Mazda MPV

strange3 · April 2003

about the rental vehicles, although I was initially told the one I drove was part of a "sales fleet", not a rental. I found out it was a rental from carfax. I took it home overnight and noticed a fender had been repainted too. The dlr and carfax didn't mention this.

I think we'll pull the trigger later this month on a new '03 LX. Did you take advantage of $2k cash back and/or 0% financing to get the $20,600 price? Thanks!

mchuchra · April 2003

To get the $20,600 price, I negotiated a below "invoice" price and then subtracted out the $2k dealer dollars on top of that. I did not get the 0% Mazda financing with this deal. At that price, that was not available, apparently. There's only so much you can squeeze them!

sweet_subie · April 2003

see that MPV both LX & EX costs 4,000 to 5,000 less than MSRP..

Here is a fixed price dealer near DC.
http://www.fitzmall.com/carfind/search.asp?lstMake=MAZDA

showing this to any dealer would embarass them & weaken their negotiation position.

audia8q · April 2003

What if the dealer says..."go to washington dc to buy the car".....who would be in the weaker position then?

sweet_subie · April 2003

See the internet delivered price option at this dealer......i think he will deliver to you with some shipping charges....

as long as you are like 10 hrs within DC area....may be it is a worth a trip ! no hassle nothing just buy the car & happily drive back home, pay tax in CT(where you live) !

or you can haggle with the local dealer...? which one sounds better to you ?
BTW, i can easily embarrass the dealer with that & i have !

lsinc · April 2003

We just purchased an '03 MPV LOADED. Moon roof, 6 cd changer, towing package, appearance package, traction control, auto sliding doors. We purchased it for $100 under dealer invoice and also took the $2000 cash back. With our trade and taxes etc. added on, we walked out the door with the van for just over $22,000. I think we did really well. This was done under the S Plan and was probably the easiest car purchase I ever made.

tccmn1 · April 2003

Just a note to update everyone on my MPV Experience. So far, 2500 miles and lovin' it!
Don't care about the screw up on the audio deal...learning to live with the LX version of the top of the line stereo system instead of the SUPER STEREO SYSTEM.
Only thing I notice is the higher rpms the engine seems to idle at. Sometimes it sounds like it's really rev'd up. Tach shows about 700 rpms at idle, which is suppose to be correct...maybe my fan is running all the time too causing a rush sound? I'll check that issue out. Otherwise, mpg holding around 20 in the city. I love driving this thing more than my wife's 99 Camry now. My wife is too timid to drive the MPV..she doesn't want to put the first scratch on it...hee-hee.

Wish there was a light on dash that would come on when FOGS are on...not sure why they don't have that. It's easy to forget their on after a while. They have a light for TCS, OD, etc.

LSINC: I think the $22K out the door price with a trade is pretty good. Mine was $26,300 out door with no trade - loaded LX much like the one described PLUS $1600 Ext.Warr. and hitch. Sold my old 95 DC Mini for $3K, so that would be approx.to your deal. I got the $2.5K cash back at the time in Feb..

sweet_subie · April 2003

TCS works very well in boston snow area...for my 02 MPV.....
but i must say ford engine is a bit noisy !

acedriver · April 2003

Congrats on your great MPV deal!! Here is what I was quoted:

2003 LX MPV with 6 disc, 4 seasons package, and a roof rack, power doors, trac control, dual air.
With the $2000 rebate is $22,151 + TTL,Reg

With your deal, the quote which I got seems higher. Could you specify your options in detail i.e what do the towing/appearance pkg contain ?

dwsmha · April 2003

Is this a good deal? $1,223 for a 7year/100,000 mile full extended warranty from CNA? Been debating on an extended warranty since we have the factory-installed DVD player, and it sits outside alot. (Not sure what the years of heat/cold will do to the DVD player)

sweet_subie · April 2003

1.
pricing is good only if it is 0 deductible. I received the same 7 yr/100k warranty with 0 ded for $1200.

2.
frankly, i regret taking that warranty. one of the best things about MPV is it is cheaper than others....if you pay $1200, then you are jackng-up the price

with MPV finish(after owning for 2 yrs), no need to pay that much extra....it is really a trouble-free van !

sweet_subie · April 2003

Buy the Mazda extd. warranty to wnsure good service...see below

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=- repairContractsNonOwners

sweet_subie · April 2003

can anyboday help me out with a good navigation system that is made & fitted for my 02 MPV ???

bottgers · April 2003

I placed my MPV order 3-4 weeks ago. I was told by the dealer that mine was scheduled for an early May build date. Should I be worried that our build date will get pushed back to June?

tomj5 · April 2003

We ordered in Feb. We are supposed to get it next week maybe.... This is the third delay...
Figure 12 weeks for an order. If it gets stuck on the docks for more installations add two more weeks. Dealer says factory is maxed out.
TJ

diogenese · April 2003

I know that the van is small, but can it hold flat sheet material, it doesn't have to fit flat but I need something that I can haul the occational sheet of plywood or drywall.

Thanks in advance

rutger3 · April 2003

IMO, extended warranties are mostly a profit maker for the mfg. The MPV is very reliable. You are purchasing a 'life insurance' policy for a worst case scenario. Why give more to them then you have to. Sure the engine or tran could go,but the chances are very slim.
Why wait for a made to order vehicle when there are so many on the lot to choose from. You can also usually get a better price on an in stock vehicle since it is costing the dealer every day it is on their lot. I like to see what I am getting before buying,plus no hassels with delays which always seem to happen on factory orders.

lsinc · April 2003

Here is what we got: '03 MPV LX - 4 season package, GFX package (sporty front and rear fascias; side sill extensions, traction control and side air bags package, roof rack, rear bumper step plate, wheel locks, CFC-free rear air and heat with front and rear controls, power sliding rear doors, power sliding moon roof with retractable sunshade (the moon roof also tilts up which I didn't realize until we bought it), In-dash 6 disc CD changer. We have the grey cloth seats and the exterior color is Sunlight Silver Metallic.

The total MSRP was $27,085
Our S Plan Price $24,803

Under the S Plan it was $100 under dealer invoice. We also took the $2000 cash back instead of the 0% financing so that brought it down to $22,803 out the door before trade in and taxes etc. They gave me a whopping

$1,800 for my '95 Mercury Villager that had 103,000 miles on it.

I hope this helps. I have to say that it was easy, no negotiating over price. I love my MPV and am glad that we chose it over the Sedona and the Honda. The Honda is way over rated and they are getting to be like the Chrysler MV's in that every other MV is a Honda. The Sedona is a really nice MV and the price is awesome. We just don't trust KIA at this point and I didn't like the fact that the Sedona doesn't have the tumble under third row seat and ABS is an option. It also get's awful gas mileage and I have heard that any body repairs are costly.

My 2 cents; I really feel for a small family (2 kids) looking for a 5 star rated vehicle in safety and great reliability the MPV is the way to go.

acedriver · April 2003

Can someone enlighten me what is the S-Plan or E-Plan which I keep reading about ? Is there any link to the Mazda website describing it ?

tomj5 · April 2003

Dealers in Arizona have only have ugly white and weird color(Ok if you are color blind) stripped plane Jane cars. That is why you order.... (When I was looking in Feb)
TJ

lsinc · April 2003

The S Plan is offered through the Ford Partner Recognition Program. For instance the company my husband works for has ties to another company that get's fleet cars (company cars) through Ford. Since Ford engines are what runs the MPV, we were eligable for the S Plan. The E Plan I know nothing about. My guess is that it is for employees of Ford/Mazda??

huckster · April 2003

Ace, is the GFX package a readily available package? I too can use the X plan and after getting over my mental hump of driving a minivan I really like the MPV. We are in a Volvo V40 wagon now and love that car but w/3rd kid expected need the seats. I think the MPV offers all the "neat" stuff that the Honda comes with (big thing is that rear seat that disappears)and the middle seats that can be a bench or split. Compared to Honda and new Toyota (love the new Sienna) is seems to be a value. Is it a cheap car? The Sienna was impressive but way over priced for the high end options plus no S plan disc. Your comments?

acedriver · April 2003

I think my company has some Ford partner discount too. I will look into it - Thanks Isinc.

Huckster: The GFX package was not on the quote which I got. I think you wanted to ask the question to Isinc !

lsinc · April 2003

You are more then welcome!

Keep us posted and Good Luck!

lsinc · April 2003

The GFX Package is easy to get. It just enhances the way the MPV looks making it more sporty looking. I have parked next to MPV's that don't have it and feel mine is a sportier looking van. It's kind of funny, I didn't want to drive a mini van and before my Villager we had a sedan which was bright red with oversized tires - very sporty. Even with two kids, we outgrew it but I have to say I held on until the very last possible moment. Now, I love my minivan and wouldn't drive anything else.

The MPV is cheaper price wise then its counterparts. I was able to test drive an Odyssey for 2 days. It was an '02, very bare bones - i.e. no power sliding doors, no cd player, no traction control. Because of the popularity of the Ody it was priced at $25,000. Granted it only had 6K miles on it but I still think that is high. I still don't get what all the broohaha is over the Ody. I didn't like the way it handled. The rear end felt swishy. The Sedona felt the same way.

Anyway, I'm getting carried away. You can get a very loaded MPV for less then the Ody or the Sienna. The MPV is very well put together. No cheap interior items and it has 10 cup holders and the flip up tray inbetween the front seats. If you go to the Mazda website you can actually build an MPV with all of the options you want and it will give you a pretty accurate ball park price. I think it's simply Mazda.com.

The other thing I wanted to tell you is that some people say that the MPV is too small especially if you need the third seat. I have to say that with the "well" that the third seat folds into, you can get quite a bit of stuff stowed in the back. My Villager was bigger then the MPV but I can get more in the back with all of the seats in place.

When we were shopping for our MPV all I really wanted was the roof rack and the Moon Roof. Our MPV had the auto sliders and I have to say that I love this feature. You can open them 3 ways; with the keyless entry, from the inside or if you just pull up on the door handle they open. You can also push a button to shut the feature off and use them manually. It's a very nice feature when you have kids. I also like the second row seats being apart. I can actually move from the front to the back of the van with ease.

Wow, I do get carried away. Sorry it's so long! Yikes! Good Luck!

sweet_subie · April 2003

i agree with everything you said.........if i can get all this with HOnda/toyota engine - that would be the best.........

still this ford 200hp struggles a bit & a little noisy esp. in idling......

lsinc · April 2003

Just my two cents. I don't find that the engine in the MPV struggles at all. It has more power then my Villager had. I also find it to be a quiet engine and the shifting is very smooth. We do have the towing package so maybe that's why??

tomj5 · April 2003

Very interesting observations. I agree on the ody and toy. Nice cars but not that nice for the prices..
I ordered the 4 seasons for the extra cooling. The major weakness of Fords is too small cooling systems.
According to my perferred shop mechanic, we just bought Fords. I hope he is wrong....

TJ

mxylplik2 · April 2003

Did this expire? I can't find this anywhere on the incentives and rebates section of this website for the MPV.

I only see the special financing rates. If it did expire, any chance it will come back? When?

Thanks.

eddie777 · April 2003

Very impressed . . .

I think it had good acceleration; I think the power is adequate now with the 200 horses. I can see how the old 170 horses might not have been enough.

I thought the build quality was very good. It had a very refined look and feel. The nice thing about a 4 or 5 yr old model is the maker has had a lot of time to refine it and work out any bugs.

And as anyone who has an MPV already knows, it comes in a nice compact size. We have two kids, and the space it has is more than enough for us. Why buy more space than you really need? You'll just have a harder time finding parking.

My only reservation is that Ford Duratec. Yes I know this has been beaten to death, but I still second what sweet_subie says: put a Honda or Toyota engine in this baby. To me it will then be the near-perfect MV.

lsinc · April 2003

Ok, I'm probably going to be repeating myself but I have to say that the MPV is not a Ford!! It has a Ford 3.0 Duratech engine in it. It's a great engine. The problem Ford was having was placing that engine with a Ford tranny. Mazda took the Duratech and has reconfigured it a bit and placed a JATTCO (totally Japanese) tranny with it. It's a great combo. I really, really did my research on these vans. After having had a '94 Ford Taurus that went through 3 trannies in 9 months I can assure you I would never, ever buy a Ford again. The engine was great in it though it was the tranny that sucked and all of the other issues it had. I won't get into all of it. I only owned it for 10 months.

Frankly, after all of the Honda Ody horror stories I have heard regarding the tranny that is in it and the over pricing for a van that I think is cheap interior wise, Honda can keep it. I have also heard that the auto powered door is a problem. Believe me, if I'm going to pay that kind of money, the van better not have a single issue. I had a Honda Civic and it was the worse car I ever owned and Honda was so awful to deal with.

I can't say anything about the Sienna other than I didn't like the interior of the '03. It's very difficult to deal with especially having to remove seats. That's also why I didn't buy the Kia Sedona. The '04 Sienna is going to have it's problems I am sure and it is pretty expensive. I do know that the '03 and older Sienna's were notorious for engine sludge due to Toyota's long recommended time span between oil changes.

What can I say, I love my MPV and will defend it totally!

eddie777 · April 2003

The latest CR reliability rankings would suggest you are right about the MPV. 40% better than than the average van.

Perhaps it is unfair to assume the Duratec is crap just because it was used in some crappy Fords. If the Duratec is a good engine, then it's a little like a good actor who does crappy films. No one will say you did a great acting job, the best anyone will say is "the film was crap, but it wasn't his fault." But if you want to get noticed, you have to give a great performance in a great film.

So I guess due to the Duratec's previous associations, the best one can say about it is "it was used in some crappy Fords, but it wasn't the reason the cars were crappy". Perhaps the Duratec is slowly getting good notices as it is finally used in a good car. But only people who do their research would know that right?

cw11 · April 2003

Leslie, congratulations on your new toy. Could you advise which part of the country you bought your MPV? My wife wouldn't agree to buy a MPV unless it has the all sports package (or at least a GFX package). But the dealers in New York searched throughout the east coast and told us that our only option was to order one from Japan. Thanks in advance:-)

newmpvowner · April 2003

Been shopping for a minivan, was looking to purchase a 2003 Sienna, I check around Washington area but no dealer had anything left, so I did some research and found that MPV is what I need.

Just purchased a MPV LX today. It comes standard with Power Door and Dual A/C. (Nothing else)
I spend all day calling all the Mazda dealers in this area to compare prices. Paid $21,200 out the door. I think it's a pretty good price, but please let me know what you all think.

mazda_guy · April 2003

Hi You All,
Has anyone taken MPV to an automatic car wash? If so, any problems? Anything to watch for? So far I was always washing my ES by hand because I was afraid I may have problems especially with the rear wiper, side mirrors, roof rack, or antenna when going trough a car wash. Thanks for any comments.

MG

subearu · April 2003

I've taken our MPV through a auto wash with no problems. I suppose the antenna can get whipped around a bit if it's one of those brush ones, but I try to go to the brushless ones.

They should fold the mirrors in. If they don't, you can do it instead.

-Brian

lyndamarie · April 2003

We’ve had our 03 ES for 3 months and 4,000 miles and LOVE IT! We live in Colo Spgs at 7,000 ft and power has not been a problem. We can take it over mtn passes (+10K ft) and it holds a lower gear without the tranny shifting up and down constantly. I am getting 20/27 mpg, got up to 30 mpg on a spring break trip to TX (nice and flat!).

The tumble down rear seat is great for taking bikes and stuff, but the well holds groceries nicely when the seat is up. It’s easy to get the kids in and out of their car seats without killing your back! I don’t understand the problem some people have had with the gear shift column. I use it as a guide to adjust the volume (over the top of the shift lever) and or the temperature (under the lever). Maybe I’m weird, but I kind of like using it as a guide without having to look down there!

I would highly recommend this van for everyday “driveability” for work and hauling kids. It’s very maneuverable for those small parking places, but big enough to haul enough stuff for a family of 4 (and I like to bring EVERYTHING!). We looked at the competition and just kept coming back to the MPV. I hope all prospective van buyers take a look at the MPV, I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised to see such a nice package at a reasonable price.

Car wash question: I have the roof rack and stuff too. Just take it through the “brushless” washers. If you’re planning on keeping the van long term, avoid the brushes that could potentially scratch your finish or damage the o

eddie777 · April 2003

Hmmm. I just checked the J.D. Power rankings here on Edmunds and the MPV didn't seem to fare too well, several 3/5 scores and a 2/5 for mechanical.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/mazda/mpv/100122699/ratings_jdpow- er.html?tid=edmunds.n.prices.vdpheaderratingslinks..0.Mazda*

This seems to be contrary to the latest CR reliability ratings that place it right at the top of minivans at about 40% better than average. Anyone have thoughts about the J.D. Power survey?

backy · April 2003

Note the wide disparity and ratings between the '01 and '02 models. The upturn in the rating for Performance in the '02 model can be explained by the introduction of the 200 hp engine in '02, but how about the big differences in Body & Interior Quaity, Creature Comforts, and Style, for what is essentially the same van? The big difference in ratings for Style are especially interesting, since the van had only minor styling tweaks (new grille etc.) in '02. There are other data points you should consider, such as the CR reliability surveys and input from long-term owners (such as you'll find in forums like this).

mazda_guy · April 2003

Yes, I have made on ES 2002 15,000 miles since February 2002. I love my MPV and the only problem I have had was fogging right fog light(looks like oxymoron). The only thing I will need soon are front tires (I don't rotate). I don't think front will last more than 20-25k. Rear should hold another 20 - 25k easily.

I wonder if I will match my wife's 2001 Acura TL with 40,000 (still original Michelin tires) miles and not even one problem so far (someone in this tread, earlier, questioned Honda quality????)

MG

lsinc · April 2003

We bought ours in Connecticut. I doubt very much that you would have to order from Japan for a GFX Package. First of all the GFX Package is the Sporty front and rear fascias and side sill extensions. It only changes the way the MPV looks. The 4 season Package is the increased engine and transmission cooling capacity; 3000 lb towing capacity; heavy duty battery and wiper motor; heated mirrors; rear heater with front and rear controls; 5.8 quart washer-fluid tank. There is also the Traction control and side air bags package. My van has all of that and I am glad for it.

Where in NY are you? There aren't many Mazda dealers in CT but the one we dealt with had a huge selection.

lsinc · April 2003

I'm the one who said I don't like Honda's and I don't. But, that's my opinion. I had one and hated it and will never own one again. I had a Ford Taurus and hated it and will never own one again. It's like anything, what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. I'm sure there are folks out there who don't like Subaru. My husband commutes 350 miles a week (5 days) and drives a '92 Legacy Wagon with 182,000 miles on it. We bought it with 85,000 miles on it 2 years ago. He also drives it up north 530 miles one way every weekend in the summer. Never, ever have had a problem with it. Same with his '90 Subaru Loyale 200,000 miles and going strong. He gave it to my nephew. Anyway, what can I say. I love my Mazda and will defend it to the end. Zoom-Zoom!

lsinc · April 2003

I think you did pretty well. So it has the rear A/C and the auto sliding doors? Does it have a roof rack? The dual auto sliding doors and the rear A/C are actually options and not standard at all.

Enjoy your MPV........Zoom-Zoom!

lsinc · April 2003

that's me, is hanging it up before everyone throws me off this message board! I just love talking cars!

newmpvowner · April 2003

The only option I got was the Dual AC and the dual power door. It does not have a roof rack or any other options.

Drove it to work today, it was a very smooth ride. It's like driving my car.

The only issue I noticed was that it was pretty noisy when idling. Not sure if this is normal.

cw11 · April 2003

Hi Leslie,
We live in Fishkill, New York, just 25 minutes from Connecticut through Hwy 84. One dealer in Albany did find one MPV LX with GFX package. However, it also comes with DVD option which we aren't ready for (my six year old daughter has already spent too much time on the computer and TV). Could you tell us which dealer in Connecticut you dealt with? Hopefully we can have better luck with them. So far the lowest quote we got on the LX w/package is 1.75% over invoice plus $2000 dealer cash, not bad for a starting point except it's hard to find one with GFX (or all sports) package. Thanks.

tboner · April 2003

We have a CEG'er who just rolled over to 250K Miles on a 1995 Contour with the 2.5L Duratec.

Peep this link: 250K Mile Contour

TB

javadoc · April 2003

What does that guy do for a living? Traveling salesman? That's a great milestone!

/j

cw11 · April 2003

Leslie, thanks for the info. We checked this dealer's inventory but couldn't find any MPV with the GFX package. We may still end up ordering one from Japan, seems like a common practice from people's postings on this board. Hope it's worth the wait.

lsinc · April 2003

I think the wait will be worth it. Good Luck!

Mazda MPV

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