Faults:

Rust, rust and rust.

Injectors.

Rough idle.

Dual mass flywheel suspected on its way out.

Diesel particulate filter (DPF) light always on.

Brakes corroded.

Suspension.

Major rust cosmetically.

Subframe corroded.

Did I mention general rust? I think you get the idea...

General Comments:

Well, at first sight I got a good deal on this Mazda 6 when it was only 4 years old. Low mileage, looked sharp in metallic silver and had nice alloy wheels. TS spec is mid level and had lots of electric equipment and cruise control.

The 2.0 turbo diesel pulls strong with over 140 BHP. Also did a solid 45-50 MPG if you took it easy. To drive the handling was sharp and the ride was smooth.

So what's wrong with it? I looked after it, serviced it on time and drove carefully. Washed correctly as well. And having owned many cars going back to the 1970's, for a modern car this was terrible. Think rust and other major problems are a thing of the past? Think again. Also look at all the other above problems I had - I heard modern diesels were bad, but not as bad as this. Had a petrol Ford Mondeo previous to this car, from the 1990s, and even a Mazda 626 way back in the day. They were better cars in every way.

I'm quite a fan of Mazda, but not anymore. A friend of mine (who loves Mazda) has an RX7 sports car from the 90's and has rebuilt its Wankel rotary engine says even he was put off by my experience of buying a more practical Mazda for everyday use, as he was considering a "good" condition Mazda 6 at the time. In his own words "I don't mind dealing with engines, but not major rust!" At 10 years old and just over 100K I scrapped it. Advisory after advisory; at the least few MOT's about major rust made me decide it was not worth keeping. But I have had 80s and 90s cars last 15 years or more. I have never seen a car age so badly since the 1960's or 70's. The Mazda 6 from 2002 - 2008 is one to avoid. I've heard the newer models are holding up a bit better, but just the other day I saw a 2014 Mazda 3 with cosmetic rust! Shocking at only 5 years old.

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).