Does anyone rate the Mitsubishi Lancer, four years now and still happy

[garbaldy]

I have been looking at them as the new shape estates look very good value for money. The last mazda I owned was an RX7 so have no idea what modern mazda build quality is like. They do a 2lt dizzle estate and I quite like the shape of them yes I know moderns are shit and all that but try telling the misses that.

[Cavcraft]

My mate had no end of agro with his (diesel) and had quite a bit done to the engine when he first got it. It repaid him for this last week when it blew up, so he cut his losses and weighed it in.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I have noticed quite a few 6 diesels advertised as non- runners, they seem to have taken over from Alfa 166's in that respect.

 

That said ,they do look amazing value and the latest ones look like Infinti's at half the price .

[garbaldy]

What age was that though as apparently they have a new dizzle engine which is supposed to be much improved.

[trigger]

A work mate had a new shape 2.0d and had nothing but problems with the engine and it cost a fortune, he warned me off them when I was looking for a new car last year. He's sacked his off now but lost a fortune over it.

[trigger]

His was about a 08 plate, I did hear that the newest ones are better.

[Mr Lobster]

I had a 2006 2.0i a few years ago - did 30k in nine months and I really liked it. Thats what made be by another Mazda really. Although horror stories of the diesels abound, the petrols seem to be pretty good.

[Cavcraft]

I think my mate's was circa 2008.

[garbaldy]

Hmmm sounds like that may be the reason they look temptingly cheep. Its hard finding a modern family reliable motor isn't it.

[Jim Bell]

Its hard finding a modern family reliable motor isn't it.

No. Buy a skoda octavia diesel.

Every taxidriver on the planet can't be wrong.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Or a Superb, the newer hatchback ones are available for £6/7k and they always seem to be well specced.

[Stanky]

I was on the lookout for one of these a couple of years back when I had some money to spend and apparently they are quite succeptible to rust - since learning of this I have looked very closely at any I've seen parked up and have to say that I have noticed several 2002-2005 ones with door bottoms going rusty or getting blebs round the arches. nothing catastrophic but worse than I'd expect on a modern 10-year old car.

 

Also, the lights are supposed to be a bit crap. they look great, but apparently are a bit sub-optimal when it comes to carrying out their intended function.

 

the new model ones look great IMHO, lovely flowing lines and bulges in all the right places.

[cort16]

The pez ones are pretty tough. I think you'll be okay if you keep away from the diesels. They do seem to rot quite badly for a modern japanese car though.

[trigger]

My mate had a 2005 diesel and that one to be fair seemed ok until it got wrote off in a crash, the rear arches had started to go though. The newer shape diesels are to be avoided though.

 

The Skoda Octavia is a good call though, my taxi mechanic friend says the 1.9 TDi is unkillable.

[cort16]

I recon it'd make as good a sub 1000 quid snotter as anything. Probably better than a Mondeo or Vectra of the same age and cash.

[garbaldy]

The ones I like the look of are 08 on and I haven't seen a rusty one yet, looks like I may have to give them a miss if they are trouble though. The octavia is a good car but not as nice looking also they are twice the price of the mazda, right enough I have not seen a 6 for sale with higher than 140k so may indicate that lifespan isn't as good as I would like.

[Parky]

They are nice looking cars but I too had heard about some rust based horror stories

[CortinaDave]

I saw a diesel one of these on an 04 plate for sale on my street the other day for £695 with decent tax and test. Didnt seem a bad deal to me and it was sold within a day. nice electric blue colour too. I probably would, although I'm not sure if they're much cop.

[cort1977]

The newest ones are getting rave reviews in the states, however that is for petrol only and they have low standards.   Got to say I think they look really good for a modern.

[Junkman]

What age was that though as apparently they have a new dizzle engine which is supposed to be much improved.

 

New. Improved.

Yeah. Right.

[garbaldy]

Haha I just read that quote back and realised it was a pretty knobish statement,

 

So what modern car is sort of reliable and not bad looking for everyday family use ?

[Justin Case]

 

So what modern car is sort of reliable and not bad looking for everyday family use ?

Back to the usual Japanese suspects. I've never known anyone have trouble with a modern Toyota (Yaris, Auris x 3, Avensis) but then I've never known anyone call them fun to drive or full of character

[Albert Ross]

If you want a decent solidly built modern. Volvo C30/S40/V50. The Mazdas do rot, but on the underside. Also, soft wheels, they seem to bend easily on crap roads. ARB links do suffer too, they're just a bit fragile for a big car. Illogical switchgear and  very plasticky too.

[Timewaster]

Mazda 6 rivals Ka in rusting status

[HH-R]

I've seen a fair few rusty post 2000 Mazdas too. Think I might have mentioned this but when I got my Metro early last year (19 years old at the time), my cousin was sending a 53 plate 323 over the bridge due to terminal rot.

[Hendry]

The 6s do rust like fuck, I looked at a 30K mile 54 plate one at a dealers in 2012 and it was starting to rust on the arches, saw an 04 plate in Tescos on Sunday and the rear arches were totally gone as well as the ends of the sills and right up along where the rear bumper sides meet the quarters, still they are basically Fords so no real surprise, although they are well kitted out, good value for money, don't look too dull or have the masses of grey plastic interior of most jap motors and the 2.0 petrol is reliable but thirsty and dear to run.

 

I know I'll probably get shot down in flames here but fuck it I'm going to say it: VW Jetta, my old man has an 09 plate on 90K for a taxi and its not suffered any catastrophes folk always bang on about, because its a booted Golf it doesn't hold money as well as a Golf or Passat, his was £9K at 3 years old (2.0 TDi 140 bhp, 40K miles, Sport spec so top of range) so no more expensive than a mid spec diesel Mondeo or Insignia, has a solid feel to it, boot is nearly as big as a Passats, plenty space inside, good mpg and reasonable tax, decent kit (17" alloys, auto wipers/lights, all round electric windows, cruise control, decent stereo, yadda yadda) and an identical one but 50K miles can be had for about 7K now and no shit like electric parking brakes etc

 

New model Toyota Avensis, loads round here as taxis so must be reliable, not the cheapest tbh but nice to drive, loads of space but does have crap like electric handbrakes and stuff

[twosmoke300]

Rusty and diesel is dodgy just sums it up.

[Joey spud]

For a jap car the diesels are pants..
I see lots of these at the roadside timing chains jump at around 100k miles and turbos fail early.

The biggest fault i see is dpf problems where the car keeps failing to complete its regeneration and so dumps unburnt diesel into the sump diluting the oil.
Eventually the pissy oil kills the engines bearings and if your really unlucky they ''run away'' on the over filled diluted oil.

Had a 20k 12 plated one the other night with the dpf light on and the oil level an inch over the max line.

Petrol ones never go wrong though.

[Lankytim]

These shitters sound on par with the Laguna II

[Junkman]

I herewith rate the Mazda 6.

 

The only car, that is entitled to carry a '6' in its model designation, is a Rover P6.

Furthermore, I shit on those newfangled Mazda 6es, and my shit is a mix of Mexico Brown and Tobacco Leaf in colour,

and of this distinct paste-like consistency, that leaves those annoying sprinkles in the toilet bowl, that are hard to remove with a toilet brush.

 

More, I'm afraid, I cannot say about Mazda 6es.