It can be recalled that Cougar was nearly capsized due to a ballast tank problem. During the incident, the vessel was carrying 4, 703 Mazdas. Though most of the vehicles were not affected, Mazda still decided to scrap all the vehicles on board. This is to ensure quality and safety of the vehicles.

Cougar Ace vessel was en route from Asia to North America. However, it nearly capsized off the Aleutian Islands in late July. It sat listing at more than 60 degrees for nearly a month then it was towed to the nearest port in Portland, Oregon for the necessary repairs.

Critics in the industry, consumers can't help but entertain doubts whether the Mazda they will be purchasing is safe. They also added that the decision of the automaker not to sell the vehicles on board must have been difficult to make. Sixty percent of Mazda vessels from Cougar Ace are CX-7s hence; per unit has an estimated amount of $22,000. Analysts estimate Mazda's loss at $103 million. Moreover, they suggest that Mazda would just donate the vehicles to charities and non-profit organizations.

?Even though little visible damage existed on some of the vehicles, Mazda put the customer first and made the right decision to scrap 100 percent of the vehicles because of potential safety concerns." said David Regan, VP of Legislative Affairs with NADA. "This is clear example of good corporate citizenship."

Mazda's decision is anchored on its devotion to secure safety and quality of its vehicles. The automaker ensures that <---****HYPERLINK****--->"http://www.accessoriesgiant.com/mazda.html">Mazda car accessories and parts are excellent. "Mazda has been an ardent supporter of ensuring that insurance companies disclose the VINs so that consumers and dealers have the information they need to make an educated decision on the value and safety of vehicles," Regan added referring to Mazda's support of total-loss disclosure legislation. "By publicly disclosing the VINs of the questionable vehicles and then choosing to scrap them all together, they show how committed they are to the health and well-being of their customers."

Mazda spokesperson also added that the VINs of the Cougar Ace vehicles will be submitted to Experian's Autocheck and Carfax vehicle history databases. Said VINs are already available on Mazda's consumer website.