Some history first - I had a winning blue RX-8 on pre-order this year, but cancelled and picked up an 02 Audi A4 instead. I just didn't feel confident in purchasing a +30K unproven car.

Fast forward to the present. I'm going through the posts here on the forum and reading everyone's impression of the car. So far, majority say they like it. I even read the horsepower issues and Mazda'a stand on it.

I say what the hell and drive to my local dealer to see if I can test drive one. I get there and they have SEVEN RX-8's sitting on the lot. I speak to the salesman and ask for a test drive. He flat out says no. My jaw drops in awe and I tell the salesman he has seven cars on the lot and again ask why I can't test drive one. he sticks to his managers policy and says no. I go into a big discussion about the RX-8 and all the issues I've been reading here, plus tell him about the Evo 8 I test drove last week in which the dealer had only one on the lot. I say to him why should I buy an RX-8 when I can't even drive it. He has no answer. I say bye.

One more thing. He did offer me a test drive only if I would agree to a price on the vehicle. He said since I didn't like the colors they had he'd sell the black w/sports pkg for $3000 off. I was like wow, $3000 off, awesome? I then looked at his starting price and it was $3000 above MSRP. What a crock. Seven cars on the lot, nobody's knocking down doors to buy the thing, and they're still asking for $3000 over MSRP.

I'm sorry but this is why I hate Mazda dealerships. The RX-8 isn't all it's hyped up to be and it's going to fail as a platform if the dealerships and Mazda keep heading down the path they going.

Originally posted by saejin
Some history first - I had a winning blue RX-8 on pre-order this year, but cancelled and picked up an 02 Audi A4 instead. I just didn't feel confident in purchasing a +30K unproven car.

Fast forward to the present. I'm going through the posts here on the forum and reading everyone's impression of the car. So far, majority say they like it. I even read the horsepower issues and Mazda'a stand on it.

I say what the hell and drive to my local dealer to see if I can test drive one. I get there and they have SEVEN RX-8's sitting on the lot. I speak to the salesman and ask for a test drive. He flat out says no. My jaw drops in awe and I tell the salesman he has seven cars on the lot and again ask why I can't test drive one. he sticks to his managers policy and says no. I go into a big discussion about the RX-8 and all the issues I've been reading here, plus tell him about the Evo 8 I test drove last week in which the dealer had only one on the lot. I say to him why should I buy an RX-8 when I can't even drive it. He has no answer. I say bye.

One more thing. He did offer me a test drive only if I would agree to a price on the vehicle. He said since I didn't like the colors they had he'd sell the black w/sports pkg for $3000 off. I was like wow, $3000 off, awesome? I then looked at his starting price and it was $3000 above MSRP. What a crock. Seven cars on the lot, nobody's knocking down doors to buy the thing, and they're still asking for $3000 over MSRP.

I'm sorry but this is why I hate Mazda dealerships. The RX-8 isn't all it's hyped up to be and it's going to fail as a platform if the dealerships and Mazda keep heading down the path they going.

if it fails it wont be your problem so why worry about that. as far as the test drive they only have 7 cars right now and they're like gold so maybe they're afraid of an accident or something. who knows. 3,000 above MSRP is a joke. look elsewhere.

that is bs, I would try another dealership. It's worth it. The car, despite what a few know it alls have to say, is great. I considered returning it when the power issue was revealed and was going to go back to the Maxima in the 6 speed but the more I drive the 8 the more I love it. I've got 2200 miles on it now and it just keeps getting better. I guess if you're looking for an all out sports car it's not the best but it sure is the only new make sport oriented family car around right now. And it handles as good as any other sports car out there I've ever driven. Definitely try to get a test drive, you'll love it even if you don't buy it.

my dealer got a "test car" in a 6 speed that they make everybody drive, and I doubt they'd allow a test drive in any other 8 they had on the lot, regardless.

You hate my dealership?

As soon as I walked into the showroom and looked at the RX8, I was offered a test drive. I test drove it. I was not pressured to buy the car, but was encouraged to drive others.

I came back a few days later and pre-ordered. Before the pre-order, I was offered another test drive. After the paperwork, I was offered another test drive, and was told to come back to drive the car again whenver I felt like it.

Keep in mind they had 2 on the lot, and were pre-selling most of them.

I agree with what the others have posted here saejin. You need to find another dealership.

Mazda has no control over the dealer's attitude, they are all independently operated and privately owned.

Dont cross-out the RX-8 just because of a lousy dealer, there has got to be another one in your area.

Originally posted by Tweety-nator
I agree with what the others have posted here saejin. You need to find another dealership.

Mazda has no control over the dealer's attitude, they are all independently operated and privately owned.

Dont cross-out the RX-8 just because of a lousy dealer, there has got to be another one in your area.

right. at the dealership where i bought my 8 they had 2 or 3 dedicated test drive cars. other dealerships for whatever reason cant afford that luxury i guess.

Just got back from a test drive at my dealer. I should be picking my pre-ordered car up this week or next, and I wanted to see if I wanted to complete the sale. I would say that I am DEFINITELY completing the sale. I love the car. It drove brilliantly and it was extremely comfortable.

However, the only reason that my dealer has a demonstrator at all is because a pre-order customer refused to take delivery of the car and the owner of the dealership wanted to play with it. Otherwise my test drive would have been in my pre-ordered car.

I would guess that the dealership wants to make sure that the cars on their lot remain very low mileage and NEW for the people who buy them. That's my guess as to why you were denied a ride,

I am taken by the 8 and was almost taken by the local dealer. The deal I thought I had was just under MSRP but not much under. 5 year loan at 2.9% from m credit union. After 3.5 hours, I was finally in the finance office signing over my trade in and signing other papers down to the last few, including the loan doc, when they tried to sell me the extended warranty to tack on to my loan, thats when I learned they prepared the loan doc for 6 years not 5 at the same payment, thus increasing the cost by almost $6000. All stop. The finance guy calls the manager and salesman, the salesman swears 6 years, the manager says no cars without a significant markup. I ran the estimated numbers by the finance guy who actually agreed with me, then shut up after looks fromt the other two. Then I was told even the new deal was a great deal because everyone else pays $5000-$10000 over sticker (I thought what bullsh*t). I got the good guy bad guy routine, followed by downright charater attacks (with a chance to redeem my good name). Anyway, this was complete bullsh*t. The manager threatened to break the deal, to which I replied what deal, we have no deal since we don't agree on the number. The manager then called me a liar and it was over.

I drove home put my plates back on my car and cleaned off my windshield, since they were already prepping my trade when the BS happened. Maybe it was an error or miscommunication, but I know I was clear and the original deal was fair to the dealer.

All the Mazda lots in Vegas have common ownership, so I'' have to travel at least 120 miles to the next dealer if I want a Mazda at a fair price.

Anyway, great car, horrible dealer in a closed market. Would be driving an 8 right now, but for the dealer. Also makes me wonder about service for such an exotic car, after my experience with the front end.

Guys my dealer was awesome man. Theyhad like 10 Rx8s on the lot and nowthey probably have even more and the guy let me choose from any of the 10 to drive except for two that had the GT package. I test drove the onlyone I could afford and I ended up buying it toosince it had 55 miles on it already. If it werent for the 50 miles I dont think I would have got my deal. The dealership my Rx8 isfrom is run by really cool latino guys. I guess you haveto be lucky andfind a place with salesmen who really want to get the cars off the lot!

1st time I've of dealer saying no to test drive
maybe you got a new guy or something

Your dealer experience was exactly like mine, no test unless I plan to buy. Same dealer? well, I went to other dealerships, one in Spokane gave me a 1 hour test drive:D This was also where I bought my RX8 for $1000 below MSRP, fresh off the truck with only 10 miles on it.
Moral, shop around, they arent the only dealer in the world.

I live in the Houston TX area. I went to 4 dealerships around town and they all had 6 or 7 on the lot. The car is for my wife and she did not know if she could handle the MT so we test drove both MT and AT at one dealership. We picked a winning blue MT and tried to make the deal but they would only discount $300 from MSRP. The dealer said no one was dicounting deeper. I looked at him and laughed then we walked out.

The next day I made some calls around town and got several sales offers from $800 to $1400 off MSRP. I made a deal yesterday for a winning blue MT with spoiler. The drive out (including TTL and destination charges) is $28025. I put down $8025 and financed $20k @ 3.94% for 60 mths. Payment is $368 / mth.

Everyone is happy and it just goes to show you that some dealers are talking YANG while others are selling cars. It's up to you to choose which you want to deal with.

It also depends on where you are in the country and what you want; here in Denver no one will sell a 6 MT Sport for under MSRP because, frankly, none really exist and there's a five month wait to order one. The local AutoNation dealer has a "low, no-haggle price" of MSRP + $3K, but like almost all dealers in this area, they also ordered nothing but GTs. :(

Our dealer lets most everybody test drive an RX-8. He has had 16 come in this year and has 4 left. He says thay are selling themselves at MSRP, no sales tactics required. Only 5 of the 14 got the 500 dollars and free scheduled maintenance. Shop around, the test drive is what sells it.

Originally posted by BillK
It also depends on where you are in the country and what you want; here in Denver no one will sell a 6 MT Sport for under MSRP because, frankly, none really exist and there's a five month wait to order one. The local AutoNation dealer has a "low, no-haggle price" of MSRP + $3K, but like almost all dealers in this area, they also ordered nothing but GTs. :(

This is friggin INSANE in the age of the internet.

I did an invetory search of 150 miles of Denver zip 80202 and found 172 vehicles, 15 of them were below $29k.

If you want to search your area follow these instructions:

First go to one of your areas OVERPRICED dealers and get a test drive to see what you like.

Then get on your computer and go to

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/vlStart.action?modelYear=2004&vehicleCode=RX8

Inter your zip code and search radius. The search radius peaks at 150 miles so you might have to enter several different zip codes to expand your available inventory.

Pick you model from dealer stock.

Make your deal over the phone. Pay to have it delivered or buy a plane ticket. Your savings will be well worth the trouble and your wait will only be what you want it to be.

Blow it off, go buy one at another dealer, then take it by and show the salesman and his sales manager. That's rediculous!! Especially since you drove up in an A4. You might want to give Mazda a call about the dealer, too. They would probably want to know about it.

the dealer by me, in Tysons Corner VA. had a red 6mt, cloth...

Markup was $3k!!!! for : Pinstripe, Wheel Locks, cloth protectant and door guards!!!

$3k!!! for that crap!!

I asked how that price broke down and nobody could answer.

i have now gotten into the habbit of emailing the dealers that have these insane dealer installed option lists to see how the prices breakdown and I have yet to get an answer.

the local Nissan dealer does the same thing.

of course...the management at the Acura dealer I worked at did the same thing also. And we hated it (yes, even the sales guys hated it).

Originally posted by Tweety-nator
I agree with what the others have posted here saejin. You need to find another dealership.

Mazda has no control over the dealer's attitude, they are all independently operated and privately owned.

Dont cross-out the RX-8 just because of a lousy dealer, there has got to be another one in your area.

Mazda does have some control. They give the dealers incentives and money for promotion/marketing, for example.

Originally posted by ciccone376
the dealer by me, in Tysons Corner VA. had a red 6mt, cloth...

Markup was $3k!!!! for : Pinstripe, Wheel Locks, cloth protectant and door guards!!!

$3k!!! for that crap!!

I asked how that price broke down and nobody could answer.



What is with this putting pin-stripes on the 8? YUCK! And the wheel locks come with the car, don't they? Or are they only a GT package thing?

I can't believe dealers are being such jkerks about test drives- how do they expect to sell the stupid cars?

There was a guy on another thread that said he got his GT 6 MT car for 1000 below MSRP, but in his options he listed wheel locks and RX8 mats, which are both standard with the GT package. I think that this is a ploy by many of the dealers who find people unfamiliar with the standard packages. Plus his GT had all the factory installs, spoiler, appearance package, strakes, accents, which are massively marked up when installed at the dealer. So in fact he paid twice for a couple of things and then they deducted 1000 dollars from profit off the options. the dealer still got MSRP by a long shot. Buyers beware, know what your buying, what is standard and what is truly an option.

This is where I picked her up, the first week I went there to look at the 8 I told them I would be getting one in 2 weeks. They said why don't you test drive it? I was like "wow OK I will!" ,test drove it, talked a bit. Then I had the feeling they were gonna pressure me, the salesman just said ok man I need to make some money, I'll see you in 2 weeks. I was like "WTF!" isn't he gonna try and sell me the car. So I thought he probably knew he wasn't getting my business that day. For some strange reason he calls 2 weeks after just 3 days before I was to get her. He said "Hey we still have the Tit grey GT here it's almost end of 2 weeks you gonna come to pick it up?" I swear this guy was good, so I went over there they have a test vehicle, he offered me the car I wanted for test drive. 0 Miles on it. Man with that service I bought the car with a couple of discounts and adons. Very nice guy, professional sales man, be nice to him and he'll be nice to you.

I'm not advertising, just a great dealer to go to, and I think all dealers should be like this.

Look for Louise tell him Bryan J. sent you.
Don Kott Mazda
21243 Avalon Blvd
Carson, CA 90745
800-273-5688

:D

Our mazda dealer is on and off. The sales guy I've been talking to is really good. They have a couple guys there who aren't so good. Needless to say the good one will get the commission on my purchase if I buy one.

Originally posted by saejin
I get there and they have SEVEN RX-8's sitting on the lot. I speak to the salesman and ask for a test drive. He flat out says no. My jaw drops in awe and I tell the salesman he has seven cars on the lot and again ask why I can't test drive one. he sticks to his managers policy and says no.

sorry to hear you didn't get a test drive. i've been to many dealerships and all 3 offered test drives. btw - the car drives great for a 1.3 litre engine! it's not an A4 3.0 but it does more than enough for such a smallish power plant.

my guess is that the 7 cars on the lot were not test driveable because NUTS like me are so anal about the number of miles on the car. mine only had 4 on the odometer when it came of the truck. i would NOT have bought mine if it had over 10 miles.

so in the end i thank the dealer for not allowing the car to have miles run up on them by folks who would NOT have purchased the car anyway...

cheers and cograts on the AUDI...


edit: this does not excuse the dealer for the 3K markup...yes this was indecent...

Originally posted by O.R.A.


Mazda does have some control. They give the dealers incentives and money for promotion/marketing, for example.

I would not call that control, more like trying to sell the vehicle and rewarding dealerships that have good customer support. As far as how the dealer treats the customers, as I said earlier Mazda has no control over that. They are not employees of Mazda.

You could complain to MNAO about the dealership experience I guess. Maybe Mazda could reduce the allocation for that particular dealer if enough customers complain? I dont know, just guessing here.

I bought mine from the only dealer in Orlando who had any on their lot. The had about 10 back there waiting for a buyer. I had two test drives, both on different visits, and neither on the visit when I bought the car.

I too had a very unhappy first attempt at buying my RX-8. They wanted $3000 over sticker and offered a mere $9500 for my trade (a cherry '97 BMW 328is). I told them that was totally unacceptable. I was informed that they would give me MSRP if I sold my trade myself and that none of the RX-8s they had sold so far had left the lot below sticker.

I got on the Internet.....guess what....they were the only dealer in town who had any RX-8s in stock....and rarer even, they had the color and option combo I wanted. So I got in touch with the Internet sales person. They were willing to sell for MSRP and would give me a better price on the trade without haggling. I ended up buying the RX-8 for sticker and getting $12000 trade....not bad considering I probably wouldn't have gotten much more than $13500 for selling it myself (but then I'd have had much higher sales tax on the RX-8).

So....got the car I wanted and a (in my opinion) fair deal. Why the hassle the first time I went in to buy? They told me it depended on the "sales mgr of the day" and how good a day/week/month they were having.

Anyway....I try not to think about it anymore and just enjoy the car!

Guys, this is my first post. I picked up my velocity red 6 speed last night, and I am in heaven. What an amazing car. The dealer--Arlington Mazda Rosenthal in Virginia--was great. They told me the price would be MSRP, and when they didn't have the exact specs I was looking for (base with no options), the sales guy found one in Delaware and drove up there on his day off to bring it to me. Now that is service.
I decided to buy the car on Saturday, and it took until Tuesday to get it. How in the world can anyone stand to wait several months? It was agonizing.
I also ordered the appearance package and rear spoiler, but those will have to be put on next week. Totally different subject, but are those accessories hard to come by on the east coast?

As was said above, find another dealer that will allow a test drive and buy your car there. Then, drive your new car back to the original store on a Saturday and ask to see the General Manager. Show him your new car and explain to him exactly why you did not buy it from his dealership.

I don't even own one yet and I got to test drive one. The sales manager even said go out and "spin it around". The salesman in the car with me said go for it so I did. I can verify fuel cut at 10000 rpm, that abs works, and that the car will only do donuts without tcs. The salesman had a blast. It just depends on where you go. Some dealers are pricks and some are really cool.

I have been chatting with Jeff Haas Mazda about buying one. I am going to do it, when and where is up to the dealer. They will not go below msrp and request an additional $300 for the interior and exterior protective coating which they say they will not sell the car without. Basically a $300 wax and scotchgard job. I'm not paying $300 for this. I'll do it myself. I also refuse to pay msrp or even a few hundred less for the car. There are many people that purchased the car and have free service and a debit card from Mazda. I can't get this so why should I pay the same price? I shouldn't and won't. My loyalty is with my money and I will only buy one from the dealer that gives me the best price. If I can't get the price I want then the dealer doesn't need a sale. I still have 3 other cars anyways. It would be nice to have another though.

3000 over?? haha what bs..

buyers have power man.. just go elsewhere.. they won't be able to compete with those prices.. they lose in the end.

Originally posted by ALMOST8IT
I am taken by the 8 and was almost taken by the local dealer. The deal I thought I had was just under MSRP but not much under. 5 year loan at 2.9% from my credit union. After 3.5 hours, I was finally in the finance office signing over my trade in and signing other papers down to the last few, including the loan doc, when they tried to sell me the extended warranty to tack on to my loan, thats when I learned they prepared the loan doc for 6 years not 5 at the same payment, thus increasing the cost by almost $6000.

I'm a little confused by this story. If you already had a loan from your credit union then why were you even discussion financing terms with the dealer. You should just take the check from the credit union, give it to your dealer for full cash value, and pay back the credit union. Why were you even discussing loan terms with Mazda?

My dealer has 5 or 6 cars on the lot and he let me test drive it alone :O

Originally posted by 8_wannabe


I'm a little confused by this story. If you already had a loan from your credit union then why were you even discussion financing terms with the dealer. You should just take the check from the credit union, give it to your dealer for full cash value, and pay back the credit union. Why were you even discussing loan terms with Mazda?

The Mazda Dealer is hooked up to my credit union. I didn't have a loan going in, actually I was just in to see the car and take it for a test drive. The dealer said he could make me a great deal right now on the car, I thought I would at least listen. The original deal offered was not a great deal, but a way over sticker deal. I said there was no way I would go over MSRP, he accepted that and we continued to talk and negotiate for quite some time. The final deal, as I understood it, was that I would be getting a 5 year through my credit union, and since they were hooked into the credit union, they would prepare the paperwork. Only when I finally saw the paperwork, as prepared by the dealership, it was for six years at a final figure way in excess of MSRP. Thats when I said hold it and they went into, what I now know, are well tried tag team tactics. Every time I pointed out inconsistencies with their BS, they just got angry and piled on more.

(P.S. I get a letter about once a month from my credit union offering me a 2.9% car loan so I am pretty confident I qualified.)

Sorry for the confusion.

I dont know about you all but when i bought my car i didnt care about test driving any other car than the one I was going to buy. I made it a point of the sale and until they did this and i made sure that the car was fine and i was happy did i buy the car.

Also when buying a car through the dealership and they say they are " Hooked up" with your credit union through cuddle or other methods do not go through them its much safer to get a preaproval through your credit union directly and then bring the preaproval to the dealer and have your credit union cut them the check.

So id recommend sure let em haggle on financing and pricing then when you get the price you want and they think they are going to screw you on financing go to your credit union the next day and get a preaproval. This should get rid of at least one box of the four square game.

down
Trade in
Financing
Price

That's funny, but it does indeed happen. My local Nissan dealership offered to let me take a spin in the Z in the parking lot and the parking lot only. I laughed at the young kid who told me to come in and agree to some numbers and then they would let me go out on a true test drive. I told him that I don't buy cars that I can't test drive. I wanted to compare the Z to the G35 and RX-8 (which I've test driven 5 times). Dealers must think that we are stupid or something. BTW, I've never gotten pressure to buy the 8 other than the salesman saying "Don't you want to take it home today." I told them initially what my objectives were on my first visit and they only pressured me to test drive it which was hard because now that I've driven it, it's like a drug and keeps calling me back. I've learned that having patience when dealing with first year production cars pays off in the long run because improvements ar forthcoming in the second year. Let's see what Mazda does for improvement. Not withstanding though, I want to buy one now!!!

FWIW, referring to another reply, I have spent time looking at dealers in the Denver/CO Springs area and have found exactly one willing to sell at sticker; all the rest want MSRP++.

As I said, it all depends on where you live...

Went to another dealer like most of you have suggested. Pretty much got the some response, but with more bs. They also had 6-7 of them on the lot.

Salesperson went into a ramble about insurance guidelines and how the 8 is an exclusive sports car. Wanted me to agree to an entire deal before I drove. He said he could put a statement in the contract saying if I didn't like it I didn't have to buy. That's alot of paperwork for a test drive.

Made a comment on how I was comparing the 8 to the Evo and he said the evo doesn;t even compare to the 8. In his words the RX-8 is in a class above the Evo. I have to disagree with this.

I think I'm done looking for a reasonable Mazda dealer. I know I have the A4, but really want to test drive the RX-8 since I had one on order. Kinda want to know what I'm missing out on if anything. I guess I'll wait for a used one to pop up somewhere at a dealer other than Mazda.

Thanks for the feedback.

Originally posted by saejin
Went to another dealer like most of you have suggested. Pretty much got the some response, but with more bs. They also had 6-7 of them on the lot.

Salesperson went into a ramble about insurance guidelines and how the 8 is an exclusive sports car. Wanted me to agree to an entire deal before I drove. He said he could put a statement in the contract saying if I didn't like it I didn't have to buy. That's alot of paperwork for a test drive.

Made a comment on how I was comparing the 8 to the Evo and he said the evo doesn;t even compare to the 8. In his words the RX-8 is in a class above the Evo. I have to disagree with this.

I think I'm done looking for a reasonable Mazda dealer. I know I have the A4, but really want to test drive the RX-8 since I had one on order. Kinda want to know what I'm missing out on if anything. I guess I'll wait for a used one to pop up somewhere at a dealer other than Mazda.

Thanks for the feedback.

This is nothing more than salesman BS to try to sell a car. I'm glad you weren't sucker enough to fall for it.

I had the same problem i was test drive rejected also this was at Madza of West Springfield, MA. At first thought was like these bastards are age discriminating. I guess i was wrong if its happening to other people....i would say its hard to sell a car you can't test. Next i will have to go with my father to get some real answers. I was asking questions about the car the salesman didn't give a shit...i prolly knew more about the car then he did. All they did was point me 2 the cars and said go look @ it. Ya this ass is gunna get my money screw him. I will go back another time with older looking people since they hate on me.

Got my test drive finally. Don't like it as much as I thought I would. Glad I bought my Audi.

Thanks for all the feedback and comments. It's a great car and I hope everyone is happy with their purchase.

I bought my wife a RX8 with the promise that my son could have it in 6 months if he makes the grade in his freshman year at Texas A&M. We pick the car up in Victoria on Thur. He was not with us when my wife made her test drive, so today he goes over to the Mazda dealer in Bryan and has a good look at the 8s on the lot. The salesman asks him if he wants to take it for a test drive, he says "sure man" and off he and his friend (also a freshman) go on a test drive. He's only 18 and the the Bryan Texas dealer offered him a test drive with no pressure or strings attached. WOW and some of you guys are being denied a test drive.........Move to Texas. gig' em

Originally posted by mikeb
1st time I've of dealer saying no to test drive
maybe you got a new guy or something

Some dealers are just assholes (OK, not just some :))

When I was shopping for a Corvette, I went into one dealer who refused to allow me to test drive any Corvette. "No test drive, no sale," I told them, and left. I haven't been back to that dealership since. :)

OTOH, when I stopped by the Mazda dealership to look at the RX-8 up close, the salesman practically begged me to take a test drive.

Bottom line, some dealers are better than others. Just keep looking until you find one that wants your business.

Originally posted by dvarapala

Bottom line, some dealers are better than others. Just keep looking until you find one that wants your business.

yup, that's what it all boils down to... I went to HB Mazda and they were happy to give me a test drive.. but they had high markups.. I then went to browning, and they offered no test drive, but had no markups..

Then I went to SM Mazda, and they gave both a test drive and a reasonable price..

guess who got my business? :)

IMO the dealership was smart.

Potential buyer arrives on site with a brand new Audi and asks for the test drive. If it was me, I would probably give the flinch test too to see if it was worth my time.

I would also have a sign that says, "Only serious browsers may apply"

Originally posted by Magnesium
IMO the dealership was smart.

Potential buyer arrives on site with a brand new Audi and asks for the test drive. If it was me, I would probably give the flinch test too to see if it was worth my time.

I would also have a sign that says, "Only serious browsers may apply"

Families don't have two cars? Just because you own a newer car means your not serious about buying another one? By that logic, someone that drives up in a Pinto would be a quick sale.

Part of any salesman's job is to get the customer excited about the car. Showing them the literature and letting them walk around the outside of the car ain't gonna cut it. You've got to let them drive it.

tag you are so right

I have some advice for those who find their US dealerships wanting MSRP or more or don't allow test drives.

There are MANY dealers that are discounting the RX8. Some are selling off the lot for as low as invoice + $500. It may take some time to find them but if you can save $1000s it is probably worth a few phone calls and even a plane ticket to get your deal.

There is a dealer in Kellog Idaho (unfortunately not a Mazda dealer) that is now the largest Dodge truck dealer in the WORLD! Why? because he sells them all at invoice - $350 (yes, that's a minus sign).

Do some internet research and make some phone calls and you can find the deal that you want. I found my RX8 in Spokane, WA where they had 22 on the lot in August. They wanted to sell vehicles, not collect them.

I didn't want to drive it, just to drive it. I was thinking about buying it if it did live up to my expectations.

Six months ago I had a Winning Blue 6MT with sport pkg on order for $800 below MSRP. I even got all the pre-order gifts, which the dealer let me keep just after I canceled just in case i changed my mind later.
I cancelled for a few reasons...it was an unproven vehicle...lots of speculation on hp/tq numbers due to stuck intake ports...delayed production...etc. i couldn't commit myself to a vehicle i hadn't driven yet that seemed to be doomed before it even hit the showrooms.

Fast forward to now. I keep checking back here to see how everyone likes it and for the most part everyone does. Even though I did buy my Audi that doesn't mean i can't get another car. I've already seen quite a few 350Z on the used car lots and expect to see some RX-8's later on. People do change their minds on new car purchases.

Basically i needed to drive it to see if i still wanted it. And now I know that I don't, at least not in its current iteration. Thanks again for all the responses and maybe someday I'll be an RX-8 owner...

Test drove it this past Saturday and boy do I love how it feels. The sales associate of the dealer wasn't hesitant to give me a test drive. He was like, "Oh sure----may I have your DL and let me get the keys to the car." That felt so good on the inside to hear that he was willing to let me drive the 8 when in fact there were only 3 of them on the lot available for viewing. It's just sad to hear that other Mazda and non-Mazda dealerships aren't letting others test drive the car. What are you there for----to look at the car? Probably not. Test driving the car is the WHOLE experience, I think. If there is no such thing as test driving then there would be people buying and then later returning because they didn't like how the car felt when they drove off with it.

In any case, I test drove the car, Saturday afternoon. The torque, power, interior, and the smell of a brand new 8 was priceless to me, hehe. What an experience, I thought to myself. I'll definitely test drive it again before the time comes to purchase the car.

Me and my buddy both got invitations from Mazda to go and test drive an 8 and to get a gift too. My buddy and a mutual friend went to this dealership where I had my FD serviced. The serivce department sucked, and he found out today the sales department sucks just as bad. First off they get there and he stands in the show room for at least 5 minutes before being greeted, and then the guy greeting him says Uh Yah...all put out. He explains what he was there for, and the salesman said they were short handed and would have to come back. He told him he didn't drive 20 miles to go right back. So the guy told him to hold on. This older guy that didn't even resemble a sales man ask whos interested in buying an 8. My friend told him no one right now. But he had an invitation to test one, and really wanted to check one out. He sighed and said that they were trying to keep the miles low on them and he couldn't. My friend told him he worked for Mazda, and Mazda NA sent him an invitation to test drive one and he was going to. So the sales guy walks off for twenty minutes and comes back, and says lets go. They get in and the guy is saying a bunch of crap about the 8...you know the mag stats. Then my friend noticed there was 487 miles on it. And they don't test them huh. Anyway, the guy tells him this is the only car that has a red line of 9k. He's telling this to some one who owns a S2000. What an idiot. Then after spitting the quarter mile stats, and the 0-60 stats. Our mutual friend say that's pretty much the same numbers on my Accord Coupe 6 speed. The sales guy immediately starts slamming on his accord saying that family car is know where near in comparison to this sports car. (Did I miss something?) Anyway he let him drive down the service road and back. Upon returning our mutual friends wife is pregnant and is looking for a small sedan, so he mentioned the 6 and how they were talking about looking at them. Our mutual friend thought it would be a great time to check one out. While walking into the show room the sales guy over hears him and turns around and says NO, you guys aren't going to waste my entire day...I'm on straight commission. You know I have several friends in sales, as well as relatives. Since when did salesmen not have to sell something. I've noticed that they expect people just to walk in and give the sales guy MSRP. What a F@ck! Anyway, they left , and my friend is in sales and called the sales manager to let him know what kind of experience he had at his dealership, and thought he'd be concerned. Instead, he tried to defend his actions. So my friend asked, so that's how you want your sales people to treat potential customers, and he said no but you said you weren't buying a car today. So my friend said, oh so you only treat people who aren't buying car today like sh!t. He again says no every one is treated equally. Them my friend says so you equally treat everyone that walks in like sh!t... Then he said look, I'm in says and I don't like my time wasted either, but if I send an invitation out to potential customers to test drive a car and this is the response I get, no wonder Mazda is a third rated car company. The sales manager said Mazda is not...And my friend said don't get me wrong, Mazda is working hard to pull back up, but it's dealsehips like yours that cause people like me to never get mazda another look. You even through away a potential sale on a 6, because of your attitude. He then asked for his regional managers number, because he wanted to inform him. They sales manager then starts to back pedal, and asked him what he could do. My friend said nothing I gave you your shot. I was trying to help you, because the attitude of your dealership, gives people the impression you don't what our business.

I had the same f-ing problem with them when I had my FD serviced there. The only reason why I went there was because it was under warranty. I had to file a complaint on the dealership to get them to do what they were suppose to. It's horrible. I don't really care, because I probably won't buy one. There cool, but I'm holding out for the BIG DAWG! If it comes.

Originally posted by saejin


I'm sorry but this is why I hate Mazda dealerships. The RX-8 isn't all it's hyped up to be g.


however IMO, it is all it's hyped up to be, and more.

What dealer was that; 20 miles from lewisville?

Originally posted by brownchiro
What dealer was that; 20 miles from lewisville?

I didn't go...my buddy did, and he left from work in Frisco, and drove to Richardson which is approximately 20 miles. I believe from Lewisville it's about the same, but I'm not positive. Although there is the newer dealer up towards Denton now. What's your point?

BTW, I got my invitation last night. It's via email, and you're suppose to print it and take it to a dealer. I'm sure others have received it. I'm thinking of replying that due to the response my friend got from our local dealer, I think I might have to decline this offer. I wonder if they would respond.

Originally posted by rtryrktrx7
I didn't go...my buddy did, and he left from work in Frisco, and drove to Richardson which is approximately 20 miles. I believe from Lewisville it's about the same, but I'm not positive. Although there is the newer dealer up towards Denton now. What's your point?




I was just wondering what dealer treated you that way. I also received an invitation to test drive an RX8.

i was denied at test drive to at a dealership in fairfax VA. i was soooo pissed i drove to the dealership in Tyson's corner, got an awesome deal and bought an 8 that same day.

dankgummy,
I would have driven it back to the other dealer and asked to speak to the sales manager, and service manager, and told them they needed to changed their policies, because the sales manager lost a sale, and the service manager lost all the servicing you would have given them. It really cracks me up how honda was with the S2000, and now mazda with the RX-8. All they need is one demo. That's why they call it a demo. That is the test drive vehicle. Besides both are only $30k cars. Geez. My SUV cost more, and they gave the demo to me for the afternoon. This wasn't a problem with the FD back in 93.

When I was on the waiting list for my 8, I asked the sales manager at Ramsey Auto Center in Des Moines if I could borrow a Miata for a day to see if I still enjoyed being in a smaller car. (I'd been driving a Lexus LS400). He said no problem, how about this one? My daughter and I spent a great day with the wind in our hair. Well, her hair, actually. I don't have too much to blow around anymore. This dealer has been great for everything, and I know they made a point to have a demo available as soon as they had a little bit of inventory. They have treated me so well, I bought the sales manager one of those 1/18 AutoArt RX-8's in his and my favorite color, Velocity Red. Currently, Ramsey has several 8's available: red, blue, black, titanium, and maybe silver.

Originally posted by brownchiro
I was just wondering what dealer treated you that way. I also received an invitation to test drive an RX8.

I would also be interested in knowing what dealership treated you this way. I've got my test drive certificate, and would like to use it soon.

Bluesunlion:

It was Ramsey Auto Center in Des Moines, Iowa. A little far for you, possibly. Steve Martelli is the sales manager.

Also, 2 yellow ones available at Ramsey last I looked.

So, saejin, it's still an unproven car, you cancelled your original order (which they still have on file in their notes) and you have a new car. Maybe they see you as indecisive or not being serious about an 8 (?) ...Just my .02

try wearing a suit.