About the Mazda 6
Padlindunki purchased this Mazda 6 in 2016 for $17,500 (including all on-road costs). Long story short… yes.
Why should I call it Mazdrati? Don’t ask, that’s all.
Picked up from a dealer in the summer of ’16. Built in late 2012 with about 80,000km on the clock.
How can I forget the day of the new second hand wheels when the dealership was struck by lightning, intermittent blackouts, the showroom slightly soaked by the monsoon rains and those thick ugly green clouds said… Hail.
It’s all unlocked with the key in hand to join the joys of traffic for an hour or so. Just a classic Sydney summer day at the moment.
So my requirements at this point were to sleep in it, throw a mountain bike in it, a little speed, corners with will and good will, maybe through voodoo powers, but with the windows both up and down. of the. A push of a button and finally the piece de resistance, magically blows out cool air – because I was really tired of sticking my head into the pace.
Can all this luxurious glory be in 2016 I asked? You see I was getting out of a humble but great fun Ford Laser KE TX3 Turbo with a 1.6L FWD, the last two aforementioned fun facts were missing so the must list but the TX3 Turbo, that’s for another day. There is another story.
So hell yes I would indeed buy again as my needs haven’t changed. It’s hard to find an equal or match right now and ideally an SUV isn’t desirable. Mazda seems to have stopped selling the equivalent around 2019 and alternative options could be… the Ford Mondeo. nope what
I can’t stand Ford’s annoying open door chime policy (yes I’m that low). A Skoda Superb or a Volkswagen Passat… likeable but a bit old Euro makes me cringe at the knees. “
How reliable has your car been? Let us know about any issues.
Good luck, the car has been very good. Bullet it’s about 10 years old and I’m close to 200,000km, and no big squeaks or annoying rattles yet so it’s still going strong but… the A/C unit just failed earlier this year which Of course it’s annoying and frustrating
I’d type very good rather than great and yes I’ve definitely downgraded it a bit considering its vintage and distance.
But what about the DPF I hear you ask? Well yes that light has come on, only because the workshops I have used have not been able to properly clear/reset the computer to say the car has been serviced.
(Service schedule is every 10,000 km or 12 months, fine for diesel but poor for petrol).
As with any and all current diesels, the general rule of thumb is to put in the kilometers, drive, and it will ease the DPF problems.
What about the ownership experience with your car?
Owned my Mazda 6 GH series ii No Badge – No seriously it’s called No-Badge, check it out.
Before I do that, may I introduce to you all, the two elephants in the room. Mr. Diesel and Mr. Manuel, come join us… yeeeep Turbo Diesel and Manuel.
Look, I didn’t even see it coming but I wanted a little spice, a little spice that my previous ‘Ford Laser TX3 Turbo’ ownership had spoiled me with, a few kilowatts of torque in hand and a dollop of torque under foot. And give the child a smile when the fuss is over.
I was afraid that getting a wagon meant a slower than Josh Frydenberg motoring experience but this girl has a twinkle in her eye!
So yeah it’s been a great car and I’m a little tired, and boy does it respond more than I need an engine with a touch of spice, cold air comfort, power windows, good to sleep. Place, throw away my mountain. The bike, power seats with leather, a place to collect my CDs, auto-speeding, even beeping sounds to warn that I’m getting too close to another parked object.
The good marketing and PR folks would say it’s Zoom Zoom, I’d say it’s gutsy.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The fact that it was a second hand car for me so I missed out on heavy early depreciation, tick, paid no premium for the diesel on first ownership, tick, matched my needs, wants, features and it has gone beyond… tick tick tick So yes, it’s fair to say I’m a happy camper.
Useless info, it has a full size spare, which I love.
Having stepped into many other current-day cars, though, Apple CarPlay alone highlights my longings and seeing the advancements in safety tech is overwhelming, the tech and inclusion landscape has moved on so quickly.
What do you think about your car’s performance and economy?
All you do is torque. Real beauty and what this car is, power, economy, torque.
It seriously eats up the keys on the highway with absolute ease or roars with glee when I want to throw it down my favorite backcountry roads.
It’s the torque that makes driving a joy. Easy and fun. You’re right it’s no rocket ship out of the gates but once we’re up and running it heads to the bar like a brickie at 3:03pm.
It’s nice and a joy to change the cogs mechanically and when wanting to overtake James May it’s a matter of work without much fuss and wondering, oops, I call it quick smart. I will put the reins on, which is a bit faster.
Diesel economy? Typical fuel figures are 5.2L highway, 6.6L city.
I’ve slipped into the 4.8L on the highway and of course it gets worse at the 7.4L when enjoying Sydney’s hideously smelly peak hour traffic.
The good news though is being able to crack 1000km plus per tank with a mixed driving schedule. For a laugh I’d like to fill in and just to see how much can be done.
What about the technology in your car?
Technology? By that you mean six-sticker CDs and hands-free Bluetooth, because that’s all I got. We should note that this was first issued in 2008, in view of the GFC. Dressed in blackFlu Rida – less.
In all seriousness the greatest piece of technology used every day and I would struggle without parking sensors now. This is much appreciated as a helpful shout to a friend in tight spaces.
What tech components would I steal from a brand new modern car?
I can happily skip the reverse camera, keyless entry/go, power tailgate, blind spot and other goodies, but the three things I’d like to have are AEB, integrated carplay, matrix/laser headlights now it seems That I have candles compared to headlights. The latest and greatest.
How about your ride comfort and handling of your car?
Relax and unwind. This passionate girl, she has will and good will, she wants to go around the bend with you.
It’s a notch better than other white goods on wheels but it’s definitely no sports wagon. We just reign in it, be sensible, you get to the destination and don’t smell someone else getting sick.
It’s really set up for comfort and the 17-inch/50-profile tires say it all and I’m happy for it. With suburbia and city streets in a typical state, my man-tits can also testify to the nervousness you might experience, then I’m happy with this relaxed set-up approach.
It suits the car and its needs, and that ladies and gentlemen are the words of one’s old age.