I've got to say I love it when you say "if the car keeps understeering you're just a shit driver" and "good drivers don't need big power to have fun" It's so true and so refreshing to hear it in a car review. 👍👍
This was my daily for nearly a decade here in Colorado. So much fun in the snow! Little known facts: it has direct mount hardware hidden under the weather strip on the roof. Looks pretty slick with a low profile Thule rack. The rear seats fold down. You have to pull out the trunk liner behind the rear seats, but then you'll find the seat release hidden in the reinforcement crossbars. The bose head unit supports aux in. You'll need to jump two pins on the back and run an audio cable to another two, but its easy and works flawlessly. When you're done AUX shows up as a source when you press the media button. Watch out for a loose rear differential. They put weak bolts on the mount that can bend or sheer. Its worth upgrading the mount if you plan on driving it hard from a stop. I miss mine, but it was time to move on. Unless I come across a pristine example like in this video, but then my wife might kill me 😂.
Great Tips. Figured all of them out when i had mine over time, except the roof. So really good put together. Now i want it back.😢 Remember a big parking lot full of snow. The plowed Part was full with BMW and Porsche. I Was the only in a foot of snow having a blast in my own half of the lot 😂❤
I frickin love this channel, so spot on! 'you're just a bad driver" love it. I had a Mazda 6, they drive really well. And yeah you don't need more speed. Mine was a manual and it just felt so great. Only thing I found, in the wet you could get front wheel spin when pushing off the lights Also they used to race them at the Grand prix
My brother has an MPS 3 and it's a rocket He originally wanted the MPS 6 but the low rear roof line and the inferior storage of a sedan compared to a hatch had him chose the 3 The 3 is lighter as being a smaller body and only being front wheel drive But the 6 does look great and is a lovely car 🙂
My family owns both a 2009 mazda 3 (i forgot the package but it was one of the better ones) and 2006 mazda 6 luxurysport, and i must say that the mazda 6 feels a lot more planted to the road and has a better steering feel, but the mazda 3 is definitely a very fun little zippy car, and i bet that both their MPS counterparts are bloody rockets. Its a bit sad though that i dont think they made the 6 MPS in a "hatchback" version (the luxurysport we have lifts the entire rear window like any hatchback), and it is a lot more convenient than a sedan.
@@obtainedlight4745 interesting Yeah the hatch means you can do stuff with it, drop the back seats down and haul a load, etc Sedans are quieter and more refined, so perhaps that was what Mazda were thinking about?
I have helped my son do a full ground up build on a mazdaspeed 6 gt , all billet bottom , v2 billet intake , with port injection , air ride , tons of other stuff ,and it puts the biggest smile on his face so every wrench hr spent on it was worth it to spend time with him , ps it dyno at the wheels 700hp plus
I bought one of these brand new and drove it for 4 years before trading it in, was comfortable but had lots of issues. Not sure if it was the car or the dealer causing the issues.. Replaced, engine, turbo x 2 due to play in the shaft, gearbox, drive shaft, brakes, clutch etc etc... All under warranty.... Was very glad to go back to my V8's after this thing....
Yup, this sums up perfectly the MPS. In 4 years of ownership and trying to use it on daily basis, it broke my will on doing repairs anymore. From injector seals to maf, rust, TC seals failure, clutch, idle smoking pcv failure, lambda, timing chain and it added the cherry on top with the rod bearings spin on cyl 1. Ah, and also totally crap rings, had to be rebuilt.
@@cormaro13 " funny how v6s are making v8 now and days lol " not sure what was meant by this but a nice v6 now adays makes 300hp at best. but the v8's such as a smaller ford 5.0 makes 400hp and a dodge 6 liter makes 500hp. and both 8 and 6 love boost. did you mean that v6's are making the same power as v8's 30 years ago?
@brym4467 exactly how I said it , v6s are making the same power as v8s , not 30 year old v8 cause a 2013 v6 camaro takes the hp of a c5... and especially with today's time the v6s are good for 400 or more with basic mods and tune , this is for turbo not na , just cause you cant keep going up liters doesn't mean you can't make power with the v6s , the stinger and supra have no problems in mopping up those v8s lol
@@cormaro13 sorry you misstyped and was hard understand. yes excatly a 2013 v6 camaro makes the same power as GM's 1994 lt1 which is a 30yo v8. ive owned tons of 6 and 8s but take for example the mustang v8 400hp with bolt ons 500hp. v8s have also improved along side em. now turbo 4s are replacing the v6 camaros and stangs. they have all improved.
I have a 2006, non leather version, white in colour, bought in 11/20 with 60,000 klms. Only mods are upgraded HPFP internals, axle back exhaust and Pioneer audio with wireless Android Auto. The previous owner (who had it from new) put some after market wheels on it, which in my opinion really enhance the look. I have put 13,000 klms on it, and (touch wood), it's been 100% reliable. It's great fun to drive, and I like the sleeper aspect of it.
@@RRSmurf Middle license here in Australia. Learner > P plates > Full license The p plate licence has restrictions on cylinders and power to weight. So when a cool car like this manages to fit just within the parameters, the P platers go for them big time.
@@jonathoncoward9358 Not in Qld mate. If you’re on your ps and are under 25, they still don’t allow cars manufactured before 2010 that are 8cyl or more, or a turbocharged/supercharged car, or anything with more than 210kw
Nice looking sleeper! Think the lower value MP6 and MPS3 is the highly strung motor running ~15psi boost factory. Doesnt leave much on the table for tuning so was largely ignored by the 2F2F crowd when it came out since Evos and STIs were still being made. That said and its a good point that "its fast enough" IRL. Few tasteful mods like this car and got yourself a nice fun rare car.
I think people just never really got into them until recently for tuning purposes, theres plenty left on the table. I own a 3 MPS, its tuned to 20psi with only an intake and a front mounted intercooler and it makes over 300whp and 480nm and to be honest thats low. Theres guys pushing 350whp and over 500nm on the stock internals but thats with full bolt ons. Overally its just a much more unique platform that flies under the radar and so nobody even knows how to tune them correctly apart from a handful of people in Australia. I had to get mine tuned from a guy in Finland.
@znova92 interesting. So what's changed? When these came out people broke these tuning with just modest increases in boost. So people just ignored it. If could get those numbers then, then this would of been very popular car.
@@alstone5559 I have an old v3 sti that ran 17psi from the factory. The standard vf23 could handle up to 20 psi before generating too much heat, and 22 with water/meth.
@@znova9240 Same, TMIC, HPFPI, 2.5in Intake w/TIP and 3in Exhaust with 2nd Cat delete I'm at 300whp on a modest tune (I daily so asked the tuner to stay reliable). 21PSI from the stock turbo (K04) which is usually 15PSI stock and it's gone into the 22's on some pulls. Went with Freektune in America and I'm UK. was 480Nm at 300hp (crank) on dyno before TMIC/TIP, I expect it to be 500Nm now, but will see at dyno next weekend. 😁 Torque is what does these motors in, usually from 369ftlbs to 400ftlbs-ish (500Nm to 540Nm) is considered safe-zone territory.
A mate had one new out of the box in 2006 and boy was it impressive… I had an SS Commodore at the time and I reckon the MPS would have been had to shake even in my SS … Awesome car and Great review !!!
a friend of mine owned almost identical one in the UK . I drove it , and remember the sport gearbox (short throw), super comfy seats, and overall feel of comfort mixed with sportiness. The car only cost 4,600 GBP at the time, with only 60k miles on the clock. Today, this would be a bargain of the century. The car was driven very hard, with frequent launches and maxed out on German Autobahn. It had an exhaust leak at some point, which made it sound amazing. 1 year later, it developed check engine with loud engine rattle situation , which forced my friend to park it up for a few weeks. No mechanic would even try to diagnose it, so the car stood for a few more weeks. I suggested to install an app on his mobile, and try to check for fault codes. It came up with camshaft position failure or something in that line. We cleared the codes, and the car worked again just fine. We put it out for sale fearing the worst. It sold fast and lasted through the test drive. It run for good 6 years but eventually it was taken off road due to underbody rust just a few weeks ago.
@@jordonpollock1550guy obviously didn't do his homework on the known required maintenance needed for the model. But sounds like the person who bought it off him did if he kept it running for another 6 years!
i brought a mazda 6 recently 2007 model for $3,000 yep and cleaned it up new tyres front brakes service.and boy what a beautiful car too drive and have,,,fitted with a nrew android entertainment system ,,,love it...there out there...
The Mazda 6 was an amazing car that has flown under the radar here in the States. When I do see someone driving a Mazda 6, I can't help but think that's one intelligent driver ❤.
So true cars usually don't have problems. This car, along with other performance cars attracts a lot of ID-10T problems on the road. Sometimes causes the car to self install into a power pole.
Great vid. I loved my 05 MPS6 and this was a great reminder of the fun times i had in it.. i was almost able to forget about its multiple turbo replacements, exploding clutch lines and constant oil top ups!
Yes exaxtly! Iv'e had two of these a few years back, engines are soft in standard form, mine both blew up. Got about 4 years of fun from the first one though, love how they drive and look but reluctant to go for another. 🤷♂️ 😂
Glad to see the MPS 6 featured, absolutely love mine, got plans for it when it's no longer my daily and doesn't need to be *as* reliable... but it does what I ask for in a car and more. I bought mine off of a dude who used it as his weekend car since the day it left the factory floor, Incredibly looked after and currently at just under 140k's, It's got a few issues that should be looked at within the next 10k's but nothing that's serious at the moment. I got incredibly lucky with mine and spent months searching for the perfect one to pop up. ended up being a far less thrashed car than the other being sold, and ended up spending less for more.
First time viewer of your channel (here in Sydney) BLOODY BRILLIANT. Just love your straight down the line no bull shit critique of a vehicle, so refreshing not to mention as someone else said "good drivers don't need big power to have fun" ! I drive regularly in the lower north shore area of Sydney as a tradie and noted a year or so back a white MPS in a back street parked up. It clearly had not gone anywhere for a very very longtime, it looked very sad and unloved.
I`ve owned the 2010 Tech Mazdaspeed3 almost 6 years and I love it as much as when I first bought it. Tasteful, and well thought out, mods, a proper tune, and regular maintenance will keep these cars on the road for many years to come.
I have a black 2006 mazdaspeed 6 running mid 12s. Its the perfect sleeper. Bigger bnrs3, dp, hpfp, intake, front mount intercool and 2.5" piping, short shift, diff mount. Evo 10 enkei wheels, evo 8 4 pot brembos, stage 1 clutch. Theres nothing like the look on the mustangs and dodge srt guys face when they get paddled. Its not without its headaches. But i love it.
Had a 06 MPS6 from near new for almost a decade. Traded it in at 285K km. never let me down except for one slave cylinder hose leak (easy fix). original engine one one turbo replacement. And one clutch replacement. Full suspension and bushing/engine +diff mount upgrades. Theres lots of FoMoCo(Ford) parts, but was overall fairly easy to self maintain. I do miss it (especially 3rd gear) and would buy another if an unmolested one came up at the right price. I now have the Atenza Turbo Wagon and would love those 2 as a pair.
Aside from my old volvo hand me down I had from my dad, an 09 speed 3 was my first actual car i purchased with my own money, and it hit all the spots perfect for me. Is a blast to drive, not too bad on gas (I get about 26mpg total, mostly highway driving), been super reliable for me (bought it at 40miles, at 120k miles so far, not one thing wrong with it yet), and I can fit a 50" tv in the trunk. Cant ask for much more, it literally does everything for me! My only gripes or warnings are mod carefully, make sure you do your research and know the support mods to get before you start slapping on bigger turbos or intakes, and working in the engine bay can be a little annoying since its kind of tightly packed in there. Otherwise, its an amazing driving car, one of my favorite 3rd>4th gear pockets, safe and has a big trunk, and super reliable unless you go crazy modding, couldn't recommend them more!
Dad bought one as his daily driver, both my brother and I absolutely loved it when we first got behind the wheel. So much so he then went and bought his own! Both theirs's are sub 130,000km's and completely unmolested examples. Had a few issues with my Dad's when we bought it, being a weak power steering pump, the transfer case was leaking and the rear gearbox mount was shot. However dealer paid to get most of the problems fixed under the warranty we got with it and it has been faultless since. I would highly recommend taking them to a mechanic and getting it up on a hoist to be inspected before purchasing (especially when buying privately). Other than that I 110% recommend them to anyone who manages to find a well cared for unmolested example. I adore mps 6's so much and I almost considered swapping my VF commodore for one (almost)
That is the car i bought in 2015. Mine is from 2008. Now it has over 200'00km. Drive it daily and love it. Plenty of power to have fun. Was once on a track to have fun. Was enough for it. If you want to time attack it's not the best choice for sure. But for what i use it, it has more than enough power. Specially in the summer to drive over the mountains in switzerland it is great.
Great review! I’ve always had a soft spot for the MPS 6, and Mazda’s work overall in the early mid noughties, to reposition themselves as a premium brand. If you ever need a Melbourne correspondent, I’d love the opportunity to get involved in what you’re producing!
I own a Speed6 here in the USA (BCM GT w/Panda), and I absolutely love it. It's easily one of the best purchases I've ever made. I purchased mine with low mileage over 10 years ago, and aside from replacing the upper 02 sensor a few weeks ago have had zero problems with mine. No major engine problems, no smoking turbo, etc. I've tracked the car a number of times and it's a monster on a road course. The car also makes for a great backroad cruiser if you have some nice twisty ones nearby. Unfortunately, I have neighbors I have to park near who don't pay much attention when opening their doors so she's pretty dinged up at the moment, but after I move into my place in the country she's getting a full body fix and repaint. When the engine finally dies she's getting a fully built motor. Even if beating on them, if you change the oil, replace the plugs every now and then, brake pads every now and then, tires, etc these cars even modded will last a long time and perform amazingly well. Don't skimp on parts if modding, and invest in the entire drivetrain, not just the engine.
Great honest review. I have had mine as a daily driver now for 15 years just love driving her. The combination of all wheel drive with the standard suspension set up and corners like a dream. My tip is talk to your mechanic about getting the oil right.
I have a mazdaspeed6 and absolutely love it. I've blown up 4 engines in it due to my own mistakes. Catching people off guard when they race me is awesome.
I love Mazda 6. It's like the smoothest car I've ever driven so far, but lately am starting to notice some problems with the gear box and some rust. But hey, we'll care for it. It'll be as good as new.
Mate it's about time you got some advertising. I mean I can understand why you don't want to, but RUclips Ads won't pay the bills by themselves and don't worry about people who complain about ADs because they think everything in life should be free. Just make sure it's on topic products and that they are good quality products you trust.
I bought mine brand new and after 205 000km and 16 years, the very first thing I had to replace was the diff mounts. Absolutely nothing else. The windscreen wipers are still original and still works well. A very underrated car. Had several offers, but I don't want to sell.
And they did make them in the wagon, a V6 gasoline (not the same as this DISI engine but still) and a 2.0 L, 136 HP, 300 Nm @1,800 RPM direct injected, intercooled turbodiesel, also known as the "GTA". The diesel is a rocket, and if properly maintained is indestructible, going 220 km/h and only sipping 5.0 L / 100 km if being driven at 120 km/h.
I got one with 10 previous owner title! it’s been 4 years ! it never left me stranded! i tuned it for 320 hp! perfect daily car for the buck! solid on highway! pulls like crazy and smart AWD system comes in handy! i would buy another one! nice style fairly simple to work on! no crazy technology to go wrong!! i just change oil every 4000 km and stay away from RPM 6500 and higher! stock HPFP is good enough
I had a North American (live in New Jersey) regular 6 with the 'sport package' (aluminum wheels, spoiler, 4 Wheel disk brakes) and Ford 3.0 L V-6 engine with about 210 HP from new in 2006 to 2016, put on 91,000 miles on it. It had plenty of power, handled very well on country roads, road good, plenty of inside room but tight on the outside, quite reliable (only majors a blower fan motor, a water pump, weld up of a leaking front exhaust pipe and one plug coil). The generation Mazda 6 was quite related to the NA Ford Fusion, and except for the Mazdaspeed which was only made in Japan, mine for the NA market was made in a joint Ford-Mazda plant in Michigan which makes now the Mustang.
Bought an MPS6 last year, 55 000KM on it, completely stock beside that its been lowered, planning to put on stock springs. I dont want to tune it in any way, just want to have it stock. I owned a few different cars, but this is by far the best car I have owned. Its comfy and fast when I need it to be. Its a bit of rare find where I live too. Never seen another on the road before. So its fun to take it to car meets and pop the hood open. There is a few things that needs to be worked on in the car, like the seats as mentioned. Also gotta fix the AC on it, right windows does not go down, a little rust (under the paint aswell) and new break pads.
Loved mine, was a brilliant fun car, but that clutch in freeway traffic was hard to manage. Passed it onto a son who also loved it. A sleeper that was hugely overlooked.
The clutch in this car was punishing. Probably the hardest stock clutch for me to get use to, really heavy & small bite point. I have stalled in a manual as much as I have in this car
I have a 2022 Mazda 6 Atenza Wagon which combines the sportiness of an old MPS, the luxury of a proper big Euro cruise missile and the practicality (and cool factor) of a wagon. Would love Mazda to build a 6 with the new inline 6 turbo but I'm not holding my breath.
Love the channel, videos are always fun and properly informative, filling the void Top Gear left. And the strong bi/pan energy is joyous ;) AS for the MPS/Mazdaspeed - I loved everything about them except that rear bumper.
It is easy to induce oversteer on slippery roads, like others have said not just a capable winter car, but down right fun. Very few cars offer the feel and feedback this car has.
My fav car I've ever owned. Bought it new in 2006. I've owned some so called nicer cars since, but nothing fit the blend of sleeper quick, grand touring and comfortable daily. I'm in Atlantic Canada and with winter tires on, not only was it incredibly good in snow, it was hilarious. The manual transmission with awd in snow, well there is no better combination for fun in the snow. I embarrassed quite a few suv and trucks on hills in my awd ms6. Sadly, we do use salt here and at 4 yrs it was rusting in the back wheels and trunk edge and I'm absolutely obsessed with waxing and taking care of my car. This was the Ford-Mazda Era, and it showed in places. My current Mazda is such a jump in quality over this, but really really boring...2020 cx5. My other car is a Type-s tlx, and I wouldn't say my Type-s is as fun to drive as that ms6 was. Better, certainly, but as fun, no. If Mazda puts their new CX90 rear wheel drive biased AWD platform in a Mazda 6.. it will be mine.
I bought an early Mazda6 manual new in 2002 and it drove like a beauty for 15 years. No issues, except for a sticky accelerator in the cold months, easy fix. Great handling, gearbox and steering for a stock sedan. Many don't get that when Mazda was making the 6, it was its premium passenger car, there was nothing above it. It was their halo car, they didn't shirk on the engineering. I'm sure the MPS wouldn't disappoint anyone who knows how to drive not just in a straight line.
I've owned mine for 15 years, 180K on the clock. Stock standard except for ceramic brakes on the front which I got to reduce brake dust which was insane from the originals. Still have original pads on the back though. Drives like new. Only non-consumable cost so far was the timing gear which is a documented design fault and fixed with a redesigned component.
Same, had mine since 2008. As I mentioned previously, I had to replace the clutch a couple of years ago. Pricy, but really reliable all things considered.
Nice car to drive, but it is not in EVO or WRX territory for either speed or handling. A fast, well handling cruiser is a better way to describe the Mazda MPS.
I'd suggest looking at what the Mazdaspeed community has done with these before labeling them inferior. The FE3 motors are incredibly potent, and while the MS6 wheelbase is longer, depending on spec, it didn't even weigh more.
@@wes.9353 I did not labelled the MPS "inferior", that is your word. The MPS is better for day to day driving and way better in terms of NVH. But if you have driven all three cars, you would know that the MPS is no where near as focused as the EVO or WRX.
I purchased one of these back in 2009 (a 2005 example) for 24K with 60K on the odometer. Drove it across the Nullabor from Adelaide to Perth and it was a hoot. Long legged with the mid range punch in 3rd and 4th gears really demonstrated this car's strengths. It overtook pretty much everything quickly and effortlessly. I had a 2003 Mazda 6 lux sport prior to that and this was in another league. I fitted an aftermarket pop up head unit (where the top compartment is) with sat nav, DVD and reverse camera and complimented with the Bose sound it was definitely more than decent. The only minor drawback was on the series one, where if you didn't ride the clutch somewhat it had a tendency to stall. This was apparently addressed on the later versions. I suggest these could become a modern classic and could appreciate in value given their limited production run.
Crazy question but you wouldn’t happen to have record of the VIN anywhere? Was it black? Previous owner told me that the owner before him brought it over from Adelaide across the Nullahbor and considering the low amount of MPS 6s around its very possible I own your old MPS
A great review, Thankyou! I always wanted to transplant the running gear from one of these into my old 2007 Mazda6 GSX wagon as it would have been very unique in wagon form . The Mazda6 (not MPS) I had was in itself a fantastic car, it handled great and the odd time I lent it out to visiting friends they loved the way it drove aswell. Sold it with 270,000kms still running great and having not given me any major issues for the over 100,000kms I had it. Should have kept it and seen it over it’s 300,000km mark
I remember the one that came out when the Mondeo ST220 was around. 256hp through the front wheels in a big production saloon car was pretty much unheard of back then. It was quick and actually, it handled relatively well.
absolutely love the ST220, its faults are nothing when stacked up to the sum of its parts and can really carve up a rural pass, but the MPS is smashing too!
my biggest complaint with the Ford era mazda cars is the rust (at least if you live in a rusty area) and there were a few common repair issues that came up around 100-130k miles. Me AND my younger brother both got a 2006 and a 2007 Mazda3 and mine had bad rust (I live in Northwest Ohio by Lake Erie, it was my first car and I knew nothing about cars) but my brother got his when he lived in Arizona with my dad and it had NO rust (obviously). We both ended up having a rough idle issue at some point, mine was the PCV valve and I also had my coolant temp sensor go out so i replaced that and my coolant pump just to be safe since I was already in there doing the repair. Other than trying to figure out and doing that PCV valve repair (which is a pain since the PCV is burried under the intake manifold) I never had any other issues with the car and it was THE most fun sedan I had ever driven and I was happy to have it as my first car. When i did my test drive in it I was blown away by how fun it was to drive. After owning it for a while I did drive it a bit more aggressively on the road especailly on twisty roads but it handled it all like a champ and it gives you so much confidence and you can really feel what the car is doing (in a good way, you get so much feedback from the amazing handling and the pedals). Although the newer Mazda3s dont have hydraulic steering they still also handle great and they have the even MORE reliable Skyactive engines. The newer Skyactive engines are STUPID reliable. my dad has owned TWO CX-5s and he has NEVER had to take them into a mechanic due to random issues throughout owning his first one or his second one and his second one even towed / handled his move to Arizona and eventually back to Ohio a few years later and it still feels amazing to drive (he loaned it to me for a period after my Mazda3 eventually died from old age and rust, but eventually a diffirent family member gave me their 2018 Kia Soul which just feels like a major downgrade going from my 06 Mazda3 :( I would not ever go out of my way to get a Kia Soul but its the car Im stuck with for the time being). I would love to eventually buy a newer Mazda3 or an ND Miata in the future (or the new CX-50, I think that thing looks amazing and Ive heard it has slightly heavier steering and better steering feedback despite using electric steering assist which I prefer over the extremely lightweight steering feels of modern electric assisted cars of today). For the price, reliability, looks, and fun handling and still peppy engines Mazda just blows me away. Im glad Mazda isnt held back by Ford anymore, that was the biggest cause for most of their issues back in the early 2000s. those cars are still fun and for the most part reliable though.
Had a couple over the years, sold my first a year and a half ago when I found one a couple states away with only 22k miles. Best purchase of my life, these things are insanely strong and will surprise a ton of vehicles on the road with a few mods. 400whp+ is easily easily doable, and fun as hell :D
I ran one of these for many years, and you can make them into a serious performer. But you need to know what you're doing. People are making 500+kw with them. Interestingly, one of the party tricks of these cars is the handbrake - when you pull the brake the rear diff disconnects. Mazdas engineers are quoted as saying this was to help with "drifting style fun", and you could reef the brake into a corner, hook it sideways, then drop the brake so it goes back to awd. You could have a lot of fun with them.
Also cheeky Brembo swap makes me smile. I still get messages from people to this day after I wrote the first guide on it back in like 2011 or something
For the love of everything holy, first thing you do on any mazda mps is replace the high pressure fuel pump internals (hpfp)and the rear motor mount with aftermarket. The stock hpfp was under developed on this cars and any mods you do without the hpfp will cause you to run lean. If you have the mps 6 please replace the rear diff mounts with after market if your launching this car, the rubbers are weak and will cause the diff mounts on the actual diff to break, very costly. If you do all this and service on time. They really good cars.
This car is basically a Ford Focus RS as a sedan, I like sedans haha and cool looking one at that. Similar engine (same 2.3L 4 cyl turbo) and AWD system. Heck even the wheelbase of both this gen Mazda 6 sedan and last gen Ford Focus hatchback are very similar.
Brought my Gen 2 MPS3 near on two years ago as my daily a to be b car and thus far its been a absolutely fantastic car Have made sure to keep up with the oil changes religiously (done every 4000kms) whilst cleaning the engine out with engine flush and crc intake cleaner every change also (being a direct port injection motor they build up of carbon otherwise pretty easily) Have only just lowered it on King springs, chucked some after market 18" wheels on it and installed a BOV on it otherwise its stock I am waiting on a cat back I'm wanting to buy however too for a little added noise as the stock exhaust is too quiet for liking But again, been a fantastic car so far
I drove one for 14 years and the only thing it was in the shop for was the serpentine belt. I sold it with just under 250k miles. Leave the engine alone and upgrade the suspension. Both the speed 3 and 6 are a blast. I hung out with a mazda club and realized that the people who had problem where those who where either poor mechanics or poor drivers
had one... lots of fun, the diff was iffy and made weird noises, but mazda eventually replaced it under warranty. Traded it for a Lexus IS350... (more fun)
Had one for 7 years and I loved it! Never failed me once. I mildly tuned it up to 320bhp. BUT, they rust (here in the U.K. anyway) something awful - everywhere underneath, wheel arches, boot, bonnet. O, and the engine rods are made of chocolate.
@@zokusharuuku1091 i don’t think so. Plenty of stories on the forums of rods letting go and venting the block. Rear diff mounts are a known failure point too. It’s been nearly 5 years since I sold mine and I still miss it.
You forgot the eggzellent small cubby with a lid is for your sunglasses! That one located just beside and a notch down from the steering wheel stem! Seen noone other car with such a smart trick! ;)
I bought my Mazda 3 MPS brand new in 2006, in fact it is the first red sold in NSW as I bought it 3 months before they brought it to Australia, I never let anyone touches my car since day 1, not even Mazda, the car still looks brand new in all spects, paint, interior and engine, over 210K km, 17 years old and like brand new, people sometimes stop me to ask me about the car and if I want to sell it, BTW I have also an Audi 3 1.8T 2015 and Golf R 2018, the Mazda 3 MPS for me is far superior and reliable and even faster, I did almost no modification other that AccesPort map 0, koni suspension and Superpro bushes all around, last year I took my gearbox out and changed all OEM bearings inside myself along with the OEM clutch kit with brand new OEM parts, when I bought it brand new I added evey avaiable option from Mazda and I paid 52K not 39K, the car is like a second wife to me and I even invented for it the best anti-car jacking system in the world (I am a programmer) just to make sure I will never lose this fantastic and rare car. I would really love that you review my Mazdaspeed 3 on your channel, you will be proud as I will be. Trust me. Cheers
Had one of these. Quick as and very planted on the road. Had it slightly lowered. Ran excellent Neil the diff mount snapped and twisted the driveshaft. To expensive to repair.
11:04 mazda rx-8 spotted - yup as a weekend car my first choice - rx-8 and yup i have one at this moment :D thx for the video, interesting stuff for me
All l can say why any red painted Mazda can look so good they are the best reds l have seen on any car although red is the worse colour you can paint a car especially in Australia with the sun but this Mazda doesn't disappoint in the paint department anf great advice from Jim
I remember when I brought my 3yr old mk5 gti from vw and a friend got one of these in mazda3 form (mps) it was quick as it was remapped. It also had nothing but engine issues and eventually the engine blew up. Then I heard stories of others with engine issues and they were fairly new. Put me off wanting one. The s3 8p is a much better built more reliable car
Still have my mazdaspeed3 2013 last year it was made its ALL stock with 58K on the clock very fun car to drive l. Imagine this mazdaspeed3 all wheel drive...
![BabyChiefDoit - Too Slow (feat. STAR BANDZ) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zayaxws7RPg/mqdefault.jpg)
I've got to say I love it when you say "if the car keeps understeering you're just a shit driver" and "good drivers don't need big power to have fun"
It's so true and so refreshing to hear it in a car review. 👍👍
This was my daily for nearly a decade here in Colorado. So much fun in the snow! Little known facts:
it has direct mount hardware hidden under the weather strip on the roof. Looks pretty slick with a low profile Thule rack.
The rear seats fold down. You have to pull out the trunk liner behind the rear seats, but then you'll find the seat release hidden in the reinforcement crossbars.
The bose head unit supports aux in. You'll need to jump two pins on the back and run an audio cable to another two, but its easy and works flawlessly. When you're done AUX shows up as a source when you press the media button.
Watch out for a loose rear differential. They put weak bolts on the mount that can bend or sheer. Its worth upgrading the mount if you plan on driving it hard from a stop.
I miss mine, but it was time to move on. Unless I come across a pristine example like in this video, but then my wife might kill me 😂.
Yo wtf. Didn‘t know that. I‘ll try it tomorrow 🤣
Great Tips. Figured all of them out when i had mine over time, except the roof. So really good put together. Now i want it back.😢 Remember a big parking lot full of snow. The plowed Part was full with BMW and Porsche. I Was the only in a foot of snow having a blast in my own half of the lot 😂❤
I currently have an amp behind the rear seats, great place for it
Loved the criticism part, every episode needs them 🤣👍🏻
I frickin love this channel, so spot on! 'you're just a bad driver" love it.
I had a Mazda 6, they drive really well. And yeah you don't need more speed. Mine was a manual and it just felt so great. Only thing I found, in the wet you could get front wheel spin when pushing off the lights
Also they used to race them at the Grand prix
the AWD in a speed6 is mental, snow plowed 1 ft of soft snow in the UP of MI, own 5 speed6s and 2 speed 3s can't get enough
If I’m not mistaken, the number plate is Cantonese slang which means go faster! Love it
My brother has an MPS 3 and it's a rocket
He originally wanted the MPS 6 but the low rear roof line and the inferior storage of a sedan compared to a hatch had him chose the 3
The 3 is lighter as being a smaller body and only being front wheel drive
But the 6 does look great and is a lovely car 🙂
My family owns both a 2009 mazda 3 (i forgot the package but it was one of the better ones) and 2006 mazda 6 luxurysport, and i must say that the mazda 6 feels a lot more planted to the road and has a better steering feel, but the mazda 3 is definitely a very fun little zippy car, and i bet that both their MPS counterparts are bloody rockets.
Its a bit sad though that i dont think they made the 6 MPS in a "hatchback" version (the luxurysport we have lifts the entire rear window like any hatchback), and it is a lot more convenient than a sedan.
The weight is one of the only drawbacks of this car for sure. Love that it's AWD tho
@@obtainedlight4745 interesting
Yeah the hatch means you can do stuff with it, drop the back seats down and haul a load, etc
Sedans are quieter and more refined, so perhaps that was what Mazda were thinking about?
@@jaimininorath5760 if I remember correctly it's part time AWD - which isn't ideal for a sporty car IMO
I have a built speed3 and it is like driving a sled. Definitely needs the awd.
Loved the MPS's. Drove an MPS3 back when they were new and was very impressed at the power delivery. Wish they still made them.
Mazda have made more turbo 3's and maybe 6's in the recent years. There is an AWD 2.5L turbo mazda 3
@@UCkFvZiCmKQ34UOsW8pJ4TDg not in Australia I dont think. The US yes
I have helped my son do a full ground up build on a mazdaspeed 6 gt , all billet bottom , v2 billet intake , with port injection , air ride , tons of other stuff ,and it puts the biggest smile on his face so every wrench hr spent on it was worth it to spend time with him , ps it dyno at the wheels 700hp plus
Wow please post vids on his car!!
I bought one of these brand new and drove it for 4 years before trading it in, was comfortable but had lots of issues. Not sure if it was the car or the dealer causing the issues.. Replaced, engine, turbo x 2 due to play in the shaft, gearbox, drive shaft, brakes, clutch etc etc... All under warranty.... Was very glad to go back to my V8's after this thing....
Yup, this sums up perfectly the MPS.
In 4 years of ownership and trying to use it on daily basis, it broke my will on doing repairs anymore.
From injector seals to maf, rust, TC seals failure, clutch, idle smoking pcv failure, lambda, timing chain and it added the cherry on top with the rod bearings spin on cyl 1.
Ah, and also totally crap rings, had to be rebuilt.
Well it was co produce with Ford so that should've told you everything 😂 funny how v6s are making v8 now and days lol
@@cormaro13 " funny how v6s are making v8 now and days lol " not sure what was meant by this but a nice v6 now adays makes 300hp at best. but the v8's such as a smaller ford 5.0 makes 400hp and a dodge 6 liter makes 500hp. and both 8 and 6 love boost. did you mean that v6's are making the same power as v8's 30 years ago?
@brym4467 exactly how I said it , v6s are making the same power as v8s , not 30 year old v8 cause a 2013 v6 camaro takes the hp of a c5... and especially with today's time the v6s are good for 400 or more with basic mods and tune , this is for turbo not na , just cause you cant keep going up liters doesn't mean you can't make power with the v6s , the stinger and supra have no problems in mopping up those v8s lol
@@cormaro13 sorry you misstyped and was hard understand. yes excatly a 2013 v6 camaro makes the same power as GM's 1994 lt1 which is a 30yo v8. ive owned tons of 6 and 8s but take for example the mustang v8 400hp with bolt ons 500hp. v8s have also improved along side em. now turbo 4s are replacing the v6 camaros and stangs. they have all improved.
the best motoring voice over was a nice blast to the past. good memories
I have a 2006, non leather version, white in colour, bought in 11/20 with 60,000 klms. Only mods are upgraded HPFP internals, axle back exhaust and Pioneer audio with wireless Android Auto. The previous owner (who had it from new) put some after market wheels on it, which in my opinion really enhance the look. I have put 13,000 klms on it, and (touch wood), it's been 100% reliable. It's great fun to drive, and I like the sleeper aspect of it.
How's the car running so far? Any problems?
I've never seen one without a P plate in my life.
What does that mean, 'P plate'?
@@RRSmurf Middle license here in Australia.
Learner > P plates > Full license
The p plate licence has restrictions on cylinders and power to weight. So when a cool car like this manages to fit just within the parameters, the P platers go for them big time.
@@RRSmurf L, P(red), P(green), Full. Each come with power to weigh ratio and max speed restrictions.
@@izzy031096 I’m a p plater currently and we no longer have the max cylinders rule (or turbo, we can drive turbocharged cars)
@@jonathoncoward9358 Not in Qld mate. If you’re on your ps and are under 25, they still don’t allow cars manufactured before 2010 that are 8cyl or more, or a turbocharged/supercharged car, or anything with more than 210kw
Nice looking sleeper!
Think the lower value MP6 and MPS3 is the highly strung motor running ~15psi boost factory. Doesnt leave much on the table for tuning so was largely ignored by the 2F2F crowd when it came out since Evos and STIs were still being made.
That said and its a good point that "its fast enough" IRL. Few tasteful mods like this car and got yourself a nice fun rare car.
I think people just never really got into them until recently for tuning purposes, theres plenty left on the table. I own a 3 MPS, its tuned to 20psi with only an intake and a front mounted intercooler and it makes over 300whp and 480nm and to be honest thats low. Theres guys pushing 350whp and over 500nm on the stock internals but thats with full bolt ons. Overally its just a much more unique platform that flies under the radar and so nobody even knows how to tune them correctly apart from a handful of people in Australia. I had to get mine tuned from a guy in Finland.
@znova92 interesting. So what's changed?
When these came out people broke these tuning with just modest increases in boost. So people just ignored it. If could get those numbers then, then this would of been very popular car.
Stock psi of a 2002 sti 14psi. Mine was tuned to 21psi and ran that way happily for years.
@@alstone5559 I have an old v3 sti that ran 17psi from the factory. The standard vf23 could handle up to 20 psi before generating too much heat, and 22 with water/meth.
@@znova9240 Same, TMIC, HPFPI, 2.5in Intake w/TIP and 3in Exhaust with 2nd Cat delete I'm at 300whp on a modest tune (I daily so asked the tuner to stay reliable). 21PSI from the stock turbo (K04) which is usually 15PSI stock and it's gone into the 22's on some pulls.
Went with Freektune in America and I'm UK.
was 480Nm at 300hp (crank) on dyno before TMIC/TIP, I expect it to be 500Nm now, but will see at dyno next weekend.
😁
Torque is what does these motors in, usually from 369ftlbs to 400ftlbs-ish (500Nm to 540Nm) is considered safe-zone territory.
A mate had one new out of the box in 2006 and boy was it impressive… I had an SS Commodore at the time and I reckon the MPS would have been had to shake even in my SS … Awesome car and Great review !!!
a friend of mine owned almost identical one in the UK . I drove it , and remember the sport gearbox (short throw), super comfy seats, and overall feel of comfort mixed with sportiness.
The car only cost 4,600 GBP at the time, with only 60k miles on the clock. Today, this would be a bargain of the century. The car was driven very hard, with frequent launches and maxed out on German Autobahn. It had an exhaust leak at some point, which made it sound amazing. 1 year later, it developed check engine with loud engine rattle situation , which forced my friend to park it up for a few weeks. No mechanic would even try to diagnose it, so the car stood for a few more weeks. I suggested to install an app on his mobile, and try to check for fault codes. It came up with camshaft position failure or something in that line. We cleared the codes, and the car worked again just fine. We put it out for sale fearing the worst. It sold fast and lasted through the test drive. It run for good 6 years but eventually it was taken off road due to underbody rust just a few weeks ago.
So he abandoned it over needing a timing chain. Silly
@@jordonpollock1550guy obviously didn't do his homework on the known required maintenance needed for the model. But sounds like the person who bought it off him did if he kept it running for another 6 years!
Always liked the MPS, and that's just about the nicest one I've seen. Shame about the lights but aside from that...
i brought a mazda 6 recently 2007 model for $3,000 yep and cleaned it up new tyres front brakes service.and boy what a beautiful car too drive and have,,,fitted with a nrew android entertainment system ,,,love it...there out there...
The Mazda 6 was an amazing car that has flown under the radar here in the States. When I do see someone driving a Mazda 6, I can't help but think that's one intelligent driver ❤.
So true cars usually don't have problems. This car, along with other performance cars attracts a lot of ID-10T problems on the road. Sometimes causes the car to self install into a power pole.
Great vid. I loved my 05 MPS6 and this was a great reminder of the fun times i had in it.. i was almost able to forget about its multiple turbo replacements, exploding clutch lines and constant oil top ups!
Yes exaxtly! Iv'e had two of these a few years back, engines are soft in standard form, mine both blew up. Got about 4 years of fun from the first one though, love how they drive and look but reluctant to go for another. 🤷♂️ 😂
Its happening Boi's!
South Africa has made it to redriven!🥳
Glad to see the MPS 6 featured, absolutely love mine, got plans for it when it's no longer my daily and doesn't need to be *as* reliable... but it does what I ask for in a car and more. I bought mine off of a dude who used it as his weekend car since the day it left the factory floor, Incredibly looked after and currently at just under 140k's, It's got a few issues that should be looked at within the next 10k's but nothing that's serious at the moment.
I got incredibly lucky with mine and spent months searching for the perfect one to pop up. ended up being a far less thrashed car than the other being sold, and ended up spending less for more.
First time viewer of your channel (here in Sydney) BLOODY BRILLIANT. Just love your straight down the line no bull shit critique of a vehicle, so refreshing not to mention as someone else said "good drivers don't need big power to have fun" ! I drive regularly in the lower north shore area of Sydney as a tradie and noted a year or so back a white MPS in a back street parked up. It clearly had not gone anywhere for a very very longtime, it looked very sad and unloved.
Just sold my wife’s one done 300,000k! Original engine, turbo, clutch and gearbox. Serviced every 5000k and left standard it was such a reliable car
My Mazdaspeed 6 was one of my favorite cars I've owned. Did fantastic in the snow.
I`ve owned the 2010 Tech Mazdaspeed3 almost 6 years and I love it as much as when I first bought it. Tasteful, and well thought out, mods, a proper tune, and regular maintenance will keep these cars on the road for many years to come.
I have a 07 GT Speed6 and it’s a great car. Not to overlook I purchased with some issues. After sorting them I love driving it.
I have a black 2006 mazdaspeed 6 running mid 12s.
Its the perfect sleeper. Bigger bnrs3, dp, hpfp, intake, front mount intercool and 2.5" piping, short shift, diff mount. Evo 10 enkei wheels, evo 8 4 pot brembos, stage 1 clutch.
Theres nothing like the look on the mustangs and dodge srt guys face when they get paddled.
Its not without its headaches. But i love it.
Had a 06 MPS6 from near new for almost a decade. Traded it in at 285K km. never let me down except for one slave cylinder hose leak (easy fix). original engine one one turbo replacement. And one clutch replacement. Full suspension and bushing/engine +diff mount upgrades. Theres lots of FoMoCo(Ford) parts, but was overall fairly easy to self maintain. I do miss it (especially 3rd gear) and would buy another if an unmolested one came up at the right price. I now have the Atenza Turbo Wagon and would love those 2 as a pair.
Aside from my old volvo hand me down I had from my dad, an 09 speed 3 was my first actual car i purchased with my own money, and it hit all the spots perfect for me. Is a blast to drive, not too bad on gas (I get about 26mpg total, mostly highway driving), been super reliable for me (bought it at 40miles, at 120k miles so far, not one thing wrong with it yet), and I can fit a 50" tv in the trunk. Cant ask for much more, it literally does everything for me! My only gripes or warnings are mod carefully, make sure you do your research and know the support mods to get before you start slapping on bigger turbos or intakes, and working in the engine bay can be a little annoying since its kind of tightly packed in there. Otherwise, its an amazing driving car, one of my favorite 3rd>4th gear pockets, safe and has a big trunk, and super reliable unless you go crazy modding, couldn't recommend them more!
Yeah i had an 06. This car is fun in every way. It also had full 2 tone leather flip up nav and keyless start and entry. Car is sick.
Dad bought one as his daily driver, both my brother and I absolutely loved it when we first got behind the wheel. So much so he then went and bought his own! Both theirs's are sub 130,000km's and completely unmolested examples. Had a few issues with my Dad's when we bought it, being a weak power steering pump, the transfer case was leaking and the rear gearbox mount was shot. However dealer paid to get most of the problems fixed under the warranty we got with it and it has been faultless since. I would highly recommend taking them to a mechanic and getting it up on a hoist to be inspected before purchasing (especially when buying privately). Other than that I 110% recommend them to anyone who manages to find a well cared for unmolested example. I adore mps 6's so much and I almost considered swapping my VF commodore for one (almost)
That is the car i bought in 2015. Mine is from 2008. Now it has over 200'00km. Drive it daily and love it. Plenty of power to have fun. Was once on a track to have fun. Was enough for it. If you want to time attack it's not the best choice for sure. But for what i use it, it has more than enough power. Specially in the summer to drive over the mountains in switzerland it is great.
Great review! I’ve always had a soft spot for the MPS 6, and Mazda’s work overall in the early mid noughties, to reposition themselves as a premium brand.
If you ever need a Melbourne correspondent, I’d love the opportunity to get involved in what you’re producing!
I own a Speed6 here in the USA (BCM GT w/Panda), and I absolutely love it. It's easily one of the best purchases I've ever made. I purchased mine with low mileage over 10 years ago, and aside from replacing the upper 02 sensor a few weeks ago have had zero problems with mine. No major engine problems, no smoking turbo, etc. I've tracked the car a number of times and it's a monster on a road course. The car also makes for a great backroad cruiser if you have some nice twisty ones nearby. Unfortunately, I have neighbors I have to park near who don't pay much attention when opening their doors so she's pretty dinged up at the moment, but after I move into my place in the country she's getting a full body fix and repaint. When the engine finally dies she's getting a fully built motor. Even if beating on them, if you change the oil, replace the plugs every now and then, brake pads every now and then, tires, etc these cars even modded will last a long time and perform amazingly well. Don't skimp on parts if modding, and invest in the entire drivetrain, not just the engine.
All bout the driver with these cars and maintenance I miss mine dearly
Great honest review. I have had mine as a daily driver now for 15 years just love driving her. The combination of all wheel drive with the standard suspension set up and corners like a dream. My tip is talk to your mechanic about getting the oil right.
I have a mazdaspeed6 and absolutely love it. I've blown up 4 engines in it due to my own mistakes. Catching people off guard when they race me is awesome.
Love the odd skits you throw in, keep up the great work redriven team
I love Mazda 6. It's like the smoothest car I've ever driven so far, but lately am starting to notice some problems with the gear box and some rust. But hey, we'll care for it. It'll be as good as new.
Massively underrated
Mate it's about time you got some advertising. I mean I can understand why you don't want to, but RUclips Ads won't pay the bills by themselves and don't worry about people who complain about ADs because they think everything in life should be free. Just make sure it's on topic products and that they are good quality products you trust.
I had the same colour in a non MPS version with leather, 6 speed manual. Great car.
I have a factory serviced second owner and its a fantastic car.
I bloody love this channel! Greetings from South Africa!
I bought mine brand new and after 205 000km and 16 years, the very first thing I had to replace was the diff mounts. Absolutely nothing else. The windscreen wipers are still original and still works well. A very underrated car. Had several offers, but I don't want to sell.
And they did make them in the wagon, a V6 gasoline (not the same as this DISI engine but still) and a 2.0 L, 136 HP, 300 Nm @1,800 RPM direct injected, intercooled turbodiesel, also known as the "GTA". The diesel is a rocket, and if properly maintained is indestructible, going 220 km/h and only sipping 5.0 L / 100 km if being driven at 120 km/h.
I got one with 10 previous owner title! it’s been 4 years ! it never left me stranded! i tuned it for 320 hp! perfect daily car for the buck! solid on highway! pulls like crazy and smart AWD system comes in handy! i would buy another one! nice style fairly simple to work on! no crazy technology to go wrong!! i just change oil every 4000 km and stay away from RPM 6500 and higher! stock HPFP is good enough
this guy is the best car review man ive ever watched
I had a North American (live in New Jersey) regular 6 with the 'sport package' (aluminum wheels, spoiler, 4 Wheel disk brakes) and Ford 3.0 L V-6 engine with about 210 HP from new in 2006 to 2016, put on 91,000 miles on it. It had plenty of power, handled very well on country roads, road good, plenty of inside room but tight on the outside, quite reliable (only majors a blower fan motor, a water pump, weld up of a leaking front exhaust pipe and one plug coil). The generation Mazda 6 was quite related to the NA Ford Fusion, and except for the Mazdaspeed which was only made in Japan, mine for the NA market was made in a joint Ford-Mazda plant in Michigan which makes now the Mustang.
Bought an MPS6 last year, 55 000KM on it, completely stock beside that its been lowered, planning to put on stock springs.
I dont want to tune it in any way, just want to have it stock.
I owned a few different cars, but this is by far the best car I have owned. Its comfy and fast when I need it to be.
Its a bit of rare find where I live too. Never seen another on the road before. So its fun to take it to car meets and pop the hood open.
There is a few things that needs to be worked on in the car, like the seats as mentioned.
Also gotta fix the AC on it, right windows does not go down, a little rust (under the paint aswell) and new break pads.
Loved mine, was a brilliant fun car, but that clutch in freeway traffic was hard to manage. Passed it onto a son who also loved it. A sleeper that was hugely overlooked.
The clutch in this car was punishing. Probably the hardest stock clutch for me to get use to, really heavy & small bite point. I have stalled in a manual as much as I have in this car
Owned 1 for 2 years never skipped a beat hands down best car ive owned
I have a 2022 Mazda 6 Atenza Wagon which combines the sportiness of an old MPS, the luxury of a proper big Euro cruise missile and the practicality (and cool factor) of a wagon. Would love Mazda to build a 6 with the new inline 6 turbo but I'm not holding my breath.
I have a 08 speed3 here in America and I love it I have just basic bolt ons but big turbo coming next summer🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I've had 2 MS3's also owned Evo's and 180's and my current MPS is amazing.
Love the channel, videos are always fun and properly informative, filling the void Top Gear left. And the strong bi/pan energy is joyous ;) AS for the MPS/Mazdaspeed - I loved everything about them except that rear bumper.
Second best comment , other than mine 😂.
The amount of effort the team put in for our leisure is
It is easy to induce oversteer on slippery roads, like others have said not just a capable winter car, but down right fun. Very few cars offer the feel and feedback this car has.
My fav car I've ever owned. Bought it new in 2006. I've owned some so called nicer cars since, but nothing fit the blend of sleeper quick, grand touring and comfortable daily. I'm in Atlantic Canada and with winter tires on, not only was it incredibly good in snow, it was hilarious. The manual transmission with awd in snow, well there is no better combination for fun in the snow. I embarrassed quite a few suv and trucks on hills in my awd ms6. Sadly, we do use salt here and at 4 yrs it was rusting in the back wheels and trunk edge and I'm absolutely obsessed with waxing and taking care of my car. This was the Ford-Mazda Era, and it showed in places. My current Mazda is such a jump in quality over this, but really really boring...2020 cx5. My other car is a Type-s tlx, and I wouldn't say my Type-s is as fun to drive as that ms6 was. Better, certainly, but as fun, no. If Mazda puts their new CX90 rear wheel drive biased AWD platform in a Mazda 6.. it will be mine.
I bought an early Mazda6 manual new in 2002 and it drove like a beauty for 15 years. No issues, except for a sticky accelerator in the cold months, easy fix. Great handling, gearbox and steering for a stock sedan. Many don't get that when Mazda was making the 6, it was its premium passenger car, there was nothing above it. It was their halo car, they didn't shirk on the engineering. I'm sure the MPS wouldn't disappoint anyone who knows how to drive not just in a straight line.
What do you mean sticky accelerator in cold months?
Leeeettttssss gooooo been waiting for you to review one of these!
I've owned mine for 15 years, 180K on the clock. Stock standard except for ceramic brakes on the front which I got to reduce brake dust which was insane from the originals. Still have original pads on the back though. Drives like new. Only non-consumable cost so far was the timing gear which is a documented design fault and fixed with a redesigned component.
Same, had mine since 2008. As I mentioned previously, I had to replace the clutch a couple of years ago. Pricy, but really reliable all things considered.
I’ve always liked these
Nice car to drive, but it is not in EVO or WRX territory for either speed or handling. A fast, well handling cruiser is a better way to describe the Mazda MPS.
These were as quick as a WRX of the day.
I'd suggest looking at what the Mazdaspeed community has done with these before labeling them inferior. The FE3 motors are incredibly potent, and while the MS6 wheelbase is longer, depending on spec, it didn't even weigh more.
@@wes.9353 I did not labelled the MPS "inferior", that is your word. The MPS is better for day to day driving and way better in terms of NVH. But if you have driven all three cars, you would know that the MPS is no where near as focused as the EVO or WRX.
"...instead of trying to make a track car livable..." So true. I drove a 2003 Mazdaspeed. It's like butter within a practical range
Wow props to the owner for keeping her clean
Shoutout from South Africa! 🇿🇦 0:35
I purchased one of these back in 2009 (a 2005 example) for 24K with 60K on the odometer. Drove it across the Nullabor from Adelaide to Perth and it was a hoot. Long legged with the mid range punch in 3rd and 4th gears really demonstrated this car's strengths. It overtook pretty much everything quickly and effortlessly.
I had a 2003 Mazda 6 lux sport prior to that and this was in another league.
I fitted an aftermarket pop up head unit (where the top compartment is) with sat nav, DVD and reverse camera and complimented with the Bose sound it was definitely more than decent.
The only minor drawback was on the series one, where if you didn't ride the clutch somewhat it had a tendency to stall. This was apparently addressed on the later versions.
I suggest these could become a modern classic and could appreciate in value given their limited production run.
the much faster altimas se-r with the 260hp v6 and 6 speed were king of the Jap sedans in the early 00's
Crazy question but you wouldn’t happen to have record of the VIN anywhere? Was it black? Previous owner told me that the owner before him brought it over from Adelaide across the Nullahbor and considering the low amount of MPS 6s around its very possible I own your old MPS
Stoppp I had one as my first car in bright red fresh ass paint too😢things awesome I miss it, very rare in the US idk if you guys got more
A great review, Thankyou!
I always wanted to transplant the running gear from one of these into my old 2007 Mazda6 GSX wagon as it would have been very unique in wagon form . The Mazda6 (not MPS) I had was in itself a fantastic car, it handled great and the odd time I lent it out to visiting friends they loved the way it drove aswell. Sold it with 270,000kms still running great and having not given me any major issues for the over 100,000kms I had it. Should have kept it and seen it over it’s 300,000km mark
I remember the one that came out when the Mondeo ST220 was around. 256hp through the front wheels in a big production saloon car was pretty much unheard of back then. It was quick and actually, it handled relatively well.
absolutely love the ST220, its faults are nothing when stacked up to the sum of its parts and can really carve up a rural pass, but the MPS is smashing too!
had a st200 with 250 tkm, sold it :) was a really nice car
A friend had one back in 2014 and it was ok. Many mechanical issues and some expensive repairs but still a nice car.
my biggest complaint with the Ford era mazda cars is the rust (at least if you live in a rusty area) and there were a few common repair issues that came up around 100-130k miles. Me AND my younger brother both got a 2006 and a 2007 Mazda3 and mine had bad rust (I live in Northwest Ohio by Lake Erie, it was my first car and I knew nothing about cars) but my brother got his when he lived in Arizona with my dad and it had NO rust (obviously). We both ended up having a rough idle issue at some point, mine was the PCV valve and I also had my coolant temp sensor go out so i replaced that and my coolant pump just to be safe since I was already in there doing the repair. Other than trying to figure out and doing that PCV valve repair (which is a pain since the PCV is burried under the intake manifold) I never had any other issues with the car and it was THE most fun sedan I had ever driven and I was happy to have it as my first car.
When i did my test drive in it I was blown away by how fun it was to drive. After owning it for a while I did drive it a bit more aggressively on the road especailly on twisty roads but it handled it all like a champ and it gives you so much confidence and you can really feel what the car is doing (in a good way, you get so much feedback from the amazing handling and the pedals). Although the newer Mazda3s dont have hydraulic steering they still also handle great and they have the even MORE reliable Skyactive engines. The newer Skyactive engines are STUPID reliable. my dad has owned TWO CX-5s and he has NEVER had to take them into a mechanic due to random issues throughout owning his first one or his second one and his second one even towed / handled his move to Arizona and eventually back to Ohio a few years later and it still feels amazing to drive (he loaned it to me for a period after my Mazda3 eventually died from old age and rust, but eventually a diffirent family member gave me their 2018 Kia Soul which just feels like a major downgrade going from my 06 Mazda3 :( I would not ever go out of my way to get a Kia Soul but its the car Im stuck with for the time being). I would love to eventually buy a newer Mazda3 or an ND Miata in the future (or the new CX-50, I think that thing looks amazing and Ive heard it has slightly heavier steering and better steering feedback despite using electric steering assist which I prefer over the extremely lightweight steering feels of modern electric assisted cars of today). For the price, reliability, looks, and fun handling and still peppy engines Mazda just blows me away. Im glad Mazda isnt held back by Ford anymore, that was the biggest cause for most of their issues back in the early 2000s. those cars are still fun and for the most part reliable though.
Still rocking my 12 year old MPS3, 115k! Great drivers car despite being fwd! Nice bargain turbo hatch
Rear diff mounts rear diff mounts rear diff mounts. Also the driveshaft.
Best part of your videos is mentioning that smoking is gross, finally someone to say that 😂
Had a couple over the years, sold my first a year and a half ago when I found one a couple states away with only 22k miles. Best purchase of my life, these things are insanely strong and will surprise a ton of vehicles on the road with a few mods. 400whp+ is easily easily doable, and fun as hell :D
14:10 Ah yes, the percussive maintenance remedy. Works a treat on older vehicles.
I ran one of these for many years, and you can make them into a serious performer. But you need to know what you're doing. People are making 500+kw with them.
Interestingly, one of the party tricks of these cars is the handbrake - when you pull the brake the rear diff disconnects. Mazdas engineers are quoted as saying this was to help with "drifting style fun", and you could reef the brake into a corner, hook it sideways, then drop the brake so it goes back to awd. You could have a lot of fun with them.
Also cheeky Brembo swap makes me smile. I still get messages from people to this day after I wrote the first guide on it back in like 2011 or something
Great vid and the total honesty is brilliant 👍
For the love of everything holy, first thing you do on any mazda mps is replace the high pressure fuel pump internals (hpfp)and the rear motor mount with aftermarket.
The stock hpfp was under developed on this cars and any mods you do without the hpfp will cause you to run lean.
If you have the mps 6 please replace the rear diff mounts with after market if your launching this car, the rubbers are weak and will cause the diff mounts on the actual diff to break, very costly. If you do all this and service on time. They really good cars.
This car is basically a Ford Focus RS as a sedan, I like sedans haha and cool looking one at that. Similar engine (same 2.3L 4 cyl turbo) and AWD system. Heck even the wheelbase of both this gen Mazda 6 sedan and last gen Ford Focus hatchback are very similar.
Brought my Gen 2 MPS3 near on two years ago as my daily a to be b car and thus far its been a absolutely fantastic car
Have made sure to keep up with the oil changes religiously (done every 4000kms) whilst cleaning the engine out with engine flush and crc intake cleaner every change also (being a direct port injection motor they build up of carbon otherwise pretty easily)
Have only just lowered it on King springs, chucked some after market 18" wheels on it and installed a BOV on it otherwise its stock
I am waiting on a cat back I'm wanting to buy however too for a little added noise as the stock exhaust is too quiet for liking
But again, been a fantastic car so far
The small "cubby hole" on the driver side is for your sunglasses, just since you said it was missing a place for your shades.
They also came with keyless entry and a pop up navigation system where the dash cubby is .
I drove one for 14 years and the only thing it was in the shop for was the serpentine belt. I sold it with just under 250k miles. Leave the engine alone and upgrade the suspension. Both the speed 3 and 6 are a blast. I hung out with a mazda club and realized that the people who had problem where those who where either poor mechanics or poor drivers
Got one with 150k miles and a good bit of mods. Enjoy it a good bit.
had one... lots of fun, the diff was iffy and made weird noises, but mazda eventually replaced it under warranty. Traded it for a Lexus IS350... (more fun)
I have the exact same Air Max's in that same colour!
Had one for 7 years and I loved it! Never failed me once. I mildly tuned it up to 320bhp. BUT, they rust (here in the U.K. anyway) something awful - everywhere underneath, wheel arches, boot, bonnet. O, and the engine rods are made of chocolate.
I thought they had forged rods, its the pistons that have issues no?
@@zokusharuuku1091 i don’t think so. Plenty of stories on the forums of rods letting go and venting the block. Rear diff mounts are a known failure point too. It’s been nearly 5 years since I sold mine and I still miss it.
You forgot the eggzellent small cubby with a lid is for your sunglasses! That one located just beside and a notch down from the steering wheel stem! Seen noone other car with such a smart trick! ;)
I bought my Mazda 3 MPS brand new in 2006, in fact it is the first red sold in NSW as I bought it 3 months before they brought it to Australia, I never let anyone touches my car since day 1, not even Mazda, the car still looks brand new in all spects, paint, interior and engine, over 210K km, 17 years old and like brand new, people sometimes stop me to ask me about the car and if I want to sell it, BTW I have also an Audi 3 1.8T 2015 and Golf R 2018, the Mazda 3 MPS for me is far superior and reliable and even faster, I did almost no modification other that AccesPort map 0, koni suspension and Superpro bushes all around, last year I took my gearbox out and changed all OEM bearings inside myself along with the OEM clutch kit with brand new OEM parts, when I bought it brand new I added evey avaiable option from Mazda and I paid 52K not 39K, the car is like a second wife to me and I even invented for it the best anti-car jacking system in the world (I am a programmer) just to make sure I will never lose this fantastic and rare car. I would really love that you review my Mazdaspeed 3 on your channel, you will be proud as I will be. Trust me. Cheers
Had one of these. Quick as and very planted on the road. Had it slightly lowered. Ran excellent Neil the diff mount snapped and twisted the driveshaft. To expensive to repair.
11:04 mazda rx-8 spotted - yup as a weekend car my first choice - rx-8 and yup i have one at this moment :D thx for the video, interesting stuff for me
All l can say why any red painted Mazda can look so good they are the best reds l have seen on any car although red is the worse colour you can paint a car especially in Australia with the sun but this Mazda doesn't disappoint in the paint department anf great advice from Jim
I remember when I brought my 3yr old mk5 gti from vw and a friend got one of these in mazda3 form (mps) it was quick as it was remapped. It also had nothing but engine issues and eventually the engine blew up. Then I heard stories of others with engine issues and they were fairly new. Put me off wanting one. The s3 8p is a much better built more reliable car
My favorite voice over so far 😂
That dark blue RX-8 in Rhodes barely ever moves lol. Try and review it 👍
I really enjoyed this review
I regret selling my Mazda3 MPS just before COVID. Would love to see a review on the 3 too.
Still have my mazdaspeed3 2013 last year it was made its ALL stock with 58K on the clock very fun car to drive l. Imagine this mazdaspeed3 all wheel drive...