12' Mazda 6 to 13' Passat SE TDI 6MT

So I have a 2012 Mazda 6 which I have had for 9 months now. I'm driving a crap load for my new job and the 6 is not awesome on the MPG. I honestly did not even look at VW when I bought the 6. I looked at the typical ones Accord, Camry, Sonata and Fusion.

A friend told me I needed to look at the SE cause his boss had one and was getting 50+mpg. I have been trolling these forums ever since. I called my local VW and they have a Black on Black SE 6MT that someone ordered and backed out of, scheduled to come in at the end of the month and I am passing by tonight to test drive just the DSG TDI.

Honestly, I am a little torn as to whether I should actually be going though with this or not. I think if I don't get hosed on the trade in, this would be something that would be worth it, if I can hit that 50MPG sweet spot. My commute is 85% highway with no traffic, my version of traffic is slowing down to 55 at points, other than that its 75-80 the whole way in.

Anyways., just wanted to type it out and get feedback from owners. I read the other day that the 2014 6 would come in a SkyActiv-D config, but who knows if that is true. By my calculations, basing on a descent trade in, and 200 over invoice for the VW. I would still save $80 a month after factoring in extra payment and higher cost of gas.

Decisions, decisions...

don't believe it.

DogParkGuy said:

don't believe it.

Click to expand...

Don't believe what?

I was a Mazda owner too (08 Mazdaspeed3) until the end of May, when I decided I couldn't wait for the Skyactiv-D to get here (if indeed it ever does). I drive about 30,000 miles a year, and decided I needed more of an adult car that gets better MPGs. I thought I would miss the power of the Mazda, but the Passat is so smooth and refined, that I don't miss it at all.

The Skyactiv-D sounds great on paper, and has received favorable reviews in other countries, but the jury is out whether it will ever make it here to the U.S.

Not getting hosed on the trade is the problem.

truman said:

Not getting hosed on the trade is the problem.

Click to expand...

Yup. How much are you calculating you will get for your Mazda 6? What are the specs/details on it?

rmd0311 said:

its 75-80 the whole way in.

Click to expand...

You are going to get much better mileage with the TDI, but you are not going to get 50 mpg going 75-80 mph.

Ace Deprave said:

The Skyactiv-D sounds great on paper, and has received favorable reviews in other countries, but the jury is out whether it will ever make it here to the U.S.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I fear that as well. If I can get away with not getting killed on the trade I may follow suit.

T.J.K. said:

Yup. How much are you calculating you will get for your Mazda 6? What are the specs/details on it?

Click to expand...

Hoping for a minimum of 18k... Dealer offered 14.5k which would kill the deal altogether. We will see. It's a 2012 Mazda 6i Touring, automatic, 18k miles, BT, alloys and all that regular stuff.

MSRP is 24k, Invoice was 22,500 so I was hoping to take no more than a 20% hit on invoice. if not, then I leave it alone, and wait a few years.

MichaelSNU said:

You are going to get much better mileage with the TDI, but you are not going to get 50 mpg going 75-80 mph.

Click to expand...

I don't mind dropping the speed to get the better gas... I have seen no change on MPG with the Mazda no matter what speed drive.

If you go 65-70 mph consistently, then 50 mpg should be within your reach. I've averaged just over that on some long trips, while my normal around town commute is kind of a worst-case scenario, 4 cold startups per day, 4 miles from home to work, stop lights, train crossings, and speeds never getting above 40 mph-ish. Even then, I get 30 mpg.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/wolfsburgde/passat

As for the Mazda, try a local Carmax/Autonation/etc and see what they offer you for the car. They may offer considerably more than VW would give you on a trade-in.

I won't offer advice on whether you should trade or not. But I recommend budgeting for 40mpg so you can be very pleased with beating that. If you expect 50mpg every day, every tank, you will be psychologically dissapointed. 75-80mph highway is probably a little under 50mpg, but there will be other driving.

APT said:

I won't offer advice on whether you should trade or not. But I recommend budgeting for 40mpg so you can be very pleased with beating that. If you expect 50mpg every day, every tank, you will be psychologically dissapointed. 75-80mph highway is probably a little under 50mpg, but there will be other driving.

Click to expand...

Actually no, no other driving. I usually drive to and from work and then it sits in the garage all weekend. But I changed my budget around to 48mpg average.

I mean, at 48mpg as long as I can get a few grand more for the trade, I still save and I do mean save $60 a month or so. That is after you factor in difference in gas prices and car payment.

48mpg is doable, that is about what I averaged, but you are going to have to be careful with the right foot to average that.

85% highway at 75-80mph leaves 15% unknown. 48mpg for tank and lifetime averages is possible, but the Passat might not quite meet that. If you can live with the budgeting at 40mpg and $4.50/gallon, then you'll be very happy when you get 45-48mpg tank averages and $3.75/gallon.

FWIW, the EPA highway rating is 43mpg.

All for not., they really tried to screw me. The dealer that is. I guess it was to be expected. I will sit back and relax.

Wait till the 6 is beating to the ground and then sell it for scraps. Hopefully in 2014, either the SkyActiv-D is out, or VW is doing a hell of a lot better.

explain....

I'm assuming they didn't want to give you enough for your trade. I didn't think you would get as much as you were hoping. Used Mazda 6s in your config are only priced at around 16-18K here. I would assume they would give you 15K (16K if your lucky).

T.J.K. said:

explain....

Click to expand...

With the trade that is... They pretty much offered 2011 pricing for my 2012 6 and would not budge.

I really wanted the Passat, but would not, will not get killed on the trade. Just for fun and giggles, I visited my local Mazda dealership and got offered 17.5 for the trade, to get get a CX-5. That price was what they offered off the bat, sure I could get higher if I fought.

Compare that to 14.5 from both Passat dealerships, one was actually 14.8 but same sh1t. Both VW dealerships fessed up to using 2011 pricing guides and both blamed the mileage, currently 18k.

The only diff I see, is that maybe both VW dealerships are looking to simply wholesale the car, while I have a long enough relationship with Mazda that their plan is to sell it certified pre-owned.

I keep the 6 for the foreseeable future.

T.J.K. said:

I'm assuming they didn't want to give you enough for your trade. I didn't think you would get as much as you were hoping. Used Mazda 6s in your config are only priced at around 16-18K here. I would assume they would give you 15K (16K if your lucky).

Click to expand...

Used 6 iTourings around me are going for 19-20 depending on mileage.

Do you have a CarMax near by? See how much they would pay outright or sell private party?

You could always try a private party sale, which would almost certainly get you more for your car than a trade-in. And, as wolfsburg_de mentioned, CarMax or its equivalent is a great thing to have in your back pocket for leverage. I usually get a trade-in quote from them, but I didn't this time because the trade offer from the dealer was $15,500 (on a 2008 Accord with ~70K miles).

I would guess that it's difficult not to get hosed trading in a 9-month-old car.

Closest CarMax is 70 miles away in CT.

I will put it on Craigslist and see what happens. If nothing comes of it, then I keep the 6 for now. At least until end of next year when the 2014 6 is suppose to be released.

Go see Chris @ Langhorne.

Hello all... Me and dealer got back into communications, the car is coming in, in 2 weeks and they have budged on the trade in... I'm not being hosed right now. So I may just be driving a 2013 SE TDI Manual, Black on Black by the end of the month... I will keep you posted.

rmd0311 said:

Hello all... Me and dealer got back into communications, the car is coming in, in 2 weeks and they have budged on the trade in... I'm not being hosed right now. So I may just be driving a 2013 SE TDI Manual, Black on Black by the end of the month... I will keep you posted.

Click to expand...

That's the spirit! Good luck.

Done deal.... talking to the dealer at 11am to leave the deposit and complete the deal.

2013 Passat TDI 6MT Black on Black. Paying 200 over invoice comes in last week in September.

Lastly, getting 500 over KBB Excellent condition trade in.

I'm happy. Took 2 months to complete the deal but its done. At my 35k miles a year. It will be welcomed.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

rmd0311 said:

35k miles a year

Click to expand...

Oh yeah. You definitely made the right move.