2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

groverc · September 2011

I was able to buy a 3 5-Door Sport for $1,500 under invoice. I did not qualify for owner loyalty, but I did get the car at invoice minus manufacturer to dealer cash of $750, minus a private offer of $250 minus an additional $500 off instead of the 0 percent. Sticker on car was $22,565. Invoice was $21,200. My price was $19,700 plus doc of $149.95.

While I was very happy with the overall price, the experience and deal was horrible. The dealer forced me to buy window etch as well as made me sign a document saying that I "voluntarily accepted" ETCH and that my purchase of ETCH was NOT contingent on the purchase of my car.

If I refused to sign the dealer said he could not sell me the car, citing it was state law. Seriously, I could not make this up. The ETCH was another $249. Even with the additional charge, I was fine with the price, but disgusted with the dealership.

And, the car was delivered with over inflated tires and the battery cover and fuse box cover not attached and flopping around in the engine compartment.

I did send my story to Mazda North America, but only received a typical canned response. As a loyal Mazda owner having owned seven Mazdas of which four I bought new, I did expect
more.

The dealer has yet to contact me since buying the car, and has not returned my emails or phone calls. The dealer, located in Indianapolis, Indiana is Ray Skillman Northeast Mazda. I have bought other cars from Ray Skillman dealers that went perfectly fine. Not sure what happened here.

calimobile · September 2011

Glad to hear some of you were able to get a good deal on your new Mazda. One of the other vehicles I'm considering is the Hyundai Elantra but they don't even have enough of them, much less get one below MSRP. I enjoyed test driving the Mazda better but the Elantra's seats and interior are a little more appealing to me, so this may come down to price.

groverc - sorry to hear of your unpleasant buying experience; I sort of rank car salesmen along with politicians & lawyers. I always feel like I need to put some mental armour on before I go to the lot.

lookingmz3 · October 2011

Anyone have any luck on buying the 2012 MZ3 i Sport Automatic in September? Lowest offer in the Atlanta, GA area was $18227 OTD (new tag and everything). Should I take this deal or can I get it lower?

inafixkiddo · October 2011

You got a good deal.. I just signed one for 16500 price + taxes .. comes to around 18k..

calimobile · October 2011

Now that the 2012 Mazda 3's with the new SKYACTIV engines have arrived, has anybody bought one or are you thinking about it like I am?

I'm wondering if they really get the 28/40 mpg that they claim. Please share your experience.

Thanks!

mizzoumazda · October 2011

I hope so. I've got a 2008 with the small engine, and urban mileage is terrible.

autonomous · October 2011

Is your car a manual or automatic?

Are you averaging less than 25 mpg overall on your 2008 Mazda3 2.0 L?

Sandman6472 · October 2011

The mileage the wife gets is terrible actually that I don't even try to calculate it. Understandable with the 2.3 engine and this thing can really kick [non-permissible content removed] when needed but the mpg's just are terrible. Will push, when the time, to get a bit of a smaller engine in her next ride. The more research I do, the more I realize that the Elantra is the right car for her...it's looks are very modern without looking like every other econobox out there and the interior is a cut above the rest. From every angle, the car just looks great. This shape looks o k on the Sonata but just looks fantastic on the smaller Elantra, just wears it better! Don't mind the bolt on wheel covers, but the alloys make the car, a real head turner! So, I'm gonna push for the Elantra unless she decides to venture into the intro luxury market. Then it'll come down to the C Class or the 3 Series. But spending that much change might scare her to much but she does deserve it. Will have to play the angel/devil on the shoulder role to help her decide!

That used '07 330i I sat in at the dealer last week was just intoxicating...the perforated leather thrones were unbelievably so comfortable and the radio sounded very nice that I think I just sat there for about 15 or do minutes just taking it all in. Decided that I could get very used to one of these as a d d even though the seat was a bit too low for my for my poor spine. With a higher seating position, I could actually do it. But they were asking a bit much for a car that old though with mileage in the mid 40's, guess it wasn't to far off. But as of yesterday, both BMW's were still sitting in the lot in the same parking places...the IS 250 was gone already. Still, what a great car. Am thinking that when I take my Civic in for the compressor problem next week to ask for a test drive in the sedan since I've never driven a 3 Series. I need to try the koolaide to see what y'all love about yours...want to experience 1st hand the experience. If it's anything close to the C Class I drove last year, that would be so cool. Hopefully, they'll agree to a test drive even though I have no intention of buying it. It just begs to be driven and it's calling my name!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

autonomous · October 2011

The mileage the wife gets is terrible actually that I don't even try to calculate it. Understandable with the 2.3 engine and this thing can really kick [non-permissible content removed] when needed but the mpg's just are terrible
Mazda claims the new SkyActiv is about 20% more fuel efficient than the 2.0L sedan and closer to 30% than the 2.5L hatchback.

the Elantra is the right car for her...it's looks are very modern without looking like every other econobox out there and the interior is a cut above the rest. From every angle, the car just looks great. This shape looks o k on the Sonata but just looks fantastic on the smaller Elantra, just wears it better!
Agreed, the Elantra is a stunning new car in the marketplace.

That used '07 330i I sat in at the dealer last week was just intoxicating ... they were asking a bit much for a car that old though with mileage in the mid 40's
What was the selling price?

languedoctor · October 2011

Last week, I purchased a 2012 below invoice. s Touring 5-door. Manual.

Invoice: $20,600
TMV: $21,500
Paid: $19,500

Three things helped. First, it was a discontinued model. Now, the 5dr touring is only available as an i model. Second, they seemed very anxious to get rid of the manual trans. Nobody had even test driven it. It had 4mi on the odometer when I bought it. Third, there was dealer cash aside from what is published on Edmunds. I wasn't aware of it, but was well-enough informed about so many other things that the sales manager just assumed that I knew, and made open reference to it.

So there's my suggestion, provided you're interested in the 2.5 engine. Try to find one of those limited availability 2012 s Touring.

jeffb1 · October 2011

2012 mz3 S GT with only option being tech pkg: msrp of $25,900, truecar 'great price' = $24,200 ($1700 off sticker). 2 questions for you all... 1) anyone bought one of these straight up yet, and if so, if you could share the price paid, i'd appreciate it. 2) anyone know the plans for the skyactiv - will there be a version of it with the tech pkg (including push button start), and if so, does anyone know when they will start landing at the dealers?

Thx in advance! great forum w/good info, btw.

Jeff B.

secondmazda · October 2011

Good deal. I picked up on Friday a 2012 silver 3 iTouring 4-door 5-speed manual (MZR engine, not the Skyactiv engine) for $16,995 out the door, including the $500 Mazda loyalty rebate, plates being UPS'ed to me and a full tank of gas in the car. I'd have loved to buy the Skyactiv version, but they're only just now hitting lots in my neck of the woods and this deal -- roughly $1,700 below invoice (not including the loyalty rebate) -- was too good to pass up. If our experience is any indication, below-invoice purchases can be had on the "base" I and S models, at least with the 5-speed manual, especially if one solicits bids from multiple dealers. I suspect, though, that the dealers will be holding firm near MSRP for the Skyactiv models. In the meantime, I'm quite happy with my purchase.

aviboy97 · October 2011

I'm wondering if they really get the 28/40 mpg that they claim. Please share your experience.

One of the first people to purchase a SKYACTIV Mazda3 from our store got 38.6mpg on his first trip to upstate New York. Speed traveled is unknown, but that drive is an increase in altitude the whole way.

Kirstie_H · November 2011

A reporter is looking to speak with someone who has recently traded down from a midsize to a small car, or who recently bought a compact car after shopping both midsize and compacts. Please e-mail pr@edmunds.com with a daytime phone contact and a brief description of your experience.

kar_freak · November 2011

Just bought a new 2011 Mazda 3 i Sport auto for $16650 out the door with 0% financing for 60 months in Houston. Does not include loyalty.

MSRP $18350
Dealer suggested retail $19600 (dealer added appearance package - pinstripes and clear coat)
Selling price $15300
Out the door $16650

gebu19 · December 2011

hate to be a jer, but I paid 15,000 for a 2012 sport today (went online to look at forums like these). I got no rebates, just keyless entry and a head unit installation covered.

They call me...The Haggler!

gebu19 · December 2011

Faulkner Mazda in Philly is where I went (from Montgomeryville). I paid for a 12' Mazda 3 Sport (auto) $15k with keyless entry thrown in. They were beyond nice. Didn't ever get typical 'salesman' on me either. I've been recommending them to everyone, even people not buying cars.

mhnar · December 2011

HI
I am about to buy mazda 4 door with 6 speed auto/Manual gear 3 i touring with Bose package (10 speaker sound system + moonroof +bluetooth integration) in san diego.
So, before i pay the money and agree to the dealer, I would like to hear any suggestion or opinion for the price.

That guy is selling the car for $19K + taxes +registration.
I wanna know if this is the average price on the car.. or I have no idea about the market.
Hope you guys can help.

Thanks

johnten · December 2011

I went to a Mazda dealer this morning. I printed out the Truecar certificate for a 2011 Mazda3 which I received via email on 12/5. They took a look at it and said that it included a $300 LA car show incentive which is no longer valid. I was willing to say ok and pay the extra money. BUT when I told them I wanted the 0% APR they said they would have to charge me an additional $1000 on top of the sale price of the car because of it. Needless to say I didn't buy the car.

iiqwertyii · December 2011

I just bought a 2010 Mazda3 S Sport hatchback w/ manual transmission. Color is white w/ Bose sound and moonroof. The mileage was 20K and it was spotless. I paid $15,500 and out the door price was 16,900 after tax, license, registration, etc in California. Was this a good price? I researched and no other dealer would touch this price, but after seeing this forum, I wonder if I actually got a good price. It seems like some people are getting killer prices on newer models.

chaz9999 · December 2011

Went to a dealer and got a quote on a SKYACTIV manual hatch. I own a Mazda so I qualified for the customer loyalty and $500 mfg rebate. Selling price was $18k due to rebate+loyalty and then tacked on service fees + tax = OTD $19.6k

They didn't want to budge any lower... Anyone think that's a reasonable price or should I keep shopping?

kybackpacker · December 2011

I am currently looking at an automatic 2010 Mazda3 Sport with around18k miles and am trying to come up with the best OTD offer to give. The car is currently listed at $18,000 which has to be a joke. I like in KY so I was thinking of making an OTD offer of $15,500. Anyone have ideas on whether this would be a good deal or should I try lower?

Thanks!

chaz9999 · December 2011

I can't speak to the '10 S price, but I managed to find a dealer that offered 19k flat out-the-door for my '12 Skyactiv.

So yea, that 18k is outrageous.

johnten · December 2011

Some people have gotten some great deals on 2012 Mazda3 i Sports. Low 15's is really good. I can only get quotes in the 16's. What am I doing wrong? I'd like to buy one buy the end of the month. I guess I need some negotiating tips.

ken117 · December 2011

Love those "customer loyalty" bonues. I was close to purchasing a new Mazda for a family member and I inquired about that bonus. Was told we didn't qualify because we don't own a Mazda. My response was to ask why they expect someone who has never owned a Mazda to pay more than someone who previously owned a Mazda. I think it would be more beneficial for Mazda to pay someone a bonus who might otherwise purchase from another manufacturer. Needless to say, for $500 we went to another manufacturer, more the principle than the money. I suppose we could have continued to discuss but the concept just bothers me.

m6user · December 2011

Rewarding loyal customers is a bad thing? If they offered to everyone how would that be rewarding loyalty to the brand? Might as well just lower the price or offer nothing. If you owned one and they offered it to new customers too you'd probably complain that your loyalty means nothing.

autonomous · December 2011

it would be more beneficial ... to pay someone a bonus who might otherwise purchase from another manufacturer.
Interesting spin on brand loyalty. It could also be spun as
a) disloyalty: give me $ for not being loyal to a competitor; or
b) future loyalty: give me $ so that I can become a loyal client (that is, until a competitor offers "a"). :P

radius480 · December 2011

Hello there,

I have been receiving quotes on a 2012 MAZDA3 i Touring Hatchback (5 door). I am in no hurry to buy so I have gone to a lot of dealers seeking the best price. The best price I have found is 19,400. Is this a good deal? The dealer also wants to throw in free oil changes for a year. Thanks for your help.

aviboy97 · December 2011

YOu have an issue with rewarding customers for their continued business? That's odd....

Company's do this all the time. Credit cards do with reward points. Airlines do with frequent bonus miles for people who fly their airlines with regularity. Heck, many other manufacturers offer some sort of loyalty bonus.

The fact that you thought this was something to steer you away from Mazda is just crazy. Not everyone gets the same deal everywhere. It's all about how you negotiate. I'm sure there are people who have used the owner loyalty bonus and payed more than those who did not qualify.

igozoomzoom · December 2011

We need some additional to determine whether $19,400 is a good dealor not.

Are you looking at the i Touring 5-door with Automatic or Manual Transmission? Does it have any options?

Is $19,400 the price before sales tax & tag/title fees or does it include those?

Where are you located (state)? Incentives and pricing vary by location.

Just as an example, the best price in my area (Atlanta, GA) for the i Touring 5-door Automatic is around $18,450.

hwang124 · December 2011

I just got a potential offer for the 2012 Mazda 3 iTouring with Skyactiv for $19,700 out the door price. Is this a fair deal?

It's just the sedan, automatic transmission, nothing else fancy added on. The out the door price includes tax, tags, and license/registration. This is a deal in MD.

radius480 · December 2011

19,400 is for 5 door automatic with no Options I touring. That isn't out the door either. I am in Oklahoma. But I have started looking out of state and saw in Texas these cars sell for 18,900. I think since we have 3 Mazda dealers here in OK the prices remain close and competitive.

damien7 · January 2012

I just got a new 2012 Skyactiv 4 DR iGT. I put 600$ and after paying fees am paying 260per month for 36m 12k. Good deal? Other dealers were 10-40 dollars more expensive per month

autonomous · January 2012

new 2012 Skyactiv 4 DR iGT. I put 600$ and after paying fees am paying 260per month for 36m 12k. Good deal?
Fees = $?
Automatic / Manual
Other Options?

moogoogaipan · January 2012

I paid $14,800 for a 2012 Mazda3 i Sport with a manual transmission back near the end of December.

For the people asking about how to get a decent price: Just have several dealers compete for your money, and let them all know that they are competing against several dealers. Just keep throwing out the lowest quoted number to each dealer and they will try to undercut each other. Eventually you'll end up with one lowest bid, at that point go to the dealer and buy your car.

Though taking the lowest price isn't always the best deal. See what type of freebies the dealer throws in, such as free oil changes, inspections, car washes, etc. Be sure to factor that into your decision.

johnten · January 2012

Do you guys think Mazda will do a 0% 90 days deferred payment special in February or March on the Mazda3? I'm still in the market or a new car, would like to get a new Mazda3, but want to pay as little as possible. I'm willing to wait a month or 2.

msocie123 · January 2012

Im in the market for purchasing a Mazada 3 vehicle - looking for the best deal in New Jersey with the best finance options - i would prefer 0/0 financing if possible.
Any ideas - has anyone purchased a Mazada 3 recently in NJ and where from. Any new info is much appreciated.

hatchbacklove · January 2012

2012 Mazda3 i touring hatchback, automatic, $19,940 exclude tax and plate. $8000 down, 0 APR for 60 month. no other options. New York long island area. Is it a good deal? I'm not in a hurry to buy so please share any info. Thank you

woochifer · January 2012

Looks like the base prices on the Skyactiv Mazda3 models have gone up by about $350. I recently bought a Mazda 3i Touring AT. MSRP was $21,995 and the offer was $20,300, after including a $500 customer loyalty incentive. The financing deal was 1.9% with $0 down and no payments for 90 days. Those offers ended on January 3. Looks like the new financing program is the same, except without the 90 day no payment.

I just checked the dealer inventory, and the MSRP on the exact same model and option package has increased to $22,345. I gotta wonder if the stickers on all of the cars already sitting on the dealer lots got swapped out with the new MSRP, or if this is just something that pops up when doing an online inventory check.

woochifer · January 2012

"2012 Mazda3 i touring hatchback, automatic, $19,940 exclude tax and plate. $8000 down, 0 APR for 60 month. no other options. New York long island area. Is it a good deal? I'm not in a hurry to buy so please share any info. Thank you "

Looks good after you factor in the finance charges, or lack thereof in your case. At least in my area, the Mazda3 does not get the 0% APR, only the Mazda6, CX-7, and CX-9.

That offer looks like the dealer is taking $1,000 off MSRP, depending on the actual sticker price (as mentioned in my post, Mazda just raised the posted MSRP on the 3i Touring models by $350 over the last week). If that particular car has been sitting on the lot for a while (and the actual cost is based on the previous invoice price), you might have a little bit more leeway to further negotiate the price down.

xcountryflyer · January 2012

My friend is close to buying a 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring hatchback with the Tech Package. The dealer has offered $23K and is including the rear bumper guards. The dealer will sell my friend the all-weather mats and fog lights at cost (these are not added in). No manual option in iGT or he would have taken it and saved the money. This is all before taxes/fees.

This seems like a very good price - below invoice.

He is thinking of the extending the bumper to bumper warranty to 8/100K for $1800.00.

I'm not a big fan of extended warranties esp. since the 3 is a reliable vehicle. And the markup on extended warranties is so great.

What do you think of the price? And esp. the extended warranty price?

autonomous · January 2012

He is thinking of the extending the bumper to bumper warranty to 8/100K for $1800.00. I'm not a big fan of extended warranties esp. since the 3 is a reliable vehicle. And the markup on extended warranties is so great.

I agree with you and I would forego the extended warranty.

djens1 · January 2012

I was initially planning on buying used, but with the current deal from Mazda for 0% financing for 60 mo and 750 cash, a new 2011 mazda3 seems to be the best value. There is currently a 3i Sport (5m) in my area with a tag on the dealer's webpage for $17.5k, but the car is also posted on autotrader/cars.com/etc. for $15,996. A few other dealers in the area still have 2011 models, but this is the only manual I've found, and manual is my preference.

Does anyone have experience, advice with negotiating the price in this situation, or any estimates of what I should expect to pay? I'm not in a rush to buy either, but would like to take advantage of the 0% if I can get a good price.

Kirstie_H · January 2012

Are you a 20-something who recently bought a new car or who is right now in the market for a new car? A reporter is looking to talk with young Americans to see what they are looking for in their next new vehicle. Please contact pr@edmunds.com with contact information and a brief description of your experience by Friday, January 20, 2012.

woochifer · January 2012

I would think you can go a lot lower than $17.5k on a 2011 3i Sport, considering that the MSRP on a brand new 2012 3i Sport is only $17.6k. The 2011 models though do qualify for the 0% financing deals. The current offer for 2012 models is 1.9%.

steveaspesi · March 2012

anyone bought a Mazda 3 recently using the Costco buying program?

I have to go in to get the price - sounds like it comes with all the incentives after using the invoice price. not sure if they would give the loyalty cash to someone who isn't a current mazda owner.

I just hate getting a price and running with it to do better, but I can't help myself.

uaz · March 2012

Has anybody heard of any unpublished fees that a dealer can charge on the top of the cost of the car for alowing the custumer to finance through the manufacturer? For example, the dealer told me that in order for me to buy a new car (Mazda3) using the manufacturer's advertized deal of the month 0.9% rate, I have to pay extra 250$ or go to a bank and apply for a loan. This did not sound honest to me. Please let me know your thoughts! I need to be able to rate the dealer fairly. Strangely, they forgot to include the fee on the final paperwork and I never had to pay it after all.

autonomous · March 2012

I have to pay extra 250$ or go to a bank and apply for a loan. This did not sound honest to me. ... Strangely, they forgot to include the fee on the final paperwork and I never had to pay it after all.
You're right, that sounds like hokum. It's good that it was left off the paperwork but it makes one wonder what were they thinking and how can you trust them in the future when they say something else strange?

steveaspesi · March 2012

I was at Mazda today to get my "Costco" quote on a Mazda 3, hatch back - i-touring. The sales woman was very professional and up front that if I wanted to take advantage of their .09% 36 mo. financing - their would be a $250 increase in the price.

She said if I were to pay cash or arrange for my own financing I could reduce the price by $250. I didn't ask for an explanation, but learned I could buy the car with zero down and finance the entire car at that rate.

The quote for the car was $19,640 plus tax and title - not bad considering the loan rate. I think I can work this a bit more come end of the month - just not sure if I can still get the low financing as well.

uaz · March 2012

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. I still think that the proper thing to do is advertize the 250$ "fee" upfront (on Mazda.com). This just does not seam to be the right way to do business. Also, the internet quote I got from non-participating dealers (in the Costco program) on a hatchback i touring skyactive with manual was about 18,600 which is better than what participating dealers offered - 100 below invoce. I wonder if costco deals are worth it or just a way to drag costumers in.

2013 and Earlier - Mazda3 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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