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Mazda MPV

8223 messages,  Last post on Dec 14, 2011 at 1:46 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MPV, Van

Messages Page 213 of 823

#2120 of 8223 We took the long way around ! But we are happy new Mazda MPV owners by jacksonian

Aug 27, 2001 (3:38 pm)

Some of you might remember a couple weeks ago I vented my frustration by posting about my experience with reasonably near by Mazda Dealerships. Well thanks to the incouragment I got from some of the post, I tried again and am happy to say we are Very Happy owners of new 2001 Sand Mica,LX-touring Pkg,4-Seasons Pkg,Rear Air,Roof Rack,6-Cd Changer. Invoice + $300 - 1000 & 4.9 financing absolutely no hassel from Dealership. But If you want to know the rest of the story continue reading.
 
   Called "Crippen Olds,GMC,Mazda,Volvo" in Lansing Mich. Talked to Brian Houghs, asked if they wanted to sell a MPV told them what I wanted on van and what price I was willing to pay. He went to talk to his sales Manager George May and Much to my surprise was right back saying no problem (Will say right now that Crippen is a great dealership and I will not hesitate to buy from them again)they could do the deal.
  Brian found the van We wanted still in Port. and got it ordered for Us, delivery in one week.
  One week later on Monday Brian called van was in they would prep and we could pickup after work (Monday is a late day they stayed open until 8:30PM). We arived at Dealership At 7:00Pm and there it was clean and beutiful ready to go just as they had said (Life Couldnt have been better).
  We took the van out for a test drive, My wife was driving first about 5 miles from dealership she found a parking lot and pulls over so I could take my turn driving, when I opened door we were hit with a strong burning smell, I told her too Pop the hood and when she did smoke came out of the engine compartment. I checked the insturment panel for any lights or if temp was high,all seemed ok so we got in and went right back to Dealership. When we got there the smoke was gone and burning smell was less but still there and know there was a slight sound comming from the engine (sounded like a belt barly rubbing on somthing to us). Brian could hear the sound so he said it was probably the belt as we had said but that mechanic was already gone so we would have to wait until the next day for him to check it out. Tuesday Brian calls to tell me that they are reading error codes indicating that fuel injector for cylinder #5 is not working, that they will have to oder parts and that they were also getting some control modual just in case that was bad it would be a day or two getting parts and replaceing them then testing the van.
  about 2:00Pm Thursday Brian calls saying parts were in and they were working trying to get it done before they left. About 5:00pm Service Manager call asking if we had been givin a set of keys for the van they couldnt find both sets and that they needed them to reinitialize so they could start the van to test it. I call home to my wife (dont ask me why?) but she did have the set.they sent a driver to our house to pick up the keys and they would finish up Friday morning.
  About 11:30AM Brian call me at work the van was going to need a NEW ENGINE (20 miles on it a it blew a piston) He said they had been searching and that there was another van same color and all the same options except 6-CD Changer in GrandRapids MIch. would we be interested in that van, I said OK!. About 2:30PM Brian Calls (apologizing all over himself) The other Dealership had made a mistake that van was not available. But that they had found another van everything the same except this one did not have fog lights in grandville Mich. he also explainded that this van had been setting on the lot(why I dont know)for awhile and that its invoice was from before the mid season price increase so it would cost about $600 less than the original van.
 I told him to get it, so he sent a driver right out to get it and that they would have it ready Saturday Morning for us. Saturday we arrive at dealership and they are just finishing up the van.
So to finish this story up we test drove the van everything was great,signed papers,saved $600,got $50 gift certificates to OUTBACK Resturant,Free "Zoom Zoom" decal for back window,wife very happy that means I am happy(you men out there know what I mean).So everything worked out It was just our luck that we had to take the long way around to get there.
 
                       Thanks for all you advise
                  and I hope this story makes your
                  deals seem a little better.
 
 PS. anyone in Mich please try "Crippen Olds,Gmc,Mazda,Volvo. They were absolutly great through out the whole ordeal.

#2121 of 8223 jacksonian by maltb

Aug 27, 2001 (4:20 pm)

If all the dealers took care of customers that way, there would be a shortage of all Mazda vehicles. Hats off to them.
 

#2122 of 8223 Wow, by javadoc

Aug 27, 2001 (4:31 pm)

It's so great that they took care of you so well Jacksonian. My hat is off to them too. It's refreshing to have a dealership going way past that extra mile to help the customer out. Seems some dealerships treat you like a number and you get no service.
 
/J

#2123 of 8223 And wow again by billmckinley

Aug 27, 2001 (4:43 pm)

I don't know, Jacksonian, you must have really wanted that Mazda! What a horror story. I'd have been really tempted to think that God didn't want me to have it and to tell the dealer "thanks, but no thanks." I'm glad you hung in, though, and came out of it with a car you wanted at a price that can't be beat. And clasp that dealer to your bosom--he's a keeper.
 
RJ

#2124 of 8223 UK Version Mazda Premacy by offham

Aug 28, 2001 (8:47 am)

As interest to MPV owners, I picked up a newspaper in the UK on the way back to US.
 
There was an ad for the version which comes with a 1.8 Liter... yes 1.8 engine. Cost of shown model was USD 20600, which included $425 for metallic paint and $280 for fog lamps.
 
Not an owner myself, but thought would be of interest.

#2125 of 8223 offham by maltb

Aug 28, 2001 (11:05 am)

The Premacy is based on the Protege, and not the MPV. Because of this the power of a 1.8 is sufficient but not great. The Premacy does have some neat features that I'd like to see on the MPV like a trip computer and 3 lightweight middle row seats(made for smaller folks though). Who knows if Mazda will ever bring it over here.
 

#2126 of 8223 maltb: Premacy by alexv1n

Aug 28, 2001 (11:14 am)

Why look at Premacy? European and Japanese MPV also has a trip computer... I really don't know why they didn't bring the TC here.

#2127 of 8223 Expanding on Javadoc in #2038 by kkcymru

Aug 28, 2001 (6:51 pm)

A major financial reason for going to the FORD-built engine was as a currency hedge. The dollar was very strong against the yen during the planning phase. Mazda was concerned about a drop in the dollar. The MPV competitors were built in the US, but the MPV was built in Japan, so a stronger yen would have made the MPV more expensive relative to the competitors, or would have cut deeply into profits. The decision was made to make part of the car in the U.S. The engine was an obvious choice - you wouldn't want to ship the body to Japan and back. Ford happened to have a lot of excess capacity in 2.5 Duratec engines since the Contour was not meeting sales expectations. (As an aside, I rented the Contour a few times and really liked it and was sorry to see it die. It's big deficiency, though, was the tight back seat).
Unfortunately for Mazda the dollar got stronger versus the yen, so the hedge didn't work.
 
Too bad they didn't use the SVT version of the 2.5. That extra extra horsepower would probably have been enough to move it into the power range most people expect now in a family car, and I'd probably be driving one right now - a red one, which I'm told you won't be able to get next year when the 3.0s become available.

#2128 of 8223 Premacy/MPV by offham

Aug 29, 2001 (5:52 am)

Matlb:
 
Yes you are right, and checked the Mazda UK site and two different models. However the picture in the newspaper ad, was taken at an angle that it did not show the rear end sufficiently enough to make the distinction.

#2129 of 8223 2000/2001 vs. 2002 by bill124

Aug 30, 2001 (6:48 pm)

For those who now own and haven't waited, in addition to having the current use and enjoyment of your vehicle, take pleasure in knowing that you don't have to contend with the prospect of buying a vehicle from a manufacturer who is bleeding so badly that the corners it may cut to get the vehicle out the door may cut you.

Messages Page 213 of 823

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