Hey y'all try Val Strough Mazda in Oakland. I had a good time and they gave me a fair price. Still paid over MSRP but they worked hard to get me a good trade in for my fiance's '01 accord lx. They actually beat KBB trade-in value at excellent rating despite the scratched bumper.

Do me a favor and post a reply here if you do go and buy from them and tell 'em Anthony Manaois sent yah. I get a gift for the referral but honestly I had a decent experience but it did take some work as expected. Ask for John or Anthony Vu. Sorry for the cheesy plug but seems like no one mentions their dealership. The gift would be a spoiler so help a brudah out then refer someone else in the forum and get one too!

I'm new so if I'm breakin any rules pls. let me know. Just sharing my experience.

 

Hate to say it but you did not get a fair deal. Bending you over on new car price means they can be "generous" on trade-in value. What matters isn't the individual numbers but the end result and some dealers do just that to make you think you're getting a good deal. Here's an example:

Let's say the new car lists for $10,000 and your trade-in's fair value is $3000. Dealer charges you $2000 markup because "hey, that's what they're going for now". Dealer also gives you $4000 for your car which is way more than it's worth. What a nice guy, huh? No way you could get 25% more like that from anywhere else. So you walk out the door with a new car and the dealer gets $8000 + your trade-in.

How is that better than buying the car for $10,000 and only getting $3000 in trade? Do the math.

There are a number of dealers in the area selling RX8s at sticker or even less.
________
Kid prilosec

 

See your point. I guess it depends on how you look at it. They gave me 1300 over edmunds.com est. trade in value which covered the 1400 mark up over sticker for the 8. Worked for me because based on edmunds.com I would be in an upside down trade in since we had no equity in the car. They were asking for 5000 mark up on the 8. So maybe not the best deal but fair enuff if you trust in edmunds.com est.

 

Not to quibble over $100, but I don't see how giving you $1300 too much for your trade covers $1400 over MSRP for the 8.

It wasn't a great deal but as I said, only $100 more than those of us who will pay MSRP.

I certainly hope they didn't then ding you for nonsense like "doc fees" and "dealer prep" (though all of the Bay Area dealers are horrid about that sort of thing; if I still lived there I'd probably go to Sacramento to buy a car...)

 

yeah but in reality it was an impulse buy and I didn't really come prepared to get an RX8. I was going in to get a miata on the S Plan pricing.

I think I had to pay like $20 on doc fees. No dealer prep. fees. It was so late they didn't even detail the car. Good thing like those guys care about my car. Probably use old buffers and leave a bunch of swirl marks!

I think I also got dinged paying tax on the sale price not the sale price net trade in. I probably should have went home and thought about it first. Never heard of an impulse buy in the $30K + range. BUT the car is so BADASS I couldn't resist and it fit my budget. Did I mention the car is BADASS? damn...