1997 Mazda MX6 LS 2.5 V6

Summary:

A bargain for its looks and performace, but prepare for a lot of repairs

Faults:

Rear Caliper froze. Repaired.

Front brakes making grinding noise. Pads and calipers appear fine.

Changed all coil springs from aftermarket brand to Original Equipment. Restored to factory specs and the car handles much better-not as harsh. Can take dips and road bumps at reasonable speed.

Replaced leaky radiator at 61,000 miles (6-years old).

Recent Problems that need to be addressed:

Broken front CV axle and rough idle.

General Comments:

Loved the looks of the car, especially for it's reasonable used-car price.

Back seat area is small, but for a two-door car it is relatively easy to get two child car seat and kids in. Don't expect it to be comfortable for adults.

Too many creaks and squeaks in the interior. I have to leave the glove box door open above 40 miles an hour.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th December, 2003

1997 Mazda MX6 LS V6

Summary:

Solid drive-train and performance, but lacks in comfort and attention to detail

Faults:

Leather lining along passenger and driver door interior started to peel back at edges after a few months of driving. The dealer informed me that the leather was cut too short during assembly and they replaced the lining for free.

About a year after purchase, car interior was filled with little creaks and squeaks. Had to nearly flood (no joke) all exposed surfaces with Armor All to quiet.

After two years, noticed that front passenger seat sometimes fails to lock when reclining.

Air conditioning intermittently failed after two years. Every time I brought it into the dealer to be checked however, it worked fine. *naturally* When it does occur, it's almost as if the compressor fails to engage and all you get coming out of the vents is room temperature air.

A couple of lights on the panel console burned out three years after purchase.

Vehicle windshield assembly is not nearly resistant enough to daily road wear. Front windshield is essentially a magnet for cracks and stars. Rear window gasket lining started to fray after three years.

Power antenna failed 5 years after purchase, but this was to be expected.

Vibration has steadily increased through the years. Any loose vehicle component (such as the glove compartment) has a tendency to rattle during highway driving.

General Comments:

I bought this vehicle for its body design primarily and for the most part haven't had any major problems to write about. I acknowledge that most of the items notated above were failures that occur through time and wear. I have found the drive-train of the MX6 to be more than adequate and have had no issues with the core engine or its components.

The rear seats are terribly unpleasant both in comfort and head clearance. I am a short individual (5'7") and my head brushes the cabin ceiling whenever I ride in the back.

The air-conditioning in this model while functional, doesn't cool well enough. On hot days here in Texas, the best you can do to cope is to open/crack the sunroof and put the blower to maximum.

Road noise is very high.

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

Review Date: 19th March, 2003

1997 Mazda MX6 LS 2.5 V6

Faults:

Head gasket at 75,000 KM.

Fuel pump at 80,000.

Front bearing 98,000.

General Comments:

Very nice looking car, I still think that this car is sexier than most of the new American cars out there!

I had a BMW before this and the MX6 handles better than my older 1994 BMW. It is powerful enough to get around but could use a little more to compete with the Mustang GT.

I am a car freak and I think the MX6 is a very nice car, and I am very SAD that they are not making it anymore!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 9th February, 2001