Mazda6 Touring with or without tech

[Quizo]

That is the question, I am looking to buy one or the other in the next week. my Question is If I get the touring without tech are most of the features that comes with the tech package something I can add on as I put money into the car? I have a budget I have to stick to unfortunately (sad1)

I guess the biggest thing I don't want to miss out on is the sound system, any thoughts?

 

[highfivezoom]

Hi Quizo,
I would definitely get the Tech package if you can swing it....but if your budget doesn't allow, do the right thing..you can add stuff later. I bought a Touring about a month ago(my budget wouldnt allow for the Grand Touring, just couldnt afford it) and it came with the Tech Package....unfortunately, no foglights..the good news is that the foglights will be the only thing i will have to go purchase...The Bose system is really nice, but i think it could have used bigger speakers in the rear deck...right now i believe the front doors have the largest speakers in the system....don't get me wrong, it sounds really good, but not enough rear bass response..
My Touring also came with the rear spoiler, scuff plates, rear bumper plate and rear parking sensors....Either way, you are going to love this car!!!!

 

[Quizo]

Hi Quizo,
I would definitely get the Tech package if you can swing it....but if your budget doesn't allow, do the right thing..you can add stuff later. I bought a Touring about a month ago(my budget wouldnt allow for the Grand Touring, just couldnt afford it) and it came with the Tech Package....unfortunately, no foglights..the good news is that the foglights will be the only thing i will have to go purchase...The Bose system is really nice, but i think it could have used bigger speakers in the rear deck...right now i believe the front doors have the largest speakers in the system....don't get me wrong, it sounds really good, but not enough rear bass response..
My Touring also came with the rear spoiler, scuff plates, rear bumper plate and rear parking sensors....Either way, you are going to love this car!!!!

appreciate the feedback, I will go in and negotiate the hardest I can lol. fog lights are must here in Connecticut that's an option i'll have installed right away if the car I get doesn't have them.

 

[S_]

Get the tech if possible. In the long run when you are spending the money on a new car, the percentage of the overall cost is so minimal, it's worth it.

 

[rampage80]

I bought a Touring in late March without the tech package (just didn't require those features) but negotiated in the fog lights, rear bumper protective plate and auto dim mirror with the dealer, I was out of there (including tax and license, everything) for $25K (including Mazda loyalty and Auto Show month bonuses). I later added the door sill plates myself and purchased the full WeatherTech mat package for this car, a HeatShield front window shade and bought a cheap Garmin as I had heard the factory TT nav on this car wasn't the greatest. Have been loving it ever since! Purchased a couple of silicone fob protectors and even the Mazda tire valve caps (surprising how good they look), and the door latch guards that Monkee found on EBay and called it good. You ARE going to love this car! Good luck! Rampage

 

[biking4jesus]

ive got the touring w/out tech. added my own fog lights for $325. about to pull the trigger on a compatible mirror for < $100. the sound system in the touring is alright, i will def upgrade the speakers. i couldnt justify needing 11 speakers.... factory nav is not good (relative to other nav units or heck your cell phone).

 

[Quizo]

ok got some good suggestions, Thanks a lot yall. if the navi isn't good, I could take the extra money (from not getting the tech package) and have a custom screen put in the dash... that was my other option

 

[palomatic]

Go with Tech package. I bought my touring w/Tech and I must say I am delighted. The Navi is pretty decent and no different from other systems I've used. The BOSE audio is well placed and gives me the sound experience I wanted. Rest all features are good value for $2k.

 

[jerrycobra]

if i did it again I would have likely gotten the tech package, I like the better dashboard that displays more information and menus compared to the regular dash. the nav i can care less. The rest of the stuff is pretty nice, like brake support. The bose audio system would have been sweet too, but i am satisfied with the stock audio, its good enough for me.

 

[Caliche]

But Jerrycobra, isn't your M6 T a Manual Trans? If so, you couldn't have gotten it with Tech Package anyway. Or are you saying that you got the M6 T w/Automatic Trans but no Tech Package?

 

[jerrycobra]

no i got the auto trans one, not the stick, haha

 

[amlemus]

Brand new Mazda 6 owner here (2014 AT Touring, no tech pkg.) with a possibly dumb question. Is the tech package able to be installed as an aftermarket product? I don't have it now but feel like its something that would be beneficial to have.

 

[badself]

No, it's a factory installed group of options that cost a little over $2,000 on the MSRP sticker. If you didn't get the tech package from factory, almost none of the options except the nav unit are dealer installable. Basically, you have to live with what you got.

It's actually a nice package for what you're paying, though it still doesn't get you bi-xenon adaptive headlamps, leather, or satellite radio, if that's important to you. It does give you nav, smart key, rain sensing wipers and smart city brake support. Touring/Tech is a nice bridge between a straight Touring and Grand Touring which are about $5k apart in price. I would take a Touring (with or without Tech) in 6MT because it gives you decent cloth seats, but not in 6AT because that configuration "upgrades" you to leatherette. Personally I would take a decent cloth interior over leatherette anytime, heck even over leather in many instances. I had a 1995 Camry XLE with an upgraded veleur cloth interior that was in better condition after seven years and 170K miles than the leather driver seat in my 2010 Infiniti G37 after only 3.5 years and 22k miles.

If part of your reason for wanting Tech is nav, then by all means skip the crappy factory unit and go with a nice aftermarket nav/radio head unit and call it a day.