Faults:

I will start by listing the current problems:

- A mysterious oil burning issue in the engine bay when hot: last night, I confirmed this fact while inspecting my headlights outside of the car while running. I clearly saw the faint smoke seeping out of the bay. Upon opening the hood, I got a strong whiff of the smell. I can't tell what oil it is, but it's something regular, so perhaps an oil drip somewhere.

- Engine bay is WAY too hot for my liking. I mean, I can nearly burn my hand if I touch the engine cover for over 10 seconds. When I open the hood, the heat that comes out is enough to nearly cook an egg. I read that a fan module recall is a fix, but the local dealer said that no recalls are registered. I was considering adding a separate fan for the bay... it's cramped in there. I think my cooling fan is running well though, not sure.

- The car consumes oil more than I'm used to: I top it off nearly 750ml every 1000 km. I replaced the PCV, but still thirsty.

- The car is sluggish when accelerating at low RPM, between 1000 and 3000. I mean slow like a Smart Car. Idle is smooth though, so I don't know what's causing this. Been like this from the beginning.

- Rear hatch doesn't hold upright during winter. Replaced the struts and still sags in winter.

- Clicking metal sound when taping (even very slightly) the brake pedal. I followed the sound, and it looks like there's a broken spot weld in the unit behind the steering wheel. Annoying and cannot fix... yet.

- Rear defrost tab broken and placed in a very cramped area. Too difficult to re-attempt to fix. Will try those windshield repair shops.

- I rust proof it yearly and do extra proofing afterwards, but these things rust quick.

- Drinks lots of gas. I'd say approx 10 to 12 L per 100 km.

General Comments:

Considering that the car is 10 years old, I must say that I'm a happy camper. The car drives really sharp, and looks very peppy and inviting. The black on black leather really makes this car shine.

I'm just concerned about the quirks that it has, and after reading about issues with this generation, I'm kind of worried if this car will have a serious problem down the road.

Some people say that the interior is left to be desired, but let me tell you, I have seen Benzes and Audis with interiors that shock me. The Mazda 6 is very decent.

I can't see myself selling it because there's nothing out there like it: stylish, sporty, V6, manual, peppy, and affordable (don't have the money to get a 2013 TL V6 SH).

So the bottom line: I'm glad I bought this car, and you should consider getting the exact same car as mine (I heard bad things about the automatics, and years 2003 to 2006).

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this car.

General Comments:

This car's handling is superb. I drive about 30 miles every day, and I enjoy every minute. I have owned an '89 626 and a '00 626, and I can truly say that Mazda has made the 6 a true sports car.

I do miss the oscillating A/C vents from the '00 626, which I got many positive comments from my passengers, and I wish they were on my 6.

I am noticing that when I press the accelerator, the car sometimes lags. I will perform a transmission flush and get back to you, to see if this could be the cause.