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Mazda MX-5/Miata: Prices Paid and Buying Experience

24

Comments

  • meshmesh Member Posts: 20
    I also looked at the SI because I was hoping that it would be a cheaper alternative to the GLI and more practical than the MX5. Unfortunately, the SI had vague steering, a cheap-looking dash, and an annoying habit of hanging onto revs after lifting off the throttle. I had actually ordered a GLI with DSG and leather for $27k, and loved everything about it, but I couldn't get the feel of the MX5 out of my mind. I ended up going for the Miata and saving over $4k, not including insurance. I really wanted to like the Honda, but it wasn't as sharp or as nicely appointed as the other two. I never test drove a WRX, though, which I regret, but I am definitely loving the Miata (my dog hates it). :mad:
  • dboedboe Member Posts: 69
    Thanks for your insight. I am not too fond of blown engines either. That's another reason why I considered both the Miata and Si.
    I have a neighbor with an '04 S2000 which I have driven.
    It is high on driver feedback. But almost to an extreme.
    I need to test drive a Miata.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    I would suggest driving all three. Also consider practicality. Do you live in an area where you can drive a rear-drive car year round? Or is this just a 3 season car? Are you OK with a 2 seater if you go with the S2000 or MX-5? These are all things you have to consider. If non of the above are things that do not matter, then go with which ever has the best drive, and fits your needs.
  • pearsonrjpearsonrj Member Posts: 51
    MSRP $27,210. Bought for $25,094 plus tax and $200 doc fee (a bit of padding there). Overall happy I got a reasonable deal I think, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • meowgirlmeowgirl Member Posts: 1
    Hi Pearsonrj,

    Congrats on the good deal! Mind me asking which dealer you went to? I'm also in the SF area. Power hard top with the automatic transmission is the key for me. The price you got is lower than what Carsdirect.com and Royal Mazda quoted me ($25,600 and $26,100, respectively), and I was only asking about Touring! Any tip you could give me I would appreciate very much. Thanks!
  • fromthesmokefromthesmoke Member Posts: 1
    Looking at a Grand Touring with RHT in the SF Bay Area. How long do you think until stealers.....ahem dealers stop with the $3k mark up? :confuse:
  • jebinc1jebinc1 Member Posts: 198
    MRSP $27,094 (GT with suspension and Premium pkg #2)
    Paid $23,832+ Tax and Lic.
    Free all weather floor mats (I live in Seattle)
  • brake4me1brake4me1 Member Posts: 18
    I was wondering if anyone knew the approximate time it takes for an ordered MX-5 to be built, shipped from Japan and then dropped off at an East Coast dealership - Baltimore.

    Has anyone heard if Mazda has a back-log of MX-5 orders? My assumption is that once Mazda starts line assembly production it takes 6 to 8 weeks for a new 07 MX-5 to be delivered, but I am only guessing at this point.

    In any case if someone were to order a 07 MX-5 in November, what would be the best estimate on when the car would be ready to drive off the dealer lot?
  • pipefitterpipefitter Member Posts: 27
    I ordered my 2006 GT Auto Trans MX-5 on 12/7/05 and took delivery on 5/18/06. It came through the New Jersey port.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    Has anyone heard if Mazda has a back-log of MX-5 orders? My assumption is that once Mazda starts line assembly production it takes 6 to 8 weeks for a new 07 MX-5 to be delivered, but I am only guessing at this point.

    4-5 months is the order time. Mazda only accepts orders one day a month so if you miss the date your pushed back another month. The selling dealer plays a role also. If they don't have the allocation earnings they won't get the order built until they do. The selling dealer must also put in a priority code and that can help or hurt how quickly the order gets picked up. November orders are for January production and March delivery...Also, depending on your location the car spends between 4-8 weeks on the boat getting here from Japan.....The production numbers for Jan are very very limited due to the holiday shut downs..
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    Good info!!

    Translation: Buy one off the lot?

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  • plee05plee05 Member Posts: 2
    hi, i live in socal and i'm looking to buy the new 07 miata gt hardtop convertible manual. i wonder what prices most people are getting now (if there are any prices lower than carsdirect.com) and also, i asked the dealership today about their inventory, and they said that their next shipment of hardtops come in around february and that i should put down a deposit. now does this deposit guarenttee me the car i want (trim and options) or does this only get me in line of "to contact" list. i've been reading and it seems like jan is the best time to buy. now, would i be "buying" in january even though the car won't come in until a few months later, or does the deposit mean, that the dealer and i have come to an agreed price and such and i place a deposit for that incoming car. i'm in no great hurry to buy the car (planning to wait as long as 5 months) and can wait if i can get a better deal. any suggestions would be great. thanks!
  • brake4me1brake4me1 Member Posts: 18
    The Miata MX-5 PRHT seems to be selling in the $25,000 to $26,000 range. Then you can add on more $$$ for options you desire. I put down a deposit for a 07 MX-5 in late October and the dealer order went through on November 11th. I just got word this week that Mazda has started production of the car and in would probably be delivered in February. So it could take as long as long as 4 months to receive your new car once you place an order. Your deposit does guarantee you the car you ordered with all the options your requested. If Mazda raises car prices, it will not effect your purchase since you locked in the price you and the dealer agreed to. Most dealers will not even cash in your deposit, but just use it as record showing that you made the initial purchase to buy a new car.

    If you can get a good deal on a MX-5 right now I would go for it. There is not going to be that much of a savings between now and January/February 07. Also you might not find a new Mazda with all the bells and whistles you want on a lot, so pre-ordering gets you what you want. good luck.
  • plee05plee05 Member Posts: 2
    thanks for the info. i'm not sure if i'm able to wait a few months for the car though. hmmm... and i'm still debating on either the mx-5 vs s2000.
  • brake4me1brake4me1 Member Posts: 18
    I usually wait for 3000 miles to have oil changed on a new car, but a friend of mine said I should have oil changed after the first 250 to 400 miles? He claims metal shaving can build up on a new car engine so you want to change your oil sooner.

    Any suggestions and will a dealer do an "early" oil change for free if you take it back in before the scheduled owner manual oil change date?
  • joesblackhhrjoesblackhhr Member Posts: 2
    Using edmunds as a guide and the internet I found a dealer in Baton Rouge who had a 2007 red Sport convertible with auto that I paid 22990 before ttl. I was upside down on my trade wound up out the door for 29863.We did the usual going back to the sales manager in the tower thing AFTER I walked out the dealership the day before with 2000 difference in our prices. The coup de gras was when we were doing the final figures he added about 23 bucks to my payoff since it would be out 10 days to GMAC, so I said no that isn't the price we agreed on . HE asked me if I would pass the car up for 23 bucks and without missing a beat my wife asked him if he would lose a sale for 23 bucks? Needless to say he took it back off , and filled out my 25 dollar test drive certificate.
    My local dealer in Hammond has several GTS sport and a sport they would only sell for MSRP AND tacked on the 249 coupon book but would drop the 149 VIN glass etch, couldn't deal with them. Oh and as far as the test drive the Hammond dealer had a salesman ride with me, the Baton Rouge dealer handed me the keys as soon as I drove up and said take it for a test spin. I had to ask him did he want my to make a copy of my Drivers license!!!
  • tollivertolliver Member Posts: 3
    Anyone know if the 2008 Model will be a carryover from the 2007 year?
  • kmbaerkmbaer Member Posts: 20
    Yes, at this point the dealerships have already placed their first '08 order. There were a couple of models that had TBD for color choice, but options remain unchanged. My dealership has already seen the last shipment of their '07's. From what my salesman explained to me, Mazda only takes dealership orders quarterly, and the first quarter for model year '08 has already gone out. I'm trying to order one for the second quarter which will arrive late fall.
  • nowhere2005nowhere2005 Member Posts: 11
    I take delivery of a new 2006 MX-5 Grand Touring 6MT with Suspension & Premium 2 packages. MSRP was 27k. Final price after S-Plan discount & incentives was just under 22k. :D

    Purchasing from Bill Andrews Mazda in Lafayette, In.
  • gputzgputz Member Posts: 49
    Well, there ARE some changes to Canadian cars that we know about. The seats will have height adjustment, the 6-disc cd will be standard on the GT level (possibly Touring too) and the tan interior will have less pumpkin colored plastic. Whether or not these changes apply to US cars is unconfirmed...
  • lazybotlazybot Member Posts: 7
    I got a quote of $25566 for the same model & options: '07 GT + Suspension + Pkg 2.

    What incentives are out there?

    What's the S-Plan?
  • eddygooeddygoo Member Posts: 3
    Dealer has 2 GT's both black w/tan interior. One with no options, the other with premium pkg #2, suspension pkg and 6 disc CD player. Do the mentioned pkgs affect the ride comfort, etc. Will they do that much for the driving experience for average driving?I'm an old geezer who always wanted a AH3000. This car will probably never have the top up? And to those GM fans; gotta remember that Miata captured the essence of the old European sports car. Who needs a "sexy", radical piece of junk? GM big butts, I like that, it's funny and fitting.
  • sb55sb55 Member Posts: 616
    I have a 2007 PRHT GT and did get the PP2 and the Suspension package. You have to drive both to see if the SP is too stiff. I didn't find a big difference in ride, but wanted the LSD. Also the options of the PP2 are a plus (for a price)

    2021 Toyota Venza Limited Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT

  • eddygooeddygoo Member Posts: 3
    Your advice is well taken. I think the options are worth it and certainly LSD and stability control. Thanks for your input.
  • zero0gravzero0grav Member Posts: 1
    Found an 06 Sport (which is the same as the 07 Touring) for $18,500 but the darn thing is white ... still that is 5,000 under sticker and could always add a couple black racing stripes but the 08's are out soon ... so what do yah think ?
  • rossnolerossnole Member Posts: 3
    I am probably the only one who does not know this, but what is an S-plan.

    Ross, Fla
  • podracer999podracer999 Member Posts: 8
    the s-plan allows employees, retirees, family members, and corporate partners to buy mazda vehicles at invoice price. you can check it out here:

    www.mazdausa.com/splan

    click on "program guidelines" in the sidebar on that webpage to get all the details.

    i was able to get my mx-5 under the s-plan. no haggle, no hassle.

    hope that helps. :)
  • mghcarmghcar Member Posts: 3
    Hi kyfdx:
    I am asked you a question about BMW Z-4 yesterday. I am a 40 year-old mom looking for a 2 seater convertible. I want a fun car. It will not be my primary car, but my 12 year-old daughter will be riding in it. I have driven Boxster (very loud), SLK-280 (no trunk), Z-4, and Miata MX-5. I am having a hard time figuring it all out. Do you have any suggestions? Safety, performance, etc. By the way, I will not be driving 95, so that doesn't matter. :)
    My neighbor who is a car salesman told me that I should be a Jeep Wrangler for mid-life crisis car. He said when I got over the no-top thing, I could sell the Jeep. Since he doesn't sell Jeeps (or the others), I was wondering if he is right?
    Thanks for your advice
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Jeep is great for off-road... terrible for pavement. Rough ride and noisy. Definitely not a sports car. Any of the cars you're considering are fun sporty cars. Miata won't have the depreciation of the more expensive European cars. Get the one you like the most.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    If you are looking for a fun convertible, it is hard to beat the Miata for the money..

    I don't know why you couldn't sell a Miata, just like you could sell the Jeep. Sure, there may be a smaller market, but the cars are still popular.

    If it were me, I'd be looking for an '06 model for under $20K. Most Miatas are gently used, and it isn't that hard to find a nice one. Many people, as your salesman friend suggests, get tired of the convertible pretty quickly, and there always seems to be a nice selection of late model units.

    Are you getting a stick-shift?

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  • manybmwsmanybmws Member Posts: 347
    New car? I have seen the white and it looks very nice. Anyways you'll forget about the color choice the minute you drive away from the dealership... :)

    Put some money in your pocket and buy it. Get them to throw in some options at their cost!
  • zhamidzhamid Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone have a list of S-plan pricing for Miata? I got two different numbers from two dealers and would like to verify them.
  • papalopapalo Member Posts: 7
    We're looking at a MX-5 Grand Touring soft-top (would love the hard-top, but they're charging up to $5K OVER MSRP in our area!), and have been offered the following:

    Stormy Blue Mica/Saddle leather
    Premium Package #2
    Interior Trim Package
    6-disc in-dash CD player/changer
    Run-flat tires
    All-weather floor mats

    ...for $27,176.

    We're not the best negotiators, but this seems like a good deal. Plus, I'm supposed to be getting an e-mail coupon for an additional $500 off, so that could theoretically bring the price down to $26,676. We'd like to have splash guards put on, but would it be pushing it to ask the dealership to throw that in?

    Thanks in advance! :)
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Don't know the local market conditions in your area, but 07 GT's are going for around $5k to $5.5k off MSRP in the NW.
  • ihammerihammer Member Posts: 75
    Hi, Does anyone know what people are paying for 07GT's in Northern California? The $5k to $5.5k off MSRP that they are going for in the NW sounds great. Carsdirect price here for an "07 GT/auto trans. w/Prem Pkg.2 is $26,149 (MSRP is $27,595),not quite $1,500 off MSRP. Any price paid information from a Calif. buyer would be appreciated.
    Thanks!
  • rasldaslrasldasl Member Posts: 74
    Is it possible to do better than S-plan? Should I not mention S-plan to the dealer and see if I can negotiate a better price? Has anyone done this?
  • johnd15johnd15 Member Posts: 41
    I am looking at a 1999 10th AE Miata with 19,000 miles on it. Excellent condition. Asking price is $14,500; KBB suggested retail is $13,210; Edmunds TMV even less. Anyone out there keep an eye on prices for collector models? I am leery to pay even SR since I am cheap but is this what market dictates? It is a beautiful car... but there are always others.

    Thanks for any thoughts...
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    I wouldn't exactly call the 10th AE edition, a collectors item (meaning: I wouldn't pay extra for it), but with only 19K miles, it does sound like a nice car.

    If you post the details here: Real-World Trade-In Values, a professional can give you some idea what it is really worth.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • cacophony777cacophony777 Member Posts: 1
    Well, assuming it's actually in perfect condition (get it checked by a mechanic of your choosing!) I'd say it's worth between $10-$11k. This is based on my own extensive research into low mileage 99 Miata prices.

    I recently bought a absolutely perfect 99 Miata with 14k miles for $8500. The premium that the 10th Anniversary Edition gets over the regular is not that much ... about $2,000 I'd say based on completed eBay auctions. I've seen slightly higher mileage (~50k) 10th Annivs sit unsold on dealer lots for months that were advertised at $10.5k. Though these numbers will vary slightly depending on area. I'm in N.Cal, FYI.

    Hope this helps.
  • johnd15johnd15 Member Posts: 41
    Thanks for your replies kyfdx & cacophony777....wholesale price estimated at $9K according to someone replying to Real World Trade In post... seller looking to make a big score. I offered $13,200 and he declined... countered at $14,100. Glad I checked here... it is easy to be seduced by a nice car and act irrationally... I retracted...

    If you see another low mileage 99 or 2000 Miata around under $10K (5 spd, Bose & leather seats only), let me know! I check eBay often.
  • susanhaisusanhai Member Posts: 9
    Hi

    I am a 39 y.o. (for the 3rd time, lol) mom who bought a 03 miata this june. I LOVE this car. My 10 year old rides with me and I like being able to turn off the airbag on the passenger side. The car had only 6200 miles on it and I got it for around 14000. Would buy it again in a heartbeat.... very nimble in the handling!
  • techtooltechtool Member Posts: 6
    In mid-August I paid $23600 vs. sticker of approx. $25200 for a 2007 Grand Touring manual transmission at Cardinale Way Mazda in Mesa, plus outrageous and non-negotiable (for me, anyway) $500 doc fee, which I have heard is typical in Phoenix. The car had some "packs" - window tint and "desert protection" coating for which I did not pay or include in the MRSP. The buying experience was pretty straighforward and involved only one "walking out and being called back episode." Not a great deal, but adequate. Only a little pressure to buy extended warranties, etc. All-in-all a pleasant and fast car buying experience. Can't comment on their financing, as I paid cash. I get unlimited free car washes, 20 free oil and filter changes, and various other discounts. Probably not a great deal, but good enough. Love the car.
  • pasquali56pasquali56 Member Posts: 21
    Just bought a very gently used '06 Grand Touring, 4200 miles (only owned 4 months by first owner), manual, silver with saddle leather, satellite radio already installed (of course, I need to subscribe), spoiler, premium package, for $18,750 plus taxes and fees. This car is impeccable and just like new. I think it's a good deal and hope there's no buyer's remorse. Anyone want to tell me that I needn't fret? Thanks.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    Okay.. don't fret! ;)

    I'm not sure what used Miatas go for... but, that seems like a good deal for a car with really low miles...

    It sure beats dropping $25K for a new one!

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    Don't fret!! sounds to me like you got a great deal, Every now and then you get someone who realizes that its not the car for them, like new with very low miles on it, I would have jumped on it in a min. :shades:
  • sellaturcicasellaturcica Member Posts: 145
    Was just wondering how much you could deal on a Miata in the dead of winter her in Connecticut. It's snowing now. There's a dealer near me that still has a 2007 Touring with suspension pack, which is what I would want- how much can they deal on these cars, are they just resigned to keeping them until spring at this point? Sitcker was around $23,500. According to Edmunds, there $1,000 of marketing support from Mazda. Anyone know anything else available?
  • bjc_in_massbjc_in_mass Member Posts: 1
    Just (yesterday) bought an '08 PRHT with Premium and Suspension packages, stormy blue, plus a few dealer options. MSRP was 29,627. Dealer Invoice was 26,611. First offered 27,000 -paid 27,700. Prob could have got 27.5K, but I'm not into haggling. Mazda Gallery in Norwood, but car was originally shipped to another dealer. Hope this helps someone.
  • babyrocketbabyrocket Member Posts: 54
    I've seen many references to people taking advantage of S-plan pricing. Am I to assume that all of these people are eligible for the S-plan (Mazda employee or their family, or approved Mazda partner)? Or is the S-plan open to anyone smart enough to bring it up in the negotiation process?

    Thanks -

    Patrick
  • berry4berry4 Member Posts: 1
    Hello all,
    We are, Bert and Jenny from the Netherlands we bought the Mazda MX5 2006 we want tobuy towbar for it to pull a small caravan but it is not possible to buy one in Europe, have you a solution? With the old model it was no problem, ">in May 2008 we are on holiday in your beautiful country we visit a Mazda dealer to see if they have one.
    In advance thanks for your response.
    Jenny and Bert
  • sb55sb55 Member Posts: 616
    I think that you wil have better luck with your question on miata.net forums

    2021 Toyota Venza Limited Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT

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