So I went to test drive a speed3...

[Fourth81]

Okay, so apparently I didn't know that you can't test drive speed3's, yet for some reason you're able to test drive a Mazda3 to get a feel for the handling, and a speed6 to get a feel for the power. Its like I had to break up the speed3 experience in two cars. I don't think I'd be able to buy a car that the dealership won't let me drive...

Did anyone else run into this? Or did everyone just purchase the car right off the lot without test driving it?

[mhrebin]

i know some guys have gotten the keys tossed to them for a test drive. but most have not gotten to test drive it period. or maybe they would get to if you put a non refundable deposit down on it. and all that dealer bs.

i know when i went and looked at one, the salesman said i couldnt test drive it without putting a deposit on it first.

[///M Compact]

i know some guys have gotten the keys tossed to them for a test drive.

That would be me. I stopped by Kings Mazda in Cincinnati to check out an MS3 and my salesman actually encouraged me to drive it- no strings attached. Care to guess where I bought my MS3?
OTOH, I've heard Jake Sweeney Mazda in Cinci and Oxmoor Mazda in Louisville were requiring a deposit or a buyers order for a test drive. I do know that Oxmoor slaps a $3K ADM sticker on MS3s.
There are several good dealers out there; sometimes you just have to look for them...

[DusterAZ]

Wow, they must not really want your business, go somewhere else if possible.

[Kosh]

Okay, so apparently I didn't know that you can't test drive speed3's, yet for some reason you're able to test drive a Mazda3 to get a feel for the handling, and a speed6 to get a feel for the power. Its like I had to break up the speed3 experience in two cars. I don't think I'd be able to buy a car that the dealership won't let me drive...

Did anyone else run into this? Or did everyone just purchase the car right off the lot without test driving it?

I got to test drive one. The sales rep took it off the lot and when I got behind the wheel he kept trying to get me to to go faster and faster. What sort of ghetto dealershit trys to sell you a car and won't let you test drive it? That would be like getting married without (upbum) before.

[AllLostThings]

I walked in the door after setting up an appointment on the internet and was practically rushed out the door to test drive mine within 15 minutes. Some dealerships are just weird like that....

[chronus377]

The two dealerships I went to wouldn't let me test drive one unless I was sure I wanted to buy that specific car I'm test driving. When I inquired why, both of them explained that because it's an enthusiast's car and people don't want any miles on them. They both claimed people refused to buy ones with more then 30 miles on the odometer. I think it was the truth and they weren't BS'ing me. When I found one I wanted, they let me test drive it with no money down.

Honestly I am glad they do this, as I am anal enough to want to know exactly how my car has been driven before I get it. I want to break it in the way I want to (even if it doesn't make a difference).

Also, don't judge the feeling of power based on a speed6, I test drove one before I drove the speed3 and honestly (no offense MS6'ers) I wasn't impressed by it. The power band felt very odd, and there wasn't an insane feeling of torque. Psychological or not, it makes a big difference.

[Wuz Ranger]

That is crazy, I never heard of that before. I went to a dealership here in Omaha and I told them that I wanted to test drive one. They threw me the keys!

Good Luck!

[TimerFX]

2 things

1. I didnt like the way the speed6 felt.

2. I wasnt allowed test drive the speed3 when i was ready to trade in the msp, without them running a credit check first, I told the salesmen I'll go to another dealership you can kiss my ass.

[WickedMZR]

It's not unexpected, especially if you are young. They don't want kids coming in just for a joy ride. Show them that you are interested in the car past a test drive and they should loosen up.

[Kurt07]

Okay, so apparently I didn't know that you can't test drive speed3's, yet for some reason you're able to test drive a Mazda3 to get a feel for the handling, and a speed6 to get a feel for the power. Its like I had to break up the speed3 experience in two cars. I don't think I'd be able to buy a car that the dealership won't let me drive...

Did anyone else run into this? Or did everyone just purchase the car right off the lot without test driving it?

I would have turned around and left. There is no way in hell that I am going to buy a car without driving it first.

(eekfu) to that dealership

[UTEGANNOGMI]

I tried test driving one, but the asked me to put an offer down first. I wasnt ready so I told them that I dont want to test it today. No deposit required, you just need to be sure you want that car =]

[redspeed3tk]

i walked in and the asked to drive one and the guy threw me the keys and walked away i had to chase him down to ask him to apraise my car and i came back like 25 mins later and hes like back so soon? and im 22 and i was in my work clothes but i did end up buy the same car i drove so

[SwampAss]

I had to fight to test drive one WITHOUT the salesperson with a cashier's check in hand.

[SSMS3]

That would be me. I stopped by Kings Mazda in Cincinnati to check out an MS3 and my salesman actually encouraged me to drive it- no strings attached. Care to guess where I bought my MS3?
OTOH, I've heard Jake Sweeney Mazda in Cinci and Oxmoor Mazda in Louisville were requiring a deposit or a buyers order for a test drive. I do know that Oxmoor slaps a $3K ADM sticker on MS3s.
There are several good dealers out there; sometimes you just have to look for them...

I bought my MS3 from Kings also.
After I asked to test drive the sport, they filled the car up with gas, the salesman got out and handed me the keys.
Refreshing not to be 'babysat' by a salesperson for a test drive

[07speed3]

haha...when i got mine it was on a sunday and there was one guy there...he took some info on me and threw me the keys and said take it home! i bought it the next day but thought that was pretty cool...i think it all depends on the dealer.

[Kurt07]

It didn't bother me that the salesman was with me. He drives like I do, and the one I test drove, I didn't buy. So what if we flogged it a little. I ended up getting the one sitting in the showroom.

[Falconx84]

the test drive is about the only thing positive I can say about my dealership -- the salesman litterally RAN to get the keys

I even warned him that I would test it harder than I planned to use it. He said he wouldn't expect anything else

I'm 23 and I was in baggy jeans and a ripped t-shirt (also happen to have excellent credit, but he didn't know that at the time)

[DredPir8Roberts]

I requested a dealer quote online on mazdausa.com, and 15 minutes later I had a phone call from Rosenthal in Arlington saying "when can you come test drive the speed3?'

any dealer that doesn't do test drives on this car is nuts, I honestly wasn't planning on buying the car that day until the sales guy said "ok, go ahead and open it up" and I hit about 80 mph (in a 45) by the time I even looked at the speedo.

[AllLostThings]

Wow these are crazy stories. Everyone at my dealership was great to me. I'm no high roller, beleive me, but maybe it helped that I traded in an 02 IS300...

[MS3Chik]

the first dealership i went to said i couldnt test drive the speed3 bc it was too fast. so i laughed and walked out. lol. then the second place offered it to me b4 i opened my mouth..so the 1st dealership prob didnt take me seriously..

[Raymo853]

Maybe being a little older, 36, I look more trust worthy, but I have had two different dealers allow me to take Speed 3's out alone after no more than about 7 mins of conversation about how I was considering a GTI or the Speed 3.

[boostdog]

I went to a dealer in KC MO with my wife and son...I had no issues driving what ever they had on the lot...got to drive a ms3 and then went back home to our dealer they let me take an ms6 for the day. I always make sure to dress nice and wear my work badge( i work for a very very large company) and that usually gets me respect. I need to head to the bmw dealership to see what i can drive.

[Wuz Ranger]

When I asked to test drive one...the salesman looks at me and asks "Do you have a license?" I looked at him and said....."You greeted me at my car before I even got out...how are you gonna ask me if I have a license?" I just got off work so I had my usual business suit on. He then tells me that he needs to make a photocopy of my license.....I looked laughed and said no!

Just go test drive one on a college football game day!

[shamrock]

I would think that if you mentioned that you were looking at 2 cars, 1-MS3 and 2-WRX,GTI, SRT-4 etc. That a sales person would be more inclined to let you drive one. Thinking that once you drive it you will buy it. But I could be wrong

[BlackCherry06]

I had this problem when I was younger, but anymore I practically get shoved into a car for a test drive. Last year when I was just doing a 'curiosity walk around' of the dealership's first MS6, I was offered the keys. I was afraid to drive it back then because I knew I'd want it, and I was not in the market.

As far as not letting someone drive an MS3, I do understand they're trying to avoid having every 20-something take a new car out for a joyride, but it is a mass-produced sporty hatchback, not a Carerra GT. If this does happen to you, and you do end up getting one somewhere else, make sure to stop by the dealership to get parts and park right in front of the showroom, dealer tag blazing on the front.

[CTGrey02]

I test drove one at one dealership and my wife at another. They didn't even think twice about it, just grabbed the keys and off we went. I bought from the second dealership and have had a better experience with them all around

[SwampAss]

I had heard about test drives being available for your wife as well but I didn't get on the list in time. Only 100 people allowed and it filled up fast.

[SwampAss]

* the list filled up fast. Just to clarify.(boom01)(second)

[Kosh]

My dealer had a yellow p5 and he was really excited to get the car off the lot since it was the only time he gets to drive the car. I asked him if his car was fast and he just laughed at me. He drove it a lot harder than I did, being new to that much power I didn't want to be overwhelmed.

[Dragon Queen]

Also, don't judge the feeling of power based on a speed6, I test drove one before I drove the speed3 and honestly (no offense MS6'ers) I wasn't impressed by it. The power band felt very odd, and there wasn't an insane feeling of torque. Psychological or not, it makes a big difference.

The Speed6 has way more torque than the Speed3.....what do you mean powerband felt odd???, Remember it's AWD. Perhaps the car you test drove needed a reflash?




2 things

1. I didnt like the way the speed6 felt.

2. I wasnt allowed test drive the speed3 when i was ready to trade in the msp, without them running a credit check first, I told the salesmen I'll go to another dealership you can kiss my ass.

Didn't like the way the speed6 felt eh.....I guess some boys need to know how to handle it ^_^

[IrishMidak]

I test drove one at all three Mazda dealers I went to. The first one even doubled up on the usual test drive "tracK" they normally go after he realized I know how to drive stick. He even told me to beat on it - I did not buy that one.

[SaaBaaDoo]

I had problems test driving a MSP when they came out. It even went so far as the salesman sitting across the showroom yelling that I couldn't afford one so I shouldn't be asking about a test drive. That guy had no business talking to me like that especially considering he had no clue on my income or credit rating...so, I threw a fucking fit in the showroom!

The sales manager came running out with the keys, opened the showroom doors and pulled the car out and went with me on the test drive. When we got back, the original salesman that was being an asshole says, "so, you ready work on some numbers" like he is now my best friend. I told him I had to talk to my wife and came back a couple weeks later to show him the nice new MSP I got from one of the other dealerships:D

[Kosh]

The Speed6 has way more torque than the Speed3.....what do you mean powerband felt odd???, Remember it's AWD. Perhaps the car you test drove needed a reflash?

They are both rated at 280 torque...

mazdaspeed 6 is heavier and awd looses more power through the drivetrain so saying the mazdaspeed 6 felt slower than the mazdaspeed 3 is a valid statement.

[mtbmike]

sentry west in shrewsbury wouldn't let me drive their red 07 ms3. It was inside the showroom.. the salesman was kind of a jerk about it, telling me "these things sell themselves". So i went home, called around, went to welsley mazda where they were really cool, threw me the keys to a GT with 2 miles on it.

27 miles later i came back and bought it.

now i go to Sentry for service and guess what? that red one is still sitting there. i checked it out and guess who comes trotting over? so i reminded him who i was, and told him my new ms3 was downstairs for service.

[///M Compact]

now i go to Sentry for service and guess what? that red one is still sitting there. i checked it out and guess who comes trotting over? so i reminded him who i was, and told him my new ms3 was downstairs for service.

The first week in July I stopped by Oxmoor Mazda in Louisville- ready to buy; I took one look at the $3000 ADM sticker on their True Red MS3 and walked away. On July 14 I picked up my Cosmic Blue MS3 from Kings. Just last week I drove by Oxmoor and guess what's still sitting out front?

[Jays07MS3]

The two dealerships I went to wouldn't let me test drive one unless I was sure I wanted to buy that specific car I'm test driving. When I inquired why, both of them explained that because it's an enthusiast's car and people don't want any miles on them. They both claimed people refused to buy ones with more then 30 miles on the odometer. I think it was the truth and they weren't BS'ing me. When I found one I wanted, they let me test drive it with no money down.


I ran into the same thing. But they did let me test drive it for about a mile LOL! I then went to another dealership where they had the exact one I wanted and they let me drive it for much longer. Then I bought it ;)

[serialtoon]

I went into the dealership. I wanted to test drive the Speed3 for well over 6 months. No one would let me. Im 25 and have a credit score of 751. But they wouldnt let me drive it. I went to Long Beach Mazda 2 weeks ago...6 months later and they let me drive it, i walked outta there with it. Simple as that. If they let you drive it, then it makes you wanna buy it.

[clos561]

my sales man threw me a set of keys as soon as i shook his hand and said i wanted to look at it...he knew i was interested and we drove the car that i bought that same day after driving around a bit...(humpleg)=me to my car

[CTGrey02]

I had heard about test drives being available for your wife as well but I didn't get on the list in time. Only 100 people allowed and it filled up fast.

belated zing!!!

[Fourth81]

They are both rated at 280 torque...

mazdaspeed 6 is heavier and awd looses more power through the drivetrain so saying the mazdaspeed 6 felt slower than the mazdaspeed 3 is a valid statement.

I'm retarded...started posting before reading what was entirely written >_<

[Parad0x01]

I never had a problem with my MS6. I'm 20 and I dont exactly look "old" I went in there with a tshirt and shorts on and the salesman handed me the keys and I bought the car the next day.

Some people are just idiots and think young people like myself dont have credit. I worked hard to build my credit rating just for the purpose of buying a car.

[AJ08]

lol i went monday to test drive a msp3 and had no problem.. guy walk in side got the dealer plate and keys and said dont take it on too long of a test drive... im 21yrs old by the way....... and now im getting rdy to buy the car tomorow as long as my trade-in goes well.

[Stu C]

I had to give a refundable deposit to test drive their one and only MS3. I have no issues with that. I didn't buy that one - but I did fall in love with it and subsequently bought its black sister :)

Now, the ITR I was interested in a number of years ago, that was a whole other story.

[Fourth81]

I never had a problem with my MS6. I'm 20 and I dont exactly look "old" I went in there with a tshirt and shorts on and the salesman handed me the keys and I bought the car the next day.

Some people are just idiots and think young people like myself dont have credit. I worked hard to build my credit rating just for the purpose of buying a car.

Now see, the salesperson let me drive a speed6...apparently the speed6's aren't considered an "enthusiast" car like the speed3 is. The salesperson told me the speed6 wasn't selling well so he didn't really care if we drove it around rough and whatnot. I find that ironic that he'd let me go nuts with a car that was 5k more than the speed3...got that bad boy up to 110 on 66 :)

I think I'll just try a different dealership. I'm all for buying a speed3 without any mileage on it, but because I don't own the car now, I find the saleperson's attitude as eliteist and annoying >:o

[konvex1]

well...i've been to two different places to test drive the car and neither one would let me. they say that it's b/c they don't want to put miles on it...they told my friend the same thing when he went to test drive the BMW M3. i'm thinking it's better than i not drive it though, b/c then i will want to take it home that same day. so it's probably a good thing. and, i know when i get mine, i won't want it to have that many miles on it either. so, iono...according to a post above though, i should try long beach mazda, so i'll be going there today.

[clos561]

tell them your gona buy it.....wear a suit and wear jewelry and glasses. then ask for a test drive. i bet they'd let you...you dont seem like the type that will for sure buy the car to them maybe. alot of kids want to joyride in them . veryr wierd tho my dealer let me test drive ti no questions asked, but he knew i realy wanted to buy one. i guess your dealers dont like selling cars to much

[TRSpeed3]

When i went shopping for mine the first dealer i went to had black and silver...I pretended to be intrested in the silver...Got the test drive and raped the shit out of the car....came back in the lot the salesman was like do we have a deal....i was like yeah ima get a red one ordered and when its here ill buy it....

[ms6utah]

i had no problem test driving it. but when i decided later on to by it they had some area market value tagged onto the price. it was $5,000 more for the "market value"

[shamrock]

When i went shopping for mine the first dealer i went to had black and silver...I pretended to be intrested in the silver...Got the test drive and raped the shit out of the car....came back in the lot the salesman was like do we have a deal....i was like yeah ima get a red one ordered and when its here ill buy it....


What if someone did that to your red one(yupnope)

[Antonio DiMarco]

What if someone did that to your red one(yupnope)

(mswerd)

[b15nut]

I had no issues test driving at the dealerships I went to. In fact one dealer gave me the keys and said go meet your wife for lunch (50 mile roundtrip to her work) let her see the car and then come back...tomorrow with the car!!! I didnt feel comfortable taking a car I did not own home for the night but enjoyed the test drive. I took my wife the next day for another test drive and then we bought from another dealership that had the color and options I wanted :)

[Babyface13]

I had no problems getting a test drive either. I work at that dealership and I bought it before we got it. I did however test drive another one prior to us getting the one I wanted.

with that beong said we also sell mitsubishi cars and we do not let anyone drive the EVOs untill they buy them. Reason being is that you are not supposed to drive it past 5k rpm for the first thousand miles or so and we dont want anyone that is just on a joy ride to screw up someone elses 40k investment. We normaly dont have any problem selling them either, once we explain the reasoning with that policy. People that buy that car know what they are buying before they come into the dealership in the first place.

[Babyface13]

I also agree that the MS3 feels like it has more punch to it than the MS6. Thats why I decided to buy it over the MS6. I could have gotten a MS6 GT for less than the MS3 but it just didnt feel like the car that I would wake up 2 years from now and be happy to drive.

[redspeed3tk]

i like how this whole thread is like "yea they didnt let me test drive it till blah blah blah" then everyone is like i beat the hell out of it then i bought another one.... well i wonder why they dont want people drive them.. you would think that you would have respect for the car ...i had the keys thrown to me also but i came in my audi, but i didnt beat it like it was a red headed step child i drove it normal and bought the same one i test drove...respect the car so in the future we dont all have to ride with a salesman!!

[Babyface13]

I didnt beat on the one I test drove. The one I drove was already sold as a pre sold order and the customer I sold it to told me to take it for a spin If I wanted to so I did.

[Rivman]

No problems here - dealers want to sell those cars !
The reason they photocopy a licence, is to ensure that thier liability insurance will cover them in the event something goes bad.
They are also well aware that a lot of TEST PILOTS are gonna be knockin at the door to try this car out.
Just keep looking till yah find one that's willing, and leave your money there !

[rodney]

when i went to buy mine, they wouldn't let me test drive one either, maybe cause i came on my 06' ninja636 haulin ass lol, but luckily i know the techs there...and one let me drive it when he was doing a pdi, i bought it the same day.

[shamrock]

Let me ask this. For all of you that drive RED MS3's. Its a very nice color, but driving a car that picks up speed really quick. Didnt it make you nervious
driving it(five-0). That is the only thing I have aginst red sports cars. But it would have been nice if mazda would have threw out more color choices like the MSP came with. Espically the Blue and Orange(cabpatch)

[Karma_hunden]

go to another dealership!!!!!

[P5w3kids]

Okay, so apparently I didn't know that you can't test drive speed3's, yet for some reason you're able to test drive a Mazda3 to get a feel for the handling, and a speed6 to get a feel for the power. Its like I had to break up the speed3 experience in two cars. I don't think I'd be able to buy a car that the dealership won't let me drive...

Did anyone else run into this? Or did everyone just purchase the car right off the lot without test driving it?

Are they still doing this? I haven't tried to test drive one in a while. But at the dealers I've asked, it's been like this. I won't claim to be about to buy a car unless I am.

[flipstylex]

Well, since we are talking about test driving an ms3, hear this ! i was searchin google and found an artice in wisconsin, i think... well anyways, a WOMAN, age 25-26 .. test drove the car from the dealership.....and guess what.....the motor fell out. !!!! can you believe that !!!! A WOMAN !!!!!!!im gonna find the link an let ya'll read it .

[freakyflow7]

Im from Calgary.. i test drove mazda 3 , mazdaspeed6 and mazdaspeed 3.. sooo I got the full effect for sure.

[Rotary_Powered]

WOW! I'm impressed I just came back from Wellesley Mazda MA, they were awesome. They treated me a lot of respect & were VERY professional. I was taken back I'm 22 but I look 18, (I'm 5'5" and have a young face)

I told them up front that I wasn't purchasing until Jan/Feb. They had no problem whatsoever answering my questions, no pressure, very relaxed. I also learned that my next car will VERY likely be the MS3, Everything the reviews say is true (IMO) very fun to drive. The MZR DISI feels GREAT! Definitely going back there soon for a purchase.

If the dealership is being uptight, then find one that is worth giving your money to.

[AeroSquid]

i test drove a 2007 Z06 Saturday. They were quite impressed with the Speed 3 and the manager said 'since you know how to handle a 6 speed with a lot of horsepower' and tossed me the keys to the vette.

That car is a pain to get in and out of but that is the only bad thing i have to say about it. i really really want one :)

[Antonio DiMarco]

WOW! I'm impressed I just came back from Wellesley Mazda MA, they were awesome. They treated me a lot of respect & were VERY professional. I was taken back I'm 22 but I look 18, (I'm 5'5" and have a young face)

I told them up front that I wasn't purchasing until Jan/Feb. They had no problem whatsoever answering my questions, no pressure, very relaxed. I also learned that my next car will VERY likely be the MS3, Everything the reviews say is true (IMO) very fun to drive. The MZR DISI feels GREAT! Definitely going back there soon for a purchase.

If the dealership is being uptight, then find one that is worth giving your money to.

If I wasn't loyal to Sentry I would have dealt with Wellesley in a second. Very professional group.

[Fourth81]

i like how this whole thread is like "yea they didnt let me test drive it till blah blah blah" then everyone is like i beat the hell out of it then i bought another one.... well i wonder why they dont want people drive them.. you would think that you would have respect for the car ...i had the keys thrown to me also but i came in my audi, but i didnt beat it like it was a red headed step child i drove it normal and bought the same one i test drove...respect the car so in the future we dont all have to ride with a salesman!!

I completely agree with this statement; I would hate to buy the speed3 that everyone abused...but wouldn't it be fair to say that the dealership should have a speed3 reserved for just test drives so that people can actually drive the car before buying it? After I drove the 3 and the speed6, the guy was like "So you want to buy the speed3 now don't you?" I told him no because I wasn't able to actually drive the speed3, and he looked all surprised and shit. Go figure.