OmegaBob

Hey everybody!

I posted here before about the possibility of getting an RX-8 - here's the original post:
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/new-here-need-advice-purchasing-rx-8-a-4412/

Well as a follow-up, the first dealer I went to (the one that told me that they had 8s coming in at the end of May) were total d*cks! When I explained my sitch to my salesman, he seemed overly please to help me (he kept saying over and over again that he hoped that I wasn't injured -IMO once was enuf). I questioned the fact that Mazda states that the first pre-orders aren't due in until June or July and then pulled out a printout of the internal Mazda memo, he seemed confused. He took the memo to his "manager" and then returned and said that the end of May was still the ETA - of course, I told him that that was just plain incorrect. I let him know that I may need a rental or something to drive until the 8 came in or I may have to think about getting the M6 (which is a very sweet car! Thx to everyone who recommended it before), he went to talk to the "used car manager" to see if he could set me up with a car until the 8 came in. I really wasn't interested in purchasing a used car b/c when it came time to trade it in, I'd lose money - this I let him know before he went to talk to the manager. After a few minutes, he returned and asked for my phone #s and that he'd call me when he had more info and proceeded to usher me out of the dealership (all the while saying... "I'll take care of ya" over and over again). UGH!

I got angry and decided to check out another Mazda dealer. When I got there, the sales people greeted me and I'll again explained that I was looking for an 8. They laughed (in a good natured way) and explained the pre-order program to me. They also said that if I ordered now, I could get one possibly in Aug or Sept. When I told them the name of the first dealer that lied to me, they just rolled their eyes. They even showed me their current inventory list and on it was a list of all the pre-ordered cars (w/order dates). These guys were really friendly and helpful and let me wander around checking out the other cars at the dealership in peace (man, that M6 is sweet!).

I waited a week to see if the first dealer would call - they didn't (of course), so I called one of the salesmen from the second dealer to set up an appointment to talk about either the M6 or 8. When he got on the phone, he was excited b/c they had just gotten the new RX-8 catalogues in AND he told me that they just received an updated inventory list and that they will have approx 20 or so allotted 8s coming in approx early to mid-July! Excited, I made an appointment for Sat (today). When I got there, he was taking another cust on a test drive, so while I waited, I checked out the M6 - man that's a sweet ride! lol. When he got back, he apologized and sat me down and with inventory list in hand, he asked me for the options and colors that I wanted. When all was said and done: I put a $500 deposit down on an 8 - Winning Blue, auto, GT package - $30300! He even gave me a copy of the inventory list and circled my car & vin #!!! Woooo hooooooo!

From what he was saying and from what I can decipher from the list that I have, the majority of their allotted cars are autos with about 5 or 6 being stick. If anyone is in the Philly region and wants to know the names of the two dealers (good one and bad one) let me know.

Anyway, I am sooo freaking happy! Wooooooo!
:D

Hercules

Congrats! But why not get the stick

OmegaBob

Let's not get into that debate again....

Actually, besides not being able to drive stick (and all the other reasons I listed in my previous post), my damn left leg (the knee and heel areas) is still very sore - when I first get up in the morning, I limp. Hopefully, there was no permanent damage from my accident. I think that I'd be screwed if I could drive stick b/c I wouldn't be able to work the clutch w/o some pain.

zoom44

i think i missed the memo, what memo is that?
also they are getting 20? that is an awful lot of cars! and lastly -you got as VIN!? my dealer just told me yesterday that they don't have them yet! and you got yours just walking in off the street. i am calling the dealership and talking to the owner or manager.

cueball

Zoom, it seems like you always get the shaft by your dealer. Your problem of dealer incompotence seems to be a recurring theme.

OmegaBob

Hi zoom!

I believe that my dealer is the largest one in the Philadelphia region.

As for the memo, I found it in a thread on this forum -sorry for the life of me, I can't remember which thread. Basically, someone posted an internal email sent to Mazda dealerships that listed the pre-order dates adn timeframe, then est production & shipment dates.

As for my vin#... not only did I get my vin # b/c it's printed on that inv list, I got the vin #s of what I belive are the other 8's that the dealer was allotted. I'll double check the number of cars on the sheet and will post part of my vin to verify that I'm correct.

OmegaBob

Other than the two Miatas on the list, by my count, the dealer is getting 21 allotted cars, with TWO taken (mine and someone else on the list).

CORRECTION: the Miatas have what looks like a vin# (when compared to the others posted on this forum), but the 8s have a different numbering scheme. Maybe it's not the vin, just a request FOR a vin. Hmmm. I dunno know. Anyway, here's the first one on the list:

200304001370 2003015035100061 Brilliant Black CC/F6 2SP on order TBD R 01/16/03

zoom44

ok that is the order confirmation number not the VIN. good thing i didn't call the dealer and bitch yet thanks omegabob, i think i did read that letter/memo the other day so i know what to search for now. now go have a cheesesteak for me, i managed to find 2 places out here that make good ones but both are quite a drive for me so i don't get one very often

OmegaBob

Mmmmmmm... cheesesteak!

B-Nez

Tell me about it...I'll be in the area next week, and we're definitely going to Pat's. Do you have any other recommendations?

G-man

This is all consistent with what I have experienced here. We have 2 dealers, one of them preorderd 2 cars, the other preordered 11 cars. Neither of them have ANY buyers yet. Both tried to jack me around for $1,000 over MSRP, and I told them they were smoking crack! They have ordered cars for which there is ZERO demand yet locally, so they were not about to jack me on the price. When I am done, I am sure I will end up paying UNDER MSRP.

The dealer that has 11 cars is hurting for buyers. If you want one, they will have plenty of them that is for sure. First one in the door will be a Red/Black GT model 6-Speed with an order date of 1/28/03. No lines and no waiting. It can be done.

As far as the VIN number, I think that is crap. I have seen both dealers lists and all of them show "TBD" (to be determined) on the printout. It may be because they are not yet "sold" to anyone, so preference may go to cars actually sold to someone. Not sure.

Good luck with it either way...

OmegaBob

Pat's Steaks and Geno's Steaks are the best. I prefer Pat's, but since both are located near each other, you should try them both out. Both are open 24/7!

Mmmmm. I haven't been down there in over a year... all this talk is making me hungry!

Efini 8

so what exactly was ur total price for tax, license, dealership fees, car price, etc. $30,300 ?

Toadman

Omegabob, you getting your 8 from Faulkner Mazda?

tribal azn2

hey efini check ur private message

OmegaBob

Efini: $30300 is just the MSRP for the car and the price that I was quoted. Tax here is 7% = 2121 and according to Edmunds, title & reg will be $455 (although I plan to use my old personalized tag, so I think this will be less). Total should be $32,876. If they try to add any other cost, I'll just let them know that they are already making almost $3000 off of the deal...). I won't be getting an extended warranty from them b/c it already has a 4 year one and I'll probably get another car in four years (at least, this is what I'll tell them if they try to push it onto me). Luckily, I'll be putting down approx $20000 as a down payment (most from my insurance settlement) and hopefully more, so at the most, I'll only have to finance <13000. Finally, my credit union has great rates for car loans - 5.99% @ 60 mos or 4.99% at 48 mos.

They had better not try to talk me into getting the "paint protectant" that the Toyota dealer tried to sell me when I got my ol' Celi - I quote what the stupid lady said to me: "This process makes the paint breathe." Of course, I asked her how the paint can "breathe" when it is not a living being? I then told her about a lil ol product called Zaino.....

Toadman: yep! Faulkner! Heard of them? From people I've talked to and from my experience there, they seem to be very straight-up kinda guys... for a car dealer that is!
Can you guess the name of the OTHER con-men... ahem... dealer?

B-Nez

Went to Pat's very early Tuesday (2 a.m.ish). Mmmm...want to go again before I leave. Also saw a billboard on 676W before 23rd Street.