The GT with manual transmission in Canada

[ROBOTO]

Life is made up of small pleasures.
One of them is that the GT is available with a manual in Canada...

(dance)


(canada)

I just want to tell the story of how I got my Mazda. Actually, I had to put a factory order for my car. There was not one single GT in white with the sand leather and a manual transmission, anywhere in Canada. I signed the papers the last weekend in May, it was Saturday May 31. And I picked it up on Saturday July 26, two months wait. It is just an indication that even when the car is available in that configuration, no one in Canada buys it, so the dealers do not keep it in stock. Two dealers told me that the only leather color they ever order for the GTs is black. Since 2012, these two dealers have never ordered a GT with the sand leather! They said it doesn't sell here. Also, the cloth interior is available in Canada only in black. Apparently the Canadian consumer only wants a black interior.

Also, the sand leather is available in Canada only with a white or a red car. In the USA you have the choice of white, red, or gray.

I am into motorcycles too, and lately into scooters. There is a Yamaha scooter that is only available in Canada (Yamaha Tmax, 530 cc), and I know of a guy who imported one into the USA, from Canada. Apparently the paperwork and fees were not that much. So if you really want a GT with a manual, it would be possible. Also, the US dollar is strong again vs. the Canadian, so you have that in your favor.

I also imported a scooter from the USA into Canada, because it was never available for sale here. Paperwork was not that much either. So, where there's a will there's a way, if you are crazy enough...

 

[socialcarpet]

Wow..I can't lie, I'm a little jealous! I had no idea you could get the GT with a manual in Canadia land. The manual is strictly limited to the Sport model in the states and even then it's quite rare. I was lucky even to find a manual 5 at all down here. The one I bought last week was one of only 3 manual 5's left in the entire state of Florida!

 

[Silentnoise713]

Wait, are you just gloating or offering to help import GT??

 

[USCTrojan4JC]

I found out you Canucks can get the Grand Touring trim with 6MT here:

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2015-mazda5/

Not fair!

Congratulations! And...

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto!

 

[Hank3]

I found out you Canucks can get the Grand Touring trim with 6MT here:

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2015-mazda5/

Not fair!

Congratulations! And...

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto!

The pics in the article show cloth seats. Maybe not a GT?

 

[ROBOTO]

The pics in the article show cloth seats. Maybe not a GT?

It is a GT alright, but in Canada it is available with or without leather.

 

[socialcarpet]

I wish we Americans were half as smart as Canadians. You guys get manual transmissions and understand the value of hatchbacks and wagons. I envy the European sensibilities up there. Here everyone wants to drive a damn Canyonero (notcool)

 

[ROBOTO]

I wish we Americans were half as smart as Canadians. You guys get manual transmissions and understand the value of hatchbacks and wagons. I envy the European sensibilities up there. Here everyone wants to drive a damn Canyonero (notcool)

aw shucks, thank you!

Wait, are you just gloating or offering to help import GT??

I am mostly just gloating.
(naughty)


But I can also help. Here are the 3 used Mazda5 in GT trim and manual transmission that I can find now in Toronto, Ontario. I also could help someone interested in connecting with a decent dealer.

#1: Dealer offers 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 MANUAL GT LEATHER ROOF LOADED - 44,685 km, asking $17,900 Canadian

#2: Dealer offers 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 GT, MANUAL, LEATHER - 72,165 km, asking $16,495 Canadian

#3: Private sale!! 2012 Mazda MAZDA5 GT MANUAL, CLOTH INTERIOR, 59,454 km, asking $14,400 Canadian

 

[90210]

Congratulations!

WIth all the negatives of living in Canada, at least getting GT/leather with manual is one of the lifes little pleasures.

Reason everyone n Canada prefers dark interior (as an owner of a sand interior), is due to it being so effing cold up there.

Montreal is my favorite, they have the MOST euro flavored cars of all of N. America. Vancouver and Toronto isn't much differnent than the STates, as far as car culture.... (in my eyes).

 

[socialcarpet]

Hmm.. I've already bought my car, but just out of curiosity, I wonder how difficult it is to import a grey market car from Canada. As an American, how many hoops would you have to jump through to buy a GT manual 5 in Canada and bring it to the United States and register it here full time as an American citizen. If it's anything like the process is from other countries, as I understand it, it's probably pretty onerous, i.e. replacing windows with "DOT approved" glass, changing bumpers if they are different, headlights... not sure what else. Though I get the impression the Canadian 5 is 99% the same as the one we get here.

 

[ROBOTO]

Hmm.. I've already bought my car, but just out of curiosity, I wonder how difficult it is to import a grey market car from Canada. As an American, how many hoops would you have to jump through to buy a GT manual 5 in Canada and bring it to the United States and register it here full time as an American citizen. If it's anything like the process is from other countries, as I understand it, it's probably pretty onerous, i.e. replacing windows with "DOT approved" glass, changing bumpers if they are different, headlights... not sure what else. Though I get the impression the Canadian 5 is 99% the same as the one we get here.

In the original post I mentioned Yamaha Tmax, it is a scooter.

Here is the story of the guy who got one here in Ontario and took it back to California... vehicle MUST be used in order to import it into the USA:

http://majestyusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15097

Sounds simply enough!

He had to ship it to California. With a car, you could drive it back.

Also, I mentioned that I imported a scooter from the USA into Canada (Yamaha Morphous 250cc). Simply enough to do!!!

 

[90210]

ROBOTO

Can you please post a pic of the instrument cluster of the car?

Thanks

 

[ROBOTO]

ROBOTO

Can you please post a pic of the instrument cluster of the car?

Thanks

I will when I get home I'll look at that, but in the meantime this is a photo from the article posted above, from Autos.ca :

http://www.autos.ca/galleries/2015/index.php?level=picture&id=1652

That's the Canadian speedo, it has kp/h bigger, and mph smaller, but it has both.

Digital odometer shows KMS

 

[90210]

^^

THank you as always.

 

[sac02]

Has anyone in the US actually pressured a dealer and asked if they can order a manual on the higher trim levels?

Not like, "I asked the sales guy and he said no.", but actually talking to the guy who places the orders. Maybe not even at the dealer level, it might be a regional thing.

A lot of times the vehicle specs say that a vehicle CAN be built in some configuration, but dealers never order it because they think it won't sell, or the sales side of the organization will even put an instruction out to not allow dealers to order certain configurations. But if you insisted and knew the right people, you absolutely COULD order that configuration.

At our truck plant, there are certain configurations you can't build, per the vehicle specs (decided by the bigwig Chief Engineers and Product Planning groups). But their are other configurations that we CAN build (like... C-cab + long deck +2WD + off-road package), but you will never see on a dealer lot because the sales side restricts those orders.

I wonder if that is why we don't get manuals in the US.

 

[esiemens]

I miss my 5-speed '06 GT, but my family just grew too big... That being said, do love the tan leather in my Sienna!