Looked at a 2004 Mazda 6 today. Price and mileage were right, but it was pretty filthy. But what really kind of worried me was how crusty the tops of the strut towers were when I opened the hood.
They didn't look to be failing (yet), but they had minor delamination and didn't look healthy. Is this a trouble spot for the 6? Anywhere else I should look?
The early 6s rust really bad everywhere from what I have seen. Around here you see them with Swiss cheesed rockers and rear wheel arches. Mazda didn't really seem to get their rustproofing down until about 2010.
Other than that, it looked pretty solid from the outside. But that kind of took me aback.
Pass rear quarter for me. The rails used to lift the car are kinda of rusty, but I haven't used the oem scissor jack ever, so it's not an issue for me.
In reply to Duke:
By the top of strut towers. Are you talking about the black metal pieces or the part that's actually part of the body?
In reply to 1kris06:
I've already decided to pass on the car, but this doesn't look promising for other 6s of the same vintage.
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