Mazda6 Sedan

myphantom6

Here is a link for anyone who wants to see what the Lip spoiler looks like on my personal 6i. If you'd like to share your photos with others you'll have to sign in as a member.

http://groups.msn.com/MazdzPics/shoebox.msnw

dinu01

All you have to do now is wash it over and over again - that black attracts dust, insects, roadsalt, mud, rain, etc...

I see you already got it tinted. Very good looking car and the interior resembles an A4.

Dinu

nobee

Actually, the program I was referring to was the military/diplomatic sales program, which is completely different than European Delivery (ED). Under the M/D program, you must be a military member or a diplomat stationed in europe for over 30 days on temporary duty or as a permanent change of station. Not only does BMW have this program, but Saab, Volvo, and Porsche have it as well. You can save up approx. 15-20%. When I purchased my 3-series. I saved approx. $4,000 USD (more if you're including the tax savings I received). http://www.bmw.de/de/services/MilitarySales/index.html

Yes, you're right blueguydotcom. There is no way you can purchase the same optioned out BMW at the same price as the 6, even under the M/D sales program; however, the BMW is tax free, destination charge is only $265 USD and you get a quality german vehicle. Just a suggestion to Solo.
Back to the subject at hand!

capitano

Solo won't be eligible for Euro Delivery for a while as he is not yet commissioned and not yet on orders to his initial active duty training base. Presumably he will have a year or so of flight school before he even gets orders for his first duty station which probably won't be Europe.

It's funny how an American can go to Europe and get a MB or BMW cheaper than buying it here and a German can come to the US, buy a MB or BMW with US specs, reimport it, convert it to Euro specs and still save a wad of money.

nobee

Actually, do we know what our young Solo will be doing after graduation? If it's pilot trng, then two yrs of trng in the states plus wait time in between. By that time, hopefully his lease on the 6 will be up. Btw, what's the residual on a 3 yr lease on the 6? Has anyone else leased a 6, yet?

shawnandt

Alright, not only do I have to deal with coming home and finding out Edmunds moved the furniture around,(web layout), but now i find I bought the only 6s manual in Colorado Springs! If it makes you feel any better, I wanted the Silver one, but the only 5 speed they had was the blue one. Bought from Motor City, and am just loving this car. I feel like Mazda said," Lets design a car people will feel part of while driving!" Never do I recommend buying a first year model of anything, but damn it I did.

Words alone cannot convey how absolute fun this thing is to drive. Mazda should be sued for making it so addictive!

mazdamarla

When I emailed Mazda I also asked why you MUST have BOTH Moonroof AND the Leather/Comfort Package, as I would rather not get the leather, but want the moonroof.

Here is their reply....let's cross our fingers that the options will change a bit.

"Currently, Mazda is taking all of the customers' comments regarding the combination packages. Mazda is listening to our customers. All these comments have been passed to our Product Planning Department. Please check back with our website in April for any new combination packages."

Soooooo...everyone who wants the Options/Packages reconfigured, email Mazda!!

mazdamarla

Nice! Did you get the window tinting done after you got the car, or did you order it that way? I like the looks of it!

NOW I see the different of the spoilers. My MX-6 has the "lip spoiler" like your car has. So the difference is that the lip spoiler looks like it might sit a bit lower, and is open on either end, whereas the sport package spoiler is connected to the car on either end?

What packages/options did you get with your car? Was the spoiler and after-market thing, or Mazda?

mazda6s

It should be a blast to drive on the road to Pikes Peak!

brydymond

I got a note from the webmaster at Mazda Canada and they figure on February if all goes well. So much for the guy who gauranteed me delivery Jan 15th at the latest.

Also, how are the heated seats?

inch_high

Wow, it really is a small world! You bought your fully loaded, 6s M/T from Bob Penkhus in early December, right? I test drove it for about 20 minutes, and like you, I absolutely love(d) it. When I came back two days later to close the deal, it was gone. Anyway, since I was going back home to Hong Kong for Christmas vacation, I was in no hurry to leave a brand new car in the Colorado College parking lot for a month. I decided to special order the exact same thing, Lapis blue and everything. The only detail's that are going to distinguish our cars is that mine's gonna have the V6 badge and sports grill!

Oh and another thing, there seems to be a general consensus on these message boards that the Sports package is overwrought and haughty. I veminently disagree - it looks amazing. The only add on that is inexcusably tacky is that freaking sticker that runs from the front door to the trunk. I guess the Protege5 started that particular trend, actually wait a minute, I think Mazda stole the idea from the matchbox cars I used to play with as a kid.

maltb

The only add on that is inexcusably tacky is that freaking sticker that runs from the front door to the trunk.

What sticker? I can't think of what you are referring to. Is it a dealer add-on?

mazdamarla

what sticker?

inch_high

As far as i can remember it was on all the Protege5's and 6's on the dealers lot. It's basically just a long, thin stripe that runs on boths sides of the car. I don't see why the dealer would take the time to put them on each and every vehicle that arrives on the lot!

maltb

can you find a link to a pic that shows this sticker? I haven't seen it on my 6 or any other that I've seen.

dinu01

Back in the late 80s-early 90s most cars had those stripes running along the length of the car.

Dinu

johnclineii

And why would the dealer install it? MONEY!

Since you are special ordering the car, it should be a simple matter for them NOT to do it (and NOT to charge you for it, if they are, which I bet they are).

dinu01

And why would Mazda put that on?

It serves no purpose - unless you subscribe to the "more stickers, especially yellow stickers = more power" theory...

I haven't seen those stripes on cars in a long time. I hope they're not making a comeback.

Dinu

johnclineii

MANY dealers install pinstriping, and add a second sticker to each car, adding, say, $125 for it. And it is usually very poorly done, as well.

inch_high

Alright, it's 1 am in Hong Kong, and i'm gonna go to sleep soon. When i ordered my car, the dealer seemed to indicate the cars came with the "sticker-stripes." As i recall, the color of the stripes varied depending on the exteror color. I actaully had to request that they remove them before i took deliery of the car.

Dinu01, i don't know where i'd be able to find a picture of a "striped Mazda 6." But rest assured, as soon as i get back to the States on Sunday i'll be sure to ask the dealer what's up! Maybe people in Colorado just have a stripe fetish, who knows?

vocus

He is talking about the pinstripe. My Pro had one when I got it, but I pulled it off. Thank God, my Jetta didn't have one when I bought it.

meinrad

A dealer I test drove a P5 at had pinstripes on all of them and added $100 to the sticker price.

No thank you sir.

It has to be a dealer thing though or else we'd all have known about them being standard.

mazda6s

Pinstripes are an "old school" dealer trick to add overpriced add-ons. They pay some guy probably about 20 bucks each to pinstripe all the cars on their lot and then they try to charge you 100 bucks for it. Just like the $500-1000 window tint that they probably pay about $100 for. And then there's the window glass laser-etch, undercoating, paint protectant, and Scotchguard for the seats. If you complain about it, they just say "most people want it on the car". Ya, sure. I'm surprized some people still fall for this stuff. Fortunately my local Mazda dealers haven't tried this stuff on the 6 yet.

I saw one local Nissan dealer who had an add-on sticker for $1500 worth of stuff on Maximas that were just off the truck, didn't have any of the stuff put on yet, and hadn't even been prepped yet! Pretty funny. I guess they think car buyers are really stupid.

pinkles

I recently test drove the Mazda6i and I really loved the car, however it seems that in order to have ABS you have to buy a bunch of other packages which are of no interest to me...does anyone know if it is possible to get ABS as a single option?

mazdamarla

I emailed them about having to get the Leather Seats if you want the Power Moonroof. This is their reply to me.....

"Currently, Mazda is taking all of the customers' comments regarding the combination packages. Mazda is listening to our customers. All these comments have been passed to our Product Planning Department. Please check back with our website in April for any new combination packages."

So......email Mazda! The only way they'll know our likes/dislikes for sure is if WE let them know!

stretchsje

It'll have to be a port installed option, but yes, you can get the car equipped any way you like. This doesn't cost any extra, but it means you'll probably have to wait a few weeks.

blueguydotcom

It'll have to be a port installed option, but yes, you can get the car equipped any way you like. This doesn't cost any extra, but it means you'll probably have to wait a few weeks.

ABS is a port installed option?

mazdamarla

do the dealers know this? When I was geared up to get the sedan a week ago (before I saw the hatchback), it was like you were locked into whatever the option packages say you have to get. I could get the moonroof without the Leather package if it was dealer-installed, but it'd be a better 'value' to just get the leather with the moonroof. According to my dealer.

Are port installations different than dealer-installed?

maltb

and I'm not sure I'd want the port installers working on my brakes...lol.

newcar31

What about the sunroof and side airbags? Are those port installed too?

myphantom6

Mazdamarla wrote: "Did you get the window tinting done after you got the car, or did you order it that way? What packages/options did you get with your car? Was the spoiler and after-market thing, or Mazda"?

The vehicle I purchased came with the CD changer, compass/autodim mirror, Automatic, moonroof, and premium package (which includes the 16 inch wheels, 8 way power seats, and anti-theft system).

I had the the dealer add the lip spoiler, leather seats, and Homelink mirror after my purchase. And I went to a local tint shop and they did my windows for $90. All of those extras which were added by the dealer came to about $700. And by the way, the after-market leather is much more softer than the one that comes from Mazda.

http://groups.msn.com/MazdzPics/shoebox.msnw

audia8q

What port does the Michigan built 6 sail into? lol

dinu01

How much was it to get leather installed aftermarket?

Did you do the whole interior or just the front seats?

Dinu

newcar31

I asked myself the same question a while back. Malt said something about it and I guess that Mazda6s still have to be sent to some regional location that might be called a "port".

maltb

Right across the street from AAI. From there it goes by rail to another port or a rail-head.

Surely you knew this rich. ;-)

stretchsje

I've posted this information before.

You can get anything installed as a port installed option. The dealers know this, but try to pawn off their local inventory instead. Of the TEN(!) or so dealers I went to, only two were willing to do this. One (the one I bought from) actually showed me how the ordering software works. Some other dealers were real jerks- I even heard, "Mazda won't be making cars with a manual transmission until July." My response was, "Then I don't want one," and they would have rather lost the business than double check. Consequently, I went to a different dealer and bought one. A week later, they called to say they had a MT in.

So don't worry about the options- worst case, you'll just have to wait. When a '6 arrives at the port, they can change them to your order. Naturally, they can't take a sunroof out of a car (there'd be a hole!), but I'm pretty sure they can put one in. I don't remember seeing many limitations at all, except the premium package must always be bought to get the sports package.

Audia8q- very funny.

maltb

are you really serious about adding ABS and the like?

If so, it's just plain not true.

mazda6s

I thought port-installed options were similar to accessories, but installed at the "port" before the car got to the dealer. As I recall, the stereo in my '86 626 was a PIO. In other words, stuff that was easily installed. I would think things like ABS and side air curtains would be rather hard to install at the port.

What's going on here?

I wonder if we can get a Mazda insider to get the straight poop on this?

newcar31

"You can get anything installed as a port installed option."

That's it. I'm off to the Mazda dealer to buy my Miata with a port installed Renesis rotary....

myphantom6

"...was it to get leather installed aftermarket? Did you do the whole interior or just the front seats"?

The MSRP on the vehicle I purchased was 22,120. They installed the leather, front, back, doors (EVERYTHING), added the lip spoiler, and changed out my mirro for the Homelink system, ALL for $600. I have heard that dealer installed leather usually cost $1200 or more. So my question to the people in this forum is, what kind of quotes have you heard?

At the time I thought that was a pretty good deal, but had I done my researched, I think I probably could have done better.

This question is for those who are new owners of the Mazda 6. What was YOUR best deal over the invoice price?

And as you all probably heard by now, the BEST time to buy is in the 11th hour, at the end of the month, if you want to avoid paying MSRP. My suggestion is to research all the optional prices before you go in to "deal".

This is one step I DIDN'T do.

fowler3

installed. My dealer puts them on every car with no additional charge. You can have the dealer remove them, or if ordering, tell them no pin stripes.

If you live in a state that uses only one tag and do not what holes drille din the front bumper, tell the salesman before you take delivery. There are small indents for front mounted tags, but they are painted over. Dealers usually open the holes unless you ask them not to.

dinu01: you can see pin stripes on Protegés in albums on the other web site. They use silver stripes on cars with black or grey trim, and gold or ivory stripes on cars with beige trim. White cars get the gold or silver depending on the trim.

fowler3

dinu01

You got a GREAT deal!!!

A spoiler costs $500 from Mazda (for the Protege) and I heard of a place that charges $400 to put leather on the front seats and doors olny - for a 2dr coupe that is.

Add $100 (or more) for Homelink and that brings you at $1000 and your car is still not fully finished in leather. I suspect it would cost about $1600 or so here in Toronto to get all these done.

Do you know what company the dealer used to install the leather?

Dinu

dinu01

Thanx for the suggestion. I'll head over there now and look at it.

Dinu

stretchsje

Maltb: are you really serious about adding ABS and the like?

Before I jumped on the base model I bought (I couldn't wait), I had gone through with another dealer and picked out a few options NOT available as packages from the factory. Among them were ABS, and I also got the premium and sport packages. Upon hearing I could do this, I called the dealer's bluff, telling him it was probably a computer error, and he had his manager call Mazda to confirm that this was an actual orderable car. He did, and it was.

So, it's legit.

Except rotary engines, NewCar1. The stubborn beancounters... they just won't offer the rotary engine as a PIO :-/

igotamiata

I'd test driven a 6s with everything I wanted except a 5 speed 2 weeks ago and dropped by to see if they could tell me what they'd offer for my 99 Miata. The salesman said he could do that, but he still didn't have any 5 speeds available. I asked him how long it would be if I ordered one and he said "12-14 weeks, and there is a $1000 deposit, and I still might not get the color I wanted!

Before I thought to ask the obvious question (If I "order" what I want, why wouldn't I get the color I want?") we got on the subject of Mazda's miscalculation of demand for the 5 speed, and the question never got asked.

So, my question is, has anyone else been told this before? What's the point of ordering something that might not be what I want?!? Also, is the 12-14 weeks a valid waiting time?

newcar31

A rotary Miata would be cool though.....and give the S2000 a serious run for it's money.

stretchsje

Go to another dealer. They're out there in numbers, here at least. The other dealer will probably beat the price while they're at it, if you play your cards right.

myphantom6

I don't know which company they used but I know it was local to my area. It only took one day for them to put it in.

solowiow03

I am amazed that I have become quite a subject for debate, so let me clear up a few things.

To those inquiring, yes, I bought my Mazda 6 at Bob Penhkus in Colorado Springs, for sticker, but we did our negotiating on my trade (which they did give me a rather good deal). You can either take off the sticker and leave the trade the same, or get more on your trade. Same thing.

As for me going to Europe, Yes, I do have flight training for at least 2, maybe even 3 years in Florida before I am permanantly stationed in Europe. Right when my lease expires, and I am hoping to cash in on the deals up there. My lease agreement (because I will be an officer in 3 months) allows me to take the car to Europe. I need to notify the leasing company, and I can do this as the Mazda 6 is also sold over there, hence easily fixable.

I won't do the BMW deal as I am anti-BMW, pro-Audi. My own preference, but I am an Audiphile to the extreme. I am the first person at the Academy to put a "Calvin" sticker on the back of an Audi with him pissing on the BMW symbol. Immature, but hey, I'm a college student, I deserve to be immature sometimes. I do really like BMW's and admire them, I'm just an Audi lover, and have been for awhile.

Thanks for all the responses! Yes, my own discussion would be quite cool, please start one. I am too humble to do it myself.

mazda6s

He thinks you're stupid. Go to another dealer. I assume it was a salesperson telling you this BS, and not the sales manager (who would probably be really pissed if he knew that his sales staff was telling people that crap). Just for fun, you might want to call the dealership and ask for the sales manager. Tell him/her you want to confirm what the salesperson told you. See what he says.