2003 Mazda 6 6i 2.3L DOHC from North America

Summary:

I love my 03' Mazda 6i

Faults:

75k miles, rack and pinion wore out.

96k miles, variable valve timing actuator wore out.

103k miles, clutch is slipping in 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

General Comments:

I'm sorry for all your guy's bad luck with your 6's.

The issues I've had with mine are over being driven hard. Yes I admit, I've driven several sets of tires off this car. It is a pleasure to drive. and just loves to be pushed hard.

My rack and pinion wore out because it wasn't made to take the abuse of off road rally style drifting in the desert.

The VVT actuator went out cause I neglected to check my oil and it ran too low.

My clutch well... let's just say light to light the 2.3 is pretty surprising. I plan to replace the clutch with a stage2, possibly stage3 replacement, and swapping out for a lighter flywheel to drop some rotating weight.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 6th March, 2009

2003 Mazda 6 2.0 petrol from United Arab Emirates

Summary:

Good looks and reliability for less

Faults:

The dashboard display stopped working, so had to be replaced.

The driver's side automatic window motor had to be replaced.

A/C condenser needed to be replaced.

Clunking noise when the car is stopped or started, had it checked by the agency, but was told that it wasn't an issue.

The paint peels off and gets chipped very easily, and the body gets dented fairly quickly.

Occasional ticking noise coming from the dashboard and window area.

General Comments:

All in all, I love the 2003 Mazda 6. My previous car was a 1994 Protege and it was a work horse, reliable and very economical (until a friend of mine crashed it beyond repair).

The 6 has kept up with the same tradition, with the added bonus of striking good looks and stylish features.

The paint work and body is still something which Mazda is lacking after all these years, as it dents and chips easily (had the same problem with the protege also).

The interior is quite stylish, but the material used is quite cheap and scratches easily.

The seats are comfortable, and drive is absolutely great whether its on the highway or in the city.

If we had a trade in option here, I would definitely go for the 2009 Mazda 6.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th November, 2008

17th Oct 2009, 02:41

This is the original poster of this review.

Things which have gone wrong recently, firstly the lid of the storage box on the dash has broken by itself. Checked on various Mazda forum sites and surprisingly found lots of Mazda owners have had the same problem. This is not a big issue at all and I don't plan to fix it because the cost is absolutely horrendous.

Secondly, I started hearing a rattling noise from the under carriage and it was diagnosed to be a problem with the catalytic converter. The converter itself costs hell of a lot, and with labor, I am looking at a major hole in my pocket. I don't know how the catalytic converter failed.

The pain and the effort which I have invested in maintaining the damn vehicle is a lot. If compared with other Asian made vehicles, Mazda is high maintenance. As years have gone by, I regret having purchased a Mazda 6.

With the latest editions of Mazda, which look and sound impressive, I don't think I will buy one ever again. Spoke to a few owners of '09 Mazdas, and still lot of bugs have not been rectified by Mazda after all these years. Seems, when people send them complaints or issues about there vehicles, it is simply ignored. I keep praying everyday, that no other problem pops up.

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2003 Mazda 6 i from North America

Summary:

Great car for 5 years, then..

Faults:

This is and was a good car, however after 5 years and 70,000 miles, the problems started, and not cheap problems; alternator, transmission replacement. I had enough! I take good care of my cars, and this was really disappointing.

General Comments:

This car handles very well. Get the 6 cylinder if you're going to do any serious driving. I really liked this car; just wish it could have been more dependable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st May, 2008