picked up my RX-8 today in Calgary! (sort of...)
 

WOOHOOO!

So if you've read any of my posts about the asinine random allocation of limited production that Mazda Canada is using, then you'll know that I wasn't impressed with the whole process. Last week, my dealer said they were expecting 2 cars from the first shipments, and didn't know when or if they were getting any more! (I am number 5 on their deposit/wait list).

I got fed up with the lack of information, so I started phoning around the Prairies to see if any RX-8s weren't spoken for. I found 2 available in Manitoba (which I posted to a separate thread on Saturday), and then really lucked out - I phoned the Mazda dealer in Lethbridge, AB (~220 km S of Calgary) on Friday afternoon (July 18), and they had just received a Ti Gray GT, no roof, that morning. They had a customer coming to look at it within a half hour of my phone call, but if that customer didn't buy it then it was available to me. Since we wanted a Ti GT (with roof, but we can easily live without it), this could be nearly perfect. An anxious half hour passed, and then the salesman called me back - it seems a family was looking to buy a new car for their 16 year old son, and had given him a $40K budget (:eek: :eek: ). However, when they came to look at the car it developed that he couldn't drive a manual, and wanted an automatic, so they didn't buy it!

When the salesman called me back, I immediately gave him a credit card deposit, and we faxed back and forth to arrange the sales contract - MSRP, plus $199 doc fee, local tire and AC taxes, and GST. I got the loan and insurance info finalized yesterday (Monday), then took the morning off today (Tuesday) to catch the Greyhound from Calgary to Lethbridge (7:00am departure, 2:45 travel time). They picked me up at the terminal in a black Mercedes ML500 (not impressed ;) ), and in 5 minutes were at the Mazda dealer, where I finally got to see the car. Beautiful, as expected! We finished the paperwork, and I hopped in and drove 2 hours back to Calgary, then came straight in to the office.

I didn't post anything about the pending deal because I didn't want to jinx it - I had to wait until I had the keys in my pocket! As you'd expect ;), I'm thrilled right now, and can't wait to finish work to check out the car some more. I stopped for a few quick pics on the way back, so I'll try to post those later.

To the Calgary Mazda dealers - nyah, nyah, I got one anyway, despite your best efforts to not let me have an RX-8! ;) Which reminds me, I still need to call my local dealer and get my deposit back!!:D

Oh, yeah - the "sort of" in the subject referred to picking it up in Calgary - I live in Calgary, but picked up the car in Lethbridge... ;)

Regards,
Gordon

2004 RX-8 Ti Gray GT, 6 speed, no roof! :cool: (I LOVE it!!)

Congrats!


Way to stick it to da man! (I've always wanted to say that :) )

congrats !!!!!! take ride for me

Congratulations Gordon!! Let us know how it REALLY feels to be the owner of an RX-8...

Great news Gordon! I am still waiting for my Titanium to be delivered in Ontario.

You will have to take pictures and display them!

Thanks!1

Jaydee

Woohoo

Congrats.

If you would like to post the images directly into a photo gallery, I am making my dedicated RX-8 site available for Canadian owners who would like a fast, secure place to store photo's of their 8 - no charge -

dial in here

hey hey!!!

Congratulations!!! Glad to see some people are getting their 8s... and you know most of us agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments regarding MazCan's handling of the orders... or non-orders as they have turned out to be..

Anyway, congrats!

BTW, I am going to be in Calgary on Friday... how about you pick me up and take me for a ride? :p ;)

Sweet deal Gord! Have fun in your new RX-8!

Now that you have your car, will a 16" rim fit??? Let us know if you ever stop long enough to find out.

GREAT STUFF GORD!! :D

now you can break your car in: leave early on friday, drive down here to Vancouver, pick me up and let me see your car man!!! :D

i'll put you up for the weekend, top notch B&B Keech styles... :cool:

Congrats!

Hope to see you around town (I'll be driving the white '91 RX-7)

Persistence is key brother.

Congrats on the new wheels.

I just purchased mine today in full. THe next 5 days are going to be the longest days of my life.

BTW. I perfer no sunroof. I don't like it on the Rx8. It looks more like a sports car without it.

...But thats just me.......

...and me... ;)

Thanks guys! I've got two pics here that I shot in Lethbridge just after leaving the dealer...

With the famous Lethbridge trestle bridge in the background:

and from the other side:

hey Gord

with the 8 being there, what happens to your BRG miata? is it gonna have a rest while you break the new one in?

congrats on getting the 8. still waiting over here.

take care

santino

Yeah, just a rest - I'm planning on a road trip to Monterey for the Historics in August (2 weeks total, about 4000 miles), and the original plan was to take the Miata - but I think my son will want us to take the 8, and I'm leaning that way too - nearly as good handling, better cruising, A/C, more secure, more luggage space with the 8. I'd probably still take the Miata if I was going solo... maybe ;). Otherwise, the BRG will still see duty for those top-down cruises with the Miata club, track events, solo fun runs or with just my daughter, etc.

Regards,
Gordon

Gord

when are you gonna start bragging about your 8 on the Miata Forum?
:D

santino

Way to go Gord. Funny thing is I saw that kid at Kramer last Friday with his girlfriend and Mom in tow. They were complaining quite loudly that they couldn't get an automatic anywere in town (they just came from North Hill)

Too funny!

Way to go........
 

Way to go Gord!

That Titanium looks great, with the Leth/Bridge in the background!

So much for the 'relationship with your dealer' theory.....

I too ended up going to a dealer 70 miles away, but it was worth it!

If the weather up here ever improves, I will be breaking it in on the weekend, meanwhile all I can tell you is that the wipers are very good!

Maybe see you in Red Deer if we have an Alberta meeting.
(They are always in Red Deer, right?!!)
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doc