Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Mazda 3 vs Mazda 6 pricing

I was at a suburban Mazda dealer, making a second examination of the Mazda 3 wagon's interior and ergonomics, and he told me that lately the Focus-like 3 has been selling like gangbusters, while the Contour-like 6 has hardly been selling at all. Which means that you might be able to get a big ol' three liter 6 at a price scarcely above what you'd pay for a 2.3 liter 3, like barely above $20000.

I looked at a 6 liftback and it was pretty darn cool. Plenty of reasons to expect it would have all the advantages of a Contour and one or two more besides. But I didn't drive it. I do want to stick with something smaller... since moving to a larger car doesn't seem to buy me any more legroom, I might as well stay with the little one.

The guy also told me that people have been trading in enormous Escalades and Excursions at huge markdowns. Mostly buying smal SUVs to replace the large ones. Add it all up and midsize family cars such as Accords are moving real slow these days. Which helps drive down the price on a 6.

Best price quote I've yet heard on a 3 wagon (atx) was $18000, and that's a long drive from here. Meanwhile a Vibe can be had for $15500.

Lamest feature of the 3: the radio has a row of ricer lights on it that flash back and forth in sequence for no reason, in a manner reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica.

I prefer the 3 interior, but the 6s all around. If I can get one cheap it'll probably be my Contour replacement (in a year or so after graduation).

The 6 now has a "sport automatic" transaxle with six speeds and a manual mode! I tried the manual mode in the 3's five speed tranny, and unlike most auto-stick designs, it rules. I'd say this tranny is the single biggest improvement over what we could get with Contours. There's a six speed stick for the 6, too. (Hey, I made a tongue twister.)

That battlestar lighting stereo thing isn't some random useless ricer thing. It indicates your volume level and radio station preset. As you turn up the volume, the bars light up to the right, as you turn it down they light up to the left. Also, when you change a radio station, the light under that preset button lights up to tell you which preset you are on.

Plus, it looks cool at night when you have the rest of the interior lights on. I bet you didn't drive it in the dark, did you? If you did, you'd know what I was talking about, it adds some lighting pizzaz to an area that lacks the pizzaz of the instrument cluster lighting, or the console lighting.

well, poop -- the dealer who quoted me a price of $17000 was full of waste matter... he was citing a rebate which I can only get if I got a special invitation. So it's really $18000. Which means I'm still thinking of wussing out and getting the Vibe for $15500.

And, it looks like he was trying to slip me an '05 when I asked for an '06.

But you can get coupons on ebay good for $500 off any Mazda. And there are two kinds so you can save $1000 total. I just got one of them for only $25... the other looks like it will cost over $100.