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Mazda6 Owners Meet the Members

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Comments

  • nismofreaknismofreak Member Posts: 120
    Oh... Hello! ;^)
    I traded in my beloved '01 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 auto for my gleaming new 6! Man, this is a hot car!

    This is what I got:
    Blazing Copper Metallic MZ6s manual tranny with:
    Luxury Package, Sport w/ Spoiler, Moonroof, Bose, Side and Curtain Airbags, Compass with Auto Dim mirror, Chrome filler door, all-weather mats and wind deflector.

    I am getting used to the throttle-by-wire bit and the extremely high engagement point on the clutch. But I do love it! And so does everyone that I talk to. I have yet to see my colour 6 on the road. It is such an awesome colour.

    Anyway, I look forward to lively discussions. Oh! I already took it in for service. I bought it yesterday and last night when I locked it, I notice the front right signal light did not blink. Called the service dept this morning and the replace the bulb.

    I am a DIY guy so my car will only see the dealership for warranty work. I can't wait to get inside and dig around!

    I have been on Edmunds since '00 and I do like their forums.

    See y'all inside!

    -nismofreak (or should it be mazdaspeedfreak, hmmmm?)
    '04 Blazing Copper 6s
    '02 Midnight Blue PR5 manual (wife's)
    '94 Nissan SE-R (racecar)
    '87 RX-7 Turbo II (too many mods to list)
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    Welcome!

    ... do you have an email id? I'd love to talk to you about the SE-R racecar :)
  • lefthandmanlefthandman Member Posts: 47
    After a lot of research and number-crunching I bought an '04 Mazda6 S 5-door about a month ago; my first-ever new car purchase. Previously I drove an '87 VW Golf GT 4-door (231,000 miles on the odometer when I donated it to a non-profit last week). I wanted another good-handling hatchback, but reliability issues drove me away from a new VW purchase for now. My Mazda6 is glacier silver, V6, 5-speed manual, charcoal cloth interior, and major options include the moonroof, side airbags and the Bose sound system. So far I'm really pleased. I've driven approximately 1,000 miles and averaged about 26 mpg combined city/hwy driving. I live in Colorado and ski frequently, so I purchased a set of four aftermarket 16-inch alloy wheels and winter snow tires (slightly higher profile tires than the stock 17-inch Michelins). I am a little concerned after reading about the clutch shudder issue in another forum here. The clutch on my car doesn't shudder, but its engagement/disengagement (particularly using reverse) is not as smooth as it could be. Well, happy motoring, fellow Mazda6 owners - Zoom-zoom!
  • fitguyfitguy Member Posts: 220
    Welcome, lefthandman!

    I live in the Northeast, good amount of snow. and I'm very curious- how are the snow tires on your 6? What brand did you get? I considered snows for mine but so far it's been ok in moderate snow. Do you think they were worth the cost? BTW, you were wise to avoid the VW- I had a 2000 Paasat and it was a reliability nightmare. I think all of us newer Mazda owners are hoping they nailed the build quality- so far, so good!
  • lefthandmanlefthandman Member Posts: 47
    Thanks for the greeting, fitguy. The snow tires I bought are Yokohama IG10 Ice Guards, similar in tread design to Bridgestone Blizzaks. They were approx. $85 apiece from Discount Tire. I also purchased four Konig Theory 16-inch alloy wheels from Discount, and got a $100 package discount. I chose 16- over 17-inch rims because I wanted a higher profile, slightly narrower winter tire for better traction on snow and ice. I also wanted extra rims because I tend to keep vehicles awhile (10-years plus) and don't want to mess with removing, reinstalling and balancing winter and summer tires on the same rims each fall and spring. I head into the mountains frequently during the winter months (nordic and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, etc), necessitating winter tires here in Colorado. My dad gave me his extra hydraulic jack, so changing wheels in my garage is pretty easy. The Yokohamas are relatively quiet and smooth-riding considering the aggressive tread design, and so far I'm impressed at how well the tires grip in the snow. So for me the four extra wheels and tires are worth it, for others this may not be the case.
  • lefthandmanlefthandman Member Posts: 47
    Fitguy - Re: VWs, my older brother has a '99 Passat, V6 5-speed manual that he's been happy with, but his experience may be an anomaly. Before purchasing my Mazda I read far too many comments on chat boards and in forums about poor electrical systems on recent model Golfs and Jettas. I really liked my '87 Golf and may consider another VW in the future, but so far I'm very happy with my Mazda6, and like you I'm hoping for the best reliability-wise. - Zoom-zoom!
  • mrkhwly555mrkhwly555 Member Posts: 1
    LOL. Hello all. My name is Mark and I am a recovering mustangaholic. I traded in my Mustang Convertible for a Mazda 6i. I really love the new car and all the cool features. It is nice to have a trunk again "woot". That is all for now. I will check in again and read more when I am not as tired :-)
  • denali856denali856 Member Posts: 118
    ...drove off with our silver '04 6S Sport AT sedan. Certified preowned (w/13500 mi), which gives one the extended warranties (out to 7y/100k on the drivetrain).

    We bought it for my wife who does about 400 miles/week, so the extended warranty was a big plus for us, though I would've loved to try that 6 speed.

    So far we both love the car. I now drive our '02 Denali, which I love, but it's quite a treat to drive a real driver's car--which I haven't really had since the '65 MGB I got as my first car as a hand-me-down from my dad a loooong time ago.

    Such a sweet handling car! And did anyone catch the SCCA Touring Car race at Sebring on Speed this past weekend? The Mazdas were the best handling cars in the field, and had it not been for the accident at the start which put him back to 10th, there's little doubt Altenburg would have won instead of only working his way back up to 3rd (in an 18-lap race, no less)!

    Anyway, I'm already thinking about mods, in particular adding a transmission cooler (I've read that the tranny runs a bit hotter than is healthy, especially if one drives in a spirited fashion) and, perhaps, a CAI (I've read pretty impressive things about the CP-E system on mazda6club.com). If there are a couple things about the car I think could improve it, it would be (1) having a bit more low-end, off-the-line torque (doesn't really need it anywhere else because it has plenty of power above, say, 3000rpm, and even with the AT, being a 5-speed, it's easy to manage rpms and drive for speed), and (2) a bit quicker shifts in manual mode (which I think adding a cooler and maybe switching to a synthetic ATF could accomplish).

    But that's all icing on the cake. The car is awesome as is.

    I'd be interested in hearing anyone else's experience with mods.
  • suntopsuntop Member Posts: 1
    Today I bought a new 2004 Mazda 6. Here is my story. I had been passivly scanning the market for 8 months knowing the wife and I would need a new car down the road. We both owned 1996 Ford Taurus GLs. I looked at civics, Corollas, Taurus's, Saturns, Stratus's and many other models. We needed: 4 doors and for it to be new. Then we had a list of I wants. I narrowed down the list late last year after researching and "Building" models on websites. Toyota, was nice but nothing just right. Saturns were a joke which upset me cause I was deadset on getting one if I could, Civics were nice but not many with option packages we liked out here(Live on the Wyoming/Nebraska border). We finally went to the areas largest dealer to check out Stratus's. It had one gizmo I really wanted - AT trasnmission cause I love shifting and wife does not. What we saw at dealer suprisingly lacked any real innovation and options then the dealer said the fateful words, "If you really want AT transmission, let me show you a real car with AT". It was a Mazda. What's a Mazda? I know nothing of them other than "Zoom Zoom" and the Miata is cute. He showed me 5 they had in stock and we test drove all but the one indoors. We settled on one well equipped(V-6, leather, AT, climate control, power and heated seats, spoilers, etc.) and it was red. We never really wanted red, we were more like a blue or grey couple but we noticed a perculiar thing. The red was a more subdued shade of red today when it was overcast versus the day we saw it with sunlight and it was closer to fire engine red. Odd. Anywhos, since it was a 2004 we got rebates and decent trade in. 25,550.00 car sold to us with bank loan for 21,450. With not even 100 miles on it today hard to tell how it will go but noticed 3 unexpected things already. Passenger side mirror does not seem to want to move out properly when I operate it from control, though it goes up and down fine. In manual mode Downshifting from 2 to 1 is rough, even when I let it downshift itself after going slow enough to make it do it by itself. Called dealer and he said it probably needs to break in a little and that if it is noticalby malfunctioning it will put up a light for service. Lastly, being 6' 2" I am surpised I did not notice the pedal setup. Less roomy vs previous cars which will make for a serious adjustment in sitting style for me. Overall we are very pleased with it but time will tell how it runs in 600 miles. I really want an after market compass mirror though!
  • fitguyfitguy Member Posts: 220
    Suntop-
    Don't 2nd guess your purchase- the 6 is probably the best Japanese sedan under 25K, overall. I't's not perfect, even 50K cars aren't. I've owned some similar mid-size sedans, the 6 does a lot well. The auto tranny isn't the best in terms of shift smoothness but it should prove durable. The gas mileage (on the V6) will never be great. The handling, however, will aways be great and the seats are very comfy. It also is a car that needs a lot of break-in (apparently), mine has 7200 mi and just now feels "loosened" andis getting better gas mileage. Stick with it; don't let the "little stuff" overshadow a really fun automobile! :D
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Suntop:

    Welcome to the club! You have joined an elite group of men and women that would rather drive than ride, that purposely finds empty backroads instead of the boring, crowded interstate. It's the best therapy out there, better than drugs, alcohol, and Dr. Phil combined! :)

    A couple tips:

    The engine does take time to "break-in", and the gas mileage will be lower than expected for the first 5-7K miles. Once it breaks in, mileage will go up.

    Take the time to read the other Mazda 6 forums, including the wagon and hatch forums as well. There have been A LOT of different topics discussed about the 6, and I'm sure that any questions that you might have had been addressed previously. On that note, feel free to ask questions on these boards, even if it's been discussed before, and you still don't get it. There are members here with a lot of experience and know-how (well, maybe not me, but there are others!) :)

    Most importantly, HAVE SOME FUN WITH YOUR NEW 6!

    Just to let you know, I've got 10,700 miles on my '04, no problems, only smiles! :)
  • fitguyfitguy Member Posts: 220
    There's a guy on a boaters forum I also frequent that has a great tag line:

    "I'm no expert- I just play one on the internet!"

    Kidding aside, there is a great bunch of guys/gals here with a ton of knowledge and insight. And as mz6greyghost said, we are very into driving our Mazda's! :shades:
  • cannedspamcannedspam Member Posts: 1
    I currently own a 2002 Nissan Altima that has given me nothing but problems. How is the reliabilty of the Mazda 6? Anyone have or know of any common reoccuring problems?
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    If you use the Browse By Vehicle search to your left, you will find many topics concerning the Mazda 6. Take some time to read/skim through them and you should get a good sample of 6 owners comments and concerns.
  • bdr05sprtwagonbdr05sprtwagon Member Posts: 2
    Bit the bullet. Traded 03 Explorer XLT for an a 05 Squall Blue Grand Touring Wagon. Picked it up Thursday and have put 275 miles on it. Here are a few thoughts: Bose stereo is super, only problem is getting mp3 discs to play. 1st and 2nd gears are sluggish during shifting from a stop. 1st fill up mpg 23, mixed driving. Auto climate control super. Driving experience has been fantastic. So far I can say I am very satisfied.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    For all of you Mazda6 5-door and wagon owners, do you have the gas tank "sloshing" problem? Both YES and NO answers are requested.
  • letsdrivenowletsdrivenow Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 2006 Mazda6s last week. Absolutly LOVE IT!!!! :D I traded in my pickup after getting tired of everyone asking for help moving, lol. (the real truth was I was just tired of driving the thing and it needed some expensive repairs) At first I was looking at a Mazda3 but my friends told me to try out the 6, so i figured a test drive wouldn't hurt. I loved it but the price was too much for me (it had all the bells and whistles on it lol) Ended up driving to another state to find the perfect 6 for me!!! Now I think I've given most of my family and friends the bug. They all want to drive my car, but they would have to pull be out of the drivers seat kicking and screaming. Oh, I named the car Zoomy LOL
  • zzzoom6zzzoom6 Member Posts: 425
    I've had mine now for a few months and am loving it more and more as time goes on. the handling of this car makes driving so much more fun. and on long road trips, it's a blast! comfortable and when i need to pass, zoom-zoom! i just replaced my headlights and antenna...finding so many things i can do off mazda6club to better maintain my car and things to make it better. now if only gas prices were lower...
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Well, I haven't posted here in a couple years, but I'm back because I've traded in my 2003 Protege ES for a 2006 MTX Mazda6S Hatchback GT (or GS I think in the US). I loved the Protege, but the Mazda6 is awesome. I'm extremely pleased with the 6, and more importantly, so is the wife. :D

    BTW....it's silver.
  • vice_magnetvice_magnet Member Posts: 2
    I'm now on my fifth Mazda, and I think this one is the best! I traded in a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT 4-door for something a little shorter and less "boaty" feeling. Mine is a Performance White Mazda6 S with the moonroof/bose/spoiler option package. Oh, and locking wheel nuts. I plan to pimp the ride with dark windows, so that the black interior doesn't burn me up in the summer. I drove it from 2 miles to now just 180, but I've only had it a couple of days. I hope all of you love your Mazda6 as much as I love mine!
  • bigmusclepaulbigmusclepaul Member Posts: 9
    I've managed to pry myself away from all the luxury and prestige of a 2005 Honda Civic, and into a 2006 Mazda 6 sedan Touring Edition (a special model available in Canada). Wow, I never knew you could carry on a conversation with someone in the passenger seat before without screaming at them. And I'm not sure what's under the hood, but it's far more than the three hamsters that come with a Civic. And who knew that a shifter could feel better than a plastic version of a KFC drumstick slicing through potato salad? I'm really impressed!
  • rickypaulrickypaul Member Posts: 24
    Just bought a new black on black 6s a week ago. It is problematic. It seems I want to drive it all the time. This car is a blast to drive. I love it.
  • zzzoom6zzzoom6 Member Posts: 425
    HA!! i've got bad news for you my friend...your problem will just get worse. you'll find yourself going to stores many miles further than ones you go to now as long as there are curvy roads on the way there. you'll go on an errand and find yourself on your backroads wondering why you left your house in the first place. and some truly unfortunate ones will start investing in lowering springs, sway bars, cold air intakes, and new wheels and just add fuel to the fire to your current affliction. just so you know, current clinical data suggests that if you are ever cured of your problem, recidivism rates are shockingly high. my prayers are with you...now, where are my keys?!?!
  • jpd52jpd52 Member Posts: 6
    I am a new owner, and glad to hear the mileage should get better as it has about 800 on it now and is doing about 20 mpg. Not great. But it drives 100% better than the Volvo I came out of. Much more responsive fun car to drive.

    Jon Pousette-Dart
    NYC
  • dano100dano100 Member Posts: 22
    Just traded our 2006 Civic LX (go to my posts on the Civic board to see why :lemon: )on a leftover 2006 MAZDA6 S Grand Sport. What a car! Tons of rebate, financing, Auto Show $$$ saved us almost $9,000 off the sticker. For the price of a Civic SI we got a beautiful car with a V6, 6 speed automatic, leather/heated/power seat, Bose/Sirius audio, HID headlights, 18" wheels and an interior made of MUCH higher quality materials than ALL the compact and mid-size Japanese offerings (check out the new Camry, the door panels are the same cheap plastic as the Civic and all the silver painted surfaces in the Camry scratch extremely easy. The Civic's plastic will scratch just by looking at it, I swear!). I am very pleased with our decision. :)
  • jpd52jpd52 Member Posts: 6
    Sounds like you did even better than I did. I would have gone for an 06 if I had been able to find one. I traded a 2001 Volvo V70 T5 which was nothing but problems with 100K on it. I got $7200 on the Volvo, and picked up the 07 6 Sportwagon for $21,000. Sticker was slightly over $25,000, but it didn't have leather, Bose, 18" wheels or special headlights, but I am fine with what I got as I really love the car, and I'm an XM subscriber and got a friend to wire up the car very clean with IPOD/XM hookup, and the most important item of all, The VAlentine Radar detector which I won't drive with out on the East Coast. MAzda is a hard car to not feel good about.

    JOn
  • mikezoomzoommikezoomzoom Member Posts: 69
    Just curious if anyone knows if there is a way to unlock the driver information center(DIC)on a 2006 and up Mazda6?

    I would like to think that since the process has been figured out for the Mazda3... there's hope for the Mazda6.

    Any info would be great.

    ZOOM-ZOOM
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
  • wak1wak1 Member Posts: 5
    i have had mazda,s now the past 6 years and just bought a new 6 2.0l katano never had any problems reliability is out of this world.
  • dsiriasdsirias Member Posts: 34
    because there was not a single Grand Touring with a manual transmission in the entire state of California. I put down the deposit on May 5. Dealer says it will take 6 weeks. Is dealer being too optimistic with his time frame for delivery?
  • zoomzoomnzoomzoomn Member Posts: 143
    Central Virginia
    Redfire over charcoal cloth 6s MTX. Happily owned since August, 2003!

    AEM cold air intake, Racing Beat exhaust system, ASA AR1 silver 18" wheels, Racing Beat Suspension Kit (springs and sways), Tokico HP blue struts and shocks.

    I've always enjoyed this car and it flat out handles now with my suspension mods!!!
  • amanda2007amanda2007 Member Posts: 1
    My name is Amanda I just bought a 2007 Mazda 6 S. The car is great. I was just wondering if anyone knew the paint code for Smokestone Metallic? I want to get a spoiler for the car but the web-site says the code is 35m but when I looked at the code on the door it says 32p. The web-site also says 32p is the code for Tungsun Gray. I'm hoping someone can clear this up for me. Thank-You. My e-mail Amanda2000sc2@yahoo.com
    -Amanda
  • ericzoomericzoom Member Posts: 213
    I hope you have better luck with the 07' than the 05' 6 you had.
  • metallic6metallic6 Member Posts: 1
    Hello all, just bought the 2009 Mazda 6 and is loving it.
  • atxmazda6atxmazda6 Member Posts: 2
    Purchased a 2010 iSport, silver exterior & black interior last week and have enjoyed the purchase so far. Took a road trip to Houston yesterday and will be taking a road trip to Dallas on Thursday. Trying to get as much info as I can from the board. TTYL
  • lrotalrota Member Posts: 18
    2009 i GT - 6 spd manual - purchased new with only 290 miles from dealer for $17.9K. It sat on dealer lot since last March 2009! Are manual transmissions so unpopular now? Love the car.
  • mjm19mjm19 Member Posts: 6
    I'm thinking of buying this car this week. I currently have a 99 Maxima with 207,000 miles on it will the Mazda last as long? I've seen posts about engine problems. Love the looks of the car.
  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    Predicting the life of a new car is difficult. IMHO any car should and will last 100K miles. I could even streach this to 150K. This does not mean that repairs above and beyond regular maintenance will not need to be done. This means that a well cared for engine should last that long. The first and most inportant care is engine oil. I check mine every fillup. I change my oil per the manufacturers recommended interval but I always use full synthetic oil. I have a 1993 suburban with 225K miles that supports this strategy.

    I currently have a 2005 Mazda6s (3.0L V6) 5-speed manual transmission with 67000 miles. I have had no issues outside of normal maintence or covered under warrenty. I loved the car when I test drove it and I still love it. I will probably keep it until the wheels fall off and enjoy it the entire time.
  • yankman04yankman04 Member Posts: 14
    I've had my 2010 Mazda Grand Touring for 12 months now and I am very happy with it. The engine problems, I'm pretty sure are with the older models. If you like the car - go for it!
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    I got 92K miles out of my '04 Mazda6 V6 (with manual) before selling it, with the only issue being a faulty gas cap that tripped the CEL (fixed under warranty). I loved the 6 so much that I bought a '10 6S GT (w/tech.), and after 9 months and 10.5K miles, I've had no problems whatsoever.

    Getting 100K+ miles out of the 6 shouldn't be a problem IMO.
  • numb3rznumb3rz Member Posts: 15
    Great car, fun to drive, lots of power, reasonable mileage, almost 28 highway. No major problems, one small one. The heater fan has a metallic rattle when it's very cold outside. Took it to the dealer, he had to order the fan. The wife took it in and she said it only took them 10 minutes, yeah right. The rattle is identical to what it was. Doubt if they ever touched it. I'll buy the motor myself and install it. They will lose a customer for life if that fixes it. I get lifetime free oil changes. I have let them do 2. I have done 5 myself. I'll be taking it in more often when oil hits $4 a quart and a filter is $10.
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