Mazda 6 Opinions?

[Hendry]

Whats the general concensus on these? the original one from about 2002 onwards, i still think they are one of the best looking family hatch/saloons around of that era, they seem to be getting really cheap now, if the 2009 Mazda 3 i nearly bought is anything to go by itll be a nice, refined, smooth drive if a tad dull, and well equipped. The interior is pretty decent by Jap standards id say as well, and being Jap (albeit Ford owned Jap) they should be pretty bulletproof mechanically. Im guessing the petrols are pretty thirsty, and is it basically just a Mondeo in an oriental frock the same way an X-type is a classier Mondeo? and is the rust issue as bad as people make out?

 

im seriously considering one as a runner as i want something a bit bigger and comfier to drive, these dont seem to have been owned by mouthbreathers as much as Mondeos and Vectras and are generally a bit better looked after, dont often see one of these with more hits than the Beatles on it.

[HH-R]

They do look nice and are supposedly a nice steer but they do rust like hell, I've seen a few wheelarch-less examples. My Cousin's 323 went to frag at about 7 years old because it was absolutely knackered underneath.

[twosmoke300]

Rusty shit ! Petrol engines suffer from piston ring wear too .

[Barry Cade]

Wonderful cars, but they rot quicker than a corpse in quicklime.

[Justin Case]

I've had my 2007 estate for just over five years now, and I haven't spent a penny on it other than servicing and routine replacements. It's a TS2, which means it scores quite well on the goody count; climate control, electric memory seat for the driver and an electric sunroof as well as the usual fixtures and fittings. It is very roomy (the main reason I bought it), and will take a 5ft garden bench in the back with the seat folded down or three adults or three child seats in the back seat. Performance and handling is surprisingly good, even after coming from an Alfa 156, although the ride is a bit bumpy when unladen. Economy (petrol) is quite good 36-40 mpg on a run depending on how fast you go, about 30 around town, a bit less in winter.

Mine is still rust-free but I tend to regularly hose it down underneath and clean round the wheelarches wih an old tooothbrush (my teeth aren't too special, though ). On the other hand a friend who lives in the peak district  has a 2003 model(the Sport which is 4wd with a 2.3 engine and in the rocking horse dropping league of rarity) which is quite rotten round the wheelarches and sill ends, but if he isn't driving through salt he's driving through agrichemicals, so it doesn't really have a chance.

 

To sum it up, I will probably keep mine until it dies; it's probably the best allround car that I've ever had (except for the Saab Classic 900) but it me a job finding a decent one, people tend to hang to them if they are any good.

[bigfella2]

Avoid the diesel version like the plague. Probably one of the most problematic dervs you can buy.

[Slappy]

These, even the 2nd gen 6 can be had quite cheap because I'm sure dealers are aware of the rust issue. I think a pez 58 plate estate one punted through Southampton Auction the other week for £sillycheap

 

I'd also be tempted by one of these if it came up for lugging stuff (mostly me, but often camping gear and people) and I had some spare monies.

 

What's the spares situation like? I guess a lot can be cross-referenced with Mondeo stuff

[Lacquer Peel]

Nothing to do with a Mondeo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_G_platform#GG

[Slappy]

Damn them old wives and their tales!

[Barry Cade]

Damn them old wives and their tales!

You must be thinking of a Jaguar........

[Mr A Lawrence]

Drove one once, 05 plate I think.

 

Bit meh.

 

Stopped, started and went round corners, just seemed a bit underwhelming.

[Lord Sterling]

Corrosion is a problem on these, particularly around arches and sills. Drove one myself, as above, it's a bit 'meh'.

[twosmoke300]

It's not the body rust that seems the problem on these . It's the subframe sand suspension / brake parts . When you go to work on them every single bolt is seized or the head rusted away .

Just like fords funnily enough

[Bren]

Do a google search on mazda rust.

[D Spares & Tyres]

There are two i know of locally that are just parked up on peoples driveways that haven't moved for ages

 

I don't know why but that isn't a good sign

[Lukas]

I´ve owned a late-first-generation 2007 Mazda 6 2.0i for almost two years from early 2013 until early 2015. 

 

It was a great car, I really cant complain. Bought it with 120.000km, sold it with 165.000km and it never let me down,

it did all I wanted it to and it even did not rust. Just because it was undersealed from new and I undersealed it regularely. 

 

If you are able to buy a Mazda 6 that was well-cared-for and that has been undersealed and waxoyled from new, you should

not have a problem. But avoid the Diesel-engines too, they are a world of pain, my mechanic told me. 

 

They are not that bad as everyone knows. Almost all the people that say it´s a bad car never owned one by themselfs. 

[nisfan]

I had a shot of one from an a wanker at my old work, found it MEH as well, no idea of engine size but performance was truly woeful.

[Royale80]

I've read that on the diesels the sumps fill up with derv due to filter/cat or whatever regen.

 

Steve

[rainagain]

Heard about the sump filling problem as well. Although you can get the dpf written out of the ecu and then removed. Also I'm sure I read in car mechanics that there was a class action in America as the rust was so bad. I thought of buying a diesel one for a while and getting the above mod done but I chickened out of it.

[Cavcraft]

Looking like a Laguna then.

[sierraman]

Not that bad cavcraft, at least a few examples have made it to 10 years old...