How many cross shopped the MazdaSpeed6? what REALLY pulled you to subie?

[Silverstar]

I did the LGT because owning a Subaru is cool.

 

Owning a Mazda is what a lot of people do and a lot of people also think Pizza Hut is the best restaurant in town!

[Beanboy]

ms6 wasn't around, ms6 too heavy, wanted a hatch/wagon, aftermarket support, strong local Subaru community

[douglas751]

The clutch take-up on the Mazda sucks; all on or all off.

 

The Mazda has a very narrow power band. Torque feels as if it drops off at about 4500 rpm. The Subaru is very flexible.

 

The Mazda feels contrived and unnatural to drive. The Subaru instantly feels comfortable to drive and gives you a feeling that you are in total control.

 

The Mazda interior seems a bit cheap, but so does the Subaru. The Subaru interior design and ergonomics are more coherent.

 

The Mazda hood looks silly. The fake exhaust pipes are not very sweet either.

[bskey]

45% reliability and Subaru track record, 30% safety ratings, 15% after market support, 5% vehicle drive & feel and 5% availability. When I bought my LGT, the only MS6's on the lot were new, and I wasn't willing to spend $25k+ for an unproven car.

[psi365]

Since I am in a very similiar situation here's my take one this. I've driven both, one both Subie and a Mazda forum. Done lots of research on both of them except I was cross shopping the with the spec B.

 

Mazda

Pros

THe GT model comes standard with things like advanced key, HID's, etc...

 

Can get an all black leather interior (you'd be surprised how many cars in this price range you can't).

 

Price. 06's in my area have up to $4750 cash back if you finance through Mazda on top of the below invoice price you could get one for.

 

Unlike the spec B you can get it in different colors.

 

radio controls seperate from the nav system.

 

Cons

Reliability... Cruising some of the Mazda forums I've heard of things on those cars that pretty much completely scared me away from them. THings like the brace for the rear differential breaking in half, rear axles breaking, turbo's blowing oil both being from stock and slightly modded cars. I've also seen lots of posts of guys getting their cars bought back. Thats some serious product flaws to me.

 

Only built for 2 years. When these cars get older where are you going to get parts for them? I see them going the way of the 323GTX in which you'll be hard pressed to find anything for them cause certain things are very specific to that model.

 

Aftermarket support.........not much there, but with the MS3 out now it seems to finally be catching up, but now its after the MS6 is out of production.

 

Even though there are guys that will swear up and down that it isn't, the awd system is a Haldex based system. This means in normal conditions you have a fwd car until it need to go to awd.

 

Revs very fast.......I felt like I had to shift it more then a regular car with a 6 speed. It kind of gives you a false sense of it being fast.

 

I've also heard that the MS6 does not respond well to even minor mods. Stupid things start to break like axles, burn up a clutch, etc. Admittably it could be driver more then car.

 

Mazda also likes to deny warranty claims especially on that car.

 

Spec B

reliability............ITs a proven powertrain that has plenty of support and testing of things behind it.

 

Real awd.........no sissy Haldexish system

 

Aftermarket supposrt.......This verion has been out for at least 3 years. Wrx's use similiar mods. This car isn't just a one shot type of car. Parts are going to be there down the road.

 

Exterior styling..........No large openings to where a front mount should be and isn't. Everytihng on the outside has a purpose.

 

Folding rear seats/memeory seats......SOmething you probably don't think about until you need it, but it does come in handy (yes I do know of the mod to make the MS6's rear seats fold).

 

WIth the touch screen the nav system is easier to use.

 

Cons

Price...........Even though I could get a spec B with some options for invoice, its still a lot more expensive and you don't get things like HID's. That and if/when I buy one I am immediately going to spend at least another $2k+ on add ons.

 

BLue inserts............I am boring when it comes to my interiors, I want basic black(which the 08 spec B's will have black alacantara seats).

 

Could just be me, but it felt kinda slow. Best comparison is a stock 00-02 Audi S4.

 

All in all I think ED Kwon said it best as......if the only reason for you to buy a MS6 is price, then with in 5-6 months you are going to be mad at yourself. I plan on keeping what ever for a long time, so reliablity is high up there with me. So at this time I am about 90% sure its a spec B for me.

[chenc544]

^^^ Unless you are dead set on the 6-spd I would get a regular LGT over the Spec B, especially since you are going to mod. You can get a LGT in different color and with black leather interior. You can pick an aftermarket Nav system that suits you the best instead of stuck with the stock Spec B Nav. Regular LGT is also ~$6k cheaper than Spec B.

[BDII]

I had the Mazdaspeed Protege (turbo) and I hated the limited aftermarket accesories.

 

I might consider one next year if suby doesnt bring the wagon back

[AKSubie]

Since I am in a very similiar situation here's my take one this. I've driven both, one both Subie and a Mazda forum. Done lots of research on both of them except I was cross shopping the with the spec B.

<snip>

 

Could just be me, but it felt kinda slow. Best comparison is a stock 00-02 Audi S4.

 

Funny you mention B5 S4. For that is what I am coming from.

 

Ya, I too was cross shopping the SpecB, however in reading others debates as well as posting my own, I realized that the LGT is a better bet. (of the legacies) seeign as I auto-x suspension will eventually be swapped out, and Nav doesnt work in AK, so that leaves the cool S4-ish interior and 6spd. Not worth it in my personal situation.

 

Found much the same answers as you did regarding reliability. it was a toughy, but I think I have chosen to go Subie.

[psi365]

^^^ Unless you are dead set on the 6-spd I would get a regular LGT over the Spec B, especially since you are going to mod. You can get a LGT in different color and with black leather interior. You can pick an aftermarket Nav system that suits you the best instead of stuck with the stock Spec B Nav. Regular LGT is also ~$6k cheaper than Spec B.

 

I'm not completely set on the spec B, let alone the 6spd. When I test drove the spec B I never had a need to shift it into 6th doing 60+. IT's just a highway gear to me. I love alacantara seats over regular leather just cause in the summer you don't almost burn yourself getting in them at the end of a hot day,or freeze yourself first thing in the morning, plus on a hot day you don't get that seat sweat thing going. I just am not a fan of the choice of blue. If they even put the brick color in with DGM it would have looked better ( my preference would have been like a S4 with the silver alacantara seats). The few things I want to do are cat back exhaust, front lip spoiler, maybe a chip (when cobb releases it), boost guage (wrx style), and a few other little things.

 

http://www.cooolcars.com/FAIRBANKS%2004%20AUDI%20S4/AUDI%20S4%20INSIDE-1.jpg

[AKSubie]

II love alacantara seats over regular leather just cause in the summer you don't almost burn yourself getting in them at the end of a hot day,or freeze yourself first thing in the morning, plus on a hot day you don't get that seat sweat thing going. I just am not a fan of the choice of blue. If they even put the brick color in with DGM it would have looked better ( my preference would have been like a S4 with the silver alacantara seats). The few things I want to do are cat back exhaust, front lip spoiler, maybe a chip (when cobb releases it), boost guage (wrx style), and a few other little things.

 

Ya, I like the alcantra, and to be honest tend to like the blue seats (so if anyone with a specB wants to trade interiors ) I think the white alcantra would be tough to keep clean, but woudl be REALLY swank to offer like 2 colors of SpecB and color matched alcantra.

[EL PAALO]

no wagon.

mods.

[Obsessotron]

The Mazdaspeed 6 just doesn't get me going, the soft edged tupperware look all of the Mazda 6s possess has always been a huge turnoff..blech. I was aware that it handled a bit better or whatever, but I may see 3 or 4 legacy GTs every 2 weeks or less and I like doing my own thing.

[LRegvall]

My bogey when new car shopping was 250 bhp in a 3,000 lb 4 door car. AWD was not essential. Amazingly, I couldn't find anything that hit square. The LGT was the closest to the target. The MS6 was still on the horizon and I thought of wating until I found that it weighed 200-300 lbs more than the LGT. Oink. The Altima SER was also close (lighter and more HP in a wonderful torquey motor) but it was too big and with too much torque steer (the new one might be better). If the MS3 had been around, it might have taken my money. I've driven it and I found it to be even better than the car rags report. Instant power and tossable chassis although without the AWD features. But I'm in SoCal where AWD is more an option.

[chenc544]

My bogey when new car shopping was 250 bhp in a 3,000 lb 4 door car. AWD was not essential. Amazingly, I couldn't find anything that hit square.

 

Well there is the SRT-4... You can get a stage 2 kit installed directly from dealer which would put you at claimed 265 hp in a 2900 lb car with 4 doors. But I wouldn't wish a Neon upon my worst enemy.