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Lifetime of the car or Chrysler???
manufacturers are beginning to shy away from Stainless to save weight and money
I wish they would conduct focus groups and ask the question "would you be willing to pay an extra $50-100 for a car if it had stainless steel exhaust system?". I would guess that the vast majority of people would say yes. But I realize they want to hit certain price points as well. It's been a long time since I had to replace an exhaust system and it always seemed like I was getting ripped off a bit when I did. Not sure why but it sure seemed that way.
It would be helpful to know what Mazda is actually using. Do you think they would answer another email from you on that subject? Or, since you've already made your decision, maybe you could forward the email address to me.
Thanks.
Lifetime of the car or Chrysler???
Right....
When the engine dies...the lifetime warranty is over. That is how I read this stupid warranty.
Too far from pedals = depress brake fully and if your knee is locked or near locked, you're too far from the pedals.
One was in showroom - 6i GT, black exterior, black leather interior. My initial impressions: Interior quality fantastic, really like the gauges, console well laid out, and the black zebra stripe accents around the shift area is very well done. The car, while very spacious, didn't feel too big or "boat" like - like I felt when test driving the '08 accord. I think this is due to Mazda mostly increasing the length of the car rather than making it really wide. Back seat legroom like has been stated before is very good, and headroom is surprisingly spacious for a six footer like myself. The biggest surprise for me was the 17" alloys. I had seen these in multiple pictures and, to be honest, HATED them. In person though I thought they looked much better, to the point where I actually now like them and consider them a "plus" in deciding between the M6 and competitors.
The other model in stock was a 6i sport, which was the only one available for a test drive. I didn't have much time to spare but took it for a quick spin. The first and most important thing - if anyone is considering a "sport" trim for the M6, I would highly recommend spending the extra $ to move up to a higher model. Many of the interior accents that make the Mazda6 so good are not included in this model (the aforementioned black striped molding, electrochromatic gauges, leather wrapped wheel/shift). Also lacking is the trip computer which makes the area above the console look awkward, as Mazda shortens the width of the display and leaves some empty space. I also wasn't a fan of the black cloth seats, the material just seemed low quality to me. I doubt too many on this forum are considering this, but I hadn't heard anyone mention the sport trim and wanted to give that info to those maybe thinking of saving a few bucks for this model.
Anyway, I'm S-Plan with Mazda which means you pay Invoice + $255 (at least it's $255 for Texas, it might be the same nationwide). I also got an additional $500 off for being a current Mazda owner and the dealer also took another $500 off (perhaps holdback). This put the selling price of the car at $25,147.....for a car that's less than a week old with an MSRP of $28,240.
FWIW, if you join www.worldkarting.com for $55 you can get an S-Plan PIN from them (all members are eligible). It's the best $55 you'll spend if you want a new '09 6 while they are still new to the market as I doubt many dealers are willing to deal much at the moment. With S-Plan you can figure out what you'll pay simply by using Edmunds to figure out the invoice and then adding $255. Your dealer might be willing to give you the $500 holdback as well.
For those of you without scruples, a little googling will allow you to find a Partner ID that will allow you to get an S-Plan PIN without having to join anything.
How lond did the process take from joining worldkarting to having the PIN to purchase? Sounds like a good option, but only if I can get it all done within a couple weeks.
I just want to be sure I can snag any other deals before I agree w/ the final amount.
MSRP: 30k+
Options: Bose/Moonroof
Well approaching the car it looks far better than pictures would indicate. There's a strong family resemblance to the RX8 and Mazda3. The front and sides seem nicely sculpted. The raked windshield and high beltline with tall trunk creates a nice illusion of forward motion. The trunk is probably the 6's best angle as there's a nice combination of shapes colliding to create an interesting view. The car looks almost expensive but not quite so it's questionable if the chrome adds or detracts from the appearance. It's a mature brother to the Mazda3, but downright plain beside the RX8 (unfair as most everything looks plain by a RX8). The massive number of scratches decorating this brand new car makes me think either the delivery people were careless or the dealer doesn't know how to detail. Anyway, is the Mazda6 posing or is it legitimately nice?
Inside the interior's comfy, roomy and feels almost european. Pull open the lightish doors and you're greeted by soft-touch plastics on the upperside of the door. The actual door handle on the interior, sadly, is covered by an ultra-cheap gray plastic. Why give the area you touch daily such an economy-car feel?
Slide onto the soft front seats and you've got a nice cockpit layed out. The small, meaty steering wheel with tilt and telescope feels pretty darn solid, pushing a sense that this might be a driver's car. The wheel's adorned with a variety of buttons and switches - too many and they all feel brittle. Beyond the wheel the view of the tach and speedo is nice...sadly with this an automatic transmission vehicle the tach's sort of a joke.
The center stack's decked out like the Accord. In other words there's a gazillion buttons and switches and it's all so very overdone with an eye toward appearing important but really with no concept of keeping things simple. Buttons seems to exist for everything on the dash - too much clutter. What's up with the stereo controls? Really, do we need so many buttons for what really amounts to a few basic needs: on/off, mode, up/down, volume up/down. The rotary HVAC seemed to function fine and intuitively, while the car's AC blew comfortably throughout the drive. The lack of rear AC vents is a big oversight though. At the top of the center stack you'll also see Mazda's now ubiquitous info center. This was great on the 3. At this point it's just silly on this car. Traveling across the dash there's a line of some kind of weird tacky plastic wood. This same plasto-wood adorns the center console. Overall the dash layout feels busy and poorly planned.
Before pressing the start button - illogically placed on the bottom of the center stack - I adjusted my seat. It's a big, soft seat. The creamy-white leather on the test car with 40 miles on it already had a variety of black marks. Wow this stuff will not age well. The seat controls reside at the back portion of the lower left of the seat - apparently the psychotic idiots from VWAG got at this car as seat controls seemed a low priority for the 6.
After making some adjustments to the seats a few things became clear. The steering wheel's mix tilt/telescope and size is fantastic! The seats have no thigh or back support. It's just a flat, soft seat. No amount of adjustments could change this. Overall it was clear the seats were not designed for aggressive driving.
Firing up the six you hear...nothing. This is a GT, and no we don't want to hear the engine bark to life. I eased the car into drive and then accelerated. Woosh. The car moves silently and with easy authority. Without pressing hard the giant V6 swiftly and easily propels this car. Throughout the drive the 6 seemed to have ample power on hand. At WOT throttle the car just rocked back and moved as if a giant hand were pressing us like a matchbox car.
The 6 speed automatic mostly shifts seamlessly. No, this isn't stupid-smooth like the DSG's easy shifting but for the most part it seemed the 6 was well sorted. Why this car lacks a freeway cruising gear is a mystery though. The first 5 speeds can be arranged to give the car some aggressive driving while that 6th gear could be ultra-tall for relaxed freeway. In typical Mazda fashion, the gearing isn't sorted correctly. Almost come to a stop, hit the gas and the 6 speed can't decide what to do. The car will buck and then launch forward. Automatics still have a ways to go...
Overall, while underway the Mazda6's suspension soaks up the road with aplomb. We drove a pockmarked, crazy awful road and the 18s absorbed everything. Nothing gets through to the cabin. The car's quiet and smooth. Road noise was really muted, we could carry on a conversation with backseat passengers easily. Heck, the AC made more noise than the engine or road.
Sadly, that really soft suspension also meant that steering feel was vague and turn-in felt more like my Grandpa's old Park Avenue. I drive this same crazed pocked-marked, s-filled road on my way home from work daily. In my wife's A3, my Cooper and my BMWs this road is straight up fun. Even without going hard this can be a fun road. In the new Mazda6 this road felt like it was far too challenging for the car's nose-heavy design and soft suspension. Understeer is the name of the game and every corner required far more input and weight adjustment than I would like to excerise at such simple speeds. If the corner caution sign said 30, then 40-45 was really pressing the 6. 50 could be found but this required really pushing the chassis/tire/suspension combo far more than I liked.
By the time we reached one of my favorite feeder roads to Interstate 8 I knew the Mazda6 was no longer a fun, euro-like little car. This thing had been thoroughly Accorded. That banked 30 mph corner I take at 60 in my Cooper and BMW would be a challenge for the 6 at even 45. The front kept plowing, the rear refusing to come around with out more judicious use of the brakes.
The freeway drive was quiet and serene. At that point I no longer cared. The tach did show an engine running way too high at 80 mph though...again, what's wrong with Mazda's gearing?
While we get S-plan pricing, there's little chance I will return for the Mazda6 when I buy in a few months. As my wife pointed out on the drive home after the test drive - the car simply wasn't lively enough to be a daily driver. Yes it's roomy, looks pretty nice, the interior's nice and the engine's crazy smooth but the chassis/suspension/tire combo of the car makes me think I wouldn't pay more than 18-19k for the car. Anything more and I begin to think about a used 2006 e90 BMW. or a new GTI 4 door or Jetta Wagon TDI. I'd rather drop 20-22k on a used Bimmer and have a car that will be far more fun to drive day in and day out. Or spend 23-25k on new VWs and get a more rewarding european drive and much better gas mileage,
I had it at 70 mph and about 2000 rpm, which is relatively low compared with other contemporary cars I've driven. Can't imagine it was much higher at 80 mph. "Way too high" seems like an exaggeration. But then, maybe I'm out of touch with the cars the Mazda6 competes against. Maybe they're much lower in their rpms on the highway. Don't know. Do you?
As for RPMs I seem to recall thinking the engine was running high at 80. I really would love for someone to explain why this V6 only gets 25 mpg with a 6 speed auto.
Just out of curiosity, what is your $13K car with lumbar adjustment? Maybe I'll buy one of those.
But more importantly noticed two things that were disappointing. First was, whenever I started the car from stop, a vibration (almost a mild shudder) went thru the gas pedal and I could feel that also on the steering wheel. Not sure if it's because of the 4-cyl or if this is specific to the vehicle that I drove. Other than this, the car was peppy enough for most situations.
But the second one was that the steering was too light and almost dead in the center - a small input slightly to either side from the center had no effect. I was surprised at this because I feel even my CX-9 has a better weighted, responsive steering. I expected the 6 to do much better in this area - I always thought if Mazda could make my huge/heavy 7 seater give such good feedback it would be able to do much better with the 6 but apparently not.
I'm going to test drive the 's' version just to see if the 18-inch wheels would make a difference, but I'm not too hopeful on that.
Other than my CX-9 and this 2009 6, I haven't driven any other Mazda. May be I was expecting a little too much from a car in this class, but my CX-9 and all the reviews of the past 6 made me think that the 2009 6 would be much more fun that what it turned out to be.
You seem to come away a bit negative and disappointed.
I can't help but wonder A3, mini, BMX(3?) I am not sure you are really comparing the 6 to anything in the segment or suggesting any 'real' alternative. These are all 15 -24" smaller as are all the 'used' options you suggest.
It just strikes me that expectations on performance and price criteria were unrealistic.
I am attracted to this car and am torn between a 6 and a Legacy GT. Mostly for the obvious lack of AWD and MT.
I don't believe there is a sport sedan in the segment maybe the Legacy after a suspension tune for $600 and some tires.
The 6 is not, nor should it be viewed as a sport sedan, but rather a sedan with sporting appeal. Just MHO.
As I mentioned before, it's not had to google Mazda S-Plan Partner Code to find a link to a partner code that would get you a PIN within minutes. This is rather shady (to say the least) as you really wouldn't be associated in anyway whatsoever with the supplier you used the Partner Code of. Precisely why WKA handles getting the PIN for you. Also, some dealerships might require you to prove your relationship to the Partner Code. Then again, most don't care as long as the number passes when entered into the computer.
When you buy using S-plan you get the car at invoice + 225 and are entitled to all currently available rebates.
In MazdaUSA's own words:
S-Plan prices represent a substantial discount from MSRP and include any retail incentive if applicable.
In all honesty, I'm not sure why my dealer included the additional $500; but I sure as hell wasn't going to complained when he offered it to me.
S-plan is probably the only way to get a good deal on the '09 6's right now since they've been out only a week and the demand is pretty darn high.
That said, I am actively looking for a car to replace my 07 Cooper S as I have a baby coming in November. I've owned Mazdas in the past and loved them. My 03 Protege ES was a fantastic little car (more enjoyable to drive than the far nicer 09 Mazda6 or even the Mazda3). For my own purchase I'm comparing price ranges and in this price range, a new GTI, Clubman, WRX, Lancer Ralliart, 09 Jetta TDI SportWagen and a used 3 series are all priced in that 20-30k range the Mazda6 resides. As a former admirer of Mazda's last 6 and their almost BMW-esque handling I expected the new Mazda6 would feel at least decent in the handling department. No such luck.
I can overlook nitpicks about interiors and trim (I think my Cooper is dreadful on so many levels from the cheesey interior to the car's bland styling) but in the end, all cars come down to the drive and it's here that the Mazda6 failed me.
It drives big. I agree with blueguy.
My opinion is that 6 is now in the same class as Camry, Accord, Altima in size and handling where in the past it was a class above in handling and just the right size. As the current owner of a '07i GT Hatch I feel that Mazda 6 provides no compelling reason to choose an 09 6, were I to have to replace my car today with a midsize I'd pick the Altima sedan or Accord coupe.
And the new 6 is over $3000 more than an 08 with similar trim and options and I can not even get Sirius with Bose and Moonroof, which I have on my 07.
I'm not impressed.
I also own an 03 Protege LX with 2.0 and it is a HOOT to drive. Handles wonderfully. It is more fun than the 07 6.
My next Mazda will be a Miata as a "toy". For a daily driver I'll have to evaluate the new 3 when it arrives as the new 6 has become an Accord/Camry/Altima clone.
But, my 1988 Mazda MX-6 had it along with 8 other adjustments that made that seat the best I've ever experienced in any car. I often wish I had taken the seat out and had it mounted on a pedestal for use in front of my TV..!! And it wasn't soft !!! It was firm but with all the adjustments you could always get comfortable. It even had adjustable side thigh supports along with the adjustable kidney supports. I took a couple of long distance drives (3000 miles) and after 10 hours behind the wheel, I was never tired and stiff. Fabulous seat....! Recaro could take lessons from that seat..!!
I wonder if Mazda saw these 3 cars selling at a rate of about 1.3 million a year and decided to go where the sales (i.e. money) are vs. trying to continue to stand out as a niche player in this market.
I'm not impressed. "
The is precisely what the 1MC package is....BOSE/Moonroof/Sirius. I've got it on my iGT and it can be had on the Touring and Grand Touring models. It includes 6mnths of service which is better than many mfg's only 3 months.....I just activated mine this morning.
There is virtually no info on the web that explains all the features the car really has. It's voice recognition system is excellent for it's bluetooth system. There are a LOT of customizable features on the car that nobody talks about. You can change how long the lights stay on (if at all) after you turn the car off. You can change the light sensitivity of the automatice headlights if desired, the volume of the turn signals, and a plethora of other little things.
I'm not impressed. "
Sirius is included with 1MC, I made an error in regard to Sirius.
There is a $3000 plus premium for the 09 GT vs. 08 GT.
What you may enjoy, I may not. I do not use cell phone while driving, I don't care how long the headlights stay on after the car is turned off, I prefer that they turn off when I turn off the car, automatic headlights are an irritation, and volume of turn signals is not a wanted feature.
Meaningless fluff to me. I've had this stuff on my past few cars and in the end it doesn't make the car more fun to drive.
I'll keep it relatively short:
If you are buying a family sedan and want to have a some fun while you drive, the 6 is the winner. Camry/Accord/Altima trail, IMO.
If you want a "Sport Sedan" of this size doesn't exist until you hit 5 series territory. Seriously (mind you I said size, not closest $$, which is A4/3 Series but small). The G8 is the possible exception.
Perhaps a sad commentary on American motoring today.
My choice has narrowed down to my original selection. Subaru Legacy GT
Fast, AWD, MT. End of line.
After months of following this car in the press, reading reviews, looking at pictures online, liking most of the promises I had heard, and eagerly anticipating making a nicely equipped Mazda6 my next new car, I finally got to drive and evaluate a number of Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring models. Prior to release, I had read about the underwhelming fuel economy, the lack of a 6 speed transmission in the I4, the non-spectacular warranty, and the awkward packaging of options Mazda has chosen, but I loved the style and the promise of a "zoom-zoom" driving experience that would be more fun than the competition. Plus, I have S-Plan, so I get the car for invoice right at launch if I want one. Although I normally prefer a V6, I never even drove the 6 cylinder due to what I read on the EPA label. When I saw 17/25 EPA rating I had no desire to even start up a V6, let alone drive it. I can't even begin to understand how Mazda could get such bad economy out of their V6???
Some background info: I'm a true car guy, who loves a great-handling well-engineered car, and I also love to get good value for my money in terms of features and options for the price, reliability, build quality, and resale value. I'm shopping for any kind of sedan in the 20-30k range, and while I'm not picky about brands and labels, I would like to have something newly released and unique on the road, at least initially, and these days I would gladly sacrifice V6 power for 4 cylinder fuel economy, so efficiency is important to me.
I won't speculate on what the reliability or resale of the Mazda6 will be, although neither has historically been at the top of its class. What I will speculate on is what I perceive to be notable quality faults on the models I inspected this week. And I can give my impressions on how the car drove.
First off, before you can even get behind the wheel of this visually appealing sedan, the moment you open the door you are greeted by the most noxious new car smell this side of a low end Kia. And it never went away on my test drive, either. I felt almost ill from breathing whatever is off-gassing from the plastics and vinyls in this car.
Then, once inside, the interior is well laid out and has a generally attractive cabin (except for the cheap ugly scratch-prone shiny black plastic covering the center console and part of the lower dash). The driving position is good, and the seats were pretty comfortable. But both the cloth ones I sat in and the leather-lined GT's upholstery felt like some of the cheapest material anyone could possibly put in a car these days. I mean, seriously, the cloth was plain mouse fur and the leather was like a cross between cardboard and hard plastic. Both were really low-rent looking and feeling. And although I liked the way the seats fit, I was a bit put off by the coarse mechanical noises coming from the seat motors. Other Asian cars must use some different supplier for this part, or maybe it is an early quality issue with the first batch of Mazda6's? But whatever is going on there does not inspire confidence in the quality of the rest of the parts I can't see or feel.
Now for the drive. Short answer is that it wasn't that special. I wasn't overwhelmed by the power from the 4 cylinder, although it accelerated well enough. The car just felt like a good midsize sedan, nothing more. If I was supposed to notice some special kind of zoom-zoom in the steering or brakes or engine, I didn't. Though I did feel some unwanted noise and vibration when accelerating hard. The V6 model may have more spunk, but like I said, I didn't even want to drive that one.
A few more things I noticed about the interior that were really out of place in a car that is going to sell for the mid to high twenties: One of the cars on the lot also had a broken lumbar knob which just spun freely. Not good. But on all the cars I saw, the lumbar doesn't adjust much anyway. I also thought the door flexed a lot when pulled closed, and the center console and armrest had some give, as well. Also, the turn signal/wiper stalks felt flimsy and the chrome climate knobs felt all loose and cheap, too. And the fuzzy headliner is a little downmarket for this price point. Mazda probably needed to spend more time looking at how Honda or VW screw together their interiors and learn some lessons there, in my opinion.
I'd also like to talk about the options a little more. I am not a fan of rain sensing wipers, blind spot monitors or other such gimmicky features. And I noticed you can't order a reasonably loaded car without them. So, the option packaging is really awkward and won't let you pick a car with some really desirable features like a good stereo, or heated seats or leather, or a moonroof without also getting stuff you may not want. I know other car makers do it too, but that whole practice sits badly with me, as if Mazda is trying to win an award for "carmaker who upsells the most useless options by putting one 'essential' option in an expensive package or trim level".
And a final point I have been considering throughout my evaluation of this new Mazda: There are currently no rebates at launch, yet the price is quite a bit higher than the old car, pretty much on par with the proven class leaders. Mazda frequently resorts to rebates to move their iron, and the last thing I would want is to buy one now and then see a grand or two on the hood by Christmas. All things being equal, I prefer to deal with a car manufacturer who doesn't resort to rebates, ever, if that is possible.
On the whole, I just didn't fall in love with anything about this car, and I'm disappointed because I had wanted to. The specs, options, pricing, and driving experience aren't that great compared to what else is out there from Toyota, VW, Honda, Hyundai, and others, for similar or less money. And the car as a whole just does not feel like a quality piece of work, nor is it worth my hard-earned dollars at this point in time.
I think I will pass.
I totally agree with you about the gas mileage however. I don't think the I4 is bad at 21/30 mpg but the V6 at 17/25 mpg sucks. It's obvious they thought that the zoom-zoom factor would make people overlook that when all the decisions for engine, weight, gearing etc were made. However gas was probably at about $2.50 a gallon then and it was hard to anticipate the bruised psyche and change of mindset of the American people when gas hit $4.
New 6 is also quieter inside.
However gas was probably at about $2.50 a gallon then and it was hard to anticipate the bruised psyche and change of mindset of the American people when gas hit $4.
If Mazda would have held true to it's own stated philosophy of "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" then the 09 6 would be lighter, more fuel efficient and instead of focusing on the V6, Mazda may have introduced DISI with smart idling stop system in US or possibly a hybrid or clean diesel in the 6.
It IS Deja Vu all over again.
The same people who are bashing the car now are the same ones that were bashing it before it came out.
In MY OPINION, it is by far the sportiest in the segment, however, my opinion only matters to me. Everyone should form their OWN opinion after driving it.
The Mazda6 is not for everyone. Just like the Accord / Camry / Altima are not for everyone. The only other car in this segment besides a Mazda6 that I would consider is an Altima or a Legacy. I would buy a Sonata over a Camry or Accord. I really believe that both Honda and Toyota are far overrated.
And chances are these same people have NOT driven the 6 for themselves either.
Bear in mind that the new Accord and Altima are fantastic cars from a drivers aspect. The Altima is incredibly quick and responsive for a FWD car, while the Accord is a great balance of driver feel and comfort. If Mazda was trying to take on the Altima/Accord, they were fighting a losing battle unfortunately. Honda and Nissan have a huge loyal following of customers, and to be able to woo those people away would be by far the biggest victory the automotive world has ever seen.
I have no doubt that the Mazda 6 is probably just as good as if not better than any other midsize family sedan on the market, but convincing people of that is not and easy task. Kudos to Mazda for making a great vehicle, but it's going to be a hard road ahead.
The 6 stands a VERY good chance of stealing away owners of other brands. I've only had mine since Friday and have already had an '08 Accord owner stop me in a parking lot and ask to take a look at the car. He asked when it had hit the dealerships. I told him a week ago and he said he wish he had waited before getting the Accord.
You'd be amazed how many people stop to stare at it in a parking lot. It's exterior styling makes it look more in line with a Lexus or Infiniti than its true competition.
The styling alone should at least bring some more potential customers into the dealership. This time around w/ the 6 they won't turn right back around after sitting inside. The last 6 was a fantastic driving car but really was lacking in just about everything else compared to the competition. Many people never got so far as a test drive....... this time they will.
IMHO, there are a many out there that think the 1st gen Mazda6 was some kind of formula-1 sports car and owning one automatically made them a "sports car driver". I'm not saying they should get counseling or something, but they really need to face reality. I mean, come on, comparing a Japanese front-wheel-drive four-door family car with Mini's, A4s and BMWs and then complaining about the handling. Give me a break.