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