Is the MS6 the car for me?

[Heco94]

Hey guys , I'm in search for a nice car that can be driven daily (in central new york) ,and will be reliable for 5+ years (when it already has 4-5 years on it).

My search has lead me here.. I'm wondering if the MS6 is the right car. I'm pretty good w/cars (not amazing I know a good about about everything in general ,but have minimal mechanical experience).

I need this car to hand 5+ years of daily driving (maybe 35k every 5 years , I know it's not much everythings close ,but I still need a car) when it's already from 2006. The main thing I'm scared of is the Turbo failing, how far do the stock turbo's go (w/no tune or anything like that)? what other things go on the MS6' (common issues)? Would a Turbo Timer help w/any turbo issues (from previous experience)?

Do they like to be thrashed (rarely maybe an autocross , or a mountain run every 2-5months )? I was planning VERY minimal mods such as a short shifter, intake, brake upgrade (pads, braided lines , new rotors, fresh fluid) , turbo timer (if it helps w/turbo reliability) that's about all the significant stuff for my 1st year and a half of owner ship , maybe a shocks&spring upgrade down the road sometime.

We'll that's it I hope you guys can help , I'm not a newbie , just wondering if this should be my next car =)

 

[oaklandopen]

Get a honda civic

 

[zoomzoomMSP]

I ive in Upstate NY and i own a Mazdaspeed 6 and a Mazdaspeed Protege. ive had the MSP for almost 2 years and the MS6 for only a few months. ive been super happy with both cars. the MS6 is awesome i love the fast that the car has all wheel drive ability. nice for the winter months, just drove the car in 3 inches of snow this weekend with michelin x-ice snows and it freakin rips!! i had the same concerns as you whne i was searching for a daily driver.... the MS6 is my wifes car/family car. there are lots of good and bad stories no mater what car you look at really. to me Mazda makes a great car. i had a 2003 Mazda 6S 6 cylinder bought it new and put 80k on it with no issues at all, loved the car...... but traded it in for a New Civis Si and then we had a New Toyota Highlander (which got stolen) and then we got a 2010 Subaru Legacy 3.6R which we did not like so we went back to mazda. anyway i feel the MS6 will be a reliable car for the years to come, might require a little more upkeep/care but to me its worth it, if you get one invest in the recommended mods that will make the car happier and just enjoy it, and believe me you will enjoy it. ive owned 2 Civics in my life a 2003 Civic LX and a 2008 Civic Si both bullit proof the Si was a great car fun to drive but it lacked the room i needed for my family. biggest thing when shoppping for a MS6 is to fid one that hasnt been all modded out and beat. so anyway that was long winded. any questions feel free to PM me im happy to help.

 

[bova80]

turbo timer won't do anything and imho are a waste of money on this car. the turbo on the ms6 is water and oil cooled, therefore as long as you aren't boosting into the parking lot you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[KrGsMrNKusinagi]

Great car.. I plan on having mine for about 3-4 years before selling it.. I have had it 1 year so far.

Next car is gonna be something I dont have to worry about as much but still have some performance maybe a Honda Civic SI 4 door or something like that.
I love turbo cars love the MS6 but the gas mileage is killing me. Talking like 16-22 mpg not good for me.

 

[batou079]

well yay, comfortable, has the power and looks dead sexy. mileage... well its a big heavy & FI car... not a car to get if you want high mileage lol. i recently moved and instead of my daily commute being all surface streets, i take freeway. Mileage went up from 20-22, to 24-26. so overall not bad for me.

in short, to the OP... If you want a very nice car for its price with comfort AND power to boot, with only average mileage, get the MS6, sure thing. If you want an average looking car, with basic features, and dont care about power with high mileage, get something else. simple enough.

 

[SMOKEYS36SHOP]

first off welcome to the site since this is your first post...i am from Poughkeepsie NY...got my car in April of 2008...i live about 5 minutes from where i work so i don't put many miles on my car...right now i am up to 19,500 miles +/- and so far the car is amazing. i have had only one problem with the car and it was fixed when i first got the car...other than that i really don't have any problems...when my car gets closer to the time when i need to change my oil... i get a little smoke here and there..but its gone after the car gets new oil.....but based on what your doing to the car in the first year or so...you shouldn't have any issues...i would recommend getting an extended warranty if your buying it through the dealer tho...

i am sure your smart enough to realize that problems can happen to any car at anytime..so far my car has been great to me and i love how fast it is..and if you choose to buy the ms6...then this is a great site to stick with...good luck with whatever purchase you make in the near future

 

[KrGsMrNKusinagi]

Another thing to look out for is Transfer Case leaks.. Mines been in the shop 3x for it and its only got 34,000 on it now

 

[JDM-P5]

Hi from a high mileage owner. I bought my 06 in July. It had 94k on it. It now has a whopping 96,xxxk. I literally live 5 minutes from work & have my Miata if I want to "go a lil loco" or the wife's CX7 if I want to take a looooong drive like our trip to visit fam in S.Florida.
Any car will last IF you maintain it.

 

[Igve2shtz]

The MS6 may not be a good car for you. What you are looking for is day-to-day reliability for a 5-10 year car over its lifetime. Your best bet is a reliable, simple, midsize sedan (Regular 6, Fusion, Accord, etc).

The MS6 was an example of the latest technology at the time, which never equals reliability. This was the first engine Mazda produced with direct injection, turbo charging and AWD. Mazda is then taking the lessons learned and applying them to their mainstream sedans. Ever hear the phrase that you don't buy the first model year of a car? There is a reason for that. For the same reason that you don't buy cutting edge technology, you must wait for it to mature.

I also feel that because these cars were limited production, spare parts will be hard to come across in a few years. The transfer case, rear diff, axles etc are all special to our cars, not to mention the various electrical gizmos added to control the new mechanical bits. Some other parts are similar to the MS3 and CX7 and may be more accessible.

Regarding the turbocharger: They are known to have sealing issues, and tend to smoke. Mazda has addressed this issue, but it is not a recall. A turbocharger I believe is approx. 800 from Mazda plus another 800 for installation. Other known problem areas: Leaking transfer cases, rear diff mounts breaking, weak clutches if driven aggressively. 93 octane is recommended, although 2007 models, and some 2006 models (if recall performed) will operate on 91.

 

[R-X-R]

cny and ms6 doesnt really mix well in my opinion.

 

[Toptech]

I also feel that because these cars were limited production, spare parts will be hard to come across in a few years. The transfer case, rear diff, axles etc are all special to our cars, not to mention the various electrical gizmos added to control the new mechanical bits.

I think these parts are the same as an AWD Ford Fusion. They are "basically" (I use that word loosely) the same car.