2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

15657596162100

Comments

  • calvinccalvinc Member Posts: 11
    Well so there shouldn't be any "startup fees" or something along those lines. It should be a straightup calculation of the amount owed (10k), with interest rate (1.9) and loan term, roughly 285.99 w/ my calculator. That's it right?? I don't plan on getting warranties or anything like that.
  • calvinccalvinc Member Posts: 11
    Mind sharing price paid? Specifying tax etc. Thanks!
  • regattagirlregattagirl Member Posts: 7
    Mazda3 S Grand Touring-5 door, manual transmission

    Options- Bose audio and moonroof package, moonroof wind deflector, rear bumper step plate, cargo net, all weather cargo tray, all weather floor mats.

    paid $21,076 + 8.65% sales tax in NY, plates, reg, title, NY tire waste fee, silly $55 dealer fee for processing= OTD final price of $23,071.31
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    When I bought mine about 60 days ago I also took advantage of the 36 month 1.9% rate, but in addition my dealer offered a bi-weekly payment plan through a third party (called Biweekly Management) which I also took. I wanted to have payments come right out of my checking account and this enabled me to do that. They debit one half of the regular monthly payment every two weeks and pay Mazda Credit for you, and you end up getting the loan paid off a couple of months early. According to the dealer this effectively netted the finance charges down to zero, but for me it more a matter of convenience than anything else.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Very true!! I am paying $300.00 a month, which will make my pay off at 33 months and the finance charges will be near 0. Awesome!!! :)
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Good eye, that is the right price. That was out the door for me. Now pay $300.00 a month, and your pay off will be at 33 months, with $0 in interest, well close to that.
    Not bad of a deal!!! Enjoy!!!
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Regattagirl, Sounds like an awesome deal like mine. I got mine for $23,000 OTD, including taxes, not including options, please see below.

    Mazda3 S Grand Touring, 4 door Sedan, Galaxy Grey Mica, 5-speed sport auto transmission.

    Options: Bose audio 6 CD changer, Moonroof, All weather floor mats, Auto-dimmer mirror with Homelink, Front full mask, Cargo mat, Wheel locks, CAI (Cool Air Intake) unit, Tint all the way around, rear lid spoiler, Fuel satin door.

    OTD: Final price with all the above $25,000
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,938
    would have to offer me 0% financing to make up for the reduced and lame-duck warranty they are offering. I don't trust Mazda enough to let them get away with slashing the warranty by 25%.

    Mazda should go broke for that decision!
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    I hear that, however, I don't believe in anything on an extended warranty. If you car is going to break, it will within the warranty already on the car. I have never had anything break on me before inside or outside the warranty. I never buy the extended warranty, especially reading all the conditions. I.E. You still have to pay a deductible and labor for most items that are on an extended warranty, Screw that!!! :mad:
  • dwynnedwynne Member Posts: 4,018
    I have bought and sold over 15 cars in my life and I am 33 years old, therefore, I know how to wheel and deal.

    I could not let this one pass - buying and selling "over 15 cars" is proof of nothing, other than you change you mind a lot :D

    We have no way of knowing if you get good deal or bad deals - just that you do a lot of deals. Volume does not equal expertise - it is just volume. No offense, but that is how it is. Everyone should take everything you read here with a grain of salt (even what I type :shades: ) and check for themselves - as we don't know each other and can't be sure what the REAL expertise is of the person doing the typing.

    As to the question asked - the 1.9% rate is nice rate and is certainly cheaper than you can get at any bank or credit union. The drawback (as there usually is) is the very limited term - 36 months in this case. It is a come on to get you onto the lot as they KNOW 99% of the folks can't afford to buy a new car on a 36 month term no matter how low the interest rate is. How many Mazda3 shoppers could afford $486 a month for a $17k car? Not many, but by the time they figure this out they are in the F&I office. They will do 3.9% for 48 months (drops the payment to $383 for $17k) but if that will not do then you have to go with a normal bank or high MAC rate on a 60 month rate ($331 for $17k at 6.39% from CapitalOne).

    In many cases the cheap financing means you can't get rebate money. In almost every money VS low rate deal, you take the money since it nets a better deal - but you always have to run the numbers to be sure.

    Mazda has a habit or offering a cash rebate only IF you finance with them - at a higher than your bank rate. So you have to check to see which nets you the best deal - or do what a lot of folks do: sign the Mazda stuff and as soon as the loan funds pay MAC off with a loan from your bank/credit union. You then get the cash rebate AND a decent rate. The dealer and MAC may not be happy, but that is not YOUR gauge of a good car purchase - is it? :D

    IN THIS CASE there is no rebate money so you can take the 36 and 48 month rates - if you qualify and if you can afford the payments. If you can't, then you need to get pre-approved at your bank/credit union/CapitalOne for a longer term then see if the dealer can give you a better rate in the F&I office. If not, then use your financing.

    If you want to do the cheap finance deal, you can get pre-approved my Mazda online at that link, but I don't think you will know WHAT rate you qualify for - just that they have approved you for an amount. You may be able to call MAC after you get approved to pin them down on the rate - all before you go to the dealership. I did this when I leased my RX-8 and it greatly sped up the F&I process, but this may vary from dealership to dealership.

    There should be no additional loan set up fees or anything with the MAC financing promo - just run the numbers and plug them into any loan calc program and the numbers should match what your dealer cranks out.

    Dennis
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Dennis,

    I have not only made a lot of deals, and never changing my mind like you say. I always keep 4 cars and have them rotating all the time. What I do is buy a car, fix it up, add mods and sell the car for more money that it is worth. Now you ask? is that dumb or what? of course not. It is like my own business. For example, I make good money on buying used cars and decking them out and selling them for $5K more than my cost. :)

    For example, I bought a 1999 Acura, for $750.00, that is right $750.00, I fixed it up adding an engine, and trans and sold it last week for $10K. I made $6K on the deal. I then put down $15K on my new '07 M3S GT. I wheel and deal.
    I know you have to take this like a grin of salt, go for it. I do when I read any forum. That is human nature. ;)

    Anyway, on your write up. Yes you need good credit to even get a good loan. My FICO score is 850. ;)
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,938
    I'm not advocating extended 3rd party warranties in any way, shape, or form. I never am in favor of any type of insurance, and that is what that is. You're basically paying someone up front or regularly in the hopes that they pay you back when you need them most sometime down the future if they still exist and if they are honest and if they can't come up with an excuse, and if the moons are aligned.

    I'm not agreeing though, that nothing will break between 3 and 4 years, or 36 and 50K miles. Anything can break at any time, especially if the car is inherently unreliable.
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    True. I am pretty bias on extended warranties. I think that is where the dealer makes most of their money in sales and labor for their service.

    Again so true about the reliability of a car. I always take my changes and pretty much win on that. Vegas is a different story. :cry:
  • dwynnedwynne Member Posts: 4,018
    Again, buying old cars and fixing them up for a profit does not qualify someone (on its own) for giving advice about buying a new car - Mazda3 in this case.

    Why not just give your information or state your opinion and be done with it? The self-serving introduction did not impress me, not is it likely to impress others. Giving everyone GOOD, CORRECT ANSWERS will give you lots of "forum cred" right away :D

    I have two motorcycles (GL1800/ABS, VTX1800c) and 3 cars (05 S2000, 05 RX-8, 06 xB) and a truck (T-100) plus my wife's car and my children's cars at the house. Is that in any way relevent to an answer I may give on the forums? Nope. But I try to answer questions folks have about leases or purchases in forums where I have an interest (I was toying with dumping the 8 for a speed6 or a speed3 so I have been following this forum). If I help, super. If I type something wrong, I try to correct the error. Do others find it helpful? I hope so.

    You and Bill Gates - I think are the only ones with the "mythical" 850 then. I am just lowly "solid top tier" guy myself - unless you use the "auto enhanced" FICO numbers then I might get close to you and Bill ;)

    Dennis
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    I have bought many new cars, probably more than you and I have a great deal experience. I am on many different forum sites and know how to answer questions. I am sorry if you don't find my information not relevant to you in your situation. That is not my problem.
    Actually if you read all my post they are quit informative and people are learning from them, like I learn from these answers. I do get credit from them.

    Thanks for complimenting me with Bill Gates. That man is a genius and is awesome.

    The FICO score has a lot to do with leases and buying. Therefore it is revelant. Sorry if yours is not at par. ;)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,211
    .. and stop making posts about each other..

    Thanks,
    kyfdx

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • calvinccalvinc Member Posts: 11
    Just picked it up on Saturday 4/14 for a killer price IMHO.

    Car details
    07 3 HB Silver GT auto with bose audio/moonroof, moonroof deflector, satellite radio, cargo net

    Pricing
    MSRP $23305 (according to Edmunds)
    Invoice $21669
    negotiated base price $19807 ($1862 below invoice!!)
    MD tax 5% $995.15
    dealer processing $100
    MD tags $206
    OUT THE DOOR for $21108.15

    Put some money down, finanace some at 1.9%

    Took forever to get this price and a absolutely horrible experience with a dealership. I feel bad naming who they are, since they took care of me at the end, but it was just plain bad, and outright WRONG customer service. Either way, LOVE THE CAR in the 75 miles I put in yesterday and today, and can't stand sitting at home not driving the car.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Awesome deal, Congrats!!! That must be the lowest price that I heard so far on this forum ($1,862 below invoice). :)
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    Took forever to get this price and a absolutely horrible experience with a dealership.

    So your saying for the right price you will put up with horrible experience and in turn you reward them with a sale?
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    That is a good one,, I didn't catch what Calvinc said about the dealership. I sure wouldn't. I would of walked out and gone to another dealership. I don't play those games.

    These car salesman need us, we don't need them. More and more people are buying cars online, so that they don't have to deal with the dealerships. I agree and disagree with that.

    Before I buy a car, I want to see, feel, and test drive the car that I will buy. I will never buy a car online and have it delivered to my house. I have heard of bad experiences that way. :surprise:
  • steevosteevo Member Posts: 389
    So what was the horrible experience?
    The negotiations or something else?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,211
    .. I can put up with a lot of crap..

    And the reward? A very low price... for me!!

    If I can get the same deal somewhere else, where they treat me better? Sure.. bring it on..

    I'm like most people, though... If I'm getting treated like crap, I probably won't be around long enough to find out what price they are offering.. :)

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Generally people who get treated "like crap" bring it on themselves. They either don't make it clear what their position is from the outset, or they aren't straightforward and firm enough when the negotiations reach a critical stage.

    On this particular car it's pretty obvious that good discounts are available, and most customers should be able to negotiate a price that's pretty close to invoice if they handle themselves well. I would say not more than $500 over if there is competition in your area. Given the quality of the car and what you get for the money, it's a helluva bargain in my opinion.
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    Hey guys. This was my first time buying a new car, and my experience at Great Neck Mazda (Long Island, NY) was not so great. I purchased the Mazda 3 Super Grand Touring (Automatic) 2.3 engine. They wanted me to date my documents for the end of the previous month so they could add it to their quota. They hounded me about adding paint protection, a security system (which the car already has), and scotch guard on the seats (HELLO - they're leather). All said and done, I paid $21,916 before taxes (am I not supposed to say what I paid?). That's with all-weather mats, tire locks, and spoiler. Basically, navigation is the only thing I didn't get. I didn't get the extended warranty and I didn't get any of that crap they tried to push on me. PS - their auto service sucked too, so I now go to Smithtown Mazda for service (much better). I got my loan through Commerce bank at 6.25% for 5 years and put $2000 down. My payment kills me - it's like $420 a month. Any thoughts?
  • steevosteevo Member Posts: 389
    Move this to the Prices Paid forum..mods might do it anyway..You can compare to what others are paying.
    What was the sticker price on that car? Did you get the Moonroof/Bose package? Sounds like a good price if its loaded. What color?
    BTW, what service did you bring it in for already to decide they sucked? Did you try to negotiate the buy with Smithtown? And was this an internet deal or did you work it in the showroom?
    reason I ask is Smithtown and Great Neck are so far from each other. If Smithtown is better, how did you end up in Great Neck?
    Sorry for all the questions!! :D
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Ouch, Ouch and more Ouch. WOW, what a story. I feel bad that they try to rip you off. I hate when I hear stories like this.

    It is ok to say the price. I did.

    I think that you did a good job telling them "NO" in many things, such as scotch guard. Come on, get real on leather. You can never use scotch guard on leather, except it is states for leather only, however, I would never spray anything on my leather seats. I would only use a polish and cream for leather only. Here is a good one for you to buy for your car and I highly suggest that you protect the interior of the car with a polish.
    http://www.meguiars.com/estore/
    Hope this helps.

    Mazda was offering a 1.9% loan for 36 months, or a 3.9% for 48 months, and even a 5.9% loan for 60 months. I would of gotten a loan from them to say you some money. Were you not offered this?

    Your payments are high, but because you only put down $2K and have a 6.25%, however that is still a good price and payment.
  • steevosteevo Member Posts: 389
    calvinc,
    Who was the dealer? That was a great price. Was it Fitzmall?
    I am in NY but still...And what could be wrong when you get 1862 below invoice???
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    Thank you for the response. No other dealer had that car, and so every other dealer (because it was the end of the month) was trying to get the car from Great Neck, but Great Neck wouldn't give it up, because they caught on that I was price shopping. They still matched the others' prices. This was when they first came out with the '07s - very few dealers had them or had already sold out. Anyway, it is fully loaded, except for the navigation. Bose and Sunroof. Black Mica color. I worked it in the showroom. The other reason I didn't go with Smithtown is that their sales dept. sucked and they said they didn't have the '07s, even though at the end of the month, they called me up saying they had Galaxy grey. They were all young salesman with egos. The guy who actually sold me the car was nice (at Great Neck) - it's just the dealership itself that tries to mess with you. Smithtown may have a bad sales dept., but the guy in their service dept. is awesome. Setting up an app. was so easy - Great Neck you have to wait months and take a day off from work.
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    I would have, but these weren't being offered when I got mine. I had to replace my car - it was on its last leg, so I couldn't wait for the end of the year with all the deals. Thank you for the advice and the reassurance!
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Awesome!!! That sounds great!! You are welcome, anything to help you out.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    The dealer just called me, I am getting my car back tomorrow, all fixed up with the rear lid spoiler, front nose mask, a brand new homelink mirror and all weather floor mats!!! I am also putting a new coat of wax on my ZOOM-ZOOM BABY!!! ;) Nanowax this time around.
  • steevosteevo Member Posts: 389
    Thanks for the info.
    Your post sounded like you had just made the deal, but now I see you did it some time ago. Enjoy!
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    Nah, I just wanted to see what I might do differently for the next time.
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    How are you guys getting these deals?!?!

    I bought a black Mica Mazda 3 '07 SGT (Automatic Transmission) for $21,916 this past October. I wish I would have looked on here first, but there wasn't even any discussion about the '07s going on.

    Mine came with:
    Bose Stereo/Moonroof package
    All-weather mats
    wheel locks
    rear spoiler
    and all the other stuff that's on the GT (heated leather, auto-sensing wipers, 17" rims, etc)

    And my APR is 6.25%!!! Argh! How can you tell if your getting the best price on a new car? I know the manual transmission is cheaper and the hatch back model is slightly cheaper as well. But why?
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Well the way it looks to me is that you got an OK deal, not the best for a manual and hatch, which is cheaper than an auto and sedan, style. I think you did get screwed on the APR financing. Mazda changed the APR to be 1.8% in January 2007, then April 1st, 2007 went to 1.9%, no big difference there. Now it is up to 2.9%, every month changes. In June, I heard it will go to 5.9%, but '06's if any are left are offered at .9%, which is sweet.

    No one really knows when a great time to buy is. Hine site is great to have at a time like this. ;)

    Regarding your deal, Did you bargain? How much was the sticker? MSRP?

    I got my car for $21,302 including the accessories that you stated above, except for the extra's that I have added on and no lid spoiler at that for the $21,302 price.

    My car is the '07 S GT Sedan with the 5 speed sport AT. Awesome ride and sweet deal!!!

    I have added:

    Homelink rear view mirror with temp and compass
    Full front nose mask
    CAI with the K&N filter
    Rear Lid Spoiler
    Bose and Moonroof package
    Wheel Locks
    All weather floor mats
    Tint
    Seat covers front only
    Front and rear deck dash mats Velour style (black)
    Seat cushions, all 4 seats
    Touch up paint
    Upgraded the shifter and parking brake units.

    ;):)
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    No - I don't have a hatchback, I have a 5 speed auto black mica sedan as I said in my post. I was just asking why the hatchback and manual are cheaper. You got your car with ALL those accessories you listed for $21,302?!?!!? Really?!?!? I paid $600 more than you, but I didn't get the homelink mirror, front nose mask, seat covers. The only thing I have that you don't is the spoiler, which is NOT worth $600. That's crap! They said I was $400 above invoice. My car's MSRP was $23,090.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    Thanks for your info. My car was $21,302, plus the extras so I paid $22,500 with everything that I have listed above. I got the Rear Lip Spoiler, instead of the Wing spoiler.
    Basically I got some of the Accessories, Moonroof and Bose unit for free, since I negotiated the price of the car.
    Awesome deal for me.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    From everything i have seen the hatchback and sedan are the same price at MSRP. BTW 07 Aroura blue sedan 5-speed GT purchased in OCT 06 paid 20,550
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    That is what I have seen too. I wonder why the same price, since the Sedan I think would cost more to make because of the truck and rear flip down seats, Plus all leather and the extras that they have. I wonder how they do it?
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    Oh! Okay, so I didn't get such a bad deal, then. $21,916 is what I paid after extras. I thought you were saying you paid $21,302 INCLUDING the extras. I don't know what my price was before extras - I was just quoted one price. It was how the car came. It was a match made in heaven. :-D. I had 5 different dealers fighting over the sale. In retrospect, I would have liked the auto-dimming rear view mirror and the navigation. By the way, EVERYONE has these cars lately! I was stopped at a light the other day, and I looked around me and there were 2 other Mazda 3s ('06) and a Mazda 6 at the light with me. Nuts!

    How does it look with the lip? I've never actually seen it. You got a pic?
  • jong81jong81 Member Posts: 10
    Yeah ... I just checked the website. It used to be that the hatchback was like $1000 cheaper, but that was back when I was pricing in September. I think it's the same to manufacture both. When you think about it, the 5 door has trunk release, and there's all that extra metal to make the hatchback - so it probably balances out. That's a good price ... I love the Aroura blue - that was my second choice. What options did you get?
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    You got a got a good deal. I think anyone who gets it below or $100 above invoice are also getting a good deal.
    The rear lip spoiler looks awesome. Wow, it sure makes the car look different. I think the wing spoiler will make the car look cheap and like if I was in my 20's, which I am not. Plus with the Wing, you can't really see out the back window, and the window is small enough with the two head rest in the way. I will try to post some pics however, when I tried last week, they would not take. Do you know how to properly post pics on this site? :cry:

    I have the auto-dimming homelink mirror and it is awesome. It opens my security gate garage door and turns on my garage lights. I also have the all weather floor mats and they look great!!! I love the front Mask, some say it looks awful, but it actually looks awesome!!! I would love to post pics. :)

    I bought a shark fin antenna and the 3rd stop brake light an all LED bright light. Should get in two weeks. ;)
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Only option i got was the Bose/sunroof option. Had everything else i wanted already. Added Sirus radio later, as an add on unit. Reason i went with the add on is that i can take it from car to car.
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    Anyone get the NAV option? Based on what I was told by my dealer and from what I can tell checking all local dealers' inventory, navigation seems to be very rare on Mazda3's.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Its rare because so few people want it being such an expensive option. I believe its in the neighborhood of 1700 dollars (im sure someone will correct me if im wrong). You can go to best buy or circuit city radio shake etc etc and pick up a hand held navigation system for less then 500. Plus you can take the hand held into other vehicals with you. Seems to make more sense to me that way.
  • dwynnedwynne Member Posts: 4,018
    Like user bigfur said, it is very expensive as a factory option and most folks will balk at the price - so dealers will not order any cars with it, or not very many. They tend to get stuck with them.

    I like having OEM navigation, no risk of theft, integrated into the car, good sat reception without external antenna, etc. The downside is the initial cost and updates from Navteq and few and far between and cost $199 or so when they do come out.

    You can get a portable Garmin for as low as $200 on up to several hundred. Garmin releases map updates about every year and the cost is normally $75. The largest, most expensive Garmin has an MSRP of just $1300 but sells for less.

    I love the integrated OEM NAV systems, but it has become almost impossible to rationalize the cost with the after-market GPS systems being so cheap now.

    Dennis
  • JBaumgartJBaumgart Member Posts: 890
    I've had a Garmin for about 5 years now, and was thinking about updating to a new one. I agree with your comments about factory NAV's in terms of the pros and cons, and I'm not sure if I would have paid an extra $1500 - $1700 to get it on a Mazda3, but I was surprised that it basically wasn't even available unless you did a special order. I do like the newer ones with integrated Bluetooth and traffic alerts.
  • stallionrestallionre Member Posts: 205
    I have a Garmin for 5 years now and would not pay $1,550 for the Installed Nav. I rather carry my Garmin from car to car. I won't pay the money for the OEM. Also, most insurance companies will not cover the Nav unit. I rather not pay for high insurance on it just in case if it get's stolen (the car).
  • calvinccalvinc Member Posts: 11
    The horrible experience may be typical of many dealerships. Here's part one of the story. They advertised $1250 below invoice, but when I got in the store, they wanted to add freight, which from what I read online, it's usually included already. So that's a bit misleading, and that $1250 below invoice price turned into about $650 below invoice. Hey, still a good price right? But then they had some $1200 "dealer installed option," loaded with junk like door edge guards and fender guards. I don't know what else it had, but for over $1k, it's definitely not worth it. I went in there on a Wednesday, just wanted to talk about the $1250 below invoice pricing, and that's when they "cleared" it all up for me. I told them I wouldn't pay for the dealer options, but could meet them on the freight. I also told them I didn't want to buy that night, b/c my time was limited, and I simply wanted to talk pricing a bit and look at their inventory. I told them I would come back saturday, if satisfied with the price, and asked to just let me leave politely. I mean I could have gotten up at any moment, but I didn't want to be rude. They kept telling me to hang on a minute, talked to their manager, and came back with a different price. I kept my story straight, saying how I really needed to go, and will be back saturday if the pricing is right. They just did this over and over again. I guess I don't know how to deal with these guys, and should have gotten up immediately, but that just seems plain rude. Eventually, I got out of there w/o buying the car.

    Part 2, after about 2-3 weeks of waiting, I was finally ready to buy. Things came up that prevented me from buying then, when I first went to the dealerships. So I got some pricing again, through online quotes, and most were around invoice, best being $250 below invoice. And these invoice prices all included freight, which I think they should. Then just that week, my mom got a $500 off coupon for a local dealership, "taken off your best deal," it said. So with that in mind, that dealership was quoting me $200 off, plus this coupon makes it $700. I went ahead and called back the original place I had gone to, the one discussed in part one. I told them my pricing, and said "this dealership is quoting me $22586 (OTD), which is $200 below invoice, but I have a $500 coupon for them, making it $22086 (OTD). I told him if he wanted my business, he'd have to beat them. I said something like $21900 (OTD) would be good. He seemed to stop for a minute, thinking he wouldn't be able to do it, but told me he'd talk to his manager, and then get back to me. I didn't hear from him the rest of the evening, which was Thursday btw. Friday morning, I get an email from the dealer saying "I can sell you the silver GT HB that I have in stock for $21153 out the door. It includes some extra accessories like Sirius radio and cargo net." I was shocked, he crushed the competition, beating the best offer by close to $1000, and beating what I asked for by almost $800. Then I paused and thought, "what's wrong with the car, is it missing automatic and bose, is it a demo or has lots of mileage, oh wait, is it even an 07?" These thoughts crossed my mind and I wanted to confirm with with the dealer. I asked something along the lines of, "I'd like to confirm that the car you are talking about is an 07 3 GT hatch automatic, with bose audio/moonroof. Can you also tell me how many miles are on the car?" Shortly after sending, I was telling my coworker about what was going on. He said, "what if the dealer meant $22153, that'd make more sense." Then it hit me, he might have mistyped and was off by $1000, which really would add up and be a much more reasonable deal. I was scared now, I wanted that quoted price. I immediately emailed the dealer back and said, "I'll be there tonight at around 7:30 to pick up the car." I got a reply from him and he said that'd work.

    So no reply from him confirming the options, or the mileage, or even the year, but that's fine, killer price, worth a trip at least, and he said he'd meet up. I'll find out exactly what it is when I get there. I got there that evening and he sat us down. Before I started, I told him I wanted to take the car out for a quick spin. It was parked right in front, plastic covering the seats, sticker saying it's 07 with the options I was looking for. Last check for me was the mileage...great, 7 miles on it. Not bad in my book. I drove it around for a mile, small loop around the dealer, all seemed fine. I was finally ready to buy. Keep in mind this is my first car, so it was very exciting. I start filling out the mazda credit app, and he went and wrote up the selling contract on the carbon copy paper they have. I glanced up and saw him writing, and noticed he wrote $21153 on the top line of the sheet, and added tax, tags, and processing to it. What was going on, didn't he write "out the door" on my email. He was about $1500 off from what I was planning on paying. He turned the paper to me and asked me to look it over, I said, "wait a minute, you told me out the door price was that top price, that would be written at the bottom." He laughed, and said "you'd kidding right, out the door doesn't included all that, you were expecting the pay that price all said and done, no way." I said, "yes, forget this, thanks for your time," and got up. I was pissed. I was halfway in my car when the manager ran after me. He asked what was wrong, and I immediately said to him, "before I get started, what does out the door mean to you?" He asked as expected, and said "it includes everything, tax, tags, you name it." I immediately agreed, and explained that the dealer wanted to add tax, tags, proc, to what was quoted, and I showed in the email. He read it, and said that I was right, and said, "hang on a minute, let me see what I can do." I sat for about 3 minutes, and decided that was enough. I walked in and told him that I was ready to pay the price as quoted, and am done negotiating. He said that the price was too good, and he couldn't do it, best he could do was $21900 or so. I told him "thanks for your time, but I'll see you later". And let, done with them. I was pissed all night.

    It's now saturday morning. I was ready to go over to the dealership with the $500 coupon, ready to pay $700 below invoice. I tried reaching the dealer but he wasn't in. He wasn't going to be in for a few hours. Fine, I'll wait. In the meant time, still pissed off about last night, I thought I should complain to Mazda headquarters, or something like that. I wanted to get in touch with the general manager of that local dealership first, and tell him the problem and vent. Called up the dealership from the night before, got voicemail for the general manager. Hit "0" for the operator again to ask for another manager. Guy gets on the phone and politely asks how he can help. I asked him
  • scrybe74scrybe74 Member Posts: 3
    Stallionre,

    I was at Galpin Mazda in Van Nuys this weekend. I have mixed feelings about my visit. They were nice enough but wouldn't commit to their quote. I got a quote for 15,473 for a mazda 3 i touring from another dealer. They claimed that they would match it but sounded week. I told them that I would be ready to buy the first week of may and took the sales woman's card. Who is your person? Let me know. Thanks!
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.