Yeah just the rear seats. Remember once you select the package, have your friend pick you up and come back about 4 hours later. If you stay there, I hope you have damn good willpower or you definitely get "poisoned" and go for more

I think it's the ebony. It looked really dark bluish from far but dark purplish up close.
The color scheme is just wrong.

They only foam the frame, which in itself is hollow. There are scores of Accord owners, Camry owners, Civic owners, Lancer owners, City owners, Vios owners and possibly Corolla owners that have done this with no problem. People who own the latest BMW 5 series also have their cars done at KL Autofoam. The owner even showed me a picture of him going to Brunei to do up a Mcclaren F1 (which he didn't do in the end, can't remember why). I don't think the Mazda 6 more complicated than say a BMW and besides, Desmond seems to be in his shop 24/7 to supervise. If you're worried, you can stay and look as well but I warn you, he's got a poisonous mouth that will definitely poison you to do more for your car

Bermaz really need to spruce up their homepage, compared to Honda - there's just not enough useful information for prospective car buyers. It's even worse if you compare it with Toyota Malaysia's homepage where details of their new cars are well laid out for research.

You can fix the scratch at chipsaway, cost about RM180. The color matching is flawless.

Honda's strategy for this generation is heading more towards upmarket. The choice of using the Honda Inspire as the Accord for the rest of the world shows the shift from sportiness to luxury. I think along they way, they had to make some sacrifices to the equipment in order to maintain their pricing against their competitors.

By the way, the cars assembled in the Honda Melaka plant are only sold for use in Malaysia. The Thai factory on the other hand, assembles and exports theirs to Australia and the rest of the Asean countries. I guess the quality of the Malaysian assembled Hondas just aren't good enough.

It's not likely the Mazda 6 will outsell the Camry or Accord anytime soon, but its definitely in the position to fill the gap left by Nissan. Nissan's choice to continue selling the Cefiro and the Sentra just don't make a lot of sense to me. Both cars are definitely past their sell by date.

Haha, if you can afford the IS-F, the word "poor" would not exist in your dictionary. Besides, the IS-F is a performance car, rear cabin space take a low priority.

It's the IS250 or IS350 with the finess line modification and kits. For the price of USD 61,415.00 OTR exclu. tax&insurance. You get the following:

- 5.0-liter V8, DOHC, 32-valve, intake camshaft and Electric Variable Valve Timing with intelligence(VVT-iE), exhaust camshaft hydraulic Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i)
- 416 hp @ 6,600rpm, 371lb.-ft torque @ 5,200 rpm
- Eight-speed Sport Direct-Shift automatic transmission with paddle shift and manual mode
- Paddle shifters; quick upshifts, throttle blip on downshifts
- Sport-tuned suspension
- Double-wishbone front suspension with high-mount upper arms, high-rate coil springs with bound stopper, monotube gas-filled shock absorbers, large-diameter hollow stabilizer bar
- Multi-link rear suspension with low-mount upper arms, high-rate coil springs with bound stopper, monotube gas-filled shock absorbers, large-diameter stabilizer bar
- Rear-wheel drive
- Electronic Power Steering (EPS): Vehicle speed-sensing coaxial rack and pinion, power assist, F sport mode adjustable
- Four-wheel power-assisted ventilated disc brakes (Brembo®)
- 19-in 10-spoke forged aluminum alloy (BBS) with 225/40R19 93Y front, 255/35R19 96Y rear tires
- Air vents
- Rear spoiler
- Sport engine exclusive to IS F
- Scavenge oil pump
- Titanium intake valves
- Dual air-intake system
- Leather-trimmed interior with "F" logo embroidered in sides of seat cushions
- Hand-finished aluminized composite trim
- One-piece cut pile carpeting
- Two front and two rear articulating assist grips
- Leather-trimmed steering wheel with "F" logo
- Perforated leather-and-metal shift knob
- Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters with "+" and "-" highlighted in blue
- Steering-wheel-mounted audio and trip computer display controls
- Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel with memory
- Lexus 13-speaker Premium Mark Levinson Sound System with Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL) and in-dash, single-feed, six-disc CD auto-changer
- Auxiliary iPod® /MP3/Windows Media® Audio (WMA) port
- In-glass antenna with separate FM diversity antenna
- 10-way driver's and front passenger's (including lumbar) power seats with three-position memory
- Heated front seats
- Height-adjustable headrests for all seats
- Dual-zone automatic climate control with interior air filter, smog sensor and automatic recirculation mode
- Power tilt-and-slide moonroof with one-touch open/close and seven-position open ability
- Power windows with one-touch auto open/close feature
- Remote-linked window and moonroof opening
- Retained accessory power for windows and moonroof
- Electrochromic (auto-dimming) inside rearview mirror
- Power door locks with anti-lockout
- Cruise control
- SmartAccess with push-button Start/Stop
- Center console with padded lid and slide back/up functionality
- Rear-seat center console in four-seat configuration
- Foldout front-door pockets with water bottle cut-out
- Homelink universal transceiver to operate compatible garage, gate, home lighting and home security systems
- Illuminated entry system
- Electroluminescent instrumentation with unique start-up sequence
- Illuminated interior electronic outside mirror control, trunk-lid and fuel-filler door releases
- Lexus Personalized Settings (LPS) to customize select electronic functions
- Automatic on/off projector-beam headlamps with 30-second delay
- Front and rear dome light and individual LED map lights integrated into headliner
- Trunk pass-through
- Carpeted floor mats
- Engine cover with "F" logo
- Blue LED-illuminated needles for speedometer and tachometer
- Machined aluminum meter rings
- Two front and two rear cupholders
- Driver's and front passenger's advanced airbag system (SRS) with front passenger's twin-chamber airbag
- Front seat-mounted side airbags (SRS)
- Front and rear side curtain airbags (SRS)
- Driver's and front passenger's knee airbags (SRS)
- Three-point seatbelts for all seating positions, pre-tensioners with force limiters for front and outboard rear seats
- ALR/ELR seatbelts, ELR only for driver's position
- Height-adjustable front-shoulder belt anchors
- Child Restraint Seat (CRS) tether anchor brackets for rear outboard seating positions
- Four-wheel power-assisted ventilated disc brakes (Brembo®)
- Four-sensor, four-channel Anti-lock Braking system (ABS)
- Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) with sport mode
- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
- Traction Control (TRAC)
- Brake Assist
- Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
- Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System
- Highly rigid body structure with front and rear crumple zones
- Side-impact door beams
- Reinforcements in pillars
- Impact-dissipating upper interior trim
- Collapsible steering column
- Bi-xenon HID, auto-leveling headlamps
- Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
- Daytime running lights
- Integrated foglamps
- Water-repellent front-door glass
- Variable intermittent windshield wipers with mist cycle, rain sensor option
- Rear-window defogger with auto-off timer
- Power-adjustable outside mirrors with defoggers and puddle lamps
- Vehicle theft-deterrent and engine-immobilizer system
- First aid kit
- Tool kit

All for the price of less than RM210k and they're selling the baseline model here for RM303,721.00. At least 100 grand there going into tax and duties

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 15 2008, 10:25 AM

The Inspi.. Accord is a bigger car hence I believe material cost is also higher. Mazda 6 holds the following advantage over its competitors:

Prices:
Mazda 6 2.5L: rm178,359.00 (OTR)
Accord 2.4L: RM171,800.00 (OTR)
Camry 2.4V: RM170,545.09 (OTR)

The Mazda 6 pricing may not be correct so any update will be great.

Listed are equipment only. NVH & vehicle styling is subjective and not included in the list. Performance not listed as well.

Better against Accord by offering:

2 more airbags
AFS on Headlights
Brake pedal detachment design
8 way power seats for both driver and passenger + memory function
60:40 rear folding seats
Sunroof
Auto-dim rear view mirrors
Rain sensing wipers
Advanced keyless entry and push start/stop engine
Additional control options on steering
Electric power steering
Front parking sensors
Bose speakers
More trunk capacity (450L) to 480L

but loses out on:

Cabin space
Water dispersing side and rear windows
Hydrophillic side mirrors
Tower Bar (chassis brace)
Hood damper
Rear curtain

Better against Camry by offering:

4 more airbags
Paddle Shift
Memory function on power seats
60:40 rear folding seats
Sunroof
Auto-dim rear view mirrors
Rain sensing wipers
Advanced keyless entry and push start/stop engine
Bose speakers
More trunk capacity (420L) to 480L

but loses out on:

Power shoulder seat button
Hydrophillic wide view side mirrors
Plasmacluster air-conditioning
Perforated leather seats
Impact sensing fuel cut
Rear curtain

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 15 2008, 05:46 PM

Correction on trunk space: 519L (Mazda 6) vs 450L (Accord) and 420L (Camry)
For the Accord: It's could be Xenon low beam and halogen for high beam. Can't say for sure until an Accord owner verifies this.

18 inch wheels isn't an advantage if you ask me. It looks nice but it wears down faster (at least according to the Lexus website) and it also adds weight. And they both have LED rear lights and ISOFIX seats is quite standard even in my car. It's not stated on the website, but it is in the car manual (ISOFIX).
The additional advantage would be the auto-sensing headlights and by that I assume it's similiar to the feature found in the Sylphy where the lights light up in dark conditions.

I dunno about you guys, but I would gladly trade-in the rain sensing wipers, auto-sensing headlights, 18" wheels and paddle shift for better leather seats (Nappa) and good windshield tinting (Llumar, Vkool) as a standard because those 2 items would have a much higher comfort value.

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 17 2008, 04:48 PM

Shouldn't you be referring to the Malaysian website instead? It states HID headlights with auto-levelling for the 2.4VTI-L. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't HID mean there's xenon lightbulbs in there together with the ballast etc?

Correction on Accord: LED lights only for 3rd brake lights
But I was referring to the Camry with LED lights, HID headlights with AFS.

Not accurate to refer to that sit at all. It's a commercial company that sells ISOFIX base and some of its data needs updating. It would be better to refer to a vehicle listed published from Euro NCAP instead. Besides, it's already confirmed that the 2009 Euro Accord has ISOFIX seats, just don't have an accurate confirmation for the new Accords used for the rest of the word.

Note that I only say certain items like rain sensing wipers, paddle shift, 18 inch wheels and auto headlights (which I assume is the auto light on/off) in exchange for better seats and tinting.

But since you're referring to Bi-Xenon or HID headlights with Adaptive Front Lighting System then it's a different story and I would have stated the following statement instead:

I would gladly trade in rain sensing wipers, paddle shift and 18 inch wheels in exchange for better leather seats (Nappa) and good tinting (Vkool, Llumar).

The Malaysian Honda website did mention the 2.4VTI-L comes with HID with autolevelling but not AFS. HID usually refers to xenon headlights.

Please note that 2009 version means this year. Even in US, the Mazda 6 being sold THIS YEAR is referred to as the 2009 Mazda 6.
We already know that the Euro Accord has ISOFIX, we don't know if the new Accord being sold in Malaysia or Thailand now has ISOFIX. Preliminary data indicates that the Accords being sold here does not come with ISOFIX seats.

If you're referring to the quality of leather, I don't think it would be better than Nappa. If you're referring to the comfort level of the seat cushioning is as good or better than that of Mitsubishi Lancer GT, then I would probably agree with you.

As a driver, I consider the following ammendities indispensible

1. Good comfortable quality leather seats
2. Good quality tints to keep out the sunlight
3. GPS
4. HID headlights with AFS and AL
5. EPS with Tilt & Telescopic function
6. Power seats preferably with massage function
7. Steering wheel with cabin controls
8. Cruise control

As you've probably noticed, my lean is towards comfort and convenience levels. Particularly if you're always caught in a traffic jam, I think one would appreciate these features more than they would care for paddle shift or wireless entry with push/start engine button. Fortunately, the Mazda 6 manages to have just about everything except for points 2 & 3 as compared to the Accord which lacks point 2, 3, 4, 5.

But we must not forget buyers will now have to fork out an additional 7 ~ 8k for those features. All things considered, not really a lot of money since you're already paying so much for the car in the first place but still noteworthy to bring up.

HID = High Intensity Discharge lamp which is also xenon headlights. Check around the web for an explanation. You can't call the headlights HID if it uses halogen. One of the beams in your car has to be using xenon bulbs, it could be low or high or both. If they state HID in their specifications and give halogen headlights for both low and high instead, then the specification would be misleading.

My Corolla does come with solar and security tint, but I have no idea what brand Toyota uses. My SA says its Llumar, others say Ecotint. At the end of the day, it's always better to do it yourself. But if you're already paying so much money for your car, would you settle for anything less than the best? I think not.

I use the Garmin Nuvi 200W and it works great with Malsing maps.

Do you think you spend more time in KL and suburban areas or do you think you spend more time travelling outstation? Chances are, if you reside in KL/Selangor area, you would spend more time around time then out of it. Regardless of which, you still want to be as comfortable as possible and I think has a lot of comfort and convenience amendities in it.

I agree with you if it's in Malaysia - the level of equipment is one of the defining differences between C&D segment cars.
But I don't agree with you if it's outside of Malaysia where the difference is more with the trim level and size of the car than level of equipment.

And I won't dispute that it's good value, but based on what you've said:

Gives me the impression that you aren't willing to spend that bit of money to improve your car. So if that's the case, then I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would feel the additional features isn't justification enough for the 7k price difference.

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 19 2008, 12:01 AM

You have to ask Honda then, I wouldn't know. But it is certain Honda Malaysia states on its website for the Accord 2.4 VTi-L to have HID headlights. As I have said before, you may have xenon headlights for either low, high or both. In the Accord's case, I think it has just the low beam as xenon HID. Actual confirmation will still have to come from a 8th gen. Accord owner on this.

Hey if it was up to me, I wouldn't mind not having rain sensing wipers, paddle shift, 18" wheels and auto headlights for a lower price and use the cost savings for something else. But I wouldn't sacrifice HID headlights or cruise control at any day for tinting. Alternatively, if they sacrifice the 4 items mentioned and gave me a power seat with massage function (OSIM car seats anyone?) or in-dash DVD with sat-nav, I would be very happy with that as those features would serve a more practical purpose

This is my breakdown and my opinion of why they are unnecessary:

Rain sensing wipers - nice to have but seriously, how difficult is it to turn the wiper knob? It's already by the steering wheel
Auto Headlights - note in this case I mean auto on/off and not AFS. The reasoning is the same with rain sensing wipers.
Paddle shift - nice feature to shift from the steering wheel but most people keep their gear in D for automatics, even with my car - I have really yet to bother with the sequential shifting. Not likely I would bother much with Paddle shifting.
18" wheels - I'm not driving a sports car, it's a mid-size family sedan. It's not like I'm going to be racing in it, I guess it improves cornering but it's not like I'm going to be doing an Initial D anytime soon. So if 17 inch is good enough and more comfortable, why bother with an 18 inch?

My point is they could have given something else with better value.
Still, what the Mazda 6 offers is a level better than what's offered in the local Accord or the Camry. No arguments about that.

The difference between C & D catagories is with size, nor will I dispute the engine size between the 2 segments. But it seems to me you're talking about the difference coming down to the equipment found between C & D catagories. But as far as amendities goes, they both can have the same level of options. Just do a lookup on various C-segment cars in different countries. Let's take the US Mazda 3 for example - the grand touring trim has ALL the options you've described found in Mazda 6. The Corolla in Thailand - has all the features found in the Mazda 6 except for Bose premium speakers and 18 inch wheels. The Civic in Thailand - again has all the features found in Mazda 6 save for Bose premium speakers and 18 inch wheels. It's the same story with Singapore, China, Taiwan and Hong-Kong. To add more insult to injury, these same cars all have an optional sat-nav and reverse camera function found elsewhere but not here.

I certainly hope you're not impling me here Btw, I would not consider any of those features (eg. keyless entry) mentioned as premium because they have been available to the same cars in other countries (just not in Malaysia) but your argument holds water because these features are not found in the local Camry or Accord.

Oddly enough a lot of these features we've listed are found in the Peugeot 407 CKD at a much lower pricing, which really makes you wonder about Honda's pricing Even if you draw a median between the 2 different marque, the price difference is still considerable.

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 19 2008, 12:48 PM

Edited:

I think I just made a mistake on the 407, which is a 2.0L car right?

The comparison should be with the Peugeot 407 2.0 vs the Mazda 6 2.0 vs the Accord 2.0 and the Camry 2.0

Camry: RM 151,246.10
Accord: RM 141,800.00
Mazda 6: RM 147k+
Peugeot 407: RM 133k+

The price difference is about over 10k and better loaded with features and this difference becomes even more glaring vs. the 2.4&2.5 variants. Still, even though the Accord and Peugeot fall under CKD, you really have to wonder if they pay the same kind of taxes Huge price discrepancy.

Added:

More interestingly now is Volvo's move, to quote from motortrader

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 19 2008, 03:01 PM

Definitely not a sin and after some thought I think it doesn't really cost too much to have:

1. Rain sensing wipers
2. Auto on/off lights

Both of these are sensor driven like your car alarm or parking sensors and I doubt it cost much.
Paddle shifting is another matter though, it probably does command somewhat of a premium but since I'm no expert, I will avoid commenting on that. On the other hand, the 18" wheels will probably contribute some price difference as compared to a normal 17".

I definitely can't answer this question because I don't know how Honda's prices and costing structure is. It could be for profit or it could be for other reasons, but at the end of the day, a CKD car should scale according to its price and equipment and am, the Accord isn't scaling very well if you put the Peugeot 407 into the mix. I've never really looked at the Mazda 6 2.0 equipment list so I have no idea how well the 2.0 compares to each other.

I agree, no dispute that it does add some comfort value though it really is near negligible to me. It would be nice to have and should have been included since its doubtful that this feature would really add much cost.

It's actually not too hard to switch on the lights yourself, which is why I said the reason was same as the rain sensing wipers. I do agree that it's great that you it does add some comfort level due to the fact that everything is automated. Again though, the value it offers isn't really that significant imo although it really should be a feature that should have been included since it is doubtful this particular feature would cost much.

Didn't I already do that? Put in Power driver seats with basic shiatsu & momi function or an In-dash DVD with sat-nav as a trade for paddle shifters, 18 inch wheels, rain sensing wipers and auto-on/off lights. You may not agree with the power seats but I think you will agree the In-dash DVD with sat-nav holds a bigger draw than say the 18 inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers and auto-on/off lights right? 3 out 4 of these items combined should at least equate the price of an In-dash DVD player with sat-nav don't you think?

No it does not, but strictly speaking the Accord 2.0 and 2.4 is still cheaper; the value for money factor on the other hand, is definitely suspect.
Reasons are probably what we've debated earlier in the thread. The additional of the Volvo S40 in the Camry/Accord & Mazda 6 price range now tosses things up more.

One common thought would probably be: Rather than paying so much for the Camry/Accord/Mazda 6, why not go for the Volvo? It's in the same price range.

---

Added on August 19, 2008, 4:36 pmGlobally, I don't think the Peugeot brand has ever fared very well

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the Peugeot brand is:

Non-existent in America
Average in Europe and probably rubbish in UK where it gets consistently bashed by Top Gear peeps
Very low market penetration in Asean countries
No idea about China/Japan/Australia
No idea about South America

This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 19 2008, 04:37 PM

Rush proof and chemical resistant only if it's stainless steel. If it's mild steel sheets then it will rust. Even galvanised steel will rust after sometime. High tensile steel is probably an alloy combination but does not make it immune to rusting if exposed to air. That's why you have a few layers of car paint to prevent rusting.

In conclusion:

Both cars also offer good driving dynamics and engine power but the edge goes to the Mazda 6 2.5L for its better handling characteristics and robustness.

Winner: Mazda 6 2.5L

In terms of spaciousness, just no comparison - the Accord is just the largest sedan in its class.

Winner: Accord 2.4L

In terms of equipment and amendities, the Mazda 6 2.5L trumps the Accord 2.4 VTi-L and leaves its competition wondering what just happened back there?

Winner: Mazda 6 2.5L

In terms of build quality and NVH, the Mazda 6 2.5L is a CBU unit from Japan while the Accord is a CKD unit from Melaka. Preliminary reports suggest Honda having problems keeping consistent quality but then again they have a bigger volume and a bigger support network while the Mazda marque is still limited to certain parts of Malaysia. In the grand scheme of things, they looks quite even for now.

Winner: Draw (for now)

In terms of value for money, the Mazda 6 offers more but also commands an additional 7k in the process. The Honda Accord is cheaper but offers less while still gives its customers a respectable amount of gadgets to please its customers and has history of good resale value. Are the additional goodies found in the Mazda 6 worth its weight in gold and enough to offset what may become a poor sell in the future? Only time will tell

Winner: Draw (for now)

Styling for both cars are good and dynamic - The Accord speaks of elegance that will probably appeal to the masses while the Mazda 6 is both fierce yet appealing to the eye. The final verdict is still subjective to individual tastes.

Winner: Draw (Looks are based on preference)

Overall advantage: Mazda 6 2.5L

We should note that while Mazda 6 2.5L is argubly the better car, this does not necessarily mean it will sell better than the H&T marque. It means that H&T will need to up their game if they are to remain relevant to consumers in the future because brand power can only draw for so long before customers start feeling ripped off.

Genkis3, I think the real battle for H&T in Malaysia is with the B-segment cars - The Vios and the upcoming new City. These are their primary bread and butter model that sell like a freshly baked bread out of an oven. It's a huge pity the Mazda 2 wasn't brought into Malaysia as I think that model would have really made an impact to raise awareness of the Mazda marque.

The mid-size sedan market for H&T will really need to look into its pricing as its creeping up to the 200k marque and into conti territory. I just realized that for another 2 to 3k more from the Mazda 6 price, you can buy a BMW 1 series. So food for thought there.

If you haven't already noticed - my answers are written in a diplomatically correct manner so as to not make a certain car look too bad
Btw, last I read, Mazda failed to hit their sales target in China.

urm sorry, no. Not taking accessories into consideration. Just basing on default pricing and equipment offered - We have no arguments that Mazda offers more, but we can't say for certain if it will have a good resale value when you let it go. Probably might seem like I'm harping on an issue but a draw (for now) would be quite fair.

Yet you still see more Accords on the road than you do Mazda 6. It's probably a combination of factors but again to be diplomatically correct - let's just call it a draw and leave it at that.

urm no, I know they are 2 different class segment of cars but considering the amount you pay - it' actually within reach for purchase which is just food for thought. It's more like a case of utility vs image. Anyway, this is probably best left to be debated in another thread at another time.

Actually, if I were to go all out - It would really make one of them look bad. But as chips has once pointed out, the general online community population is a very very miniscule number - so whatever complaints we've thus read online may not be an actual representation.

Here's my source. I remember seeing it as I was looking up on Mazda China and came across this article.

http://www.gasgoo.com/auto-news/6912/Mazda...nal-target.html

Did I tell you, once you foam your car - there's no turning back.

Edit:

1. Consider the Camry is already 2 years old, the Mazda 6 should be better
2. The Accord 2.4L also loses in terms of specs and quality, but I think their 2.0L version holds it ground pretty well against the Mazda 6 2.0L
3. The New Teana which launches in Singapore next month looks like it will put the Camry, Accord and Mazda 6 to shame easily. Just look at their specs.



This post has been edited by zweimmk: Aug 28 2008, 04:21 PM