Question before getting a Mazda5

apharas

Member
After searching and searching and finding that the Mazda5 is the only vehicle that can get above 25mpg, seat 5 people comfortably when two of them are in car seats and costs under $35k I am ready to purchase one. Mostly I've been looking at 2008 Touring models and getting price quotes from 19800 to 20500 for out the door pricing with just basic options like car mats, wheel locks and the homelink mirror. But I have a few questions that from the looks around here I'm sure someone can answer.

In my quote search I have found a dealership that still has a few 2007's and from the way the sales clerk sounded they trying to give them away. But I have not done any real comparison between the 2007 and 2008 and was wondering if there was any glaring difference that would make me unhappy I chose a 2007 over a 2008. Also a little concerned as I'm hoping to grab the 1.9 financing on the 2008 and don't see any such deal on Mazda's website for the 2007. But the real question is how much of a discount on the 2007 would make it a good deal?

Next is the question of an extended warranty. For some cars I've purchased them and been happy my 2002 Nissan Xterra for instance which had to have the exhaust manifold and tirods replaced at 80k. And then I have the 2000 Honda Insight that I didn't bother to purchase one for and since it has 187000 miles on it and I've only had to replace the exhaust myself for a total of $250 I'm pretty satisfied that I didn't need the warranty. Which category does the Mazda5 fall into?

Thanks for any info and hope spending a lot of time around here.
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Alex
 
After searching and searching and finding that the Mazda5 is the only vehicle that can get above 25mpg, seat 5 people comfortably when two of them are in car seats and costs under $35k I am ready to purchase one. Mostly I've been looking at 2008 Touring models and getting price quotes from 19800 to 20500 for out the door pricing with just basic options like car mats, wheel locks and the homelink mirror. But I have a few questions that from the looks around here I'm sure someone can answer.

In my quote search I have found a dealership that still has a few 2007's and from the way the sales clerk sounded they trying to give them away. But I have not done any real comparison between the 2007 and 2008 and was wondering if there was any glaring difference that would make me unhappy I chose a 2007 over a 2008. Also a little concerned as I'm hoping to grab the 1.9 financing on the 2008 and don't see any such deal on Mazda's website for the 2007. But the real question is how much of a discount on the 2007 would make it a good deal?

Next is the question of an extended warranty. For some cars I've purchased them and been happy my 2002 Nissan Xterra for instance which had to have the exhaust manifold and tirods replaced at 80k. And then I have the 2000 Honda Insight that I didn't bother to purchase one for and since it has 187000 miles on it and I've only had to replace the exhaust myself for a total of $250 I'm pretty satisfied that I didn't need the warranty. Which category does the Mazda5 fall into?

Thanks for any info and hope spending a lot of time around here.
--
Alex

welcome to the forum. i bought my 2007 mazda5 one year ago and have been very happy with it. its taken quite a bit of abuse from me and i've put about 20,000 miles on it thus far. the differences going from 07 to 08 are as follows; the interior colors are different (2007 got saddle brown leather and suede, 2008 gets black leather), the passenger seat gets an armrest for 2008, the design of the center console is different, the middle row of seats get a pair of vents, front bumper and grill are different, taillights are different and you get a 5speed automatic VS the 4speed.

i got a good deal and do not regret going with the 2007. only thing i really wish i had was the 5speed transmission but having a mazda3 as well with the 5speed i'm not seeing much of a buzzkill there. i think the center console is better designed with the 2007 especially if you get navigation and i like the taillights and bumper of the 2007 better. thats just my subjective point of view. either one will give you years of reliability and satisfaction.
 
I may be in the market for a Mazda5 (again). Great car. This time, I'm looking at a manual sport model.
 
if you can still *find* 07 with *great* savings.. i would buy 07s..

meanwhile.. 08s are ones that fixed all the recalls. has 5 speed auto, and has electroluminence gauge(i like it), rear a/c vent (what a difference in cooling)
 
I got my 08' just 3 weeks ago. I signed the deal at the end of March (yup, waited for a long 7 weeks or so for the colour/trim level we wnated), at that time they had a few 07' left with deep (like 4 to 5,000) discount. But then for 08' I got 0% financing but no such deal for 07'. This is in Canada though...but hope that gives you some idea what kind of discount is possible. Especially when it's well into 2008... they'd love to give the 07' away to clear the lot.
 
We're very happy with our '06. That being said, unless the differences were really substantial, I think I'd go for the '08. Mazda fixed all the little things that in the '06-'07s make you go "huh"?

The other issue you'd asked about is the warranty. Although the 5's generally been reliable for us, it's clear that the vehicle was built to a price point. The '06s came with a 4/50 warranty and I'm glad we have it; we just hit 30K and the dealer had to pop in the right rear wheel well that came loose, they're investigating an A/C squeal, and I've noticed that the right rear door power lock occasionally doesn't work. Seems that all the little things will be sorted out, but I'd be a bit more nervous coming up on a 3/36 warranty that the '07s and '08s have. The good news is that Mazda seems to have made continual improvements, I'll bet the '08s are generally solid, although that's just a guess.
 
We're very happy with our '06. That being said, unless the differences were really substantial, I think I'd go for the '08. Mazda fixed all the little things that in the '06-'07s make you go "huh"?

The other issue you'd asked about is the warranty. Although the 5's generally been reliable for us, it's clear that the vehicle was built to a price point. The '06s came with a 4/50 warranty and I'm glad we have it; we just hit 30K and the dealer had to pop in the right rear wheel well that came loose, they're investigating an A/C squeal, and I've noticed that the right rear door power lock occasionally doesn't work. Seems that all the little things will be sorted out, but I'd be a bit more nervous coming up on a 3/36 warranty that the '07s and '08s have. The good news is that Mazda seems to have made continual improvements, I'll bet the '08s are generally solid, although that's just a guess.

my 2007 came with a 4/50 warranty (boom01)
 
Thanks everyone. Ended up going out last night and getting an '08 Touring in Storm Blue with the Homelink mirror, floormats, step guard for 20,049 after everything was added up. Now just have to pay my NH taxes which should be about $400. The arm rests on the passenger seat and the air vent control for the rear combined with the 1.9 financing helped to make my decision.

Now I just have to wait till the get the car up here from RI.

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Alex
 
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