Mazda5 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

andrewhe · October 2006

I just purchased a 2007 Mazda 5 GT with auto, air and metallic paint for C$28,704 all in. I negotiated C$1,486 off the MSRP of C$25,100.

I hope this info is useful.

stamfordsad · October 2006

I have had a very negative Experience with STAMFORD MAZDA!! I Ordered a car from them in sept. I was told that the car should be in by the end of sept thru early oct. They told me that it was in the port and needed to clear customs. I gave them a $500.00 deposit in the very beginning of sept. They faxed me the window sticker and contract with a VIN # of the vehicle I waited till the end of sept and started calling to see if they had any updates for me. They told me that the car wasn't in yet and that they had hoped to have it by the end of the month so they could have it in sept sales. I called again on sept 29th and they told me that it should be any day now. I continued to wait until I checked with another dealer who ran the VIN # on my vehicle and told me that the car had come in on sept 26th and was sold to someone else. I then called my sales rep and again asked him for and update. I was still told that it should be in any day. When i told him what i was told he said he would get right back to me. When he called me back he did tell me that i was right the car had come in and was sold to someone else. After consulting with my attorney and finding out that I could only go after them for damages( interest on my deposit)i decided to let it go and move on. However i am still having a problem getting my deposit returned. I have called over and over again and am always being told that it will be taken care of right away. Weeks later still no deposit refund. I have had to file a complaint with mazda in order to try to get my deposit refunded!. Who ever heard of a dealer taking a deposit on a vehicle and then selling it to someone else when it came in. And then repeatedly lie about it.

the_doyen · October 2006

Hello,

Thanks a lot to those who've posted on all the threads. It's helped our process a lot, especially my ease of mind. We got a 2007 Mazda5 MT, for around $18.4k out-the-door.

We had a reasonably okay time getting the car, although the process too forever considering I worked out most of the details before I got there. When I got a Saturn the process took around an hour- including the walk-through and picture. Also annoying is even though I told them ahead of time what accessories I wanted, when I got there they didn't have them in stock.

First bit of advice, go through the internet and get dealers to quote you "out-the-door" prices. The selling price means little when you also have doc fees of $400 - $500, advertising fees of $250, etc. A reputable dealer can and will add up everything including tax over email or the phone. It's the only real thing to compare dealers against.

This was the second dealer we met with- we went over the internet and I asked if they could do a "dealer swap" for a specific VIN. They called me and told me they had "my car" in but when I got there it was the wrong year and wrong color. The dealer tried to tell me he couldn't tell what kind of car I wanted from the VIN (which is just not true) and thought this was close enough. After I walked they offered me a very sweet deal on the car- $17.5k "out-the-door" for a new car with 450 miles- but the feeling of "bait and switch" plus being told a lie I decided to go elsewhere. After that you never know what else will crop in to spoil the deal. So my second piece of advice- if you're dealing over the internet, make sure you get them to quote you a VIN (or set of VINs) with the price before you actually get in the store.

We have our first little one on the way, so I figured it was time to upgrade my wife from a coupe (she loves that coupe- she says it's "me-sized"). She actually strongly resisted getting the larger vehicle until I figured out to convince her parents first and they convinced her.

kw_da · October 2006

Hi,

Thanks for posting your price. It helps others if you can post the price you paid before Tax, Title & License (TTL). Some states have no tax, so this can make a big difference in price. Dealer helps & location.

FYI, You can get VINs & inventory of the dealer from Mazda's website. This helped me when I was looking at paper adverts to find out exactly what car they were referring to.

Regards,

David

cheapowner · November 2006

A 2007 Sport AT for $500 under invoice about $19.3K OTD from Expo Mazda at Kingwood (north of Houston). No pressure from internet and finance manager. I was in and out in less than 60 minutes that included test drive. I highly recommand this dealership.

the_doyen · November 2006

The selling price for the 2007 Mazda5 MT was around $16.8k including the destination fee- they threw in the cargo net and step plate. Cargo cover was extra. Oh, yeah, if you have a long drive to get to the dealer, make sure they have the accessories you want in stock before you go, too.

I found the Mazda website inventory helpful in getting the VINs for the cars I wanted. Their phone number (1-800-639-1000) is even more useful- they can not only tell you what's in stock, they can tell you what will be in stock over the next month. Someone else posted that number previously, I just can't find the reference off hand to give credit but- thanks, whoever.

I used the Mazda website for VIN numbers- the problem I had was they did a dealer swap (drove the car from out-of-town) and the website has a two or three day lag.

Cheers

okaasan · November 2006

I contacted Mazda USA and they told me that they are not going to start manufacturing any 2007 Mazda 5's in the new plum color until January. They said that these will go on sale in March 2007 at the earliest.

They did tell me there is a black 2007 GT with a DVD on its way to Hawaii and a strato blue mica Touring just got in today. Unfortunately, all of the dealers in Hawaii start off marking vehicles up $4,000 to $8,000 over MSRP when they price things. So, it seems like you are getting a great deal when they tell you "$9,000 off" but most of the time, you end up back at the MSRP and not even close to invoice. The lowest price you can get is the Costco price which is invoice plus $900. This is even the number they are using for 2006 vehicles.

Ugh - the price of paradise

tlong · November 2006

with Nav, automatic. Outstanding buying experience. $300 under invoice - $21K including pearl white charge and all weather floor mats, I didn't have to do hardly any bargaining.

So far car is excellent, no flaws at all.

yad5 · November 2006

tlong, I am seriously considering buying a GT, and have no idea how low is reasonable in my area. $300 under invoice sounds like a really great deal. Your price sounds like a U.S. price - what part of the country did you buy in?

okaasan · November 2006

I have two quotes from dealers in Hawaii. I know with three kids, I should get an MPV but I still can't get over the whole Soccer Mom/Minivan thing. We have a tiny one car carport and cannot fit anything wider than 73-74 inches so other minivans and most SUVs are out.

So far, nobody is marking down MPVs here. They are still way over invoice. Would it make a difference to wait until 2007?

From McKenna Mazda - 2007 Strato Blue Touring with cargo cover and rear bumper guard. $25,090 for the vehicle only (Per Edmunds MSRP is $20,810, invoice is $19,485, TMV is $21,123). Needless to say, this is a no go since it's about $4K over MSRP.

From JN Mazda - 2007 Phantom Blue Touring with cargo cover, rear bumper guard, floor mats and portfolio (?). $21,590 vehicle price (Per Edmunds, MSRP is $20,870, invoice is $19,533, TMV is $21,173). $22,939 OTD. I have not found any information on the portfolio option - does anyone know what this is or how much it cost? So, the price is about $700 over MSRP and about $2K over invoice.

The destination fee for Hawaii is $560 and as you can see, there is a dealer markup.

We are also waiting for quotes on the Grand Tourings.

Compared to what people are paying on the Mainland, these prices seem pretty high to me. I have been dealing with Thousand Oaks via e-mail so we may fly up to California and do the deal there since the prices are lower. It will cost us about $975-$1200 to ship though.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Also, if you have any other recommendations for dealers in California, preferably Southern California, I'd appreciate it.

kw_da · November 2006

Hi,

Re your prices - ouch, but its Hawaii :-)

I'm in Southern Cal & bought from Thousand Oaks Dealer. You need to talk to the manager to get the best deal (he may not be in on weekdays - the sales guy can tell you when he is in). I bought in their loss-leader in the paper, which was $2000 below invoice and asked for a similar deal on the car we wanted - was able to get ~700 under invoice. If you do it at the towards the end of the month you have more leverage since they want to make quota. My guess is that you should be able to get a Mazda5 for around invoice if not below in SCal.

I'd check the LATimes for lost leaders for comparision (go to their website - classified section and search on Mazda - the vin number is posted in the ad, then you can use Mazda's site to look up the specific vehicles to check on color and other details.) The best prices are probably in the weekend papers. At least you'll know how much dealers are willing to go below invoice.

You should check your addons against this site http://www.finishlineperformance.com/mazda5/index.html which has free shipping for $150 and up (cargo cover is a good price).

I'd definitely suggest getting the windows tinted - I can recommend a place in Thousand Oaks - again this price is subject to negotiation - see what the dealer will charge & a local place. You probably should do some research as there are many types of film & brands.

Regards,

David

okaasan · November 2006

Thanks for the advice, David. I have been in contact with the internet sales manager from Thousand Oaks regarding an MPV. I e-mailed him to see if I can get some quotes on the Mazda 5.

Did you purchase a 2007 or 2006 Mazda 5? Was it a Touring or Sport model?

Do the car ads come out in the LA Times on Friday or Sunday?

The dealer who was at $25K for the vehicle sent us a new quote of $22,602.90 OTD. This is $21,290 for the vehicle which is still about $700 over invoice. I believe the Costco price that people are getting around town is $800 over invoice.

I sent this new quote to the 2nd dealer to see if they will go lower. I doubt if we will get anything close to $700 under invoice or even invoice so flying to California may be the way for us to go.

Thanks for the advice.

tlong · November 2006

I bought in Southern California. If you happen to be in this area let me know and I can tell you about the dealership and salesperson.

tlong · November 2006

Okaasan - I also bought at Thousand Oaks! It sounds like David and I are very close to each other. And I also know of a good tinting place in the area, perhaps even the same one David knows about.

The dealer was very good and I have a great salesperson at this dealership. I can't post names but if you want to know I can find a way to provide my email.

kw_da · November 2006

Hi,

My deal is in posting #398 - title is wrong, the price was 17,265 +TTL. I bought a 2006 Sport (2006 has longer 4-year bumper to bumper warranty, but shorter power train warranty).

I'm not sure when the ads come out - I'll check for you.

It appears that you're getting a decent price from your local dealer. If you bought in CA, you'd have to pay shipping $1000? + your airfare $600? + hassle of shipping. But you can go to DisneyLand :-).

Looks like Tlong (post #428) recently bought a touring with Nav for ~300 under invoice, so you're within $1000 difference right now, so it's cheaper overall for you to buy in Hawaii.

I'd wait on your local dealer until Nov 29th-30th and walk in ready to deal - they may need you to make quota. Probably some good deals on Thanksgiving weekend too.

David

kw_da · November 2006

Today's (Friday) LA Times has Thousand Oaks Mazda selling a 06 Mazda5 for $14995 (6767/110061) - I think this is the manual tranmission black Mazda5 they have had a for a long time as a loss leader. There is also a 06 MPV for $15495 (7380/571589). These prices include rebates and $1000 for financing thru Mazda American Credit ("Factory rebates and MAC Bonus Cash in lieu of special APR"). This will give you an idea of how much they're willing to lose on a loss-leader ... or the games they're playing with financing :-).

Regards,

David

defender1776 · November 2006

My husband and I are considering the Mazda5. We are a family of five (with 3 small children) and are concerned about that the 4 cyl engine may not be enough power to support our family. Has anybody else used this a the main vehicle for a family with three kids?

Also, we are in Nashville and wondering what the best price is people have gotten out this way. Thanks.

okaasan · November 2006

Thanks David, I'll pick up the LA Times today. The ads are cheaper than the quotes we got from Thousand Oaks (which are still $2K lower than the quotes in Hawaii).

Today, they sent me a quote for $18,191 for a 2006 Touring in Greensilver Metal, auto trans, wheel locks.

For a 2007 Touring in Galaxy Gray Mica, auto trans, wheel locks, compass/autodim mirror, the quote was $19,642.

They also have a 2007 Grand Touring, Galaxy Gray Mica, auto trans, wheel locks for $20,607.

Everything is about $1000 under invoice.

I don't have a Grand Touring quote yet here in Hawaii. Regarding the Touring models, the HI dealers are still at $21K and won't budge from there.

We have a friend who will pick the car up on a flatbed and make the shipping arrangements for us. It will cost us about $1000 but we're hoping to avoid the CA taxes and pay HI taxes instead (at least THAT's lower).

I would rather drive the 5 than do the MPV though. I know with three kids, the MPV would be a better choice but it's still a VAN (ugh).

kw_da · November 2006

Hi,

You can check the LaTimes online site - they have Mazda ads - you click on ads, then search for Mazda. However, I wasn't able to find the Thousand Oaks ad - its possible its a region specific ad as the LaTimes has a Ventura version.

As far as I know, you pay the tax depending on your residence - you may want to double check this.

David

fred222 · November 2006

I test drove a 2006 Mazda 5 Touring with the 5 speed transmission today. I specifically am looking for a vehicle which can seat five in reasonable comfort (wife + 3 kids), gets good gas mileage has a manual transmission and fits me (6'4"). There are very few choices with these specifications. I like the Mazda 5 although it is somewhat cramped. I would say that the rear seat is really only for kids. My son noted the absence of the front passenger seat arm rest and I noted that both middle seats do not have an arm rest on the door. I liked the car. It drove well and had adequate power with the stick. I would probably have to have the driver's seat moved back several inches if I wanted to be comfortable driving this car. This is not insurmountable, but not something that you want to do with a brand new car.
The kicker came after I finished the test drive. The salesman of course asked me what it would take to get me to buy the car right now. I said that I would have to talk to my wife and think about the positives and negatives of the vehicle. Both true. Then I asked about the price, since that is certainly part of the consideration of buying a vehicle. I had previously looked at the sticker and noticed a $3000 regional adjustment. The salesman looked at the sticker and said that the car would be about $24000 + tax etc. The MSRP on a new 2007 Mazda 5 Touring with no options like the one I drove is $19745. The vehicle I was interested in was a 2006 with 159 miles and Mazda has a $1000 cash back offer on 2006 M5 when financed through Mazda. I see no point in going back and talking to the salesman if they really think that I am going to pay $24K for that vehicle. While driving home I was thinking about the Mazda 5 and comparing it to the 2005 Pacifica touring that my wife has which was purchased new for $26K. The Pacifica has the same seating arrangement, but with more room, has leather seats with arm rests all around, has a 250 Hp V6 with AWD and in general has a much more refined feel. The only down side is the gas mileage. We also have a 2006 Odyssey EX-L. The Odyssey LX (not EX-L like ours)can be purchased for close to the asking price for the Mazda 5 and is so superior to it in every way that I am not even going to talk about it.
Again, I have no idea what this salesman was doing, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. If they really want $24K for this vehicle they are dreaming and if they don't I have no idea what they are looking at for price as part of my decision making process.
Comments?

kyfdx · November 2006

If that Mazda5 is the car you really want, then make an offer.. For all that salesman knows, you are a complete rube and he can make his whole month by selling you a car for $4K over MSRP. His job is to get as high a price as possible.

Anyway, salespeople generally don't have the decision making power when it comes to the sales price. I always try to disregard most of what they have to say. The only thing that matters is if I get the car that I want, at the price I want.

And, you can't find that out until you make an offer..

regards,
kyfdx

fred222 · November 2006

I contacted University Mazda in Seattle for a quote on a 2006 5 speed Sport which is what I really wanted anyway (vs Touring). They quoted $16868 before the $1000 rebate Mazda is offering for financing through Mazda. This is a great price but I am still concerned about the driving comfort being 6'4" tall. I will have to move the seat back 2-3" to drive this vehicle comfortably. This is why I am not jumping on it, but if nothing better comes up I may have to go that route. It is tough buying a new car that is not really big enough for you.

BTW: I had originally contacted the dealer where I test drove the car by e-mail asking for a quote. They said come in and we will talk, but at least they had a stick I could test drive. Another dealer I contacted said they had a stick Mazda 5 and when I got there they did not have a single Mazda 5 on the lot. If the dealer where I test drove the car had quoted $24K I would not have gone there for the test drive. If I am to effectively compare the Mazda 5 to other vehicles I must have some idea of the price.

In my previous post I compared the Mazda 5 to vehicles about $25K. Now I would have to compare it to vehicles about $16K which is very different and much more favorable for the Mazda 5.

This is a great vehicle which I may still purchase.

burtlancaster · November 2006

Go back and tell the salesman that you'd really like to buy the car, but only under the condition that it isn't from him.
I have a 5-speed, and I think it is a very good car. I also have a 2005 Odyssey LX, so I can make a direct comparison to that. The Mazda gets better gas mileage, and is more fun to drive, but the Odyssey has it beat in every other area. The Odyssey gets about 21 MPG, while my Mazda gets about 28 MPG.
If you want your kids to be comfortable, I'd get the Odyssey. If you want a car that is fun to drive and feels like a tight Japanese car should, get the Mazda. My wife drives the Odyssey, and hauls the kids around (I have 4 kids), while I use the Mazda for my 20 mile commute to work, and also as a back-up to the Honda.
Good luck with your decision.
I bought my 5-speed here in Texas for $17,200.

bobw3 · November 2006

Price is one of the key advantages to the Mazda5, but if you're going to pay in the low 20's for a Mazda5, that seems a little high to me.

danix · November 2006

I'm considering a Mazda5 with manual transmission.
At this point, there are no Touring models with manual in my area, and only a couple of Sports left.

I have a couple of questions I hope someone can answer.

1) Besides the warranty, and colors, what has changed from 2006 to 2007? The window stickers show some additional details (like EBD) that were not on the 2006. Are these just wording changes and/or omissions on the 2006 sticker?

2) The US roof rack is fugly. Is it possible to import the euro roof rails and install them?

3) General consensus seems to be that the 06 warranty is better than the 07. Does that, plus $1000 cash back from Mazda Credit, make up for the difference in depreciation between buying a 2006 vs a 2007?

Thanks!

danix · November 2006

We drove a used one tonight (it was the closest one with a stick).

Impressions (this from a VW enthusiast):
- good use of space
- decent interior quality, but not VW/Audi
- handling better than expected
- power about what I expected
- brakes are adequate

We're leaning towards buying one instead of a used Passat Wagon, because of the extra space.
I'm still not sure if $1000 back on the 06 offsets the depreciation, come 4-5 years from now. It's probably a wash.

Does anyone know where I can find a full size picture of the 06 Gray? It changed slightly for 07 and is no longer on Mazda's site.

kw_da · November 2006

2) The US roof rack is fugly. Is it possible to import the euro roof rails and install them?

As I recall, I believe that someone looked into getting the euro rails - and found out it was very expensive & probably didn't fit anyway. Can't remember the site.

David

fred222 · November 2006

I have several considerations regarding the Mazda 5.
Probably #1 is that I really want a stick shift vehicle which can seat 5 in reasonable comfort and gets good mileage and is fun to drive.
#2 is that I am 6'4" tall and want to be comfortable.

I would have to move the seat of a Mazda 5 back at least 2" to be comfortable over the long term. I can do this, but then I negatively impact the seat behind the driver making that seat less useful. Also, I question just how useful the third seat is in the Mazda 5. My wife has a Pacifica with the three rows of seats and the third seat is really only good for small kids and I think the Pacifica has more room there than the Mazda.
Right now I am driving a 1999 Intrepid ES with the 3.2L engine and autostick purchased new. This car has 225HP and is fast (0-60 about 2 sec faster than the Mazda 5) and fun to drive. It gets 22-24 mpg in town and 28-30 mpg on the highway on regular. It is in great shape with less than 80K, but is getting old. Also, even though it is a big car, I do not like having three people (even with one 4 year old) in the back seat. This is what has steered me away from other "sedans" with manual transmissions. I question how much better the Mazda 5 will be than my Intrepid. My 14 year old son said that the seats in the Mazda 5 were narrower and it felt more cramped which I agree with.

As a final comment, I priced some of the tires for the Mazda 5 on-line today. WOW!!! I see no need for 17" wheels on this vehicle and if I purchased one would certainly want change to 16" or preferably 15" wheels. I much prefer the ride, noise, durability and price of 60-65 series tires. The Mazda 3 comes with 15" and 16" wheels. Does anyone know if these will fit on the Mazda 5? When I test drove the 2006 Touring Mazda 5 the dealer commented when I was on the Highway (I90 in Post Falls, ID) that this was a "rough" part of the road, I guess to explain the excessive road noise from the tires. I drove the same section of road in my Intrepid which has snow tires on right now and was thinking how quiet the road was.

If the Mazda 5 was just a little bigger and came with 15" or 16" wheels I probably would have purchased one. I may yet, but I am still looking. I hate to buy a new vehicle that is not exactly what I want. Still life is full of compromises.

danix · November 2006

This forum is far less active than I had hoped. Bummer.

Right now, I have access to a new 06 Sport with PEP for $16400 (including the MAC rebate) or a slightly used (under 2000 miles) 06 Sport with PEP and sunroof, at $15800. I'm trying to figure out which way I want to go, but I'm still not sold on the Mazda5. My biggest concern is depreciation, especially with a stick. In 4 years, this car will have almost no value, which has to factor into your buying decision.

fred222 · November 2006

My biggest concern is depreciation, especially with a stick. In 4 years, this car will have almost no value, which has to factor into your buying decision.

Depreciation is a fact of life with cars. You will get less depreciation with a Honda or Toyota, but they still depreciate and you pay more up front. If you really are worried about depreciation, I believe the best advice is to buy a 2-3 year old domestic vehicle and drive it "until the wheels fall off".
If you do go the Honda or Toyota route, don't forget the additional tax and financing you have to pay on the higher price which you do not get back when you sell the vehicle. I purchased a new Honda Odyssey last year. The tax rate here is over 9% so right away the vehicle had depreciated over $3000 the second I signed the papers. If I had purchased a Dodge for about half the price, the tax depreciation would have been 1/2.
As for the Mazda 5s, if you really want the sun roof get it. Otherwise get the new vehicle.

lostwrench · November 2006

After reading your post, I too, looked up the tire prices on the 17 inch tires. Wow!

danix · November 2006

Thought I had a deal on one in Hayward, but the car was sold when I got there. So, yesterday I flew to Long Beach, and picked up an 06 Touring in Gray, with rear bumper step, wheel locks for $17990-$1000 MAC = $16990. This was at Browning Mazda. They still have the identical car in silver.

Funny thing is, I had negotiated the price at invoice (allegedly $17500) over the phone, and when I got there, the car had the lower price in big numbers on the windshield

One major dislike - they install an aftermarket alarm on EVERY car, and if you don't want it, they remove it (after much selling pressure of course). This leaves two holes in the lower dash, which they fill with two screws. I intend to contact Mazda about this.

Also, I called MAC to ask if there were any prepayment or early termination penaties on the loan, and they said no. The salesman at the dealer said you have to keep the loan for 3 months. Who's right?

yad5 · November 2006

One major dislike - they install an aftermarket alarm on EVERY car, and if you don't want it, they remove it (after much selling pressure of course). This leaves two holes in the lower dash, which they fill with two screws. I intend to contact Mazda about this.

I take it from this that the car does not come with an alarm system standard. Anybody out there want to weigh in on whether or not you had an alarm installed? And if so, how? At the dealer, before you took the car? At a separate place? Do-It-Yourself?

I'm considering buying a Mazda5, and am wondering whether it might be smart for me to get an alarm system. I also don't know if installing one myself or having anyone other than the dealer install it would void some warranty.

Could use some input on the tinting, too.

The other advantage to having it installed by the dealer before I drive the car off the lot is that if anything gets terribly messed up, I can refuse to take the car.

Any thoughts?

yad5 · November 2006

Danix, congratulations on your new set of wheels.

I would be very frustrated about the alarm holes, too. Especially since I'm sure they did not mention that to you until after you flew all the way there to get it. Definitely mention it to the manufacturer. But I don't know if it'll really do anything.

kw_da · November 2006

Hi,

My experience with tinting. Usually the dealer just sends it off to a local place to get it tinted - you can just go directly to this tinter (this is what we did). From my research on the web, there are many brands of tints with various qualities of tints. In general There are 3 main types of tints, dyed, metallic, and ceramic. Dyed are the cheapest, but can fade, metallic are durable, but can block cellphones, etc. Ceramic are durable, but are expensive. Colors differ between brands & type of film. I bought 3m color stable - which is a dyed film with a warranty against fading. I had to pay extra for the nationwide warranty, but this means I can go to any 3m dealer.

Application depends on the skill of the applier - needs experience. Ask to look at their work. Rear window should be applied in 1 piece. If you look at your windows, there are a bunch of black dots around the edge of the window - I believe that this is called the frit. The tinting will not stick to the frit. Unless special things are done - this will create a whitish area over the frit. I understand that some tinters paint/sand/tape these areas. However, this whitish area didn't bother me and the tinter we used didn't do anything special to the frit for any of their cars.

David

jeca · December 2006

Just got a new pearl white 2007 Mazda5 GT; only option was the homelink mirror. Paid $19,938 + $489 "consumer services fee" + TTL for an OTD price of $21,877. Great service from Sutherlin Mazda in Buford, GA.

Hope someone finds it helpful when getting their 5!

osswaldg · December 2006

Don't feel bad - I gave my dealer (Northtown Mazda, Buffalo, NY) a deposit in July followed by the order being placed in September (changed color to the plum in the beginning of October - incorrect info from the sales manager on model/color choices?). Now the year is almost over, I have no car and no information from Mazda USA or the dealer! Everyone seems to point the finger of blame at each other. It seems like you received more info then I have. It appears Ford's management style (1/3 ownership in Mazda) has more influence on this company then I thought.

ptaylor2112 · December 2006

Hello - on Sunday night we drove the Mazda lot and decided we couldn't pass this one up.: a 2006 Sport, Carbon Gray, Auto, Moonroof, Popular Equipment, Fog Lights, Cargo Net, Floor Mats/All Weather Mats, Wheel Locks. It almost qualifies as a Touring...

The list was $20,525. The dealer took $3,300 off plus we got the $1,000 MAC rebate. (We have to make 4 payments before we can pay it off.) So the final price was about $16,225 + tax and doc fee.

Edmunds and the msprotege forums were invaluable in our quest!

danix · December 2006

CAUTION! It is NOT the case that you have to make 2, 3, or 4 payments on the loan. You can pay the MAC loan off immediately. Each day you leave the loan open, you are accuring interest. I just sent in a payment for the payoff amount on the payment coupon I received, but first called MAC to confirm that I can indeed pay it off now (the dealer said you have to wait 3 months, not true).

audia8q · December 2006

Your correct...it can be paid off anytime but, do you realize that the dealer gets charged back the rebate if you pay it off prior to the third payment? So I suggest once you pay off the loan to find another dealer to service your car. You won't have to many friends at the original dealer.

danix · December 2006

What facts are you basing this statement on?
I really don't care if they charge it back or not, since I don't plan on driving from SF to LA to get my oil changed.
But I have a feeling this is just more misinformation.

kyfdx · December 2006

audia8q is a Mazda dealer...

And.. he is correct... If you pay off the loan before the 3rd payment, then the dealer will get a chargeback on the loan...

regards,
kyfdx

danix · December 2006

OK, then the dealership lied to me, saying that I could not pay off the loan immediately. It may be in their best interest to have me hang onto the loan, but I am under no obligation to do so.

The dealership does not have the ability to revoke the $1000 credit, I assume?

kyfdx · December 2006

No... the dealer would have nothing to do with the credit rebate..

You'd have to check with Mazda Credit about it... My guess is that once you've received the rebate, it is a done deal.. But, I'd check the fine print.

Really.. the amount of interest over 90 days is minimal...

regards,
kyfdx

danix · December 2006

2 emails to MAC produced only canned replies about "what is interest". I called and spoke to 2 people at Mazda and neither could answer my questions.

I know that on my paperwork, nothing says I have to keep the loan open for any amount of time. I assumed that the dealer telling me to keep it open for 3 months was the same as telling me what a great deal the aftermarket alarm at $450 was - lies.

I'm disappointed that Mazda can't make their policy and promotions more clear. My check's already in the mail, so if the dealer eats $1000, so be it.

ptaylor2112 · December 2006

Yes, the finance manager did explain the rebate would get charged back to Mazda. The salesman did not know. We put a fair amount on our down payment, so MAC interest will only be $100 or so, which is a fair trade for the $1000 rebate. Well... I guess it is more like a one-sided trade in my favor!

d5a · December 2006

Been looking for the past two months at getting a larger car. Keep coming back to the Mazda brand. Have a dealer offering me a new 2006 MPV LX-SV with a MSRP of 23,710 out the door for 17,500. The MPV has a few options like rear air, Cargo net and roof rack and floor mates but i would have to add privacy tint to the rear glass. Also have another Mazda Dealer offering me a 2007 Mazda 5 touring with a sticker of 20,695 on the road for 20,880. The 5 has a sunroof and automatic air, rear bumper guard and floor mates also. I cant decided which car will be the best one over the long haul. Should I save the money and go with the MPV and hope its a good van, but fear taking a loss on the resale value due to it being an older model, or should I pay more and get a newer style Mazda 5. Each car has its pros and cons just trying to figure out which one will be best for the next 5 or so years. I'm worry the MPV may not be as reliable due to having a ford engine but not sure if the 5 is any better with it being a new model. Any words of wisdom would greatly be apprecaited. Also please tell me your thought on the prices I have been offered. Thanks everyone for your help!

elongh · December 2006

The reason they can get you a much better deal on the 2006 MPV compared to the 2007 Mazda5 is the MPV is now discountined as of 2006, while the Mazda5 has been out for 2 years now, and gaining in sales as people realize that you get more bang for the buck and standard features for a smaller price. If you want more room than the Mazda 5 yet don't mind spending the money, consider the Mazda CX-9 coming to dealers mid January.

d5a · December 2006

When i'm sitting inside the Mazda 5 it seems to have a better fit as far as arm placement however the weird thing to me is there is no arm rest for the passenger or arm rest for the rear passagers on the rear doors. The MPV give much more room which I prefer for trips plus I'm tall and I like that it sits higher for ease of getting in and out. I also like that it has more leg room up front but as far as rear leg room they both seem to be the same. The downfall to me is the MPV looks old, basic style wise. The MPV looks like a base model car on the exterior and looks like a minivan. The interior is nice looking more upscale to me then the 5, but the exterior is lacking. The Mazda 5 interior seems cheaper but durable then the MPV's but and exterior seems 100% nicer. Newer styling, fog lights, sunroof. Just seems more updated. Have a small family and have decided to go to one income I.E. now one car. So the next car will have to fit all our needs. Want room but want reliability not sure about either of them in that case. I also fear the resale value on both especially the MPV since this is its last year. After looking at the honda and toyota vans they are just to expensive for us. I keep thinking what other car can i get with as much room as the MPV for 16,400 plus tax and tags so does that make it worth it? Do i go with the cheapest thing I can find and live with it for many years or spend more money to make me feel like i have a newer car but have a larger car payment that may get in the way of our expenses but make me feel less like a soccer dad.

fred222 · December 2006

I was looking at Mazda 5s a couple of months ago but have quit now. Before I quit I had a quote from University Mazda in Seattle of $16.8k for a new 2006 Sport 5 speed with additional $1000 cash back from Mazda making the price $15.8k.
Also, take a look at the Kia Rondo if you really want this type of vehicle. We have a Honda Odyssey which is about twice the vehicle a Mazda 5 is. You will have to spend more money for the Honda, but it is a vehicle you can live with as you family grows. If you need to haul anything the Honda can take 4'x8' sheets of plywood with room to spare with the back closed.

Mazda5 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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