2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

redmazda3

Funny, if you were the only dealer near and had the only car that my heart desired and I was determined to buy it and you would not come down the $500, and I would not buy any other car, I would.

I guess my point was that to some people $10 doesn't mean that much any more. Today we waste our money on soft drinks, cigarettes, lottery tickets, a hole in your pocket, things that we could or should do without, that to spend $10 more on a car payment is almost nothing. You shouldn't pay sticker price for a car, but should get the best price possible. If your dealer won't come down to the price and financing you think is fair, go somewhere else. If you are close enough to your price and financing then a few dollars a month more in your payment should not make much of a difference.

I do agree that you should always negotiate from the dealer invoice price and have your financing set before you go to any dealer. Also get a set price on the new car before you try to trade in your old one.

BTW, is your a/c working any better? My a/c seems to blow decent, but need to get to the hot months to determine if it will be enough. Also have the grinding in the rear brakes. I am going to wait till after tax season to see what can be done about it. My wife's 2004 3 hatchback's a/c works great and her rear brakes do grind, but it is not so noticeable. We've had hers for just about a year and went through the hot summer months here in Louisiana and stayed very comfortable in it.

z71bill

$10 does not buy what it use to that's for sure -
With the temps in Houston between 50 and 75 my AC works fine - I had the magic defusser installed at the end of last summer - did not seem to do much - I am sure I will see many 95+ degree days - so I will know soon enough. I have been starting to shop for a new car - if the AC can't (maybe more accurate to say Mazda WON"T) be fixed I may just trade this off. The sad thing is I don't see any cars that I really want more than the Mazda3. I hope the new 2006 Civic will get a performance boost - but my wife and daughter want an automatic so no SI model.

kagedude

Hi. I just traded my 2004 Acura TSX for $21K and I was able to haggle down the Mazda 3i to $16500 plus 222.50 for tags/doc fee. Is this an okay price?

Monday, I go to financing. What is this $1000 financing credit I hear about?

Thanks.

68mpolo

I just traded in my 04 Mazda3 for a Saturn Vue. I got it because my fiance wanted a SUV so having the 3hatchback was no longer a necessity. I had a 01/04 build date but had many problems with the car. Weak AC, hard shifting btwn 1/2, and replacements of front bushings because of creaking noises when going over bumps. I really didn't want to wait till the summer because I know that the weak AC would've been an issue.

I know that its a business, but I didn't get much in the way of a trade in for my car. Carmax only offered $13,400, a Hyundai and a Honda dealer offered $12,500, the Saturn dealer offered $14,500 (almost what I still owed). Funny thing is that I was at the Saturn dealer today and they had the Mazda3 stickered at $17,998 with a supposed Kelly BB of 20,056. Shoot, the car was only $19,232 new.

BTW, it was a Rally White auto hatch w/moonroof/6cd, ABS/SAB, garaged kept with 13,800 mostly freeway miles.

I also noticed that clicking noise coming from the shifter. They (Mazda and people on this Board) tell me that it's just the solenoid valve and that it is a normal thing for most cars. It was just louder in mine. I honestly don't know much about cars but when you hear something that wasn't there before you worry.

If all these issues get resolved in the 06 or 07 mazda3, I still would consider purchasing one.

autonomous

You said: "I just traded in my 04 Mazda3 for a Saturn Vue. I didn't get much in the way of a trade ... the Saturn dealer offered $14,500 (almost what I still owed). Funny thing is that I was at the Saturn dealer today and they had the Mazda3 stickered at $17,998 with a supposed Kelly BB of 20,056. Shoot, the car was only $19,232 new."

This is interesting to see how cars depreciate after given periods. Your Mazda3 sounds like it was about one year old.

From the car owner's point of view.
Feb. 2004 : $19,232
Feb. 2005 : $14,500
Difference: $ 4,732
The difference works out to about 25% in one year.

From the dealer's point of view, if they sell for the asking price:
Feb. 2004 : $19,232
Feb. 2005 : $17,998
Difference: $ 1,234
The difference works out to about 6% in one year.

Thanks for sharing!

scgamecock

This is meant for the person that is discussing payments with 2 different dealers. I have a piece of paper that can help you negotiate a deal without going into the dealership. I just purchased a 2005 Honda S2000 for $29,166. The only time I walked into the dealership was to sign the paperwork and drive. It took me 5 minutes. Let me know if you would like me to help.

tyghor

So, after reading several hundred posts on both people ranting about Mazda service and hearing so much about the 3 being a mostly good car... I test drove and loved this car. We were only collecting information but, the salesman has to work, so he brought us in and talked about what we really wanted to know. We were both fairly straight up and he did a good job of "pushing on the door" to see if he could get us into a car that we liked. I did feel a little pressured but he also did a good job of backing off. He offered any Mazda at 200 above invoice and I just want that confirmation that this is a good deal, just one last time. It seems that this is a good deal as far as this car goes and it is 800 better than carsdirect.com is offering. We were looking at a M3s sedan AT w/ sunroof, 17" wheels, and side airbags. Anyone know a great dealer in the Everett (near Seattle) Washington area?

dan_e_boy

I've been offered two 3 hatchbacks with different options at the dealer's supposed invoice (the number on his website comes out $142 higher than kbb and Consumer Reports' calculation, though I'm not sure why). Which is a much slimmer margin than anything I've been offered elsewhere. My problem is that the car has about $1500(MSRP) more in options than I really want, and I'm trying to figure out if these things are ever a not-terrible investment.

Does a car with lots of options re-sell better or worse than one without, typically? Unwanted options include Xenon/TPMS, Leather, Appearance Package I and autodim/temp mirror. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

z71bill

Not claiming to be an expert -

If I look on Edmunds used car pricing the trade in value increase for Xenon/TPMS is $453, Leather adds $296 & autodim/temp mirror adds $101.

This is on a 1 year old Mazda3 Hatch.

I would think that after 4-5 years the additional value from things like Xenon lights Tpms & temp mirror would be almost zero - If the leather is cracked and worn it could actually reduce the value over cloth seats with a little wear.

If you look at a typical used car buyer they are more concerned with things like - number any miles, body damage / paint condition, does it burn oil & how much tread is left on the tires.

As far as options go things like - is it an automatic or manual tranny & does it have AC will be far more important than the options you are listing. I would also guess that things like SAC/SAB will be more important in the future - as more new cars have them standard people will start to expect that all cars have them.

dan_e_boy

Thanks for the thoughts...I guess I'll have to consider them luxuries. I'm definitely getting the ABS/SAB package--it's the only option I actually want. Unfortunately, there's only one exact match to that in my area, it's the wrong color and the dealer's only offering $200 off MSRP for some reason.

That said, this is a car I know I can be proud of while I have it, and that's worth a lot to me.

rhennosy

March 11, 2005. Here is my experience buying the Mazda 3. The only options I got were AT, AC, Power Pkg (16" Alloys, PW,CC, check mazda.com for exact package).

I told the dealer that a friend had just purchased an identical vehicle at invoice. He showed me the invoice at $16,225. Still $115 more than edmunds shows invoice to be. I took the deal because he gave me 1 year of free oil changes, which for me is about $150 savings. Sticker was $17,300. Not sure if this is a great deal, I just wanted others to hear what they could get the car for. Might be a good starting point.

akl88

...how much was your purchase with a fully loaded Mazda 3 SP23 (Nav., SP23 security package, etc.)?

sempurr

I have just decided to buy a 5 door Mazda3 and I'm trying to figure out the pricing game.

Does the price that one usually negotiates with the dealer include TTL? If not, how can I find out what TTL will be?

When I do "build a Mazda" on the Mazda website and click on "special finance offers" at the end to see offers that apply in my zip code area the box that comes up lists $1000 customer cash for Mazda3 2004 models. So I thought, great that's a $1k rebate for buying an 04. But the footnote says: "Includes manufacturer's customer cash plus $1,000 MAC bonus cash when financed through Mazda American Credit. Manufacturer's customer cash of $1,500 on all '05 MAZDA6; $3,000 on '05 Tribute; $3,000 on '04 MAZDA6 Sports Sedan & 5-door; $4,000 on '04 MPV & '04 MAZDA6 Sport Wagon; $3,750 on '04 B-series." So the footnote says that the $1000 cash includes the $1000 cash for using MAC which amounts to no cash at all if you don't use MAC.

Am I right? Is the $1k only for customers who finance through MAC? That's disappointing. What's the point of getting a 2004?

Thanks.

autonomous

Bill is right, options can add cost without adding value. In most cases, options depreciate faster than the rest of the car. On the other hand, you don't want to deprive yourself of useful options that "enhance your driving experience". I would recommend Consumer Reports for articles on purchasing and the value of different options.

My suggestion: using Edmunds, CR and other sources, build the car as you want it, price your preferred options (estimate, if you don't have the exact price of options), and negotiate "out" the price of the features that you don't want. For example, if you wanted (a) traction control and it came packaged with (b) a moonroof which you don't want, ask how much is (b) worth and deduct it from the package price. Tell the salesman that you want (a) but not (b) so that is why you are deducting (b) from your negotiation price. This forces the salesman to work "up" from your smaller price rather than you working down from his higher price. Obviously, you will not get the feature for free but you should not be forced to pay full price for something that you don't want. If the salesman does not budge, I would say "sorry, this is not the car I want".

Obviously, packaging features together is one way dealers & manufacturers push more expensive vehicles; as consumers we need to push back when this does not work in our favour.

Best of luck and let us know how you do, dan_e_boy!

z71bill

You say "Unfortunately, there's only one exact match to that in my area, it's the wrong color and the dealer's only offering $200 off MSRP for some reason"

I think I know why they are only offering $200 off - because they know that car is what you want - if the color was also your first choice they would want MSRP.

Once you enter the dealership and the nice salesperson starts "talking" to you they are (doing their job BTW - nothing wrong with that) trying to find out what you want - how much you know - how much you can pay - in short any and all information they can get that will help them negotiate a better deal for them.

I have been waiting in the sales office and heard a guy tell the salesperson - its my wife's Birthday TODAY - I promised her a red Firebird - I have checked with every dealership around and you have the only one in stock - I need to be at the party in three hours - HOW GOOD OF A DEAL WILL YOU GIVE ME!

I don't know how this deal ended - but does anyone think he got a great price on this car?

I always make sure that the salesperson knows I am also looking at some other brands. I told them (it was true BTW) We just test drove a Civic and really liked it - can you believe Honda is offering Civics for $100 over invoice - a few years back the wanted MSRP. It never hurts to have a little competition.

autonomous

Bill's on the money again.
"Once you enter the dealership and the nice salesperson starts "talking" ... to find out what you want - how much you know - how much you can pay - in short any and all information they can get that will help them negotiate a better deal for them ... I always make sure that the salesperson knows I am also looking at some other brands. I told them (it was true BTW) We just test drove a Civic and really liked it - can you believe Honda is offering Civics for $100 over invoice ... It never hurts to have a little competition."

Below are some strategies I've used to handle unhelpfull salespeople. I'm sure there are many others with interesting experiences and useful tips.

-"I'm just looking for information, I can't make this decision without consulting my wife/husband/partner first"; this shuts down a "negotiation" that is going nowhere.
-Ask for the price of a model or an option or a combination and then to quote it back several times; if the salesman does not know, be wary, or if the price changes, run!
-Time your visit, if you come very early (e.g. Saturday at 9 am) with no customers in the sales area you should expect prompt attention. Conversely, if you come an hour before closing you can expect to be able to sit in the cars without being nagged.
-Return to the dealership that sold you your current vehicle and ask for the same salesman; the relationship created can be the incentive for the salesman to try to make you "happy" again.

... and finally back to Bill:
"... waiting in the sales office and heard a guy tell the salesperson - its my wife's Birthday TODAY - I promised her a red Firebird - I have checked with every dealership around and you have the only one in stock - I need to be at the party in three hours - HOW GOOD OF A DEAL WILL YOU GIVE ME! I don't know how this deal ended - but does anyone think he got a great price on this car?"

Imagine if that customer was putting one over the salesman, just to see how high he/she would jump!

p.s. many auto salesmen work very hard; the above is not meant to criticize them but rather to even the playing field so that some unfortunate practices do not end up costing consumers

sempurr

The cars that I'm looking at are on the high end of the Mazda3 range. (I've got to have my nav sys. I got hooked on having a nav sys when it came with the Jag x-type I wanted and now I've got to have one in my Mazda. Btw, I've compared a number of nav sys by different makers and I really like the Mazda nav sys -- and I'm picky.)

Anyway, does anyone have tips that apply particularly in my situation -- looking for a "loaded" vehicle? Fortunately there are several Mazda3s with the nav sys within a 2 hr drive of me.

Has anyone bought one of the new SP23 models? Do you like it?

Thanks! Mary Ann

sempurr

Thank you for humoring my multiple posts. I have a number of questions that I haven't found answers to in my online research so I'm hoping that this is a good place to ask.

Do salespeople get a better commission when you purchase accessories at the time of vehicle purchase? In other words, does the dealer profit on the purchase of accessories benefit the part of the dealership that the salesperson cares about or does it only benefit the service dept?

Does anyone have recommendations on negotiating by phone vs. email?

Will tax differ by state? Will I save money if I purchase from a dealer in a nearby state with a lower tax rate? Should I negotiate pre-tax price or price including tax? It seems to me it would be easier to keep the numbers straight in my head if I negotiate pre-tax price since I'll work up from wholesale (invoice minus holdback) which does not include tax. I'm thinking I'll negotiate the price not including TTL but including all other fees, i.e., I'm not going to pay any paperwork or advertising fees above what they quote me.

I have gathered from reading posts here that in general a fair price is a few hundred dollars above or below invoice, depending on supply and demand. Does that general rule apply to the price before tax or including tax?

Mary Ann

Sylvia

Hi Mary Ann -

So we can keep this discussion on Prices Paid & Buying Experiences on the Mazda3, would you mind asking your questions in our Smart Shopper message board?

There are a number of discussions there that you may want to read and ask questions in. Specifically - -

Any questions for a car dealer?


Buying Tips: Negotiating advice, resources and more...
Vehicle Sales Tax Questions

You will want to look at all of the discussions listed in the Smart Shopper board, but this is an excellent resource for the general purchasing process.

Thanks and good luck!

cti

I don't have an SP23, but I do have a 3 hatch with all the major options. The SP23 adds IIRC a better stereo, heated seats, and some kind of theft deterrent system.

All of this cost about $900. I LOVE my car. I saw that Mazda was advertising the SP23 as a 'premium' compact. The same could be said, I suppose, for a loaded 3. MSRP of around $21K-22K.

I love hatchbacks/wagons, so for me there was very little competition. The European models were much too expensive and the others manufacturers' cars were impossible to find with lots of options.

If I were looking for a sedan, my choice would be much harder. But compared to other economy cars, the Mazda is much more fun to drive. Plus it is available with options that you can't get on the others - xenon headlights (love mine) and Nav system. On the other hand, compard to more expensive vehicles the Mazda falls short most noticeably in the engine. This is something I don't care about. Plus the leather is on the low end and the interior is cheaper. It's nice looking, just cheaper.

A loaded 3 is an odd duck. It can no longer be considered economy. But it isn't quite the car that entry-level European cars are. (But it IS thousands cheaper...)

I chose the thousands in savings.

Jason

dan_e_boy

Here it is:

Darcars Silver Spring, MD
Mazda3 s Hatchback Strato Blue
Automatic
ABS/SAB/SAC
Xenon/TPMS
Leather
$100 of little things I didn't want

I saw the invoice at $19,438 and paid that, plus $99 "processing." I probably could have done $200 better, but I didn't feel I had too strong a position since a) Two other dealers had not offered me anything close to invoice even with multiple calls and b) I start commuting to another state Tuesday and need the car by then. They never heard about that, but it meant I couldn't legitimately walk away again (as I did last week, which improved this offer by $300).

Not bad for my first new car, I think. If I had to do it over again, I would have made a decision on my model earlier (I've been thinking about the Corolla as well until just this morning), and (Mary Ann are you still listening?) I would not have negotiated one of the cars by email when I had any kind of time constraint. The fact that it can take a day for a dealer to get back to you slows the process down dramatically, and it gave me an excuse to drag my feet on picking a car.

MSRP $20,755, OTD $20,700. Probably $200 more than I had to, but I'm not heartbroken. And I love it.

BTW z71bill re the $200 off MSRP offer--I never even went into that dealership. Saw the car in inventory online, asked for a quote with no other conversation, was offered $200 off MSRP and the guy never budged. They must be flying off his lot, or someone else was looking at the same model, or he knew it was the only one in town. But the hardsell didn't work for him, and I got $1500 in options for $400 more than his offer. No regrets there.

Thanks for your help, all. This is a valuable resource, and once we get everyone to come here, we can really get the dealers on the run.

blahblah326

I'm thinking about buying a new M3 "S" Sedan. I want the moonroof - 6 CD package, sport package, floor mats, and the rear lip spoiler. What is a good price? MSRP is $18,915 while invoice is $17,571. And what else should i expect? Thanks a bunch.

autonomous

Thanks for all the details and keep us informed on your new babe!

sempurr

Right now (in my area at least) there is a $1000 cash rebate if you finance through Mazda American Credit. I just called MAC and the woman I spoke to said that the rebate goes into effect immediately when you initiate the loan and you can refinance or pay it off as soon as you get the first bill.

I believe there is a way you can check online whether this rebate applies in your area. Go to mazdausa.com and search inventory from the dealership you are considering and click on "view vehicle details" for any vehicle. Then click on "special finance offers." I can only assume that the offers which appear should all be available if you purchase through that dealership.

I've started negotiating with a few dealers online. I emailed six today and they all got back to me by the end of the day.

Two dealers quoted me $200 over invoice for 2004 models (not including TTL and not including the $1000 MAC cash).

Another dealer asked what sort of deal I was looking for. I told him $300 below invoice. He emailed back and asked how much above invoice I would be willing to pay.

Any advice on what I should do next?

If a dealer gives me an initial offer of $200 above invoice, what should I counter with and where might I expect to end up?

I'm hoping to pay invoice with floor mats and a cargo mat thrown in, not including TTL and no other paperwork or advertising fees added. How's that sound?

Mary Ann

kyfdx

audia8q, who is a dealer on these boards, states that you have to keep the Mazda loan for 90 days.. a small distinction, but there you go..

Also, make sure that you can re-finance at new car rates with your credit union or bank, before you go for that deal..

My advice is your counter-offer should be what you want to pay, then stand firm.. Once you start moving, they will never stop trying to move you up.

regards,
kyfdx

futurelegend

2005 Mazda 3 S
Titanium gray Sedan
Sport Package
Manual Trans.
Anti-Lock Brakes/SAB/SAC Package
Moonroof/6-CD Changer
Leather
Rear Wing Spoiler
Chrome Fuel-Filler Door
Moonroof Wind Deflector

MSRP - $20,445
Invoice - $18,878
Paid - $18,500

Love the car. The dealership (boise) had over 40 mazda 3's on the lot. went on a weekday at the end of the month, the place was quiet and i was able to get everything i wanted at close to $400 under invoice.

when they have that many of one model on the lot, it's safe to say it's a game of moving volume, not price.

hope this helps anyone in the market. This car is, IMHO, best in it's class. when i'm driving, i look at the focus, pt cruiser and the civic and think: i wouldn't have come close to enjoying those cars near as much as the 3. oh yeah, and it looks better too :-)

dd123

Hi
Anyone has any idea about how 2005 model would be different from 2006?

Which one is advisable to buy?

Thanks

DD

dieselg4

Don Allen Mazda of Pittsburgh replied to my internet request for a price quote. Without hard numbers they've said $200 over invoice. I've emailed them to confirm the number I calculated for invoice - 2005 M3i 5ps w Power&Alloys & Air - is $15,306 +$200 for a total of $15,506.
Of course, the wild card is trading in my 2002 VW GOlf GLS TDI 5sp. I've had an initial offer from another dealer for $9,500 w/ no arguing. I'm hoping I can get someone to take it for $10,500. KBB says 11k in good cond., NADA says 12k. Anyone think I'm dreaming? I have 3 lease payments left and I could keep it until the lease is up, but then I'd pay about $700 more in sales tax, have to insure both cars for 3 months, plus have dual car payments for 3 months.

dieselg4

The leather is good, its not an expensive option anyway (but requires some others I think). Xenon and auto dim mirros in my optionion are not - i don't know too many used car buyers with Xenon headlights as one fo their prime requirements, hence, not much added value to resale.

z71bill

What are your end of lease buy out options?

I know every state is different - but don't most charge sales tax on both the lease payments and the end of lease buy out? So your sales tax savings would really only be on the difference between trade in value and lease buy out.

dieselg4

I just called up the dealer and asked the receptionist what the Title & License fees were. Taxes are more complicated. In Pennsylvania, you pay tax on the sale price less down payment or trade in value. Thus, a $15000 car w/ no trade would have taxes (in Allegheny county, 7%) of $1050. If I have a trade worth $10000 (regardless of what is owed on the trade - that doesn't matter in calc. sales tax) the taxes would be $15000-10000 times 7% or $350.

z71bill

It would be normal for the state to charge sales tax on the difference between the purchase price on the new car minus the trade in allowance on your old car - regardless of the LOAN amount left on the car being traded in.

What makes your situation different is you have a LEASE. If you have a normal lease agreement (what ever that is) then you really do not own your car - until you buy the lease out at the end. You will then own the car and the full amount of the trade will be used to reduce the amount subject to sales tax.

The receptionist at the car dealer can not help you with this question you need to look at your lease agreement - or call the leasing company and ask what the buy out is for your lease INCLUDING fees and taxes. It has been many years since I was in the leasing business - but most states did charge sales tax on the buy out amount - although I think some states charge the full amount of sales taxes at the time the lease is entered into - so it would be the same as if you had purchased the car (no sales tax due at the end). But like I said every state has their own laws - and some cities & counties even have a difference in how they tax lease transactions compared to the way their state handles it. It was a complete nightmare for the leasing company I worked for to keep track of sales tax laws in all 50 states.

dieselg4

I did call for the buy-out amount; currently it is about $12,100. I am also in what VW calls a driver's option lease, so that changes things slightly. I "own" the car (my name is on the title, with VW Credit as a lien holder), with a ballon payment at the end of 3 yrs of $11,300. At that time, I can finance the ballon, or "sell" the car back to VW, or at least that is how it has been explained to me.

dieselg4

As far as the receptionist goes, I only asked her what the Title and License fees were. I asked her nothing about the my trade in or taxes - maybe that wasn't clear.

I also called VW credit - the pay-off is accurate, with no outstanding fees, because it is a "driver's option" lease. sorry for the confusion, I should have been more clear.

z71bill

OK - I think I understand.

So your balloon payment is $11,300 - and sales tax at 7% on the $11,300 would add an additional $791 for a total of $12,091. So you really are not getting any sales tax reduction benefit by trading in the car. Unless you can get more than $11,300 for a trade in value.

But - if you own $11,300 on your car and the trade in value is any amount less than this - why not just turn the car back in to VW?

Not trying to be a pest I do understand that leases can be very tricky and confusing -

If you elect to "sell" the car back to VW is the sale price determined in your contract or is it a "fair market value" option. In some leases the $11,300 final payment or return the car and walk away are the choices - but sometimes it could be pay the final payment of $11,300 or turn the car back in - reduce the $11,300 by whatever the fair market value is of the car - and then if the value is less than $11,300 pay the difference. Many lease agreements also have a big disposal fee at the end that kicks in if you turn the car back in. That could be equal to 1-2 monthly payments or be a flat fee like $500. Although I have seen this fee be between $50 and $2,500 so - like always it depends on the lease agreement.

kyfdx

My guess.. since his name is on the title.. he has already paid all of the taxes on the VW.. His only issue is trading it in, and getting a sales tax credit, or selling it privately and getting no credit...

Just my take on it..

z71bill

Hard to know - you are right that in may states the lease is written to transfer title to the lessee - mainly for liability reasons. The leasing company does not want to end up with a mufti-million dollar law suite because - they are the owner of the car - and the lessee dropped their insurance and then went out and ran over someone. But who owns the car and how the sales tax is paid are not always consistent. Some states see a lease as a loss of revenue. They look at a car that sells for $20,000 (if tax rate is 7%) as $1,400. They want the money now - so they make you pay - same as if it was a purchase rather than a lease. Other states look at the monthly payment - just say 7% of $450 a month for 36 months -($1,134) plus the tax at the end of lease - say $10,000 buy out or an additional $700 for a total of 1,834 as a better deal.

The difference between the $11,300 and the $12,100 seems like sales tax - it could be a disposal fee - maybe just a coincidence the $800 difference and the $791 (7% of $11,300) are so close.

sempurr

2004 Mazda3s 5 door hatch
manual trans
ABS package
Moonroof/6CD package
Navigation system (a must have for me!)
Leather
Xenon headlamps

MSRP: $22,355
invoice: $20,575
price before cash rebate: $20,775
price after cash rebate: $19,775

fees: $75 for temporary registration in PA
(I live in NY and will pay tax, title, and registration for my state at the DMV.)

Not including cash rebate the price is $200 above invoice. With the cash rebate applied I paid $800 below invoice.

I got a few accessories (premium floor mats, cargo mat, cargo net, and rear bumper guards) at dealer cost.

I did most of the negotiation via email. I went with this dealer rather than others because I liked this saleman's straightforward manner and quick response. One guy actually tried to talk me out of buying a car because he didn't know how the registration thing would work since I live in a different state. I may have been able to get the price a little lower if I had done some more aggressive haggling, but all in all I think I got a good deal. I love the car!

North Penn Mazda in Colmar, PA treated me very well. I contacted them by email. Things went smoothly and there was very little hassle. I drove 3.5 hours to go with this dealer!

I went with the MAC financing in order to get the $1000 rebate. I confirmed that I can keep the rebate if I wait 90 days before refinancing. The MAC interest rate is 6.99%. My credit union will give me 3.7%. Hopefully that won't go up before I refinance.

By the way, the Mazda nav sys is very good. I compared a number of nav systems as that is very important to me and I was impressed with Mazda's.

Mary Ann

cgr45

2005 Mazda3 5 Door
Manual Trans
ABS Package
Moonroof/6CD package

$18,700
OTD price is $20,350
Thanks

dieselg4

Mazda3i 5sp w/ Power & Alloy Package & Air Conditioning
Velocity Red
4 miles on the odometer (I was the first to test drive it! Yee Haw!)
$15746 less $500 College Credit for $15246.
$10550 for my VW Golf.
$329 sales tax
$170 Title & License Fees

Total financed was a little higher becasue I owed some on the VW. I did not have to pay sales taxes or disposal fees on the VW (per VW driver's option lease)

Bought at Don Allen Mazda in Pittsburgh, PA. Got price over phone call with internet sales rep. Had no problem putting it in email to me either. Offered me $1000 more for my trade right off the bat than another dealer in Warrendale, PA. (my car and a key mark down the passenger side, a borken driver's mirror, and a few bumper scuffs.) I lost some money trading it instead of selling back to VW, (about $1400, my Pay-Off was $12,004) but I saved almost $700 in sales tax, so for me, it's close to a wash.

3zoom

options include Auto Tranny and ABS/SAC and nothing else.

one of the dealer in oakland CA told me to come back Sat. so i assume he accept my offer. This price does not include the graduate rebate.

pretty good deal if i can get it 18k OTD? include grad. rebate my final price would be 17.5k.

fair enough?

fullgrown

I found this forum helpful as I was shopping for my Mazda3 SP23, so I thought I'd share my experiences. I bought my new car ("Stella" :^) 2/15//05 at Hennessy Mazda in Morrow, GA, and have so far been satisfied in every respect with my buying experience and the car. When they had to order a cargo mat for the back, my sales rep even went so far as to drive to Midtown (20+ minutes away) on her lunch break to deliver it to me... pretty cool.

Here's the car I bought:
Mazda3 SP23 5-door, carbon gray mica, brown leather, manual, sunroof
Add-ons:
Wheel locks, bumper guards, cargo mat, cargo net

$21545 (MSRP) - $1386 (S-Plan) + $160 (add-ons) + $290 (processing) + $1453 (tax and title) + $395 (GAP insurance) = $22295 GRAND TOTAL

I also goat a $500 recent graduate rebate, which will help out a bit; ask your dealer if you qualify.

I decided to go with 72-month financing, $0 down, and got a surprisingly good rate with Bank of America (hint: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK WITH OUTSIDE LENDERS!).

Move fast if you want an SP23... it's a great package and they're not making any more (this year at least). I'm loving mine, and the amenities are great: leather, Bose stereo, xenon headlights, seatwarmers... the list goes on. It's hard to believe I'm driving a $22K car.

Hope this helps... happy shopping everybody.

cti

Is the 18,7 invoice?

If your OTD price includes sales tax, what IS your sales tax?

We need more information.

Jason

ex_tdier

Wow,that's awesome. No such luck for us in Canada, particularly in the West Coast as dealers are selling the car for LIST price. Supply and demand here.

codecruncher

5 door hatchback
Titanium Gray
ABS/SAB/SAC airbag package
Moonroof & 6 CD changer package
Automatic transmission
All weather floor mats for winter
Cargo tray
Rear bumper step plates

By accident found that I qualified for S-plan pricing through where I work for Mazda. Sort of an invoice pricing deal. They also passed through some sort of $500 direct to dealer thing on that.

Out the door price (5.5% tax included and $43 DMV plate transfer fee) = $18887.

Cannot wait to pick it up tomorrow night!

Probably would have gotten the manual, but the wife needs auto. She refuses to learn stick - which is just fine because I get the Z3 convertible all to myself all summer and on off weather days and winter I'll be driving the Mazda 3s

3zoom

Thats a really good deal consider it has moon roof and 6 cd.

i am still waiting for mine at 18k out the door.

cgr45

Sorry about that.

$18,700 is the price for the car. The wanted $16,400 but talked them down to this price.

My sales taxes is 6%=$1122
Feeds and other stuff is $529

Total is $20351

I put down a $500 deposit. I was going to sign the paperwork and pick-up the car next week. But, a couple of things have come up and I won't be able to get a car for a couple of months.

Also all stories that I've been reading on other boards about Mazda's customer service and the Mz3 A/C issues kind of scare me a bit. I still like the Mz3 but I'm seriously thinking about going with a Honda Accord.

3zoom

i am finally a mazda 3 owner...really excited right now.

Mine is a Stock S hatch, plus Auto. tranny.

after 3 days finally able to get a deal done with Mazda of oakland. 18k Out the door...nothing more. also i will get $500 for grad rebate.

do anyone know how to get that rebate, do u need proof u r graduating? i am graduating in 3 more months.

thanks

cti

$18,700 is $117 under invoice. But adding the fees puts the price $412 over invoice.

I added leather and xenon headlights to my car in addition to your options and I paid $550 over invoice. I thought my price was good and so I think your price is a good one also.

Since you have a few months until you get the car, now is the time to get any accessories for your car and you can have them installed for free.

At a minimum I'd recommend the moonroof deflector. My wife just got me this and the electrochromatic mirror for my birthday. The deflector doesn't look too hard to install, but the mirror is a mess.

A Honda Accord!?!?!? The Mazda is much better looking (my mom calls it 'rakish'). The Mazda is more practical with the hatch. And the Mazda is orders of magnitude more fun to drive.

Jason

cti

Yes, you need some sort of proof. I called Mazda corporate and got the answer. I found the nmber somewhere on their website.

Jason