The Overlooked Underdog: Mazda MX-6

"vert304" (vert304) 06/15/2014 at 10:01 • Filed to: None

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The day started bright and early. My soon to be step dad handed me the keys to his now 21 year old Mazda MX-6. I changed the now expired plates, set up the new registration sticker, and was ready to set off. I got in the car put it in neutral, pushed in the clutch, and turned the key.... nothing happened. It was going to be a long day.

"Full disclosure, I asked my soon to be stepfather, and he no questioned asked handed me the keys.."

The car had now been sitting still since the last time I had used it myself. The car in which I learned how to drive stick was dead. So I did not give up, we set up a wall battery charger, and let it go for an hour, still nothing.... Hours later, I left it still until the battery was fully, charged and clossed my eyes. I pushed in the clutch and turned the key, as it started trying to start I gave it some gas, and it started right up. I smilled like an idiot. Its angry V6 growl clouded the driveway, and so I set off.

Now the Mx-6 drives very well for a 21 year old car. Its handling, is sublime, and never leaves you wanting more power. It also is such a hoot, that you quickly forget that it is not rear wheel drive. The magic of the car comes with how mechanical it is. Every shift that is not perfectly rev matched, wll quickly kick you in the back. It is one hell of a drivers car. You are 100% on your own. No abs(Alot less scary than it sounds), No TCS, No SMS, No auto rev match, just an engine, a stick, and smilling idiot driving it. Everything the car does, is directly related to you, yet it is one of the easiest cars to drive I have ever driven.

Now down to the stats. The car comes in quick at around low 7's 0-60, and again at no point driving it do you wish it had more power(It's a rare thing for me). The nimbleness, and quickness all comes down to the driver. Launching the 167hp car is not hard either though it takes some finnesse, and quick feet to get perfect. Simply hold revs at 3 grand, sidestep the clutch, and get ready to shift to 2nd quickly. It changes direction quickly, and has pedals set up for heel-toeing(if you have small feet). It has lift off oversteer whenever you want it, and is all very controlable. It's 2.5L V6 screams while going to the 7grand redline, and you smile the whole way there. It gets decent gas, and has in my opinion one bulletproof engine. It has a small displacement V6 which rev's to 7 thousand, what more do you want?

One of the greatest part about the car is it's practicality. It has a big boot, useable back seats despite being a coupe. It has an amazing heater(heat from the engine), and airconditioning too(if it was not broken). Overall one very practical, and fun car. I wouldbuy it off him if I was not moving 1500 mile's away in the coming months. So, for now I will just enjoy(and maybe push) the underdog legend that is the MX-6.

A tribute to one hell of a car.

"Oppo review for the car will be released later in the day"

"Pictures were taken by potato iphone camera"

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > vert304 06/15/2014 at 10:10

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Wasnt this the car that ford built the probe off of?

vert304 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 06/15/2014 at 10:12

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yes it was. Though I will say you can't tell.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > vert304 06/15/2014 at 10:13

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I can, but only barely

vert304 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 06/15/2014 at 10:21

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Don't knock it till you try it

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > vert304 06/15/2014 at 10:25

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I was not calling the probe a bad car, in fact, compared to other similar cars of the era, it was ahead of its time, and the styling of both the probe and the mx6 while not good arent horrible either, in fact its borderline really good

vert304 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 06/15/2014 at 10:30

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That they are.

sdwarf36 > vert304 06/15/2014 at 11:18

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You sure it doesn't have anti-lock? Ours did.

The wife had one for 8 years. Decent enough car-except it ate a distributor a year. ($275 a pop.) A non-replaceable module in there was the cause. When it goes, the car won't rev—or start. Watch the tach when cranking-if it doesn't move, thats the issue.

vert304 > sdwarf36 06/15/2014 at 11:20

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good to know, and yes I belive the next year model got ABS. I locked up the brakes, thats how I know.

potentialthreat > vert304 06/15/2014 at 11:32

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somebody near my hs had a metallic blue probe, such a nice color

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > vert304 06/15/2014 at 11:33

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Thank you for giving me more reasons to get one. I almost got one this fall, only to be blocked by, you guessed it, my mother.

My father had a 1994 MX-6 in white, with a spoiler back in the day. He sold it in 2003, and got a new Jetta, which still runs like new to this day.

Christopher Keach > vert304 06/15/2014 at 11:37

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I had a 1993 V6 with a 4-speed automatic and really liked it, mostly for the styling (same color as yours, but with the rear wing) and very nice interior with power leather seats and everything. I bought it used from a less-than-honest seller and it kept needing more repairs so I traded it in for a 2001 Jetta 1.8T that I liked a lot better. The Mazda felt big and heavy, the Jetta felt small and nimble. And now I have a Mini and think every car is too big and heavy, but that MX-6 probably will end up being the best looking car I ever own.

vert304 > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 06/15/2014 at 11:40

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lol I know the feeling. I wish you luck with your purchase. Glad to know it helped.

vert304 > Christopher Keach 06/15/2014 at 11:41

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Yea besides the now ruined painted. It really is quite a stylish car. Sorry to hear about one with many repairs. All depends on the first owner.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > vert304 06/15/2014 at 12:49

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Always nice to see a fun underdog get appreciated! :)

it's kind of how I feel about the (granted, seriously computerized) jetta! still has that mechanical feel to the gearbox and engine which is just what you need!

And I never knew this old mazda could be so fun! Gives me the idea to buy one as a beater when I have the money

vert304 > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 06/15/2014 at 13:04

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LoL that's what my soon to be step dad uses it for. He drives it in the winter as a beater. I get to use it in the summer.

jkm7680 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 06/15/2014 at 18:13

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(Insert Anal probe joke here)

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > vert304 06/15/2014 at 19:18

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Anyway, I was always told this car wasn't practical, but I think it is. Sure it's 2 doors, but the rear seats were comfy on my dad's 94, I was only 8 or 10 years old, but I had plenty of room. It was the car that made me want to drive. It was the only car I felt sad for when my father sold it.

vert304 > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 06/15/2014 at 22:58

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Truthfully depends on your situation. If you constantly have people in the back, maybe not practical. Many complain about it being a coupe, but many don't use the back seats at all, and when needed one can fit fairly well. Plus trunk is quite a nice size.

CanadianCarGuy > vert304 01/21/2015 at 22:30

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I own an MX6, mine is the same color as this one, mine is just the Inline four cylinder auto but it is still very fun to drive, great handling car. It really is a shame Mazda didn't make these RWD, would have took this car to a whole new level. The V6 that is in this one is pretty good engine but this car really makes a statement when you swap in the j-spec engine code KLZE, takes it up to around 200 hp and with other mods could be higher. I remember seeing a Mazda MX6 in my small hometown when I was a kid. A local delivery driver had a green V6 manual and he would drive by and I would be entranced by the look and sound of that car. I always remembered that as the years went by and I would see another one. A few years ago the stars aligned and I had found one for sale online. It wasn't manual, it wasn't the V6 but it was the right color and it was the right price so I bought it and haven't looked back. I drive my MX6 everyday and it is so fun, I rarely see another one but when I do I get excited. These cars don't see the attention they so deserve but maybe that's why its so special

vert304 > CanadianCarGuy 01/22/2015 at 03:35

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I agree. They really are one special car. The few times a year I get to drive it. It is an occasion.