RoXanneBlack8

wow they are nice. one of my friends was doin the PDI on it and the smartkey is so cool. the love it or hate it design really got my attention. very sleeper, very nice. at idle they dont really sound like much but when u rev it it sreally comes to life. we got three this week and one is already sold! they start at 27,999 for the sport and 31k loaded up for the grand touring. you must drive this car!
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UHWH WAREHOUSE

Ajax

The 2 at my local dealership are already gone. The RX-8 will have the same smartkey in 06.

I wish they would've let us testdrive one but they have such a limited quantity that they dont allow it unless you're interested in buying.

RoXanneBlack8

yeah im afriad the smartkey will only be available in the grand touring rx8's as well. when i order mine with the sport package im gonna try to get the smartkey installed by special order


i drove the MS6, they r awesome. perks of working there i guess
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LovelyWendie

Steiner

Wow. That's pretty aggressive pricing. For some reason I thought the MSP6 was gonna be well over $30k?

TODreamer

Why didnt they just make it a push button start instead of a smart key? I know its all gimicky, but it does the same thing while looking cooler

mikeb

I have not seen one yet in socal

RPIRX-8

I know they aren't allowing test drives, but has anyone gotten the chance to drive one yet? Or better yet, own one? I'm interested in the feel of the car vs. the 8, especially the suspension.

tjklein

Great idea for the 6, but they put a so-so AWD drive system in it. For those who don't know, it's very similiar to the Haldex type AWD system in the R32 and Audi TT's. This means that the car is FWD until the front slips and then it transfers up to 50% to the rear almost instantly.

It works pretty well, but it's no true AWD system, and just wouldn't have the RWD tendancies we all love.

Trevor

toca

how much is the dealer mark up on them u know there is 1

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Got a good look at one today. Black Cherry color with a black leather interior.
Didn't get to drive it, though. I'll see if I can work some magic tomorrow when I get my other tail light replaced.
I didn't find it particularly attractive (I think the regular 6 is sexier) - the hood line is too tall and it has too much black plastic (so does the '8 for that matter), but I bet it packs a pretty good punch.
It is just a little too "family" looking for me.

gr8rx

I had an oportunity to drive one last weekend and this is what I can say about it. First it was priced at the dealer that I went to, Foothills mazda in spokane, way too high in my opinion. It was priced at 35k for the gt and 31k for the sport. Both prices higher than the rx8 gt and sport. Handling, the only thing I can really say about this is, it was dissapointing, but before you get all excited, let me tell you the reasons for this. The mazdaspeed 6 is equiped with an summer high performance tire, and thats what I test drove on. At the time I test drove the car there was snow on the roads, and it was very icey in some spots, so I was dissapointed that I couldnt really test the cars handling abilities or the awd system very well with the tires equiped on the car. After pulling off the lot, the salesperson pulled onto a snow/icey road sidestreet, and continued to slide the car into the curb, at this point I thought well, if the salesguy did that then Im pretty sure that I cant screw up the test drive by laying down a little rubber. I took it off the sidestreet carefully cause I noticed right away that the road was very slippery with the current tires. Then I got on a main road and layed into it a bit. The throttle response is very good, and power when on wet/dry roads was very good, especially from a stop. After I was done with the test drive I was really quite dissapointed that I couldnt really test the vehicle because of conditions, and the poor tire for the conditions of the road. I was a little upset because if I were to purchase the mazdaspeed 6 it would be mainly for an everyday/winter driver, and the it handled like crap on the snow, which was probably because of tires, but there was no way to tell because all the cars are equiped with a summer performance tire. I told the dealer that the price point was way too high, and that I'd like to test drive the car again later when raod conditions are better, or they get proper tires on the car for the right season, winter, in spokane, where there is always snow. I guess I was just a little dissapointed that the car was not equiped with the right tire for the right season. In the same conditions, with my miata, with studded snow tires, my miata handled WAY better, but with said tires it does amazing in the snow surprisingly.One thing about the mspeed 6 though that is way better than other awd vehicles is the interior, it was a two tone black and white leather, and all other objects such as the console and gauges, and gauge cluster where very nice.

TODreamer

it needs winter tires

crossbow

Ya even worse is the communication between the dealers and mazda. Mazda isn't being forthcoming on the wheel sizing, and getting winter tires in 18's isn't exactly cheap.

The 6 guys are still trying to figure out the exact wheel/tire combo's for the car that fit. Some individuals have gotten 17's to fit without issue, but the front caliper's seem to be preventing some wheels from fitting.

Feras

iTrader: (1)

you gotta come out to philly my dealership told me to go give the speed 6 a go while i waited for an oil change...and it is a fun sedan for sure. You can't tell that its a FWD first AWD. It feels very neutral...no hint of torque steer.

YT1300

I'm happy that Mazda is continuing it's nutty work with turbos and mainline models. The MS6 looks nice, and I've always liked the 6, but it's a BIG car. Almost late '90s Ford Taurus big. Comical rims and the one at the dealership looks like it has a couple fist-fulls of tire wheelarch clearance (maybe it was the angle the car was parked at).

Intercooler is enormous and fun looking. Styling inside is up-gunned Mazda 6. I'd take one out if I had the time or the inclination, but it's not for us.

jarrod78

Cush Mazda in Escondido (northern san diego) has three right now. They've already sold 2. It is a sweet ride. Ask for a salesguy named Matt if you go up there to see the car. Is it worth trading the eight????????????????

RoXanneBlack8

we have 1 already gone for a lease, one was preordered and is gone, and a third was bought by a guy b4 the car came off the truck. they r selling pretty well for only being here a week.

as for the not real awd, hes right. its 100% fwd till u pound on it. steering angle sensors and throttle position sensor and yaw rate sensors determine how much(up to 50) percent should be sent to the rear wheels. if u r just cruisin, fwd fellas.

nonetheless, it IS a good car. as for 35k, thats not at all dealers. we have a black fully loaded gran touring for 31k. another 2k gets u the newly updated navigation system.

the "stripper" model, if u can call it that is 28k
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HOMEMADE VAPORIZERS

BRealistic

It is an amazing car for the price. But is rather un-Mazda-like in its removed steering feel and weight for its size.


But Mazda is smart with this car- the popularity of a "sold at cost or even a loss" high profile sporty model that gets major attention from the press may help boost regular and very underrated by the buying publicMazda6 sales across the board- like Civic Si and R models make DX buyers, and like the Mustang GT model makes V6 Mustang buyers feel racy. :-P


if I lived u north and needed a midside sedan.. I would be looking at this car considering the price and that I am a major Mazda fan (have owned 10 Mazdas over the almost twenty years I have been driving- and bought four new in the last seven years). But is it much better than a Legacy GT?


FWIW- I wish Mazda made a lower pressure turbo kit for regular 2.3 Mazdas. A turbo'd base Mazda6i with upgraded wheels and tires would be quite a sleeper......