An homage to the 'How much did you pay' thread - Canadian style

[muchdutch]

Hey all.
I am a few months away from getting my speed3 because I am still in school. However, I just checked the web and they are offering 0% financing (for 5 years!) where I am, so my 'rents offered to co-sign for me because I have no income right now. But I have some Canadian-specific (mostly climate and pricing) questions.

So what I want to know is the following:
What did you pay (and how did you get such a steal of a deal if you did so)?
New/used, color, and year?
Did anybody install aftermarket starter/alarm combo (brand name, +ve or -ve experience, etc.)?
How are you finding it in the winter (creaks, bumps, windshield cowl, suspension issues, handling, etc.)?
What is your average gas mileage in the winter (summer if available) in Km/L?
What did the sales man try to/convince you to buy after you had said you'd get it, for an extra price (block heater *duh*, undercoating, extended warranty, any other fancy doo-dad's) and which ones did you go for?
What is, in your opinion, the best route to go about haggling the price down?

I know, I know - there isn't much haggle room with this one. But the aces I have (or at least I think they're aces - this is my first time buying from a dealer) up my sleeve are the fact that I will qualify for the new grad rebate (only $500, but still, it's $500), and I'm putting a pretty big chunk down which probably won't mean much at 0%.
Any other tips and advice would be appreciated!

 

[absolutamente]

well, I can't answer all of your questions. That said, I live in Minnesota, and it gets pretty cold here as well. The car makes creaking noises when its cold like all cars. One thing you will notice is this horrible crunching sound from the suspension when its near 0 f outside. But, dont worry. It is the strut bushings, and its only because they are stiff (a good thing). You will also deal with the cold weather fuel cut issue if you plan to mod the car, which is a b****. As far as gas mileage goes, I never see better than 18 mpg. I don't know if that is common or not.

 

[Stu C]

Do NOT put down a dime if you're getting 0%. Put the money in the bank or guaranteed long term investment.

Car comes with summer tires - even in Vancouver I don't recommend you keep them on all year round.

 

[muchdutch]

Yes, my first plan is to get a car starter/alarm combo (necessary for -40C windchill and I park outside where the wind really rips....) and my second plan is to get winter tires - I've always had winter tires for my cars and think they're great - next best thing to 4x4!

 

[stemple]

I live in Ottawa. I bought an 08 black MS3 in December. Dealer wasn't too interested in moving on the price, but eventually did throw a bunch of good stuff into the deal, namely a set of winter tires on nice Mazda 17" alloy rims and an installed Mazdaspeed cold air intake. Their price on the wheels was $1500 and they said the installed CAI was worth $700, but yeah.
Also, I kept running the numbers, and there was no point in putting a downpayment on the car, 'cause the finance was so low, but I did choose 1.4% for 84 months instead of 0% for 60, for a number of reasons, but mainly because that interest rate is so low it was hard not to take advantage.
Finally, they gave me a huge amount on my trade in (the same as what I'd been offered privately) which is what sealed the deal for me, although that's not applicable in your case.
To be honest, the car does not seem suited to cold weather. My windshield creaks, my suspension sounds broken much of the time, the transmission takes forever to warm up, and performance is just odd (inconsistent) the colder it gets. That said, I would buy again in a second 'cause the car is so much fun. Also, with snows on, it drives like a bull through anything.
The dealer will of course try to talk you into much bulls***. I'd buy none of it. Well, except maybe the extended warranty, but I think yr better of waiting to see how reliable yr car is and buying it later if you feel it's likely your car will need major, basic work after 3 years.
Also, as always, the dealer will try to add about $2000 worth of stupid charges onto the bill ($500 dealer prep, etc). Just keep saying no. In fact, that's really the key to good bargaining, the willingness to walk away. I went back in there four times and each time I'd get a concession out of the salesman, I'd ask for another, he'd say no, I'd walk, telling them I was sorry but I would probably go to another dealership 'cause they were willing to give me a better price.
He'd either stop me or call me and I'd come back. But, it wasn't a game, I was really walking. If you want the car too bad, they'll bend you over for sure.
Call other dealerships in your area, develop a phone relationship with a bunch of salesman, and work them all. Slowly you'll figure out who will play and who thinks they don't have to play. Yeah, it's a bit of work, but we're talking 4-5 thousand dollars here. In the end, it's worth a bunch of phone calls.
Good luck.

 

[cosic]

So what I want to know is the following:
What did you pay (and how did you get such a steal of a deal if you did so)?
New/used, color, and year?
Did anybody install aftermarket starter/alarm combo (brand name, +ve or -ve experience, etc.)?
How are you finding it in the winter (creaks, bumps, windshield cowl, suspension issues, handling, etc.)?
What is your average gas mileage in the winter (summer if available) in Km/L?
What did the sales man try to/convince you to buy after you had said you'd get it, for an extra price (block heater *duh*, undercoating, extended warranty, any other fancy doo-dad's) and which ones did you go for?
What is, in your opinion, the best route to go about haggling the price down?

$25,500 CAD in November 2007.. On a one day "American Priced Sale" at a local dealership here in Toronto.
New, CPW, 2007
Winter driving has been annoying. I haven't gotten winter tires just because I told myself that I just wouldn't drive the car in the conditions.. and I don't have the money cause of the car lol.
An extra year extended warranty. 4 in total.

 

[ottawaP5]

$25,500 CAD in November 2007.. On a one day "American Priced Sale" at a local dealership here in Toronto.
New, CPW, 2007
Winter driving has been annoying. I haven't gotten winter tires just because I told myself that I just wouldn't drive the car in the conditions.. and I don't have the money cause of the car lol.
An extra year extended warranty. 4 in total.

Wow, you got a really good deal. I paid $28,500 which included tint, all weather mats and a block heater.

 

[HiggyGT]

I picked my new CPW 08' in december. Got it pretty cheap, dont feel like diging out the bill to check it. Much cheaper than the 31K sticker price thats for sure.

I did the 0% at 60 months. The car was in the show room for three months with no bites on it so I'm sure thats why I got the deal I did. The Speed 3 is not very popular around here, only about 5-6 or six of them in the city. Plus I got them to take back a regular Mz3 Hatch I had leased from them 5 months earlier which was a huge reason I picked up the speed3.

I knew more about the car than any of the sales people did so that also helps when buying a new car, information is power. Dealt with the same sales guy I did my lease through so it was very relaxed and hassle free, he is a guy about my age (30) and did not push me to buy any extras, not that I would have. I should have probably tried to get an intake out of the deal but I did not want to push my luck with the already great price I was getting on the car.

As for the winter driving, yes the car has creeks and squeeks when it gets to about -10. In the past 8 yrs I have owend the following cars all brand new off the lot, 2000 Neon, 04'SRT-4, 07 Mz3 and now the 08' MS3 and all the cars get the same squeeks and rattles in that type of temps. The only thing the MS3 gets more of is suspension noise but that goes away after a few minutes of driving. I am still on stock rubber and have drivin in about 4 inches of snow with out any problems, under 4 inches at least once a week since I got the car and once after freezing rain when every thing was ice. All with out any problems. The TC and DSC do there jobs very well.

If you get more snow than that you will need snow tires though. All in all the MS3 has been my favourite car so far that I have owned and I have not even got to abuse it in the summer months yet =P. Coming in a close second was my old SRT-4 and my very first car I ever owned, a 323 GTX.

Best advice I can give you is take your time with the purchase, and haggle the hell out of the dealer. In the end it is there ultimate goal to ge the car sold and off the lot which you should use to your advantage. If it takes a few weeks to get the price you want, so be it. Dont just jump on the first half assed offer they give you. I remember when I bought my SRT-4 I haggled with the sales manager for 3 weeks and in the end I got the car for what I wanted to pay.

Keep us updated on how things work out.

 

[Rainman]

I live in Ottawa. I bought an 08 black MS3 in December. Dealer wasn't too interested in moving on the price, but eventually did throw a bunch of good stuff into the deal, namely a set of winter tires on nice Mazda 17" alloy rims and an installed Mazdaspeed cold air intake. Their price on the wheels was $1500 and they said the installed CAI was worth $700, but yeah.

You must be down by Sunnyside near the river. i drive by there all the time on the way to the Y.

R

 

[Rainman]

What did you pay (and how did you get such a steal of a deal if you did so)?
New/used, color, and year?
Did anybody install aftermarket starter/alarm combo (brand name, +ve or -ve experience, etc.)?
How are you finding it in the winter (creaks, bumps, windshield cowl, suspension issues, handling, etc.)?
What is your average gas mileage in the winter (summer if available) in Km/L?
What did the sales man try to/convince you to buy after you had said you'd get it, for an extra price (block heater *duh*, undercoating, extended warranty, any other fancy doo-dad's) and which ones did you go for?
What is, in your opinion, the best route to go about haggling the price down?

I know, I know - there isn't much haggle room with this one. But the aces I have (or at least I think they're aces - this is my first time buying from a dealer) up my sleeve are the fact that I will qualify for the new grad rebate (only $500, but still, it's $500), and I'm putting a pretty big chunk down which probably won't mean much at 0%.
Any other tips and advice would be appreciated!

One of the first to have one here in Canada so paid full price for it. Leased it with $0 down.
New, red, 2007 model year.
No aftermarket alarm or starter.
Fine in the winter with little in the way of squeaks, creaks, etc. However, it does take a bit to get going in the cold weather despite the fact that it has had the TSB for this addressed.
Handling is great (although NOT as good as my previous MSP with springs) even in the Ottawa snow and slush.
Approx. 435 km to a full tank city driving during the winter.
I paid for an extended warranty, but purchased winter tires and rims on my own.
Salesman didn't try to sell me anything as I they knew me quite well as this was my 4th Mazda from them and my 3rd Mazdaspeed vehicle.
As far as haggling, you just need to know your numbers and not let them know that you need to buy this car. Be prepared to walk away from a discussion that doesn't go your way, but only make an offer that is close to the numbers that you have worked out but at the same time reasonable to the dealership in terms of profit. They need to make some money too. Here in Canada, this is a good time to pick up a car, especially at the end of the month, as the dealers are anxious to get the cars off their lots.

R

 

[Colleptic]

Kelowna BC

I also got mine very early in 2007, I did get 1000$ off sticker though. Mine is the full load/package with Bose etc. I leased it; I see a huge change coming in the car world within the next 3 years, so I did not want 60-84 month financing. I wanted something easy to get out of when the Rx-9 comes out (heh)!

For winter, it is like any other FWD car, but with more hp. I have no problems. The dynamic stability control and traction control systems work awesome in the snow to boot. (I feel safer than in a 4x4, traction wise). Get winters with a severe rating and you will be fine. It does creek and what not, but most cars do.

Gas mileage: 18mpg is normal for spirited city driving, but when I really try to shift before 2k and get to 5th gear ASAP, I can averaged 25-27mpg city. Hwy this car owns, I have never gotten better mileage in anything else. Spirited hwy I get 23-25mpg, but if I drive at 110kmph and make sure my rpm’s stay really low, I average 35-40mpg. I know people are going to argue that 40mpg is impossible, but I have manually calculated it out along with using the car’s computer and 38mpg is really easy to do with this turbo...I find.

Haggling…if they are not willing to budge much on the price, you can always try to get a Mazdaspeed CAI in the deal! I did not haggle much, I have student loans (never get them, work part-time and stetch your schooling out longer), plus I did not want another credit check. I am sure the check would not have mattered, but I basically walked in and said, "this is what I want for my trade, plus 1000$ off sticker"…they did not even question me or credit check me. I was in-and-out; it was the least painful car buying experience of my life. With that being said, Kelowna Motors Mazda is an awesome dealership. I recommend them to anyone in the area.

Nevertheless, you are in the perfect time of buy, I wish I could have waited until now! With our strong dollar, you have the American pricing argument on top of everything else. So, check out the car and see if you can find out how long it has been on the lot. Ask them if they will give you a great deal, with relevancy to American pricing, to move it off their lot today etc…

 

[muchdutch]

Thanks for the advice - keep it coming! I am starting my serious car-shopping foray on Saturday and have five dealers to haggle with and go back and forth with until February 29th which is when the 0% ends. I could use all the advice you could give me!

 

[Rainman]

Nevertheless, you are in the perfect time of buy, I wish I could have waited until now! With our strong dollar, you have the American pricing argument on top of everything else. So, check out the car and see if you can find out how long it has been on the lot. Ask them if they will give you a great deal, with relevancy to American pricing, to move it off their lot today etc

Great point C. I totally forgot that issue as well. This is the PERFECT time to pick this car up largely because of that reason.

R

 

[happy and angry]

Sounds like we've got a few Ottawa MAzdaspeed3 drivers here.... Anyone know if there is a Mazda dealership in Ottawa with a GOOD service department, by the way? Performance sucks, but they're the devil I know so I don't want to try Argus or Carling.

I paid $25,995, which was $5,000 off sticker when I bought it last October. If you want to avoid dealer fees, go to Performance Mazda in Orleans. I didn't finance the vehicle, so it worked out to around $32,000 out the door.

As for creaks and squeaks - they are pretty normal in any car, but the suspension noise in the cold is pretty bad in this car. It goes away, but it takes maybe 10 minutes of driving for it to do so.

 

[muchdutch]

Got my first quote - $32,622 out the door.
What do you all think? It apparently has all-seasons on it (despite the website saying in Canada they're summers) but I'd still get winters. So this is the price with nothing thrown in - no mats, no CAI, nothing. I just wanted to get a starter price to take with me to the other dealers.
Although I was quite impressed with the dealer - he encouraged me to go to the other dealers and see what they'd offer me, and to come back and he'd make sure I'm happy. I haven't had a dealer offer that in my previous car shopping experiences with friends.

EDIT: I also qualify for the $500 grad rebate, so it'd actually be $32,122.

 

[ottawaP5]

Got my first quote - $32,622 out the door.
What do you all think? It apparently has all-seasons on it (despite the website saying in Canada they're summers) but I'd still get winters. So this is the price with nothing thrown in - no mats, no CAI, nothing. I just wanted to get a starter price to take with me to the other dealers.
Although I was quite impressed with the dealer - he encouraged me to go to the other dealers and see what they'd offer me, and to come back and he'd make sure I'm happy. I haven't had a dealer offer that in my previous car shopping experiences with friends.

EDIT: I also qualify for the $500 grad rebate, so it'd actually be $32,122.

So I take it they are not giving you any rebate whatsoever. Do you live in a big city where you can compare with other dealers? If I were you I'd ask for $1500 off on top of your grad rebate. Maybe you could find an '07 sitting around as well.

 

[Je5ter]

Mine in Calgary last September was 31 000 and change out the door. I fail to see how these guys on the East coats are getting them for like 26 000???

 

[muchdutch]

Well, my first full day of wheelin' and dealin' is behind me. I'd say there wasn't much dealin' going on though. Here are my offers:

Dealer 1: $32622 out the door; includes a non-negotiable 'etching' fee of $399 (this is the dealer I went to before) but no mention of any other extras, even a block heater so I'm assuming those are extra to this quote
Dealer 2: $34382; includes block heater, wheel lock nuts, taxes, freight, pdi, and A/C and tire
Dealer 3: $34563 before GST; includes freight, A/C and tire, pdi, a protection package (paint sealant, rust inhibitor, fabric protection and undercoating), an extra 20K on the warranty, and a lifetime of free oil changes (I didn't inquire as to how much a 'lifetime' would be, but I'm sure there is some restriction on it)
Dealer 4: $34657 before A/C and tire charge ($120); includes GST, freight, pdi and a starter

So that's the rundown. Any advice? The kicker is that dealer 1 is known for its high staff turnover and poor customer service, and dealer 2 is known for good customer service and is the only one that has the one I want on the lot (the rest would have to order them - dealer 2 is not willing to give it up for dealer transfer so the closest would be a transfer from BC and 10-15 days for no price reduction). Also, dealer 2 was the only one that was aware of such issues as the suspension noises, windshield cowl creak, and the thin paint issue.
I actually went back to dealer 2 and told him what dealer 3 was offering me and he said we could 'work something out' when I go again next week. I still have one other dealer to go to and I will pit their offers against each other as much as I can.
Let me know if you guys think I am getting totally hosed, or where I should go or what you think.

 

[assman]

Well I bought it a year ago when they were pretty much new, so I payed a dear price 1k off and 5.9% at the time. Now they have as low as 0 and some guys saying they got thousands off. I wish I had waited but I needed a car atthe time and I am happy with my car just not the price. If you can wait it out and keep going back until you get a better prie I say keep waiting.

 

[Je5ter]

What city are you in?

Well, my first full day of wheelin' and dealin' is behind me. I'd say there wasn't much dealin' going on though. Here are my offers:

Dealer 1: $32622 out the door; includes a non-negotiable 'etching' fee of $399 (this is the dealer I went to before) but no mention of any other extras, even a block heater so I'm assuming those are extra to this quote
Dealer 2: $34382; includes block heater, wheel lock nuts, taxes, freight, pdi, and A/C and tire
Dealer 3: $34563 before GST; includes freight, A/C and tire, pdi, a protection package (paint sealant, rust inhibitor, fabric protection and undercoating), an extra 20K on the warranty, and a lifetime of free oil changes (I didn't inquire as to how much a 'lifetime' would be, but I'm sure there is some restriction on it)
Dealer 4: $34657 before A/C and tire charge ($120); includes GST, freight, pdi and a starter

So that's the rundown. Any advice? The kicker is that dealer 1 is known for its high staff turnover and poor customer service, and dealer 2 is known for good customer service and is the only one that has the one I want on the lot (the rest would have to order them - dealer 2 is not willing to give it up for dealer transfer so the closest would be a transfer from BC and 10-15 days for no price reduction). Also, dealer 2 was the only one that was aware of such issues as the suspension noises, windshield cowl creak, and the thin paint issue.
I actually went back to dealer 2 and told him what dealer 3 was offering me and he said we could 'work something out' when I go again next week. I still have one other dealer to go to and I will pit their offers against each other as much as I can.
Let me know if you guys think I am getting totally hosed, or where I should go or what you think.