Car Buying CHECKLIST
01-25-2004, 02:30 AM
#1
Sunlight GT
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Car Buying CHECKLIST
Hi,
It would be very helpful to go through a checklist for
new 8 buyers. So here are some points and questions:
- check all the fluid levels.
- Make sure engine oil is not overfilled
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
- Inspect the car looking for anything wrong with paint/interior/exterior
- Any special instructions to the dealer for PDI??? What items should be checked?
- Preferably take the car for first fill-up yourself
- How about Spark plugs? I know there is some thread about having special spark plugs installed in order to avoid flooding.
- Make sure there is no dealer advertising/logos on the car e.g. on trunk lid
- Check the build date and VIN# and go through all available TSB. Check if there is one applicable to your VIN#. If yes, can you ask the dealer to have that TSB done on the car before you even drive it off the lot?
- Anything less than 10 miles on the car should be fine when you drive off.
Thanks.
It would be very helpful to go through a checklist for
new 8 buyers. So here are some points and questions:
- check all the fluid levels.
- Make sure engine oil is not overfilled
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
- Inspect the car looking for anything wrong with paint/interior/exterior
- Any special instructions to the dealer for PDI??? What items should be checked?
- Preferably take the car for first fill-up yourself
- How about Spark plugs? I know there is some thread about having special spark plugs installed in order to avoid flooding.
- Make sure there is no dealer advertising/logos on the car e.g. on trunk lid
- Check the build date and VIN# and go through all available TSB. Check if there is one applicable to your VIN#. If yes, can you ask the dealer to have that TSB done on the car before you even drive it off the lot?
- Anything less than 10 miles on the car should be fine when you drive off.
Thanks.
Last edited by Maximus; 01-25-2004 at 02:32 AM.
01-25-2004, 03:58 AM
#2
Bottom feeder
my car had 200+ miles on it before I drove it off the lot.. it was supposedly new but I complained and got a few hundred knocked off..
so my advice is if there is an unreasonable mileage for a "new" car, use that fact as leverage for further price reduction.
so my advice is if there is an unreasonable mileage for a "new" car, use that fact as leverage for further price reduction.
01-25-2004, 01:40 PM
#3
Goh Mifune
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Re: Car Buying CHECKLIST
Sorry for the long post... got carried away...
I found it was hard to do much else at the dealership other than go through the "standard procedures" with the salesman at the time of delivery, meaning I did what they told me and only really got the chance to look for obvious problems... I didn't feel that I had very much leverage. In fact, it was all I could do to get through the extra sales pitches for "extended warranties" and "tire warranties" and "VIN glass etching." Realize that when you pick up your car the dealer will view it as the last time they'll get to sell you more stuff. I totally agree that buyers should plan for this stage of the process too for this reason, but the really important time for getting the car you want is when the contract is signed. Don't be shy about asking that specific things get noted on the contract. My thoughts:
- check all the fluid levels.
This is hard to do with a new car when the buyer doesn't really know yet where everything is. Also, it was dark when I picked up my car. Hopefully, you can take the car home, give it a good looking over and then call the dealership with any concerns about fluids in the next few days. I don't think they are likely to put up any fight with you over this after the delivery. You will still have all the "satisfaction surveys" to do that Mazda and the dealership management send out, so they are still trying to make you happy. If you think this might be a problem, find another dealer. You should trust them more than this.
- Make sure engine oil is not overfilled
Very hard to do. My engine oil was overfilled and I didn't realize it for several weeks b/c I assumed I was just reading the stick wrong. 10W-20 is very light oil and I found it hard to see on the stick. It was only after a few weeks, when the level finally dropped enough for me to see what was going on that I realized it. Also, if you arrive and the oil is overfilled, they may not have the ability to easily fix this... my dealership's service department wasn't open when I picked up the car and they seem very busy at other times. I recommend just mentioning to the salesperson at the time of the sale that there have been problems with overfills and ask that yours be kept "in the middle" or "not over the top" hash. Check it later when you get home. Call and ask to have the excess drained the following day if its too high and you are concerned. Personally, I don't think an overfill is a very big problem since during the break-in period you shouldn't be pushing the car very hard anyway. As I said, I drove my car for at least a month over the line. I'm sure it's not ideal, but I also don't think this is something to scream about. (I would defer to anyone with a good reason who disagrees with me, BTW - I'm totally guessing that its not a huge deal).
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
Good one. Easy to check, simple to fix and something that new buyers might not ever realize is wrong. If they can't fix it, take the car and come back when the anchors are available.
- Inspect the car looking for anything wrong with paint/interior/exterior
Again, this can be hard to do at a dealership. I did a walk around, but never would have noticed small stuff. Several weeks after having the car, for example, I noticed grease stains where the moon roof was installed. The stains are really not visible unless the car is in the sun and you look directly up from the drivers seat. Someone didn't wash his hands. I don't know what I would have done if I had noticed it at delivery. The stain certainly doesn't seem like a big deal (you have to look for it to find it, really). I don't know what the dealership would have done other than try to use detergent to remove it, which is what I will probably do this summer when the temperture becomes bearable again.
- Any special instructions to the dealer for PDI??? What items should be checked?
I don't know about PDI, but note that the cars are usually delivered without permanent plates. Where I live, cars get a small sticker prepared by the dealer for the back plate holder until the permanent plates are shipped to the dealer. My front plates were installed few weeks later. I think people in front-plate states are best advised to allow the install of the front plate, then take off the front plate later if that is what they want to do (many people ignore the law, and pay the small fines when they get stopped). The install of the front plate requires the screws to be mounted in specific, unmarked places, and the dealers know where those install points are. The easiest way to find them is just to remove a plate that's been installed properly. If you need to, there is a TSB on this, I belive (see below).
- Preferably take the car for first fill-up yourself
I don't think that's likely to happen. When I received "the call," the car was already ready to be picked up and waiting for me. Also, if the dealers using his own pump, I doubt it has 91 Octane gas, so I don't think they want the owner tagging along for the fill up to see that all the cars get 89. Should you make a big deal about the Octane? I wouldn't bother, but other people are more picky. If it really is something that will bother you, ask if the car will be delivered with 91 Octane gas and ask them where they get it.
- How about Spark plugs? I know there is some thread about having special spark plugs installed in order to avoid flooding.
I think this should be discussed during the negotiation of the price of the car and not at delivery. First, buyers need to decide whether they want the hot plugs or not. I'm not sure yet whether they are worth having since there was some discussion of the possibility of "combustion," if I recall the term correctly. Instead, I would just insist that the car have the hot plugs installed at not extra charge if I wanted them, then get it in writing that the plugs have been installed.
As an aside, I think every new 8 owner should insist on knowing what the dealer's policy will be on repairing a flooded engine before the car is purchased. My dealer is telling me that they don't cover flood repairs under Mazda's warranty. Mazda gave me a "one-time good will repair" which would have cost $250-$285 otherwise. If your dealer tells you flooding is covered under the warranty (as I expect most sales people will if asked), tell the sales person that it is important to you that it get put that in writing. The best circumstance is to have the writing say that the flooded engine will be covered under the "Basic Warranty." If the flood is covered as a "Service Adjustment," the coverage is only for one year. If they tell you that they will only provide a "one-time fix," get that in writing too and make sure it says "for up to four years/48,000 miles," unless you are willing to accept less. (I've been on the soapbox on this issue for a while -- my feeling is that we need Mazda to be up front about what coverage we have on this, but so far they've not been clear as to what their policy is on repairing flooded cars - I'm still waiting for them to respond to a letter I sent Jan. 12).
New buyers should take up the problem and negotiate before cars are purchased how flooding will be covered, since this is the only way you can be assured that Mazda will treat it as "their problem" and not "your problem."
- Make sure there is no dealer advertising/logos on the car e.g. on trunk lid
Yes, trunk lid advertising is aweful but, again, I would just discuss this at the time the price is negotiated and insist it get noted on the contract that the car will be delivered without advertising. Then, if there is a problem later, you can easily have it removed if that is necessary.
Realize that some dealers slap advertising on everything and removing some of it is just easier for the buyer to do after the fact. The big exception, as you noted, is plastic decals affixed to the car body itself. If your dealership does that, make a big point that it won't be done to your car. It could be a real problem if you or they damage the paint removing a decal.
- Check the build date and VIN# and go through all available TSB. Check if there is one applicable to your VIN#. If yes, can you ask the dealer to have that TSB done on the car before you even drive it off the lot?
Absolutely but, yet again, don't do this at the time of delivery. Do this when negotiating the price and have it noted on the contract. All current TSB's (that I know of, anyeway) are located here:
List of RX-8 Technical Service Bulletins
Specifically ask whether your car will have the new oil pan and engine cover gromits (as well as the hot plugs, discussed above). If the dealership installs the replacement oil pan, realize that the procedure takes at least a day because the adhesive needs to set properly. (In other words, don't take the car in the afternoon if they've done the oil-pan install that morning.)
- Anything less than 10 miles on the car should be fine when you drive off.
I would give them a bit more grace than that. Mine was delivered with 7 miles. Every U.S. buyer should get a federal odometer disclosure statement at delivery that matches the miles on the car. Certainly check the mileage against the disclosure statement. I would happily take the car with anything less than 15-20 miles. One of the dealers I know used to move the RX-8s off his lot to another facility on the weekends for sercurity reasons. Things like that shouldn't be a big deal. If the car has more than 20 miles, its time to have a heart-to-heart talk with the salesperson. I don't know what a fair per/mile charge would be in this circumstance, but I think you are entitled to at least 30 - 50 cents per mile. If the mileage is over 100 miles, I'd tell them that I'm not sure I want to accept delivery and do a bit of soul searching before signing the paperwork. I'd probably take money as compensation under 200 miles, but maybe not. Again, ask how many miles the car will have when you negotiate the contract and (try to) hold them to their word.
Good luck!
I found it was hard to do much else at the dealership other than go through the "standard procedures" with the salesman at the time of delivery, meaning I did what they told me and only really got the chance to look for obvious problems... I didn't feel that I had very much leverage. In fact, it was all I could do to get through the extra sales pitches for "extended warranties" and "tire warranties" and "VIN glass etching." Realize that when you pick up your car the dealer will view it as the last time they'll get to sell you more stuff. I totally agree that buyers should plan for this stage of the process too for this reason, but the really important time for getting the car you want is when the contract is signed. Don't be shy about asking that specific things get noted on the contract. My thoughts:
- check all the fluid levels.
This is hard to do with a new car when the buyer doesn't really know yet where everything is. Also, it was dark when I picked up my car. Hopefully, you can take the car home, give it a good looking over and then call the dealership with any concerns about fluids in the next few days. I don't think they are likely to put up any fight with you over this after the delivery. You will still have all the "satisfaction surveys" to do that Mazda and the dealership management send out, so they are still trying to make you happy. If you think this might be a problem, find another dealer. You should trust them more than this.
- Make sure engine oil is not overfilled
Very hard to do. My engine oil was overfilled and I didn't realize it for several weeks b/c I assumed I was just reading the stick wrong. 10W-20 is very light oil and I found it hard to see on the stick. It was only after a few weeks, when the level finally dropped enough for me to see what was going on that I realized it. Also, if you arrive and the oil is overfilled, they may not have the ability to easily fix this... my dealership's service department wasn't open when I picked up the car and they seem very busy at other times. I recommend just mentioning to the salesperson at the time of the sale that there have been problems with overfills and ask that yours be kept "in the middle" or "not over the top" hash. Check it later when you get home. Call and ask to have the excess drained the following day if its too high and you are concerned. Personally, I don't think an overfill is a very big problem since during the break-in period you shouldn't be pushing the car very hard anyway. As I said, I drove my car for at least a month over the line. I'm sure it's not ideal, but I also don't think this is something to scream about. (I would defer to anyone with a good reason who disagrees with me, BTW - I'm totally guessing that its not a huge deal).
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
Good one. Easy to check, simple to fix and something that new buyers might not ever realize is wrong. If they can't fix it, take the car and come back when the anchors are available.
- Inspect the car looking for anything wrong with paint/interior/exterior
Again, this can be hard to do at a dealership. I did a walk around, but never would have noticed small stuff. Several weeks after having the car, for example, I noticed grease stains where the moon roof was installed. The stains are really not visible unless the car is in the sun and you look directly up from the drivers seat. Someone didn't wash his hands. I don't know what I would have done if I had noticed it at delivery. The stain certainly doesn't seem like a big deal (you have to look for it to find it, really). I don't know what the dealership would have done other than try to use detergent to remove it, which is what I will probably do this summer when the temperture becomes bearable again.
- Any special instructions to the dealer for PDI??? What items should be checked?
I don't know about PDI, but note that the cars are usually delivered without permanent plates. Where I live, cars get a small sticker prepared by the dealer for the back plate holder until the permanent plates are shipped to the dealer. My front plates were installed few weeks later. I think people in front-plate states are best advised to allow the install of the front plate, then take off the front plate later if that is what they want to do (many people ignore the law, and pay the small fines when they get stopped). The install of the front plate requires the screws to be mounted in specific, unmarked places, and the dealers know where those install points are. The easiest way to find them is just to remove a plate that's been installed properly. If you need to, there is a TSB on this, I belive (see below).
- Preferably take the car for first fill-up yourself
I don't think that's likely to happen. When I received "the call," the car was already ready to be picked up and waiting for me. Also, if the dealers using his own pump, I doubt it has 91 Octane gas, so I don't think they want the owner tagging along for the fill up to see that all the cars get 89. Should you make a big deal about the Octane? I wouldn't bother, but other people are more picky. If it really is something that will bother you, ask if the car will be delivered with 91 Octane gas and ask them where they get it.
- How about Spark plugs? I know there is some thread about having special spark plugs installed in order to avoid flooding.
I think this should be discussed during the negotiation of the price of the car and not at delivery. First, buyers need to decide whether they want the hot plugs or not. I'm not sure yet whether they are worth having since there was some discussion of the possibility of "combustion," if I recall the term correctly. Instead, I would just insist that the car have the hot plugs installed at not extra charge if I wanted them, then get it in writing that the plugs have been installed.
As an aside, I think every new 8 owner should insist on knowing what the dealer's policy will be on repairing a flooded engine before the car is purchased. My dealer is telling me that they don't cover flood repairs under Mazda's warranty. Mazda gave me a "one-time good will repair" which would have cost $250-$285 otherwise. If your dealer tells you flooding is covered under the warranty (as I expect most sales people will if asked), tell the sales person that it is important to you that it get put that in writing. The best circumstance is to have the writing say that the flooded engine will be covered under the "Basic Warranty." If the flood is covered as a "Service Adjustment," the coverage is only for one year. If they tell you that they will only provide a "one-time fix," get that in writing too and make sure it says "for up to four years/48,000 miles," unless you are willing to accept less. (I've been on the soapbox on this issue for a while -- my feeling is that we need Mazda to be up front about what coverage we have on this, but so far they've not been clear as to what their policy is on repairing flooded cars - I'm still waiting for them to respond to a letter I sent Jan. 12).
New buyers should take up the problem and negotiate before cars are purchased how flooding will be covered, since this is the only way you can be assured that Mazda will treat it as "their problem" and not "your problem."
- Make sure there is no dealer advertising/logos on the car e.g. on trunk lid
Yes, trunk lid advertising is aweful but, again, I would just discuss this at the time the price is negotiated and insist it get noted on the contract that the car will be delivered without advertising. Then, if there is a problem later, you can easily have it removed if that is necessary.
Realize that some dealers slap advertising on everything and removing some of it is just easier for the buyer to do after the fact. The big exception, as you noted, is plastic decals affixed to the car body itself. If your dealership does that, make a big point that it won't be done to your car. It could be a real problem if you or they damage the paint removing a decal.
- Check the build date and VIN# and go through all available TSB. Check if there is one applicable to your VIN#. If yes, can you ask the dealer to have that TSB done on the car before you even drive it off the lot?
Absolutely but, yet again, don't do this at the time of delivery. Do this when negotiating the price and have it noted on the contract. All current TSB's (that I know of, anyeway) are located here:
List of RX-8 Technical Service Bulletins
Specifically ask whether your car will have the new oil pan and engine cover gromits (as well as the hot plugs, discussed above). If the dealership installs the replacement oil pan, realize that the procedure takes at least a day because the adhesive needs to set properly. (In other words, don't take the car in the afternoon if they've done the oil-pan install that morning.)
- Anything less than 10 miles on the car should be fine when you drive off.
I would give them a bit more grace than that. Mine was delivered with 7 miles. Every U.S. buyer should get a federal odometer disclosure statement at delivery that matches the miles on the car. Certainly check the mileage against the disclosure statement. I would happily take the car with anything less than 15-20 miles. One of the dealers I know used to move the RX-8s off his lot to another facility on the weekends for sercurity reasons. Things like that shouldn't be a big deal. If the car has more than 20 miles, its time to have a heart-to-heart talk with the salesperson. I don't know what a fair per/mile charge would be in this circumstance, but I think you are entitled to at least 30 - 50 cents per mile. If the mileage is over 100 miles, I'd tell them that I'm not sure I want to accept delivery and do a bit of soul searching before signing the paperwork. I'd probably take money as compensation under 200 miles, but maybe not. Again, ask how many miles the car will have when you negotiate the contract and (try to) hold them to their word.
Good luck!
01-25-2004, 06:17 PM
#4
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Re: Car Buying CHECKLIST
Originally posted by Maximus
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
- make sure the floor mat anchors are installed
01-25-2004, 07:14 PM
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Where are the floor mat anchors? I have a peg that sticks up under the driver's seat that mates with a hole in the floor mat on that side. But I don't think any of the other floor mats have that. Am I missing something? Is there documentation on floor mat anchors anywhere? Thx. mm
01-25-2004, 07:22 PM
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I dont think I have floor anchors either. the driver side floor mat is always moved to the right from driving. The dealer never mentioned anything about floor mat anchors. Should I contact them about this?
01-25-2004, 07:54 PM
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Goh Mifune
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I noticed the other day (and I've had my car for nearly three months) that the driver's side mat has a post that secures the driver's mat. I haven't checked the passenger's mat, but I assumed that it had one too... it might not. I further assumed, from this thread only, that the "anchor" was removable. It might not be. It might be. I don't know.
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