dwynne

Someone on another forum said that their dealer told them the $4,000 in rebates for left-over 04s had been pulled by Mazda. They got the car, but the dealer had to back-date the sale to get the deal done today. $3,250 is still listed in available money on the MazdaUSA web page - slated to run out March 31.

At the same time, Mazda has removed the 04 cars from the inventory search at the MazdaUSA web page. Dealers I know had 04 cars in stock no longer show 04s at the Mazda page.

I will try to talk to a couple of dealers on Saturday and see what they say....

Dennis

MrMethane

If the Mazda website lists them until March 31 then they are still available. I'm willing to bet the dealer was just lying to make it look like he is trying to help. They like to make it look like they are your friend while they screw you. He probably screwed that guy bad on some part of the deal. He either sold the car for $200 under MSRP or porked him on the trade in.

dwynne

They said that got the rebate deals as they had negotiated, but the paperwork was back dated as if they had done the deal earlier in the week. I don't know why they would honor the price and back date the paper work if they didn't have to. I know dealers lie all the time, but if they lied and STILL gave the $4,000 in rebates that would not make too much sense.

With all of the 04s now missing from the inventory search on the Mazda web page - it does make you wonder what is going on.

Dennis

dynasty

I just talked to two dealers who confirmed that the $4,000 in customer cash and MAC financing rebates have indeed been pulled by Mazda USA. In their place, they are offering dealer cash incentives. How much I can't confirm. One dealer told me MNAO is offering $4,000 in customer cash. Another says $4,500. Either way, it looks like the rebates are still there, just in a different form.

One dealer also told me that the Gerber rebate doesn't apply to the RX-8 anymore. I'm going to go directly to MNAO to confirm this one on Monday.

Dynasty

dwynne

I have not heard back yet from the 2 I tried to contract earlier. It is good news if the rebate/incentive is no longer tied to MAC financing. Most folks can get a much better rate elsewhere.

Dennis

MrMethane

The reason a dealer would lie about a rebate and backdate a sale is because they have month to month quotas to make, since the rebate doesn't come from the dealer he isn't losing any money by giving it to the customer. The rebate comes from the factory not the dealer so rebate or not he is making the same profit. By back dating the sales paperwork he gets to add one more sale to last month. I'm guessing he had a bad month and needed the extra sale to make his quota. By making that quota he might get some more incentive money from Mazda. The dealer has a lot to gain by back dating a sale and giving a rebate.

Did you try calling Mazda America and asking? When I went to buy my car the dealer told me the rebates expired at the end of the month and that I had to buy it now to get the rebate. I smelled BS so I called mazda and asked them, sure enough they told me that the rebates were good for another 2 months.

Mazda might have pulled the rebate, but the dealer could have just lied to get the customer to go along with the back dated sales paperwork. Someone might question the sale being dated on last month, but if you tell them they save $4,000 because of it, they aren't likeley to complain. I'd call Mazda and just ask them, they'll tell you right away what rebates are available and then there is no doubt. I wouldn't go on anything a dealer says.

dwynne

This was last WEEK - not last MONTH. I think they only back-dated the sale from something like 3/25 to 2/24.

Dennis

zoom44

there is additional money to be had on 2004's now that mazda has taken them off their listing.

Peregrine8

That someone was me Dwynne, and no MrMethane I didn't get screwed on the rest of the deal. The sales people were pretty mad because they were worried they'd lose a bunch of sales. According to them it just came down from Mazda all of a sudden that the rebates were pulled early, they didn't know why. They just backdated the paperwork from 3/25 to 3/23.

dwynne

Good deal. I saw your post over on Edmunds so I posted here - I didn't know you posted here as well - but I did later see you mention it in the thread about picking up your car.

I am still trying to get the new numbers from someone that I think knows what is going on. The local folks still are going the $4,000 that requires the MAC rebates. So either they didn't pull this HERE or my dealer is out of touch. I am betting they have not sold an 04 in the last week and may not know the deal has changed.

Dennis

MrMethane

No offense meant Peregrine, I'm just generallly distrustful of dealerships. Almost everything they do has some benefit for them so I'm weary of something like this. I can see them backdating a few days to save a sale however something seems fishy here. If Mazda listed the rebate until end of month I don't see any reason they would pull it a week early. End of month is when they really need to make the sales and they really want to get rid of the 04s so this makes no sense. Thats why I say someone should call Mazda and confirm this rather then take the dealers word for it.

Dealers can get pretty tricky when it comes to rebates, there are lots of ways for them to make it seem like they are helping you when in fact its quite the opposite. If you don't mind me asking what did you end up paying for your car? What did you get for your trade in? Assuming you did trade.

Peregrine8

What's funny is soon after I posted my last post, the sales manager of the dealership called and said that Mazda had officially changed the offer to $4000 dealer cash, with no MAC finance requirement. So now they want me to go in and sign the papers again with the correct date and under the terms of the new deal. Sheesh, it never ends.

MrMethane

Sounds like a much better deal. I wish I didn't have to take the stupid Mac finacing because now I have to refinace in a month to get a better rate.

Be very careful though Perigrine, I don't mean to sound like Mr.Pesimistic, but a very common dealer scam is to call you a few days after the deal and tell you that something has fell through and they need you to re-sign. However you end up resigning for more money or a higher interest rate, whatever. Just make sure you go over everything with a fine tooth comb.

Peregrine8

Yeah I'll be on the lookout, but I haven't seen any signs that this dealer hasn't been on the up and up so far.

dwynne

What rate did they give you through MAC? Call your bank or credit union and see if they can beat it . Capitol1 online is doing 5.25% for 60 months on a new car and 5.95% for 72 months. If they classify the 04 as a "used" car then the rates are 5.59% and 6.45%. If your MAC rate is higher, then get this other financing done before you go back and don't go through MAC.

Dennis

dwynne

Just had it confirmed - no more rebates, but $4k in dealer money (a "Write down") for the left over 04 cars.

Good news is no longer tied to MAC financing!

Dennis

dknv

Huh. I just got off the phone with MazdaUSA customer service, and the rep told me the current deals are $750 customer cashback, $2500 incentive for MAC; and that the Gerber rebate is valid on RX-8's. I wonder if she was working off of old information?

zoom44

no they just wont tell you about the extra 4k in dealer money.

dwynne

It is still on the Mazda web page too - supposed to be good until 3/31 - but I was told (as were others) that it is no good.

If you were going to assign the rebates to the dealer anyway (to reduce your cost) then it does not matter in dollars old plan VS new - EXCEPT for the requirement in the old deal to finance via MAC to get the $2,500.

There is not a double dip, both $4,000 in dealer money AND valid customer rebates right now. They WOULD be able to sell those slow movers for sure, if they did that.....

Dennis

Peregrine8

Yep, I've got a check being overnighted from Capital One, I confirmed with my dealer they'll accept it. Saving over a point off my MAC rate on my 36 month loan.

dwynne

Does Capital1 consider this a new or a used car? Most banks and credit unions will not do new car loans on left overs cars past October of the next model year. Looks like it makes a 1/2 point difference if they consider it "used" like a local bank would....

Dennis

Aseras

afaik as long as it's at a dealership and it's never been titled they'll finance as a new car. most banks will.

Peregrine8

I'm not sure how it could be considered used if it's never left the dealer lot. I had no problems getting the new rate.

dwynne

A lot of banks will not give you a "new car loan" for a left over once it is past October of the next model year. I would think C1 would be OK with that, but I have been told this many times in the past from different banks.

If you think about it, their risk is higher since it is a year old car once you drive it off the lot and will always be a year older while you are paying it off. Sure, you are getting a discount but if you default on the loan the car gets totalled there is greater risk they could not recover all their money - just like on a used car.

Dennis

Aseras

so here's the question though, has anyone actually gotten the dealer to give you the new 4,000 incentive or are they sitting on it? My local dealer still insists there's 1,500 rebate and 2,500 through MAC. Maybe this is a regional thing. My local delaer has 5 2004 left and hasn't even ordered 2005's yet.