New owner, already 14k

Well I just discovered this site and I am glad to be part of the Mazda family.

A Little Background:
Well my mom had a 2000 Passat Wagon V6 with 111k on it, and she drives 100 miles daily, so she decided to get her self a new car. After witnessing the troubles my 01 Jetta has given me, which was hers a few years ago, at 140k miles, she just thought it was better to quit while she was ahead. In July of this year she purchased a Glacier Silver 6i and has already racked up the miles.

Exterior:
My dad and I were really the ones who liked the car, she could have cared less what she was driving and didn't even test drive the car before she bought it. As a lot of people believe, the 6 is the best looking midsized sedan out there, maybe save for the Passat (I am biased). But this car is so athletic and aggressive looking that there is no way they could have improved the lines on the car. My only complaint here is that the metal used is thinner than other cars, Japanese, German or American, that we have owned and that the paint seems a little weak.

Interior:
Overall, this car is a mixed bag. There are some really good quality pieces, like the upper dash, and most of the interior is well assembled and rattle free. But, like others have mentioned, the seat fabric is already frayed, the fuse panel refuses to stay put, and the doors, upper storage box, and armrest are mediocre in quality. Still, it is a better place to be than most cars, and I feel that shortcomings are acceptable in car in exchange for excellence in another area.

Driving Impressions:
First, the handling. Coming from German cars, I was quite pleased to drive this car. It corners better than her old Passat, and just as comfortable on rough roads, which was very surprising given the cars excellent handling capabilities. The ride is quiet, which I don't understand why many people complain about noise in the car. There is an acceptable amount of road and wind noise and virtually no engine noise at cruising.
The engine, just like the interior is flawed. Now, I am not expecting a rocket here, and acceleration really isn't the main problem, at least from standstill. It is a smooth engine, adequate for normal driving, but it does lack some upper range power. The transmission sometimes unexpectedly downshifts to 2nd when accelerating on a freeway onramp. Going up to the house requires a half mile incline, which is very steep and if you dont get a good start, the engine really struggles to maintain 45mph. The shift to second really emits a loud unrefined sound, but it is only temporary and understandable.

Buying experience:
This is the most miserable part of the car. Buying this car was a nightmare. One month after delivery paperwork was not finished and required 4 seperate 40 mile trips to the dealer. Their excuse was that buying a car is a long and coplicated process. We have bought many cars before and never had to bend our backs to satisfy ourselves. Good thing the service department is nice and has $10 oil changes.

Final Words:
Overall this car is very satisfying. There are several flaws which make me look back and ask "Did we buy the right car?" Reliability is yet to be seen but is very important for my moms safety. When I ask her what she thinks of the car, she just responds, "I like the new Passat." She knows she can't get one now, but truthfully she likes the 6. For a person who never was an enthusiast, she really enjoys driving it. I would definately reccomend this car to anyone that asks my opinion, however. That opinion may change as the miles continue, but I am hoping for good, long time with the 6. To answer my question above, I always say yes after I turn the key.

[Spidy]

Cool review, nice and balanced. Thanks for the writeup.

Regarding your fuse that keeps falling off, there is an MRI on it. You can probably just take it into your dealer and show them this:

http://forum.mazda6tech.com/viewtopic.php?t=3940

[ATL]

Thanks for the linky. My 03 had this problem.

[Odin007]

Sad to say, I had the same horrible experience with the dealership where I bought my 6. 'Bad' is a severe understatement for the total unprofessional way I was treated. From the salesperson all the way up to dealer manager. I've bought many cars in my day and the Mazda dealership was by far the absolute worst! This is based on my experience with 2 separate dealerships here in Michigan. It's like all the low-class, washed-up loser salesman went to these 2 dealerships.
I was ready to drive the 6 through their front window and into the showroom to 'return' it. I love the car though, but I'll question ever dealing with Mazda due to the dealership experience. It was that bad. Does Mazda have ultra-low standards when it comes to hiring salespeople?

[Afireinsideme]

"Upper range power" as you called it is where this engine excedes. You buy the slowest 6 that mazda makes (6i ATX) and then you complain about the acceleration. Know what you are talking about before you post.

[FlyersFan]

My buying experience was also a bad one. There are 3 mazda dealers within 40 miles of me. All three were horrible. I ended up traveling 300 miles to buy my car and I am glad I did. The dealer I found was excellent! I just wish I could take it back to them if/when I develop a problem. I know the dealers around here are going to give me crap about something.

Originally posted by Afireinsideme@Nov 3 2005, 10:58 AM
"Upper range power" as you called it is where this engine excedes.* You buy the slowest 6 that mazda makes (6i ATX) and then you complain about the acceleration.* Know what you are talking about before you post.

[snapback]549450[/snapback]

Excuse me! In my original post, I never really complain about the power. I state that it is adequate but definately needs more punch when it the upper RPMs. I know what I am talking about before I post. The start from zero is fine, but it does lose its wind later on, but I have definately been in worse cars, like my dad's PT Cruiser. My main concern is the sudden shift to 2nd which doesn't do anything but make noise. This car still has passing power between 70-80mph but when I need to climb, it struggles. I know an automatic four banger is not the best combo for speed, but like I said, I wasn't expecting it to. This car still flies, just not on hills. That was my point, I wasn't trying to knock the engine at all!