mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone?

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 17:37
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - corax

I used to see these everywhere, the model with the lexus style lights. They seem to have disappeared from the roads. The car that Clarkson commented 'was one of the best driving cars in it's class'.

I know that there were problems with the diesels, but I'd have expected petrol versions to be long lasting.

Have they really all rusted so much that they've gone to the scrappies? Or has someone been quietly buying them up and hoarding them somewhere?

And while I think about it I don't see that many Mondeo III's either, despite gushing reviews when it was new. Yet I see it's competitor the Vauxhall Vectra everywhere. So is it a better car for the long haul?

What say you?

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 17:56
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - gordonbennet

I wonder if you went to Poland Latvia Nigeria and a few more countries you would find lots of the better used cars that were once in this country valued at banger money, where in those and other such countries they know what is good in used cars, many thousands have been exported, unwanted when you could buy a shoe box encouraged by a government who set VED to tempt people into such things.

I mentioned this a few years ago when we had a regular long term interesting and knowledgeable poster called Bell Boy, he was in the car trade and confirmed the export of the better used car stock was a big problem for the trade.

I suspect this might be a cause because of my previous work when i'd see vast numbers of decent used cars waiting on various docksides to be shipped out, the better ones, not sure i saw Mondeos in particular, many probably needed DMF's and the cost involved just not worth it to Brits who only value a vehicle by what it can be sold for at any given moment, so down the scrappy it goes and off to the new car dealer where £199 a month rents you a shoe..:-)

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 22:24
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - twitcherman

Was in The Gambia last year. Full of W124 Merc taxis. Not UK cars (all LHD there), but obviously a lot of older european motors gone there. Car lots by he side of the road full of old euro barges & 4x4s. The popular ones were the usual suspects renowned for longevity over here.

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 18:11
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - SLO76
The petrol models may we'll be mechanically strong but the bodywork is however as poor at holding off rot as all Mazda's of this vintage are. They are the worst current manufacturer at rust proofing their cars sadly because they do build some brilliant driving motors, I've owned several and still have an 11yr old 3 as a workhorse runabout, which although everything works is riddled with rust.

The first gen 6 has just reached that age where run of the mill larger family cars die off rapidly, especially those with mechanical or serious rot issues as their value is next to nothing and it's rarely economically viable to carry out body or major mechanical repairs.

A well looked after petrol 6 (especially the estate) is a great cheap workhorse if you can find one that's not too crusty. I certainly enjoyed ours and the 3 I'm running is a very pleasant wee thing to drive.

Edited by SLO76 on 08/11/2016 at 18:13

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 19:10
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - craig-pd130

There may be regional clusters, as round here (Macclesfield) I regularly see those mid-2000s Mazda 6 estates and hatches, as well as plenty of Mondeo IIIs. Interestingly, not too many Vectras around here - there were lots being used as taxis but all the cabbies are either in Skodas or Priuses now.

Still quite a few Mondeo I&IIs around as well. Amazing to think these are now 20+ years old. They were a good car, we had two of them.

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 19:28
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - SLO76

There may be regional clusters, as round here (Macclesfield) I regularly see those mid-2000s Mazda 6 estates and hatches, as well as plenty of Mondeo IIIs. Interestingly, not too many Vectras around here - there were lots being used as taxis but all the cabbies are either in Skodas or Priuses now.

Still quite a few Mondeo I&IIs around as well. Amazing to think these are now 20+ years old. They were a good car, we had two of them.

Cars can be bizarrely regional. I remember a number of years back attending a stag do in Cardiff and half the private hire taxis were Rover 600's, mostly petrol. I've never seen one used as a taxi elsewhere. A petrol 600 would be lucky to touch 30mpg day to day but they were certainly tough and also cheap by that stage. But explains where most of them went. We had a major Honda dealer round the corner and our town is awash with old Honda's of all types, far beyond the norm. Though it's likely to diminish now they've dropped the brand. Plenty of good pickings for used buyers.

Edited by SLO76 on 08/11/2016 at 19:29

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 20:56
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - brum

Apart from toyotas, Ive always regarded most far eastern brands as cars that run well engine wise but fall to bits after 10 years max.

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 22:25
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - kiss (keep it simple)

I have just sold my Mazda6 for peanuts. Mechanically sound with nearly 160k but MOT advisory for rust and other minor items. The thing that worried me was the price of an exhaust (never needed one but it was looking likely in the near future). The usual suspects didn't seem to do them so I guess it was going to be a Mazda one if I was going to keep running it for any lenghth of time. Maybe that's the reason, exhaust goes and so does the car.

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Tue 8 Nov 2016 23:00
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - SLO76
They really are next to worthless... I got my 3 for free despite 11mths Mot. He was offered £100 as a trade in against an Astra at £3495, I found a similar car with less miles for over a £1k less so gifted the old Mazda to me. Beats the £10 Mondeo I took as part ex against my last old smoker, this is actually safe to drive.
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Wed 9 Nov 2016 12:21
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - corax

Apart from toyotas, Ive always regarded most far eastern brands as cars that run well engine wise but fall to bits after 10 years max.

Toyota's don't rust, even if not looked after. The petrol mk2 Avensis 1.8 (I owned one) is rough at high revs, pretty torqueless, the ventilation isn't that great, the seat base cushions collapse at high mileage but the things just don't die, are economical for a big car, and solid. A very good cheap runaround if you can find a buyer afterwards.

I would have liked to try a T180 or 2.2 diesel auto, but too many head gasket problems put me off.

I still see a few mk1's around.

The Mazda's always look lightweight to me, the metal and paint seem thin.

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Wed 9 Nov 2016 12:31
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - SteVee

>>The Mazda's always look lightweight to me, the metal and paint seem thin.<<

Yes, that's what happened to my 2005 six. The paint was very fragile, and the car was written off in a fairly minor accident (the Passat also involved just drove off afterwards) - it was only two years old. At least I got a good price from the insurers.

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Wed 9 Nov 2016 14:08
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - madf

Apart from toyotas, Ive always regarded most far eastern brands as cars that run well engine wise but fall to bits after 10 years max.

Look at old Hond Jazzes. And MX5s and Shoguns and X Trails, And Foresters And Imprezas and so on...

Not to mention Sportaes, L200s, .

I could go on.

I don't see many old Fords on the road or Vauxhalls And where have all the Rovers gone? :-)

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Wed 9 Nov 2016 15:35
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - kiss (keep it simple)

There is a Rover 214 in the road near ours, L reg I think. Apart from a bit of rust in wheel arches it looks pretty good.

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Thu 10 Nov 2016 11:47
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - skidpan

Saw an 06 Mazda 6 at Asda yesterday. Was white and absolutely immaculate.

Just round the corner form us whilst out walking the dog I spotted an "L" plated Cavalier on a drive. Looked spot on from a distance, but it was raining.

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Thu 10 Nov 2016 13:31
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - madf

My next door neighbour has an immaculate 1988 Mercedes300E.

It has been restored at GREAT cost.

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Thu 10 Nov 2016 13:45
mazda6 2002-07 where have they gone? - Fishermans Bend

Srappage scheme got rid of a lot of old Rovers. Many 75 are still left - thank goodness.

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