Mazda MPV

alexv1n · May 2001

Yes, I've bought mine in Ottawa. But at that time I remember some of buyers went to Toronto to get better deals and drive back in new MPVs (I remember Downtown Mazda [in Toronto] was mentioned at that time as willing to make a good deal)...

However I must say I bought it not at invoice. It was invoice -holdback +3% "fair profit" I was willing to pay. Also, whisper1, I believe that Mazda does give a holdback to dealers. I was told that there's no holdback at first dealership I visited (not that good in other areas as well). When I went to the other one and mentioned 2% holdback along with other derived invoice prices they told me that all figures are very close to reality except that the holback is not 2% but 1% and not of MSRP but of invoice price!! :-) I still think that it is 2% as in the US but I didn't argue much at that time because I got overall better deal that I had expected (the first dealer gave me higher quote and under condition that I would arragne my financing).

Anyway, the dealer I bought from (Bankstreet Mazda in Ottawa) appeared to be very nice and no haggle. I just proposed my price and they told me "you've got a deal". Of course, I did my paper work. I got invoice price on base LX model from APA. I figured out (from US prices) that accessories markup was 16.28% (Invoice vs MSRP). So it was fairly easy to derive canadian invoice prices for all options I wanted... The markup for the vehicle itself was 9.99% ($26,349 vs $28,980).

I hope this helps.

arensman · May 2001

Just bought a Black Mica ES with all the options except GFX package (Power Moonroof, In-dash 6-CD player, Front Fog Lights, 4-season package, cargo mat, cargo net, rear bumper step plate and roof rack). Stickerprice of $28,900; paid $25,299 cash. Which is $200 over invoice after $1,500 rebate (Dealer invoice $26,599 -/- $1,500 = $25,099). Pretty good deal I reckon. I know they advertise with $4,000 off on the DX, but that is just traffic building I guess. Did anyone get a better price than this?

arensman · May 2001

I don't know where mr. La Fave gets his pricing information, but in New England a Siena XLE with comparable equipment as the MPV ES costs about $6,000-$8,000 more! According to New England Toyota dealers, certain option are ALWAYS included, whether you like it or not. Like the towing package. Add to that the arrogance and non-flexible price negotiating attitude of Toyota dealers, and the price difference on the ACTUAL PAYING price is huge. Basically for the Siena you pay close to sticker, while I just got my MPV ES at $3,600 UNDER sticker. Admittedly the Toyota has a more powerful engine, but the MPV offers superior seating flexibility and a MUCH better look than the homely Toyota.

philbeau · May 2001

Well, My 2001 LX is about 6 weeks old now and I have to say i'm quite pleased with my purchase. The only thing wrong is that in my own gorilla way I managed to break the locking mechanism on the glasses holder. I hate when I do stuff like that. Anyhow, got a week to drive the van daily 2 weeks ago with the arrival of child #2 (another boy...oh boy!!!). Really just love driving the van and miss it terribly...back to the 1993 Geo Prism commuter car...sigh!
Thanks to maltb (I think it was maltb) who gave the link re: booster seat vouchers. Contacted dealer and timing could be better (for the 2.5year old boy).
After being away and catching up on the 60 or so postings since i've been gone....Let 'em say what they want about the MPV....i'm happy with my van and nobody will convince me otherwise (unless the tranny falls out at 30K....then I may not be so in love).

javadoc · May 2001

Here is a reason I'd love to see an AWD MPV...

Maybe I could send this shot to MazdaUSA and beg, lol. Yes...that is a live shot from my soho.

--java

maltb · May 2001

All three of you out there that want an AWD MPV!

Maybe if there were 6,997 more of you, thy would consider. Just a guess, but I'm with you, so make that 6,996.

javadoc · May 2001

...very funny! What, do you have a 1 min. refresh, or a tickler on this board? heheheh And there's, like, way more than three...it's more like five. Snow in May, how depressing. :-)

-j

drew_ · May 2001

I wouldn't mind seeing an AWD MPV either, as you know! I wish that we had snow here, but no, just some light rain :-(. I guess both the MochaVan and Rolf are still wearing their snow shoes?

Drew
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bostonoriole · May 2001

A dealer near Boston is advertising MPVs for $17,300. As best I can tell this is $2000 below invoice price for a basic DX. Is this a normal price? Is this a price others have seen, or is there some catch? Any opinions?

maltb · May 2001

2000 DX with nothing on it but a nice incentive.

javadoc · May 2001

By municipal code (I don't even know the number) citizens (that's me I think) must have studded tires off their vehicles between May first and September fifteenth. Word on the news this morning was, "Police are still enforcing the municipal studded tire dates, so you can't legally put them back on." Great form of revenue. The fuzz pulls you over and you are fined a buck for every stud on every tire...that'd come to about $500 for me.

I've had the studs off for a few weeks now, because the snow's been gone since mid-March really, except, as you can see, there's six inches of new stuff, and it's still snowing. I just waited to go to work till after the crazy ditch-divers (read: SUV owners, lol) were outa the way. And I was going to thatch my lawn tonight, unless BlackLX was going to show up ready to work...

Maltb, Drew makes 6 AWD supporters, so only 6994 to go. I still say I'm flying to Canada if they happen to ever be imported there with AWD.

--java

stever · May 2001

Everytime I get homesick for Anchorage, one of you guys brings me back to reality. I just finished mowing my grass (for the 4th time this Spring).

Steve
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javadoc · May 2001

...if you're a polar bear!

The "(OT)" escapes me Steve. My grass is (er, was) still brown...now it's white, but (just for MPV content), my MPV's Emerald Mica.

--java

bostonoriole · May 2001

Even with nothing on it, a DX at 2000 below invoice is intriguing. That's a lot of vehicle for the money.

Has anyone seen a LX offered at below invoice?

javadoc · May 2001

I don't think below invoice is that uncommon with an MPV at any trim level really, with some of the incentives people have seen, imho.

--java

djarmoluk · May 2001

Two questions for anyone out there:

#1: What type of upholstery comes on the DX? I am reading cloth but the other day when I visited a local dealer, Vinyl (leather look alike) was standard. I tend to like the look of the upholstery over the cloth and wouldn't mind if it was standard.

#2 Anyone have any experience with purchasing a car through CarsDirect.com? I can get an MPV DX with the DX package, Entertainment system, and Roof rack for $21080. (With options, this is about $1500 below invoice.) Am I missing something here??? Sticker for this vehicle on the lot was $24500. Dealer said he could take off $1500. ($21080 vs $23000.... hmmmm

maryholmes · May 2001

When I bought mine last week there was a $1500 rebate/incentive available.(No mention of this on Edmunds or the Mazda site.) Dealer told me that it was over April 30th, but I read somewhere else (I don't remember where,) that it is good until July. There is also a 2% holdback involved.
I was also originally offered one at invoice - $1500, but ended up paying $240 (1%) more than that, to get the color and options I wanted. (I LOVE MY SAND MICA!) I didn't go through CarsDirect.com - I just contacted the three dealers closest to me.

maryholmes · May 2001

The Mazda site calls the standard interior of both the DX and LX cloth, but they are different. The DX is sort of a woven looking material, (I really didn't like it,) and the LX has Velour. The ES has the leather, but I think you can get it as an option on the LX.

maltb · May 2001

...on the DX, but that doesn't mean that the dealer didn't have the van re-worked. Only the ES comes with leather; not optional on the LX.

eng6ine · May 2001

I am considering a 2000 used MPV LX it has about 18000 miles and the dealer wants 19,900 for it, I think the price is to high. In the very back at the third row on the passenger side there are some controls, I was told it was for the rear-air. It does not have a knob for hot to cold just fan speed and I think another one, not sure. Are these vans OK without the rear air, will it still cool the rear of the van? If it does not have rear air do those rear controls bring the cool air from the front to the back.

maltb · May 2001

If it only has fan speed and no temp control in the back it has rear A/C but not rear heat. I suggest you go for the rear A/C at least. My first MPV had no rear air, but my current one does and it makes ALL the difference.

The price you mentioned sounds a bit high for that van so either get them to come down or keep looking.

alexv1n · May 2001

I have a question about hand/parking brake. Is yours strong enough? I mean, I know on some cars when you apply the parking brake on the move, the engine stalls. In my MPV, it appears that the hand brake is too weak. The vehicle doesn't roll when parked, of course, but when I start to move and forgot to disengage the brake, it does move (with a little more gas requeried, of course). I mean, the engine "outpowers" the brake easily. Is that normal? Do you have the same?

homer544 · May 2001

I followed this board for about 2 months and found it extremely helpful in buying my car. After searching and being annoyed at 2 local dealerships (Northern NJ) I was finally able to buy a MVP DX with the power package and roof rack for 19,400 this week. The dealer DCH Mazda of Maplewood was quite good and I would recommend them. I received the price advertised in the paper (I only couldn't qualify for the college grad rebate) I can't wait to get the car on the road this summer when we drive to California. By the way, can some one recommend a good cargo carrier for this van? Happy driving

s_m_s · May 2001

I was very impressed. Any rumors on Ford/Mazda upping the power for 2001? This may have already been discussed, but why wasn't the 3.0L 24v Tribute engine used? You know, I wonder if anyone is modifying their MPV with the Contour SVT engine mods. It's the same 2.5L engine with some hot-rodding applied - zoom zoom. I had a 98.5 ST & that car could scoot!

Likes: Around town it was certainly more than adequate. Small size and disappearing third seat are all big plusses. I drove on some twisty back roads and really enjoyed the ride.

Dislikes: Traveling through the Green & White Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire with the family and luggage aboard could be a problem. Also, the stereo performance in the DX was pretty poor, but that's easily remedied.

Finally, my wife really wants to buy one but I'd like to wait a while to get an idea of the drive train durability.

lhaygood1 · May 2001

We got a 2000 LX with touring package in December 2000 that had 15,500 miles on it. It was originally $19,900 but when we appeared to have some interest went on "special" to $17,850. I've seen others advertised in the same range, so I would shoot for that or less, given slightly higher mileage.

whisper1 · May 2001

My garage has a slight slope, the MPV will very slowly row out, I need 5 clicks on the handbrake to hold it. On the driveway, which is more steep, it needs about 7-8 clicks. Dealer said NORMAL! The rear brake holding power is stronger if the front end is sloping down.

Just got my service manual at dealer cost - part of the purchasing deal. Found the following features.

The front brake calipers have 2 pistons.
Engine oil cooler is standard.
ATX fluid cooler is standard (without the towing package, which has a different one).

Do other minis have these items as standard equipments?

rallychamp · May 2001

$19,900 for a used 2000 LX with 18K miles on it sounds really high. You can get a new one for around 22K with all the rebates.

I just bought a 2000 ES with all the options (sunroof, 4 season package, gfx package, in-dash 6 disk cd changer, etc..) with only 11,900 miles on it for $18,600.

maltb · May 2001

...are meant for parking, not stopping the vehicle. Since all the MPVs on these shores are auto trans, the combination of handbrake and shifter in Park is more than enough to hold the vehicle.

alexv1n · May 2001

Yes, I can understand that. And I'm not complaining that the handbrake can't stop MPV. However I know that some other vehicles' handbrake can stall the engine on the run. I'm just asking if the braking force of MPV's handbrakes are normal comparing to what is customary on other vehicles... That's it...

P.S. I'm asking because when my brother first drove my MPV he immediately noticed that with the brake. He told that his '88 VW Jetta wouldn't move if you didn't disengage the parking brake. And a friend of mine told me once that when he gave driving lessons to his wife, they almost got into a ditch (thanks to the wife's driving skills) and he had to pull handbrake which stopped the vehicle (and stalled the engine). He owns some old Citroen car (I don't remember the model)... So that's why I wonder...

cprice31 · May 2001

I apologize if this is rehashing old discussions. I'm considering a 2001 MPV LX and read, somewhere, that installing a carseat is tricky in them. I also read that there is a trick, but I haven't found the trick! I put my son's seat in to test drive today and it was tight but still had some give in the seatbelt. So does anyone have any tips on installing carseats correctly?

Thanks,
Carol

etin143 · May 2001

anybody installed any aftermarket side steps for the MPV?Would like to know where did you got them.

pjd58 · May 2001

our Century car seat fits snug as a bug in our 01 MPV. First, I recommend using the seat directly behind the driver's seat. There is a trick to slightly recline the seat and then install the car seat and unrecline the seat. Make sure you use the theather anchor, which is installed on the 01 MPV. We still use the seatbelt clip that came with our car seat, this reduces slack in the belt. Our car seat fits very tight and doesn't move at all.

Good luck with your search! You won't regret your decision, if you go with the MPV. We have had our 01 LX Sand Mica for about 5 weeks and couldn't be happier.

Pete

maltb · May 2001

My '87 was similar but it also had rear disc and was much lighter. However, my Jetta was also a manual trans so if you gave it enough gas you'd just pull the thing along like a stubborn puppy.

Carol,
I use the time tested method of putting my knee into the car seat and then feeding the seat belt back into its reel as it locks. Once I remove the pressure of my knee, the belt gets nice and tight. Someone posted on here that they recline the seat back, install the belt and then bring the seat back to upright. I tried this but it wasn't as tight as I like to have it.

cprice31 · May 2001

Thanks for all the quick and helpful replies about carseats in the MPV. What a great resource this is!

I have another question after my test drive. I noticed, on two different vehicles, that there is sometime a vibration when braking. It was really noticable on a couple of occassions but I didn't notice it at all other times. The salesperson, FWIW, said the tires needed balancing. I don't think that was the problem as I saw not steering wheel movement on the highway. Any thought?

Carol

badgermomma · May 2001

but this is for my combination booster seat. The trick is to still install the car seat back as far as possible on the seat bottom and then when you bring it up it should help pull out "some" of the slack, I still try to get it in as tight as possible before bringing up the seat. I think it is just an extra help. I also use Prince Lion heart rubber seat savers to help with slide on the leather. And of course tether.

I don't have to do any of this with my Fisher Price Safe Embrace Combo set, it installs rock solid without the recline trick.

The trouble maker is the rigidity of the seat belt receiver and wish I could get a hold of the brain trust that designed it.

Jan

bob57 · May 2001

emergency brake or parking brake - depends who you (and how old) are talking to.
The "hand" brake only sets the rear drums. You can probably back up in reverse with the brake on with somewhat more engine power due to the smaller of the two pads (not disc) taking all the weight of the car. Going forward with the brake on can also be accomplished but you will really need to push the engine hard.
Having the brake on with an automatic transmission is not exactly highly recommended. If you feel it is not up to par then have the dealer adjust the cable on the "hand" brake. Remember, this is a front wheel drive van - the brake should not stall the engine since the rear is only braking.

maltb · May 2001

...it's mine! Need I say more?

stever · May 2001

Sorry maltb, I did some housekeeping and deleted the chat promo message that you are referring to :-). But that's a good enough reason for me!

Steve
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vickiw · May 2001

Are we the only ones with a noisy roof rack? We got the car innitially without the rack and loved it.Then we added the rack and it makes soooooooo much noise it sounds like a wind tunnel when you drive. Anyone else with this problem??? thanks

sidiggie · May 2001

Are there rebates currently being offered on the MPG? Edmunds new car pricing info says there is not but a local dealer said there are. Also, any thing new on a more powerful engine for 2002?

carczar · May 2001

I believe there's a $1500 rebate for the MPVs until July 9th. There's always a good possibility that the rebate will be extended, since they have agressive discounts in the summer months to move the 01 models so they'd have room for the incoming 02 models.
As for the 3.0v6 engine, Mazda has not given a definitive statement about its debut date, but it will eventually arrive and probably be sold side-by-side with the current engine.

morin2 · May 2001

Hi all,
My wife would like to carry her kayak on her 2000 MPV. I want to use the factory rack/crossbar. I've got lots of Yakima stuff (hullyrollers and saddles) as I carry 3 kayaks on my '90 Montero. Has anyone attached kayak saddles directly to the factory crossbar? Thanks,
Rick

rallychamp · May 2001

Vickiw, have you tried to move the cross bars on the roof rack all the way to the back?

Noice from the roof rack is a common problem with SUVs and moving the cross bars to the back is usually the dealer recommendation.

rblader · May 2001

How do you pipe sound from an external audio source into the system with the 6-disc changer? With the CD/Cassette system it's easy, just use one of those cassette adapter thingies. My wife and I are ready to get an MPV ES. But none of our local dealerships have a Sunlight Silver available with the CD/Cassette supersound. All have the 6-CD changer only. I know it's possible because they do it with the models that have the entertainment system. But how? Need input.
BTW, we need this capability because my wife and kids like to watch DVDs from our laptop and we want to use the soundsystem for the sound.
Thanks.
Mike

maltb · May 2001

You can buy transmitters that broadcast on a low FM freq (around 87-88). That's the way most external CD changers and the RSES work. Not sure how much they run, but I'm sure a local auto sound shop could help you.

stever · May 2001

homepl8 · May 2001

Hi all. I purchased my 01 LX at the end of March and so far I have been very satisified with it. Like many people that have written here I also shopped around looking at the ODY and Sienna. So here I am as a happy owner of a Silver MPV. Previously I remember reading about a clutter catcher that fits between the front seats. Can anyone supply info about it and where they've picked one up? Thanx. Zoom Zoom.

noles2000 · May 2001

Our VCP plays sound but we are not getting any picture from it. Any ideas? Has anyone else experienced this? Will try cleaning the heads but not sure if it will help. Has been a very dusty, pollen filled spring here in NJ. Not sure if that has anything to do with the VCP picture not working. Also wonder if it's a loose connection? Again, any help or suggestions would be great.

maltb · May 2001

1st thought: under warranty...go to dealer.

edagcur · May 2001

Wal Mart carries one I think it's $25 US

For the Canadian guy who was concerned about the price differential, I just bought one in WalMart Toronto for app $40 canadian so the price is now equivalent. Its a tight fit but you can still manouevre (sp?) the hand/emergency brake

Mazda MPV

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