Well, I've lurked on the board for a few weeks and learned much about this car before making the decision to get an MS6 myself. I found many of the posts extremely valuable, so my thanks go out to the many members that enthusiastically post about this wonderful car.
The lease on my Audi A6 3.0 is up soon and the urge to get a new car was driving me crazy. I looked at several different brands and models and the MS6 fit what I was seeking. Yes, the Audi is a nice car, a great highway cruiser and very well built, but kind of boring. I had grown tired of it after four years.
All it took was one long, exhilarating test drive to confirm that the MS6 was for me.
I find that the fit and finish is superb, comparable to the Audi in many ways, except that the Audi does use higher quality materials in some attributes of the cabin. All in all, feature for feature, the Mazda is very good. I like the navigation system (very easy to use), the adjustable headlights and the steering wheel mounted controls.
There is absolutely no question that the MS6 is superior to the Audi in engine performance and handling. I'm not a rally racer or a speed freak, but the performance is there on the MS6 when you need it. I am very fond of turbocharged engines, and if you are diligent in maintenance and let them cool down before shutting down the engine, they can last a long time. Keeping the accelerator conservatively applied during highway cruising should yield satisfactory gas mileage.
One of the factors in my decision was based on my prior ownership experience of a Mazda MX6 GT. I purchased this car new in 1989 and drove it for 12 years and put 200,000 miles on it with nary a major problem. It was a very reliable car, and the biggest expense was a distributor for $700. I had HKS Stage 3 kit (variable boost control, turbo exhaust, upgraded intercooler pipes) on it for 10 years and it was a solid performer.
I'm hoping that the MS6 will have the same Mazda reliability, although this MS6 is quite a bit more advanced technology wise than the MX6.
So far, I'm very pleased with it. IMO an excellent balance of practicality, sporty good looks, and decent performance in a four door sports sedan at a price that cannot be beat. I crossed shopped an Audi S4, and when cost was factored in I could not justify the $30k premium the Audi S4 commanded.
As modding is in my blood, I will most likely upgrade the stereo, add a boost gauge and wait for HKS to come up with an exhaust system. I've looked at the intercooler pipes and I think the engineers made a good compromise by fitting the intercooler on top of the engine. A front mount would have significantly longer pipe runs and a drop in intake pressure would result.
Looking forward to contributing to the board,
hockey
The lease on my Audi A6 3.0 is up soon and the urge to get a new car was driving me crazy. I looked at several different brands and models and the MS6 fit what I was seeking. Yes, the Audi is a nice car, a great highway cruiser and very well built, but kind of boring. I had grown tired of it after four years.
All it took was one long, exhilarating test drive to confirm that the MS6 was for me.
I find that the fit and finish is superb, comparable to the Audi in many ways, except that the Audi does use higher quality materials in some attributes of the cabin. All in all, feature for feature, the Mazda is very good. I like the navigation system (very easy to use), the adjustable headlights and the steering wheel mounted controls.
There is absolutely no question that the MS6 is superior to the Audi in engine performance and handling. I'm not a rally racer or a speed freak, but the performance is there on the MS6 when you need it. I am very fond of turbocharged engines, and if you are diligent in maintenance and let them cool down before shutting down the engine, they can last a long time. Keeping the accelerator conservatively applied during highway cruising should yield satisfactory gas mileage.
One of the factors in my decision was based on my prior ownership experience of a Mazda MX6 GT. I purchased this car new in 1989 and drove it for 12 years and put 200,000 miles on it with nary a major problem. It was a very reliable car, and the biggest expense was a distributor for $700. I had HKS Stage 3 kit (variable boost control, turbo exhaust, upgraded intercooler pipes) on it for 10 years and it was a solid performer.
I'm hoping that the MS6 will have the same Mazda reliability, although this MS6 is quite a bit more advanced technology wise than the MX6.
So far, I'm very pleased with it. IMO an excellent balance of practicality, sporty good looks, and decent performance in a four door sports sedan at a price that cannot be beat. I crossed shopped an Audi S4, and when cost was factored in I could not justify the $30k premium the Audi S4 commanded.
As modding is in my blood, I will most likely upgrade the stereo, add a boost gauge and wait for HKS to come up with an exhaust system. I've looked at the intercooler pipes and I think the engineers made a good compromise by fitting the intercooler on top of the engine. A front mount would have significantly longer pipe runs and a drop in intake pressure would result.
Looking forward to contributing to the board,
hockey
...Be sure to post (pics)
