when should I buy Mazda5?

[jojo4]

Hey y'all, first post.

I think mazda5 would be perfect for us - new baby + grandparents.
I have a few questions.

Should I wait until 2012?? Is the new 2012 US model going to have istop?
How much had changed? Do you think it will be more or less reliable than the 2010? The istop sounds like a cool new technology.

My other option is to get the 2010, I'd rather have electronic stability. And it sounds like the 2010 has a lot of bugs ironed out. Is the 2010 more reliable than the earlier years?

thx

 

[nate0123]

Unless the EPA changes their testing methods, I doubt istop will make it to the US anytime soon. It has real-world benefits but doesn't increase EPA ratings.

 

[DKaz]

The 2010 already has great fuel economy. We don't know what's going to happen for 2012... the 2.3 might go up to 2.5 and get slightly worse fuel economy, there may or may not be a 2.0 version, and i-Stop may or may not come.

Get a 5 when you feel like you need it, but since you only have 1, most cars will be ok even if the grandparents tag along. Your baby will get a koochie koochie koo from both sides of his baby seat. And congratulations on your new arrival (has he/she arrived yet??) The 5 is the best car ever, I wish I got a 5 instead of a Corolla when I was new car shopping.

 

[jojo4]

The bun is in the oven.
I'm also thinking about some kind of wagon/hatchback, but they all seems pretty small.
The back seat looks like it will be tight with baby seat and 2 people on each side.
The Mazda3 for example looks like it doesn't have a lot of room back there.

I'll also check out toyota matrix, Elantra wagon, and maybe Kia Soul...

 

[thaxman]

jojo4, borrow someone's baby carrier, base and all, and take it with you to look at some cars. After you strap it into the center seat of your average 5-seater, then proceed to place the carrier in and remove it a few times, then try the same move on a 5, you just may sign right then and there.

 

[Phoenix42]

Don't buy a 5 for the first baby, else you'll be buying a Suburban when number two arrives

 

[DKaz]

Don't buy a 5 for the first baby, else you'll be buying a Suburban when number two arrives

Lolz

Oh yea check our threads for recommended strollers (Jopvy Caboose Ultralight, Peg Perego Pliko P3, Graco Mosaic) and carseats. (Britax for example).

 

[skyhawk]

If you buy now, you will gain zoom-zoom years before the 2012 models arrive.

 

[Heat]

Wait until the auto shows in the spring and take a look at the Ford C-Max. If you don't like it for whatever reason, buy a '11 Mazda5. There should be good incentives by February / March.

The Ford C-Max is very similar to the Mazda5 and will be sold in the US starting in the fall of 2011 as a 2012 model.

 

[5zoom]

The nice thing about buying one now is that its at the end of the product cycle. This means everything that is going to break probably already has/has been re-engineered. I have an 08 and I'm waiting for my steering recall notice/light on the dash to come on...

 

[Silentnoise713]

I’d say wait till Mazda announces the official release of the 2012 model -expect rebates/promo for the 2010 to follow soon after.

You can prob negotiate a good deal if you buy now b/c dealers know it is coming year end AND a new model is coming. If you wait till the rebate/promo you will have less negotiating room but the rebate (plus anything else you can negotiate on top) will prob beat that best deal you can get now. However, your selection will be limited to leftovers. This would be the ultimate bang for the buck deal time.

About the 2012. It’s true that new models do have bugs and typically things need to be sorted out. Then again, this applies to ALL models years as manufacturers introduce new things everything year to keep the car fresh and this leads to potential bugs. Also, first year models will have little to no negotiating room (and most problem prone). The 2012 is not really a ‘new’ car and most of the major bugs that have been worked out in the ‘06-‘10 models apply to the +2012. The base architecture and most of the components are carryover if not shared with an existing model in Mazda’s line up. There’s really nothing ‘new’ other then iStop (if it makes it here, which would be a good reason to wait a year). IF the new model stays within the same price range (say ball park), you do get quite a bit of an upgrade (interior, engine, and other refinements) that is worth the additional mark-up in my opinion.

There’s the whole fuggly part but I can live with denial and remind myself that I’m behind the driver seat and that is what ‘I’ see.

 

[jojo4]

all right! thanks for the inputs.
The whole trying out baby seats is going to be problematic because I don't have a car right now. I've been using public transport and zipcar since my Z3 broke down.
So it'll probably have to be the 2010 since I'll need a vehicle by the end of the year. I guess I could buy a used car and then wait, but that's just so much trouble.

BTW, I'm one of those people that like the new huge grins on the grill. (lol2)

 

[mazdadude]

Don't forget, if you are still up in the air about the 5, there are several rental car companies that use them as daily rentals. You can rent one for a day or weekend, and give it a good testing. Might cost you ~50$, but I think it might be a good option for those of us that need more than a 10 min test drive.

The 2012 model will of course be better, but do you want to wait that long?(friday)

 

[DKaz]

Or insist on your dealer letting you take the car out for at least 2 maybe 4 hours or even overnight. It seems to be a growing trend at least for dealers around where I live, many of them insisted on me taking the car and returning it the next morning. I find you need a minimum of 2 hours to test drive a car, butt fatigue/numbness usually doesn't set in until then. I wish I tested my 08 Corolla for even an hour as that's how long it took for my butt and thighs to go numb. The Mazda 5, I can go 10 hours just fine.

 

[thaxman]

Or insist on your dealer letting you take the car out for at least 2 maybe 4 hours or even overnight. It seems to be a growing trend at least for dealers around where I live, many of them insisted on me taking the car and returning it the next morning. I find you need a minimum of 2 hours to test drive a car, butt fatigue/numbness usually doesn't set in until then. I wish I tested my 08 Corolla for even an hour as that's how long it took for my butt and thighs to go numb. The Mazda 5, I can go 10 hours just fine.

The big BUT here is that they usually only let the car go when they know better than you that you will buy it. So if you have personal doubts, but no good reasons to not buy, they will give it to you to clear up the doubt. Its not REALLY an overnight test drive, its more of a pre-purchase arrangement.

 

[jojo4]

got a quote from the local internet sales manager

Sport Auto no options.
17,900 + about 300 doc/licence, etc...

Is this a good price? I was hoping for 17.5 out the door.

the 17,900 is invoice - 1,500 incentives.

 

[KBrian]

Sport Auto no options.
17,900 + about 300 doc/licence, etc...

Is this a good price? I was hoping for 17.5 out the door.

the 17,900 is invoice - 1,500 incentives.

Just so we are clear on terminology, invoice usually refers to actual dealer cost vs sticker, which is MSRP.
And..out the door for some means vehicle msrp, freight, doc fees, and all taxes. Others might not include taxes in the out the door price, but do include everything else but finance charges (which should be considered IMO).

All that said, MSRP for the 2010 sport is 18500 + about a grand for the automatic.
Anything under 18000 before tax for a sport auto is a good (not great) price IMO.

 

[mazdadude]

got a quote from the local internet sales manager

Sport Auto no options.
17,900 + about 300 doc/licence, etc...

Is this a good price? I was hoping for 17.5 out the door.

the 17,900 is invoice - 1,500 incentives.

Give another Mazda dealer in your area a call or visit with your out the door numbers, and see how much they will beat it. Proceed back to your local dealer, and give your new OTD prices to your local internet manager.

 

[skiph]

got a quote from the local internet sales manager

Sport Auto no options.
17,900 + about 300 doc/licence, etc...

Is this a good price? I was hoping for 17.5 out the door.

the 17,900 is invoice - 1,500 incentives.

What part of the country do you live in?

 

[Silentnoise713]

Just so we are clear on terminology, invoice usually refers to actual dealer cost vs sticker, which is MSRP.
And..out the door for some means vehicle msrp, freight, doc fees, and all taxes. Others might not include taxes in the out the door price, but do include everything else but finance charges (which should be considered IMO).

All that said, MSRP for the 2010 sport is 18500 + about a grand for the automatic.
Anything under 18000 before tax for a sport auto is a good (not great) price IMO.

Good points from KBrian. I would shoot for right around $18K out the door for a Sport Auto (inclusive of all taxes and fees assuming your region does not have ridiculous sales tax). This depends on the supply and demand for the car in your area and if you have high volume dealerships to work with.

Just to clarify, dealer cost and dealer invoice are two different things. Dealers have many incentives that affect their bottom line cost before they make a profit.
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/incentives/holdback/index.html


@ jojo4 - you still have to play the game if you want the best price. They're not just going to give it to you b/c you asked nicely. This is only their first offer. Give them another dealerships price to match or give it some time and theyll come back with a better deal.