Might buy a (nearly) new car...

[matt]

Early days - just casting around to see what's out there that may tempt me away from my current car...

Anyone any experience of a Mazda 6?

 

[Ironballs]

Supposed to be good I think, if it were me in your position I'd be checking out Honest John on the Daily Telegraph site. A mine of info

 

[beech1948]

I think Mazda = Ford as Ford had a better than 50% shareholding in them. Not sure what to think of modern Fords my old ones were a constant pain in the butt with poor reliability.

But that was 35 yrs ago. Odd how old prejudice still lingers.

regards
Alan

 

[Jenx]

My Pal has a Mazda 6 he loves it.
I believe thats spot on about the 'Ford Owned' thing ...

I have a Ford Focus, having changed jobs to one where a company car wasn't provided... having previously had a new mondeo estate.

The mondeo was a great car. the focus is a car.
:shock:

My friend's maxza 6 is a much more comfortable car than mine..
and as I say, he really likes it... to the point where he says he'd have another, for sure.

Go take a look and a test drive.. that'll be the only surefire way of knowing if you think you'd get on with one..

 

[OPJ]

Most important question of all - how much timber can you fit in the back of it??? :roll: :wink:

 

[Argee]

What sort of budget does "nearly new" mean, Matt?

Ray

 

[Paul Chapman]

If you want "nearly new" consider a demonstrator. I saved £4,000 on a £12,000 car a couple of years ago with about 3,000 miles on the clock.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[matt]

Most important question of all - how much timber can you fit in the back of it??? :roll: :wink:

My car is always the "load lugger", with towbar for the trailer, with roof rack etc... It'll handle timber! Wife's car is the runaround.

What sort of budget does "nearly new" mean, Matt?
Ray

2008 Mazda 6.

If you want "nearly new" consider a demonstrator. I saved £4,000 on a £12,000 car a couple of years ago with about 3,000 miles on the clock.
Cheers :wink:
Paul

Did something similar a few years back with my wife's car. Good reminder.

 

[mailee]

I think Mazda = Ford as Ford had a better than 50% shareholding in them. Not sure what to think of modern Fords my old ones were a constant pain in the butt with poor reliability.

But that was 35 yrs ago. Odd how old prejudice still lingers.

regards
Alan

Modern Fords are more reliable but very cheaply made now. Most of the cost has to be on the electronics as the fittings are very cheap and nasty. I work on them for a living.......at the moment. :wink:

 

[cambournepete]

I'm on my 3rd mazda in succession, getting a bigger car each time.
So far, in over 7 years of ownership we've never had a problem - touch wood.
I have the 5 (MPV) but would have liked the new 6 estate. SWMBO prefers MPVs though.
All the reviews I've seen of the 6 have been very favourable.
We also thought that the 6 had more legroom than the mondeo, and is much better looking.
As Ray says, see if you can get a demonstrator or a pre-registered one.

 

[misterfish]

They've just had someone on BBC Breakfast TV from Parkers Guide saying now is the best time to get a new or preregistered car and on some models you can (apparently) get up to 50% off. He recommended using the interweb to get as much info so that you are armed ready for negotiation. He also said that due to the production cutbacks of many companies the available stock of new cars is dwindling and the reduce availability is just starting to firm up prices.

Misterfish

 

[devonwoody]

They've just had someone on BBC Breakfast TV from Parkers Guide saying now is the best time to get a new or preregistered car and on some models you can (apparently) get up to 50% off. He recommended using the interweb to get as much info so that you are armed ready for negotiation. He also said that due to the production cutbacks of many companies the available stock of new cars is dwindling and the reduce availability is just starting to firm up prices.

Misterfish

That last statement sound like a sales pitch :wink:
There are enough unsold cars laying around to cover all of Essex.

 

[lurker]

there are enough unsold cars laying around to cover all of Essex.

Thats a good idea!

 

[RobertMP]

I've had 2 mazda 626's in my time. One a very long time ago before Ford owned them and it was faultless and stayed that way. Then more recently under ford (but still over 10 years ago) a 2.5 V6 version 626 which was a complete lemon. Un fixable tracking wore out front tyres every 6 months . gearbox failed after 3 months the list went on... No mazdas for me any more.

 

[devonwoody]

Robert, when did the children learn to drive, any connection?

 

[Grinding One]

Buy your car at the end of the month....the dealers have to pay interest on the unsold....

 

[devonwoody]

Buy your car at the end of the month....the dealers have to pay interest on the unsold....

At 1 percent or less, I dont think it will worry them this year. :wink:

 

[Vormulac]

Current Fords are excellent cars, on a par or superior to most of the alternatives in the same bracket - I have probably related in previous posts that yes, I did used to work as a design engineer for Ford but that was a long time ago and I have no brand loyalty in that respect - as an engineer we got to benchmark other makes and models and so you got a relatively objective view of how they all stack up against each other.

I nearly bought a Mazda 6 last year, but when I went to test drive it the interior could have been designed by Fisher Price - nasty. I ended up with a Subaru - far superior in every respect (except fuel economy, but that's a 3.0 Vs a 2.3 engine for you).

HTH

 

[woodbloke]

I did used to work as a design engineer for Ford but that was a long time ago

HTH

...so it was you who designed the Anglia! :lol: - Rob

 

[mailee]

Current Fords are excellent cars, on a par or superior to most of the alternatives in the same bracket - I have probably related in previous posts that yes, I did used to work as a design engineer for Ford but that was a long time ago and I have no brand loyalty in that respect - as an engineer we got to benchmark other makes and models and so you got a relatively objective view of how they all stack up against each other.

I nearly bought a Mazda 6 last year, but when I went to test drive it the interior could have been designed by Fisher Price - nasty. I ended up with a Subaru - far superior in every respect (except fuel economy, but that's a 3.0 Vs a 2.3 engine for you).

HTH

If you take most of the cars in the same range then yes they are on a par with current vehicles which are now built to a price. I work on Fords every day and they are not designed to be taken apart anymore. Cheap plastices, difficult access, parts breaking down. Another step closer to the throw away society IMHO. :wink: