VetteVet

Okay I'm probably going to place my order this coming Saturday and am starting to come up with a list of 'bad' things concerning the car to hit the sales lady with to lower the price. Some of the items are:

Gas mileage (what is your average?)
Lowered HP

What's some other points can I use.

RobDickinson

lol, your going into the dealer telling them the car stinks and you want it cheap?

Good luck...

Lock & Load

Theres one born every day . OPTIMIST.

VetteVet

No, the issue isn't that the car stinks, the issue is that even though I want the car I'm aware that there's concerns about this car that would force it's perceived value downward.
An example, someone comes into the dealership having never seen this car, doesn't know anything about it and basically falls for it. Okay, the dealership quotes MSRP, which is actually cheaper then some places around the area (D.C.) and the guy jumps on it. The counter example, someone knowledgeable of the problem areas of this car would try to force below the MSRP based on the small problems listed. This is nothing more than a bargaining tool. I'm thinking of doing this simply because I hate haggeling yet don't want to be taken to the cleaners either. If anyone has any better ideas I would highly appreciate them.

aussie77

Mile-age can be an issue. The hp drop. So far that's about it though. And so far as the mile-age thing is concerned, I've only noticed it gets bad when I spend a lot of time idling in traffic - then it seems like the car gets bored and starts drinking gas to pass the time.

VetteVet

LOL, I don't know what traffic is like in Aus, but here in DC, wuff. Only place in Aus I've been is Perth, not much traffic there though.

TomsterRX8

Why Order? There are so many out on the lots right now, in every conceivable combination of colors and options, that it would be silly to order and wait. If the inventory levels in your home town are not high, wait another month......they probably will be. Still a shorter wait than ordering.

Otherwise, tell them the a/c is mediocre and engine heat warms up the cabin, thus melting any M&M's that may be stored in your cup holders or glove box (or foot well for that matter).

VetteVet

Good points about the heat. And you're right, there's more on the lots every day. So to summarize:
Low HP
Gas Mileage
Heat in cabin
A/C questionable

RXhusker

Why don't you just take Tomster to the dealership with you. After his sad stories of the 8 maybe they will just give you one so it won't take any room on the lot.

Better hope the dealership (like many of us) doesn't have an 8 that:

won't melt M&M's
Blows very cold air
Gets decent mileage (ave 19)
and has more power than we could reasonably need

p.s. - a good friend of mine is a VetteVet (DVM with a 50th Anniv Vette) and he thinks the RX-8 is awesome! He just bought some Zaino after seeing the shine on my car :D

BillK

Around me, there are tons of 8s on lots - as long as you want a GT. If you want a Sport, into the order queue you go. And of course if you want a spare tire, it's also better to get it as a port option as you end up paying almost $100 more to get the mounting kit and wheel as separate pieces (the only way to do it once it's on a dealer's lot.)

TomsterRX8

Then I have to conclude that Mazda has the worst quality control of any car manufacturer in the past 50 years. I'll have to assume that these cars are NOT manufactured on an assembly line but rather are built by separate teams of technicians, each with totally different credentials, each building cars from start to finish.

Knowing this not to be true I will then assume that 99.9% of the cars are built exactly alike. Each engine produces heat to within a half degree of one another; each has the exact amout of thermal insulation protecting the cabin; each produces the very same mpg's given the same driving conditions.

Your car is just like mine. Maybe there's just a few degrees average daily temps between Omaha and Austin and maybe that explains the difference. And maybe, in the civilized world, we tend to get surplus numbers of inventories at our dealerships as our per capita income is not dependent upon farm subsidies.

:D

jonalan

HP - Read and believe what you want about the HP "numbers", but this car is quick!
Gas Mileage - I average 19.3 mpg
Heat in Cabin - 1700+ miles and I've never noticed any cabin heat
A/C - mine works great!

Hope this helps!!!

tagS60

Why do you feel the need to come up with excuses to somehow con the salesperson to lower the price? Negotiate! Decide what you are willing to pay, but let them make the first offer. No matter what their offer is, tell them it's not good enough. Don't give them you price yet. If they come back with a price that still doesn't meet your expectations, tell them your price (less $500). That way you have some room to move upward. If they start giving you the runaround, WALK OUT!!! This is the buyers best weapon.

Get in your mind right now that you do not have to buy the car unless you get your price. If the dealer makes you uncomfortable in any way, leave immediately. You should also have your financing arranged so that you know you won't have to rely on the dealer financing. Play your local dealers against one another. While you are in one dealership, call another and see if they can beat their price.

BTW, I have never paid more than $750 over INVOICE for any new car.

Magic8

I agree with tags60 you have two things.
1) Financing ready- this gives creditability to salesperson. He/She will know that you CAN buy the car today if the deal is right. If dealers have better financing deals then go for it, if not, so what.

2) Most important, be ready to walk and wait for a better deal

If you are uncomfortable talking directly with the sales people you can always e-mail their internet manager. Every dealer I being to has one. Unlike the regular salesperson, the internet manager makes money on volume, not amount of $ sold on individual cars. Using e-mail will yield you 5 or 6 quotes with only 10 minutes of stress-free work.

The whole purpose of a dealership is to move inventory, ideally they want to move directly from the truck and onto a customers hands. Holding inventory = very bad thing (cost them money.) Find a dealership that has 6 or more RX-8 on the lot. In all likelihood they will want to move that inventory out of their lot. Attacking the product will not yield you results, I don't think. They mind think, "if you have that many problems with the car, then why are we talking."

Red 6-spd GT package seems most common, if you want that car, you can probably negotiate pretty well. I got mine Red 6-spd GT for $1000 over invoice (not as good as tags60 !) You may be able to do better than that now.

Good Luck, Hope this help,
Magic8