Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
A couple of weeks ago I test drove a top-of-the-line Mazda 5 with 205/50-17 tires by Toyo. When I commented to the Mazda salesperson that Mazda had switched tire mfg. from Goodyear to Toyo he tells me that the 17" Toyos are mfg. by Goodyear for Toyo.
Till date, I can't verify what he said; nor have I been able to find 205/50-17 tires from Toyo. At the time I didn't think about it, but thinking back I should have looked at the tread design of the Toyos to see if they looked anything like the Goodyears.
Does anyone have any insight as to the performance of these all-season tires? My test drive was brief and inconclusive.
The point of the story is to be very careful who you let change the oil cartridge on your Mazda3s...it requires a special tool to get it just right and one little mistake and your walking...
We offer a pre-paid oil change card that gets the consumer 10 oil/filter changes for $129....so I'm amazed when a local customer goes to jiffy change instead of the dealership.
Wow. I wish my dealership offered that. Nice deal...
As long as you don't get sucked into a $59 tire rotation - or let them talk you into a bunch of maintenance that you don't need (tranny & radiator flush at 20K) the dealership is the best place to go - at least as long as the car is under warranty.
I knew I could count on something negative from you.
They also can recoup money with people who don't keep the car for the 10 oil changes (50k miles)
Mr_Shiftright - you say you would not rotate tires for $59.00 - OK great lets use your pricing method - to figure out how much you would charge for an oil change. You could use the same .5 hour PLUS you need to add the cost of the oil and filter. Why not just tape a couple of $20 bills on the side of the car while you are at it.
So you need to ask - why is the dealer doing this?
Take your pick -
They are just nice and like to do things that they lose money on.
OR
They want to get you to come into the service department so they can sell you other services.
BTW - there is even a name for this - its called a loss leader - it is a common business practice. I have nothing against it.
The point is - many (that means most but not all) dealerships will try very hard - while you have your car in getting your bargain $12 oil change to also get your tires rotated - radiator & tranny flushed - fuel system cleaned and flushed -plus plus plus. So your $12 bargin become a $250+ tab.
audia8q - are you trying to tell me that your dealership DOES NOT TRY and sell other service to the customers that come in to get their oil changed? Unless of course it is part of the maintenance required by Mazda that is provided in the owners manual.
There was nothing negative about my post - its just the way things are - sure take the $12 oil change - just say no to the $229 tranny service when your car only has 20,000 miles.
yeah, if the guy has bald tires or bad brakes we point it out, if something is broken on the car we also point it out to the customer. Perhaps you thing this is a bad thing. Our experience has shown that most folks want to be alerted when something is wrong with their car.
But you seem to be avoiding my question - I wonder why?
WHY does your dealership offer $12 oil changes - OBVIOUSLY to get the customer to bring their car in to the service department. But do you try and UP sell them to services like tranny fluid changes that are not REQUIRED by Mazda - just to make extra money. I think YES you do - and why are you so ashamed to just admit it?
Don't you see a difference between selling someone tires when they have bad tires - or having then pay $200 for a radiator flush when they don't need one for another 10,000 miles?
ggoins - I also agree we are all adults and can spend our money any way we want.
Like I have said SEVERAL TIMES I don't have a problem with a business selling things to people - that is why they are in business. I managed a sales organization for over 10 years - I know full well how things work.
Its much easier to keep existing customers - than find a new customer
Its also easier to sell MORE to a current customer than it is to find a new customer.
I was only pointing out that the $12 oil change can end up costing you MUCH more if you are not careful. My original post was - The $12 oil change is great -
As long as you don't get sucked into a $59 tire rotation - or let them talk you into a bunch of maintenance that you don't need (tranny & radiator flush at 20K) the dealership is the best place to go -
On a previous vehicle - I bought a book of 10 oil changes for $50 - so when my vehicle hit 30K I replaced my air filter - and then drove straight to the dealer for an oil change - after about a 15 minute wait - the service guy asks me - Do you want us to replace the air filter -its dirty? I said WHAT? How can that be - I replaced it with a new one TODAY! All he said was sorry - must have made a mistake! Right - mistake -
If tire rotation is part of the service, you can't really haggle the price...you can refuse the service but then you'll have to haul the car somewhere else and what's your time worth for the $15 savings?
So dealer undercharges you for oil change, overcharges you for tire rotation, it all comes out about equal and everybody's happy. But they gotta treat you right while you're there...that's part of the deal.
This is my first Mazda and was first annual oil change of it. When the service advisor told me this was a package for annual check and Mazda recommended it, I thought it would cover all the necessary maintenance required for warranty. I only knew when I received the invoice, the extra work was mainly for brake inspection and cleaning. Actually my front brake rotors and pads were changed not long ago. So for a straight forward service advisor, he should not have recommended this package for me. Just like last oil change, the advisor recommended tire rotation. But I just changed winter tires a week ago. What's the purpose for tire rotation again?
So for the laymen and those not knowledge about cars, we wish there are more straight forward and honest advisors. For me, I would be more prepared to question the advisor when I am asked to do other services during a routine oil change.
But I also know that if my wife took her car in for an oil change and the service person told her that she really needed to get the brakes replaced - the car is not safe to drive - that she would say - OK fix them. BTW my wife knows how to read - she just does not know that much about cars - wouldn't be able to tell if the pads were worn out or not.
It is this type of customer that will end up getting taken for a ride. Its not just dealerships - many (again - many means most but not all) automotive repair places have the same business ethics.
I was at Brake Check a few year ago - some young girl brought her car in and I could not help but over hear the service guy tell her she needed a new master cylinder - She ask how much was it going to cost and he said about $900. The girl started crying she did not have $900 - so I ask her if she cared if I took a look at it - she said please do. I went out - looked at the master cylinder and it looked fine - no leaks - good pedal feel - so I ask the guy why replace it? - he said the car has 50K on it and it should be replaced. I then ask him - then why didn't you tell me that I needed mine replaced - I have over 80K - he had no answer - but I know full well - he knew I was not about to let them replace something that was not broken - but some young girl who I would guess did not know a master cylinder from a valve cover was being cheated.
I just got my Mazda3 s Touring 5door manual a week ago.
When the car hit around 450 miles or so, I noticed the engine started ticking/clicking.
I never noticed it at all before, but when starting the car the other day I still had my door open and I could hear this very clear ticking sound. It's a constant ticking that seems to be in rhythm with the engine and when I rev the engine the ticking gets faster.
The sound definetly seems to be coming from around the engine.
Anyone else with a Mazda3 have this or might anyone know what it could be?
The car SEEMS to be running great and I love it... but this has be worried.
I guess is everyone else has the same sound then I'm not as worried...
An oil change runs me about $40: $30 for the oil and filter; $10 for breakfast
An oil change plus a tire rotation is approx. $65: oil $30; tire $25; breakfast $10
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
I like to think that they take care of my car as well as I take care of them.
Add to that a couple of child car seats in the back plus a picture of my kids hanging from the rearview - that about covers all the bases.
So when I do get my car back after a tire rotation, I still 'kick the wheels' for hahas. Though, my instincts tell me that someone took extra care and triple checked all 20 lugs. Ok, at least that is what I like to think.
Like you, I don't know how well they are doing the maintenance...
I do know that the breakfast was free..
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator