Today’s Nice Price of No Dice Mazdaspeed 6 is rough around all the edges, but according to the seller, it hasn’t been overly hooned. Let’s decide what this almost-forgotten sport sedan might hope to command.
Like a marshmallow left out in the sun or a pugilist past their prime, the classic car market has gone soft. That doesn’t necessarily mean great bargains to be had, as it seems a lot of sellers have yet to catch up or are actively ignoring the realities of the time. The 1987 Porsche 924S we looked at yesterday could be seen as an example. At $15,500, it’s sitting pretty high up the food chain for a 924, even as nice a one as our car appeared to be. However, you’re all ahead of the curve, as evident in the 57 percent No Dice loss the 924 suffered at that asking.
Liked or not, Porsche’s 924 is an iconic, readily identifiable car, even to those not versed in automotive lore. Some cars are never intended by their makers to be consigned to long-term collective memory. They toil in relative obscurity, only appreciated by their small cadre of dedicated fans and ignored or perhaps even totally forgotten by everyone else.
Today’s 2006 Mazdaspeed 6 Grand Touring is one such car. How many of us actually remember that such a beast ever even existed, much less reaize that it’s still an option on the used car market here, nearly 20 years later?
To refresh our memory, the Mazdaspeed 6 is a derivation of the standard Mazda 6 sedan that’s been pumped up to 11. Under the hood sits a 274 horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged and intercooled four, which is mated to a six-speed stick and AWD with automatic torque vectoring. It was the Mazdaspeed 3’s bigger but less famous brother.
Around that goodness is wrapped a mid-sized body with seats for five and inoffensive but hardly memorable (see screed above) styling. Mazda sold these in the U.S. for two years before pulling the plug.
This one, amazingly in angry-bruise purple over black leather, has a clean title and 114,000 miles on the ticker. According to the ad, it’s in “good” condition, and the pictures do show a car that, aesthetically at least, could stand some spit and polish—and probably some fresh paint and a trip to the upholsterer. The seller notes, though, that the car’s bones are good, and it has no rust or accident damage.
The mechanicals also seem solid and have gained a few aftermarket bits and legacy repairs, including the direct-injected engine’s infamous high-pressure fuel pump and variable valve timing mechanism. The turbo has also been recently rebuilt. Other updates include some suspension bits and a new AC compressor. Receipts are available for the work.
The engine has a mild tune and an aftermarket intake, but the seller will include all the original bits and says it can be returned to stock if the buyer so desires. Not available are the original wheels. It now rides on Konig alloys with a bit of curb rash. Those are wearing Continental tires, which the seller says have plenty of tread. Also, in the plus column, the car comes with two working keys and the original owner’s manual. The asking price is $9,000 straight up.
What’s your take on this forgotten sports sedan and that $9,000 asking? Does that feel like a fair deal for a rare trip down no-memory lane? Or does that price tag have you saying, “Mazdaspeed who?”
You decide!
San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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