Mazda6 Sedan

andrewb2 · January 2003

I was looking for information about Jatco transmissions, and it looks to me like my 1994 6cyl. Mazda 626 has a GF4A-EL transmission, and that this is made by Jatco.

Does anyone know which Jatco automatics are being used in the Mazda6?

toolman02 · January 2003

I test drove the Mazda6i this weekend and really enjoyed it, even though I wasn't allowed to push it much (it had 2 miles on it).

I'm young (23) and have good credit. The dealer told me that the best interest rate he could give me is 6 or 7% and he said that Mazda isn't currently offering 0% financing on the 6, and no matter what car i try to buy i couldn't do any better than 6 or 7%. His offer was $1000 above invoice, and $1000 below msrp (this is in san diego, ca).

So I guess I have two questions. First, can anyone tell me if the 7% is really the best I can do on this car? And second, is $1000 over invoice about what people are paying or are there better deals to be found?

thanks for any advice.

clpurnell · January 2003

apply at peoplefirst.com and e-loan.com they are both in the high 4's low 5% for good credit. Is this your first car financed? if so I have heard Peoplefirst looks badly on that.

ameen6 · January 2003

Jason777,
In the Feb issue of motor trend, they got a 6s with Manual to hit 0-60 in 6.67 seconds. The Jan issue of Car And Driver recorded a time of 6.8 seconds. Edmunds has the 6s with automatic hitting 0-60 in 8.0 seconds.

toolman02,
What dealership in San Diego did you go to? Check out John Hine Mazda, I've done two test-drives there and I'm going to make my purchase from them. They are a bottom line no haggle dealer offering ~$1,000 off of MSRP for a fully loaded 6i and ~$1,500 off of MSRP for a fully loaded 6s. I told the sales guy that I had excellent credit (score of about 750) and he gave me a verbal quote of about 4.5-5.0% interest rate. Unfortunately, I did not clarify with him if this is for a 3-year or 5-year loan, Im guessing its 3 year. Hope this info helps, good luck on your purchase.

toolman02 · January 2003

ameen6,

John Hine is the dealership I went to. My credit score is 722, and the 6-7% is what he quoted me on a 60 month loan. This is my first car to finance, so I guess 6-7% is about as good as I am going to do.

I checked my bank's website, (Wells Fargo), and they show 5.14% on a 60 month lease, so it might be possible to get that.

mazdamarla · January 2003

Hi everyone! I have a 1991 Mazda MX-6 that I have owned for 10 years. LOVE my car, but now I am getting that "itch", especially since I've seen the new Mazda 6 car. I am debating whether or not to get the 6, but am half-tempted also to wait until a year or so goes by to see some safety and reliability ratings on it. But if it's anything remotely like my old Mazda, those should not be issues. I qualify for a Supplier Discount thru Ford/Mazda if I purchase new, which is 5.3% above what a Ford/Mazda employee would pay (whatever that is - don't know yet). I'd probably keep my old '91 Mazda as a back-up car, since it's treated me great and I hate to part with it.

I've looked at a couple pages of posts here, but obviously haven't the time to go back thru all 5,000+ posts to see what people are saying about this car.

Anyone have anything - good or bad - to say about it? My current car is a 4-cylinder, so I'd probably stay with a 4-cyl. I hear it's pretty peppy, so it's probably just fine. After all, I'm not 17 and a boy trying impress the chicks

so having a super-fast car doesn't matter to me.

Plus the 4 is a bit less expensive and a bit more fuel-efficient.

So....what's the consensus?

vocus · January 2003

Try peoplefirst.com, and other online venues first. Also, try a credit union (if you are a member to one) or your bank.

fowler3 · January 2003

You will love the 6i!

To other posters:
On another note, if you have been looking at the car shows web sites, do you notice that dark grey metallic is being shown on many of the new cars? Similar to Mazda6's Steel Grey, some a lighter shade. Is this the next big color after all the silver cars?

fowler3

qddave · January 2003

You mentioned that you qualify for the Ford Supplier Discount. I also do, and asked my local dealer how much it equates to in real dollars when purchasing a Mazda 6. He said that you'd save about $2000 from MSRP on a fully loaded 6i, a little more on a loaded 6s, because it is a percentage calculation, therefore, the more the car costs, the more you save. Sounds like a bad commercial eh?

the_big_h · January 2003

because you'll still pay more for the 6s than the 6i :-)

coasterbob · January 2003

It is the steel-grey loaded 6s..........and I love it! I also qualified for the S-Plan, and got what I feel was a good price since this is such a new car on the market. I am around 600 miles, and it is breaking in nicely. Quite a few comments (good) from people, and a lot of "looks" on the road! I'm interested in gas milage from other owners. I imagine it will improve in time

mazdamarla · January 2003

Yes, our supplier discount is 5.3% over what a Ford/Mazda employee would pay. I called my local dealership this morning and a guy is going to get back to me with a hard price on a 6i with all the packages/options I specified. Which is basically all the Packages, and I opted for the Rear Mud Guards. MSRP on it is $24,860. We'll see what my discounted price comes out to (crossing fingers). He figured/estimated about $2,000 less.

Is there a site where I can see other Mazda accessories that I could add to my car either dealier-installed or self-installed, that would go on this car?

I haven't seen a white one yet. So far the color I would get is the Steel Gray. But I'm partial to white - my '91 Mazda is white, and so was my first car, a '79 Capri. So 2 of my 3 vehicles have been white - what does that tell you? I'd like to see a white one with the black leather as I've "customized" it on the website, in person.

coasterbob · January 2003

and I got approx. $2,500 off MSRP on a fully-loaded 6s, AT with the S-Price. Good luck!

groovypippin · January 2003

I'm probably getting my magazines mixed up, but there are a couple of interesting sedan comparison floating around in current February editions of a couple of major car mags.

I haven't had a chnace to read either of them yet, but here's what they say...

First, I believe is from Car and Driver between the Mazda 6i, the Nissan Altima 2.5 and the VW Jetta GLI.

The Mazda6 won this comparison and the magazine seems to really have trashed the Altima for poor quality.

The second was in Car and Driver (I think) and included the Accord, 6, Camry, Altima and one other.

Accord came first and the Mazda6 second.

Good news on both accounts.

Anyone who has additional info or (especially) links to these comparisons will hopefully post more.

vocus · January 2003

That would be the S-plan. I used it when purchasing my 01 Protege ES. What it means is that you get 1.5% off the invoice price of the car, not including destination. So they take the invoice price of the car equipped the way you want it, take off the 1.5% from that, then add the destination charge. I saved about $1000 when buying my Protege this way.

From what I have heard, this is a dealer voluntary program (they don't have to participate if they don't want to), so if you can get this deal it's a very good one.

mazdafun · January 2003

Try corksport.com.

Hope you get a good deal on your 6.

pmergler · January 2003

Just started looking into the Mazda6. My current '94 Accord EX is pushing 160k miles and I think it is time for a new (even though it still runs fine for a 9 year old car).

Now I am not trying to say that Mazda's have bad quality or anything to that affect but I am a little concerned about the Mazda quality. In the 2001 JD Power Assoc. Inital Car Quality report, Mazda's overall car problems ranked higher then the industrial average well behind Honda and Toyota..... I very much like the looks, comments, features, price and value of the 6. I am going to go test drive one after work actually (hopefulyl a v6 MT will be in stock)....but going from a Honda to a Mazda does cause some concerns for me.

The other option I am possible pursuing is a 2001 Lexus IS 300 for around $26k. It is a used car but has many of the handling, power, styling, etc as the Mazda6 but with the Lexus reliablity (and service from dealers that go with it).

pmergler · January 2003

http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/01102afull.gif

mazdamarla · January 2003

My '91 Mazda MX-6, which I am driving now, is great. I have had very few "non-routine" repairs, plus I have found a very good, fair, trustworthy mechanic. If I DO end up getting a new 6, I will keep my old Mazda and continue to drive it (or rather, the hubby can during the winter to save rust/road salt on his '99 Silverado). I hate to give it up, as it's been such a great car. I bought it when it was 2 years old with 36,000 miles on it. It is now 12 years old with 142,000 miles, and it still runs and looks great. Very minimal rust at the bottom/underside of the doors, and that's about it. Still has get-up-and-go.

The only concerns I do have are because the 6 is a totally new MODEL and they always say to wait a couple years so they can work the kinks out of the new design. I have no qualms about it being a Mazda, just that it has no history behind this particular model. BUT I DON'T WANNA WAIT!

dinu01 · January 2003

My 93 Civic had these problems as of spring 2000 - a 7 yrs old car with 110.000kms (NOT miles!!!).

* Blown head gasket TWICE!!!
* Blown cylinder head
* Replaced radiator
* Replaced thermostat
* Shifting from 1-2 felt like the clutch was engaged all the way on as the car ocasinally lost power for 1 second or less and almost redlined while not accelerating at all - imagine the thrill when making a left turn and this happens - it was an auto tranny
* A/C died in the spring of 2001 - it really was time to replace the car after all these hassles.

So I got a 2001 PRO ES - replaced the head unit as it didn't eject a CD in the first week and the spoiler's led about 2 mths late as 3 lights burned out.

Other than that the car has 49.905kms - as of this morning. It was bought July 2001. The more I drive it the better it accelerates and the smoother it is.

I have NO REGRETS with this Mazda and this is why I will ALWAYS consider Mazda before Honda. I understand your Accord has been good to you, but I would not hesitate signing for a 6HB (if I had the $ for it - at the moment I still have 2.5 yrs left to go until the PRO is paid-off).

I bet the 6 is more fun to drive than the Accord and should not give you any problems.

Dinu
A VERY satisfied Mazda driver - I'm not the owner

coakleysd · January 2003

I got my Mazda6 Friday 1/2. Heritage Mazda in Bel Air, MD. I haven't seen any in the Baltimore area as yet. The car is a joy to drive. As for all the folks that don't like the "6", can you please leave this board so that the "owners" can have a place to discuss the "6".
PLEASE STOP BOARD SURFING GO to the forum that discusses your car and stay there. We need substantive discussions about this car that help people in some way. I think that was the general purpose of this forum. To the Moderators of Edmunds,

This is a very useful resource that Edmunds provides. I only hope that the forums get cleaned up a bit. It's filled with people who are either tired of surfing porn sites or people with no life and love arguing about nothing.

Black Mazada6 s 5 speed MT
Bose, Sport Package, Sport grille.

ambull · January 2003

do what I plan to do.. wait only a few more months to let prices drop and to see if there are any recalls, common problems, etc.

seaf · January 2003

I will speak for myself, I'm considering a Honda accord or a Mazda6 as my next car. I mostly read the posts here and contribute sometimes. Although some of my disagreements may sound like I hang out here just to dis the mazda6, I'm here to get information and maybe be swayed one way or another.

I think it is safe to say that most of the people who post here regularly are indeed interested in the Mazda6, there may be a few random posters that come in here and just post inaccurate info about the car, but a lot of us post our own concerns about the Mazda6 and why we have not just gone out and bought one already. So to some of you die-hard Mazda6 fans, it may sound like we're just here to rip on the car, but we're really interested in it and want to learn more about it through discussion.

So instead of just telling us to leave, how about addressing our concerns regarding the car, and convince us why it is such a good car relative to its competitors. And some original info other than its good looks and sporty handling would be nice too. Basically info that is fresh from the usual car enthusiast magazine review.

the_big_h · January 2003

you're in my neck of the woods! And you actually got a MANUAL 6s with Sports Package!?!?!

we should meet up some time so I can check it out!

woohoo! first confirmed 6 owner in our area!

andrewb2 · January 2003

I just stumbled onto this. Its a list of the 23 awards the Atenza/Mazda6 won by December 25, 2002.

http://www.mazda.com/publicity/public/200212/1225e.html

stretchsje · January 2003

I've actually sat in your car :-)

I bought my car there too, from Johnny Holiday- tell me that's not a show name! Good experience, highly recommended.

the_big_h · January 2003

what? the same guy that announces Maryland basketball games for the Terps?

oops stretch, forgot you're also in my area.

hey, 2's a crowd, maybe you guys should start up the very first Mazda6 car meet! (you can call it MA6P! lol!)

mazdamarla · January 2003

Salesman/Neighbor just called.

6i 4-cyl. with Leather/Comfort Package, Premium Package, Bose Package, Moonroof, Sport Package, ALB/Traction Control, and Side Air Bag/Air Curtains....

MSRP $24,825 (off their website)
Discounted: $22,294

Savings of $2,531 off MSRP.

IF I decided to NOT get the Leather/Comfort Package I would save a bit more. Not sure if I want that as I have a dog whose toenails I'm concerned about punching thru the leather. So it might be another $700 or so cheaper yet, without the leather.

Whadaya think? Of couse, this is NOT including plate transfer ($8), title ($12) and sales tax - 6 freakin' percent ($1,338). Just the price of the actual car before all that other garbage.

ashutoshsm · January 2003

Awesome!

Would you care to share how much you paid, for the benefit of those in the area (like me!) considering this car in the near/distant future.

And yes - would be cool to have a Mazda 6 meet, or you guys can come pile on at the next Mazda Protege Picnic (there've been 4 already, in 2 years) in the area.

And keep posting your experiences with the car, especially as it starts to feel and get run in!

ashutoshsm · January 2003

(TiVo recently caught this show because I had the keyword 'Mazda' in my recording wishlists. Did I mention I love my TiVo?)

Anyway - they did a comparison (in Germany) of base modes of 3 cars - (placed in winning order - winner first, for your convenience!)
- Mazda 6 1.8l base 5-speed (smallest engine of the 4)
- VW Passat 2.0L 5-speed (Jetta engine?)
- Opel Vectra - 4 cylinder (2.2+ litre?) much touted Ecotec engine.

In their opinion and tests the Mazda trumped them all in acceleration, handling, feel, braking, gas mileage and interior ergonomics!) and the Passat was only ranked higher (a little) in interior materials' quality.

They love how the engine (is this the same 1.8 from the 99-00 Pro ES? or just a detuned, smaller bore version of the same family of brand-new 4-cylinder engines?) kept on pulling, and how tautly the car handled (slalom and emergency maneouvres were won by pretty large margins). They were impressed by the trunk size (largest of the 3, by a little bit) and gas mileage (Mazda 9.low, Opel 9.high, VW 10.mids litres/100km). So much for GM's much touted Ecotec - it lost on power and gas mileage to this Mazda 4-cylinder.

They thrashed the Opel's interior and quality, and (almost) abused the Passat's awful road feel, steering and braking. Say what?

They also mentioned the Mazda 6 could be had in HB and Wagon forms (latter only with the larger 2.3l engine?) and that was yet another plus in the Mazda 6 column.

This is a German TV show on DW channel, dubbed into English and rebroadcast on some obscure (public?) channel in the Adelphia cable area. Don't know if it'll repeat, but I will keep an eye out.

If anyone's interested - I'll paraphrase their summaries of the 3 cars when I get a chance - I only flitted through the show in a hurry last night.

EDIT: The Mazda 6 was also easily the cheapest of the three, with the VW Passat being the most expensive by a substantial percentage. They mentioned how "bang for buck" was usually a compromise with weighted cost taken into account, but how this car was genuinely the cheapest and the best of the 3

mazdamarla · January 2003

from the kbb site (couldn't get inv pricing here on Edmunds), the Invoice with these packages/options is $22,694, so my out-the-door price is over $300 below dealer invoice.

Good deal?

vadp · January 2003

In Europe Mazda6 is available with 3 newly developed gasoline engines - 1.8, 2.0 and 2.3
The 2.3L is the only one to feature S-VT (Sequinteal Valve Timing).

vocus · January 2003

There is another 6 owner in the Baltimore area. I live right by the Inner Harbor, and someone about 5 blocks from me have a Lapis Blue one. Saw it for the first time the other day.

ambull · January 2003

mazdamarla: Sounds like a good deal to me. Wish I could do as well!

vadp: Sequin teal: is that a new Mazda 6 color?

oywhatnext · January 2003

We got ours a week before Christmas and I still haven't seen another on the road here in Central NJ. Got the S with the auto shifter thingy and we love it. A little disapointed withthe sound system though and it's not like you can just swap it out cause of the way the dash is laid out.

Anyone have any suggestions

maltb · January 2003

It seems that the head unit isn't so bad but the speakers need to be upgraded. The mids seem lacking and the bass distorts the stock speakers: especially so with the rear speakers.

the_big_h · January 2003

... as spoken by the almighty malt...

haven't heard from you for eternities, too busy driving the 6 around?

maltb · January 2003

Yep, 2200 miles over the last couple weeks of vacation. The 6 has been taken to the snow in the mountains, out to the desert pulling the bikes 2 times and to the Grand Canyon for some amazing vistas. Of course, some trooper in AZ caught me on his radar so I now have the Wal-Mart $40 detector upgrade installed now.

mazda6s · January 2003

You must have been really hauling a**. I was in AZ last week and they all seem to drive about 20 over the limit there.

golfster · January 2003

My letter to Mazda:

Dear Mazda People:

Im writing because there doesnt seem to be an e-mail link from mazdausa.com.

Opinions: I have been test-driving new cars for about 18 months now. Audi A-4; Acura RSX/TL/CL; Nissan Altima; Cadillac CTS; Infinity G-35. I just did a short test drive of your Mazda 6. You have a winner.

The early articles in Car&Driver and AutoWeek magazines tested the car in Italy. The articles/pictures show a Mazda 6 with the 17 wheels and no spoiler/ground effects add-ons. After seeing Mazda 6 cars at the Washington Auto Show, the car looks better to me clean. But the 17 wheels are a must.

Your Sport Package 1SE (on Edmunds.com) Includes 17" alloy wheels, 215/50 R17 V-rated tires, clear-lens halogen fog lights, dual exhaust with oval shaped bright tips, sculpted front air dam and rear apron, side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated brake light, black interior trim, Optitron gauges with red illumination, sport type instrument panel inserts and titanium colored power window switch panels.

So to get the wheels and the other good stuff in 1SE, we have to get the sculpted front air dam and rear apron, side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated brake light.

Recommendation: Delete the sculpted front air dam and rear apron, side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated brake light. from the Sport Package. Make that stuff a separate option. Since the Mazda 6 is assembled in the USA, this should be doable, right?

arockwel · January 2003

Golfster, I totally agree that they should be able to separate the wheels from the spoiler and ground effects. In fact, the Canadian models are able to do just that. You can get the 17" wheels (on the "GT" models) and have the option to choose whether or not to get the spoiler, etc. They call it the "GFX Package." You can also choose whether or not to get the sunroof. Plus, you can get Black leather instead of the gray.

The cars for NA are coming from the same plant. I don't know why I can't get a similar setup down here in the US, but can in Canada.

maltb · January 2003

Well the max. speed limit in AZ is 75 but the particular stretch I was on was 65. Either way, I was more than 20 over: so he claimed. I might have to go back and fight it, somehow.

jvkalra · January 2003

Hopefullly Mazda will be responsive to the spoiler delete request, unless they have a Toyota transplant person managing these configurations.

Toyota installs "optional" ground effects on every Matrix XR model. Presumably they think that spoilers and ground effects is EVERY young person's idea of cool/sporty. Or maybe if the customer is a dork they think that spoilers on the car will make him/her cool.

davegod75 · January 2003

Don't you mean you can get gray leather instead of black. Black is the only thing you can get with the sport package currently

newcar31 · January 2003

OH MY GOD, that Mustang is gorgeous. The Protege may be designated to winter beater status some day. They also have a nice write up on the future of the Miata. I haven't read the whole thing yet, so I can't wait to read the on topic comparo in there.....sooo I'm gonna go read it....

groovypippin · January 2003

"In fact, the Canadian models are able to do just that. You can get the 17" wheels (on the "GT" models) and have the option to choose whether or not to get the spoiler, etc. They call it the "GFX Package."

It must be because Canadians have such refined tastes

fowler3 · January 2003

dissed the Steel Grey, now, I'm beginning to like it more than the Redfire color.

Why? It grows on you.

The MZ6 in that color looks more luxurious, makes a stronger statement, it's formal without being black, yet it looks like an European Autobhan express.

I've come to the conclusion that today's buyers should wear colors (sport clothes and jackets, etc.) and drive a car that is a perfect background color for them; the way a man in a tux is the counterpoint to a lady in bright, formal clothing. The Steel Grey MZ6 lets you arrive in style, what you wear determines whether it ends at the curb or continues inside.

It seems to be popular with young and older alike. If you like pin stripes, and want to be able to find your's in parking lots, put a red stripe on the Grey -- very sporty, too. A dealer may argue with that, ignore him, it goes with the taillamps and the instrument lighting at night. Wear a red zipper jacket! People will see the connection -- style.

The taillamps are what other drivers are going to see when you hit the road in your 6s!

fowler3

windowphobe6 · January 2003

The GF4A-EL in the '93 626 (and the six-cylinder 626 thereafter) is a Mazda design; if you wanted a Jatco box, you got a Millenia S.

anonymousposts · January 2003

Hate to be a bubble burster but the 6s was nearly a second behind the top 2 finishers in the Road & Track comparison test. It also was 3rd in the slalom although their tester did not have the sport package.

So the only time some of the cars in the comparison test would be seeing the 6s's taillamps is if they are stuck in traffic behind it

(I hope everyone will appreciate the good-natured intent of this post)

andrewb2 · January 2003

The GF4A-EL could be a Mazda design, but there are pages that list it as Jatco. So that's what made me think it is. Here's a couple:

http://www.d-k-automatics.freeserve.co.uk/japanese.htm

http://www.bevenyoung.com.au/ketv1.htm

But it doesn't matter anymore. I just remembered that the Mazda6 V6 uses a 5-speed auto. The GF4A-EL is 4-speed. So they can't be the same.

Mazda6 Sedan

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