New 6MPS owner

[dnguy]

Hey Guys,

I am now moments away from being a proud 6MPS owner. I was able to snatch one up for what I consider a bargain. It's completely stock and in metallic black with under 50,000 kms; pretty good considering it's an 06 model.

The owners were extremely friendly and genuine and used the car as a second daily to lugged their family around on long trips; so to my belief, the car wasn't thrashed at all. There are however, a few deep key marks caused to what I think were envious people.

The engine mount has already been replaced by Mazda a couple of years back but the rear diff mount hasn't. That will be the first mod I do just to give me that peace of mind. What do you guys think? Should I have that replaced even if it doesn't need replacing? Also, the VVT actuator was replaced a month or two ago which is pretty good too.

When giving it a test drive, I did notice that the clutch was extremely sensitive compared to the previous two Honda's that I have owned; 07 Honda Civic and 04 Honda Integra Type S. I was told that the clutch was not replaced with the newly designed clutch. It doesn't bother me as much as I was able to get used to it after a couple of lift offs but still, I have a feeling that I'm going to find it annoying. Feels like the clutch is either on or off with not much leeway...

As I have mentioned before, I am coming from a History of owning Honda's. My brother also owns an Accord Euro so moving to Mazda is quite nerve racking. I was once a VTEC fan boy until being beaten by a 3MPS after 3rd gear (thought I had him until 100% boost kicked in haha).

Unfortunately, my Integra got hydrolocked via the CAI which forced me to make an insurance claim and ultimately, receive a payout. Yes, insurance surprisingly did cover me but that was a one off incident, however it took me months to get it. AAMI did try to fix the problem but only replaced 2 conrods out of 4 which lead me to believe that one of the conrods that had not been replaced caused the engine to blow again. Oh well, that's all in the past. Out with the old and in with the new.

I have read about the common problems regarding the 6MPS which turned me off for a while. This made me look into getting a 3MPS. But after a lot of research and contemplation, I decided to buy the 6 due to it's current cheap value and it's beasty looking fascia (love that bonnet bulge!). Also, I'm not into that whole hot hatch craze and their partial leather seats. The sunroof was a plus since I enjoyed having one in the Integra. The performance of the 6 was still comparable even with the extra 200kgs.

What seems to be worrying me now is the fuel economy. Never having owned a turbo before, I am skeptical as to whether or not I will be able to handle the 6's fuel guzzling characteristic. I guess it's something I will worry about in the near future but for now, may I ask what sort of figures are you guys getting in terms of fuel economy?

Also just wanted your opinion, did I make the right decision? Are these cars as reliable as the Mazda's of the 80's and 90's? Will the rear diff give way, blowing a hole in my pockets? Same with the air conditioning unit, will there be any problems in the future?

Could you please also list out anything else to look out for before I end up handing over the rest of what I owe. I've checked:

-The A/C unit
-Squeaking from the suspension
-Rear diff vibrations and howling
-Rear diff leaks
-Condition of leather
-Brakes
-White smoke

Cheers

[Nuliaj]

Once you've driven the car for awhile you learn when the best shift points are for speed and for fuel economy. I typically drive about 50km (return) in peak hour traffic to and from work taking anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes per trip and I can average around 10l/100km (I get around 600km out of a tank when I refuel after the light comes on). Alot of it is learning to read the traffic and knowing when to coast, as well as knowing how much throttle to apply. If I wasn't doing peak hour traffic everyday I'd say I'd be closer to 9, but I have a fairly sedate driving style these days. My favourite game is the "how far can I get on a tank" game. You won't match the fuel economy of a light weight FWD coupe however.

Reliability is going to be partially 1) how well the previous owner took care of the car and 2) how well you'll take care of the car. If you take care of it, the MPS shouldn't develop any major issues it hasn't already after 50000km.

Check your rear diff mount.

[3MPSPWR]

Fk David, ud be right mate. 6MPS's are good cars. Remember i almost got one until i got the gen 2 instead? Get the CPE engine mount cause that'll improve the gear shift. If u look around, u'll know where to get parts from in the USA or just fb me and i'll tell u whats good and whats not. P.S. U still wont be able to beat my gen 2 son