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Deciding... very close to a 6

2K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  Steve09gt/cs 
#1 ·
Greetings,

I wanted to make an introduction on the forums as this community was helpful during my search to replace my 2013 Elantra GT manual in base trim (don't think I'll ever go base trim again).

The 6 ticks a lot of boxes: sporty fun to drive character, upscale interior, styling, top safety pick, room for a small growing family, not a crossover/SUV.

I enjoyed my test drive with the 6. All that's left is to convince my wife - she's fine with the choice but wants to wait a year or so before we take the plunge. As for myself, I yearn for something that's decent to drive on my 7-8 hours worth of weekly commuting to/from work and can't wait to ditch the Elantra.

I'm kind of sad that I'll be forgoing the manual (I'm sure I'm not the only one whose partner refuses to learn how to drive a manual - by going automatic it'll spare the 6 from having a roof rack - our other vehicle has a roof rack). The paddle shifters was kind of fun during the drive.

So questions for the community!

  1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red
  2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior
  3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?
  4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?
  5. Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later? :grin2:


Cheers, glad to join the forums!

PS: I'd be thinking of GT trim without any extra packages in Canada
 
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#2 · (Edited)
  1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red
  2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior
  3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?
  4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?
  5. Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later? :grin2:


Cheers, glad to join the forums!

PS: I'd be thinking of GT trim without any extra packages in Canada
  1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red What ever you like
  2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior I have the "sand" but no longer have kids or dogs at home and love the contrasting colors in the interior
  3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17? Go with at least a '16 as the mid cycle changes are evident in the interior, I added additional insulation as have others in my '16 Touring and it's quieter than my previous '07 Honda Accord
  4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you? YES, it ticks my boxes for a mid-sized sedan for the same reasons as you have stated.

    The manual is "Honda like" in it's ability to snick snick into gear!
  5. Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later? :grin2: Yes, the Elantra sucks!
 

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#11 ·
Thanks for all the replies - I can tell quite the community has been built here. Thanks for the warm welcomes.


  1. Yes, the Elantra sucks!
Yes I agree - I drove a Mazda manual and was shocked how much nicer the throws and feel was versus my Hyundai's gearbox


I've never seen so much flake in white paint as this one, which is just stunning in the sun.
The white is really growing on me - on closer look I realised that is not just a flat white. Beautiful!




  1. Again though.. Wish it had 200+hp. But that will be addressed soon with an OVTune handheld programmer. They are getting 16-30hp more with this new programmer (with 91 octane) putting us over 200 hp base. (184 hp stock)

    Best of luck with your decision!


  1. Thanks! Do you think with simple bolt-ons (intake, exhaust) and a OVtune will get you there? This would be an interesting project to take on in the future


    Depending on where you live, incentives might be good. I got 0% financing plus $500 on the hood.
    Locally, the 0% financing is helping me lean towards the 6 versus the other usual suspects. The other brands doesn't offer as many incentives for purchasing as Mazda does.


    [*] I never drove the other model years but what I can say about the 14 is you save a ton of money. I got my 14 Touring w/ tech and sound system package w/ 22k miles for $16k OTD. All in. The new 6's look amazing and I'm sure they are but shit, for $16k in savings, you can make almost any car just as good if not better.
    Locally, I've seen some 14/15s ranging from 17-20 (Canadian prices). An option I will look into. Thanks!


    Check out the Machine Grey. It grows on you.
    Get a 2017. Latest gadgets.
    The sooner you buy, the sooner it's paid off!!
    ^Yep... Machine Gray Metallic is nice... Hard to find though.
    Yes, the Machine grey looks quite nice too.
 
#3 ·
^^ Lol good replies by Brian. I'll add mine to the mix as well - but remember - you're on a Mazda 6 forum; of course we're a bit biased :)

What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red
White all day - but I've got a thing for high-contrast and clean-looking cars :)

I've never seen so much flake in white paint as this one, which is just stunning in the sun.

I've got a running poll going for what owners are buying here: http://forum.mazda6club.com/3rd-gen/262173-3rd-generation-2013-roll-call.html (note the newer colors have way fewer votes since I didn't add them until later).


Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior
Exactly what Brian said. There's absolutely no way you'll be able to keep that clean forever, and you'll hate it once it gets dirty. My brother got sand interior on his Acura TL and is kicking himself because the kids took a toll on it real quick.


I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?
I'd at least go for a 16 like Brian said - quite a few upgrades like the infotainment and interior. Cars aren't investments, so buying new is almost always not worth the extra cost. This is my first and last new car I'll ever buy since i knew I'd drive it into the ground and love every second.


Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?
I bought the car over 4 years ago and I just went over 99k miles - this car puts a smile on my face every single day. You can go 0-60 as fast as you want, but I'll take ripping a corner over raw power any day. I put some slightly larger tires on and this thing is planted, even still on stock suspension.


Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later? :grin2:
Because there's no Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan mid-sized sedan in the world that will check off as many boxes as this one does :)
 
#4 ·
Forgot to add something:

The Mazda community as a whole, and especially this forum, are a family of people you won't find anywhere else in the car world.
 
#5 · (Edited)
  1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red

    - I love the Soul Red. But driving so many miles (150m everyday) the red is a police eye catcher. I wanted something more subdued as I drive 75mph all the time.

  2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior

    - I have 2 small girls. I would never even think of going with a white interior.

  3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?

    No on the 14/15. Get at least the 16, the updated interior is worth it. G vectoring is supposed to be great in the 17's, but never experienced the system myself. Also in the 17's, the glass is thicker and supposed to be a quiter ride.

  4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?

    Absolutely a fun car. I take it up to the mountains 2x a month and love the feel. Really takes the roads well. I really wish it had 200+ hp though. Gas mileage has been great, approx 33mpg for the life of the car.

    Everytime I drive the car, when I get out, I turn around and look at it everytime. It's just a beautifully designed car...

    Again though.. Wish it had 200+hp. But that will be addressed soon with an OVTune handheld programmer. They are getting 16-30hp more with this new programmer (with 91 octane) putting us over 200 hp base. (184 hp stock)

    Best of luck with your decision!



    Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
I'm certain the 6 won't dissapoint. I know what you mean about giving up the manual, but it is getting harder and harder to find one in a car that you want to drive. Keep us posted on your buying process and welcome to the forum.
 
#7 ·
1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red

My first choice was the Reflex Blue Mica. I ended up with my 2nd choice, Soul Red.


2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior

For 2017, only the Grand Touring comes with the Parchment (white) extended leather interior. Extended meaning the seats, lower dashboard and center console trim are colored Parchment. The two-tone effect looks really sharp.

The Touring comes with Sand (tan) leatherette, non-extended. Only the seats and part of the doors are colored Tan. I chose Tan because I couldn't live with a black interior in the southeast. I have a 3 year old and another child coming soon, so we'll see how the leatherette holds up over the next few years!


3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?

I have a 2017. On paper, there seemed to be lots of improvements over previous years. Test a 16 and 17 back to back to see if its worth it. For sure, the Mazda Connect on newer models is much better than in earlier years.


4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?

This car is direct and great around turns. It really comes alive on a backroad. Not much slop or roll in the suspension. On the highway, I feel the steering is a little twitchy at times.


5. Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later?

Depending on where you live, incentives might be good. I got 0% financing plus $500 on the hood.
 
#8 ·
I myself just dumped an oldie but a goodie (Mazda 3 that was rusting out beneath me) for a 2014 AT 6. To answers to your questions see below. I've had mine for about 2 months.

  1. What exterior colour? Liking the red, grey, and white, leaning towards the red.
    • I have red. I'm not usually a big fan of the red but it really got me w/ this car.
  2. Interior colour? The white leatherette looks much more airy and upscale but the logical side in me is screaming that a dog + kids would destroy the white interior.
    • Same reasoning, had to go w/ black.
  3. I'm leaning towards purchasing new due to the new sound insulation and G-vectoring - how do people feel about the 14/15/16 vs the 17?
    • I never drove the other model years but what I can say about the 14 is you save a ton of money. I got my 14 Touring w/ tech and sound system package w/ 22k miles for $16k OTD. All in. The new 6's look amazing and I'm sure they are but shit, for $16k in savings, you can make almost any car just as good if not better.
  4. Does the 6 remain fun to twist and turn in the corners after ownership? I don't need a more powerful engine but would like something that is fun in the twisties. Does it do it for you?
    • The stock car rolls a lot. I wouldn't say it's 'fun' to drive as I love the car but it's not a sports car. Mods can help but again, stock...not so much. My car is auto, a MT 6 might give it more 'fun factor'. It's super comfortable. I could drive it for hours. If you have a long commute, you'll definitely enjoy the ride.
  5. Lastly, anything I can say to justify purchasing sooner rather than later?
    • If you're financing, rates are only going to go up.
 
#14 ·
update

Picked my 6GT today in machine grey!

Initially drove the 6 then the Accord and Passat then 6 again and it was done.. didn't even make it to the Fusion or Malibu as the 6 just felt 'right'. Mazda sold me on the 2nd drive on just how superior the drive felt and then secondarily the interior/styling did it for me.

So happy to join the Mazda family and this community.

I got the OEM cargo tray and floor liners (picking up tomorrow).

What next? I'm thinking of tinting the rear windows and getting something like Opticoat or CQuartz as I don't enjoy waxing cars (I like washing but not the waxing). Any suggestions?
 
#15 ·
Picked my 6GT today
Congrats!

in machine grey!
Boo!

(just kidding).

Initially drove the 6 then the Accord and Passat then 6 again and it was done.. didn't even make it to the Fusion or Malibu as the 6 just felt 'right'. Mazda sold me on the 2nd drive on just how superior the drive felt and then secondarily the interior/styling did it for me.

So happy to join the Mazda family and this community.

I got the OEM cargo tray and floor liners (picking up tomorrow).

What next? I'm thinking of tinting the rear windows and getting something like Opticoat or CQuartz as I don't enjoy waxing cars (I like washing but not the waxing). Any suggestions?
Tinting windows is where a lot of us start. Make sure you read up on your State's tint laws so you don't go too dark.

Honestly, I've no experience with either of those products, but you're headed in the right direction - the paint is so thin on these cars it's best to protect it while you can.


Officially, welcome to Mazda6Club! :)
 
#17 ·
Just got a 2016 i touring with 36k pearl white with black interior last week and I am loving it, I really don't think I could got a better car for the price, I really don't think you can go wrong at all with the +16 Mazda 6. Only thing I wish I had gotten is the 2 tone with the red interior but that's me.
 
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