2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

rosenatti

Warren, looking for advice. I emailed Putnam Mazda and was quoted $17,813 (plus T &L) for a 2006 Mazda3 S hatchback with the SAB package and floor mats. I'm kind of a rube when it comes to haggling. The quote is lower than other dealers', but still... should I counter-offer $17,367?

This question isn't limited to Warren, by the way. Anyone else who cares to offer advice, please feel free! I've never bought a new car, and I'm a little lost. Thanks.

reichowjr

Asking for a lower price is FREE. Quite often you will get an additional discount. I'm not trying to make friends when I purchase a new car but trying to get the most for my money.

csriram45

ok.. so if within 5-7 days of purchase with financing from the dealer. if I get a better rate, I should be able to go with the new finance institution correct? the reason I ask is because I wanted to be better prepared if there is some kind of law so that I can do this or I am at the dealers mercy?

rosenatti

Thanks for the moral support! Forgot to mention that I can pay cash -- does that give me a stronger or weaker bargaining position?

rosenatti

I live in San Francisco, too. Which dealer was this, if you don't mind telling? And what would the total be after tax, licensing, etc.?

reichowjr

Some financing arms of the automobile companies offer additional rebates (free money) just so they can get more of your money over the term of the loan.

If there are additional rebates to be had by using Mazda's corporate financing I would finance the vehicle to get the rebate then pay off the loan on my first payment.

I never limit myself to my local dealer and with the information available today you can use this as leverage to get a better price.

Your cash indicates your serious about the purchase and the dealer would rather have your money today by discounting a little more than have you walk out and end up with nothing.

For all your dealer knows your going to buy from the competition or another Mazda dealer. Be willing to walk out the door. Edmunds is a great source to find dealers willing to sell at a discount. You just simply contact that dealer's internet manager negotiate your price and buy the car.

I purchased a Honda Pilot for $1000 over invoice 4 months after they were out. My local dealer wanted msrp plus charged for r dealer add ons. Because of my research on Edmunds I purchased my vehicle 500 miles from home and saved thousands.

I have S plan pricing which I will use to purchase the 3 for my wife. Let us know how your deal works out for you. Good luck.

sandpaper

What exactly is the zoom zoom ticket? I have a ticket called 'Mazda 500$ Cash Back Bonus Certificate' from Mazda which was only valid from 08/01 to 10/01. I got this online and it recently expired. Is this the same thing as the 'zoom zoom' ticket? And since it expired, should I still take it to the dealer with me OR just send it in via snail mail to receive the discount? Or am I totally missing out on the 500 discount?

Interestingly, when I signed up for this cash back certificate I wasn't even interested in buying a Mazda - Now I am and desperately want to use it!

allfiredup

I wouldn't tell them that you're paying cash until you have sealed the deal. A lot of dealers do sell cars for little profit but make money off the financing. Once you've got all the details worked out, then just pull out your checkbook and finish the deal.

It is free to counter-offer, so I would do just that. I'd go a little lower than the $17,3XX you mentioned and maybe they'll meet you somewhere in the middle.

Unfortunately, I don't think Mazda is offering any financing cash on the 3. They are still on the '05 6 models, but not the 3. Seems that the 3 doesn't need any incentives to sell.

allfiredup

The Zoom Zoom coupon is the $500 off and does come with an expiration date. I've heard that some dealers are still accepting them. I'm sure if you push hard enough, you could find a willing dealer...especially if you convince them you'll walk away if they don't honor it.

mazda6s

"Forgot to mention that I can pay cash -- does that give me a stronger or weaker bargaining position?"
Think about this:
The salesperson you will be talking to makes his/her commission on the sale - generally a percentage of the net on the deal. This person could care less how you pay for the car, but having cash makes you a serious buyer which will motivate the salesperson to make the deal happen. This person makes nothing if you don't agree on a price or you need a loan and can't qualify (not an issue in your case of course).
The sales manager who will need to approve the price probably gets a salary and commission on each sale. He/she doesn't get a commission if there's no deal.
The F&I manager who will complete the sale makes his/her money on the loan and any add-ons they can talk you into. This person doesn't make much (or anything at all) on the deal if you pay cash and don't buy credit life insurance on the loan, an extended warranty, or accessories.
So, what would I do? I am paying cash for my next car. If the dealership has the car I want, I will tell the salesperson I have cash RIGHT NOW and am ready to make the deal RIGHT NOW if they can meet my price. Then, if we make the deal and they have some really great finance offer or rebate with their loan, I might take the loan.
I paid cash for my last car and was in and out in about an hour, with the new car. The sales guy got a nice commission for an hours work. The F&I manager didn't make anything and had to process my multiple rebates. Did I feel bad that the F&I guy didn't make anything on the deal? Not really, F&I people often make more money than anyone else at the dealership, arranging loans at over-market rates, selling extras, and talking gullible people into buying credit life insurance.

rosenatti

Thanks for your advice, Mazda6s, allfiredup and reichowjr. Can I ask another question? What types of fees/added expenses should I be prepared to block/barter on?

Is it obvious I'm a car-buying newbie? Uhmm... maybe just a little.

mazda6s

IMO, about 100 bucks is a reasonable doc fee. There may be a Mazda advertising charge on the invoice, which is legit. For everything else, memorize this phrase - "I'm not paying that" and remember to be professional and courteous when you say it as you walk towards the door.

Having said that, also remember that all that you really care about is the OTD (out-the-door) price, so make sure everything except tax and license fees is in the price they quote you. One of their favorite tricks is to quote you a great price to get you excited about getting a good deal on the car you want, then they add on bogus fees when you go to sign the papers.

z71bill

A reasonable doc fee is $0.00 -

All of these fees - including advertising - are charged for one reason - to get customers to pay more.

Does anyone think that companies didn't advertise BEFORE they started adding an ad fee to the price of the car? Before doc fees - did you just shake hands and drive off - or did someone from the dealership need to do some paper work?

Please don't tell me that these are all legit costs that the dealership must pay because I don't care - that has nothing to do with it.

Don't dealerships also pay

Sales commissions?
Electric bills?
Insurance?
Rent?

Sure they do - plus hundreds of other things -

Why not just charge a separate fee for every item?

I do agree that the important thing is the final price you pay - but 99 times out of 100 these fees are added in - after the price has been negotiated - that is wrong - tell them that the price you are negotiating (willing to pay) includes everything except TT&L - if the must add in a bunch of fees - they need to disclose them UP FRONT and INCLUDE them in the NEGOTIATION.

Then stick to it - don't let them back door you for added fees.

mazda6s

We could debate all day about what constitutes a "reasonable" doc fee. I too would like to see them go away, as doing the paperwork is just a part of the cost of doing business. However, I'm a practical person (getting what I want at the price I want is more important than the "purity" of the deal) and doc fees are common, so I go with the flow. Whether the price is 19900 plus 100 doc fee or 20000 with no doc fee is academic. Like I always tell the dealers, "I don't care what you call it, I call it a dollar gone from my pocket".

Advertising charges that may appear on the invoice are regional and also depend on whether the dealership participates in the program or not. That's why they are not in the invoice prices we see on Edmunds and elsewhere. The real problem is that dealers will attempt to add on phony advertising charges which they represent as charged by the manufacturer. Some dealers will actually print a phony "invoice" with all sorts of stuff added on. We even have a local dealer here who adds on $800 for "advertising, storage, and insurance". Now that really insults my intelligence! :mad:

I've noticed that some dealers on the Phoenix area like to quote great prices like $89 over invoice, then add on about $1000 in bogus add-on charges such as vehicle prep fees, key fees (???), paint protection packages, overpriced window tint (already on the car of course), overpriced pinstripe, etc. And, unless you ask in advance, you won't see these add-on fees until you get ready to sign the papers.

joel5000

I paid a $45 doc fee, which I thought was reasonable. Bay Area dealers tack on a $150 advertising fee, which is legitimate in the sense that it is an actual cost to the dealer. Of course, whether or not that cost gets passed on to you is open to negotiation. Central Valley dealers (I'm in Sacramento) don't charge the advertising fee, but even without that fee the best price I could get in the Valley was several hundred dollars more than the dealers in the Bay Area were asking. It was worth the drive to save a few hundred bucks (plus I didn't like the people I was dealing with at my local dealer). I had my own financing, but the dealer beat my interest rate by one and a half points, so I financed with them. The finance guy didn't try to sell me anything; no extended warranties, GAP insurance, undercoating, etc. Overall I was thrilled with my buying experience, as well as my car.

z71bill

I think we agree - the thing that really bugs me is when they add this stuff on at the end.

I make it clear that the price I am willing to pay INCLUDES all the fees.

At the end of the negotiation I say - OK - I will pay $18,200 (or whatever) - but that includes EVERYTHING except TT&L. - the sales guy says yes thats right - then I ALWAYS add - so the price of $18,200 includes all fees - with no additional charges except TT&L. Sales guy says YES - no additional charges.

Then I get handed over to finance and when I look over the paperwork I normally find all kinds of things added in. Dealer prep fees - doc fees - ad fees - paint protection packages - you name it. Then I get to hear the same tired BS - this is a standard fee we charge all customers - no one else has ever complained about this before - this is a charge that the manufactures charges us and we must pass it on to the customer -

I would not care if they charge a $10,000 doc fee - as long as they include it in as part of the negotiating process - do I care if my car cost $8,200 plus a $10,000 doc fee - or $18,100 plus a $100 doc fee? NO -

I think when most people say - a $50 doc fee is reasonable what they really mean is - its not large enough of a charge (when you are buying a $20K car) to actually take the time and effort to complain about. So they just in effect let the dealership add in an extra $50 to the price.

ssawyer

My dad worked for Ford so I am suppose to get the S-Plan. I checked with our local dealer and he quoted me the invoice. The A-Plan at Ford is around $800.00 less than invoice on a Ford. Does anyone know if invoice is correct for the S-Plan?

pete22

Yes that is correct. The default for the S-plan is only at invoice for Mazdas. You should try to obtain a zoom-zoom coupon for an extra 500 off if your buying before the end of the year. Either by going to the event or on ebay if you missed it, good luck.

mazda6s

Yes, we agree.

nfriday

Hi- I am shopping for a new car to replace my 1991 protege with 105,000 miles on it. I am especially interested in a mazda 3i touring, but I am also considering a corolla, a civic or a prius. The prius would be my first choice if I could get it for the same price as the mazda, but I doubt that is ging to happen. I went to the autobarn mazda dealer in Evanston today, and test drove a 3i touring auto with ABS and side air bags. I wanted to drive a stick, but they did not have any for me to try. The car drove nice, and they told me that they are expecting a mazda 3i touring with manual transmission and ABS to arrive there in 2 weeks, and they strongly encouraged me to put a $500 deposit on it. With my sams club discount, I can get the car for $100 over invoice. Is this a good deal, and should I put the deposit down? They said the car is really hot, and that is the only way I can be assured of getting the car I want. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Nancy

mazda6s

Nancy - That seems like a good price, but watch out for the add-on charges.

pete22

Thats a pretty good price. But internet quote wise serval dealers quoted me invoice. I wouldn't give a deposit unless I know the out the door price since I have seen dealers add alot of last minute items. If you don't mind traveling a little try those web sites like autobytel.com to get a no haggle price, since like I said at least 2 offerred me invoice. Also try to look at the Mazda.com web site,, there you can see invintory and determine whats in. It lets you specify a distance range for your search and is pretty up to date, someone may have what you want already. If they do you can wither email them for an internet price or go down test drive it and tell them what another dealer offered you. Good luck

allfiredup

Nancy, it does sound like a good deal as long as they don't try to sell you extra accessories, option packages, warranties, etc.

Here's what I'd do BEFORE I put down a deposit- try emailing every dealer within a reasonable distance from you for a quote. The Mazda website should list a contact for them. You can also find some here on Edmunds if you go to the New Cars, Price with options feature- these are dealers that work with Edmunds users and should offer a decent price.

I'm also in the market for a Mazda3 and I've seen a few 3 i Touring models out there with manual transmission. If you're willing to go another $800 or so, you could get an s model with more power and features and they are pretty plentiful with manual transmission. Just a thought.

Good luck!

mazda6s

WATCH OUT for the added fees or charges after they give you that great price.

sandpaper

I got it 400 over invoice at Mazda of Everett in Washington state. A lot of people in here seem to be gettin better deals, but I am satisfied because the experience at Everett was relatively drama-free.

MSRP was 17,845

67gtx

I just got a winning blue 5spd here in Orlando for $300 over invoice. It's my first Mazda and I'm pleased with it!!! Had a pleasant experience at Classic Motor Cars on south OBT. Originally tried to get an 06 Civic EX but all seem to be presold and the local dealer would only discount to $200 off MSRP. This is on a car that will not arrive for at least a month.

allfiredup

I was also cross-shopping the new Civic and just wasn't all that impressed with it. It isn't a "driver's car", although it is very comfortable and great on gas.

By the way, the Winning Blue is an awesome color on the 3. I love it!

misha74

i want to go into the dealership knowing the exact car that i want. i know that i want to get the mazda3 4D sedan...i live in the city so i don't need a v6 engine...i would like leather interior, moon roof, ac, power windows and a single cd player. (heated seats would be good too i live in boston so the winters are quite cold...but it's not a must) which trim would suit my needs while keeping the cost down?

allfiredup

Leather is optional on the Mazda 3 s Touring and standard on the 3 s Grand Touring model. The Grand Touring has the following equipment that isn't available on the Touring- heated seats, automatic high intensity discharge headlamps, security system, automatic climate control, trip computer and tire pressure monitoring system. The MSRP of a 3 s Touring with the leather option is $18,765 (another $950 for automatic transmission) and MSRP on the 3 s Grand Touring is $19,725. There is less than $1000 difference between the two on MSRP, probably about $800 difference in actual price. Check Edmunds True Market Value (TMV) for both.

A good idea would be to check on Mazda's website. There is a search inventory function that will show you all of a certain model within XX miles of your location. The information on there is very specific including color and the type of upholstery (cloth or leather). Also, just in case you didn't know, the 3 s is only available with black interior.

Good luck and hope this info helps.

rhester

To accomodate all of your needs the GT package is definitely the way to go. With the Moonroof/6-CD changer/Bose Audio package the MSRP is $21,060.

I got the exact same vehicle in Titanium Grey with automatic transmission and I love the car.

misha74

thanks for the advice....did you get the GT pkg on the mazda3? is that 3i or 3s? i get so confused with all the different model levels. so what did you end up paying in the end? did you buy or lease?

misha74

thanks for your all your advice...one more thing...how does the mazda 3 handle in the snow?

kyfdx

Since this is a pricing discussion, you should ask general questions here:

Mazda3 Sedan

You will find a lot of current Mazda3 owners in that forum..

regards,
kyfdx
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rhester

Yeah I got the Mazda3 GT package and paid around $21.6 for it which was not really very much under MSRP (like $500 or so). I believe it's only available in 3s form.

sxg

Hello,
I am looking to buy a 2005 or 2006 MAZDA3 i 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Auto) with usual basic features, plus side airbags.

Can you please share what you paid for this car - total out of pocket? I live in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

joel5000

Good luck finding a basic i sedan with side airbags. Although they are supposedly available as an option on the basic i, there wan't a single one available in Northern California. I bought a Touring model because I wasn't willing to skip the abs and side airbags. Even the 3i Touring models with side air bags are kind of hard to find in this area. You might need to have a dealer place a factory order for you.

watfallet

There are Zoom Zoom Live coupons for sale in the usual online places. Before I go and spend some money on one, can someone tell me

1) If they're really transferable -- Maybe only the event attendee can use it? Does Mazda track this?

2) If the Zoom Zoom Live coupon can be used in addition to the $500 Cash Back Bonus Incentive Program rebate, which is no longer processed by the dealer (it's done by printing an email I have and sending it in). Has anyone gotten this rebate in addition to the Zoom Zoom Live coupon?

Thanks

mrblonde49

I was able to get the discount just by mentioning the Zoom Zoom event - maybe you can try that. But I also had one coming to my area in a few weeks.

I got my car the other nite, even though I thougght it was afew weeks out. A 2006 Winning Blue 3s Touring sedan with manual transmission. I qualified for S plan pricing, and mentioned that I was waiting for the Zoom Zoom event in NJ so I could get the $500 off. The manager said he'd knock that off himself if I committed that nite. I said as long as the trade was reasonable, then we have a deal. After some haggling, the trade in price was acceptible and the deal was done.

MSRP: $18,175
Selling price: $16,755 (before TTL, which was very low due to minimal fees and trade in that reduced most of tax)

Very happy with the deal

ssawyer

You mentioned that you received an email that has a $500.00 cash back bonus incentive program. How did you get them to send you the Cash Back rebate?

Thanks,
Scott

watfallet

Scott, I had signed up for it over a month ago. I believe it was via the Mazda website. I'm not sure if this was the same as the Gerber rebate or not. At any rate, I've only received the email for the Cash Back rebate, not the actual rebate itself since I have not yet bought a Mazda.

I've got a deal on the table with a local dealer for a Mazda3 i with Auto and AC for $13,999. That's a $2k discount, so it's tempting even though I really want an S model. I don't think I'll get an S for $2k off.

Anyone seen/experienced otherwise?

backy

Here in the Twin Cities, I've recently seen 2005 3s' advertised for almost $2000 off. $2000 off a 2006 (?) 3i is pretty darn good. Probably giving a nice discount because most of the 3's I've seen have the power package, and a lot have the ABS/bag package. If you don't need that stuff, you can save a lot of $$$.

socalbyr

I got an offer of $100 over invoice fm a local dealer here in SoCal. It's the basic S sedan... the only problem is has around 30 miles already. It has the color and manual tranny I have been looking for. Should I ask for more discount or this is a reasonable offer already...got the Zoom Zoom discount when I decide to take the car.

My wife just bought an Acura TL two months ago and it had only 3 miles on it. What a difference...

watfallet

Just got back from the dealer after buying the car and driving it home. It's a 2006 Mazda 3i with Auto and AC as the only options. The sale price was 13,988; MSRP was $16,050. With 8.25% CA tax plus title and $40 doc fees, the total came to around $15,350 out the door.

I have the e-mail Cash rebate that I'm going to submit. The dealer said I could bring the Zoom Zoom Live certificate in the next few days and they'll give me the $500...don't know how that's really going to work. I just didn't want to wait on this deal because it was one of those "1 @ this price" things, and the car might have been sold. Otherwise I would've waited to buy the car until I had the Zoom Zoom certificate in hand (didn't have it today).

kyfdx

That looks like a great deal.. If you get anything else back on the certificate or rebate, that will just be icing on the cake...

Congratulations!
kyfdx
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tom71

One convenient method is check www.carsdirect.com.
You can tell generally what kind of discounts below dealer
cost are available.

tom71

Hello all.

I'm considering buying a new Mazda 3 4 door car. I'm interested in
hearing from people, who have bought these cars with the manual
tranny. On thing I noticed about the 06 Mazda 3 cars, is they have
an enormous in dash glove compartment box!

Which engine did you get, and is accelleration good enough?

I understand these cars are fun and handle well, do you agree?

z71bill

Doesn't hurt to try and get something knocked off - but really 30 miles is not that big of a deal - My car had around 100 miles on it when I took delivery - about 60 of those were from my test drives. What are you concerned about? Do you think that someone "ran the 1/4 mile" 120 times?

mrblonde49

I just bought a Mazda3s Touring with 5 speed stick. The acceleration has been real nice - The useable power is comparable to the Saab 9-3 2.0T auto I'm coming from - and that has 210 HP & 221 TQ. The 5 speed and lighter weight make up the difference. And I've seen better test times in the mags, as well, so it's not just my optimism and excitement with a new car. I'm having a hard time keeping from revving too much in the 600 mile break in period.

I haven't gotten a chance to push too hard in corners yet, but the times I did I was very pleased w/ the way it stuck.

The glovebox is huge - I just put the sirius module in the and there's still plenty of room.

I think it's a hell of a lot of car for the $$ ( I got mine for $16755 before TTL)

I haven't driven the 3i, so that won't be as quick, but the S i well worth it, IMO.

Go drive one. I'm confident that you'll be very pleased...

allfiredup

You got a great deal! I was offered a similar deal a few months back on an '05 3 i. It was red/black, auto and A/C for $12,995. I could've survived without power windows, etc., but just couldn't bring myself to get an automatic. I've always driven a manual transmission and really want one when I get my 3.

In retrospect, I probably should have taken it. It's about $4000 less than the 3 s I want and I couild have kept it for a year and probably sold it for a profit. Hindsight is 20/20!

You got a great deal on a great car! Congrats!

allfiredup

Hey tom71-

These cars handle amazingly well in my opinion. I actually went to the Mazda Zoom Zoom Live event here in Atlanta today and got to put a 3 s thru the paces on a test track. The thing sticks to the road like glue. I also got a $500 coupon to use toward the purchase of any new Mazda.

Your question about acceleration- in my opinion, both of the Mazda3 engines are powerful and accelerate well with either manual or automatic transmission. Being a sporty, fun to drive car, the manual is the better choice in my opinion.

The 0-60 figures for the i and s are pretty similar (the i has 150hp and the s has 160hp). Here's the best numbers I've seen for both-

i with manual trans- 0-60 in 8.6 seconds (Consumer Reports 8/04)
i with automatic- 0-60 in 9.6 seconds (Consumer Reports 8/04)
s with manual trans- 0-60 in 7.8 seconds (Motor Trend 6/04)
s with automatic- 0-60 in 8.6 seconds (Motor Trend 7/05)*
* the s automatic was with 4-speed automatic, the '06 s automatic is now a 5-speed which should increase performance slightly

Personally, I think i model is powerful enough and would seriously consider it if it looked like the s model. The s model's appearance upgrades (side sills, fog lights) and optional 17" wheels are a must have for me. I would say if you want an automatic transmission, go for the extra power and extra gear in the s.

You really can't go wrong with any 3 model. Go test drive all the configurations that interest you and decide for yourself.

Happy test driving!