In what will probably be my last post here, having signed up on this forum before the first RX-8 landed on American shores, I was practically forced to return my 2006 GT by the practices of a local Mazda dealer.

The lease was up, and since I always intended to buy the car from the day I signed the lease papers (the lease deal was particularly good) I inquired about buying my car. The lease inspection was done, totalling $210, which I signed on to. I was also over the mileage limit which never bothered me since I was going to buy the thing anyway.

My orginal Mazda dealer had unfortunately gone under, the victim of the recession. This was my second Mazda, and I had known the dealer for quite some time.

I had to go to another Mazda dealer I did not know. In order to buy the car, I would be assessed with a fee of $800 - this, for what amounted to a change of title from Mazda American Credit to me. I refused to pay this extortion. When I called MAC, I ws cheerfully informed that "the dealers were to make money." So are we all, but we draw the line at assrape.

The car went back to Mazda, and the $210 fee mushroomed to over $3000- they helped themselves to new tires, "found" other items that needed repair, and then there was the mileage.

No one would listen to me at MAC or Mazda. I was given the old circle jerk of being referred from company to company, from department to department. I sent registered letters complaining about these high handed tactics. I finally recieved a letter from Mazda Credit that was unapologetic and condescending.

This matter is now being presented to the Attorney General of New York State.

And as God as my witness, no Ford or Mazda product will ever cross my threshhold again.

Hard learned lesson, and no error.

Error? That's a funny word to use. Let's just say MNAO is about to get a lesson in business ethics and customer retention skills

That sucks, my buddy went through something similar on a VW Jetta. He is a traffic cop and patrols in the area the dealer is in so now he pulls the salesmen over during test drives whenever he gets the chance for small license plate infractions, etc. He usually doesn't ticket the drivers because they are customers but it's still probably costs them a sale. They even complained to his supervisor and the supervisor told him as long as he had a valid reason to pull them over it was ok :lol:

This has been going on for a couple of years, I laugh whenever I think of what a pain in the ass it is to the salesmen. It is kind of a dick move on the part of my friend because most of the guys he delt with who lied to him don't work there anymore but it's still funny.

Yes. Leasing is right up there with getting your nuts crushed in a vice. Things to avoid...

At the end of the day it generally doesn't make financial sense to lease a car you intend to buy anyway as you'll typically pay more overall than if you had bought it outright.

Sorry to hear about all that though.

sorry to hear of this but please remember that the situation is one of business transaction. has nothing to do with Product. Ford and Mazda product is good stuff. product good, business partners bad

I dont care how you look at it .... that is BS.... if you are going to buy the car they should simply not fix the problems and let you deal with it....