What do y'all think? I haven't picked up the '04 I was planning on yet. Both have identical GT & appearance packages, no NAV, 6MT in Blue. '04 has 16K miles, the '06 has 2K. Appreciate the input!

 

2006. Less bugs, probably.

 

more like definitely less bugs. i've been having a lot of problems with my 04 ever since i got it. the dealer near me alos sucks so i have to wait longer so i can go to a different one.

 

frick dude, i'd say 06 hands down! Even though it's not new anymore, it's got less miles and it's 2 years newer...both things that would be worth the extra cash to me.

Not to mention that that 06 may not even have the engine broke in yet, nor any oil changes done. You'll be able to baby it out of engine break-in as well as change oil to your own preference, and on your own if you'd like.

I guess that in my own experience, i've learned that minimal miles on a car means a lot more to me than i thought. With 16K on a car, they coulda been hot-roddin it around and slammin gears for 2 years and almost all 16K miles. Even if the 06 had been hittin it hard, it couldn't have been for near that long, and therefor caused quite the extensive damage.

Of course, it's always a guessing game thought, which brings you down to your choice. If either previous owner was an idiot, anyone is capable of doing excessive damage in a matter of minutes.

Good luck with whatever choice you go with.

 

have the '06 checked out to make sure everything looks okay and go for that. the '04 is priced a little too high anyway. all things equal and your budget able to afford either, go for the '06.

 

Saw a picture of the '06, and it's a darker blue...I didn't know they were made in that color, but then I hadn't been following the factory color schemes brochures either Just not quite as nice as the brilliant blue, IMHO.

 

06. Prolly Phantom Blue if darker..

 

Like most products you can buy, avoid buying the first version if you can. The 04's have their share of "quirks," and besides the 06 has more warranty left on it. I say it's a no-brainer if you can swing it money-wise.

 

My '04 has been flawless (build date 12/03, 48K miles) but if I were in your shoes I'd go with the '06 if price is not a major factor.

 

He wouldn't be asking if price was not a factor.

Save money go with the 04

 

As long as the '04 has all TSBs and recalls done, the '04 should be equal to the '06.

 

this is key here, make sure you look up on Mazda's database to make sure all the recalls/TSBs have been done.

 

How do you check Mazda's database to see what recalls have been done when purchasing a car?

 

Also check to see if there have been any oil in the air filter problems in the 04 ....if so get them to upgrade the system =)

 

The only place for Recall info is the dealership.

and, get the 06.

 

So I know this has been talked to death, but one last time I'm going to ask for sure since I'm paranoid like that... So there is no problems with the '04 that the '06 doesn't have ? I know a lot of you say get an 06 less bugs, but then no 04 owner says they have "bugs" with there 04 so is there anything wrong with an '04 ??

 

How about the natural wear and tear into the count ?

Theres virtually no differents between the two model. Except that the 06 has all the fix out of the factory and newer hardware that the 04 dont have(or needs replacement).

Even they both have exact same thing(for example : same mileage, recalls done, etc) the 2006 would still be two years YOUNGER ! Thats something the 04 will never be able to get.

We all would say get the 06. Its only about 5K diffs anyway.

 

If they're both used, they both have low mileage, and you like the color on the 04 better, I'd vote for the 04. As long as all the recalls are done. And yes, it's on 04, but $5k is a decent amount of money to save. Yes, it'll be worth less money in 5 years than the 06, but you'll still have saved $5k initially.

 

I know that I would not consider selling my '04 for that kind of money so it sounds like a decent deal to me. Tough choice cause I also would rather have the newer one due to age and miles, but then $5k is a lot of money.

 

depreciation is (generally) a logarithmic curve. The 06 will lose value faster than the 04. The 04 still has a warranty, so you can do any upgrades/fixes for free and make it identical to the 06. Plus w/ an extra 5k in your pocket (more if you factor tax) you can by a turbo or mazdaspeed kit or spinning robo-doors if you want.

 

basicly it comes down to money. Do you want to save money?