2004 vs. 2005?

[russr]

I'm looking into getting a new Mazda6 and was wondering if there was an advantage to getting a 2005 over 2004 (both new). There is a 60month 0% interest financing on the '04, and a 36 month 0% on the '05. Otherwise they are the same financially.

What are the advantages to each overall? It seems like the major functional difference between the two is that the '05 comes with more standard, but in the end MSRP is almost the same.

[crossbow]

If your going MTX it doesn't matter (unless its a 6i). If your going ATX, you want to make sure to get the 2005 Mazda 6s...which has the new 6spd ATX transmission. It doesn't have the overheating issues of the 5spd Jatco, nor any of the shift shock issues, and shifts much faster, crisper, and gets better mileage then the old ATX.

An 05 6i MTX might be worth getting as they fiddled with the gearing ratios slightly.

[russr]

I'm going with the 6i MTX as I mostly do city driving and I want the better mileage.

So does it matter that much if I go with 05 or 04 in this case? How much better are the gear ratios on the 05 6i or are they even better?

[crossbow]

I'm going with the 6i MTX as I mostly do city driving and I want the better mileage.

So does it matter that much if I go with 05 or 04 in this case? How much better are the gear ratios on the 05 6i or are they even better?Transmission Info
http://forum.mazda6tech.com/about8.html

Here's the gearing for easy reference.

6i MTX Gear Ratios
03-04 vs 05

1st 3.307
2nd 1.842
3rd 1.233
4th 0.914/0.970
5th 0.717/0.755
Final 4.105/4.388

Good choice on the 6i MTX btw, its only 3045 lbs! W00t. Have you looked at the Mazda 3s MTX by any chance? Same engine as the 6i MTX, only lighter and smaller. 2762 lbs to be exact.

[russr]

Thanks for the info crossbow, but I'm not even sure what those ratio changes translate to. At this point, if I get an '05 I have to special order it and that's going to take anywhere from 1 month - 4 months. In the end I don't even know if I'd notice those gear ratio changes. I save a bit more on the '04 as it has 0% financing for 5 years and a pretty aggressive lease program which drops the price of the car by like 1-2k. Lease programs on '05s are good too, but waiting all those months for it sucks.

Given the above, do you really think I should go for '05?

[crossbow]

Technically I think the 04's 6i MTX is lighter :). (Due to packaging differences).

I guess it really comes down to the packages you want and what not. Its hard to get certain packages on the 04 6i, where the 05 6i comes with some standard.

[russr]

I got a fully loaded '04 6i hatch lapis blue with beige leather. It has it all ranging from luxury package to that crap bose audio thing (won't make good use of it) that I had to get for the side airbags and moon roof. The only thing is that it has beige leather instead of black. I prefer black but gotta special order that in an '05 and not sure I wanna wait a couple of months for that.

What do the gear ratios changes on the '05 actually mean?

BTW, to answer your earlier question, i did look at the Mazda3, but I don't like the look of it as much as the Mazda6. In addition, it's kinda small in the back seat. Main thing is the look is not so appealing to me like the way the 6 is. Like the better handling, throttle response and mileage on it though.


Technically I think the 04's 6i MTX is lighter :). (Due to packaging differences).

I guess it really comes down to the packages you want and what not. Its hard to get certain packages on the 04 6i, where the 05 6i comes with some standard.

[crossbow]

http://science.howstuffworks.com/gear-ratio.htm

Simplest Explanation
Higher # = more aggressive gear (better pickup).
Lower # = better mileage

[russr]

Any tips on breaking in this new 6i with mtx?

[Mazda3]

Any tips on breaking in this new 6i with mtx?
Drive the living piss out of it for the first two weeks and it should be fine after that.

[timba24]

Drive the living piss out of it for the first two weeks and it should be fine after that.

he asked about breaking it in ya wait till about 3000 to really get on it drive conservative and just to be safe since it is a new engine do your first oil change at 1500miles or so

[Mikey444]

Do your first oil change at 1000 miles, and like Mazda 3 said drive the living sylights out of your car for the first 2 weeks.

[crossbow]

Manual states to go "easy" on the car for the first 600 miles.

There are variety of articles online which state that "excessive use of the throttle = good breakin" but don't take into account there are a variety of other components that require a bit of "easing in" to breakin.

So what do you do? Meet somewhere in the middle. Don't go "easy" on your car, but don't bash the hell outta it.

Make sure you vary the throttle rpm's for the first 1000 miles (no cruise control!!!), and make sure you go through the ENTIRE RPM BAND. This includes nippin into the redline area. Don't bounce off it as course, but also don't be afraid to use your car. Avoid sudden stops, and avoid harsh starts (no clutch droppin).

As as everyone said, early oil change = great idea!!!! Breakin miles produce more then 30x normal wear metals in your engine oil!

I followed the "vary your rpm" system and ended up with the highest 6s ATX dyno (stock) to date of 165 whp. That doesn't sound like much, but some 6s ATX's with intakes and exhaust have dyno'd 5 less hp then mine did stock =/.

[skoshi42]

juss wait for the mazdaspeed 6 it will be worth it...

[russr]

Crossbow, thanks for the advice, but I'm a very new mtx driver. In fact, I had my first lesson just the other day, so I'm not really sure how to do what you suggested. Is it basically just late shifting? I didn't think redlining was good for the engine.

Also what do you mean by "don't bounce off it as course"? I'm also not sure what going through entire rpm band means.

As far as starting goes, should I gently ease off the clutch until the car barely starts moving forward?


Manual states to go "easy" on the car for the first 600 miles.

There are variety of articles online which state that "excessive use of the throttle = good breakin" but don't take into account there are a variety of other components that require a bit of "easing in" to breakin.

So what do you do? Meet somewhere in the middle. Don't go "easy" on your car, but don't bash the hell outta it.

Make sure you vary the throttle rpm's for the first 1000 miles (no cruise control!!!), and make sure you go through the ENTIRE RPM BAND. This includes nippin into the redline area. Don't bounce off it as course, but also don't be afraid to use your car. Avoid sudden stops, and avoid harsh starts (no clutch droppin).

As as everyone said, early oil change = great idea!!!! Breakin miles produce more then 30x normal wear metals in your engine oil!

I followed the "vary your rpm" system and ended up with the highest 6s ATX dyno (stock) to date of 165 whp. That doesn't sound like much, but some 6s ATX's with intakes and exhaust have dyno'd 5 less hp then mine did stock =/.

[Da 6]

speed 6 might not be gas friendly but fun facter definantly overrules that ;)

[Mazda3]

he asked about breaking it in ya wait till about 3000 to really get on it drive conservative and just to be safe since it is a new engine do your first oil change at 1500miles or so
This debate takes place a couple times a year on every car board on the net. You'll find the the small group of people that know what they're doing break there cars in hard. These cars always end up running the best. Like crossbow said he broke his in hard and came up with the most stock HP. I have dozens of examples like this to back up this theory. Its not just HP either, I find they get better gas mileage too, if broke in hard.

The main thing I guess is to do what you're comfortable with.

[russr]

I'm all for breaking it in hard if that will improve the mileage and overall performance of the car. Check out my response though to crossbow's post. I'm a brand new mtx driver and I need some help in doing what he said to do. (confused)


This debate takes place a couple times a year on every car board on the net. You'll find the the small group of people that know what they're doing break there cars in hard. These cars always end up running the best. Like crossbow said he broke his in hard and came up with the most stock HP. I have dozens of examples like this to back up this theory. Its not just HP either, I find they get better gas mileage too, if broke in hard.

The main thing I guess is to do what you're comfortable with.

[crossbow]

I didn't drive hard...I just varied the rpm's. I basically left the dealer (weekend), got on the highway, and went in the slow lane, and sat there like a jack ass shifting gearings so I could constantly move through the rpm band. Consistent accleration and decceleration.

I'd go from 40 mph, up to 70 in various gears, then let the engine slow itself back down, then repeat 3-4 times, then drive normally for 5-10 minutes, then repeat.

I'd say if this is your first MTX, (as this was mine), you'll break in the car fine just trying to drive it :).

[Da 6]

slow lane in md? is the the far left or the center? but yeah vary speeds and lightly break it in....no autoxing till like 3k on the odo

[Zoom Zoom Zoom]

Just went to a Mazda dealership today (November 10) and asked a sale person if they had any 2005 Mazda 6 at the dealership today. He said, that the 2005 model won't arrive till sometime early next year. Is this true?

[Garfinkle]

That's not what I heard. Production was supposed to start in June I thought, which means delivery in like Aug, sept. Maybe your dealer is overstocked in 04's and hasn't ordered any yet.

[wongpres]

'05 Mazda6 not available in Canadian dealerships yet (very soon though). '05 Mazda6 production only started in late August (and those were for US).

[crossbow]

Thats kinda of odd how canada is supposed to get mazda mps 6's before the states...but doesn't yet have 05's? Somehow that doesn't make much sense.

[russr]

Thats kinda of odd how canada is supposed to get mazda mps 6's before the states...but doesn't yet have 05's? Somehow that doesn't make much sense.
What is a Mazda Mps 6? Is that the same as the Mazdaspeed6?

[wongpres]

Thats kinda of odd how canada is supposed to get mazda mps 6's before the states...but doesn't yet have 05's? Somehow that doesn't make much sense.
Different situations but here's the deal:

Mazdaspeed6, Mazda3, and others assembled in Japan -
Japan's N. American builds happen at the same time (i.e. Job 1 date for US = Job 1 date for Canada). Canadian and US-spec cars are close enough that they do this (i.e. looking at the differences between say N. American-spec and JDM-spec, the differences between Canada-spec and US-spec is nothing).

So, having built them together, they typically get shipped around the same time. However, Canada's shipping & distribution system is faster than the US because all Canadian cars get shipped to Vancouver and then go by train. US is different, there are 4 water ports Mazda uses (two on the east coast). So as you can imagine, a train can get to eastern Canada much faster than a boat can go around the Panama. This is why Canada typically gets cars released a little faster, especially eastern parts of Canada versus eastern parts of US (but we're talking a week or two here, and very dependent on the situation).

Mazda6 -
AAI's Job 1's are always on a different date for US and Canada (though by how much depends on the exact launch, the Mustang was very close, which is good). To prepare for Mustang launch, AAI built up stock of Mazda6 during August. But '05 Mazda6 Job 1 (for US) was only Aug 23 - this means the stock-pile was some 80% '04's. So even in US, the stocks for '05 Mazda6 are relatively lower than normal. Since then, the focus has rightfully been towards the Mustang, and Mustang production now doubles Mazda6 production at the plant (but they've also added a new shift). '05 Canadian-spec Mazda6 has begun, but not yet reached dealerships yet (very soon though).

[Zoom Zoom Zoom]

On the (Canadian) Mazda website, the price for the 2005 Mazda 6 is out, but not the specs. The prices arcoss on every Mazda 6 is cheaper than last model year. But is this year's model year (2005) better than last model year if you exclude the new automatic transmisson for the V6?