How my 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5 has ruined cars for me (Read last paragraph first long).
It all started simply enough. I saw it, usually that is all it takes for me to determine whether I am going to own an automobile or not. Most of the time it is in the flash. The 2016 Mazda MX5 was the first vehicle I ever saw where I knew I was going to own one before I ever saw it in person. I was sucked in. I read every article. I hounded multiple dealerships on pricing. The model hadn’t even been in the United States 3 months and I was on the prowl. I had just finished paying off my 2014 Ford Fusion Energi. I knew it was dumb to buy another new car when the warranty wasn’t even off the old one.
I was limited on dealerships it had to be in the state of Louisiana (if you are a Louisiana resident you only pay tax on the difference between the price of the new car and the agreed in trade in price. I had shopped my car to three different dealerships. 2 in person 1 down in New Orleans which is a 5 hour drive for me. The dealership down in New Orleans Paretti Mazda offered me at LEAST 16,000 for my car unseen because of its young age and the fact it was still under factory warranty. It seems like a low offer but it was 500 and 1000 above the other 2 dealerships so I knew it was probably the best offer I was going to get. The price of the new car was already locked in because I used Truecar to settle on what I thought was a fair price. I put a thousand dollars down and when the 2016 Club Miata came into the port of New Orleans I went down there to pick it up. This is when things started to go downhill.
When I got to the dealership after driving 350 miles I felt confident with the situation. I came out of the dealership with the worst car buying experience of my life (did I mention this is the 17th car I have owned?). I get to the Mazda Dealership and they look at my trade in while I drool all over my new MX5. When the numbers come back from the manager they don’t match up. He used every excuse from the mileage (they knew I would be driving my car until the new one came in and we agreed on a higher mileage figure then it was before I came down) to the fact that it was electric and electric cars just aren’t in right now (well I don’t think the motors had changed either before we agreed on a price). The offer was 2500 less than the offer we agreed upon over the phone (I should have kept everything in writing, the things you learn after working with people like this). They come back with 500 more. Then another 500 more. I asked if they were willing to give a refund on the deposit given the situation. I had put it down on a Saturday and I was there on a Monday so the car was only off the floor for a day. They said no they were keeping the deposit. So I decide to walk out. As I am walking out the Cody the salesperson runs up to my car and asks if the difference is really going to break the deal (Of course it is! 1500 less is a lot of money!). They put another 1000 onto the total price of the trade. The numbers come out 500 less than they would have been if I had just went through Moffitt in my hometown but I am wore out and I know they aren’t going to give me the thousand back so I take the deal. While we are finishing up the deal they ask if I have the second key to the car. I reply that I am sure I do but I would have to go home and look for it. If I find it I will mail the key down to them so they can have both of them.
Less than 2 weeks later I start getting harassing phone calls about the second key. I was busy getting ready to move to a new state because of a new job I had been offered and I hadn’t really had a chance to look for it (everyone knows what a pain it is to switch jobs and move across the country). I end up getting a nasty voicemail from the salesman (Cody Jones) about how they were going to charge me 500 dollars for the key unless I get it to them immediately. This is when the situation went from annoying to red hot for me! I am doing you a favor even looking for the key there isn’t anywhere in our contract that says I HAVE to provide 2 keys and you are threatening me that I will be out money if I don’t get you the key?!? Fortunately I hadn’t sent in my dealership review to Mazda yet. You can bet you ass I did that day. I get a phone call from the owner of the dealership. I explained the whole situation to him. At least he was understanding and very apologetic. The key was never brought up again but the whole thing has left such a bitter taste in my mouth. I still get heated every time I think about it. Shoot the dang car didn’t even come with an inspection sticker which cars aren’t even supposed to leave the lot without but you don’t see me going after them for it (I used to sell cars in Louisiana so I know they are supposed too)!
The car buying experience finally over I think everything is going to be smooth sailing from here on out. Before I move I get the car plastic dipped to protect the paint because I am moving to West Texas. I don’t know if you have ever been out here but the conditions are terrible for a new car sandstorms, big semis, and horrible roads. Before the car is dipped the owner of the shop points out that there is wear on the top. It looks like it has been rubbing up against something. Nothing having to do with the protective coating I tell him to go ahead and proceed. When I move to Midland, Texas I put warranty ticket in to get the top fixed at the beginning of January. They fix the top on the 19th of January. Before I even drive it off the lot I notice additional damage to the top that shouldn’t have been there (it was from the install). They get the parts in and fix it properly. Before I can even drive the car off the lot I notice the top is getting wear marks in the same spots it did on the original top. I point it out to the Dealership (Midland Mazda) and the dealership says they will put in another warranty ticket to Mazda. A month goes by and no word from Mazda. I contact Mazda care to see what is taking so long. When I am on the phone with Mazda care they assure me that they are looking into the issue and will fix it soon. When I go by Mazda of Midland today (4/12/2016) they said Mazda is looking into the issue and that they think it is the plastic dip causing it. They claim that Mazda says that the dip might be running onto the back of the top causing wear.
So here I am now with a brand new car where the only modifications done to the car are to protect it. If Mazda treats its customers like this over warranty work where am I going to get the other issues fixed that will and have invariably popped up?! I am still stuck with a car that when it says 0 gallons left there are at least 2. A vehicle that can’t fit more than 11.2 gallons in the tank even though it says it comes with an 11.9 gallon tank. With brakes that pulse randomly like rotors are warped but they aren’t (after getting the club edition because it came with the Brembo brakes). My car already has 22,500 miles on it. It will be out of warranty in 2 or 3 months. What would everyone else recommend I do? I am basically driving a new car that gives me more worries than any used vehicle I have ever owned and this is coming from an owner with tons of experience with European cars (I mean how many o2 sensors can a car really have?).
