Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal?

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Thu 22 Nov 2012 22:44
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - JohnnyBoy
Hello,
A local dealer has a 2006 Mazda 6 petrol auto with 45k miles; will take my 2003 Nissan Primera 1.8 SE with 68k miles plus £1900 for it.
Three questions:
Will the Mazda be very thirsty compared to my Nissan?
Any history of problems with Mazda automatics?
All considered, does it seem to be a reasonable deal? I'd expect to keep the car for a year or two until the price of post-facelift (2008-) Mazda 6 come down a bit.

Many thanks in advance for any advice offered,
John.
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Fri 23 Nov 2012 00:17
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - 72 dudes

Sounds a good deal to me.

Mazda 6 not particularly economical with a manual gearbox - I ran one for a few weeks and managed just over 32 MPG, mainly motorway driving.

I would expect an automatic version to get high 20's.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 08:44
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - JohnnyBoy
Cheers. With only doing 8-9k miles per year I don't think my wallet would take much of a knock with a 7-10mpg drop from the Nissan to the Mazda.
Main reason for being attracted to the deal is having a car that's 3 years younger and with 20k fewer miles, with just £1900 to shell out. Also, there's a dent (not self inflicted!) that the dealer didn't spot, for which I've been quoted £360 to repair, so I'm thinking I could move the car on now but might have trouble if I keep it for a few years and the mileage is then 80k+.
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Fri 23 Nov 2012 10:24
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - craig-pd130

Being the Devil's advocate here, Primeras are a very underrated car and keep on running ... the £1900 cost to change to the Mazda buys you a LOT of servicing & repairs.

And in a few years from now, the Mazda won't be worth much more than the Nissan anyway.

My 10 pence worth is, you probably know the Nissan's quirks and foibles by now ... and the Mazda being 3 years younger is no guarantee that it will be less trouble than what you already have.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 11:03
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - JohnnyBoy
Thanks Craig. Yes, I think the Nissan should be reasonably trouble free for a while, having had ball joints, track rod ends, back end of exhaust all fitted for MOT, which it passed a few weeks ago. The Mazda of course is an unknown quantity and may have been traded in for reasons unknown as yet…
If I thought the Mazda would hold its money I'd get it to do me a year or two. Sounds as though I'm better holding fire and waiting until the price of what I'm really after comes down, ie post facelift Mazda 6. I guess by waiting I'll also be getting some value out of the recent repairs done on the Nissan.
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Fri 23 Nov 2012 13:09
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - craig-pd130

If you had that work done and it's got a fresh MOT, I think I'd definitely try and run the Primera another year.

The Mazda may need similar work after a year's ownership to pass its next MOT, which would be a double blow to the wallet.

Of course, it may need nothing and be as reliable as a galvanised nail ... but if the Primera is sorted apart from a cosmetic dent, I'd stick with it.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 17:24
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - Bobbin Threadbare

My manual 05 plate Mazda 6 generally ran at 38mpg. Never needed a thing doing to it. You will find it a lot less sluggish than a Primera.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 18:58
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - JohnnyBoy
Thanks for your comments. Given my low mileage, it comes down to how much money I'd lose on the Mazda if I upgrade to a post-2008 model in a year or two.
Dealer will sell it at £3000 and give me £1100 for the Primera, hence the £1900 to change. Judging by HJ's price guide and similar cars online, £3000 seems a decent price so maybe I'd not lose much over the next year or two. Plus the Mazda would be easier to sell then than a 10-11 year old Primera with 70-80k miles.
One further question: when I queried the 15mpg on the dashboard display the dealer said this was due to him having reset it recently, and that it takes around 100 miles to calculate an accurate figure. Does this sound correct? Following reset the mpg display on the Primera is accurate a few miles later.
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Fri 23 Nov 2012 21:07
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - Collos25

You already own the best out of the two the dealer must be rubbing his hands.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 21:22
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - JohnnyBoy
Really? I always thought Mazda was above Nissan but below Honda in ranking of Japanese cars. It certainly drives better than my car.
Current plan is to put mine on sale online to see what sort of interest/money it gets. Maybe sell it & get out there as a cash buyer.
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Fri 23 Nov 2012 22:33
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - Avant

"One further question: when I queried the 15mpg on the dashboard display the dealer said this was due to him having reset it recently, and that it takes around 100 miles to calculate an accurate figure."

Don't worry - it has probaby been moved round the dealer's premises a few times, or gone on short demo runs from cold.

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Fri 23 Nov 2012 23:18
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - balleballe

I had a mazda 6 auto.

Around town it would give around 28. Motorway It gave around 36-38ish

Their autoboxes are ok, although i'm pretty sure they had problems with the early Aisin boxes (around 2005 IIRC)

If I was you, I'd keep your current car

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Sat 24 Nov 2012 07:33
Mazda 6 automatic petrol - Mazda 6 Automatic - Good deal? - johncyprus
I too had a Mazda 6 petrol manual 1800 cc yet it went like stink reminded me of my old MX5, gorgeous car 38mg achievable, I did test drive an auto too but didnt like it, too small an engine for an auto I thought. Have you considered depreciation? The value of the 6 you are considering will drop like a stone whereas that of the Primera has almost bottomed out. I'd run the Primera into the ground.
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