Mazda 6 TS Shed - Probably the most boring thread ever!
Discussion
I’m not sure why I’ve started this, but why not.
Back in February 2015 my wife fell pregnant and that signalled the time to move my Impreza on. It had been amazing but was about to start costing me money.

It sold in less than 24hrs and the search began for a suitable replacement. I’d never considered a Mazda and they’d not really featured on my radar but kept popping up in my searches. I drove a 1.8 locally and was impressed but wanted a 2.0.
I found a minter down on the south coast with really low miles.
The only nagging doubt was an advisory for rusty sills. A decent prod around didn’t reveal anything too bad and oddly this hasn’t cropped up in the 4 MOT’s I’ve put it through.
This is where it gets boring, five years on and it’s been perfect.
Every MOT/Service has cost me around £300, mainly in rear brakes and handbrake which have all been replaced over the last 3 years in stages. And other than a new battery and a few headlight bulbs the last 45000 miles have been a joy.

From time to time I think of replacing it, but it’s near worthless now and performing as well as ever. It even cleans up well when I can be bothered!
It’s so far proved kiddy proof, carry’s all the bikes, tows the camping trailer and eats dump runs.
Shedtastic indeed.
Back in February 2015 my wife fell pregnant and that signalled the time to move my Impreza on. It had been amazing but was about to start costing me money.
It sold in less than 24hrs and the search began for a suitable replacement. I’d never considered a Mazda and they’d not really featured on my radar but kept popping up in my searches. I drove a 1.8 locally and was impressed but wanted a 2.0.
I found a minter down on the south coast with really low miles.
The only nagging doubt was an advisory for rusty sills. A decent prod around didn’t reveal anything too bad and oddly this hasn’t cropped up in the 4 MOT’s I’ve put it through.
This is where it gets boring, five years on and it’s been perfect.
Every MOT/Service has cost me around £300, mainly in rear brakes and handbrake which have all been replaced over the last 3 years in stages. And other than a new battery and a few headlight bulbs the last 45000 miles have been a joy.
From time to time I think of replacing it, but it’s near worthless now and performing as well as ever. It even cleans up well when I can be bothered!
It’s so far proved kiddy proof, carry’s all the bikes, tows the camping trailer and eats dump runs.
Shedtastic indeed.
Had one of these myself a few years back and I agree it was quite a boring car but that said as a tool to do a job it was great, drove well good on fuel and totally reliable did about 25k in just over a year, tyres brakes and servicing and that's it, only unusual thing about mine it was totally rust free according to the history it had some sort of dealer recall early in its life to rustproof the sills and arches whatever it was it worked!
I had one of these - KJ06 OAV.
Bought it at 5 years old, 30k miles on the clock for 4k! Ran it until we got a dog and so (IDIOTICALLY) sold it for a discovery.
Mistake.
Such good cars- I once moved house and managed to get a double mattress and a sofa in it (separate trips of course!). The sofa defeated by dads a4 avant.
Bought it at 5 years old, 30k miles on the clock for 4k! Ran it until we got a dog and so (IDIOTICALLY) sold it for a discovery.
Mistake.
Such good cars- I once moved house and managed to get a double mattress and a sofa in it (separate trips of course!). The sofa defeated by dads a4 avant.
I have had one of these for the last nine years and quite agree with all of the comments. Only non consumable has been a wheel bearing last year, and being a TS2 it has one or two useful toys eg sunroof and leather with electric memory seat for the driver. So far the dreaded tin worm has been kept at bay, bit the car does have regular trips to the jetwash.
We’re 6 years and 50k miles into our 07 petrol 2.0 TS2 now, currently on 130k. The missus has crashed and bashed, it’s been chewed by a horse and been backed into by another school run mum it but it soldiers on relentlessly!
Other than brakes all round, a front wheel bearing and an annual oil change nothing phases it, proper cockroach of a car. Adequate toys, OK stereo, fairly kid-proof inside and even happily tows my track car around. I keep thinking to update it with something more modern but then again I feel a commitment to see it through to the end of its life!
Other than brakes all round, a front wheel bearing and an annual oil change nothing phases it, proper cockroach of a car. Adequate toys, OK stereo, fairly kid-proof inside and even happily tows my track car around. I keep thinking to update it with something more modern but then again I feel a commitment to see it through to the end of its life!
We had a 52 2.0 diesel estate in the same blue. I managed to blow the turbo by forgetting to check the oil for a while but, otherwise, it was a reliable thing for the couple of years we had it.
Only sold because my Aunt and Uncle offered us their low miles CRV at trade value and we'd have been silly to turn it down. The 6 sold in no time at all.
Hope you continue to enjoy it OP.
Only sold because my Aunt and Uncle offered us their low miles CRV at trade value and we'd have been silly to turn it down. The 6 sold in no time at all.
Hope you continue to enjoy it OP.
Jeenyus161 said:
I had one of these - KJ06 OAV.
Bought it at 5 years old, 30k miles on the clock for 4k! Ran it until we got a dog and so (IDIOTICALLY) sold it for a discovery.
Mistake.
Such good cars- I once moved house and managed to get a double mattress and a sofa in it (separate trips of course!). The sofa defeated by dads a4 avant.
We had KJ06 OBD. 2.0 TS estate which although reliable and practical was extremely dull and the engine was a complete non event. Killed by a van driver using it as an air brake in the end but it was using an alarming amount of oil and petrol at 190k although it wasn't rotten.Bought it at 5 years old, 30k miles on the clock for 4k! Ran it until we got a dog and so (IDIOTICALLY) sold it for a discovery.
Mistake.
Such good cars- I once moved house and managed to get a double mattress and a sofa in it (separate trips of course!). The sofa defeated by dads a4 avant.
Not much of an update to be fair. The main bonus of the Covid-19 pandemic has been I’ve taken full advantage of the 6 month MOT extension afforded to us. This is gold for the discerning shedman and has bought me another 6 months ‘free’ motoring.
In an ideal world I’ll get another 2 summers use out the the 6 before tinworm really sets in. This will be it’s downfall I fear.
A lockdown wash the other day revealed that under the film of dust and general road dirt, a few little rust bubbles have appeared in the usual areas.
Still, for now it cleans up well. I now refuse to apply product other than car shampoo, it’s had a clay bar and polish once, and won’t be getting anymore now.

Otherwise the 6 remains bulletproof. Even a wayward pheasant was dispatched into the weeds on a rare lockdown trip out without so much as a mark on the bumper.
Since the last update I’ve treated myself to a Clio 182 which has relegated the Mazda to tip runs, family days out and the weekly shop. All tasks it excels at to be fair.Anything else I’ll always take the Clio out for a spin.
Another picture, because it’s not clean very often, and just because.

In an ideal world I’ll get another 2 summers use out the the 6 before tinworm really sets in. This will be it’s downfall I fear.
A lockdown wash the other day revealed that under the film of dust and general road dirt, a few little rust bubbles have appeared in the usual areas.
Still, for now it cleans up well. I now refuse to apply product other than car shampoo, it’s had a clay bar and polish once, and won’t be getting anymore now.
Otherwise the 6 remains bulletproof. Even a wayward pheasant was dispatched into the weeds on a rare lockdown trip out without so much as a mark on the bumper.
Since the last update I’ve treated myself to a Clio 182 which has relegated the Mazda to tip runs, family days out and the weekly shop. All tasks it excels at to be fair.Anything else I’ll always take the Clio out for a spin.
Another picture, because it’s not clean very often, and just because.
Cads said:
Not much of an update to be fair. The main bonus of the Covid-19 pandemic has been I’ve taken full advantage of the 6 month MOT extension afforded to us. This is gold for the discerning shedman and has bought me another 6 months ‘free’ motoring.
In an ideal world I’ll get another 2 summers use out the the 6 before tinworm really sets in. This will be it’s downfall I fear.
A lockdown wash the other day revealed that under the film of dust and general road dirt, a few little rust bubbles have appeared in the usual areas.
Still, for now it cleans up well. I now refuse to apply product other than car shampoo, it’s had a clay bar and polish once, and won’t be getting anymore now.

Otherwise the 6 remains bulletproof. Even a wayward pheasant was dispatched into the weeds on a rare lockdown trip out without so much as a mark on the bumper.
Since the last update I’ve treated myself to a Clio 182 which has relegated the Mazda to tip runs, family days out and the weekly shop. All tasks it excels at to be fair.Anything else I’ll always take the Clio out for a spin.
Another picture, because it’s not clean very often, and just because.

Always liked the Mazda 6, they seem fairly bulletproof it's usually rust that kills them long before the mechanicals give up the ghost.In an ideal world I’ll get another 2 summers use out the the 6 before tinworm really sets in. This will be it’s downfall I fear.
A lockdown wash the other day revealed that under the film of dust and general road dirt, a few little rust bubbles have appeared in the usual areas.
Still, for now it cleans up well. I now refuse to apply product other than car shampoo, it’s had a clay bar and polish once, and won’t be getting anymore now.
Otherwise the 6 remains bulletproof. Even a wayward pheasant was dispatched into the weeds on a rare lockdown trip out without so much as a mark on the bumper.
Since the last update I’ve treated myself to a Clio 182 which has relegated the Mazda to tip runs, family days out and the weekly shop. All tasks it excels at to be fair.Anything else I’ll always take the Clio out for a spin.
Another picture, because it’s not clean very often, and just because.
Lucky Northern Ireland got a 12 month exemption on MOT, so you could buy a shed with a few weeks left on MOT and run it until May 2021 for peanuts.
I ran one these for a year (black 2.0d estate) and didn't have a particularly positive experience unfortunately. Issues with the fuel system meant engine cut out when braking (easy diy fix to be fair) and then valve stems seals went (think it was those). Started drinking oil like it was going out of fashion. + The rust as others have mentioned, was particularly bad for a car of its age. Living by the sea didn't help I guess, but still.
Couldn't shift it on, until my colleagues 9-3 gave up the ghost, and I sold the 6 to him for a grand as a stop gap - with 10 litres of oil in the boot.
Think I was just unlucky and if I purchased again it would be petrol not diesel. Still a good looking car but I can't remember the last time I saw one here (east coast of NI).
Yours looks to be a good one.
It suits the roof bars.
Couldn't shift it on, until my colleagues 9-3 gave up the ghost, and I sold the 6 to him for a grand as a stop gap - with 10 litres of oil in the boot.
Think I was just unlucky and if I purchased again it would be petrol not diesel. Still a good looking car but I can't remember the last time I saw one here (east coast of NI).
Yours looks to be a good one.
It suits the roof bars.
It appears this last trip spelt the end for the back tyres. These were once on the front until I did a little swappsy. You know to prolong the life that little bit more.
I knew they were wearing thin but was hoping they’d last until the extended MOT date in November.
But as I came out the supermarket the other day my eyes were drawn to a faint white band on the outer shoulder. I was mortified to find this was the cord.
No photos, I was too embarrassed and promptly took it straight to the tyre centre and splashed out on some proper ditch finders.
I can MOT the old shed from mid Oct. So no doubt will.
Fingers crossed.
I knew they were wearing thin but was hoping they’d last until the extended MOT date in November.
But as I came out the supermarket the other day my eyes were drawn to a faint white band on the outer shoulder. I was mortified to find this was the cord.
No photos, I was too embarrassed and promptly took it straight to the tyre centre and splashed out on some proper ditch finders.
I can MOT the old shed from mid Oct. So no doubt will.
Fingers crossed.
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Mine is a 2.3 auto, 230 kms / 140 mls and still going okay. The massive boot is a great thing to have. Your liftback one has a surprising amount of space too.