by "Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
Published 06/07/2017 at 05:53
by "Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
Published 06/07/2017 at 05:53
No Tags
STARS: 0
So a few days back I posted about a Mazda 6 MPS or as it’s known in the US, a Mazdaspeed 6. I just went to have a look and quick drive...
Good news and bad news...
The good...
It looks pretty clean. There is some very minor rust on the rear bumper behind the right side rear wheel well. Nothing inside the wheel wells, or on any door or body panels. It drives well as far as I could tell and the power feels great.
The bad...
Mileage has been messed with. Instead of 80k kilometers they think the actual is more like 180k. So from 50k miles to 110k miles. Also, it seems like there are quite a few scratches near where the OBDII port is supposed to be (don’t know the exact location, this was something I read on a mazdaspeed forum) which could mean someone has been tuning the shit out of it. Those two things really put me off since I don’t want a ticking bomb.
So, should I run from this or is it worth the €4500 and possibly some repair down the line?
Here are some pics:
"Out, but with a W - has found the answer" (belg)
06/07/2017 at 05:56, STARS: 15
Mileage and other suspected tampering? Run, fast.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
06/07/2017 at 06:07, STARS: 2
i say go for it.
odo tampering? ah forget about it and drive the crap out of it.
IF if does indeed break, buy another car.
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
06/07/2017 at 06:47, STARS: 1
Rare awesome car (at least in Europe) but too many red flags. CP
"nerd_racing" (nerd189)
06/07/2017 at 06:52, STARS: 0
take it for an independent inspection?
"nafsucof" (galinskiomatic)
06/07/2017 at 06:56, STARS: 3
That damage to kick panel isn’t from an obd tuner...also surface rust on iron calipers is fine
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
06/07/2017 at 07:05, STARS: 4
I’d run. It’s not special or cheap enough to take the gamble. Odometer tampering is a huge red flag. The rust is not, it’s a Mazda of a certain age so it’s to be expected.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/07/2017 at 07:19, STARS: 2
Odometer tampering and the area around the OBDII port looks like it was attacked by a wolverine? Run far, run fast. Those cars are fickle beasts under the best of circumstances.
"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
06/07/2017 at 07:24, STARS: 0
BIG NO NO
"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
06/07/2017 at 08:06, STARS: 1
Since you seem to have enough money to just go “buy another car” so easily, would you like to donate to the “MasterMario needs a new truck foundation”?
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
06/07/2017 at 08:08, STARS: 4
mate i’d love to
8)
i’m just waiting for the money to come from my Nigerian friend, he’s a Prince.
"greasemonkey235097" (greasemonkey235097)
06/07/2017 at 08:31, STARS: 0
2.3 with a turbo, RUN!
http://www.apa.ca/mazdaengines.asp
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
06/07/2017 at 09:01, STARS: 1
Odometer tampering and the area around the OBDII port looks like it was attacked by a wolverine?
That damage in the photo is certainly bizarre. Did a short person wearing ice skates try to swing their legs out of the driver’s seat and gouge up the panel?
However, that is NOT the area around the OBDII port. The port is farther to the right, past the steering column, just under the bottom of the knee trim panel.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
06/07/2017 at 09:02, STARS: 2
That damage to kick panel isn’t from an obd tuner...
Correct. It also isn’t near the OBDII port. That is located on the other side of the steering column (unless the MPS was setup different than the MS6 for some unknown reason).
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
06/07/2017 at 09:05, STARS: 1
If you didn’t already pick up on it, that is not the factory exhaust. I wouldn’t call that a red flag, since these cars respond nicely to opening up the restrictive factory exhaust.
They went with *wider* tires for winter? That’s pretty silly (narrower tires bite through snow better). Plus, the factory 7" wheels are too narrow for a 235 mm tire— 225 mm is the widest one should go, and that is pushing it.
Those original wheels would be better served with factory size 215/45R18 tires. If you want to use 235 mm tires, go up to an 8" or 8.5" wide rim.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:13, STARS: 0
Yeah, that’s my common sense reaction as well. Just double checking with oppo since this would be my first car purchase, ever.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:14, STARS: 0
Common sense says no, gambler in me says yes. I am financially lucky enough to drop some extra on a beater to replace it but on the other hand it makes no sense to waste money like that (hi, common sense again).
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:17, STARS: 0
Yeah, the strange thing is that usually they only mess with odometers of imported cars here in Estonia. Lots of imports from places like Germany and the Netherlands where they try to turn back the hands of time. This car was bought originally in Estonia and generally they don’t mess with that. Since I have the VIN number and the government website here shows odo-readings for each yearly check (de locale versie van de APK).
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:18, STARS: 0
Thanks for the info on the OBDII port. I wasn’t sure since I mostly glanced over that info on a forum somewhere. That is kind of reassuring though... Yeah, bizarre damage but then maybe no weird tuning going on.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:23, STARS: 1
That’s my idea as well. Checked a local Mazda dealer to see if they had time today but not until coming Friday. I don’t have time myself until next Monday. So I could still do that.
"ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback" (armadaexpress)
06/07/2017 at 09:25, STARS: 0
Are those studded snow tires with the studs completely worn down? I’d run. If someone can’t be bothered to take the studded snow tires off, they likely can’t be bothered to maintain a vehicle well.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
06/07/2017 at 09:26, STARS: 0
Yeah, bizarre damage but then maybe no weird tuning going on.
Tuning isn’t going to leave any visible evidence anyway. Even if there are minor marks on the connector itself, that doesn’t mean anything. Individuals and shops plug in OBDII scanners all the time for diagnostic purposes. Some locales require scanning the OBDII interface for emissions codes as part of an annual inspection too.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:32, STARS: 0
Thanks for all the info! Yeah, they mentioned the backpipe/cat-back was replaced, I think it’s a Simons that’s on there now (think it would be this: http://www.simons.se/products/sportsystem/mazda/6/6-mps/182 ). Dumb me forgot to ask if the original was still around. This one definitely did not sound bad though :) .
No idea what they were thinking about the winter tires. I’d probably need to get some summer tires on there again anyway. Put those on the original wheel and either get new winter tires at the end of the year or put these on some non-fancy wheels for winter use.
As you mentioned that the OBDII port is not in the location of that bizarre damage, I feel a bit more tempted again to continue and maybe get it checked by an independent shop.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/07/2017 at 09:45, STARS: 1
Look at s60Rs too. Just as unreliable, just as much turbo awd fun, and way better fit and finish. Probably easier to find in europe too?
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 09:48, STARS: 0
I understand, it was just one of the things listed on Mazdaspeedforum to look for and since this was ridiculous damage I figured maybe someone had something dangling from the port for realtime feedback or something like that. My technical knowledge does not go extremely far past the theoretical with cars, so I’m not that well versed on how the tuning would go. I’m more at home in planes :).
Didn’t see any other damage in places where a Need for Speed fan might want to have put a bazillion boost gauges or something and the engine bay looked fairly unmolested as well to my untrained eye.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/07/2017 at 11:07, STARS: 1
Gotcha. It looks like something was clipped into/hanging out of that panel, and the damage was done by whatever that thing was swinging back and forth. Perhaps a tuner left in place for long periods of time was “mounted” there?
Odometer tampering is enough for me to stay away from any car. This extra stuff on this finicky of a car? Heeeeeeell no!
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 0
Not that much of a fan of those Volvo’s, the aesthetics don’t do it for me. Also surprisingly not that easy to find for a similar price.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/07/2017 at 13:09, STARS: 0
Over here theyre about the same price and very very similar. Cross shopped them myself but decided against it for reliability reasons. I however find them just as attractive as the MS6 though so its different for me.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 13:10, STARS: 1
I’d hope it would have had the fixes if it has done 110K+ miles and lived for about 11 years already. But I’ll keep it in mind none the less.
"Jetstreamer" (jetstreamer)
06/07/2017 at 13:53, STARS: 1
So what did you end up with, a MS6 or something else entirely?
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/07/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 0
I ended up with an AWD volvo s70 turbo which i then traded for a 3rd gen 4runner, and then another 3rd gen 4runner, and now i drive a 2003 pathfinder. So...Ive had all sorts of stuff. Sadly I think my window of being able to own a mazdaspeed 3 or 6 is ending as now that I can afford them they are getting slightly old and unreliable.