Trying to buy a 2013 CX-9 GT, need advice... used with a good price or new?

[profitoral]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to the forum, I've been thinking of getting a CX-9 for a while and after waiting and waiting, now it's the time!

my question is,

is it worth to buy a used 2013 and save a very few thousands? or try to still get a new 2013?
For what I read in the forums, the CX-9 is very reliable so getting a used one might not be a bad choice after all.

- I'm looking at a 2013 used GT CX-9 (with Tech package) for around $30K (around 12K miles on it), does it sound like a good price?

I've been looking for a new 2013 GT around San Francisco Bay Area but it looks like there are none.
I can still get around $5K discount from a new 2014 GT with Tech Package (according to a dealer I talked to while looking for a 2013), so around $35K + taxes, etc.

Anyway, thanks everybody in advance, I'm anxious to pull the trigger.
= P =

 

[chance72]

Welcome!

Tough question to answer in my opinion. It'll come down to supply and demand (if you're going through a dealer), what you're willing to give up (in the way of new or used), or what you're willing to pay (in the way of the final price or your monthly payment). $5K+ more to get a new 2014 is no chump change. Not to me anyway.

You can certainly check several car sites like KBB to see what the general market values in your area are for a used one with that mileage on it. If all things are "relatively" equal between the used 2013 and the new 2014 (meaning the 2013 is in like new condition and well cared for up to now), I'd certainly consider the used 2013. And I don't know for sure, but I don't think there are any major differences between the 2013 and 2014, so you'd only be paying for the "newness" rather than getting any fancy new features for that extra $5K+. If the 2014 offered a new body design, new interior, or a bunch of new high-tech features, then maybe I'd consider spending the extra $. Just my two cents.

Good luck and you'll be happy with either the 2013 or 2014...except for the gas mileage, of course...(eek).

 

[jlanger]

You take a few hits less on taxes, tags etc with a slightly used one. You also don't take as much of the depreciation hit. IMO 30k for a GT with the tech package and 12k miles sounds pretty good IMO, I picked up a 2013 touring AWD with 16k on it and no other options for 27k. though I wasn't finding terribly good deals on new ones. a 2014 Touring with a tech package was 33k for me (AWD too).

IMO if you can find a Certified pre-owned you get a lot of warranty that you don't get with a new or used one that's not CPO. They extend the full warranty another year/12k miles and add a powertrain warranty for 7yr/100k miles. For me that was worth getting used IMO especially with the drivetrain issues that the AWD's (and most AWD's have)

Good luck! I'm enjoying mine immensely, especially with the terrible winter we're having up here in MN

 

[sts7049]

it just really depends on used car values, what your needs/wants are. for me when i bought a few years ago, i set out to buy a used car because i wanted to save the depreciation hit. but the prices for a 1-2yr old car were not that much less than what i paid for my new cx9 in the end. so for me having no miles and fresh car smell was worth an extra couple grand.

CPO might be a good choice as well.

 

[chance72]

Just keep in mind that you'll be basically paying for that CPO warranty, since the price will normally be more than a non-CPO car...with everything else being equal. Mine was a CPO, but essentially a new car since the dealer was the actual first owner, and it only had some 200 or so miles on it. It was an odd situation, but it worked out great. The deal I got was really close to what I was going to pay for a new CX-9 anyway. So I like to tell myself that I got the CPO warranty for free on a new car.

 

[chuyler1]

I'm looking into CPO CX-9s as well. I wasn't aware of the CPO warranty but that's definitely something that would have me leaning toward CPO.

 

[jlanger]

Just keep in mind that you'll be basically paying for that CPO warranty, since the price will normally be more than a non-CPO car...with everything else being equal. Mine was a CPO, but essentially a new car since the dealer was the actual first owner, and it only had some 200 or so miles on it. It was an odd situation, but it worked out great. The deal I got was really close to what I was going to pay for a new CX-9 anyway. So I like to tell myself that I got the CPO warranty for free on a new car.

Maybe, though I got mine for under what the Blue book was for even a regular dealer price (non CPO). Again there are probably a number of circumstances to take in too, time of year, how long the vehicle's been on the lot etc.

 

[Scott91370]

We have a Costco membership which can get some decent discounts on autos, and looked at both the 5 & 9. The price difference was only about $1800, I think we paid just over $31 for a new GT. The Costco auto program saved a little, but definitely enough to get the better of the two. My advice, spend $55 on the membership and call them for the dealership in your area.

 

[tex2670]

We have a Costco membership which can get some decent discounts on autos, and looked at both the 5 & 9. The price difference was only about $1800, I think we paid just over $31 for a new GT. The Costco auto program saved a little, but definitely enough to get the better of the two. My advice, spend $55 on the membership and call them for the dealership in your area.

I don't agree--Costco won't guaranty you the best price. Save the $55 membership fee, and use Truecar.com instead. In fact, one of the Costco dealers was just a pain in the a$$ about the process--they wouldn't quote me a price over the phone; I had to drive there to get the quote. I refused to waste my time doing that.

When I bought my CX-9 in '12, I used Costco, AAA and Truecar, and still ended up negotiating a better deal than any of those 3 services offered. Get the offers from Truecar, and then pepper every Mazda dealer within 50 miles of you with a price quote, and play them all off of each other.

 

[table5511]

My advice is to get a low mileage 2012 or get a 2014 CX-9. 2013 ' s have had some weird problems for some reason. See other threads specifically trans related.

 

[blackntan]

I don't agree--Costco won't guaranty you the best price. Save the $55 membership fee, and use Truecar.com instead. In fact, one of the Costco dealers was just a pain in the a$$ about the process--they wouldn't quote me a price over the phone; I had to drive there to get the quote. I refused to waste my time doing that.

When I bought my CX-9 in '12, I used Costco, AAA and Truecar, and still ended up negotiating a better deal than any of those 3 services offered. Get the offers from Truecar, and then pepper every Mazda dealer within 50 miles of you with a price quote, and play them all off of each other.

^^^this.

When we bought our CX-9 in 2011, we went through the USAA Car Buying service. Very similar to Zag, True Car and other programs from what I hear. Of the 3 dealerships we got online quotes from, 1 of them had the bigger discounts. I tried working the other 2 dealerships against that 1, but they just couldn't touch them. When we went to the dealership to negotiate on the car, they even killed USAA's prices Not that I'm a professional negotiator or anything, but I just kept asking for more and more discounts, and more and more freebies, and I was ready to walk out the door and they knew it. I ended up negotiating directly with the sales manager, out in the parking lot, before driving away It was the last day of the month, and the last day of the quarter (whistle)

 

[chance72]

Maybe, though I got mine for under what the Blue book was for even a regular dealer price (non CPO). Again there are probably a number of circumstances to take in too, time of year, how long the vehicle's been on the lot etc.

Initially, CPOs cost more because of the process it goes through and the extra warranty. There are many articles online that explain it. But I agree, there are definitely many of those circumstances that will come into play. And best of all, you can still negotiate the price of the CPO.

I don't agree--Costco won't guaranty you the best price. Save the $55 membership fee, and use Truecar.com instead. In fact, one of the Costco dealers was just a pain in the a$$ about the process--they wouldn't quote me a price over the phone; I had to drive there to get the quote. I refused to waste my time doing that.

When I bought my CX-9 in '12, I used Costco, AAA and Truecar, and still ended up negotiating a better deal than any of those 3 services offered. Get the offers from Truecar, and then pepper every Mazda dealer within 50 miles of you with a price quote, and play them all off of each other.

Costco definitely isn't the best price. It's just a better price than MSRP, and it's convenient for those want some savings but don't want to do the haggling. I went through the Costco program when I first started shopping for the 9. I was able to negotiate their Costco price down just a little (about $500). The Mazda sales guy didn't offer any details of the Costco pricing, but a Nissan dealer I went to (for another car) said their Costco price was invoice +$500.

If you like to haggle and want the absolute best price, definitely do it yourself and not through any of those programs.

^^^this.

When we bought our CX-9 in 2011, we went through the USAA Car Buying service. Very similar to Zag, True Car and other programs from what I hear. Of the 3 dealerships we got online quotes from, 1 of them had the bigger discounts. I tried working the other 2 dealerships against that 1, but they just couldn't touch them. When we went to the dealership to negotiate on the car, they even killed USAA's prices Not that I'm a professional negotiator or anything, but I just kept asking for more and more discounts, and more and more freebies, and I was ready to walk out the door and they knew it. I ended up negotiating directly with the sales manager, out in the parking lot, before driving away It was the last day of the month, and the last day of the quarter (whistle)

I tried that too. It was the last day of September last year. It didn't seem like they were desperate for my business. Maybe they already met their goals (shrug).

 

[chuyler1]

Just purchased mine, well haven't taken deliver yet, but I'll be signing papers this afternoon. Here's what I did.

Wash and detail your trade-in. They say it doesn't matter, but it does. You aren't hiding anything by showing up with a dirty car. If you have scratches, a fresh coat of wax will make them less prominent. Remove all personal items before going. You want to show the sales people you are ready to buy TODAY and you do not plan on pulling your old car into your driveway ever again. It's in their court to make sure they buy that car from you and not let some other dealer do it. Your trade should be something YOU want to buy all over again. That's the only way YOU will be able to negotiate the maximum trade-in value. It helps to know what the KBB values are for trade-in, private sale, and dealer sale. I've used the line "This car is clean enough you could put it out front and sell it for $XXXXX in a week, you know that, and I know that." That wasn't the first line I used, but when they came back with an insulting offer I had to step things up.

When negotiating, always have KBB.com open on your smart phone. Pull up the values for your trade and make sure their offer is reasonable...even if it is, ask for 10% more and don't show them your phone...just say it as fact. Forget about the sticker price on the new car and enter the correct options into KBB for the new vehicle. Subtract a few hundred off the value you see and read it off to them like so: "It says here on KBB this vehicle should be $27,500 so that's what I'll pay for it" (even though you clearly read $28,000 on KBB). They know their bottom line on the car and you want to get as close to that on your first bid without being insulting. The worst thing that can happen is that they will say yes on your first offer. That usually means you didn't ask low enough. The best thing that will happen is they say no. They'll provide a counter offer and you work from there by cutting it in half or whatever. The dealer is always going to win, they won't sell the car without making a profit, your only goal is to minimize that profit and get the sales people to consider you a number on their sales board instead of a cash cow.