I have been looking for a RX-8. I was able to negotiate a deal that I thought was awesome. My wife however is not convinced. What do you all think?

Brand New '04 MT
Black
Sport Package
I got them down to $23,500. It is their last '04 MT, so I think they are eager to move it.

The sticker is for $29,000 something...

Thanks for the feedback.

-Ace

is that with the 4000 incentives?

also, do you know about the gerber rebate?

i bought my '04 AT with sport package and spare tire, and 72 miles on it, a couple weeks ago. The final price including tax and all fees and rebates was 22.6. that included 4000 of incentives, 500 gerber rebate, and 500 graduated student rebate.

I beleive the AT is about $1000 (more?)cheaper then the MT.

I will check tomorrow to see exactly what rebates they have included. I should be able to get that student graduate rebate as my wife and I both qualify for that. I have not heard anything about the Gerber rebates. I will post details tomorrow.

-Ace

that's about what i got mine for, but I've got leather, appearance package, rotary accent, cargo net spare tire kit and the 6cd changer.

I have been looking for a RX-8. I was able to negotiate a deal that I thought was awesome. My wife however is not convinced. What do you all think?

Brand New '04 MT
Black
Sport Package
I got them down to $23,500. It is their last '04 MT, so I think they are eager to move it.

The sticker is for $29,000 something...

Thanks for the feedback.

-Ace

Some wheeler-dealer you are - "28 something?". Get us the sticker and what options and we can tell you.

For example, a 6mt with sports pack, wing, and spare tire would sticker for about $29,400 and the dealer cost would be about $27,300. There is a $4,000 dealer incentive on the car, so that drops it to $23,300.

So if you got it for $23,300 then the dealer would still make the hold back. If you want to dip into that, it is a little over $500 on this car. So around $22,780 or so would be dealer cost with no profit. You apply for and get the Gerber rebate (costs the dealer nothing, just reduces by $500 how much you owe).

The most I would pay is dealer cost - $4,000 and you should be able to get into the hold back as well.

Dennis

that's about what i got mine for, but I've got leather, appearance package, rotary accent, cargo net spare tire kit and the 6cd changer.

That does not seem possible (or plausible).

Did you have a trade in or something? Did you count the Gerber or student rebates to get this number? By "leather" I assume you mean the GT package, and not dealer installed leather?

A 6mt with GT, appearance, rotary, net, spare, and changer would MSRP about $33,600 and dealer cost would be about $30,800. Take away $4k and you get $26,800. Take away far more than hold back - say $1,000 and you get $25,800. Yet you got it for "about" $23,500? To do that price they would have to lose $2,300 or more on the deal. Dealers would/could not do that - unless they charged you a $2,300 "doc fee" :D

PM me the dealer and salesman you worked with, they have to be nuts I will call them up and get them to make ME a deal like that.

Dennis

What do you all think? .... I got them down to $23,500.

You got a "new" $29,400 car with full factory warranty for $23,500. That is an excellent deal in anybody's book. Of course, check for any other rebates/discounts but even if you don't get any more discount you did very well. Deals this good are rare, particularly on a car that you want.

Thats a good deal. I got my 6MT, sport, appearance package with spoiler for $24.5k. You have yourself a very good deal man.

That does not seem possible (or plausible).

Did you have a trade in or something? Did you count the Gerber or student rebates to get this number? By "leather" I assume you mean the GT package, and not dealer installed leather?

A 6mt with GT, appearance, rotary, net, spare, and changer would MSRP about $33,600 and dealer cost would be about $30,800. Take away $4k and you get $26,800. Take away far more than hold back - say $1,000 and you get $25,800. Yet you got it for "about" $23,500? To do that price they would have to lose $2,300 or more on the deal. Dealers would/could not do that - unless they charged you a $2,300 "doc fee" :D

PM me the dealer and salesman you worked with, they have to be nuts I will call them up and get them to make ME a deal like that.

Dennis

yeah sounds about right... sticker was 32,9XX invoice was 299XX. -899 ( free leather/gt whine about how much leather sucks in FL heat humidity ) -1000 ( "piss me off and make me walk out" rebate) - 500 gerber -3900 for payoff my honda.

I talked them down to $23,000 with taxes, title included. Also they are going to throw in tinted windows at no additional cost.

Now the bad news. My wife says "No!" Even after I showed her the extra $1400 a month in our budget, she contends that we can't afford it. It really burns me up.

You know how you make decisions and then years later you are more wise and you realize that you would have done things different if you could go back to that time with the knowledge that you have now? That is what I think about marriage at the momment. I don't really see the benefit of it right now.

I need some time to cool off...
:(
Thanks for the feedback, hopefully I will get to enjoy my own 8 some time this year.

-Ace

You know how you make decisions and then years later you are more wise and you realize that you would have done things different if you could go back to that time with the knowledge that you have now? That is what I think about marriage at the momment. I don't really see the benefit of it right now.
-Ace

so haven't tapped that a$$ in a while huh..... ;)

car, woman, car, woman.... rough decision

Actually, now that I think about it, it has been a week... Don't really have the desire when she is being unreasonable though, so that explains it.

- Ace

understandable, hope it all works out for you.... do a cost/benefit analysis (RX8 vs nagging wife) hahahaha

I got $25,200 plus tax for an 04 GT + Nav. That's with the Mazda rebates, Gerber rebate, and extra $500 loyalty rebate.

Right, but posting "I got it for $25,200" makes folks think they can use the Gerber or grad or loyalty to get it for less. Or folks that don't qualify for the grad or loyalty will be in trying to match that price - will not be able to since the dealer is not going to lose that much money.

Folks should state what they negotiated the DEALER down to - before tags, title, tax, and license fees are applied. Then if you have any rebates on top of that it is like "cash" - and may not apply to the rest of us.

Dennis

I talked them down to $23,000 with taxes, title included. Also they are going to throw in tinted windows at no additional cost.

Now the bad news. My wife says "No!" Even after I showed her the extra $1400 a month in our budget, she contends that we can't afford it. It really burns me up.

You know how you make decisions and then years later you are more wise and you realize that you would have done things different if you could go back to that time with the knowledge that you have now? That is what I think about marriage at the momment. I don't really see the benefit of it right now.


No matter where you live, now THAT is a better price.

If you lived here- in the land of 7% state tax on the purchase price of the car, that would be a SMOKING price.

I don't know, I sure do love my wife and would not want to go through life without her. Of course, she doesn't tell me "no" when I want to get something new - she trusts that I would not get if if I could not afford it.

"In theory" there are LOTS of cars but only one true love of your life - so you might be better off to make her happy :D

Dennis

"In theory" there are LOTS of cars but only one true love of your life - so you might be better off to make her happy :D

but that car is mighty shiny :D

Well thanks for all of the feedback. You all have been a great help.

As for the wife issue, I'll keep working on her. At worst I'll have to wait until fall to buy. I just hope I can get as good of a deal at that time.

-Ace

yeah just keep saving money for the downpayment until she can't refuse the monthly payments

Hate to say it, but if you wait till fall, you probably won't get nearly as good a deal.

Well thanks for all of the feedback. You all have been a great help.

As for the wife issue, I'll keep working on her. At worst I'll have to wait until fall to buy. I just hope I can get as good of a deal at that time.

-Ace
I feel for 'ya, Ace. My wife had pretty much the same attitude. So I just went out and bought it anyway, figuring her anger would subside before long (which it did). And the whole time she was experiencing her anger-induced high blood pressure, I was having fun driving my '8. Besides, she's a stay-at-home Mom, meaning that I earn all the money in our household.

But, using my gift of 20/20 hindsight, I would have bought the '8 prior to buying her Lexus if I had to do it all over again. That woulda probably shortened her "pissed-off" mode by a couple weeks, at least. :D

Bill

Hate to say it, but if you wait till fall, you probably won't get nearly as good a deal.I disagree. Since Mazda's sales are increasng on the RX-8's (at least, I am assuming, based on the thread titles I've seen here (but haven't the patience to read)), they're likely to bump up production in '05, which means by next fall/winter, the inventory in many dealers will likely be greater, which in turn means the desperation to push 8's off the lots will likely be higher. Especially since there have been many rumors that improvements will be made in the '06 version (5-speed hi-power AT, etc.), I suspect that the '05s will go for even lower.

Okay, so it's just a theory, but since last year was the first full year of RX-8 production and sales went well, I am assuming my theory to be true ;)

That being said, Ace, don't let your heart break over having to pass up on this good deal. Another one will surely come around when the time is ripe.

Here is something that might help you figure things out.
Hint: Hidden Holdback is 3% on the RX-8 Base Price. 2% on other Mazdas

*Bill*
Great post, I couldn't help but think of my wife and giggle when you were talking about buying it anyway and letting her blood preasure subside later. If I didn't know for sure that my wife didn't have a sister, I would have had to ask...

BTW, that is the way that I got my motorcylcle. She never believed that I was getting it until I pulled in to the driveway. She still insisted that it was not mine. Finally when she realized it was mine and she got over it real quick. She never quit nagging me about the bike however, the normal stuff, it's too dangerous, why do you need it, blah, blah. Finally after two years of nagging I sold it. Now the weather is getting nice here in Louisville and I wish I had it around...

Moral of the story? I don't know, but I am thinking maybe...

'Don't get married' ???

-Ace

Here is something that might help you figure things out.

I have been looking for the 04 inoice prices - I have been guessing at them based on published 05 invoice prices (a slight increase over 04).

Don't forget the destination charge ($520) is not included in the invoice price on this sheet. AND it is the initial 04 sheet, so price may have gone up since then for 04s. You check the MSRP on the window sticker VS the MSRP on this sheet - if they are the same then the invoice on the sheet should be right.

Dennis

BTW, that is the way that I got my motorcylcle. She never believed that I was getting it until I pulled in to the driveway. She still insisted that it was not mine. Finally when she realized it was mine and she got over it real quick. She never quit nagging me about the bike however, the normal stuff, it's too dangerous, why do you need it, blah, blah. Finally after two years of nagging I sold it.

I have almost always had motorcycles and when I first met my wife she rode with me. We got married and had kids so I sold my bike.

One of my toughest days of married life was the day I asked my wife for a ride.

"Where are we going? Did you find us a pickup truck?" (I had been looking for a cheap truck for hauling stuff).

I had to tell her it was a ride for me to pick up a motorcycle. Man, she was not happy.

She got over it and rides with me on the 'wing when she feels like it and the weather is right (for her).

Dennis

You guys make me feel much better. I was beggining to think there was something wrong with my wife. Sounds like several people have had simliar issues.

*Dennis*
Reading your post made my laugh as well. I can definately relate.

There most be some sort of mechanism/gene/hormone in the brain of a women that is activated upon marriage. Seems like whatever makes a man happy causes a wife to be upset.

As far as the car is concerned, I am still trying to work a better deal. They are going to send me a cost breakdown today. I will calculate their profit and try to get it down to where they are still making some money, just not much ($200 seems fair, for me to "take it off of their hands").

The wife, I'll keep working on her. Like I said, at worst I'll have to wait until the end of summer (and miss the prime time driving season, but theres always next year, ugh).

-Ace

What I would do:

Get a copy of the window sticker on the car you want (take a picture or just write down each item).

Compare those figures to the amounts shown on the 04 invoice sheet that was posted. Make note of any differences in the prices from MSRP on the sheet to the sticker (if anything the sticker will be higher).

Total up the dealer cost from the sheet for each item, don't forget to include the destination charge (MSRP and invoice have the same destination charge). Adjust any item's dealer cost based on the the first step (e.g. if base price is $100 higher, than make dealer cost $100 higher).

Now you have a good handle on the dealer cost for that car with those options on it. Take off the $4,000 in dealer money. That is dealer cost, they keep all the hold back. Optionally take off 2% of the base MSRP - this cost and you get all the holdback. That should be your "magic number". Somewhere between that number and (invoice - $4,000) is probably OK, but this time of year closer to the magic number would be expected.

If the dealer has a really high doc fee (on the Accord I just leased for my wife it was $298) you need to allow for that - and cut down to where they get no hold back. If they have no doc fee or a small one ($50-100) you can be more generous with them.

Once you get the dealer to your number, then you use your college grad, owner loyalty, and/or Gerber rebates to drop the price more.

Don't be afraid to call around to other area dealers and see what they have and see what they will do for a similar car (and be sure to have them include any dealer fees in their best price). You may be able to drive a little and get a better deal.

Dennis

*Dennis
That is good advice that I will definately follow.

-Ace

Too bad the inventory search at MazdaUSA does not work for 04 8s now :(

BTW, I think I know your brother "I.P."

Dennis

Well, good deal or not is irrelevant at this point. My wife and I had it out last night over the potential purchase of the car. I was given an ultimatum, buy car now and get divorce or wait until March '06 and I have the green light to purchase. Looks like I am officially whipped. I won't be joining the ownership club until early next year.
-Ace

Well, good deal or not is irrelevant at this point. My wife and I had it out last night over the potential purchase of the car. I was given an ultimatum, buy car now and get divorce or wait until March '06 and I have the green light to purchase. Looks like I am officially whipped. I won't be joining the ownership club until early next year.
-Ace

Whoa, that's quite an ultimatum... sorry to hear that but maybe by that time they'll have more info on a Mazdaspeed version

Or...You could get the car now and since your wife would leave, you wouldn't have to worry about her being mad ;)

Or...You could get the car now and since your wife would leave, you wouldn't have to worry about her being mad ;)
Bwahahahahahaha! :D:D

Good one, Zofran.

Zofran,
That's great! Sometimes I wish I could do that. But when I look at the bigger picture, I figure a car is not worth as much as my family... Funny to think about though ;-)

-Ace

Zofran,
That's great! Sometimes I wish I could do that. But when I look at the bigger picture, I figure a car is not worth as much as my family... Funny to think about though ;-)

-Ace
Ace,

What?!?!?! A family can always be replaced. But the '8? That's another deal altogether. :D:D

Bill

PS: For those that are humoristically challenged, please see the smileys (:)) above.

Zofran,
That's great! Sometimes I wish I could do that. But when I look at the bigger picture, I figure a car is not worth as much as my family... Funny to think about though ;-)

-Ace

but it's an 8?!?!?!??! I'd agree about any other car :D