Mazda5 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

Karen_S

Report your Mazda5 purchase experience here.

donzoom

I checked out the Mazda 5 and it definitly seems like a lot of car for little money. I have 2 quick questions for you experts!

1. I was OTD with a Touring Edition w/ Nav for about $20,000.00 plus my trade does that sound reasonable?

2. Since then I got the Gerber $500.00 certificate good on any 05 or 06. There however seems to be 2 parts to the coupon. After calling Mazda it seems that prt one was distributed in magazines that can be found in Waiting Rooms and Dr.'s Offices. Parenting magazine? So can anyone tell me what magazine... and what month these rebate forms were circulated?

r2k

donzoom:

See message # 1369 in the Mazda3: Prices Paid & Buying Experience forum on this web site.

I signed up at the Gerber web site earlier this week and then requested they mail me the ad insert. I received an email back the next day saying they would mail me one. I have not received it yet.

I have not requested the certificate from Mazda yet as it says at the bottom of that web page that the certificate expires 60 days after issue from Mazda. Since no dealers with in 100 miles of me has a model I want yet (auto Touring, no Nav, color undecided until I see Phantom Blue in person), I am waiting to apply for the certificate until there are at least some of those in my part of the state.

If anybody knows when Mazda might pull this offer, it would be nice to know, so I and others might know when the 60 day clock starts ticking.

Good Luck.

rrratina

My Mazda gerber certificate is good for Mazdas purchased between 07/20/05 and 09/19/05. I am trying to hunt down the first part of offer! Hmmm.....since I have a 20 month old and all of my Parenting/Child mags are lying around, could it be in one of those and I just didn't pay attention to it? Does anyone know about when it was published/offered?

I'll revisit that thread someone mentioned.

Thx
Wendy

drspongklong

Bought my Mazda5 yesterday, Touring Automatic with Nav. Paid $21,022 minus Gerber rebate of $500 plus TTL. After negotiating with the price, I showed the dealer my Gerber rebate certificate. I did not have the "original advertised offer" but they did not bother to ask for it. The certificate is enough.

doody

drspongklong,

Just to clarify, you paid $21,022 - $500 Gerber rebate = $20,522 (+TTL)?

I'm looking to purchase the same model this week and want to make sure I can get the best price.

Does the $500 Gerber rebate automatically knock down the price or does Mazda send a check back to the customer?

Also, can any NAV owners provide more detailed feedback on its use?

thanks for your help!

vrm

Hi,

Anbody buy this vehicle in Northern Virginia or Maryland?
Can you please share how much you paid?

Thanks!

smaria

In early July, I put a deposit down at Maple Shade Mazda for a Platinum Silver Mazda5 Sport. It's supposed to come in this week...can't wait!

Here are the details:

Sport
Platinum Silver
Auto
Fog Lights
Wheel Locks

Price = ($18,635 - $500 Gerber Rebate) = $18,135 + TTL

drspongklong

Yes, that's exactly the price I paid but I forgot to mention that I had a trade in which I am happy about the price that I got for it too. And yes, they automatically deduct the Gerber rebate. Regarding the nav, I'm new to it and have not activated it yet but looking at its manual, it looks like its easy to use. It's also voice activated.

doody

Thanks again drspongklong.

Which dealer was this?

drspongklong

Paretti Mazda in Metaire, Louisiana. It took me a week and three visits to get the deal. They had to call me home twice until they decided to give in to the price I wanted for my trade in and for their car.

donzoom

A bit of news to all of the people who would like obtain the Gerber component of the rebate. I know some of you have stated that you have had success obtaining the 500.00 discount without the cupon... but I would be the one who they didn't accept it from. LoL

Anyhow, I joined the Gerber website last Fri 7/22, and then I sent them an email very nicely asking how to obtain it.

A reply came yesterday outlining the steps, and then the assured me that the ad was being sent to me and that it should arrive in a few days.

I love it when a plan comes together... makes me wanna Zoom Zoom down to the supermarket and purchase a case of Gerber baby food.

You know I actually think I shall do that and take it over to the Salvation Army!

That was so very kind of them...

smaria

Congrats on getting the rebate to work for you!

Just to add in my experience:

I contacted Gerber and got the ad in the mail from them about a week later. I also got the Mazda certificate through the MazdaUSA website. So, I was all set, except that I'm still waiting for my Mazda5 to come in (I put a deposit down on July 2 and I'm still waiting), and my Mazda certificate expires tomorrow!

So I went back to the MazdaUSA website a few days ago, filled out the form again (using my wife's name and email address this time), and they sent me a new certificate good through the end of September. Whew!

So, in my experience, you CAN get a 2nd certificate if the 1st one expires before you get the chance to use it. What a great program!

momstoy

We purchased a Phantom Blue Touring 5spd w/ NAV. So far I've been using the NAV for little things like going to a friend's house or home just for kicks. The voice activation thing is cool for ease of use such as zooming out/in, spliting the screen to have half zoomed in half zoomed out, finding the nearest gas station, restaurant, etc. The thing that I don't like about the voice activation is that for more complex command you need to remember the exact wording programmed into the system and it's not always intuitive. Most of the voice commands can be done on the fly, while inputing an address is not able to be done unless the car is at a full stop. Today, I realized that 90% of the time I'm driving where I know where I'm going. I probably will only use the NAV once a week. If you are using the NAV when you turn off the car - it will automatically open when you start the car again - if you aren't using the NAV when you turn off the car, it will stay closed until you push the button to open. Overall, I'm very happy that we got the NAV option. (unfortunately my husband still gets us lost even while having it because he refuses to put an endpoint in thinking that his mapskills will be enough to get us there )

lorig

Is the Gerber certificate available to Canadians? We are looking at a Mazda5 right now and need all the $$ help we can to get into one...any help would be appreciated! Also, any other programs/buyer incentives that anyone knows about would be very helpful! Thanks!

smaria

The Gerber rebate is only available through the MazdaUSA website, so I don't think it's valid in Canada.

Canada does have a $500 college grad rebate on the Mazda5 which the US doesn't get, so you could take advantage of that if you're a recent college grad (graduated between 2001-2005). Also, Mazda Canada seems to have some special ok-looking financing rates for the Mazda5. Check out www.mazda.ca to look through their available incentives. Good luck!

frank4cars

I'm new here and realize now just how valuable this site can really be. I had seen the 5 at a local dealer on Tuesday, July 12 when I stopped in to drive a Mazda3. They had just unloaded them and when I drove it I fell in love. I went back on Saturday the 16th and found a red Touring model with Automatic trans that stickered for $20,410. I pulled out my checkbook and told them I'd take it right then if they could do it for $19,400. They agreed on $19,500 after showing me their invoice for $19,277 that didn't include the full tank of gas they were giving me. I then presented them with a $100 certificate from their website and we wrote it up at $19,400. Plus tax, title, etc it came to $21,258. If only I had gotten that Gerber certificate too! ARGH. Love everything about the car so far.

smaria

It's impossible to know everyhting all of the time...

$1000 off of MSRP is pretty good! I got $600 off (after my Gerber rebate was $1100 off). On the one hand, you could have gotten a slightly better deal if you used the Gerber rebate. But, on the other hand, other people have posted that they paid MSRP for the Mazda5 since it's brand new (i.e., $1000 more than you). So, your deal was ok, just be happy to drive your new Mazda5! I know I am

Steve

rlawrence

I picked up my red touringing 5 speed without nav this morning. I am in the LA/OC area and the car was at a dealer in San Diego, so I rode my bike down to the Amtrak station, hopped on the Pacific Surfliner and then rode to the dealer once I got down to America's Finest City in Political Upheaval.

The problem I had with the buying experience is that it should not have taken two hours for me to complete the paperwork. My deal was done on Friday over the phone because I was eligible for Ford supplier pricing and there was no haggling on price. I whole heartedly agree with those who say the process is in serious need of reform. If I have been already approved for financing, there is no need to send me to the finance manager so that I can be condescended to and scared into buying unnecessary warranty and gap insurance. I know those who sell cars and periodically post online don't like it when we as consumers stereotype auto salespeople as dishonest, however, when you frame selling of ancillary products to prey on customer fears, you are being underhanded because the statistics don't bear out - or you as the dealer/salesperson must not have as much faith in the car's reliability as you purport. Either way, it's dishonest.

While I said no to the pitches and the final paperwork I signed was on the up and up, I was still offended. I know most of you will laugh at this, but I was irked at people telling me "congratulations." Congratulations for what? How about thank you. Though many "thank yous" are insincere, I found the use of the term congratulations to be totally inappropriate. Had they given me something, maybe congratulating would not have seemed so out of place. But I was helping them out. If anything, I should have been congratulating them for getting my business and the fact that I traveled over 100 miles to transact with them.

Anyway, enough ranting. I LOVE MY MAZDA5!

julied

All this information on the forum has been great. Thanks.

My problem is...we went to a local dealer in northern Virginia this past weekend to buy a Mazda5 and we had a specific color in mind. The dealer didn't have one on his lot, but said another dealer in Maryland did and that he'd get it on Monday morning. Monday afternoon, we call over there and our dealer says that the Maryland dealer didn't actually have one and that he had to send his sales guy up to Pennsylvania to get one.

Today, our dealer calls us and says the car is in and it has 450 miles on it. Apparently the car has been driven from a dealer in NJ to the one in PA and now on to VA. He said he'd give us a year of oil changes and give us a small break on the price, but he hasn't given us a figure yet.

Do you guys think think this is OK? How much should he knock off the price for us? Thanks,
Julie

mazda6s

The car could also have been a demonstrator, or driven by an employee, or had to be returned because a buyer failed to qualify for credit. I'm not saying that's bad, but it happens.

smaria

NJ to PA to VA is at least 350 miles, could be longer than that depending on where the dealerships were actually located. So, it sounds like the dealer is giving you a reasonable explanation about why the car has 450 miles on it. But I agree with mazda6s, you can never be 100% sure about why the car has 450 miles on it.

Throwing in the oil changes and offering a price break sounds reasonable, if it doesn't bother you too much that you're buying a "slightly used" car...that depends a lot on your personal opinion. I don't know what a reasonable price break is, but if it was me I'd try for somewhere around $1000 below what I'd pay for a low-mileage one. Also, make sure to test drive it before making any final decision (i.e., did any problems come up in the first 450 miles that the dealer knows about but you don't? If so, maybe you can spot them on the test drive.). Whatever you decide, just make sure you're happy with what you're buying.

audia8q

Because there isnt a big supply of Mazda5 it's not surprising that some swap cars will have some miles. If the original dealer only had one or two in stock they probably used it for test drives....add that to the miles between dealerships and the miles can add up quickly.

Here in the Northeast we have some big product shortages...so it's not uncommon for cars to get swapped around alot. I have a mazda tribute in stock that started in maryland, went to nj then to ny and then to me. 450 miles later its here....but I needed the car and it was a one of a kind unit.

mazda6s

I'd be a little suspicious. Usually a dealer will only put that kind of mileage on a car for a sold unit with a deposit on it, and then only if the customer is aware of this mileage in advance.

I suspect one of the other possibilities I mentioned is the real reason for the 450 miles, so I'd make my offer based on that.

mazda6s

Rich - In that case you and your customer knew in advance that it would have that many miles on it when they took delivery and that was OK with them, right?

audia8q

yeah we try to give the customer a heads up on the miles.....sometimes we just forget to ask how many miles are on the swap car. nothing devious, just don't always think about asking the other dealer....Now that I think about it, not to many other dealers ask me to check the miles on the car before they come and get it.

Mazda lists the original dealer on the invoice, so the other dealer does have an idea the car has been moved around.

rrratina

Others have written in stating you may be able to negotiate a lower price. Did the dealer have the option of transporting the car on a truck and negotiating a transport charge?

rrratina

I know what you mean and wholeheartedly agree with you. I must say, that initially I thought the dealer I eventually made my purchase from was guilty of a "bait and switch"-I checked the dealer where the car was supposed to have been obtained and it had been sold. So, I retract my statement!

Nevertheless, I intended on waiting for more vehicles to hit the lot as I wasn't willing to pay for a vehicle with NAV. The salesman finally called me yesterday acquiescing to what I would pay. We agreed on a price and the salesman faxed me the breakdown so I could see it in writing. The dealer made this sale only because he threw in the NAV! So, we agreed on our price up front. I even asked on the phone how long could I expect to spend at the dealer and was advised 2 hours, much to my dismay. Even with the haggling done before we even arrived at the dealership, we STILL spent two hours there.

I actually didn't have to see the F & I guy, as my salesman went over our financing paperwork with us-he said the F & I guy was too busy. I already had my financing pre-approved, as I ONLY wished to finance through my credit union. Lucky for me our salesman wasn't pushy-but I did make sure he wrote the vin number on some paperwork where I didn't see it. I actually couldn't wait for the F & I guy to try and "push" the paperwork on me, as I am good at saying no.....oh well....

Anyway-I refused to close at the dealership and instead closed the deal at my credit union, and as a result, I have peace of mind!

Oh, and by the way, it took one quarter of the time that we spent at the dealership for us to close on our house!

Cheers to the Mazda 5!

gyy

i recently had a bad buying experience at Menlo Mazda (Bay Area, CA). I wanted the mazda 5 touring, and they located the car for me. However, they slipped 3 times in delivering the vehicle. they did not keep the promise to have all the accessories put on and deliver the car on time. Besides, I found out the car has scratches on the bumper. they are willing to repair, but I don't pay to buy a car with defects. I paid to have a new car, without previously repaired, on time. What makes the things worse is that their price is not competitive at all. I found out that other dealers would offer at least $1000 less, and you don't even have to negotiate. I haven't taken the car yet, and now I am demanding to have my money back.

anyone has any suggestion in going about getting my money back. unfortunately, I have signed all the doc, and paid for the car already. Any advice would be appreciated.

blevin

Im consdering getting a mazda5 could you plese provide deatails on what seems to be a "gerber" discount

robyneil

anyone has any suggestion in going about getting my money back. unfortunately, I have signed all the doc, and paid for the car already. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sorry to hear that. Did you document specifics about the car you ordered like delivery date, VIN#, trim, options, price, etc...? When we ordered ours from Fremont, CA through dealer trade, we had the dealer sign a plain inkjet paper with all this information hand written before making a deposit. The surprising thing about it was it was the salesperson who suggested it because we were already walking out at the time (we somehow do this each time we feel pressured to do something we didn't like as in leaving a deposit without any documentation and it worked in our favor so far).

When they didn't give us the car we ordered (5 was already sold and other 5 had different VIN and had extra wheel locks for an extra $184), I told them I wanted my deposit back hoping they would give in to us. I was surprised how fast they gave me the wheel locks for free. We had some leverage somehow (probably they already finished the trade or it might have been the signed order documentation...don't really know).

Probably you still have a chance of reversing it if you have any documentation you didn't get what you were promised. Hopefully, there's a lawyer in this forum who can advise you. Better yet, consult a lawyer now if you do have some documentation and haven't picked up the vehicle yet!

ajpendo

Does anyone know if a dealership will honor the gerber discount if the certificate was not available at the time of purchase? Surely if the date of sale was within the specified time what difference should it make???

frank4cars

I was wondering the same thing. My Gerber ad came in the mail yesterday and I immediately went to the MazdaUSA website listed in the ad, to register. I purchased my MZ5 on 7/16 but didn't find out about the gerber rebate until 7/22 so I will let you know what comes of it.

smaria

See message #3 in this thread, or go to www.mazdausa.com/gerber
It's a $500 rebate from MazdaUSA for any new 2005 or 2006 Mazda vehicle.

gyy

thanks for your sharing...I guess you had better luck at Fremont Mazda, and it seems that they are more reliable.

Yes, if anyone of you know how I can get this settled, please help.

momstoy

I called mazda corporate (the phone # on the certificate emailed to you) and they said that they would give me the rebate after the fact. I think that I have posted this here before. I had to mail them a copy of the email, my purchase contract, and the "original offer" (a large kind of post card from gerber that I got by emailing gerber for it and they mailed it out to me within a week)

I had forgotten to mail the "original offer" and they said that they would accept a faxed copy. Just faxed that on Friday - so I will wait and see if I actually get the $$.

qbrozen

No delivery ... No deal.

As long as you don't take the car, there is no finality to it. And how did you pay for a car you don't even have?? That part makes no sense to me.

audia8q

gbrozen.....Does Calif have a law/rule that clarifies your post??

gyy stated ..."I have signed all the doc, and paid for the car already.

Here in Connecticut, once the papers are signed and the car is paid for the buyer becomes an owner. If and when they drive away plays no role in the sale.

qbrozen

why not?

So you are telling me someone pays for the car ... meanwhile, outside, a tree falls on the car ... they go outside to "take delivery" and find the car with the tree on it ... are you telling me that you, as a dealer, can just say "hey, too bad, its yours now."???

As far as I know, and maybe this is a state thing, if you DON'T take delivery, there is no deal. And I know I'm not just pulling this out of the air because Terry has said this many times, too.

unless, of course, "taking delivery" just means paying for it ... but I don't think so.

audia8q

outside, a tree falls on the car ... they go outside to "take delivery" and find the car with the tree on it ... are you telling me that you, as a dealer, can just say "hey, too bad, its yours now."???

I can't speak for any state other than mine....but If the paperwork is signed and complete the guy owns the car. They don't have to drive the car anywhere.

Let's say the paperwork and the delivery is done at the consumer home or place of business...the consumer never drove the car off the lot, somebody else did. Does that constitute delivery? When should the change of ownership take place? when the guy drives away regardless of when the paperwork was executed or when the paperwork was completed??

qbrozen

That's a good point, too. I really don't know. Wish I knew where to get the proper information.

rlawrence

I hate to be a sourpuss here but I really don't see why you think you deserve your money back. I don't mean to sound accusatory, but there seem to be holes in your story that do not quite add up.

"However, they slipped 3 times in delivering the vehicle. they did not keep the promise to have all the accessories put on and deliver the car on time."

Was the dealer in Menlo Park doing a trade with another dealer in the Bay Area or did they slip in telling you when the vehicle was supposed to arrive from the port? If the car was coming from another dealer, how did they slip? Also, if the other dealer was unwilling to part with a car, why didn't you just go to that dealer instead? What I don't understand is how you signed all of the documents without the car being on the lot? I cannot speak to other states but in California, the paperwork is supposed to show the vehicle's mileage at the time of delivery. There is no way this could have happened without the car being there (or at least it shouldn't have).

A scratched bumper does not really constitute a defect (some of you might call it semantics), however, I would call it damage similar to a broken window. If the dealer repairs it properly, I don't quite understand what your beef is. It sounds more like you discovered you could have saved money going to a different dealer. Unfortunately, this is something you should have thought of earlier. Lastly, the accessories that you speak of, were they paid for or were you simply expecting they would be put on.

I know I will sound like Ward Cleaver when I say this, but if everything is as you say, I hope you have learned a valuable lesson when it comes to buying a car.

rlawrence

"As far as I know, and maybe this is a state thing, if you DON'T take delivery, there is no deal. And I know I'm not just pulling this out of the air because Terry has said this many times, too."

But you can't take delivery if there is no car. As I replied to GYY, in California, the contract must show mileage at time of delivery, so unless the dealer in Menlo Park is doing something shady, the contract should show the mileage on the odometer at the time of actual delivery.

"So you are telling me someone pays for the car ... meanwhile, outside, a tree falls on the car ... they go outside to "take delivery" and find the car with the tree on it ... are you telling me that you, as a dealer, can just say 'hey, too bad, its yours now.'???"

I realize you are overstating for effect, but if the car dealership had trees on it and one fell on your car just as you signed your name to the contract, I suppose the dealer would either try to find a like vehicle or tear up the contract as their insurance would probably cover the costs (notice there are rarely, if ever trees on dealer lots?). However, the case we are discussing doesn't involve such extreme circumstances.

robyneil

It's true that you can't sign a purchase contract without the right VIN# and odometer reading, so it is strange that gyy was able to sign a contract. If delivery slipped 3 times, does this mean the vehicle purchased was actually on the lot?

Unfortunately, there is no cooling off period in CA where you can't change your mind about the vehicle you purchase except if there was fraud involved.

gyy, we don't really know what your real situation is but if the dealer did ask you to sign a contract before the vehicle arrived on the lot (blank VIN#, and odometer?), the contract you signed should have a date different from the date the vehicle arrived. Probably you can find something that can help you from these ca.gov links:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=02001-03000&file=2981-2984- - - .5

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=01001-02000&file=1688-1693- -

from:

http://www.dca.ca.gov/legal/m-1.html#n

If it is fraud, the different dates is the only loop hole I can think of to indicate fraud. Else, it'll be hard to justify changing your mind on the purchase as rlawrence stated.

qbrozen

But you can't take delivery if there is no car.

Right. And I pointed that out in my first message, as well. I never, as far as I saw, received a response to that inquiry.

audia8q

I missed the "no car" part.....that changes things IMHO.

This is where things get kinda hazy....each state has different rules and I am not familiar with Calif state laws.

gyy

thanks all for the reply. Here are some more details.

- the car is not at the dealer when we signed the paper work. the contract has its VIN# and an estimated mileage. Does this mean if the actual mileage is different (more than) the one listed on the contract, I can refuse to accept delivery?

- the dealer required me to sign the contract and paid for the car in order to do windown tinting on the car

- as of now, they said they will replace the bumper. Not sure if they are really replacing it, or just repairing. Can't really trust them anymore.

rlawrence

Hi gyy,

I hope I didn't sound too harsh yesterday. Anyway, I have a feeling you are stuck with the car unless you can prove they tried to defraud you in some way. And from the way it sounds, everything was basically kosher. Who noticed the damaged bumper? Them or you?

Are you able to touch your car at all? I know this sounds corny, but if you could somehow put a marker or something similar on it that can only be known to you... better yet, ask them for the the old bumper, that way you'll know it's been switched out.

I don't know how many cars you have bought in the past, but usually an independent window tinting shop will probably charge less than the dealer does, I suspect.

The only other thing I can tell you is that if you feel you received a raw deal, speak to the general manager, tell Mazda, and tell the general manager and Mazda that you will tell your friends and acquaintances about the poor service and that you don't ever plan to bring your car to their dealer for service or transact any business with them in the future. I would write letter and send it to the dealer and Mazda stressing how you feel. While the dealer may just toss it aside, and it won't seem like Mazda cares a whole lot, if enough complaints come in and the dealer does poor business, there is a slight chance their franchise might get yanked. You never know.

Good luck.

robyneil

gyy, as far as I know with the CA lemon law, you have to give the dealer a chance to repair the vehicle before you can ask for a replacement or your money back. So you're probably stuck with that. Here's what I found for you though. Look for the heading:

"How do I know if I have been sold a previously wrecked vehicle?

from the site below and see if it applies to you just in case you're still protected by the CA lemon law (...in case you notice other damages like bent frame or you keep going for repairs after you pick up your vehicle).

Reference:
http://www.rosnerandlaw.com/faq.htm

Search for CA lemon law sites as well for more info. I haven't had any problems with dealers and I am very satisfied with my purchases, but as a consumer there're a lot things we're not aware of so I believe I know how you feel. Good luck.

gyy

THANK YOU ALL for your suggestions. It has been encouraging to see your reply.

Well, I finally picked up my car, and guess what, there is another scratch at the front bumper now. Yes, another one. The rear bumper has been replaced, but when I checked the car again at the dealer, the front bumper had another scratch. Again, I requested to have it replaced, and they promised they will do so. I took the car anyway, and had the sales to write down a lists of things that need to be done for my next visit

I have actually asked my lawyer friend, and she does not see a chance for me to get a refund, unless I was misled by false info. Anyhow, the car seems to be running fine. I enjoy the mazda 5 so far. Hope you guys who are interested will have a better experience, and get the car exactly the way you want.

rideyourbike

So I plunked down my $500 deposit at Maple Shade Mazda in Maple Shade, New Jersey. Now I just have to wait till the end of August to take delivery on our new touring automatic in stellar silver. Negotiated price = $19400. At the end of the deal I mentioned my $500 Gerber rebate that is coming in the mail. No problem! Final price = $18900. I am quite happy. A very easy purchase. I made the deal over the phone. Went there to sign the papers. Incredibly friendly sales staff. I would recommend Maple Shade Mazda to anyone. They have a pretty long stock list at www.msmazda.com.

John