calling Mazda 6 owners !!! need suggestions ...

[sshe11]

hey guys, I'll be buying a used car soon ~ $20K ... how can I bargain with the salesman ??? Can I ask them to throw in the extended warranty for free :lol: ...

[DragonZealot]

The first thing you need is the dealer invoice from carcost or APA which gives you the bottom line price. Without this piece of info it is very difficult.

[sshe11]

so i can get the present value of the 2004 model ?? I thought it was only for new cars ... is there a website where i can get this info from ?

[sunnybono]

go to toyota.ca under their "what's you ca worth" and that will give the black book value of any car that your looking at. As for extended warranty, its buyer beware!!!!!

sk :)

[sshe11]

go to toyota.ca under their "what's you ca worth" and that will give the black book value of any car that your looking at. As for extended warranty, its buyer beware!!!!!

sk :)

awesome ... as for extended warranty its from the Mazda, not worht it ? .. i'll be more specific, 2004 Mazda 6 GT w/ 40K on it .... the BB says its worth 18 - 19.5 K ... can I bargain if the listing is at 20K ??

[blexann]

hey guys, I'll be buying a used car soon ~ $20K ... how can I bargain with the salesman ??? Can I ask them to throw in the extended warranty for free :lol: ...

Here is what I have done in the past.

Find the selling price for the car you are looking for. The best way is to check all possible sources - do not rely on one source - check used car magazines, autotrader.ca, the Toyota site listed above and newspaper classifieds from all the major news papers.

Then when you are armed with this information only then should you start the bargaining process.

You might also want to try the APA since they offer a used car buying service - not a pricing service - they will find the car for you and give you a money back guarantee I believe within 30 days and all you have to pay would be about $30 /day for the time period you had the car.

As for the warranty check the reliablility for that particular car - check edmonds.com - there are numerous other sources as well. Further, most dealers re-condition their used vehicles and some come with a 'used car warranty'. If you find the car is in good shape and has a good history it may not be worth it to purchase a separate warranty.

[sshe11]

well what i am trying to say is that if the estimated value is 19K does that include the dealer margins ?? I mean they wont sell it to me for 19K if thats what it cost them ...

[belgiangenius]

Juat tell them that if you have to pay too much for the Mazda, you'll just spring for the Honda instead. :)

[konfusion666]

well what i am trying to say is that if the estimated value is 19K does that include the dealer margins ?? I mean they wont sell it to me for 19K if thats what it cost them ...

no, Black Book value is what the dealer would pay YOU for a TRADE-IN given 100% optimal conditions and a "fair world"...

Black Book is NOT the "retail" value of a used car.
In some cases, it might appear like it is... usually for vehicles that nobody wants to buy. I don't think any Mazda is in that category.

In the GTA, some people say for a brand like Honda or Toyota, a "fair" buying price for a used car is black book * 1.15. But its difficult to make absolute statements like this since every used car is different...

[blexann]

well what i am trying to say is that if the estimated value is 19K does that include the dealer margins ?? I mean they wont sell it to me for 19K if thats what it cost them ...


The dealer will sell it to you for whatever profiit they can squeeze out of you - especially when buying used. That's why it's better to sell a car privately then trade it in to a dealer - dealer gives you crap for a trade in.

Do your homework and you won't get taken.

[lumlum1013]

i bought extened warranty when i purchased my mazda new,
and found it was crap and useless, since many things
on the car is covered by orginal warranty but not extended warranty...

one incident where i wanna fix a rust after 80K, they said, sorry
this was only covered by warranty, but not the extended warranty...wtf~?

[sshe11]

the used Mazda i am lookin at still has 1yr manufacturer warranty left on it and is in good condition from what i could see ....

what is the interest rate for car loans at the major banks ??? The dealership will charge me 8% ... I am not financing the full amount but 2/3 of it ..

[actng]

my experience from shopping for a 4 yr old car is that a lot of dealers list cars for 140% of black book value. You can EASILY negotiate down to 120% of black book value.

they'll also throw in a $100 to $150 admin fee that they claim cannot be removed.

you're better off researching the particular vehicle - how much they paid for it... how long has it been on the lot... what brand it is...

i had very good luck after spotting a volkswagen at a toyota dealership. it was there for 6 months. it was an eye sore because it was a toyota dealership and it was a vw. they apparently overpaid for it in a trade in but were willing to sell at a $500 loss which translated to about $200 + black book value. they were also willing to repaint the bumper.

all was good except for the fact that i witnessed my sales guy attack another customer in the showroom after negotiating for a different car.

[bunga]

you can definitely bargain at least a couple thousand off of their asking price depending on your haggling skills. Extended warranty is definitely a good idea, even if you never end up using it. For that $1000 extra or whatever it is you get a lot of peace of mind. When little things start to wear out, say your power windows start to slow down due to age, you can warranty them, or say you have a worst case scenario of a transmission or major engine issue, it's covered. It's better than being faced with the unknown and looking at a $5000 bill.

Look at it this way, you're buying an almost new car because you expect it to be reliable, and if something does go wrong, warranty will take care of it. An extended warranty keeps that peace of mind.

Note however that not all extended warranties are created equal. Get full details on how it works as it varies depending on company. Ask questions such as what does the warranty not cover? Don't ask the salesperson either, they're clueless, they'll just tell you whatever you want to hear. Ask a service advisor at the dealership as they're the ones that have to deal with it day in, day out. If you hear the words 'bumper to bumper warranty", walk away as they're talking out their ass. Also ask about the deductible, how much as it? Are you charged per visit or per issue? Also is the extended warranty provided by the manufacturer (ideal, as it's going to be closer to the original 3/60 warranty) or by a third party insurance company who is a lot cheaper than the manufacturer and will cover fewer items.

[sshe11]

awesome tips guys !!!! keep 'em coming :) ... I will be going to the dealership soon ...

[batcave]

The last time I bought a car 10 years ago, I told the salesguy I was married (I was/am not). When he gave me his 'best price', I said I would have to talk it over with my wife and I would probably have to bring her in because it was over our budget. Thinking this would kill the deal, he lowered the asking price and even threw in some major service (timing belt, major tune up).

I say fight fire with fire! :twisted:

Good luck!

[bunga]

The last time I bought a car 10 years ago, I told the salesguy I was married (I was/am not). When he gave me his 'best price', I said I would have to talk it over with my wife and I would probably have to bring her in because it was over our budget. Thinking this would kill the deal, he lowered the asking price and even threw in some major service (timing belt, major tune up).

I say fight fire with fire! :twisted:

Good luck!

best bargaining tactic ever, get the sales guy to bite, get him to think that you really want to buy the car, then tell him you have to sleep on it. If he's a good sales guy, he'll pull out the classic line - "what can I do to get your business today" or any derivative of that. At all costs, he does not want you leaving the dealership without signing because he knows you're not going to come back. When he pulls the line out, give him whatever low price you're willing to pay (don't go too low or he'll just let you go, be reasonable), he'll check with his manager, and if you're lucky, you have yourself a good deal.

[sshe11]

The last time I bought a car 10 years ago, I told the salesguy I was married (I was/am not). When he gave me his 'best price', I said I would have to talk it over with my wife and I would probably have to bring her in because it was over our budget. Thinking this would kill the deal, he lowered the asking price and even threw in some major service (timing belt, major tune up).

I say fight fire with fire! :twisted:

Good luck!


LOL nice !!

[McLaren]

Go at the end of the month too, when the sales guy is trying to meet his quota for the month - thus willing to deal more.

[sshe11]

I test drove the Mazda 6 GT today and it looked fine ... the interior was well maintained and exterior was in good condition as well except a scratch on the front bumper .... The extended warranty is a Mazda Major component warranty so its not bumper-bumper .... the car still has some factory warranty left on it though....

now i wanna know if the Mazda 6 is a good car ?? from what i've read its a good car, not as good as the Camry/Accord but more fun to drive and I agree with that .... I am 22 and this car suits my image a lot more than a Camry :lol: .... Can some Mazda 6 owners give me some feedback plz ??

[yelworC_]

I test drove the Mazda 6 GT today and it looked fine ... the interior was well maintained and exterior was in good condition as well except a scratch on the front bumper .... The extended warranty is a Mazda Major component warranty so its not bumper-bumper .... the car still has some factory warranty left on it though....

now i wanna know if the Mazda 6 is a good car ?? from what i've read its a good car, not as good as the Camry/Accord but more fun to drive and I agree with that .... I am 22 and this car suits my image a lot more than a Camry :lol: .... Can some Mazda 6 owners give me some feedback plz ??

Is it a V6 or I4 ?
Anyway, Mazda6 is a great car. Night & day compared to Camry. Mazda6 has way better handling, braking, etc. I can tell, I have both :)

[sshe11]

its a V6 :D ... which year Mazda 6 do you have ?? Has it been reliable ?

[yelworC_]

its a V6 :D ... which year Mazda 6 do you have ?? Has it been reliable ?

Mine is '05 (V6 too). ::knock on wood:: no problems so far.

[gheart008]

now i wanna know if the Mazda 6 is a good car ?? from what i've read its a good car, not as good as the Camry/Accord but more fun to drive and I agree with that .... I am 22 and this car suits my image a lot more than a Camry :lol: .... Can some Mazda 6 owners give me some feedback plz ??

Before I got my car in December, the Mazda6 was my ideal car that I was so set on getting. I was planning on getting that car for a full year, always checking financing rates, good deals, etc.

In the end it was a toss up between a brand new Mazda6 or a used IS300 for a bit cheaper. I chose the IS300 since it's a whole different class at an even cheaper price, and Mazda6's don't really hold their value well so buying brand new didn't make much sense. Comparing the blackbook values of my 4 year old IS300 to a one year old Mazda6, the IS300 is worth more now compared to the Mazda6 that I would have paid more for when purchased new.

Guess what I'm trying to say is it's good that you're looking into buying it used, but keep in mind the value on it will continue to drop at a fast rate. If you plan on driving it t othe ground, then that's not really an issue for you then. Other than that, the Mazda6 is an awesome car, one that still makes me turn my head everytime I see one.

[sshe11]

thanks for the info gheart ... but if i get this car I plan to drive it for a while :) .... the IS300 is an awesome car but it would kill me on insurance 'coz i am only 22, right ?? also i'd have to buy a 3-4 yr old IS300 'coz my budget is 20Gs ...

Are there any websites that tell me how to check for wear and tear on a used car ???

[konfusion666]

you want to run a vehicle history check on a used car?

www.carfax.com
www.carproof.com


carfax isnt' that great for us Canadians. suggest you beg someone on the forum to do a report for you. i've run a couple of accident cars which come "clean" on carfax but have loads of red flags on carproof.

carproof is indeed awesome, and gives you the full range of info. but because it costs about $27 per vehicle, you might want to try getting the dealer to pay for it... or just use it at the end of negotiations right before you cut them a cheque. you're better off losing $27 rather than $20000 on a crapbox which was in several serious accidents that carfax doesn't know about...

[konfusion666]

Are there any websites that tell me how to check for wear and tear on a used car ???

or did you mean, how to look for signs of wear when you inspect a used car?

in that case, check out the following article : used vehicle inspection guide (http://www.autotrader.com/research/shared/article.jsp?article_id=7758&refpage=buyingtips&restype=used)

[RiceKing]

now i wanna know if the Mazda 6 is a good car ?? from what i've read its a good car, not as good as the Camry/Accord but more fun to drive and I agree with that .... I am 22 and this car suits my image a lot more than a Camry :lol: .... Can some Mazda 6 owners give me some feedback plz ??[/QUOTE]

I bought a 2006 Mazda6 GT sport wagon with the performance package (18" rim and HID lights!) using carcostscanada.com. Worked out to be 2.5% over dealer invoice with wheel locks and cargo tray.

Things I've noticed:

Towing isn't recommended. I think Subaru is the only fwd/awd that offers a towing package.
Roof rack on wagon is optional $800?!
HID lights can be height level adjusted
18" rims aren't too bad in snow
No GT badges?
Cargo divider works okay as dog barrier
Butt warmers aren't adjustable
FOB includes key that springs open like switchblade.
Autodimming rear view mirror works fine but what about side mirrors?
6 speed auto transmission!
Only way to get side air bags is to upgrade to GT
Subwoofer in wagon built into spare tire.
Rear trunk floor not lockable
Folding side mirrors would've been nice

Rice

[sshe11]

now i wanna know if the Mazda 6 is a good car ?? from what i've read its a good car, not as good as the Camry/Accord but more fun to drive and I agree with that .... I am 22 and this car suits my image a lot more than a Camry :lol: .... Can some Mazda 6 owners give me some feedback plz ??

I bought a 2006 Mazda6 GT sport wagon with the performance package (18" rim and HID lights!) using carcostscanada.com. Worked out to be 2.5% over dealer invoice with wheel locks and cargo tray.

Things I've noticed:

Towing isn't recommended. I think Subaru is the only fwd/awd that offers a towing package.
Roof rack on wagon is optional $800?!
HID lights can be height level adjusted
18" rims aren't too bad in snow
No GT badges?
Cargo divider works okay as dog barrier
Butt warmers aren't adjustable
FOB includes key that springs open like switchblade.
Autodimming rear view mirror works fine but what about side mirrors?
6 speed auto transmission!
Only way to get side air bags is to upgrade to GT
Subwoofer in wagon built into spare tire.
Rear trunk floor not lockable
Folding side mirrors would've been nice

Rice[/QUOTE]

thanks for the info there but I am getting a 2004 Mazda 6 GT . :)

[charliebrown]

you want to run a vehicle history check on a used car?

www.carfax.com
www.carproof.com


carfax isnt' that great for us Canadians. suggest you beg someone on the forum to do a report for you. i've run a couple of accident cars which come "clean" on carfax but have loads of red flags on carproof.

carproof is indeed awesome, and gives you the full range of info. but because it costs about $27 per vehicle, you might want to try getting the dealer to pay for it... or just use it at the end of negotiations right before you cut them a cheque. you're better off losing $27 rather than $20000 on a crapbox which was in several serious accidents that carfax doesn't know about...

another user is offering free carfax reports until march 18: http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=266204

[ronny1980]

I drive a GT-V6 /w GFX

Bought it in June 2003.

So far zero mechanical problems.

The only problem I have with the car is road noise and the lack of torque at low revs.

Would I buy the same car again? Yes.

[sshe11]

or did you mean, how to look for signs of wear when you inspect a used car?

in that case, check out the following article : used vehicle inspection guide (http://www.autotrader.com/research/shared/article.jsp?article_id=7758&refpage=buyingtips&restype=used)

ya thats what i meant ... hehe

[sshe11]

I drive a GT-V6 /w GFX

Bought it in June 2003.

So far zero mechanical problems.

The only problem I have with the car is road noise and the lack of torque at low revs.

Would I buy the same car again? Yes.

awesome !!! that was exactly the kind of feedback i was looking for !! cheers !