2006 Mazda 6... The good, the bad and the ugly?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
10,062
Location
Mahzurrah!
Hello all, my oldest son is looking to upgrade from his first car (the 01 Sebring) and he is interested in a Mazda 6. I don't know a thing about Mazda's and a search here wasn't very productive. From what I can tell they were made in a joint venture with Ford here in the US, but I have no idea if they are decent cars. They do look good, on his budget he is hoping to get into about an 06.

Things to look for? Things to ignore? Or just run away from a bad idea?

Appreciate your experiences, thanks!
 
I'd steer clear of it. I had a brief experience with a Ford/Mazda 626 and it was a mess all around.

Today's Mazda is a different story. My '90 Miata is brilliant too.
 
Rust was the main problem and it was a big problem too.
Look underneath the car and at the wheel arches, if they're good then no worries because they are otherwise a fairly decent car
 
There is a lot of aftermarket for this car. It was very popular, esp. the "mazdaspeed" version. A lot of accessories, and aftermarket support.

This car is a good Ricer, I've seen all sorts of headlamp mods, spoilers, etc.
 
Rust, rust, and more rust.

If it's a V-6, it will be the Ford Duratec V-6...not a bad engine, but they can have their issues...coils, some gasket leaks, rough idle...

But they are sporty, if a V-6 with 5-speed.
 
Rust seems be the big issue....it was what steered us away from the mazda 5....

Seem fine otherwise.
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Hello all, my oldest son is looking to upgrade from his first car (the 01 Sebring) and he is interested in a Mazda 6. I don't know a thing about Mazda's and a search here wasn't very productive. From what I can tell they were made in a joint venture with Ford here in the US, but I have no idea if they are decent cars. They do look good, on his budget he is hoping to get into about an 06.

Things to look for? Things to ignore? Or just run away from a bad idea?

Appreciate your experiences, thanks!



My wife's car is a 2006 Mazda 6, with the 2.3 L 4-cyl engine and an automatic transmission. Her car has about 100,000 miles on it right now, and runs/drives great. It's a fully loaded model with leather, auto climate control, and sunroof. The double wishbone suspension up front and multi-link in the rear make this car very fun to drive, and it handles very well.

To date, the only non-maintenance repair we've had to do to the car was the thermostat (known issue on the 2.3 L 4-cyl). There are a couple of glitches with the auto climate control display in extreme cold weather (but the system still works fine even though you can't see what it's doing until the interior warms up a bit), and the adjustable lumbar support on her driver's seat broke (common problem, and expensive to repair). The original suspension (nearly 10 years old now) still works very well and the shocks are not showing signs of weakness yet (body motions are well controlled and handling is great still). Bushings and all that are still original (which is great for any car in our climate).

Another thing to look out for is the automatic transmission (if your son wants an automatic - I highly recommend a manual though). The 4-cylinder version comes with a Mazda-made 5-speed auto and it can be a source of trouble if poorly maintained. Also, this particular transmission requires Mazda MV fluid, NOT Mercon V (easy mistake to make - ensure you have records of maintenance or lack thereof on any auto Mazda 6 you want to purchase). The V6 model comes with an Aisin 6-speed auto, which takes a T-IV equivalent fluid I think. Neither transmission is fantastic for reliability, and a cooler + synthetic fluid go a long way. I have both and my wife's transmission is still working very well.

Also, as others have said, look out for rear fender rust. Every Mazda of that vintage seems to have that problem. My wife's had one repair for lower door rust already and the rear fenders are starting. It's not terrible but needs to be looked after if you want to keep the car for any length of time.

Good luck
cheers3.gif
 
A few friends have them. The 2007 2.3 auto got its trans rebuilt at 120k miles. It was flushed at 75k and likely got the wrong fluid from Tires Plus. It has almost 200k miles now.it has had minor issues, but I would call it a good car. It does not get maintained very well. It is also pretty rusty in the back. The 2006 is a wagon with a 3.0 and manual transmission. It has over 275k miles and has been very reliable. I absolutely love this car. She loves it too and takes very good care of it. It has needed things over the years but nothing serious. All of the injectors have been replaced, 2 alternators and I think she said she is doing the intake gaskets soon. It has no rust that I can see.
 
It's a very good car despite of what most people on the internet say. The rust issues are largely related to the smaller Mazda 3 models. The Mazda 6 seems to be holding up just like other cars in Ontario. I don't see any abnormal rust on them.

On the other hand, it drives a lot better than the rest of the non luxury mid sized sedans. Of course, just like any used car, you gotta shop condition and maintenance records.
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. Kind of surprised to hear of rust issues for a relatively modern vehicle.

He wants a manual transmission sounds like it is a good idea to stick with that notion.
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. Kind of surprised to hear of rust issues for a relatively modern vehicle.

He wants a manual transmission sounds like it is a good idea to stick with that notion.


Great idea to stay with manual tranny, especially with a 4 cylinder. It's amazing how different the manual tranny feels versus an auto in a 4 cylinder vehicle. Plus the manual tranny will hold up better than the auto tranny with po neglect. It's the clutch that can be the wear spot with a manual tranny vehicle. But it's usually a lot less to replace versus replacing an auto tranny.

Whimsey
 
For the money I would rather have a 2006 Accord SE with 5 speed trans.

We have that same car and zero issues since new, just regular maintenance for our Accord SE. 180K miles and its purring like a kitten.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top