2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

pete22

I'm still waiting to get my copy of the Mazda ad, I have the certificate. Gerber said I'll get it in a few days last Wednesday. Since I read other posts that said Gerber ran out if someone has a scan that they can email me I'd appreciate it.

akolozvary

I got my gerber e-mail on 07-20 and still never received the ad in the mail. Guess I won't be getting it in the mail.

I'm thinking of getting the Mazda3, but would like to get the 06 version not the 05. Anyone know when the 2006 is coming out :confuse: I still don't see it on inventory when I check online thru my local dealer.

Alex :shades:

daysineuropa

I have just started the process through the internet with the same dealer after mulling over Matrix/Vibe twins and Subaru/Saab twins. I am looking at a 2006 GT but they have a loaded 2005 S that I am tempted to give them a low ball offer for.

Santa Monica dealer only has three 2005 left, two wagons, one sedan. They seemed pretty proud of the 3s but would deal on RX8 and 6. I have low expectations from any of the T.O. dealers, maybe this can break the pattern!

I would appreciate any more insight you can give into how your transaction went as I would like to know where their limits are.

z71bill

I think they used the Mazda3 S - that lists for $19K - do you really think its a good comparison - $19K Mazda3 VS $13.8 Focus? I don't. Thats a 37% increase in purchase price.

I really doubt the Edmunds comparisons would have had the same ranking if the base Mazda3 i model would have been used. I think the old body style Civic would have won. So would you then be saying - buy the Civic because Edmunds said to - go buy one?

mazda6s

akolozvary - The 2006 models are on the lots now. Apparently they just don't have them in the online inventory yet.

pete22

That doesn't sound good, I mean that you still haven't recieved the ad. Does anyone know what magazine had the original ad so I try to get a copy of it. Also where I can get a high resolution scan if that fails, the old link with the scan seems dead.

PF_Flyer

Hope you can join us tonight for our weekly chat session! It's always great to meet "new faces" at the chats!

PF Flyer
Host
News & Views, Wagons, & Hybrid Vehicles

The weekly Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule

crg4

This chat sounds interesting. I've just started the research process into the Mazda3. Haven't decided on buying vs. leasing (prefer to buy) or '05 vs.'06. This would be my first Mazda experience. TMV in my area, NYC, is close to $600 over invoice. Sounds steep given recent discussion on this topic.

Solicited dealer quotes via Edmunds today. Will report back w/ status when there's something to tell.

akolozvary

Haven't gone to the dealer in a while. Thanks for the tip. Are there any good reviews online about the differences between the 2005/2006 models?

pete22

If your refeing to the prices I was saying I wwas choosing between, actually I had the price for the Mazda 3i at 15750, with auto trans, and Power Package (assuming I get the Gerber ad) . The 13.8 Focus had 16 inch tires, auto, power, and a couple of extra options I don't really care about (ie. Trction control, 6 CD changer, fog light, etc). Anyway after reading some follow up peoples complaints about the Ford quality issues I don't think I would consider it.

pete22

As I mentioned in previous posts I have been quoted invoice by the internet
sales dept of a dealer as well as I can get that same price due to having the S-plan from work. Has anyone gotten a Mazda 3 under invoice is that unrealistic.
Thanks for you answers in advance.

akolozvary

I like to get the 2006 Mazda 3 if I can keep my spending below 19k. I like to get the S-Trim, leather, either the winning blue or sunlight silver for the exterior color, leather seats, moonroof & 6-CD Package (or the mp3 player if it’s cheaper - suprised this doesnt come standard), ABS/SAB/SAC PACKAGE, ALUMINUM FUEL DOOR, and possibly the XENON & TPMS PACKAGE and the appearance package if it doesn’t push me over budget. Is this possible or am I dreaming.

pete22

I have two dealers who gave me an internet quote at invoice. If the 19K falls within invoice which you can find out though this site a(edmunds) all you have to do is go to a couple of the internet quote service site like autobytel and request a no haggle internet quote. I did have about 7 dealers contact me but only 2 were down at invoice so you might need to go to more than one quote site. I also put in an extra zip code to get quotes slightly out of my area in order to get some extra dealers.

pete22

My current 2000 protege listed for 15960 and I got it on an internet price of 13950 which must have been under invoice (maybe there was a rebate, but I don't remember). The best anyone will do is invoice on the Mazda3 and if you want just a a touring i (meaning power windows, doors, etc) and auto it's about 16400. Dealers are quoting me only 14600 or less for a Honda LX which has auto and power.

mdaffron

Dunno whether there's a rebate involved, but I just checked the new inventory (of 2005 models) at my Honda dealership, and here's what I found:

Civic LX 4-door sedan, automatic: 8 in stock, all $16,960
Civic LX 4-door sedan, "value package": 4 in stock, all $15,210
Civic LX "special edition", 1 in stock, $17,610
Civic Si 2-door hatchback, manual, 1 in stock, $19,735

Seems like the Mazda and Honda are equivalently priced.

Keep in mind those "quotes" often include rebates, special incentives, "college grad" discounts, etc. My Mazda dealer has a full-page ad in every Sunday paper offering Mazda3i's for under $14K.

Meade

dride

In MN I was btwn a 2005 Civic EX SE (had the six disk&Mp3) and the 3s. The Civic was an automatic. I was surprised by the limited colors available on the EX SE.
Civic EX SE best dealer price: $17,400 with 2.9% financing for 60 months
Mazda 3s (5 speed with 6 disk pkg): $17,255. I did have to go to a bank and got 4.9% on 60 months, but I did get the Gerber rebate for $500.

The deal breaker for Honda was they would only give me $6k on my trade b/c they said the market was soft. Mazda stepped up and gave me $7.5k.

Other than the trans, the options were the same. But the 3 rides so much smoother.

Both sales depts were outstanding.

rorr

Honda dealers with large stocks of '05 Civics are probably more willing to deal right now since the next generation Civic should be hitting the lots soon. I would think they are under more pressure to deal so they don't have a lot of previous generation Civics sitting around.

smk1

I wanted to thank everyone on this forum for your help in my research with buying a new car. I learned a lot and I think I got a better deal than I would have on my own. I was considering 4 cars: Ford Focus SE or SES, Honda Si and EX, Scion tC, Mazda3 S. My advice is drive them!! The Scion was too "sporty" and really uncomfortable for my 6'2" husband. The Honda EX was fine, but boring and kind of ugly. The Honda Si had a really low seat that did not raise up -- that made my decision easy because I am quite short. The Ford Focus was great once you added a bunch of options and I was very close to buying it when I test drove the Mazda3 and fell in love. I also test drove 5 VWs -- nothing compared to the comfort of the Mazda.

I was considering 2 dealers: a 2006 standard car and a 2005 with the ABS/SAC package only. After a lot of back-and-forth. I opted for the 2005 and got it for $157 over invoice (not incl taxes). That is, $16942.

Good luck to everyone!

pete22

The quote of 14600 for a Civic LX sedan with auto from the internet fleet department. Other quotes I got was 14900 and 14950 so their all under 15,000 configured like that. Even carsdirect in my area in 15,199. Anyway since I want Power windows, doors, etc the Mazda would be a little over 15800 even with my Gerbr coupon (-500) and S-plan pricing on a Mazda Touring package Mazda3i which is the one with power (invoice 16300 ). The 2005 only saves 100 dollars.
The Mazda 3i from your local dealer that is under 14K most likely is manual and defintely doesn't have a Power Package which invoices for 1250 on the 05.

crg4

I've recently solicited quotes from several dealers via the internet and the common response, unsurprisingly, is:

" In order to give you the best price on a new MAZDA3, I need to get some more information from you about the vehicle you’re looking to purchase."

They then request that I give them a call. Now, if I actually wanted to talk to you, I would have called, not e-mailed, comprende???

Curious as to others experiences w/ internet managers. I'm going to reply, via e-mail, with the details of the Mazda I prefer - s trim w/ ABS, etc., and see if I can make some initial headway w/o picking up the phone.

Anyone else care to share their internet experience or point me to a previous post?

rorr

I haven't purchased from a Mazda dealer but I can share my internet purchasing experience with an '05 Odyssey from February of this year (vans were brand new and dealer's were supposedly 'not dealing'):

Locate the vehicle you want via dealer's on-line inventory list. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, locate very similar vehicles on COMPETING dealer's list.

Determine (via Edmunds) the actual invoice price of the vehicle. ALSO determine the amount of dealer holdback (I think the Mazda holdback is 2% of the MSRP). Holdback is the amount the dealer gets back from the manufacturer after the vehicle is sold. Also determine what rebates you may be eligible for.

Take the invoice price, subtract the rebates, and subtract the holdbacks. Theoretically, this would be the dealer's 'true' price for the car. Add in dealer profit (the dealer MUST make some money on the deal; you might try 3%). This would be your offer. Be willing to give some more profit for vehicles either in very short supply or higher demand.

Put in your e-mail to the dealer your offer. Don't just send out a bunch of e-mails asking for the dealer's "best offer". You need to say up front what YOU are willing to pay. They can either agree to that, or then counter-offer. Also, it helps greatly if you explain HOW you came up with your offer. Don't just put a number down because for all they know, you just plucked it out of thin air. If they know in the e-mail that you know what the true invoice is, if you know about all applicable rebates, and that you know what their holdback is, AND you show that you are willing to give them some profit, then (IMO) they should be more willing to give you a fair price.

And finally, it may help if you reference the other Mazda3's that you've located on competing dealer lots. If they understand that you've located other cars, they also may be more willing to deal.

I tried this tactic in February and got an Odyssey EX-L, in a popular color and in dealer stock, for around $3k off MSRP. With 2 e-mails.

akolozvary

Cool, thanks for the tip. Hopefully I'll be able to find a good deal. My first two vehicles I purchased I feel I got ripped. I don't want to make the sane mistake on my 3rd car.

Anyone know where can I go to determine the true value of a mazda 3 2006? Edmunds doesn't have the info yet.

hipfan77

I can't speak for other dealers, but sometimes an internet quote request comes through as:

2005 Mazda3

Because there are so many types of Mazda3's, it is usually easier to get specifics before you quote, to avoid quoting a base car when the customer is interested in a loaded one or vice versa.

Although I must agree, I typically do not ask my internet clients to call me

akolozvary

http://www.autobytel.com/content/research/vir/index.cfm/vehicle_number_int/1018070/Action/- Summary
2006 Mazda MAZDA3 s Grand Touring 5-Door
List Price: $19,165
Invoice $17,921

I wish autobytel would allow you to add options such as automatic to figure out the invoice price. If I punched in all the numbers correctly, I get $17584.75. That's if my Gerber rebate works without the original ad, I don't think any of my local dealers have any special incentives going on. Does $17584.75 sound right? How much more do you think the price would jump to if I go with automatic.

audia8q

Don't forget to add in the destination charge of $560..($680 if your in Alaska)....It's not included in the base prices you posted.

charlotte7

This is great advice--thanks for posting it! When you say "add in dealer profit--try 3%", does this mean 3% of the original MSRP or 3% of what number--the one you've just calculated, the "true price" for the car?

rorr

"When you say "add in dealer profit--try 3%", does this mean 3% of the original MSRP or 3% of what number--the one you've just calculated, the "true price" for the car?"

Ahhhhh, now you get into that esoteric discussion of what constitutes a 'fair' profit....

Nothing magic about the 3%. If a dealer has 40 Mazda3's sitting around collecting dust, you might try 2% of whatever you calculated as the 'true' dealer's price. If he's moving cars out as fast as they come off the truck, you might be lucky to get one at 8% of the MSRP over his cost. All I'm saying is that you let the dealer know that YOU know what the 'true' cost of the vehicle is and then put in some realistic percentage over that for profit. IMO, the more knowledge you exhibit about the pricing, the less likely the dealer will try to gouge you. If the dealer feels it is 'fair', you'll probably make a deal quickly. If the dealer KNOWS he can get much more for the car, he'll probably counteroffer with something much higher. Afterall, he's got no reason to take your offer (even if his profit is 3% of the MSRP over his true cost) if he KNOWS he can get a lot more for the car.

You've got to remember that what constitutes a 'fair' profit constantly changes; it all comes down to how much supply the dealer has (and his competitors have) compared to how much demand he perceives.

rorr

As a follow up:

Once a deal is made, don't beat yourself up worrying about what others paid and whether or not they got a better "deal". Because there's always better 'deals' out there that people will report. And worrying about whether or not you might've / could've / should've ground out another $50 off the price is (IMO) not worth the heartburn.

charlotte7

Thank you for the very thorough explanation. I appreciate it!

I had pretty much decided on buying a used car, but have recently contemplated getting a Ford Focus station wagon, new because they're cheap and get decent gas mileage (better, sadly, than the Mazda3 hatch I also coveted, which is a lot zoomier!). All of the 05s are gone, so I'd have to either order an 06, or wait a few months till more 06s are on the lots. If I choose not to wait and order a car--even a car that doesn't generally sell well--do you think this negatively impacts my ability to "deal" in this manner? Because I'm pretty much telling the dealership I'm so hot for this car I want them to go specially get me one, so I can't play the competition card.

rorr

Can't play the competition card? Sure you can! Just let them know what you can get a Mazda3 for NOW and they should bend over backwards to make it worth your while to wait for a Focus.

charlotte7

I also have the X-plan (or S-plan for Mazda) and I can't find any information online yet for the X-plan prices on '06 models. Is it possible to negotiate below X-plan prices? Has anyone been successful at this? And hey, Rorr, I just noticed you're in my same town!

pete22

It depends on the dealer, but for the most part once I emailed my info they gave me a quote. As I said two quoted me invoice, finally have one that quoted me 350 below today (for a 2005). I even had one who priced high try to nogoate with me over emails.

pete22

Thw S-Plan price is the exact same as invoice. Therefore just fingure out invoice for the 2006 configured as you want and add 560 for destination charges. I haven't been too sucessfully getting below the S-plan price. As I mentioned in a previous post one dealer offerred an 05 at 350 lower thorugh the internet unrelated to my S-Plan price.

magar65

Hey Folks,

Just an FYI, I purchased my 3 S touring last weekend - an 06 model with the moon roof and 6-disc CD changer. I paid $400 over invoice. Additionally, I WAS able to use the Gerber Coupon AND could have used the ACOG coupon, but I didn't have the original ad at the time. Happy Reading and happy hunting!

pete22

I'm suprised they let you use both because the small print on the Gerber coupon says only one 500 dollar coupon will be accepted per vechicle. I took that to mean only one coupon no matter whether it was a Gerber, zoom-zoom, or ACOG. By the way I applied for both the ACOG and Gerber and got 2 emails but both had the same coupon code.

akolozvary

http://www.nationalcorporatepricing4u.com/newcarresearch.asp

Click on Car Research. Lets you add certain options/adds desination charge too. Seems good.

smk1

While shopping for my new Mazda3 last week I was offered a standard 2006 for "below $17150". The dealer would not give me an exact price but said they would go lower than the 2005 I was looking at (which was $17150) .

pete22

As I mentioned in other posts several dealers quoted me invoice for internet quotes on any 2006 or 2005 for that matter. I believe there was 3 different dealers who did that. Anyway unrelated I have the S-Plan that gets me invoice so I was looking to do better. Finally found one that offerred me a 2005 with the options I'm looking for for 400 under invoice. He is away this weekend or I most likely would have bought since I also have the Gerber discount. Also I am going to get the Mazdai, the 2005 is already cheaper than the 2005 by about 2006 dollars.

pete22

should say 2005 is cheaper by 250 dollars

deogee

I'm new to this site so I apologize if you have already posted this information --- I was just wondering where I could locate a Gerber Coupon and/or ACOG coupon? I'm planning on buying a Mazda3 within the next week or so and I stumbled upon this website -- it sounds like a good deal!

Thanks and have a good day!

deogee

Hello! Did the dealership confirm that you are able to use the S-Plan AND the Gerber discount? How long did it take you to receive that coupon after you submitted your information online?

deogee

I'm replying to my own question --- I figured out how to locate both coupons and FYI, the rep at Gerber told me that they still had some of the ads left. Does anyone know how long the email certificate # takes to receive? Also, has anyone used this $500 coupon along with the S-Plan pricing?

Thanks!

magar65

Deogee,

It took 3 business days to get the email from Mazda with the code. It took 5 days to get the ad from Gerber. Can't answer your question regarding S-plan, but it seems that most dealers aren't too familiar with the program(s) and may allow you to use both the S-Plan and the coupon(s). Good luck on your purchase.

billsd

Silver Mazda3 S with only options-Auto Tran & A/C.
MSRP was $19,100 paid $18,040.
Beautiful car......runs great on Day 2.
Did pass a auto trailer loaded with 06 Civics.....bought the Mazda fits my needs.
Bought at EL Cajon Mazda(San Diego)

This will fit in the driveway between my 03 X5 4.5(14mpg) and my 99 Ferrari 550(mpg never calculated).

pete22

I finally decided that I'm going with the Mazda 3i. Now trying to decide which year model to get. I want a car with Auto and Power equipment. I also have a Gerrber coupon. So here's the decision I'm making :
2006 with auto and touring package (means power and 16 inch wheels) 16,450
2005 with auto and Power package (means power and 16 inch wheels) 15.900

Thew 2006 gets Variable values on the Mazda3i and not even worth mentioning 2 extra horsepower. Also it is a 1 year newer car in model year. Is it worth the 550 more or do you think I'm better off saving the money.

The dealer who offered me the 2005 is away until Monday but if I want it I should let him know tomorrow morning. I appreciate anyone personal opinion since I'm not sure.

autonomous

Easy, at the prices you quoted the 2006 is a better deal than the one year old (read "depreciated") 2005. Now, if the 2005 was over a $1000 cheaper or was much better equipped than the 2006 that would be a different story.

Kirstie_H

Are you currently shopping for a vehicle? If so, a reporter would like to talk with you to learn how important fuel efficiency is to you as you make your decision.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, September 14, 2005 with a few thoughts on the subject.

nugen

Do you still happen to have the ACOG ad?
I may have zeroed in on a car, and it would be great to get the extra $$ off.

Thanks.

richml

The dealer where I bought my 3 accepted the E-mail from Mazda with the unique certificate number as the only document required.
The following week they called and asked for the Gerber coupon. They said I could fax it to them. A few days later, when I received the Gerber coupon in the mail, I mailed it to the salesman and haven't heard from them since.

pete22

Thanks for the advice. After seeing it I played with Edmunds on different Proteges one year apart to see what if I had the same mileage on then what the value differenece is. It turned out to be worst case 250 (way back 97 vs 98) and usually over 1000 difference. So guess I'm going with an 06.