bad" because it isn't. It will just take some getting used to on my part. Also, I didn't like how the shift boot moved around right underneath the chrome ring on the knob- could have just been a loose attachment on this one car though.
I also am not the happiest about the accelerator pedal. There's a little too much of a dead-zone before throttle is applied IMO. If the car is drive-by-wire some reprogramming could solve this (Dinan does this with the 3-series Bimmer for example). It was easy for me to bog the car due to the far less sensistive pedal than what I am used to... again, this will probably "go away" after I get accustomed to the driving style the car requires to be smooth (a lot more aggressive).
Note that most of my comments are positive, and pretty much all negative comments revolve around controls that I am simply not used to. I'm confident that in time, I would begin to "prefer" the controls of the '6 over my current vehicle. It's just a matter of getting smooth with it.
regards,
-Alt
Accord? Nah, ugly lookin'.
Maxima? See Accord.
Altima? Not luxury enough for Mom.
Used Japanese near luxury sedan (ES 300, TL)? They're used.
Then I heard an ad on the radio for scorchin' deals on Infiniti I35s. I forgot about those cars. These are pretty conservitively stlyed near luxury sedans, and they look much better than the Maxima IMO. I told my Dad about it and he checked them out. They just got one with sunroof and sunshade package and the winter package for $29K and 3.9% for 48 months. It's got tons of useless luxury features that my Mom is sure to love. She doesn't know what the hell a beam axle is anyways. I'd rather they got the 6, but an I35 is better than a Camry. It's more spendy, but IMO it's worth it over a loaded Camry. Now Mom is armed with 255hp and 246 lbs-ft of torque. I might have to pay them a visit and check it out. I wonder if you can turn the traction control off......?
Oh well. You tried!
http://www.mazda.com/publicity/public/200209/0294e.html
I had a rental Maxima SE (02) and hated the seats though, so I thought the I35 wouldn't be much different. I will ask him about the traction control though. You might be able to find out on Infinti's site though.
-Alt
To further strenthen my opinion is the Mazda protoge es i own. Yes it is surely slow by standard, has that "Dead zone", but i just love working with the clutch and reving the car, twisting and turning, a true form of hands on "driving". In contrast to my Nissan SER sentra, which is absolutely fast naturally (2.5 175 horse motor), but that sudden speed seriously hampers stability on turns (though the suspension is beefed up), also braking falters, eats gas like no tomorrow (21 mpg on streets), thus the car owns me more than i can it.
i like speed, like everyone else but its just not meant for cars like mazda 6 which demand stability = fun and the only way the ALTIMA(2.5 175 horse v4 engine fast car for its kind) for example, gets away with this, is that it has to sacrifices its turning radius(which is like buick wide)hurting its athletism capabilites, and also braking has too much stress to come to a proper stop, thus somewhat unstable car over all, to further add insult, the worst clutch i have engaged in.
You will get used to the mazda 6, it will grow on you =].
-Alt
For reference, this quote comes from Dinan's website (the premier tuner of BMW): "Reprogramming the "drive by wire" throttle system speeds up throttle response, leaving the driver with the feeling of increased power output. This software is currently 49 State Emissions Legal."
-Alt
Just think, the child who you hit will have a lawyer who WILL claim the modification caused, or at least contributed to, the accident.
Why would Mazda want to put a car out on the market whose gas pedal was far more sensitive than the Accords, Camrys, Civics and Escorts that most buyers will be moving out of?
By the way, someone asked a while ago...when I was going 80 on the highway, the car was at 3250 RPMs or so. That's in the 4-cyl in 4th gear with the auto-manual engaged.
Mazda6i..automatic
1500 down
48 months
12K year
$259 per month.
That's the thing. I tried to find out if the I35 was going to go away with the Maxima's redesign, but the I35 board is as dead as Abraham Lincoln. I don't think Infiniti would discontinue their best selling model, but I heard somewhere that they want to be all RWD for their cars. My parents knew about that and didn't care because they like the conservative style of the current model. It somehow reminds them of their 92' Camry.
A few years ago, when I was still a student, I had to sell my Protege in order to balance my budget. My father, who had a company car at the time, loaned me his Camry. It was an old model, before they became buick-like coffins. Anyway, the throttle on that car was exactly as you described. It had kind of a dead zone at the top and I really didn't like it but over time, I got accustomed to it.
A few years later, I bought a Protege. Man... I missed the Camry's linear throttle. The protege's felt overly sensitive. I'd get half the power by pushing the pedal 1/4 of the way in. I had less control, especially on icy roads.
I think the reason I was frustrated at first with the Camry's throttle was because I didn't get the power I expected when pushing the pedal. In cars like the Protege, flooring the pedal is no different from pushing it 3/4 of the way in. In cars with linear throttle, you have to push it down all the way to the floor.
I don't know whether this experience applies to you. If not, then disregard this post.
The idea of a 2 year lease with 30K miles/year to use as my work car has my interest. This way, I know what my costs are and can drive a car mostly under warranty and get a new one every couple of years.
I am/was looking at this for a 3'er because there is a period of factory included maintenance as well. There is something about just paying for gas and insurance, and getting a new car every other year that interests me.
FWIW,
TB
Let us know how you do!
It may or may not shock you to learn it has cost me over $12K to drive a 87 Buick about 67K miles.
Seems like a lot of money, until you figure out that is only $0.18/mile
Even if it cost me 15K in lease costs to drive the 6 for two years, that's $0.25/mile plus gas and insurance.
That's really not much more for a much nicer car.
FWIW,
TB
here are the rates and resids for the northeast
maz6i ... maz6s
39 mo...44% 46%
.00185 .00185
48 mo ... 40% 41%
.00201 .00219
24 months 52%... 54%
.00147 .00147
add 3 points to all residuals for 12K year.
Do they offer a 15000 or 16000 mile lease, or do you just pay the mileage?
So for a cap cost of about $20K for a 6i equipped as I like, the lease payment is $444.
But that's just for 30K total miles, so I'd have to pony up another $4500 or just under $200/month for the additional miles.
That's in the neigborhood of where I thought, about 15K in lease costs or about 0.25/mile plus fuel and insurance and hopefully only scheduled maintenance.
I'm figuring my cost/mile at about $0.34 and a new car every 24 months, at these rates, give or take a bit.
While nearly double the beater, I could probably stop owning two cars and just drive one, thus making my transportation costs nearly the same.
Thanks,
TB
The residuals I posted are for 15K per year...for 12K per year add 3 points to all residuals.
for over 15K per year, do a 15K per year lease and deduct 15 cents per mile from the residual up to 25k miles per year.
-Alt
Same car for 48 months at the rates and 38% residual quoted by Rich is $284/month + tax
I think these are pretty close to what can get.
Of course you have to qualify for the rates.
TB
Infiniti's bestselling model by far is the G35 ( http://nissannews.com/corporate/news/2002/relmatt2002123125423.shtml ). The G came out in the middle of March of 2002 and it's easily surpassing the I35's numbers. Add in the coupe and it's destroying the I35.
BTW, rumor has it on Fresh Alloy that the next gen I35 will be AWD. There's also talk the Max will be AWD too in another effort to differentiate it from the Altima as the two cars will share engines and platforms.
Makes me sick. Good luck on your purchase.
If you were 16, and you were offered the chance to get a new car, I'm sure pretty much all of us would not refuse. Only time I have a problem is when they get a car like this, and don't take care of it/respect it.