Cars, Mazda6 estate petrol?

[premmington]

I watch O'Releys Autos on YouTube and he put a video out about cleaning and testing Ford Vapourisers (basically what we used to do with 2 stroke exhausts back in the day!).

I think if the glow plug tested OK (6 ohms) and it came out in one piece I'd be tempted to have a go before spending £450..

Main failure on the Fords is soot blocking the nozzle.

Nozzle blocks - pump stalls - blows "hidden fuse"

 

[Fastdruid]

I watch O'Releys Autos on YouTube and he put a video out about cleaning and testing Ford Vapourisers (basically what we used to do with 2 stroke exhausts back in the day!).

I think if the glow plug tested OK (6 ohms) and it came out in one piece I'd be tempted to have a go before spending £450..

Main failure on the Fords is soot blocking the nozzle.

Or the lines to the vaporiser failing.

 

[Kram]

Wouldn't buy another french car even with someone elses money !

Went to look at a couple yesterday, an old shape 2011 Madza6 petrol, looked perfect but needed brakes. They all seem to have exceptionally heavy steering, and a badly positioned rear view mirror that blocks the windscreen however you adjust it. That plus the lack of modern tech put me off

The second was a black Mazda 6 2015 diesel with spaceship miles and no history but with a perfect, like new interior. The seller got it at auction and for some reason, repaired timing chain and replaced cam shafts, with ebay specials test drives fine though and very nice inside.
Worn cams tells me theres an oil problem,
Also the dealer appears very dodgy, operating out of a rented office cubicle with no branding, plus many active and disolved companies to his name, he could dimply disolve and move on if I had problems. He offered a 2 year warranty with https://handlerprotect.com but that would not cover a worn and repaired/sludged engine.

So I am once again searching auto trader

 

[Kram]

@premmington Do you know of any common problems with the recent direct injection petrol engines, Mazda Skyactive-G?

 

[GRW]

Wouldn't buy another french car even with someone elses money !

I generally subscribe to the mantra:
"You buy French cheese & French wine, but not French cars".

There might be a couple of exceptions to that rule, but in general I think it serves well

(I drive a 24yo Czech/German petrol car though, so I dare say my preferences are in a minority )

 

[premmington]

@premmington Do you know of any common problems with the recent direct injection petrol engines, Mazda Skyactive-G?

No not as yet...

But higher pressures will mean more costly parts...

 

[Kram]

Looked at a couple of older mazda6's and I like them except for one thing, the rear view mirror is always stuck on quite low and blocks my view of the windscreen. No rain sensor on this one.

Can I unglue and move the mirror mounting, whats the best way to unstick it, and what glue to reattach?

 

[KemppiFrog]

Wow, lots of Mazda hate about.. My neighbour has a 6. At the time 15 odd years ago, it was considered a cut above the equivalent Ford, same company..
He did have a DPF prob, that cost, but it is in the 400k km area now and is second to a Citrôen for his daily commute. No rust, looks good, apart from the drivers seat. Cars don't rust about here much. No salt on roads.

I say 'Same company' But Ford have a big slice of Mazda and over here, share dealerships.

 

[Fastdruid]

No rust, looks good, apart from the drivers seat. Cars don't rust about here much. No salt on roads.

No salt helps. UK, not so much.

Ours looked fine.... (14 years old)

....but underneath (at 12 years old)....

All hidden by the skirts and the arch liner. Not to mention the exhaust that rusted through at 10 years old or the rear arms that rusted so badly the ARB fell off.

Our now 15 year old (and ~100k more) Mondeo is in *FAR* better condition WRT rust....as was the previous Mondeo.

 

[Kram]

This is it

(Ignore the edited number plate area..)

Looking to replace the CD player with one of those chinese android units with reversing camera etc... It seems the plastic bezel is widely available. Anyone have experience fitting one? I asked in a local shop and the total is £1000 or £1200. Nope.

This sort of thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wxstra-Android-2007-2012-Navigation-Bluetooth/dp/B09PJCKTXL/

 

[Fastdruid]

Not specifically in the 6 but have in others. Expect to take most of the inside of the car apart...

Personally I would probably go with a "brand" one that features android auto and use your phone for the functionality.

 

[Kram]

The local shop sells £250 JVC basic ones where most things need a phone connected. Theres a £500 Kenwood one that has mapping built in but its double the cost. That doesnt include camera, cables, plastics or fitting though (£750-£1200 total).

JVC one appears very similar to the Chinese items.

£200 would buy a reasonable tablet or phone that could be permenently mounted and could likely be paired with a bluetooth reciever to connect into the car..?

 

[GRW]

My car still has the OEM radio cassette in it
I can't be arsed. If we are ever on a long journey & want tunes, we have a simple cigar plug in radio frequency generator.
Bluetooth phone to RFG, tune radio to RFG frequency, open Spotify.

Job done lol.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

This sort of thing

Did you read the review?

 

[Cobbler]

My car still has the OEM radio cassette in it
I can't be arsed. If we are ever on a long journey & want tunes, we have a simple cigar plug in radio frequency generator.
Bluetooth phone to RFG, tune radio to RFG frequency, open Spotify.

Job done lol.

In our campervan I’ve never bothered to put the code in, we’ve only had the van bought new in 2006! The one in the car, I have no idea whether it works, I’ve never turned it on.

 

[Kram]

Yeah it was just an example, doubt I will buy that one. Previous experience with older cars tells me I'd need to buy adaptor cables of some type anyway.

 

[Kram]

Yes Ive used blietooth FM transmitters before. Typically they dont connect to my phone very well and need to mess about with it each time the engine is started, atleast the older ones.

Anyway I want a reversing and possibly dash cam and satnav that doesnt use google maps. Im told Waze is better but still prefer something seperate to phone.

 

[bigegg]

This is it
View attachment 410589
(Ignore the edited number plate area..)

Looking to replace the CD player with one of those chinese android units with reversing camera etc... It seems the plastic bezel is widely available. Anyone have experience fitting one? I asked in a local shop and the total is £1000 or £1200. Nope.

This sort of thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wxstra-Android-2007-2012-Navigation-Bluetooth/dp/B09PJCKTXL/

I just fitted a (not very good) 10.1" 'universal' android head unit in my lexus.
Cost about £45 for the head unit.
I also bought a double din bezel - £40?
Then I needed an adaptor loom - again about £40.

The cables which came with the head unit needed splicing into the adaptor loom - about 30mins work with the correct tools, then threading through the back of the dashboard into the passenger footwell. (Actually pretty easy on the lexus -YMMV).

connects to the hotspot on my mobile, and is effectively just an android tablet, so all the same apps are available via play-store

I can't imagine the Mazda 6 is much different - possibly even cheaper, since it's a more common car than mine.

 

[Kram]

Would you recommend the head unit? I realise it may not fit mine but if you have a link to it, may help me decide what to get. Thanks!

 

[bigegg]

Would you recommend the head unit? I realise it may not fit mine but if you have a link to it, may help me decide what to get. Thanks!

Pardon our interruption...

I _DO NOT_ recommend this one, btw.
It's slow, and was a pain to update to latest version of Google maps (so satnav would work).

It also won't remember contacts/dialled numbers on the hands-free bit. (Although it connects okay)