Learn me: mazda6 (last gen)

AKA I want to get rid of my mazda2 and do not feel like waiting/paying for 2014 mazda6 diesel.

I find myself heading back to visit my folks this weekend and as usual I try to scope out local craigslist and etc.

but I found these 2 "unicorns"

unicorn one:

http://www.carmax.com/enus/view-car/default.html?AVi=5&id=9636531&N=4294966708&D=10&zip=60134&pD=0&pI=0&pT=400&pC=200&pB=0&No=0&Ep=search:findcar:home&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&CD=14+966+240+190+398+9&Q=c8ccc4bf-2960-45e5-abd9-f557915663d4

1 owner, secret hatchback, 18's, leather v6 stick and the color is right. Carmax is kinda lame and there tech inspections are just as good as any other dealer but it would be easier to unload my mazda2 there at the same time. (pretty much a requirement)

unicorn two:

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2008&zip=60134&listingType=used&listingTypes=used&transmissionCode=MAN&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=353977407&mmt=%5BMAZDA%5BMAZDA6%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=MAZDA6&makeCode1=MAZDA&startYear=1981&showcaseOwnerId=63784869&searchRadius=50&listingId=353993154&listingIndex=4&Log=0

2 owner, non secret hatchback, cloth, v6 stick and the color is DAMN right, would be a no brainer if it had leather. only a little older but tolerable.

(edit:) hit add post on accident.... Now I have a friend with a similar year stick v6 true sedan and he has had nothing but engine problems! spark plugs blowing out threads which seems really odd.

I know these are built on the fusion platform and both cars of this era are excellent. lug pattern appears to be 5x114.3 which is good because I have a zillion rx7 alloys that would fit/good winter wheel candidate. Seems pretty simple and straight forward cars. Anyone have any experience with these? I'm pretty shocked to see either of these so close to my rents location...

I do alot more highway driving and 100hp gets scary in detroit area since you have no power to pass people, (it is very frustrating when you need to get on some on ramps and your basically banging through gears and hope you dont die) the electronic throttle on it mixed with light flywheel and lack of power is driving me bonkers! (for low speed driving) I would like more room, more power, nicer ride since I spend more time in the car.

I had a new 2007 with a V6, stick, leather, etc. It was a decent car and drove nice enough, if not a little boring at times. The seats were a little flat and uncomfrotable in my opinion for longer drives. I never really had any issues other than some minor electrical things that the dealer fixed in the first 1,000 miles. I will say that even on brand new all season tires at the time, it was a bit of a dog in the snow up in Boston.

In reply to redhookfern:

Coming from 100hp/98tq going to 200hp/200tq range will feel like a rocket. Granted I am gaining 1000lbs... A little boring is okay with me. I liked the excitment of my old audi wagon but the constant failures and repair of it steers me to reliability for commuting purposes.

Besides if snow is ever really bad I will just take the k5 suburban.

also, does anyone know why in 06 the power is rated differently?

2004 spec v6 3.0L 220hp/192tq 2006 spec v6 3.0L 215hp/199tq

I know nothing bout them but I love the wagon. So sexy looking and so much room for activities

SAE changed HP ratings in 2006. Almost every car was rated lower.

I secretly pine for a 6/V6/5-speed wagon.

Both are pretty sweet, I'd prefer the true wagon version myself.

IIRC, the V6 was Fords' motor. Never had one so I can't speak from experience. I think they had their share of issues, but not catastrophic. Sweet looking car though.

beans wrote: SAE changed HP ratings in 2006. Almost every car was rated lower.

hrmm, good to know.

nepa03focus wrote: I know nothing bout them but I love the wagon. So sexy looking and so much room for activities

Exactly! I would settle for a protege 5 but I just dislike them and they seem lack room, power and always rust very easily. the 6 seems to be high up on my requirements for a car.

great cars. i'd get either but would prefer unicorn #2 for wagon goodness

I would say number two cause wagon and also I bet resale would be a little better on the wagon with stick.

The wagon would probably be the better resale, plus you don't see them that often. Either will provide great cargo room. Even my sedan had a massive trunk in it.

What I meant earlier was that the ride and performance was nothing exciting, and I think that's because at the time I went from an E46 into that car (go figure, back into the same E46 now but a year newer). I would never say that the V6 was slow, by any means. In fact that's what made it a little slick in the inclement weather with all of it's torque steer. It was just going from that really solid build and dynamic drive of the BMW into the Mazda was a little startling for me.

Like I said, I had no real complaints about it, but I had it brand new and only had it for about a year and 10,000 miles so any major issues probably came up after I broke it in. Build quality was decent, but some materials felt a little cheap and things like the "weight" of the door felt a little light. Light as in, if I get T boned, am I going to keep my limbs.

take the wagon, half the miles and a lower price. no question.

i think that's the same 3.0 that eleventy billion uplevel taurus' had/have. not one i'd be afraid of.

I am partial to the wagon, but I think most of the aftermarket suspension bits are designed for the sedan. I am not sure if the suspensions are identical between the two platforms or not, but a quick search on Tire Rack showed that the H&R Sport Springs had the same part number for the sedan and wagons. Racing Beat has different part numbers on springs for the 6i, 6s and 6 Wagon, so maybe they did a bit more research and changed the spring rates based on how heavy the front or back was by model/engine/etc.

Fixing the non-leather seats is as easy as finding them in your local scrapyard. If you can find the Mazdaspeed6 seats in good shape, they are pretty dang comfortable. The seats from the Mazdaspeed3 may also bolt in,

In reply to Brett_Murphy:

Not really looking to do anything to either one of these cars except drive it and maintain it (window tint is a must though)

However it looks like the 06+ has a better head unit but if the 04 has a cassette player I am gravy with that, 5 dollars well spent for an aux in adapter and I'm good to go. Also, I can dust off some of my old cassettes.

Also, I didn't think about the speed3/6 seats that would be an easy swap/minimal modifications...

I called the guy on the wagon, it is still around - going to see it saturday. Best wishes.

I had an '05 with the sport package and cloth interior. It was a really nice car (2.3L 5-speed manual) but after a few track days it just didn't have the power that I wanted. The cloth interior was one of the best I've ever seen.

The car didn't give me any problems in the 2+years or 40K miles I owned it.

I now have a '06 Mazdaspeed6 and my lack of power problem has been solved!

Only time i ever drove a v6/5spd was after i put a trans in one. My impressions were that it was a little slower than i expected, mostly way down on torque vs a vq30/5spd nissan which was kinda my benchmark in the segment, but still a fun to drive car. The fact that the wagon version looks badass and you can get it with a stick on the optional motor really makes it a special car in a sense. Im a fan of them.

The wagon would be my choice, and yes the V6 is a ford motor and had a few issues research is your best friend.

Long story short, i didnt see the hidden hatch, the wagon is not green but dark gray and i am back in the wagon mafia again ;)

Welcome back to the wagon mafiya. Sorry it wasn't green. Good luck finding Mazdaspeed 6 seats. I've got a spare RX-8 seat w/ intact airbags if you want to swing by and pick it up. It does have a tear in it, though.