[c47v3770]

Hi all,

I found a manual 2016 Touring with 84K miles that I plan on checking out this Saturday. It was an Auction car and it looks good based on the pics. The dealer does give me 2-3 hours to get it inspected so my plan was to take it to the closest Mazda dealer for a PPI.

The carfax does show an accident without any damage. Not sure what that means…

Couple of questions:

• is the 2016 model as noisy as it’s portrayed to be?
• is 84K miles too much for used car with a direct injection engine or no need to worry about that?
• is the car comfortable enough for road trips and a daily 40 mile commute?

I appreciate any feedback you can provide.

thanks!

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Strikes me as expensive. I have a manual, but realize that the market slams down the saleability of a manual, so it should be at least $2000 cheaper than the equiv automatic, maybe more... particularly in a sedan like the 6. Also, drive it extensively. The naturally aspirated 2.5 does not have much below 2800 rpm... so if it is lacklustre for you - you know why. Almost is more spritely with the automatic, down low. Actually, faster to sixty with the auto. Finally, my 2017 is noisy... and it had some factory noise mitigating done on it, versus the 2016. Telegraphs road texture thru to the interior in the way of noise.

Reliable, long lived but a bit lacking in refinement... and body is thin gauge, fragile, carpets thin in the extreme.

Others, YMMV...

 

[bulwnkl]

I agree with everything C said. That seems expensive. Cars are very high in the USA right now, though, so you must gauge the market for yourself.

That’s low miles for a 6. It should last a very long time.

Many may disagree with me, but I think Mazda has been making better cars than Honda (as far as durability goes) for over a decade now.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

I agree with everything C said. That seems expensive. Cars are very high in the USA right now, though, so you must gauge the market for yourself.

That’s low miles for a 6. It should last a very long time.

Many may disagree with me, but I think Mazda has been making better cars than Honda (as far as durability goes) for over a decade now.

Bulwnkl, would you say durability, or would you say reliability and lasting-power? I think of being "robust", strongly-made, tough when I think of "durable"... I believe Mazda's are long-lived, but somehow I feel they are fragile. Certainly fragile paint, thin sheet metal?

 

[tickerguy]

IMHO the price is too high but right now the price is too high on any used car, so there you go.

In terms of durability and total cost-of-ownership? The 3rd Gen "6" is hard to beat, especially with a stick which removes one of the high-expense risks from the equation. I have no idea what sort of screwing you get with one of these up north where they salt things, but I've yet to see a vehicle that tolerates that well beyond the 10 year point.

With well over 200k on the clock of mine I still love it and other than routine maintenance have had exactly zero problems.

 

[Byakuya]

I have no idea what sort of screwing you get with one of these up north where they salt things, but I've yet to see a vehicle that tolerates that well beyond the 10 year point.

8.5 years and 175k miles living where they HEAVILY brine the roads for 5 months out of the year and this car is actually doing pretty well. I've had to spray the pinch points and a few spots in the wheel wells with rust inhibiter so it doesn't creep to bad areas, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Of course I have plenty of rust everywhere, but I don't see anything beyond surface erosion and it's definitely not worse than any other car this age up here.

 

[c47v3770]

So is the consensus that the asking price is a bit high?

 

[Byakuya]

So is the consensus that the asking price is a bit high?

Yes but ALL used car asking prices are a bit high right now - it's more the market than anything. Could you find something for a bit less? Maybe. If you can afford this or talk them down even a little, would it still be worth it? Probably, but that's for you and your wallet to decide. These cars are proving to be remarkably well-made and very few suffer any major problems.

 

[c47v3770]

Ok I see. Any potential issues I should keep in mind long term? I do plan on bringing it to a Mazda dealer

 

[c47v3770]

Yes but ALL used car asking prices are a bit high right now - it's more the market than anything. Could you find something for a bit less? Maybe. If you can afford this or talk them down even a little, would it still be worth it? Probably, but that's for you and your wallet to decide. These cars are proving to be remarkably well-made and very few suffer any major problems.

Ok I see. Any potential issues I should keep in mind long term? I do plan on bringing it to a Mazda dealer

 

[Byakuya]

Ok I see. Any potential issues I should keep in mind long term? I do plan on bringing it to a Mazda dealer

I'm pretty biased, but honestly not really. I've only heard of a few people with major issues, but thousands who have nothing but good things to say. Check your typical things - brakes, trans, plugs, filters, etc, read up on the TSBs that might have been missed, and take good care of it and you should be good.

I (sorry, never finished) wrote up a quick "things to look for before you buy" thread here: 3rd Gen Things to Know Before You Buy/Lease

For the 2016, it's a bit of a crapshoot depending on the manufacture date, as that was a weird year. The ones that came later in the year don't seem to suffer from warped rotors nearly as bad and the wind noise problem was drastically reduced.

If you really want more validation, go check out a Cx5 forum (or one that has a Cx5 section) because those are the same engine as the 6 but have been around a couple years longer. I rarely see people having issues with those as well - the Skyactive platform is arguably the most reliable and well-built ones to date.

 

[jman]

I recently bought a gen 3 for my daughter and came across several GT - manual 2014's and were around $8.5k CAD.

 

[bulwnkl]

Bulwnkl, would you say durability, or would you say reliability and lasting-power? I think of being "robust", strongly-made, tough when I think of "durable"... I believe Mazda's are long-lived, but somehow I feel they are fragile. Certainly fragile paint, thin sheet metal?

Good question. When speaking in an automotive context, I use durable to mean long-lasting. I agree with you that the bodywork, for example, is light and thin.

 

[c47v3770]

I'm pretty biased, but honestly not really. I've only heard of a few people with major issues, but thousands who have nothing but good things to say. Check your typical things - brakes, trans, plugs, filters, etc, read up on the TSBs that might have been missed, and take good care of it and you should be good.

I (sorry, never finished) wrote up a quick "things to look for before you buy" thread here: 3rd Gen Things to Know Before You Buy/Lease

For the 2016, it's a bit of a crapshoot depending on the manufacture date, as that was a weird year. The ones that came later in the year don't seem to suffer from warped rotors nearly as bad and the wind noise problem was drastically reduced.

If you really want more validation, go check out a Cx5 forum (or one that has a Cx5 section) because those are the same engine as the 6 but have been around a couple years longer. I rarely see people having issues with those as well - the Skyactive platform is arguably the most reliable and well-built ones to date.

Thanks! I know the manufacture date of this one is 01/16 so I'm assuming it suffers from wind noise. I guess my test drive tomorrow will determine that.

 

[GusF]

I've been driving a Soul Red 2016 6 Touring automatic for almost three years now. My biggest gripes are that I had to replace the belt tensioner about three times (maybe low quality replacement parts?); the paint ... (hood and front bumper) get nicked fairly easily, and the noisy cold starts. A European friend here in the States drove a 2014 manual 6 and did not like/enjoy the transmission. I'm pleased with the auto, but not when I use the manumatic; it is slow to shift. The sport mode likes to hang in there mostly in third gear (my experience). The noise is mostly an issue at all if you compare it to more luxurious cars. I think it is pretty quiet at cruising speeds; you will hear the engine as you are revving up to cruising speed; certainly noisier than my wife's 2015 Accord XLE but only when you are accelerating. My Mazda's handling is superior to the '15 Accord and the Mazda also is/feels much tightly bolstered when going over a bump or rough pavement-love the ride completely, but that is personal taste. Also, I am 6' 1" @ 200 lbs and love the driver's seat comfort and adjustability as well. On the touring, however, the manual lumbar support doesn't stay where I want it, for very long ... not sure that's just my car or what. I'm sure the GT has a motor for that feature. I hope that helps.

 

[c47v3770]

I've been driving a Soul Red 2016 6 Touring automatic for almost three years now. My biggest gripes are that I had to replace the belt tensioner about three times (maybe low quality replacement parts?); the paint ... (hood and front bumper) get nicked fairly easily, and the noisy cold starts. A European friend here in the States drove a 2014 manual 6 and did not like/enjoy the transmission. I'm pleased with the auto, but not when I use the manumatic; it is slow to shift. The sport mode likes to hang in there mostly in third gear (my experience). The noise is mostly an issue at all if you compare it to more luxurious cars. I think it is pretty quiet at cruising speeds; you will hear the engine as you are revving up to cruising speed; certainly noisier than my wife's 2015 Accord XLE but only when you are accelerating. My Mazda's handling is superior to the '15 Accord and the Mazda also is/feels much tightly bolstered when going over a bump or rough pavement-love the ride completely, but that is personal taste. Also, I am 6' 1" @ 200 lbs and love the driver's seat comfort and adjustability as well. On the touring, however, the manual lumbar support doesn't stay where I want it, for very long ... not sure that's just my car or what. I'm sure the GT has a motor for that feature. I hope that helps.

thank you! This helps a lot

 

[c47v3770]

Well the car was sold to another dealer so scratch that. I did find a manual 2017.5 Touring with 37K miles for 18.5K. Is that too much?

 

[GusF]

Well the car was sold to another dealer so scratch that. I did find a manual 2017.5 Touring with 37K miles for 18.5K. Is that too much?

In my opinion that is Grand Touring money, but as it has been mentioned here, now days car prices are a little unreasonably high driven by the situation with our (USA) economy.

 

[[email protected]]

I Just traded in my 2015 Touring w/Manual gearbox.

Here's the dealer listing for it Used Cars for Sale Near Me - CarGurus

 

[c47v3770]

In my opinion that is Grand Touring money, but as it has been mentioned here, now days car prices are a little unreasonably high driven by the situation with our (USA) economy.

Seller just updated his ad saying to make him a suitable offer based on KBB. I texted him and his target price is 18.3K but he did asked what my offer was. What would you say a reasonable offer is? Hhmm