RE: SOTW: Mazda MX-6

Author
Discussion

Smartass

177 posts

191 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Good shedding. I'm quite tempted actually, it looks like it would absorb my daily M25 schlep and let me save the Bimmer for more fun days.

pSyCoSiS

3,581 posts

204 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Nice interior, but probably feels very 'plastic', like with most Jap cars around that era (infact, most Jap cars, full stop).

Wrong Wheel Drive for me to be interested, but seems like quite a bit of car for the money.

Mazda Baiter

37,068 posts

187 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Good shed! thumbup

LuS1fer

41,069 posts

244 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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I like these but why is it that the sister "Probe" is so reviled in comparison - basically the same car.

excel monkey

4,544 posts

226 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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LuS1fer said:
I like these but why is it that the sister "Probe" is so reviled in comparison - basically the same car.
Silly name, Essex image, lame four cylinder engine on the base model...

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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LuS1fer said:
I like these but why is it that the sister "Probe" is so reviled in comparison - basically the same car.
Just being flippant (and puerile) here - but could it be because it's called 'probe'?!? (Never seemed like a sensible name for a car that, always sounded slightly unpleasant - like something sexual or medical - to me)

kbee540

197 posts

207 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Wow, now that brings back some fond memories. Bought one of these new in 1994. Bright red with that lovely smooth V-6. Certainly wasn't a rocket, but compared well with other metal at the time. Remember upsetting a mate with an E36 320is who couldn't pull away on mixed A and B roads, and my young testosterone fueled self like nothing more than picking on Prelude and (non-Turbo) Calibra drivers. Was just 20 when I bought it and was sad enough in those days to wash it even whilst it was raining

How good a car was it? Well, let’s put it this way: It was replaced after 3-yrs by a brand new E39 540i Sport (stiff suspension, 6-speed, loads of toys) that cost more than twice as much. Took delivery in Munich and managed the return trip to Huntingdon in just 9-hrs, including ferry crossing. By all measures an epic car. But....I was always just a bit disappointed. The MX-6 was simply such a great car in so many ways that I could never really justify the costs/benefit ratio of the Bimmer. It simply wasn’t twice as good as the Mazzer as the price would indicate. It was better no doubt, but I always missed that sweet little coupe.

If anyone should happen upon a bright red example carrying L446 KAV plates, know that it has the kind of charm that an E39 V-8 5-er couldn't match and makes me doubt whether my E93 335d Coupe is really a better thing. Thanks for bringing back the memories PH.

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Not a bad car and I actually considered one about 10 years back.


Gridl0k

1,058 posts

182 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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excel monkey said:
LuS1fer said:
I like these but why is it that the sister "Probe" is so reviled in comparison - basically the same car.
Silly name, Essex image, lame four cylinder engine on the base model...
..Alan Partridge...

Minnsy

414 posts

266 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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I had the 2.5 Probe many years back. If you could overlook the name, the wrong wheels being driven, the name, the colour (white), and the fact all my friends thought I was a tt... it was a reasonable car... and it had pop up lights.

finally got that off my chest....

An Oasis

123 posts

187 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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That brings back memories, mine used to carry bricks, tools, the family...and still looked good! smile Always wanted the JSpec version but never found a good example.

Motorrad

6,811 posts

186 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Gridl0k said:
excel monkey said:
LuS1fer said:
I like these but why is it that the sister "Probe" is so reviled in comparison - basically the same car.
Silly name, Essex image, lame four cylinder engine on the base model...
..Alan Partridge...
Boss.........Hugo Boss


Right actor, wrong character.


I don't see the problem with the name 'Probe'-

"I DRIVE A FORD PROBE, LOVE"

Can just imagine setting my keys down on the bar before talking about the silky smooth V6.................

Zircon

305 posts

180 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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The MX6 was a really good mid 90's sportscar (even if it followed the front wheel drive format for those who like to play things safe....)

However

I would buy a 6th generation Toyota Celica over one of these every day of the week:

Equally decent looks (I would say better than the MX6)
Same size engine but more power at 174bhp
Better fuel consumption
Equally as good build quality






Steamer

13,834 posts

212 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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That cabin looks like a very nice place to be!

...and as for all the probe bashing that is going on here (fanah' fanah'!) I think they were pretty darn good cars in both 4 & V6 guise.

Very reliable (once you got the distributor problem sorted! < that was a right bug bear!) economical and good cruisers.

ajprice

27,253 posts

195 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Nice car, I'd have that over the Cheeseman too tongue out .

Jaykaybi

3,494 posts

220 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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I had one of these. Want it back.

KEF

52 posts

181 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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oh luverly (although i'd take pretty much any colour rather than white!),

makes me all misty eyed - I sold one of these to buy an RX-8 (many moons ago)

mine was a grey import with a J spec engine and four wheel steer - compared to the old 200sx with the pop up head lights it was tremendous - great engine note, bags of torque, fun handling, well built, reliable and pretty rare (and with careful driving i once saw 35mpg).

often wonder why I sold it, the 8 might be faster but the 6 was a better day to day drive
KEF

Denorth

559 posts

170 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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that's a nice one. Well done!
I remember when I just got to UK (2005) i saw one on sale next door and being overwhelmed by all those cheap used cars in UK I was ready to buy either it (I think the price was around £2,500 that time) or Celica.
Insurance quote killed any kind of interest from my side getmecoat

troc

3,733 posts

174 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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Galsia said:
My dad used to have one of these in black and it was a lovely car. The back seats were very comfortable and it was fairly quick. Nothing wrong with it, although I remember my dad having to put a bit of cardboard between the dashboard and windscreen to stop it from squeaking.
Same here, dad had one and there were little bits of paper or silicone everywhere!

Loved it though, had many a great drive down to the Alps in it.

The only slightly embarrassing aspect being the colour - not the actual colour as such, more the fact that it wad called "passion rose" smile

freakynessless

473 posts

181 months

Friday 4th June 2010
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ugly looking thing, but a nice engine makes up for that.

I have a mate who's had his for over ten years now. I hink he loves it more than his wife. I doubt he'll ever part with it and may even one day be buried with it.