Dealer purchase addendum...

rcs914

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2014 CX-5 GT w/Tech - Meteor Grey
So I went test driving a GT yesterday, and found that my local dealership adds an addendum to the main sticker with two additional charges added to the selling price of the car - the first is tinted windows at $399 and the second is their "Desert protection package" which includes lifetime synthetic oil changes every 5000 miles. They want $999 for this. Figuring at $75 per synthetic change, this doesn't even start paying back till ~65K miles. And while I want tinted windows, last time I checked they cost about half this much to be done by a reputable shop. I am guessing that these items are padding the MSRP, so that you can maybe dicker them down to paying full MSRP rather than invoice. Sigh...
 
Well the rears are already tinted so theyd just need to do the fronts, which should run about $150. It is not uncommon for dealers to add in extras, but if u don't want it ask for it to be removed if they refuse then take your business to another dealer
 
You should be able to negotiate them away altogether, either by threatening to go to another dealer (if you are willing to follow through), talking about special ordering (which would get you exactly what you want if you are willing to wait) but they almost always will want you to take one on the lot. I would negotiate to get it at factory invoice (if you are brave you can get some of the holdback) and possibly up from there if necessary.
 
Definitely sounds like 'padding' to me! I don't understand why those two additional charges are not optional.. Unless you have a lease, there should be no mandatory charge for the "Desert protection package" - it's your car and you change the oil as you please. As for tinted windows - I echo others as the charge sounds a bit high. Is there another dealer nearby? Check with them!
 
Even in the high cost Silicon Valley, tinting the 2 front windows is $90-$100.

Generally the practice for astute buyers here is to ignore anything not included on the factory MSRP sticker on the window.

Try another dealership, shop over the phone and email first.
 
The rears are tinted from the factory? Rear glass, the rear 1/4s and the back seat glass as well? What %?

The rears on the Touring and GT are typical of nearly all higher end SUV's in US market today. All the rear windows including back seat glass are tinted from factory dark to approximately 20%. Nothing unusual*.

*It's legal on US vehicles with light truck/SUV designation.
 
The only other Mazda dealers are 2 hours away in Phoenix. I think I may try my luck with them first here in town, and see what I can do. If the prices on the addendum were chopped in half, I wouldn't consider them to be terrible. But my guess is that is sort of built into their price anyway. I know that my real problem currently is that they don't have a car with the interior color leather that I want at either this dealer, or the one in Phoenix I was looking at. I am going to guess that if I special order it that my chances of then negotiating are lessened.
 
I am going to guess that if I special order it that my chances of then negotiating are lessened.

The good news is that it is quite the opposite. Not only does the dealer not have to spend any of their "Holdback" (usually reserved to pay Mazda financing on the dealer cost while the vehicle sits on the lot) but also some regions allow special orders in addition to the allocation set aside for a given dealer (so it would not be a car that "could" be sold for more if it was allowed to sit there). I have had my best luck starting far away and working my way closer with competing dealerships "Deals".

Good luck,

David
(Former Dealership Manager long long ago and current frugal dude)
 
I paid about $500 for a lifetime oil guarantee that will change my oil between 4000-8000km up to three times per year, and a minimum of every six months if I don't hit the Mazda recommended Mazda target of 8000KM (5000mi) -- it was totally optional, but Synthetic oil change is about $60 a pop, so I figured it pays for itself around 3.5 years. Since I'm financing for 8, I think I'll definitely use it. Plus it can be transferred to another owner for a one time charge of $150. Not transferable to another dealership. So $999 sound like a lot of 'extra'.

$399 to tint the front windows is excessive. Unless they apply darker tint to the rest of the windows too (I doubt it) Where I am, it's illegal to tint the front, passenger, or drivers' side window. Rear windows only and I think the maximum is about 15% or so. The RCMP went on a blitz a few years back, but with all the new cars being tinted from the factory, I think they've given up.

I'd tell them flat out you don't want to pay for the extras and see what they do. A good dealership will do something. My father in law has actually had dealerships call him back with better offers after he's walked out on them. Never underestimate the power of a missed sales opportunity to motivate them. Good luck.
 
I have the Sport which does not come with any tint. I had an independent shop install nano-ceramic tint on all windows expect the windshield for $299. The dealer is probably not using the best tint. It's a rip off.

As for the lifetime oil change, there are too many what ifs. What if you decide to sell or trade your car for any reason or worse yet, wreck it? Do you have to change your oil at that dealership or can you go anywhere? What if the dealer's service dept is crap? Does it void the contract if you don't bring in your car at exact miles or time intervals? What if you move far from the dealership? I can go on and on. The point is, I don't like to prepay for something and be locked in to a bunch of restrictions just for the potential of saving a few bucks several years down the line.
 
Agree with others here. The oil change deal is 100% not worth it and since it is for future service it should be completely optional. If they force it upon you then you should walk.

As for the the window tints, that is something already on the car so they aren't going to want to give up as easily on those charges. You should still try to get that charged removed saying that you wouldn't have them tinted on your own, but if they insist you shouldn't pay more than $100. Their actual invested cost to do the work is probably around $50 material and labor combined so a smart dealer wouldn't let these trivial items lose them a sale.
 
The rears on the Touring and GT are typical of nearly all higher end SUV's in US market today. All the rear windows including back seat glass are tinted from factory dark to approximately 20%. Nothing unusual*.

*It's legal on US vehicles with light truck/SUV designation.

Reason I ask is because my dealer also added a ridiculously high addendum to our sticker price for window tint, which I always thought looked factory. The front glass on ours isn't even tinted, which is commonly left clear by manufacturers because of differing state laws and such. I couldn't talk them down on it, and my silly wife just couldn't stand the colors available at the other local dealers at the time. So, I just pulled my shorts down.
 
My dealer, Mazda Of South Charlotte added nothing to the sticker. I got a Touring and they even tinted the front door windows for no additional charge. The meeting with the finance guy at the dealership was pressure free with nothing even suggested to me. All in all one of the smoothest deals I have ever encountered, and I'm 72.
 
Reason I ask is because my dealer also added a ridiculously high addendum to our sticker price for window tint, which I always thought looked factory. The front glass on ours isn't even tinted, which is commonly left clear by manufacturers because of differing state laws and such. I couldn't talk them down on it, and my silly wife just couldn't stand the colors available at the other local dealers at the time. So, I just pulled my shorts down.

Yiiieeecchs, overcharging/double-charging for factory tint... As I posted in post #5, anything "added by dealership" above and beyond MSRP window sticker from the factory/port of entry should be ignored. In CA that's how it works and salespeople don't push it when dealing with experienced buyers.

Note: The factory window sticker of a Touring or Grand Touring CX should list as included "rear dark tint privacy glass" For a dealer to have audicity attempt to charge for it again is crap. Is yours a Touring or GT?
 
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Oh, believe me, I tried. But, seeing as this was in early March, and around here, these things were selling before they were even driven off of the car haulers, they refused to budge. And this is a dealership I hate, mind you. There is another local dealer I wanted to purchase from where I have been doing business for 6 years. But, all they had was white and sky blue (fresh off the hauler) and the old lady refused. Eh, whatever. It's her car.

One area I did come out on top was trade in on the junk Altima we gave them. I got them up 3 times over their original offer. So, meh...you win some, you lose some. Mostly lose when it comes to new car buying. lol!
 
^ Wow, at least you can give service business to the better dealership going forward.
 
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