Car Shopping/A Rare Mazda. 

"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo) 07/31/2018 at 22:46 • Filed to: None

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I might be going to look at a car with my wife’s cousin. It’s his first car, he’s been driving the family 2008ish Impala, but hasn’t had a car off his own. Thankfully he wants a manual, and he found something pretty cool.

A 2004 Mazda6, and miraculously has what looks like no rust. But not only does it have a manual trans, leather seats, and some odd OEM chrome trim, but it’s also a liftback! All these weird options, and the lack of rust on a MN car lead me to believe two things. 1 this car had to be custom ordered. 2 it probably belonged to a snowbird and was garaged for the winters.

Yup what looks like a sedan is actually a hatchback. The Ford Monedo still has this body style but sadly the newer 6, and US Fusion never got it.I I’ve always thought it was a good idea to take what looks like a sedan, and just that ease of access that a liftback give you. I think more mainstream family  sedans should adopt this configuration. Things to seem to be going that way. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/31/2018 at 23:23

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Assuming it’s a 2.3l it should be a pretty good car and a good drivers car. The Mazda 3 just took off and they  neglected the 6 until recently.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/31/2018 at 23:24

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I had a 2006 Mazda6 GT. I miss it sometimes. 5MT and fully loaded.  It was way nicer than I deserved at 21.  I got it as a gift

Textured Soy Protein > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/31/2018 at 23:27

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Back when these came out they actually were  available in halfway decent quantities, although maybe at best they sold 1/4 as many as the sedan and they came out halfway through the generation. I even test drove a brand new manual one once at a dealer in Madison. 

dogisbadob > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/31/2018 at 23:34

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I’m considering one of these, too. I love the Mazda6 hatchback. They are cool as long as you get the 4-cylinder and not the V6.

They also made a wagon, in addition to the hatchback, but the wagon was V6-only because they were jealous that a 4-cylinder 6 wagon would steal sales from the Tribute. The V6 wagon was available with the manual, though.

The one you’re considering looks like it has the optitron gauges, which are cool. (They are not standard)

One more thing: get a case of Krown! (or, if you’re lucky enough to live near a shop that does the application, do that)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dogisbadob 07/31/2018 at 23:45

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What are Optitron gauges?

dogisbadob > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/31/2018 at 23:56

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wafflesnfalafel > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/01/2018 at 00:12

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nice - those are super cool, (had a high school buddy with one of the 626 lift backs - we put so much cr@p in that thing..) Never had any issues with my 2.3 MZR, rock solid.

Long-Voyager > dogisbadob 08/01/2018 at 07:21

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Why the 4 instead of the V6?

I drove a few years back and the 4 felt sluggish and underpowered, the V6 however felt punchy throughout the rpms.

MarquetteLa > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/01/2018 at 08:46

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The lid for the bin on the dash likes to break its hinges with normal use, just be aware.  M y Mazdaspeed 6 did just that a few weeks ago.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > MarquetteLa 08/01/2018 at 09:11

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I don’t even know it had one of those. I’ve always like that storage solution. A friends 04 Sentra had one too and I thought it was so cool. 

dogisbadob > Long-Voyager 08/01/2018 at 10:34

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The V6 has some issues, is harder to work on, not as good on gas, and it has a timing belt rather than a chain.

And if it’s his first car, the 4 is better also.

Long-Voyager > dogisbadob 08/01/2018 at 11:58

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I would argue to get him something fun to drive as a first car so he falls in love with driving, but I grew up learning to drive on things with well over 500hp, so my vision might be skewed...