A question about Mazda

sblythe

Mazda have really got the new 6 just right. Not only are they attractive large family cars, they're well spec'd, fun to drive, great value and the motoring press can't praise them enough. Even with other models they are on a role now.
In the past I found them to be quite an anonymous marque, a few steps behind Toyota, but I think the tables have very much turned.

Anyway, basically I want to know, why did people buy Mazdas in the past? Why buy a 323 when you could have a Corolla, why buy a 626 when you could have an Avensis? I presume they were cheaper?

colm_mcm

323s were usually better specced and cheaper. Mazda never got promoted enough in Ireland though.

JFKIRELAND

256hp stock.:rolleyes:

sblythe

colm_mcm wrote: »

323s were usually better specced and cheaper. Mazda never got promoted enough in Ireland though.

So thats it then. Its been on my mind because really they are better than Toyota, aren't they?

colm_mcm

sblythe wrote: »

Its been on my mind because really they are better than Toyota, aren't they?

Yeah but no but yeah

clogher71

Mazda's are better than Toyota's, people perceive toyota's to be better car, a mazda 6 is less common than an A4 so which is the more exclusive?, price comes into it too, Mazda as a whole don't really care about Ireland, would not be surprised if they pulled out of the Irish market altogether....

Topper Harley

I had an 04 Mazda 6 for a few years. Couldn't fault it. I always preferred the look of it over the likes of the Avensis, Mondeo, Passat & Vectra and it's better value too.

I don't know why exactly but I always considered it to be slightly sportier (in a very subtle way) than all those mentioned above.

The latest model puts it miles ahead of its competitors in my head. If I was interested in a four door saloon it would be top of my list and I include the A4 and 3 series in that, regardless of price.

MetzgerMeister

JFKIRELAND wrote: »

256hp stock.:rolleyes:

Yours is actually at 300bhp since you bought it


Why buy Mazda? For me personally, 2 reasons - RX8, 6MPS.

coolisin

Had a corolla, it was a machine to get from a to b end of, not comfortable, not in anyway inspiring to drive, numb steering.
Only had one thing I liked which was i like the vvti engine.

Moved to a Mazda 3, wanted an rx8 or an Mps couldn't really afford them, insurance at the time was a killer for me at the time as my girlfriend was still on a Provisional License.

Straight from the Box it was a better driving experience, the comfort was miles better, better adjustment in the seats etc.

Only let down was the interior is very plastic, but lets not think the toyota interior was anything close to luxury either.

Old diesel

sblythe wrote: »

Mazda have really got the new 6 just right. Not only are they attractive large family cars, they're well spec'd, fun to drive, great value and the motoring press can't praise them enough. Even with other models they are on a role now.
In the past I found them to be quite an anonymous marque, a few steps behind Toyota, but I think the tables have very much turned.

Anyway, basically I want to know, why did people buy Mazdas in the past? Why buy a 323 when you could have a Corolla, why buy a 626 when you could have an Avensis? I presume they were cheaper?

They actually made some nice cars in the 323 and 626 era to be fair (when compared with other cars of the era) imo.

The 89 to 94 Mazda 323 looked well for the era - the saloon had a bit of mini Merc W124 look to it and the 323 F coupe was something unusual to offer - a nice sporty FIVE door hatch with pop up lights (COOL at the time).

And the 87 to 92 and the 92 to 97 626s in hatchback form were nice looking cars. The 92 to 97 model was VERY comfy compared to other cars of the era and felt like you were in something from next class up when it came out in 92.

IMO

The 85/86/87 era 323 and 626 were pretty agreeable in my view too.

Its not hard (imo) to understand why someone would opt for a 1990 323 over a 1990 Corolla - or a 93 626 over a Carina E if buying brand new.

sblythe

Old diesel wrote: »

Its not hard (imo) to understand why someone would opt for a 1990 323 over a 1990 Corolla - or a 93 626 over a Carina E if buying brand new.

Exactly, but I was wondering why more people didn't.

Colm killed my curiosity stone dead though.

Old diesel

sblythe wrote: »

Exactly, but I was wondering why more people didn't.

Colm killed my curiosity stone dead though.

Apologies - I misunderstand the question I thought you meant why would someone actually decide I will have a Mazda over a Toyota.

JohnBoy26

sblythe wrote: »

Mazda have really got the new 6 just right. Not only are they attractive large family cars, they're well spec'd, fun to drive, great value and the motoring press can't praise them enough. Even with other models they are on a role now.
In the past I found them to be quite an anonymous marque, a few steps behind Toyota, but I think the tables have very much turned.

Anyway, basically I want to know, why did people buy Mazdas in the past? Why buy a 323 when you could have a Corolla, why buy a 626 when you could have an Avensis? I presume they were cheaper?

The Toyotas had more advanced engines than the mazdas, parts were cheaper for them, they were better advertised and they lasted longer mainly due to being far better protected from the dreaded tin worm. They were also a better quality product overall.

This was up until the 00's. The advanced engines element probably isn't true anymore but I believe the rest of the things I've listed still stand, or at least they did with the last gen of Mazda's. The current gen is a bit too new to make a judgment yet.

colm_mcm

Good example, I have a 1.6 323 here, 95bhp. 1.4 Corolla gives the same power.

JohnBoy26

clogher71 wrote: »

Mazda's are better than Toyota's, people perceive toyota's to be better car, a mazda 6 is less common than an A4 so which is the more exclusive?, price comes into it too, Mazda as a whole don't really care about Ireland, would not be surprised if they pulled out of the Irish market altogether....

It's more than perception though. Toyota genuinely have been the better car, or at least in my own experience anyway.

It's a bit too early to tell weather the tables have turned with the latest generation of Mazda but they have gone through 3 previous generations of cars and have failed to fix faults which have a bearing on the longetivety of their vehicles. One such fault is inadequate protection from rust on the chassis, sills and arches. Lots of crusty 5-10 year old Mazda's around the place with the same age of Toyota fairing far better against rust.

bazz26

Mazda had some good innovative designs for their bread and butter cars back upto the mid 1990s. Cars like the 323F and 626 had way more daring styling than the likes of a Corolla or Carina. Mazda never had a dealer in every city or billboard marketing here like Toyota though so they were never going to be as popular. Then Ford's influence in Mazda became stronger and they started producing drab designs like the last generation 323 and 626 that no longer had anything unique going for them.

Mazda went from offering these to the ordinary Joe:





And replaced them with these:

BBMcQ

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Why buy Mazda? For me personally, 2 reasons - RX8, 6MPS.

I've got an RX8 and my best mate has a 6 MPS! They cost us a fortune in petrol but get the most smiles per gallon!

I've always found Mazda to be more dynamic than other mid tier brands. Their single digit cars since 2004 have all been based on the upcoming Ford model of the same segment: 2/Fiesta, 3/Focus, 6/Mondeo etc. The X cars until recently have been Mazda in-house specials: MX5, RX7, RX8, CX7 (to a lesser extent the new CX5).

I can see myself getting the new 6 when it comes down to around €10k and I've the need for a full saloon and big boot! Would love if they keep making MPS models and would love even if they keep with the rotary!

Celly Smunt

bazz26 wrote: »

TBH when the facelifted 626 came out I had a serious sweet spot for them,I had one with a slightly different rear to the one in that picture (more rounded lights and such) it might have been the sports model or something.

Mazda are probably the most underrated manufacturer of cars in Ireland or perhaps Europe as a whole,I've never driven a Mazda that I didn't love the feel of or the comfort.In saying that I was never tempted to buy brand new,the new 6 has been on my "to look at" list and might end up being the next car in the driveway. I couldn't bring myself to buy German when you consider the value for money and all round performance of mazdas,they just feel lovely and responsive.

MetzgerMeister

I bought my 2004 RX8 in 2007 and had it for 2.5 years. I missed it the minute I saw it being driven away by its new owner but about an hour later I was sitting in the seat of my 2007 6MPS which is now owned by a member here and I hope he's still enjoying it

I think that if they bring out an MPS model again, it'll be a diesel and will be along the lines of the BMW 330d (260bhp) as the MZR DISI engine's emissions are fairly high. As for the rotary engine, I'm of the opinion that it'll be years before they're able to get the emissions down to a tolerable level.

Back a few years there was always a couple of 3 and 6 MPS cars for sale online but as time went on they've become rarer and the last few times I searched, there was not 1 for sale apart from the unregistered 3MPS going for 32k which doesn't even have a MFSW! That's been for sale for years and years as far as I remember.

Here's my two:





And I almost bought this 2008 R3 before my current car:

Celly Smunt

That R3 is stunning.

pablo128

Isn't the Mazda 6 a Mondeo under the skin? And a Mazda 3 a Focus?

bazz26

pablo128 wrote: »

Isn't the Mazda 6 a Mondeo under the skin? And a Mazda 3 a Focus?

The 3 and Focus share DNA, the 6 and Mondeo don't.

MetzgerMeister

Celly Smunt wrote: »

That R3 is stunning.

It's amazing looking! The R3 is the car that the original should always have been. The interior was very well updated too.

That's now living somewhere in Cork.

BMJD

an RX7 is on my bucket list, it is still an incredibly beautiful design. all I need is a garage to store it in!

JohnBoy26

bazz26 wrote: »

Mazda had some good innovative designs for their bread and butter cars back upto the mid 1990s. Cars like the 323F and 626 had way more daring styling than the likes of a Corolla or Carina. Mazda never had a dealer in every city or billboard marketing here like Toyota though so they were never going to be as popular. Then Ford's influence in Mazda became stronger and they started producing drab designs like the last generation 323 and 626 that no longer had anything unique going for them.

Mazda went from offering these to the ordinary Joe:





And replaced them with these:

In fairness the 323 bj saloon was a much nicer car than the mid 90's version that came before it. Ford had very little influence in any of these models. Ford's influence is seen far more in the subsequent 3.

This version of the 323 was much more drab, especially the interior, compared to it's successor.

JohnBoy26

pablo128 wrote: »

Isn't the Mazda 6 a Mondeo under the skin? And a Mazda 3 a Focus?

No the 6 is a different car underneath. Mazda 3 is indeed the same as a focus underneath.

EazyD

BMJD wrote: »

an RX7 is on my bucket list, it is still an incredibly beautiful design. all I need is a garage to store it in!

Apex seals on the rotary is a major killer afaik. Still I think it's quite possibly one of the most timeless designs ever. Will have one myself someday along with my current MX5.

bazz26

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

In fairness the 323 bj saloon was a much nicer car than the mid 90's version that came before it. Ford had very little influence in any of these models. Ford's influence is seen far more in the subsequent 3.

This version of the 323 was much more drab, especially the interior, compared to it's successor.

The saloon was offered to those who traditionally wanted a 3 box saloon, even in small saloon friendly Ireland it was outsold by the sportier 323f. And Ford's influence was there, the 121 (better known as the noddy mobile) was superseded by a rebadged Ford Fiesta that was actually around longer than the old 121.

JohnBoy26

bazz26 wrote: »

The saloon was offered to those who traditionally wanted a 3 box saloon, even in small saloon friendly Ireland it was outsold by the sportier 323f. And Ford's influence was there, the 121 (better known as the noddy mobile) was superseded by a rebadged Ford Fiesta that was actually around longer than the old 121.

Were you not talking about later versions of 323 and 626 in your previous post regarding ford having a bigger influence? The later 121 is quiet obviously a ford but the last gen of 323 and 626 are Mazda designs.

thierry14

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

It's amazing looking! The R3 is the car that the original should always have been. The interior was very well updated too.

That's now living somewhere in Cork.

RX-8 with a tuned version of the MZR engine from the MPS lineup would have been an all time great.

3 MPS is such an under rated car.

http://www.zeperfs.com/en/duel1388-1077.htm

MetzgerMeister

The MZR is much heavier than the rotary. It would have made the car very nose-heavy.