Custom ordering a Mazda (USA)

[rochrunner]

I had a less than satisfactory first visit to my dealer today, mainly because they didn't have a suitable turbo CX-5 for me to drive even though it appeared so on their online inventory (not their fault, guess I should have called in advance). Anyway, I had some discussion that, assuming I decide to get one, I'd like to order it so that it comes with accessories installed, which saves me from dealer installation charges (for example, the trailer hitch). My understanding is that the accessories are installed at a facility at the port that they come into -- not at the factory. So it seems like all they'd need to do is take the next car matching my selected trim and color that comes in and install the accessories before shipping it to the dealer.

However, the sales rep made it sound like it would be a "custom order" all the way back to the factory and that it would take 2-3 months for them to build it, ship it, and have it get to the dealer. Is this correct? Has anybody here done a "custom order" with accessories and how long did it take?

 

[ceric]

Accessories can also be installed by the dealer or yourself.

I have not ordered a Mazda before.
I did order a BMW 5 before.
It did take a while to get to me.

For Toyota, I did ask a salesman before.
He ordered vehicles for the dealership.
He said that he could order a vehicle exactly as what I wanted and will have to wait 1-2 months for it to arrive at the dealership.
Or, he could help me find as what I wanted (except for accessories), be it on a ship or already at another dealership, and did an exchange with that dealership.
Then, dealer can either install the accessories for you, or, you can DIY.
I ended up bought a Mazda.

Some salespersons are just lazy. Too much troubles for him/her.
Think about it. He/she might not be there when the vehicle arrives...

 

[rochrunner]

Accessories can also be installed by the dealer or yourself.

The difference -- at least when I ordered a Subaru -- is that the accessories are installed at the listed price with no labor charges. The dealer, on the other hand, can charge service-center rates for installation. For most things, DIY is no longer a viable option for me. I think my Outback took a couple of months, but OTOH they're built in Indiana.

(When I ordered my 325i back in 2004, you could order a car with a number of factory-installed options (such as choice of radio, etc.). So I did order that one and had to wait for it to be built and shipped over. BMW had a really nice web site where I could track exactly where it was, including the route of the ship bringing it over!)

 

[Ninja_Matt]

Mazda does not have a real "Sold Order" program like many other manufacturers so I understand why the dealer is responding this way. Any customer in most Mazda dealers asking for a custom order will likely result in the sales rep asking their managers, their manager rolling their eyes then saying "sell them something in stock or coming in".

In order for Mazda to do an order like that, they will need to take down your order request then when allocations open for dealers to order inventory, they can "build" your vehicle for dealer stock, then when that car comes in it is yours. In contrast with say BMW or Jeep, two brands we do factory orders on a almost daily basis, those have a dedicated sold order program that allows a dealer to submit a built to spec order in a customer's name, complete with order tracking for the customer (BMW is very good with this).

Mazda quite frankly is not equipped for this and factory order builds is not part of their "culture" so to speak. I know Mazda did a custom order program for Miatas during the pandemic but I don't think it was very much utilized and not to a volume that dealers picked up the process to any degree of comfort or familiarity for them.

My understanding is that the accessories are installed at a facility at the port that they come into -- not at the factory. So it seems like all they'd need to do is take the next car matching my selected trim and color that comes in and install the accessories before shipping it to the dealer.

While logical, you need to remember that Mazda (manufacturer) and Mazda (dealer) are two completely separate entities. An inbound car from the factory, no matter what point in the process, is not modifiable from a dealer so this simply wouldn't work.

Also its worth pointing out that it is extremely common that cars are not "fully packaged" when they leave the factory, every manufacturer from BMW, to Jeep, to Mazda and more have their accessories installed at the port, not the factory. Even if it's a "factory installed option" many times they are being installed at the port when they arrive in the US, vs the original factory.

I used to be a Mazda sales manager and did the inventory ordering for my last dealership. The last "factory order" car I did I had a client that wanted a 2021 Mazda3 Hatchback turbo Premium Plus when it came out, Soul Red on Black, with the appearance package. Mazda doesn't do customer factory orders so I took a deposit, waited for my next allocation on them and when I was able to request orders on these, one of my submitted build allocations I just built to his spec. Other than me building it the way he wants to buy it, it was handled no differently than the hundreds of other cars I ordered for stock.

Where are you located? Happy to see if we can help make this happen for you.

 

[Ninja_Matt]

I have not ordered a Mazda before.
I did order a BMW 5 before.
It did take a while to get to me.

BMW has gotten very fast, depending on the vehicle and build, but BMW operates on status codes throughout their build process and theres certain codes that mean the build is still modifiable (you can change color, options, etc) but it is JUST about to be built, so hurry. If you time it right on an allocation with one of these codes, you can see your new car in 2-3 weeks. We had this happen last month where we got a bunch of these (150 status) X5 allocations, we had a bunch of customer orders in by say the first week of March, virtually all of those customers that "Custom ordered" X5s with us were able to take delivery before the end of the month. BMW builds a lot of their cars in the US now, fun fact!

 

[ceric]

BMW has gotten very fast, depending on the vehicle and build, but BMW operates on status codes throughout their build process and theres certain codes that mean the build is still modifiable (you can change color, options, etc) but it is JUST about to be built, so hurry. If you time it right on an allocation with one of these codes, you can see your new car in 2-3 weeks. We had this happen last month where we got a bunch of these (150 status) X5 allocations, we had a bunch of customer orders in by say the first week of March, virtually all of those customers that "Custom ordered" X5s with us were able to take delivery before the end of the month. BMW builds a lot of their cars in the US now, fun fact!

That was 1997, and it took more than one month (5-6 weeks if I recall) to arrive at the dealership I ordered from. My wife hand-picked special color combo...

 

[rochrunner]

In order for Mazda to do an order like that, they will need to take down your order request then when allocations open for dealers to order inventory, they can "build" your vehicle for dealer stock, then when that car comes in it is yours. In contrast with say BMW or Jeep, two brands we do factory orders on a almost daily basis, those have a dedicated sold order program that allows a dealer to submit a built to spec order in a customer's name, complete with order tracking for the customer (BMW is very good with this).

Thanks, Matt. I was hoping that you'd respond as someone who actually knows the system. That's the way it worked when I got my Outback. My sales rep looked on their order list and found one in the color I wanted that was still able to be changed, and he just added my accessories to the existing order.

BTW, I live in the greater Detroit area, so not exactly a hotbed for import-brand sales, meaning that I have no practical choice of dealers. After thinking it over, I guess that the only "custom" item that I definitely want installed is the hitch, and if the dealer is open to installing it and waiving or reducing the service labor fees, then there shouldn't be any need for a custom order other than wanting a particular color (Eternal Blue) that isn't one that appears to be commonly stocked.

I went through this when we got our '15 Mazda 3 from this same dealer. I forget the name, but there was a blue color that again was rare. At that time, my sales guy found one on his list that was due in month or two and tagged it for me. Unfortunately, the car was damaged in a rail accident when on the way from the west coast and I ended up getting one in Soul Red that had just come off the truck (turned out to be a better choice anyway). Anyway, I assume that the dealer can do something similar this time.

 

[Ninja_Matt]

Thanks, Matt. I was hoping that you'd respond as someone who actually knows the system. That's the way it worked when I got my Outback. My sales rep looked on their order list and found one in the color I wanted that was still able to be changed, and he just added my accessories to the existing order.

BTW, I live in the greater Detroit area, so not exactly a hotbed for import-brand sales, meaning that I have no practical choice of dealers. After thinking it over, I guess that the only "custom" item that I definitely want installed is the hitch, and if the dealer is open to installing it and waiving or reducing the service labor fees, then there shouldn't be any need for a custom order other than wanting a particular color (Eternal Blue) that isn't one that appears to be commonly stocked.

I went through this when we got our '15 Mazda 3 from this same dealer. I forget the name, but there was a blue color that again was rare. At that time, my sales guy found one on his list that was due in month or two and tagged it for me. Unfortunately, the car was damaged in a rail accident when on the way from the west coast and I ended up getting one in Soul Red that had just come off the truck (turned out to be a better choice anyway). Anyway, I assume that the dealer can do something similar this time.

Perhaps you are thinking of blue reflex? I think if all you are looking for is a tow hitch I would just ask the dealer to install one and be open to an aftermarket option as well, you can probably get an aftermarket installed for close to the price of the factory installed one if you were to order one that way. I think we were getting our hitches installed for about $350-$400 when I was at my last dealership, but down here in Florida.

We don't have a dealer in the Detroit area, but here is what I would recommend if you are ready to roll - shop your local dealers, but also reach out to out of market dealers. Some of the best deals we've found are with dealers in lower population markets, they have less local population and may be more willing to just move a car for the sake of a sale despite the loss of future service from you. I do believe in having a good local dealer relationship, so if prices are comparable I would lean towards supporting local to you as you may want that relationship through your servicing experience.

Not including dealer fees, Mazda marks up their cars about 2.5-3.5% from invoice to MSRP and holdback is 1% of pre-destination MSRP. So generally speaking you want to shoot for a minimum of 4-5% off MSRP which should be attainable. Now weigh in dealer fees on top of this, if theres a reasonable doc fee of say $500 then 4-5% is a good target, but if they are hitting you with $500 plus $1200 in dealer addendums or some other combination of inflated non gov't fees, then you want to push for a higher discount to offset this. Now an excellent deal is if you can score closer to an employee price which is 4% below invoice, so if you can get in the 6%-8% off territory, you are getting an extraordinary deal.

Lastly, when you are ready to put your money where your mouth is, literally, then time to search for your exact car you want around a 250-500 mile radius from you (depending how many dealers that captures) and try to find an email to the sales manager, draft a polite but forward email stating your interest to buy the specific Stock# vehicle, exactly how you would like to purchase it (cash, finance, lease) with the terms you expect, the discount you would like (perhaps shoot for something like 8% off MSRP - note; not including incentives, those come off on top if available), your zip code and if you have loyalty or active military in your household. Let them know that if they meet those terms that you are prepared to give them a deposit today to secure the vehicle and the deal and come in and finalize.

If the best deals are from a long distance, I would include intent to ship the vehicle to you and ask if this is something they would be okay with up front. If you need assistance shipping a vehicle, feel free to DM me, we move cars nationwide regularly. Good luck!

Also, if you really have trouble finding a dealer to play ball, let me know, we can always ship a car out to you from my dealer in FL, not unheard of for us but economics might start breaking due to the added cost. Ultimately depends on how good or bad the deals are you are able to secure locally.

 

[stickerbush]

After thinking it over, I guess that the only "custom" item that I definitely want installed is the hitch

Is there a particular reason you want the Mazda hitch rather than an aftermarket like Curt? The Mazda hitch is 1 1/4", not 2" and requires that a large hole be cut in the bumper with a saw. There is no trim to cover the edges of this hole so it's going to look ratty (in my opinion).

 

[rochrunner]

Is there a particular reason you want the Mazda hitch rather than an aftermarket like Curt? The Mazda hitch is 1 1/4", not 2" and requires that a large hole be cut in the bumper with a saw. There is no trim to cover the edges of this hole so it's going to look ratty (in my opinion).

Just laziness -- not wanting to chase around to find someone to install one, etc. It also looked like the Mazda hitch is fairly well hidden and doesn't hang down under the car. The hitch is strictly for a bike rack -- not planning to tow anything -- so 1-1/4" is fine but I do need the trailer wiring connector to power the lights on the rack. Not sure I'd trust the typical aftermarket hitch place to properly connect the wiring.

I also thought I saw in some thread that the opening for the hitch is already there and there's just a trim piece that has to be removed?

 

[rochrunner]

Lastly, when you are ready to put your money where your mouth is, literally, then time to search for your exact car you want around a 250-500 mile radius from you (depending how many dealers that captures)...

Thanks again for such a detailed and helpful response! I may have to rethink the color thing though. I searched inventory in a 200 mile radius and out of 28 Turbo Sigs in stock or in transit, there is only ONE in Eternal Blue. Given that there are 6 colors available on that model, it's obviously not popular among the dealers or there would statistically be 4 or so out there. I don't have that many more new-car purchases left in my car-buying lifetime and I really want this to go smoothly so I get what I want and don't have something p*** me off in the purchasing experience (such as outrageous "doc fees" that you just reminded me of).

 

[stickerbush]

Just laziness -- not wanting to chase around to find someone to install one, etc. It also looked like the Mazda hitch is fairly well hidden and doesn't hang down under the car. The hitch is strictly for a bike rack -- not planning to tow anything -- so 1-1/4" is fine but I do need the trailer wiring connector to power the lights on the rack. Not sure I'd trust the typical aftermarket hitch place to properly connect the wiring.

I also thought I saw in some thread that the opening for the hitch is already there and there's just a trim piece that has to be removed?

There is no opening for the hitch as you can see in the install instructions that can be downloaded here.

I've had two hitches installed on my CX5s, both manufactured by Curt and installed by professional installers, and both worked out great. I can understand that it's more of a hassle to get this done than to just have it be on the car when you purchase it.

Just curious, what is the reason for having lights on the bicycle rack?

 

[rochrunner]

There is no opening for the hitch as you can see in the install instructions that can be downloaded here.

I've had two hitches installed on my CX5s, both manufactured by Curt and installed by professional installers, and both worked out great. I can understand that it's more of a hassle to get this done than to just have it be on the car when you purchase it.

Just curious, what is the reason for having lights on the bicycle rack?

I'll look into the aftermarket options but the Mazda hitch does look neat (other than the cutout edges, as you said). With both our bikes on the rack I've always been concerned about someone behind me not seeing my brake lights or turn signals. More people seem to tailgate these days and I really don't want to get rear-ended by one of the F-150s that there are a zillion of around here!

(FWIW, I found out that in the EU lights are required.)

 

[Ninja_Matt]

Thanks again for such a detailed and helpful response! I may have to rethink the color thing though. I searched inventory in a 200 mile radius and out of 28 Turbo Sigs in stock or in transit, there is only ONE in Eternal Blue. Given that there are 6 colors available on that model, it's obviously not popular among the dealers or there would statistically be 4 or so out there. I don't have that many more new-car purchases left in my car-buying lifetime and I really want this to go smoothly so I get what I want and don't have something p*** me off in the purchasing experience (such as outrageous "doc fees" that you just reminded me of).

Flexibility always bodes well with dealers so a secondary color choice is good to have, dealers may also have incoming inventory you may not see but is available to you in a couple of weeks you could wait for, you can also find a competitive dealer willing to source that color for you from another dealer to make a deal also - so don't write it off - but express your flexibility with a second color choice if you have difficulty. Also, Eternal Blue is a hit or miss car, people either love it or hate it (I really like it personally) but if that one dealer does have it available and it happens to be an aged unit sitting for 3 months and they really want it gone because no one locally likes it, might make your deal easier to get.

Lastly, don't get hung up on dealer fees psychologically, just consider it in the mix. Our Jeep dealer partner is an excellent example of this, they are FL based (massive dealer fees in FL is normal) and their dealer fees are $1,498. Doesn't matter though because we can get discounts as high as 12%-16% off MSRP depending on the model, we've gone as much as 18% off Chargers and Challengers (I think they are still doing this) - and this is pre-incentive so if you have $5k in rebates you are getting that on top of the discount. With that context, $1,498 dealer fee is outrageous but the math maths in the end and that's all that matters. Whats a better deal? $1,000 off with a $100 dealer fee, or $5,000 off with a $2,000 dealer fee?