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- Canada
This is the approach I take as well, and for the same reason as you. I want to know what kind of person I'm dealing with - someone who's going to attempt BS me, or someone who is genuinely interested in helping me. I prefer the latter.
The Future of the CX-5 - Strategic?
- Thread starter Sig cx-5
- Start date
This is the approach I take as well, and for the same reason as you. I want to know what kind of person I'm dealing with - someone who's going to attempt BS me, or someone who is genuinely interested in helping me. I prefer the latter.
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^^ Without a doubt. Salespersons are given key selling points that are used to sell to the general public. I expect salespersons to know about new features and major changes that are significant enough to draw attention. As an example, I wouldn't fault them for not knowing that a CX-5 with the 2.5T has slightly bigger rotors compared to the non-turbo 2.5. But, for a salesperson to not know that FWD was an available option in their region? That's inexcusable IMO.
I think you guys are wasting your time by "testing the salesperson's knowledge" or expecting them to provide a high level of accurate information. Why do you care what Jimbo, who has been selling Mazda's for 3 weeks, knows about the product lineup?
Do your own research and negotiate your own price. That is the only way you'll ever know you're getting accurate information. In the 21st century, with every conceivable bit of information available at your fingertips, car salespeople are all but obsolete. They should serve as nothing more than order takers. The job won't even exist once Tesla's sales model is more broadly adopted.
Do your own research and negotiate your own price. That is the only way you'll ever know you're getting accurate information. In the 21st century, with every conceivable bit of information available at your fingertips, car salespeople are all but obsolete. They should serve as nothing more than order takers. The job won't even exist once Tesla's sales model is more broadly adopted.
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Speaking for myself, "testing the salesperson" is like a preview of things to expect when dealing with that individual during the sales process. If they attempt to bulls*** me about one feature, it's reasonable to assume that they would probably continue to bulls*** me about pricing and after-sales service. Additionally, I would prefer to give my business to someone who knows what they're doing, vs. someone who is basically a glorified order taker.
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AWD is all they bring to my area, so there has never even been a choice.
If I lived in Florida or something, guess that would be another story.
If I lived in Florida or something, guess that would be another story.
True, but this is where it helps to have done the research to know when something is BS or not.
We're talking about the car sales business...of course they are going to BS you during the process.
Even if you happen to get a halfway competent sales person, you still have to deal with the BS from the sales manager, GM, finance person, service department, ect.
A glorified order taker is exactly what I look for when buying a new car...
The front-line sales person serves absolutely no purpose for an informed/intelligent car buyer. The only thing they can do is drag out the process and try to get you to pay more.
They have zero power, as all deals are made by the managers.
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181962
When I was shopping for a 2020 in the Buffalo region and beyond, I think I saw one new FWD, a Sport. Hertz out of Pittsburgh was selling a couple of their FWD Touring rentals. That's about it.
Looking to the south, here's an Orlando Mazda dealer with 129 new 2021 CX-5s for sale in two locations.
www.sportmazdanorthorlando.com
The FWD's are:
2 Grand Touring
16 Touring
1 Sport
No turbos out of those 129.
Here's a Dallas area dealer with 47 on the lot, 6 FWDs, all Tourings, no FWD turbos.
www.townnorthmazda.com
Here's a Los Angeles area Mazda dealer with 64 on the lot, no FWD units at all.
A couple of takeaways:
Looking to the south, here's an Orlando Mazda dealer with 129 new 2021 CX-5s for sale in two locations.
New Inventory | Sport Mazda North
Browse our inventory of Mazda vehicles for sale at Sport Mazda North.
www.sportmazdanorthorlando.com
The FWD's are:
2 Grand Touring
16 Touring
1 Sport
No turbos out of those 129.
Here's a Dallas area dealer with 47 on the lot, 6 FWDs, all Tourings, no FWD turbos.
New MAZDA CX-5 For Sale in Richardson | Town North Mazda
If you live an active lifestyle and need a ride that can keep with your needs, you should consider the new Mazda CX-5. Learn more about the new Mazda CX-5 for sale today at Town North Mazda!
www.townnorthmazda.com
Here's a Los Angeles area Mazda dealer with 64 on the lot, no FWD units at all.
A couple of takeaways:
- It's conceivable that the only way to get a FWD turbo is factory order. Mazda may not even offer them for dealer inventory.
- Of the 240 vehicles at those three dealers, there are 25 FWDs, about 10%, less than the FWD warm weather advocates would lead one to believe.
- Among the 240 vehicles at those three dealers there is a grand total of one Sport on their lots, that FWD at the first dealer mentioned.
- With the switch to AWD exclusively, these guys are already in the habit of upselling out of Sport. I suppose they're not going to have many objections to upselling another $1,400 given the relatively small percentage of FWDs they currently carry. That LA dealer already wants nothing to do with FWD or the Sport trim.
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- 2019 CX-5 Signature
Or, they sell the FWD's quicker, which is why they have a majority of AWD's left. Dealers are not being replenished like normal these days.When I was shopping for a 2020 in the Buffalo region and beyond, I think I saw one new FWD, a Sport. Hertz out of Pittsburgh was selling a couple of their FWD Touring rentals. That's about it.
Looking to the south, here's an Orlando Mazda dealer with 129 new 2021 CX-5s for sale in two locations.
New Inventory | Sport Mazda North
Browse our inventory of Mazda vehicles for sale at Sport Mazda North.
The FWD's are:
2 Grand Touring
16 Touring
1 Sport
No turbos out of those 129.
Here's a Dallas area dealer with 47 on the lot, 6 FWDs, all Tourings, no FWD turbos.
New MAZDA CX-5 For Sale in Richardson | Town North Mazda
If you live an active lifestyle and need a ride that can keep with your needs, you should consider the new Mazda CX-5. Learn more about the new Mazda CX-5 for sale today at Town North Mazda!
Here's a Los Angeles area Mazda dealer with 64 on the lot, no FWD units at all.
A couple of takeaways:
- It's conceivable that the only way to get a FWD turbo is factory order. Mazda may not even offer them for dealer inventory.
- Of the 240 vehicles at those three dealers, there are 25 FWDs, about 10%, less than the FWD warm weather advocates would lead one to believe.
- Among the 240 vehicles at those three dealers there is a grand total of one Sport on their lots, that FWD at the first dealer mentioned.
- With the switch to AWD exclusively, these guys are already in the habit of upselling out of Sport. I suppose they're not going to have many objections to upselling another $1,400 on given the relatively small percentage of FWDs they currently carry. That LA dealer already wants nothing to do with FWD or the Sport trim.
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181962
That was posited before. I highly doubt that's the case. FWD vehicles have fewer parts where shortages are less likely to occur. The fact of the matter is neither auto makers nor dealers like selling lower trims or de-contented versions. There's less profit there. If there was a shortage in a chip or other part that goes into both FWD and AWD versions, they're going to put it into AWD versions.
In normal times, the typical mix on the lot across manufacturers is heavy in the middle trims with as many or more upper trims than entry models.
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181962
If they are sending AWDs from AWD markets to the US FWD markets (if one presumes there is such a thing), where are the FWDs going? Doesn't that strike you as backwards? Unless of course they are cutting back on FWD production altogether. And why would they do that? Probably for the same reason they are eliminating FWD from the NA market where 1/2 of global CX-5s are sold.
Correct, not as many FWDs are being produced because of the ship shortage
Going with just AWD would hurt CX-5 sales in the south. In the south, AWD offers no benefit since it doesn't snow, and costs you money unnecessarily in many ways; lower gas mileage, higher purchase cost, higher maintenance costs, slower acceleration due to heavier weight and more rotational mass, more expense for tires since they have to be matched in wear (one bad tire could require purchasing a new set)
Just wrong. All wheel drive is great for handling and traction in all conditions, including warm and dry. You don’t think southern roads have hills or mountains? The all wheel drive CX-5 is a better vehicle in every way. This isn’t 1999, we aren’t talking about 4 wheel drive with massive heavy transfer cases. It’s 1 mpg less and 130 pounds more. That’s peanuts on 3500+ pound vehicle.
Jack Rabbit
Banned
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- 18 Mazda CX5 AW
Mazda bean-counters already crunched the numbers on this... They know how many AWD versus FWD they sold.
And the AWD numbers are probably huge compared to the few FWD.
That's why they're dropping fwd from the cx5.
As a northerner I won't buy a FWD.
I'm sure there are some southerner and western people who want AWD for offroad, ranches, beach, mountain treks, etc.
If I was going to stick with a Mazda product, lived in south & didn't need/want all-wheel drive and the Offroad capable, I would buy a Mazda6 fwd or a Miata rwd for less weight, more acceleration, etc.
if you want front wheel drive performance there are alot of better vehicles out there for performance, acceleration, etc. and alot of RWD vehicles as well.
Mazda probably drew the same conclusion, that those 5% of cx5 fwd owners who wanted low curb weight, more power and acceleration would trend to the mazda6 or Miata.
And the AWD numbers are probably huge compared to the few FWD.
That's why they're dropping fwd from the cx5.
As a northerner I won't buy a FWD.
I'm sure there are some southerner and western people who want AWD for offroad, ranches, beach, mountain treks, etc.
If I was going to stick with a Mazda product, lived in south & didn't need/want all-wheel drive and the Offroad capable, I would buy a Mazda6 fwd or a Miata rwd for less weight, more acceleration, etc.
if you want front wheel drive performance there are alot of better vehicles out there for performance, acceleration, etc. and alot of RWD vehicles as well.
Mazda probably drew the same conclusion, that those 5% of cx5 fwd owners who wanted low curb weight, more power and acceleration would trend to the mazda6 or Miata.
