Factory Order or Dealer Lot Purchase

[littlebear]

I am having a hard time finding the right option/color CX-5 and the one I did find has a "tramp stamp" (dealer logo on tailgate) and a bunch of dealer add-ons (window tint, VIN etch, etc) that I don't want.

Is it possible to just custom order by CX-5 with the options I want? If so, what is the waiting time and does one lose on the negotiations because the car is not on the lot but a custom ordered vehicle?

 

[inlinev]

You can order one, the wait can be 8-12 weeks. You won't loose negotiating power either. We had a tough time finding our cx5 but our delete ended up doing a dealer trade to get us what we wanted

 

[ocinsomniac]

Ordering from the factory is the best way to assure you get exactly what options you want and nothing more, but it does have one drawback - I have experienced extended delays on factory orders sometimes for several months past the estimated due date. In fact, the last order I did on a 2013 Impreza Sport Wagon was estimated at 8-12 weeks, and it finally arrived at my dealership after seven months! There is another alternative, though, (which I used in the case of my Impreza) -
I had my dealer find an identical configuration from a dealership 200-300 miles away and he had it flatbedded to him, which cost me an extra $200. He put my order for sale on his lot when it finally arrived. Was well worth it for me since it saved me several months wait time, and I was able to relinquish my used vehicle to my buyer without any delays that could have could have been a deal breaker.

Often times a good dealership will be able find your desired configuration which is very close to what you choose to order, and install minor options that you desired but it lacks, even if these options were port installed. It all depends on having a good trustworthy dealership to deal with. But with my experience with factory order delays, I try to avoid ordering as much as possible.

 

[Ulrich]

As I found out, Mazda dealers only place factory orders once a month. So if you miss that deadline by just a day, you automatically add another four weeks of wait time to the 8-12 weeks it takes anyway. So if you go that route, it wouldn't hurt asking them when exactly they place their orders so that you save yourself some disappointment and anger later.

 

[GP 2004]

I selected the car, the color and options that I wanted on the official Mazda website. Then I searched for that car and then I requested an email price quote from the dealers that had the car I wanted in stock right through the Mazda website. This is a great resource for the buyer. I had a dealer tell me that the car I wanted wasn't available and I should buy the one he had, but the Mazda website showed him to be a liar and I moved to a different dealer. It also allowed me to find the best price. Does the search function on Mazda's website no longer work?

 

[MikeM.]

Is it possible to just custom order by CX-5 with the options I want? If so, what is the waiting time and does one lose on the negotiations because the car is not on the lot but a custom ordered vehicle?

I ordered mine to get it equipped exactly as desired and it arrived a little sooner than estimated. I think it was 11 weeks. You also get a newer battery this way and insure that it hasn't had a lot of short trips around the lot or been sitting in the hot sun all summer. The other advantage to ordering is it helps develop patience and maturity. For 10-12 weeks I had a happy thought every time I thought of delivery day approaching.

The time to delivery will also depend on what part of the country you live in. CX-5's are only delivered to major deep-water ports and the West Coast ports have easier access to Japan.

 

[yrwei52]

I am having a hard time finding the right option/color CX-5 and the one I did find has a "tramp stamp" (dealer logo on tailgate) and a bunch of dealer add-ons (window tint, VIN etch, etc) that I don't want.

Is it possible to just custom order by CX-5 with the options I want? If so, what is the waiting time and does one lose on the negotiations because the car is not on the lot but a custom ordered vehicle?

If you really want a CX-5 with color and options exactly what you want, place a special order is the way to go. You can actually have your Mazda dealer doing a search on all inventory available at the port of entry, or even every CX-5 on the boat coming to the States. As Mazda has very simple options and packages, with even simpler color choices, it's very easy to find one you want from these inventories. We ourselves wanted a Sonic Silver CX-5 GT AWD with Tech Package in February and there was nothing available unless a couple from neighborhood states. We didn't want putting hundreds of miles on it by driving it over, or trucking it over with additional shipping cost and possible risks of scratches during transportation. Our dealer found exact one on the water and ordered it immediately. It got delivered to the dealer within 3 weeks! The window sticker has my dealer name and the CX-5 had only 3 miles on it. You can also request those accessories installed at the port which I believe is better than installed at local dealership. But it'll take another week or two.

We special ordered our last 3 cars and the longest wait time on BMW 528i was 6 weeks. It took 5 weeks to get our VW Passat GLX. But I do believe the negotiation for a better price would be more difficult than getting one directly from dealer's lot which is understandable. The other problem is some dealers may hesitate to place order for you for unknown reason.

 

[yrwei52]

The time to delivery will also depend on what part of the country you live in. CX-5's are only delivered to major deep-water ports and the West Coast ports have easier access to Japan.

Mazda port of entry is in Los Angeles via Long Beach. They keep big inventory there and is doing accessory installation there too.

 

[Ride92]

I am having a hard time finding the right option/color CX-5 and the one I did find has a "tramp stamp" (dealer logo on tailgate) and a bunch of dealer add-ons (window tint, VIN etch, etc) that I don't want.

Is it possible to just custom order by CX-5 with the options I want? If so, what is the waiting time and does one lose on the negotiations because the car is not on the lot but a custom ordered vehicle?

What model and color options are you after? Like others have said, go on to mazda's website and configure the car you want and do a search for it. You can adjust the search radius and you should be able to see what dealers have that car in say a 200mi radius. If you find the car you want and like your dealership, get them to do a dealer trade for it. Keep in mind that somethings, like roof rack or clear bra and other assesories can easily be dealer installed rather then post installed so don't get to hung up on specific accessories. Now something like the tech package or I-activsense needs to already be on the car.

 

[MikeM.]

Mazda port of entry is in Los Angeles via Long Beach. They keep big inventory there and is doing accessory installation there too.

Mine came in through Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA (can't remember for sure).

 

[littlebear]

One dealer I talked to on a Grand Touring had a $34,760.00 MSRP and the dealer said they would take -$1,604.00 off = $33,156.00

BUT then the dealer had these "add-ons" to the price totaling $1,016:

$399.00 Tint
$228.00 VIN Etch
$389.00 Doc Fee

I hate these dealers that do that stupid stuff. They "discount" the price but then add it right back with tacky and overpriced nonsense.

 

[erhayes]

Stand your ground and never pay for the add-ons. Some States put a legal maximum that dealer can charge for doc fees-not sure of all the details so maybe others will tip in on this. Ed

 

[yrwei52]

I hate these dealers that do that stupid stuff. They "discount" the price but then add it right back with tacky and overpriced nonsense.

So you can special order one to avoid any dealer installed accessories and any unexpected issues possibly caused by someone test-drove it aggressively. (See another thread)

 

[littlebear]

Looks like it will be a special order. Any of the dealers I contacted ALL of them have add-ons and other expenses that I don't want.

Plus like you said, some idiot might have gone WOT on a cold engine test drive. That drives me nuts when someone takes a new car and fires it up, sticks it in drive, and goes WOT on a cold brand-new engine. That HAS to hurt long-term reliability.

 

[littlebear]

If the dealer wants a deposit to hold a car being shipped from Japan. What is the normal amount and is it refundable?

 

[Panther]

If the dealer wants a deposit to hold a car being shipped from Japan. What is the normal amount and is it refundable?

Howdy Littlebear,

I gave them a Check for $500.00, but be advised they'll
cash it !!!! I didn't think they should have till the car arrived
and the deal was made, but let it go, as I knew I was going to
buy since we'd already settled on price.

Good Luck !!!!

 

[yrwei52]

Looks like it will be a special order. Any of the dealers I contacted ALL of them have add-ons and other expenses that I don't want.

Plus like you said, some idiot might have gone WOT on a cold engine test drive. That drives me nuts when someone takes a new car and fires it up, sticks it in drive, and goes WOT on a cold brand-new engine. That HAS to hurt long-term reliability.

In addition to not finding exact one we wanted, this is one of the major reason we did special order for our CX-5. 3 weeks of wait time wasn't bad either. And BTW, our dealer told us they wouldn't cash the $500 deposit check, which was refundable if needed, until we took delivery of our new CX-5. And they didn't break their promise.

 

[littlebear]

I should still be able to negotiate a good offer on such a vehicle even if it is not on the dealer lot, right?

It's not like if the dealer got the car and if I backed out, they couldn't still sell it. Someone else would buy it eventually.

 

[Panther]

I should still be able to negotiate a good offer on such a vehicle even if it is not on the dealer lot, right?

It's not like if the dealer got the car and if I backed out, they couldn't still sell it. Someone else would buy it eventually.

Howdy Littlebear,

Actually a better deal, since they're not going to have to
pay insurance for it sitting on the lot for XXXX amount of time
or have their money tied up for who knows how long.

I would think with the 2017 models not being too far out they'd be
starting to discount the pricing for the 2016 a little more.

I'd thought that it was going to be more expensive, but found some articles
about how it's a win-win for the buyer and dealer since it doesn't hardly sit overnight
at the Dealership.

Get all the Details of the deal worked out before you give them
the deposit then all you'll have to actually deal with them over is your Trade In.
Of course you'll still have the finance part of it, I had mine already set up with Chase
since I do my Banking with them so it was all squared away for when the Car Arrived.

Good Luck !!!!

 

[littlebear]

I got a quote from a dealer on a 2016 CX5 with a $34,000 MSRP. The dealer is offering it for $32,120 which INCLUDES the $500 owner loyalty rebate. This DOES NOT include tax, title or doc fees.

Should I keep pushing for a lower price?