2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

mdaffron

AH! Your questions. I have a couple answers.

I have the cargo net in my Mazda3s wagon. The net has plastic clips. So far I've used the net in a U-shape across the cargo area to hold those doggoned plastic grocery bags -- sometimes full of 2-liter bottles -- hammock-style. It's done a good job, and it appears to be pretty durable. The net was already in my car, as an included option, as was the rear-bumper step plate -- something I highly recommend if you like keeping your bumper nice. (I purchased one back in 2002 and put it on the bumper of my wife's WHITE 2002 Protege5. I was very glad to see it already installed on my 2005 Mazda3.)

I also purchased one other option, this time from the parts department since it didn't come on the car -- the $50 "Cargo Tray." It's a very nice piece of ridged, plasticky rubber that fits the cargo area snugly and has a 2-inch raised edge running all the way around it. It proved itself to me two weekends ago when I had to transport 12 10-pound bags of ice about 20 miles. Sure enough, they leaked, but the Cargo Tray contained the puddle. It just slips in, and you can use the four clips at trunk-bottom level to hold it down if you like (but it doesn't need them to stay in place). It's probably one of the better car accessories I've ever bought, and I can't wait to use it when I throw a few bags of mulch back there this weekend!

I can also solve another of your mysteries. The option to the right of the gear shift on some models is the control panel for the NAV system -- a few buttons and a "joystick" of sorts. I just have the open slot -- which I find fits my sunglasses case or my cell phone (sideways) very well.

Well, I haven't owned my Mazda3s wagon for any more than 3 weeks (actually it's 3 weeks today), but I have the 5-speed and I have no real complaints over rear visibility, considering the kind of car it is and that I came from a 2000 Protege sedan. The outside mirrors on the 3 (the wagon at least) are substantially larger (mostly taller) than the ones on the Protege were, but don't appear to be oversized. They provide a nice view of what's behind and to the side.

Floor mats -- I'll tell you right now that the standard-issue floor mats are the most laughable part of this car. They are CHEAP AS HELL. I am going to go in today and ask to see what the "heavy duty" floor mats look like. Geesh, the standard ones are no more than dryer lint sprayed on a fruit roll-up! Seriously, these things are CHEESY! Anybody else care to comment? Did I say they suck?

Meade

P.S. Is your name really "Na"? I like addressing people by their names!

natenj1971

Hi Meade,

I'm Nate (some do call me Na) - Surprised to hear about the floor mats. usually one area where you can't mess up. I've got some weathertecks right now - 4 years old and in great shape. I'll check out the all season mat option and if they look flimsey I'll just see if the mats I have will fit.

Thanks for filling me in on the dvd option. I don't think I'll be springing for it so will have a place for my cell phone as well.

Thanks again for all the feedback,

Nate

uk_rave

Before I sign any paperwork tomorrow can somebody tell me whether this is a good drive out price.

2004 Mazda3 s

$19684 (includes TTL for LA)

5 door (hatchback), 5-speed manual transmission

Moonroof &6-CD package
ABS/SAB/AC package
Leather seat upholstery
Xenon & TPMS package (not requested but came with the car)

I have phoned several dealerships and have been quoted higher prices.

Thanks
A.

anon70

The 3i has better fuel economy than the s3, which is great w/today's HIGH gas prices.

the 3i with the options I want = $16k (automatic, a/c, power everything)

the 3s automatic w/no other options is only $1000 more ($17k). for that $1000, i basically get alloy wheels and upgraded upholstery.

i dont need the alloy wheels. How much better is the "upgraded" upholstery?

the 3i sounds right for me, right???

relentless3

We purchased our 3s 4 weeks ago today and we love it! It is sooo much fun to drive and we have averaged 26 mpg all 4 weeks! We were all set to buy the 3i last month for $16000 with auto and power package when we decided we better at least take a look at the 3s before we buy. You will getr the following additions: fog lights, a sporty looking grill, 2.4 liter engine with more zoom-zoom-zoom. A blue background dash lights at night, as well as the upgraded seats and alloys. We made them an offer of $16700 for the 3s and they accepted it without a problem. We live in St. Louis, Mo. bought at Bommarito Ellisville.

mdaffron

Anon ...

We can't tell you what sounds "right for you." You have to drive the two cars and decide for yourself. I say this because the 3i and 3s are completely different when it comes to performance. If you're just looking for a grocery-getter, the 3i will suffice. If you want more excitement in your drive, the 3s is the choice.

But are you really looking at a 3? By your postings over on the Elantra discussion, it sounds like you've done everything but sign the bottom line for an Elantra. I'm confused. Are you really interested in a Mazda3?

Meade

mdaffron

Make that a 2.3-liter engine.

Meade

etack

Update - I did by the car. The dealership reduced the conveyance fee and apologized, and the car arrived in time to use the loyalty rebate. I picked it up yesterday.

Regarding choosing between an i and s, please note the i also has alloy wheels (with the power package), though they're one size smaller. I bought the i because I value the fuel economy, and 144 hp / 2.0l is plenty of power for me. It didn't hurt it was less money too.

mazda6s

etack - nice work!

autonomous

The dealership reduced the conveyance fee and apologized, and the car arrived in time to use the loyalty rebate. I picked it up yesterday.

Congratulations! All's well that ends well. I'm glad the dealership did right by you.

Did you want to share the pricing information with others?

etack

Sure - The car is a 3i with power package, air conditioning, ABS/side air bags and wheel locks. Cost was $16,488 plus $125 dealer fee (He met me half way and I didn't want to argue for more.) With the $500 college graduate (from a master's degree) and $500 loyalty rebate the price of the physical car was $15,613. Not bad for a new car with six air bags and so many extras...

P.S. - I really can spell "buy" I promise.

anon70

Hi mdaffron

yeah, i'm leaning towards the Elantra because it's $5k less and, in the past, i've always used a car just to go from Point A to point B.

But lately, i'm having thoughts of something more fun and exciting. However, i fear that a few months after I buy the Mazda, I'll get used to the "fun factor." It'll then start to feel just like any other car. So I would have spent $5k more and, after a while, have the same feeling towards it as if I bought the Hyundai.

For those people that have had both a fun car and a grocery getter, does the fun car still feel different than the grocery getter after a year? How about after 2+ years?

Thx

EDIT: I live alone, and the car I buy will be my only car.

kyfdx

I think you are right.. the "fun" factor will wear off..

Of course, the other element to the cost equation is resale... The real cost of a car is depreciation plus finance cost... If the cheaper Hyundai loses $5K in value over the next two years, just like the Mazda 3i, then your only saving is the lower interest amount from borrowing less money for the cheaper car...

mazda6s

I suspect the "cheap" factor of the Elantra will wear off faster than the "fun" factor of the Mazda3.

tomakozi

I just purchased a Mazda3 hatchback at Bountiful Mazda here in Utah. I really enjoyed my experience. I paid 16900 for the basic 5 speed. I didnt get anything extra except for window tint and the extended warrenty. I found that with the hatchback everything you could want comes standard. I was very happy with my experience. My dealership also has a deal where if I get all of my preventitive maintnance done at the dealership they will replace my tires for as long as I own the car. With the low profile Goodyears that will save me a ton of money. They are about 250 dollars a piece. There is no limit or milage on the tires, just drive and when they get low I take it in for free tires. It includes balancing and mounting as well. Has anyone else heard of this?
I'm very happy with the car too. It has been so fun to drive. I have been racing around keeping the RPMs pretty high and still got over 28 mpg on the first gas tank. And have blown the doors off of a few Hondas as a little bonus.

Tom

tomakozi

I just got rid of my Hyundai and bought a Mazda3. If you have driven both there is no comparison. I test drove everything before I bought mine and the Ford Focus was heads and sholders above the Hyundai and the Mazda was at least that above the Ford. Ford is currently offering 2000 in incentives on the Focus. If you dont think you can put out he money for a Mazda, there are alternatives to going all the way down to the Hyundai. Look around, read some reviews or comparisons. Below is a great comparison of current economy cars.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0408_economy_cars/

npaladin2000

You get what you pay for. This credit card commercial doesn't end in "priceless," it ends in "worthless." As in those Goodyear low profiles. They're giving them away likely because they can't get anyone to BUY them (Check TireRack; they're rated SOO terribly...and TR sells them for only $150). I wouldn't buy them...as soon as mine wear out I'm getting different rubber. Maybe those BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW-2 (I LOVE how they look) or something.

anon70

mazda3i automatic with A/C and package 1PP (power and alloy wheels).

the mazda salesman was pushy, as opposed to the easy going hyundai. (i told both up front that i'm researching right now and I'm not buying a car till end of May.)

after the test drive, i said thank you. he asked me what it would take for me to buy now. i said invoice price. after some haggling and him going to his mgr, i got this:

16291 (incl. destination + advertising fee) + 289 processing fee + 3.2% tax and 34.50 tags = ~$17164. so the ad fee was $185.

the hyundai dealership also charged the $289 processing fee. so i figure it's a standard charge for Northern Virginia.

they wouldn't budge on either the ad or processing fees. Also, the car had 375 miles on it. Should I have stuck to my guns on invoice only and no other fees? Or is this buyer's remorse???

is the advertising fee part of the invoice price since Edmund's doesn't track local fees? or did i basically pay $185 over invoice?

incidentally, in Maryland, one dealership I know only charges a $99 processing fee. I could have saved $200 more. and maybe $375 altogether if no ad fee.

anon70

What's the best way to break in the car? or is it already considered broken in since I bought it with 375 miles?

camaron

Thanks for Automobile Magazine's URL. It had a more detailed analysis about the Honda than it did about the Mazda or Hyundi, though.

I'm in the market for an economy car and have seriously narrowed the competition down to Mazda3 with 16" alloy wheels and power package, ABS package, auto transmission, & air conditioning and the Honda Civic LX 4 door with auto transmission, air conditioning and side air bags. ABS package not available on the 4 Door LX sedan. The Mazda 3 is roughly $1, 500 more than the Honda Civic LX priced at $15,094.. The Honda Civic has the price, miles per gallon and maintenance record history advantages over the Mazda. And they mean something in the face of relentlessly increasing oil prices.

Starting with the Honda Civc CVCC back in '75, Hondas have been a favorite choice with both my immediate (meaning myself, wife, and daughters) and extended family (meaning brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and father in law). But you definitely feel the presence of passengers and the lack of elbow room in the 2005 Honda. (It didn't bother me when I bought the CVCC in 75, but it does now.) The Mazda has a smoother ride, more pep, and more elbow room. The Mazda auto transmission has a feature that mimics a manual transmission. And like the Honda, its ergonomic interior is really excellent. I think placing the cruise controls on the steering wheel in such a way you can control them with your thumb and minimum attention is a real plus for both cars. Mazda did the same thing with the radio controls as well which is really cool! Visibility out the rear and rear side view windows is about the same for both cars though I think it may have been a wee bit better in the Mazda.

Rear window visibility killed my interest in the Toyota Corolla. It was horrible with the back head rests in place. Toyota salesman said it is difficult to remove the head rests so we didn't even try. He suggested just folding the rear seat down. The Toyota head rests are larger than those found in either the Honda or the Mazda3 and may serve you well in an accident but in my opinion, are a driving hazard most of the time.

If they are active in this forum, I'd really like to hear from Mazda owners who have owned their cars more than 3 years and have to say about maintenance, performance and their personal feelings about the car.

anon70

The Mazda3 replaced the protege, so it only has a 2 year record right now.

but it has a 4yr/50k warrenty.

jmfont

I went shopping for a new car for my son, but I wasn't sure about whether I should get a Mazda6 or Mazda3. There's rebates and discounted MAC financing thru 5/2 on the M6, but the interior styling and materials of the M3 seemed to be less stodgy than the M6. Once we determined that a M3 with a manual tranny would best suit our son the salesman mentioned that they still had 2004 Mazda3 s Sedan, and he thought it had the ABS option that we wanted. The only problem (besides the 5-speed) was the color; Lava Orange. Once we got over the initial shock on the color we started to realize that there was possibly a deal to be had here. So, here's the deal, with virtually no haggling:

2004 Mazda3 s Sedan
Lava Orange
396 miles
5-speed manual transmission
Anti-lock brakes/Side AirBag/Side AirCurtain package
Xenon headlights & Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) package
Sport package with 17" wheels and Goodyear Eagle tires

$16,204 + TTL (sales tax can be paid within 30 days in Arkansas)

The only 'catch' was that I had to finance through Mazda American Credit, so the dealer could receive $1000 incentive. I financed $12K at 7.25%, which I intend to refinance at my bank at a lower rate.

I figured that I saved roughly $2,000 over what I would have paid for a 2005 vehicle with similar equipment under the Mazda S-Plan (which is roughly dealer invoice). The fact that I didn't have to play the ping-pong game between the salesman and the sales manager was also a relief to me.

If any of the forum vets have an opinion on this deal I'd like to hear your thoughts.

npaladin2000

Oohh, Lava Orange? Nice...it's IMHO one of the better colors for the 3. Metallic paint can really make some of these non-traditional colors, like orange, pop. I actually wanted orange, but ended up getting red (I figure the best colors on this car are orange, red, and the dark purplish blue...stay clear of the rest). Anyway, it sounds like you got a real good deal; just make sure you re-finance it after a month or two to get a lower interest rate through your bank.

I still wish the xenon headlights didn't come glued to the TPMS though...swapping the rims with steelies for snow tires will cause it to go off, I believe, since the sensors are in the rims themselves (I ended up not getting the TPMS/Xenons...eventually I want to be able to replace the rims). TPMS systems like that are going to make rim swaps really annoying...wish there were another way to do it.

wookie69

Just bought a Mazda 3 yesterday

The Package:
2004 Lava Orange S
MSRP $21,212
Bought it for $19,890 + tax and license
60 Miles
ABS Package
Moonroof w/6CD &wind deflector
Sports Package W/17" wheels and side sill
Xenon w/TPMS
Rear spoiler
Automatic

Is that a fair deal? Couldn't finance it though through Mazda Motor credit. The extra $1000 discount would of been nice...
Just love the color though!

anon70

What $1000 discount thru Mazda Motor credit?

edmunds doesnt list it?!

http://www.edmunds.com/incentives/RebateController?step=2&year=2005&make=Mazda&model=MAZDA- 3&modelId=100505085&setzip=20164&state=VA&tid=edmunds.n.incentives.incentives.4.5.Mazda*

mdaffron

If they are active in this forum, I'd really like to hear from Mazda owners who have owned their cars more than 3 years and have to say about maintenance, performance and their personal feelings about the car.

Let me go get what I just posted on another discussion and cut and paste it here. Hang on a minute ...

OK, I'm back. Here goes:

1992 Protege LX: 28,000 miles, no problems, totaled in accident
1992 Protege LX: 83,000 miles, no problems
2000 Protege ES: 91,000 miles, replaced front sway bar bushings (covered under extended warranty) at 85,000 miles
2002 Protege5: 49,900 miles (wife's current car), no problems
2005 Mazda3s wagon: 1,050 miles (my current car, duh), no problems

Personal feelings about the car?

Two words:

ZOOM ZOOM :shades:

Meade

anon70

From above (msg 1209):

mazda3i automatic with A/C and package 1PP (power and alloy wheels).

16291 (incl. destination + advertising fee) + 289 processing fee + 3.2% tax and 34.50 tags = ~$17164. so the ad fee was $185.

the hyundai dealership also charged the $289 processing fee. so i figure it's a standard charge for Northern Virginia.

they wouldn't budge on either the ad or processing fees. Also, the car had 375 miles on it. Should I have stuck to my guns on invoice only and no other fees? Or is this buyer's remorse???

is the advertising fee part of the invoice price since Edmund's doesn't track local fees? or did i basically pay $185 over invoice?

or did I pay $474 (proc + ad fees) over invoice?

mdaffron

Great link! I've never had the pleasure of reading a more lively, enjoyable, humorous article in the customarily stodgy pages of Automobile Magazine. That article read more like one in Car & Driver. Being a former Hyundai owner (twice), I had to laugh at lines (in the Elantra review) like:

Shifting through the gears in this car feels like stirring a straw through a convenience store slushie.

We did come up with a neat trick to double the mushy brakes' performance; we dragged our feet out the door.

But the seat leather was so thin, we wondered if the cow from which it was taken was malnourished.

The optional Kenwood CD player looks straight off the discount rack at Best Buy ...

It takes more than warranties and incentives to be a real player in this segment. ... If not, the Elantra could end up following the Cavalier, the Sunfire, a whole line of Daewoos, and the Dodo right into extinction.

I guess it's safe to say Automobile was not impressed with the Elantra, eh?

(BTW, out of the list of contenders which included the Civic, Corolla, Mazda3, Elantra and Focus, guess which car they chose? Well, guess.)

Meade

postnobills

hey anon-
I just bought a Mazda3-S a couple of weeks ago and also paid invoice plus their dealer prep fee. I'm betting we both bought at Browns Mazda?
Fitzgeralds in MD posts their "no-haggle" prices online and they had a lot of 3's in stock selling for $100-300 over invoice, plus the $100 dealer processing fee, so I figure all-in I paid maybe $100 more than I could have paid up in MD, but saved myself several additional hours of driving around the Beltway, plus not having to get a VA inspection sticker on my own.
By the way, I heartily recommend all Northern Va car shoppers to go to MD to buy cars, or at least threaten their local VA dealers that they will do that. By law, MD dealers cannot charge more than $100 dealer prep fee, whereas VA dealers try to tack on gouging fees of $289 or more.

anon70

yup.. browns mazda fairfax. the salesman was pushy during the walkthru and test drive, even though i told him i wasnt going to buy till end of May. (i was going to buy if it was at invoice buy didnt tell him that till he asked, after the test drive.)

does maryland dealers also charge the "ad fee?"

like i said, it looks like I paid $474 over invoice for a car that already had 350 miles on it.

ptown23

thanks for someone finally responding.
what do you think of this offer - 2005 Black Mica 3 hatch manual with ABS/SAB/SAC package, moonroof & 6 CD package, Xenon and leather - s plan price 18823. it sounds like an alright deal, you think i should jump on it?

kyfdx

It is hard to beat the S-plan price.... if you qualify for it, I'd take it... sounds like a great combination.. I saw one just like it at lunchtime today..

fowler3

Check Prices Paid and see if others have gotten the same hatch for less by haggling. Seems to me that $18,600 has been posted several times. Don't buy aftermarket add-ons combined with the price of the car unless you are paying cash. Don't finance, pay interest, on useless dohickies is what I am saying.

Wonder why it's called a "rear skirt diffuser"? I'd call it a Rear Bumper Sucker Trim!

fowler3

ptown23

i added up everything on the S plan pricing sheet and it comes out to18620. im gonna see if he cant drop it, because i know the exact numbers and hes trying to take 200 off the top, that doesnt sit very well with me...but nonetheless, i guess i could give him that 200, gotta feed the kids right

nortsr1

With S Plan pricing, the dealer cannot charge for any "extra" fees, except the actual cost of Tax, title and tags....It is the same as Ford x-Plan pricing.I suggest you sit down with the salesperson ang go ovet the items one by one. There is possibly a difference in something on the Mulrooney sticker that you might have missed. Don't forget to get the rebates???

eoghan1

In Connecticut, most dealers pad their price with a conveyance fee of between $99 and $250. My Chevy dealer waives the conveyance fee on Supplier discount deals but the Mazda dealer tacked it on. Can you point out something which prohibits this conveyance fee on S plan purchases?

ptown23

i dont think i'll eligible for any rebates. what is available

daryl

I don't know anything about the S plan, but it's a good price. I paid $18,123 for the same car without the leather or Xenons.
Daryl

ptown23

pick my baby up tonight

bunk1968

I am searching for another Mazda 3 used.
I live in MI and am leary about buying one out of state, but I am hopeing that if it has low miles, and because of their good reliability rating, I may be safe.
I have found a 2004 hatch with Leather, Navigation, ABS, Moonroof, CD changer, and it has 10162 miles on it.
CAN ANYONE tell me if the car being from California has modifications done to it. I thought that I had heard that California requires certain modifications in order to cut down on pollution. I have also heard that this can affect the speed and performance of the vehicle??
Can anyone clear this up for me and let me know if paying 16,999 for this car is a good deal. I would have to pay about $800 for shipping. I was told the car was turned in by a pregnant woman who needed something larger so she purchased a Tribute. They told me the car is in perfect shape??
I know no gaurantee's.
Please give advice if you have answers and time. Thanks.
Oh, and what kind of mileage can I expect from city driving in this car?
Is it true that the leather is kind of slippery when you are having fun on the twisty roads with this car?
Is there any bugs with the 2004's that were not in the 2005's (air conditioning, brakes...) that I should worry about?? I heard things, but do not know the facts.

blueguydotcom

Don't worry about CA emissions. As for mileage in town, if you're a good boy expect mid 20s. If you flog it hard, low 20s - 22-23.

Slippery leather..well the cheapo vinyl stuff in the 3 might be slippery. In reality you should never experience anything THAT severe in a Mz3. Supportive seats and pretty nice bolsters, so I've never budged playing with my friend's car. Shrug.

blissful1

Have owned my Mazda3s for almost 24 hours now. Very happy with it! Thanks to everyone on these boards, I have moved from being a Toyota girl (2 Corollas, 12 years) to a Mazda fan. :shades:

The specs:
2005 Titanium Gray Mazda3s
MSRP $20,040
Price quoted $18,977 + tax and license - about $300 over invoice
I added an alarm for $595 (not the best deal, but I'm okay with it)
ABS Package
Black leather-trimmed seats
Automatic
Rear bumper step plate
Wheel locks
Build date 03/05
Purchased at Browning Mazda, Cerritos, CA (nice, not pushy)

I did the Edmunds thing and faxed out a request for bids last week to 12 dealers in Los Angeles/Orange County. 6 responded with bids (1 by phone). Took up one dealer on their offer ($19,440 for ABS/Leather/Auto/Xenon) last weekend, only to find out a few days later that their dealer trade fell through and they weren't able to obtain the car (the original dealer sold the car). Since I thought I was going to pick up my new car on Monday, I lent my previous car to my boyfriend for the week while his car was in the shop, so he had to drive me to/from work for 3 days.

The dealer I had signed the contract with was trying to find a similar car so that when I came in to pick up the car, they would have me sign all the contracts again for the replacement car. Unfortunately, there were no other cars in the area with all the options i wanted - I even checked with another dealer who searched on the "locator" with me, stating there was one in Tracy, CA (about 400 miles away). I didn't want a moonroof (I know, I'm odd that way), but if I did, it would have made it easier to find a car with Xenon pkg.

Instead, I went to one of the other dealers who submitted a bid for a car w/o Xenon pkg, ensured they had the car in stock, and came home with my new car.

Boy, some of those dealers play rough! :P

unlimited

Hi, I noticed that fees vary from state to state, from dealership to dealership and from person to person. But I don't see anybody reporting their exact fees in California.

What fees are legal in Californa? What are people paying for their fees here ?

Thanks

audia8q

nortsr writes..."With S Plan pricing, the dealer cannot charge for any "extra" fees, except the actual cost of Tax, title and tags.."

Your not correct. On June 10, 2004 mazda issued a letter stating that dealerships MAY charge customary fees for document or administative charges on S-plan and E-plan sales.

etack

I know this topic has been addressed in the past, but I didn't find a straight answer when I searched, so here goes. When I purchased my 3i recently, the salesman said I should expect a survey from Mazda soon. He said I must answer all 10s, and if I don't want to for any reason, I should throw the survey away. I will remind the forum that this very salesman - much to my distress - took back the purchase agreement after I signed it and started adding in fees. He also couldn't answer a lot of questions about the car (told me the car has two air bags when it has six, for example). What do you say? Do I allow myself to be bullied into throwing it away (since I won't be giving all 10s) or do I answer straightforwardly and honestly?

audia8q

with mazda, anything other than a perfect score is a failure. It can cost the dealer and the salesperson financially if the score isnt perfect. But I can't help but wonder, Why would you hand over $18,000+ to somebody who isnt worthy of a perfect score? There are lots of dealers who provide a quality sales process.

daryl

When I bought my 3 in August '04, I was told I would get a survey in the mail. The dealer said if I returned it in person, I would receive a free gift on the spot. I knew right away what they were doing. I had a positive experience anyway so my survey had positive answers. Basically, I feel it gives the dealer control over their customer satisfaction numbers and weeds out the negatives so they never make it to Mazda Corp. On a massive scale, this could have an influence on some allotments of hard to find models, like the SP23, and it could have an effect on the job security on the general manager or salesperson if the business owner looked at the surveys over the sales and income figures.
Daryl
P.S. I got the grey and black leatherette baseball hat. It's comfy.

autonomous

The salesman said I must answer all 10s, and if I don't want to for any reason, I should throw the survey away. I will remind the forum that this very salesman - much to my distress - took back the purchase agreement after I signed it and started adding in fees. He also couldn't answer a lot of questions about the car (told me the car has two air bags when it has six, for example). What do you say? Do I allow myself to be bullied into throwing it away (since I won't be giving all 10s) or do I answer straightforwardly and honestly?

Of course, you should be fair and honest. The point of the survey is client satisfaction not how happy you can make the salesman and dealer. Sales is not the easiest of professions so let's encourage good salespeople to rise to the top and not give top marks to the undeserving.

etack

Why would you hand over $18,000+ to somebody who isnt worthy of a perfect score? You're kidding, right? I don't buy a car because I like the salesman. I buy the car because I like the car and I tolerate the salesman. If he's really bad, I might walk, but as it is the nearest Mazda dealer to me is 50+ miles. Besides, in my case, everything went well until I agreed to buy the car. I was passed off to a salesman after dealing with the general service manager.

with mazda, anything other than a perfect score is a failure. It can cost the dealer and the salesperson financially if the score isnt perfect. I think this is an unreasonable policy, and I'm trying to see why I should have to worry about the dealership when it's Mazda's problem.

audia8q

you shouldn't worry....bury them if they treated your poorly. But remember. You rewarded their bad behavior by handing them a sale. By doing so, you essentially voted with your dollars....your dollars said "Keep doing sleazy things because they still buy".....for you to turn around and give them a bad survey seems a bit hypocritical..... good enough for the dollars but not good enough for a good survey.

I'm not trying to pick on you....but alot of dealers work very hard to make the process easy and treat folks in a professional manner. To see dealers who do things that are suspect get sales drives us crazy and makes us ask the question "why do we spend so much time, money and effort on a great buying experience?..we would make more sales and more money if we do it the sleazy way...customers buy anyway.