why is the MS 6 not selling like hot cakes?

[jrodhotrod]

The revised the clutch on the '07 models, MS3, and some folks have said '06 models with late build dates.

 

[Black_Protege_5]

But I drove the 06 ms6. Once I got used to it I really liked it.

 

[Rainman]

I have one of the first NA MS6 as well as a brand new MS3. The clutch is markedly different in both cars. While I am quite used to the MS6 clutch now after having driven the car for more than a year, I find that I still make mistakes with it when I am in a hurry or attempting to shift both quickly, but smoothly. The MS3 on the other hand I was used to right away. Whatever was done to the clutch between the first MS6 build and the current MS6/3 builds today has greatly eased the abruptness of the clutch transition and take-up.

R

 

[Newf]

we 06 owners should get updated clutches. While I'm getting used to it, the woman just tears it up. In the long run I'm a little worried about this clutch holding up and after 16 years of driving standards, and various girlfriends driving them, this is the first time I'm actually concerned about it.

 

[LRHK]

must be nice 25k lol... Sticker price up here was $41k for the one I test drove...

The main reason I think is people can't see spending 25k for a mazda, and people still are not sure about the durability of a turbo over the standard na engines. If the speed6 was a 300 hp v6 they would sell better.

And have you noticed that the car is long and thin looking?

 

[tttP5]

so the MS6 is front wheel AWD biased?
does that mean it is not full time AWD and mostly front wheel drive until it senses a loss in traction and then it will switch to AWD??

 

[jrodhotrod]

Everything you ever wanted to know about the AWD system in the MS6:

http://forum.mazda6tech.com/about4221.html

Also a good read about the various AWD systems and how they work:

http://forum.mazda6tech.com/about5625.html

 

[Matt'sSpeed6]

I think it is simple:

The car is not properly contented for its price range. The MS6 is not racey enough to satisfy the Evo/STI crowd; no automatic limits its LGT reach; and it does not have enough bells and whistles to satisfy the BMW/Audi/and even Acura crowd. To think the Jetta GLI has better convenience content - audio readout, better display, etc..

I do find the dispay in the MS6 somewhat low-tech (bordering on ugly). And the fact it does not display CD/MP3 titles sucks. No auto-off headlamps? No blue tooth? No memory settings? NO TRIP COMPUTER? These are standard options on many cars costing the same OR less. Yet I still bought the car.... why??

Because many do not like the car - and fewer even know what it is. It hauls ass (when it is not hesitating). It does not stick out of the crowd - unless your choice was a Velocity Red Mica MS6. I'm too busy putting the loud pedal down to give a s*** at what the audio display reads. I don't have time to look.

Lastly, I am grateful that Mazda DID NOT put an automatic in this car for the psuedo-performance crowd. Thanks, Mazda for keepin' it real.

M

 

[Rotary_Powered]

Is it true that if you yank the e-brake the rear wheels activate, for good sliding fun?

 

[MS6S2K]

And have you noticed that the car is long and thin looking?

I notice that all the time when looking at my Speed 6 straight on from a distance. It looks narrow as hell, but it's also long and feels pretty big. However, it's failure in the market is why I have one. For the prices they are going for, it was too tough to pass up for a daily driver. No way in hell this could be my fun/enthusiast car though, or a car I'd modify and put money into. I'm gonna be barreling this baby through the harsh winter months, and with this Black Cherry Mica paint that shows every imperfection like Black, this poor car probably isn't gonna look so good in a couple of years. That's what I got it for though, and it's a great daily driver that looks good, and has plenty of power.

 

[freekwonder]

I wouldn't really call the MS6 a failure. Obviously if it was a failure Mazda wouldn't be doing a second run. Probably in some markets (like the midwest) it came up short. Most people I talk to LOVE the looks of the car, a lot of them just wish it was a v6 instead of a turbo'ed four. And like its been said you can't get it in auto. So I think those are the two factors that really hurt it, its too slow to really match the evo and sti, but thats the category that everybody puts it in. When (like stated before) its in the legacy gt class. Ever since they came out I wanted one, but didn't think it would happen, lucky to me the didn't sell great out there (my dealership isn't ordering any '07s) so I was able to get one when they dropped the price damn low.

 

[Matt'sSpeed6]

That leads me to another reason why this car may not have taken off: ALL of my local dealers were treating it like the second coming: absolutely no deals when it first hit the lots (around here - that was December '05). One dealer in particular said it was only alotted 6 for the model year. Last time I checked they had 6 2006s sitting on the lots in mid-October. I do a fair amount of driving - and I have only seen 2 MS6 on my local roads. I know for sure they are the same ones each time.

BTW, I just read that the $15,000 Nissan Versa has Bluetooth. WTF?

M

 

[Elicious]

That leads me to another reason why this car may not have taken off: ALL of my local dealers were treating it like the second coming: absolutely no deals when it first hit the lots (around here - that was December '05). One dealer in particular said it was only alotted 6 for the model year. Last time I checked they had 6 2006s sitting on the lots in mid-October. I do a fair amount of driving - and I have only seen 2 MS6 on my local roads. I know for sure they are the same ones each time.

One of the dealers that contacted me during my e-mail attack eventually said to me "We don't want to go that low on a limited specialty car like the speed6". I thought to myself "Yeah, that's exactly why it's been sitting there for half a year probably."

BTW, I just read that the $15,000 Nissan Versa has Bluetooth. WTF?

M

Yup, it has smart key too. Pretty rare for a car in that price range to have either available as options.

 

[cheapmiata1600]

When they came out I was ready to trade my P5 for one. The salesman was such a dick to me that I'll probably never buy another mazda again. When I asked to test drive a car that I was very interested in buying, I got a snooty response about not putting miles on these rare sports cars. I laugh every time I drive by that dealer and see the 6 or so speed6s that've been sitting there for months.

 

[Raynman]

Obviously if it was a failure Mazda wouldn't be doing a second run.

Well that and Mazda couldn't launch the Mazda 6 MY '07 car in time.