RE: SOTW: Mazda Xedos 6

[cramorra]

Was my daily shed two years ago good to drive, very refind - build quality really great almost on German level as well as the amount of gadgets fitted (compared to Honda)
Alas spares prices also at German level (Around 150.- for a power steering pully) which led to its final demise towards the great hunting grounds...

[Mark_Karting]

I do love the looks of those, I would still prounounce it Zay-dos though

[cptsideways]

Actually they were bloody good cars! Little went wrong, the engine is the same as found in ST Mondeo's too. Usually come come with cruise & all the widgets too.

[AdeV]

Wow, that is one ugly little brute. Face that only a mother could love, arse of an Escort - is it some kind of bd love child between Ford and a blind man?

Of course, I've never driven one, so it could be fabulous to drive. And I guess if you're sat in it, you don't have to look at it.... unless you drive past something that reflects it ((c) Hamster, TG, the other week)

[Dr.Doofenshmirtz]

cptsideways said:

the engine is the same as found in ST Mondeo's too.

Wrong...The same Mazda K series was used in the Ford Probe though.

Automatic models should be avoided becasue the cluch plates burn out which is very expensive to fix. Most of the cheap cars on the market (and in breakers yards) are auto's...so avoid.
The tappets can become noisey, especially if you don't use 5W-30 oil.
And finally the rocker cover gaskets leak like a sieve...other than that, they are generally very reliable.

[semaj]

Xedos6 - much better car than many people thought with sweet as a nut 2.0V6 engine.
Had one from 2K mile to 155K miles and it was running like a dream. Only stopped at this point because some toe-rag tried stealing it and did that much damage outside and inside it got written off!!

Only problems were juddering driver's electric window and sticking rear brake calipers.

Could have done with more power....

[curveking]

ZOO DOS is how you pronounce it. They were a great car and really reliable. The one to have was the Xedos 9 2.3 and is still the only car to ever have a miller cycle engine. (same engine design as on super tankers.) Fast, torquey and reliable with a bit of unusual styling.

[J4CKO]

I remember these being quite desirable back in the day, never drove one but would imagine a 320 was a better drive, still an interesting Shed that isnt a BMW !

Well Done, Kudos to you, or is that Kyu-e-Dos ?

[only1ian]

Looks like you can have some fun in it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3S74JTfm4&fea...

Good shed horizons expanded!

[carinaman]

Top Shed.

There was a used one in this colour for sale near me. I now regularly spot it parked up on the other side of town. I saw it this afternoon.

I suspect you've got to rev them to get them to go. A colleague had one as a Co. car and I drove it a couple of times. Not a lot of room in the back if you're big though. Another colleague didn't feel confident with the front end, though that could have been due to the PAS I guess.

It's a forerunner of the X-type Jag?

Non-interference.

[EDLT]

I pronounce it Zee-Doooz, and so should you.

I once fitted a new engine into a very shed-y one of these, everything on it still worked despite having sat around for about nine months.

[Save Ferris]

Not much to add but here's a pic I took of the aks-hay-doss from Thruxton in the BTCC days.

[paulthefox]

see of of those mazda 9 in metallic black going to work ever day it never moves of the drive

[Mr Dave]

I like these a lot, nice looking things. Love upmarketish Japanese cars too, think they are very cool.

However for not much more money you can just about get an E39 BMW 5 series and I cant see the Mazda offering anything over one of those. And an E34 5 is definately the same budget, better engines, better gadgets, better running costs, RWD....

[IANinBCN]

Another vote for Zeedos here...

Also my memory tells me that the Mondeo in the BTCC of the time was running the same engine as the Mazda...

Is it right ?

[sawman2]

Surely it should be shedos...

[HELLBIKE]

Mazda are a quality car had a somewhat rare 323 lxi 1300 2 door for about ten years .during that time it went through every NOT with no problem and apart from general servicing only ever needed a new water pump.after 100000 miles plus. so they have my vote

[adz13091982]

Father in law had one of these. Build quality was very good (he did over 150,000 miles in his with no dramas), very smooth engine, nice V6 note. On the downside handling was numb at best and clutch at slow speed was poor (very easy to stall) & ethe engine although v6 was gutless.

[jt racing]

I had one of these for years, and ended up only selling it cause needing 7 seats.
Great car, wine with cream leather and women loved it. Fabulous ride for irish roads and good hustle along when pushed. Hit some loola speeds in it on the motorway when i visited the uk, (irish plates and drivers license...) and never ever gave a days bother.
I had mine decatted and a stainless exhaust and she sounded stunning.

A fondly remembered motor!

[stockver]

Jonny671 said:

I'm sure it [323 v6] used to be more than that.

a 150bhp fwd family car would not justify a grp20 insurance bracket. I mean, the vr6 golf was what, 16 or so?

Needless to say, it (the 323) was still a pretty car, and pretty expensive to insure for what it is.
The Xedos 6 is a similarly expensive motor to insure for the sum of its distinctly average parts.