Mazda 6 Problems

I don’t believe eight to 10 months between services, given the mileage you’re doing, would present a problem as long as you stick to a regular maintenance routine.

You need to have an independent body repair person evaluate your car with the objective of determining the reason it's rusting. Graeme Cuthbert is one specialist who assists owners in resolving issues like yours. He can be contacted on 0422 444 335.

The most likely explanation for the dealers using the 10w-30 low viscosity oil is that they have a deal with an oil company to use it. It’s more likely to be based on a commercial arrangement than anything else. Use the oil specified in the manuals and you won’t go wrong. And Mazda does approve the use of E10 in your car, so I would be inclined to use it.

Cars built after 2003, such as yours, must be fitted with a system that has been emissions approved, and I would very much doubt that anyone has mixer system that is approved for your car. The mixer system is old technology and is nowhere nearly as good as the newer injection system. Although injection systems are more expensive they are the best option.

You typically lose one to two psi in the process of connecting the pressure gauge to the valve, so if you’re checking your tyres once a week the 2 psi loss you’re seeing could simply be due to that and not actually a loss of pressure at all. If you’re checking once per month and seeing a loss of 6-8 psi then that’s something to be concerned about. A loss of pressure can occur through a faulty valve, a poor seal between the tyre and the rim, and bleeding through the tyre carcass. Using a tyre cap is a good practice because it helps prevent dirt getting into the valve and causing it to leak. I wouldn’t be concerned about sealing the inside of the tyre; any loss through the sidewall is likely to be very small.

Sounds like you need to have a transmission specialist take a closer look at it. For starters, the transmission fluid doesn’t simply disappear without reason, there has to be a problem. I would have the auto serviced and the fluid changed.

Mazda's maintenance schedule suggests that the fluid and fluid level be inspected every 20,000 km, so the dealer has done the right thing and checked yours at the appropriate service. He's also done the right thing in warning you that it could need changing at the next service, and given you a possible cost. Some automatic transmission specialists, those of the old school anyway, are adamant that the transmission fluid should be changed every 20,000 km to keep the transmission alive and well. It would seem the dealer has given you good advice on the possibility you might need to change the  fluid, although the cost does seem a little high. Ask the dealer for a breakdown of the costs so you can see what the fluid costs and how much time you're being charged for. That should tell if you are being overcharged.

Missing oil changes can be fatal for engines, it can cause oil galleries to become clogged and affect the oil supply to vital components like the main bearings. It also gives the carmaker good justification for refusing to cover a repair that might have been caused because you’ve missed your oil changes. Presumably the engine has been pulled down, in which case you could have an engine reconditioner inspect it with a view to having it rebuilt. You could also appeal to Mazda for assistance in replacing or repairing the engine, but I doubt you would have any joy there.

It's frustrating that discs should need replacing at such low kays, but it's not that unusual today. You got 65,000 km out of the second set of discs, which is par for the course. It is something I think carmakers should be looking at and developing new materials or whatever to extend the life of the brakes.