2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    guess your taxes are pretty low? That's probably why my cousin moved out there (that and her mom lives there...Raleigh). My price was similar to yours until they added local taxes, which bumped it up to $21k...I got an MP3 player added on though (plus installation, getting it done Friday).

    Incidentally, they told me the MP3 and 6 CD could coexist, but according to the recently unearthed accessory brochure on mazdausa.com they can't...kinda sucks, but I'd rather have the MP3 player, even though I HAD to get the 6 CD because of the sunroof.
  • thegrudge311thegrudge311 Member Posts: 5
    Tax was 3%, so yeah, it wasn't too bad. The price WAS $300 over invoice until Uncle Sam got ahold of it. ;)
  • carjobcarjob Member Posts: 7
    3% in North Carolina for taxes eh? Consider yourself lucky.
    In Ontario we pay 15% on top of whatever negotiated price we get from the dealer. Not only that, in addition they add in an "air" tax if you have an air conditioner in the vehicle which is a standard $100, AND a "Gas" tax that's $75. Oh, and that initial 15% is charged ON TOP of the $175 you've already paid for air and gas. In other words - we pay taxes on tax.
    I'm thinking of holding a referendum in my household on wether or not my wife and I should separate from the Dominion. So far polls show that the vote would be a 50/50 split, but things could turn around real quick in favour of the "yes" vote if we get taxed much more. I feel like I've personally built the freeway system. Sorry for the rant - just had to blow steam.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    15%, sheesh! I think if we had to pay that here there would be a revolt. Here we argue about piddly stuff like if we should raise sales taxes a half a percent. No wonder compacts are more popular in Canada.
  • m3mommam3momma Member Posts: 7
    The actual BUYING experience for my Black3 was awesome. I searched the net so I knew about what to expect for pricing. I had built the exact car I wanted on CarsDirect.com so I knew I could ORDER it for $16,944 no haggle no nothing.
    So I then searched the Mazda Site and found my car at a local dealer. (lil did I know it was (ON THE WATER) I wanted the M3i with sunroof –(meaning the 6 disc changer) power A/C and AUTO transmission
    Off I went, I spoke to the Sales Mngr. since everyone else seemed to be busy (this was a taste of things to come) he handed me the keys and put a plate on one and said let me know how you like it. He never so much as asked for my Drivers License. Upon my return (some 45min later and lotz of miles) I asked how much?? We went into his office and I had no trade so when he came back he said $16,244.00 I told the man SOLD!!!!!!!.
    We added a wing spoiler which up’ed the price but then I got the Grad credit since hubs is graduating in MAY 04. so that lowered it again. Total out the door less taxes etc was $16,304. this includes the dealer BS charges too.
    The Sales Mngr kept me up to date about the arrival of my 3. I did the deal on 1/2/04 and was called on 1/23 to let me know it was in. we did the paperwork on Monday 1/26 and the spoiler was to arrive on Tuesday. They would finish the car and I could pick it up Tuesday PM.
    I opted to wait til Wednesday 1/28/04 to pick it up…and since my sales guy was away at a Mazda convention, THAT is where the service STOPPED!!!
    I arrived at the dealer to pick it up only to have the GM and the finance guy shrug their shoulders and tell me they know nothing about it. You were David’s customer right???
    Was the attitude I got. Finally they found my 3 brought it around front and NO SPOILER. Got the song and dance. They didn't know if the spoiler was in. To which I told then what I had been promised by David and I had actually given them another day. They whined they were short handed in the body shop etc. When these 2 dopes found the spoiler they also found out that the parts dept. had sent me a card in the mail yesterday, telling me to come and pick it up. (when they still had the car) so now I have to leave and come back in a few hours (since I won't take it home incomplete) Ok when I return I just sit down figuring they will tell me when it is ready …. NOPE. Someone brings my 3 around front, leaves it running and walks away. No one says ANYTHING to me, no one goes over the car NOTHING. I ask one of the guys cleaning the snow off the cars if he can find my OTHER set of keys. He does after a lot of looking and I drive away. I could have been anyone. What a place!! I feel bad for the salesman that I DID buy the car from. To have to work with such dopes is amazing.
    On the plus side I LOVE my 3!! And I am glad I bought it. Now to find a dealer to service it that is NOT a dope. M3Momma
  • meandmy3meandmy3 Member Posts: 1
    M3Momma:
    Sorry to hear your bad pickup experience. It sounded similar to my poor customer service experience when I went to pick up my 3 earlier this month. I'm also looking for a more dependable dealer.
    Where, by chance, is the dealership you bought your car? It wasn't in Maryland, was it?
    Thanks, Dan.
  • m3mommam3momma Member Posts: 7
    Nope sorry it wasn't in MD... tho it was in MA :) Massachusetts. I laid into the survey caller later that week AND I shot off a snail mail to MAZDA. to which I of course had No response. It did make me feel better. now I have the air bag light issue. my solution right now is to put a hunk of sticky tac over it so it doesn't annoy the he!! out of me. will get to it soon. a friend (who is an et) says that the auto start I had put in is NOT the cause of the air bag light (tho the dealer in fairhaven thinks it is) now I have to disable the auto start (not uninstall) then go the the OTHER dealer (dopes I purchased from) and have it checked AGAIN!!
    this is annoying since I work 48 hours a week and have 2 small kids. wish the weather in Mass would get warmer so I could finish customizing my 3. (graphics etc)
    Zoom Zoom
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I'm thinking of holding a referendum in my household on wether or not my wife and I should separate from the Dominion. So far polls show that the vote would be a 50/50 split, but things could turn around real quick in favour of the "yes" vote if we get taxed much more. I feel like I've personally built the freeway system.

    I feel your pain, carjob. That's why I left the Dominion.
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    They sure pay higher tax. In Toronto and Canada everyone has FREE MEDICAL ($900+/month for a Boston family) and much less bumps and potholes on roads.
  • mbennett674mbennett674 Member Posts: 66
    I have a receipt dated 1/11/04, but no car yet... What's the deal?how much longer is this gonna take. Nobody seems to know.
  • jandd1jandd1 Member Posts: 35
    with regards to the potholes. I read your post yesterday just before leaving to go downtown...potholes were so frequent and some so big that I actually stomped my foot a couple of times out of sheer frustration!

    Granted it is the worst time of year for them.

    Its ok though our higher taxes are going to pay for the next 6 months of construction. ;)
  • howachowac Member Posts: 52
    I feel your frustration as well. We ordered on 1/2/04 and we're still waiting. Found the VIN on Mazda's website on 3/25. Car should be in production now. Still don't know when it will actually arrive. Hang in there!
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    howac....mazda's order time on the MZ3 is running around 5-6 months right now. But, it's not uncommon to take longer if the dealer does not have the earnings allocation.

    we order japanese built cars 4-5 months out from order to production month..then figure 4-6 weeks on the boat. many of you know, mazda only takes orders once a month and its on 4/15 this month....this will be for Aug/September production.
  • ish2lish2l Member Posts: 19
    I guess I should feel lucky that i've only been waiting 3 months :) mine is supposed to be here next week per the dealer's word.
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    "we order japanese built cars 4-5 months out from order to production month..then figure 4-6 weeks on the boat. many of you know, mazda only takes orders once a month and its on 4/15 this month....this will be for Aug/September production."

    Wait a sec...does that mean they're going to be 05 model year cars? Have they even DECIDED if anything's going to change for 05? (Likely nothing, it's a new model. But still...)
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    still 2004's
  • howachowac Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the info. The wait has been long, but we're coping with it.

    Would you happen to know how long it would take a Mazda3 to make its way to northern California after the VIN is available? Appreciate the help.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    well being in Calif is good....the boat stops there long before it gets to us here in the northeast. A vin number is a great sign. That means the car will be built for sure, but it could still be anywhere from a month to three months. your dealer can look on the mazda dealer system and give you a better eta..

    We had some orders dropped in the past few weeks...It appears that some of our customer orders will not be built. You got your order in at the right time.
  • mbennett674mbennett674 Member Posts: 66
    What if I can't find my car on mazdausa.com? does this mean anything? I'm getting tired of waiting, and may cancel my order soon if I don't get a definite date.
  • howachowac Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the insight. It's been 3 months and counting! When my salesperson e-mailed me the VIN (a few days after I found it on the web site), they still had no clue on an ETA.

    The good thing is that getting a later build date hopefully means that some of the minor bugs would have been taken care of already. It should be worth the wait!
  • mbennett674mbennett674 Member Posts: 66
    Found out today that in fact the dealer still doesn't have a VIN and has no idea when the car will be manufactured. I've had it with the waiting and lack of info, so I cancelled the order. Sorry Mazda, but I'm giving my money to another car company. This weekend I'll be test driving the WRX and checking out the '05 Legacy.

    I really wanted the Mazda3, but I don't like being kept in the dark!
  • socalbyrsocalbyr Member Posts: 15
    Nah! Maybe I just got used to getting a new car w/ below 10 miles in it. This is my 4th car in the last 15 years.

    "Doesn't hurt to try and get something knocked off "...that's what I'm after.:)
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    It won't be too long if you choose from the dealers' lot. The '3' is a popular, fast selling car, so Mazda priority #1 is to put in 100% production to replenish those sold by dealers. That may explain why it take extra, extra time for delivery of a special-order Mazda 3.
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    It took a week for a dealer to find a car the way I wanted....the 3 is in HUGE demand right now, so you can either take what you can find, or wait, you know? Hopefully Mazda adds some production capacity somehow for the 05's or something...this car is a seriously hot deal compared to the competition (Civic, Corolla, etc). The Elantra doesn't really stack up well agaist it either (power disadvantage, no manumatic)..the Focus is a decontented version of the previous chassis. ;)

    I thought it was worth it waiting a week for mine...and I had NO car at the time, you know? mbennett674, you have to decide whether or not it's worth it for you; you can always go buy a Civic, Focus, or Elantra if it isn't.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    mbennett....waiting 4-5 months for a great car is alot better than living with a lesser car for 4-5 years. 3 years from now your sour grapes will really start to taste bad ;)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,403
    Maybe... but 4-5 months is nuts to wait for a mass market car. There aren't any on the lot? You know, you really can't see the color from the inside.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    Anyone know if the Protege and Pro5 were only built in the Hiroshima plant, or did they have other plants they built them in? Because Mazda SURELY needs some more production capacity for the 3.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    To tell you you the truth I don't think Mazda is used to having cars in demand like this. From 1995-2002 Mazda had factory rebates on basically every car they sold. Now that Mazda is distinct in the styling departemnt from the rest of the Japanese Car Company's and actually offers a pretty sweet alternative over Honda and Toyota is seeing 1.) alot of customers they never before and 2.) Mazda is nailing down their target audience to a tee. I don't think Mazda ever planned they would have demand for the 6 and the 3 like they have had.
  • pan980pan980 Member Posts: 3
    Hi, just to share my buying experience if it could be of help to anyone in the Chicago area. I don't think the supply is too much of a problem here. Check mazdausa.com to find the dealers and you can check their inventory online!
        I bought mine with the automatic transmission, ABS/SAB and wheel locks for $17760. Then paid $50 for doc fee, 7.25% tax, $143 for plates and I still have the $500 rebate. Several dealers are selling the cars "no haggle". If you are a newbie like me, I recommend checking http://www.carbuyingtips.com/?x=0tekxgl_eoyyqkz_ttky3&y=0x40x- 25 first. Most dealers are not that bad, though.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    on MSN car reviews stated that they paid 15,900 for a 3 with a sticker close to 22,000 in Texas I think. Is this possible?

    If so... there's no way I will pay 19,700 just to have orange with black leather!
  • mbennett674mbennett674 Member Posts: 66
    Went to the dealer today and got my deposit back. They were very nice about it and I have no hard feelings - it just sucks that it didn't work out.

    On the brighter side, I put down a deposit on a charcoal grey TSX 6 speed that I am totally psyched about
  • 54maxell54maxell Member Posts: 4
    Little less than two months ago I bought a Mazda3-i from Schwartz dealership Shrewsbury NJ. Paid $17,288.00 plus tax, doc, and registration fees minus a $500 rebate. This included the Power package w/alloy wheels, automatic, moonroof w/6 CD, A/C, Mud Guard Pkg, all weather flr mats and wheel locks. I wanted the moonroof deflector but they said they were not available at that time. Overall a pretty good experience and they have done a great job of following up.
  • wtyyipwtyyip Member Posts: 6
    My dealer offer me a silver one, 3S, automatic, ABS brake, $18500 out the door, I live in San Francisco, is it a good deal?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,403
    What is the MSRP??

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  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...quoting an "out the door" price is meaningless for comparisons.

    In the SF area, taxes, license, and dealer fees will add about 9% to the final transaction price. We can deduce, then, that the actual transaction offer in post 350 was somewhere in the neighborhood of $16,800. It would help, though, if you want help in pricing, to just post two numbers: the MSRP, and the transaction price BEFORE taxes, lic, and fees. Then you can get a sensible answer to your question.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    The "out the door" price should be quoted WITH dealer fees. That includes everything except state-required taxes and license fees.
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  • iplingfiplingf Member Posts: 2
    pan980, can you tell me what dealer in chicago that you bought it from? I too am interested in getting a 3 hatchback. Thanks.
  • pan980pan980 Member Posts: 3
    I wouldn't recommend the dealer I bought the car from. The people there are just rude. Try Libertyville Mazda or Roto. Their prices are good too. Good luck.
  • frogpondfrogpond Member Posts: 17
    My wife and I live in south eastern CT and are looking for a Mazda 3. We went to the dealership in New London but were wondering if anyone has any experiences with any other dealerships in the area. We are willing to travel to RI and MA for the right deal and right dealership. Obviously we don't want to deal with a dealership who are bottom feeding sharks.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    did you have a bad experience at the dealer you visited? why didn't you buy from them?
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    I have a $250 off certificate from Mazda Rev It Up that I will not use. Good for any 2004 or 2005 Mazda. It is fully transferable and may be used until end of June 2004 ( I will have to verify the date). Email me if you can make use of it.
    I'm going to give it to my local dealer at my next oil change if I do not find someone who can use it.
  • frogpondfrogpond Member Posts: 17
    It wasn't bad but I always think its better to comparison shop and do as much research as possible. That is why I posed the question. I don't want to jump in and then find out we got raked over the coals somehow down the road.
  • speedracer007speedracer007 Member Posts: 33
    I'm interested in your $250 Rev It Up coupon. I sent you an email a couple of hours ago, but I thought I would reply in this forum also.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    I received several emails of interest for the certificate and have sent a reply to each one.

    I know that there are 1000's of these certificates given to Rev It Up participants and would suggest that those of you who have them and will not use them consider giving them away.

    There were 1000's of unused certs last year, and they were worth $400 if my memory is correct.
  • new4doornew4door Member Posts: 5
    as i'm planning to buy my 3 in the next few weeks, i'd be very grateful to get my hands on a certificate!!
  • flight13flight13 Member Posts: 47
    I have a local dealer offering me a 3s Auto with moonroof and abs package for $400 over invoice. On their invoice though, there is a charge for "Los Angeles County Assessment Fee - $150", anyone heard of this before? I've boughten several cars and never had this fee before. Additionally, they are charging $102 prep fee(not doc fee)...anyone else get this charge?
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    the assessment fee is the ad fee charged by mazda to the dealer...in our region it's $200 per car. It is a legit expense...the prep charge is a dealer charge and not part of the invoice.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,403
    You are still at $502 over invoice... Seems like a fair deal...

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  • flight13flight13 Member Posts: 47
    I have a local dealer offering me a 3s Auto with moonroof and abs package for $400 over invoice. On their invoice though, there is a charge for "Los Angeles County Assessment Fee - $150", anyone heard of this before? I've boughten several cars and never had this fee before. Additionally, they are charging $102 prep fee(not doc fee)...anyone else get this charge?
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