Author Topic: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in  (Read 21088 times)

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Offline Choppit

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Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« on: November 04, 2018, 11:59:49 am »
Hi,

As much as I've enjoyed my Mazda6, I'm considering trading it in sometime in the next few months, as there's nothing in the 2018 Mazda lineup that's interesting. My current car of interest is the 2018 Mercedes E300 Coupe. Does anyone have any perspectives/advice on this model? Although  a coupe wouldn't be my first choice for practicality reasons, the absence of the "B" pillar makes it one of the few German cars that will accommodate my shoulders. Thanks in advance.

Offline apav

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Re: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2018, 12:48:19 pm »
How does the B pillar affect your shoulders? Did you try to adjust the belt height?

If you have some time ahead, you should register to specialised forums about the models you are interested and find out what problems they have. In general, all the cars under warranty/finance/lease/etc cause no problems because somebody else repairs them. They cost a lot though. If you replace it again before the warranty expires, then you should be OK.

Offline Choppit

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Re: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2018, 08:40:07 pm »
It's not the belt positioning, but the width/position of the pillar itself which obstructs my shoulder (I'm 26" wide at the shoulder). Curiously, my Mazda6, previous Mondeo, wifes Focus and previous Ka, didn't give me problems so it's probably down to German over engineering.

Offline apav

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Re: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2018, 10:31:48 am »
That is very strange. If you can fit in a city car, then you should fit in anything really. All the segment E cars should have much more space than the smaller ones.

https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/passengercars/mercedes-benz-cars/models/e-class/e-class-estate/explore/variability.module.html

This one looks wider than my second generation 6 on both the seat and the gap to the B pillar. And somehow, I believe that the gap from the seat to the pillar is the same on all cars because of the airbags. Maybe the seat design makes it look different.

I had a quick search to find out what is the average shoulder width and it seems that size 26 is an extreme. There is a photo of a body builder who is size 24 and looks massive.

http://www.t-nation.com/img/photos/06-113-training/scan0004.jpg

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=136723841&page=1

https://www.t-nation.com/training/wider-real-man-shoulders

That looks like not fitting in smaller seat but you say you can do it.

You could try the Camry when it arrives as it sells a lot in US where size matters. But then again it says that the average shoulder width is size 18. So I am not sure how you can manage.

This one says that the 6 has shoulder room 1450mm

https://www.car.info/en-se/mazda/6/6-wagon-42196/specs

This one says that the E class coupe has shoulder room 1425mm

https://www.truedelta.com/Mercedes-Benz-E-Class/specs-186

But the sedan/wagon are wider at 1468mm.

Offline Choppit

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Re: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2018, 07:27:45 pm »
Thanks for the useful/interesting links. Something I note about the shoulder room figures is that they're the internal width of the vehicle, but don't take into account the width of the centre console/transmission tunnel, so it's quite possible that the inside shoulder gets more room than the outside. I also suspect that this is the width in front of the "B" pillar, as the seatbelt would usually be above and behind the seat, so while I'm not excessively tall at 6'2" my comfortable driving position lines the rear half of my shoulder up with the pillar. In the M6 the pillar is also noticeably thinner.

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Re: Considering trading my Mazda 6 in
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2018, 10:52:30 am »
I know what you mean about feeling closer to the pillar but the gap there must be very similar to all cars in order to pass the crash tests.

What I notice with my seating position is that I do not sit always at the same bit. Somehow sometimes I jump in and I am not centered to the seat and I only notice after driving and start feeling pain.

I do not sit that far back to meet the pillar and I have the back of the seat at a 90 degree position.

If you feel no pain and you are comfortable with how you sit, then it is down to the design.

https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving

There is information online in various sources that the seat back should be leaning a bit backwards but I cannot stand that. I also cannot figure out how this is right when bucket seats which do not adjust, are 90 degrees.

I find the seats uncomfortable at the end of the day and I think it is because I have lowered it at the very lowest position in order to be able to see the dials. Lifting the seat makes it comfortable but I cannot see anything in the dash.