Have been looking for a large hatch or estate and am currently looking at 08/09 Mazda 6s. We dont do more than 10k a year so fuel type is not number 1 on the priority list,so what do you say?

Diesel engines from around that time are pretty crap and have lots of dpf issues and timing chain stretching issues.

Petrol 2.5 is meant to be good but can’t comment on mpg.

If you can stretch to a 2010 facelift that’s where my money would go.

Test drive first to listen forr rattles….in my experience of them they don’t take a heard life well compared to Germanic cars. Apart from that they are actually okay to drive and good value for money.

Cheers guys, I would probably go for the petrol version as we have had derv for the last 8yrs so might be nice to change. Any known issues with the 2ltr? 2.5 would be nice, if only for the grunt,but likely to have had a hard life.

I just bought an 06 diesel estate for £1500, seems ok but somehow I don’t think its going to end well.

A mate had a 2litre that after spending more time in the garage than on the road was handed back his money but then that can happen with any car, have you checked out honest john website or auto express for owners reviews?

Yes I have had a look at the reviews, we currently have an 04 307hdi which has been very well behaved and I will probably hold on to as my daughter is nearly at driving age, but not many would give it the same review as me.I realise that each vehicle is different and figured I would hopefully get more honest feedback here than elsewhere if you get my drift?

2010/59, 2.2d 180 brake model here. Out classes the similar German variants on spec handling and speed all day long. Real world 40mpg, dad just borrowed it to go to Devon and has got 48mpg (must be driving miss daisy).
72k but full mazda history as ex lease so had everything changed/serviced regularly.

My Dad has had 3 in a row (he’s boring like that) one of each facelift/model. The Mk1 was in blue and started rotting around the sills, the paint flaked off badly on the wheel arches and was sorted under warranty. I’ve heard (on here) common on the early blue ones. The second was an MPS which was quite stealthy. The current one is the latest version. It’s ok but I honestly can’t say it is better than the German rivals and is equal to the Mondeos I’ve hired, not bad cars at all just nothing really outstanding about them. Dad’s never had any issues other than the paint one mentioned.

I know someone that had the 2.5petrol a d he can’t fault it.

You don’t see many issues or problems with the petrol one to be honest.

Good car. I had a 2009 2.5L petrol Sport Estate from new, which I kept for about 2.5 years. IIRC Got about 35mpg on average. Very nice drive. Very practical. Not that refined in terms of road noise. Nothing ever went wrong or fell apart, but build quality a bit light.

Note: the 2.5 isn’t that fast. Perfectly acceptable for normal driving though.

I’ve got a 2005 2.0 petrol estate with 130k miles.

Had it nearly two years and it’s never let me down.

Do your research if you do decide on a diesel. The earlier models did suffer problems but I suspect they were resolved by 2009.

The rusting issues on the earlier 6’s were fixed around 2006 I think so shouldn’t be a problem either.

I like mine, and Mazda’s do seem a very good buy for the money.

The paint is crap on the newer ones.

Thanks for the feedback,DPFs and dual mass flywheels are an arseache I could do without so figure on going petrol due to low annual mileage,will be mainly driven in third by the wife. 🙄

Until recently I had an 09 plate hatch 2.2d 185 Sport.

It was pretty frugal (50mpg full to full), handled nicely, was quick and comfortable and would take a fully built large hardtail in the back with the seats down. I did 100k in 4 years in it.

If I was buying again I’d not go for the 18″ wheels (was s/h and it came with them) as I drove one with 17″ wheels and the ride was noticeably less firm.

Let me know if you want a set of lightly used OEM roof bars… 😉

Wombat would those bars fit my estate version, if so how much?