Mazda Dealers Questions & Answers

Hey Stan,
Unfortunately MAZDA Australia is dragging their feet.
I have a case manager who is less than helpful and have unfortunately needed to seek legal advice due to their lack of action.

MAZDA Australia have inspected the vehicle and I’ll include an extract of their email.

“We advise that the FTS completed an inspection of the vehicle which included a road test and no abnormalities were found during this inspection. The FTS did however record the following:

LHR seatbelt does not always retract properly. Recommend belt to be replaced.
Osram 60 Watt HB3 Bulbs fitted to High Beam headlamp, GE Brand 55 Watt H11 fitted to vehicle Low Beam headlamp. These are aftermarket headlamps with correct specification for vehicle, but they are not OEM fitment.”

I have contacted my local Dealership and have scheduled a full day with an out of town dealership for them to assist me as the local dealership is in my opinion doing little to nothing to assist or resolve the issue.

I have also recently had additional issues that were brought to the attention of my local dealership within the last week and were agreed to be an issue however, were dismissed a matter of minutes later being “normal operation” without a formal inspection taking place.

If you choose to buy a MAZDA, keep in mind what I have indicated when things go wrong.

Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately I have already gone down that road of buying a Mazda. I'm currently dealing with multiple electronic failures that comes up randomly and sometimes causing power steering and other safety features to lose functionality while driving. I have asked for a refund last year, but they blamed it on a 3rd party dashcam. However since then, they have disconnected the dashcam but the issue still came back. I have asked for a full refund but I do not think I will get a straight answer that they have transferred the money to my bank account.

sounds like they are trying to make money out of you. Take your car elsewhere

Rebecca, I suppose that it's 'caveat emptor' in your case.

What did you mean when you said 'plate'. How they took it, deliberately or otherwise, your request for a certain dated plate could have been interpreted as being first registered in that year. There are many, if not all, cars - not just Mazda vehicles - sell well into the year after its build date, particularly if there has been no change in the model and sales are slow. It doesn't make them worse cars and shouldn't, in theory, bother a buyer when you decide to change yours - at least to buyers who know what they're doing.

When it comes to selling the car, Rebecca, anyone worth their salt will have done a bit of research on the car they desire to purchase. By doing that they will have found that a particular build date, say, week 50 of 2014 was no different to that built on say, week 20 of 2015, and thus concentrate on the condition of the vehicle. Anyone fancying buying a 2015 car that is identical to a 2014 car but is showing evidence of harsh usage and poor maintenance is just being silly.

Keep a record of your services and keep a log book. Any discerning buyer will be interested and swayed by those.

Don't worry, be happy.

Cheers,
John

Thank John for your time and explanation.

Hi Rebecca,
It's common some cars are 2014 built although 2015 compliance. It would be good note for yourself in the future that you ask specifically for a 2015 built vehicle.

In the event that you signed the original contract for a new car, you would notice it doesn't have any VIN number or Engine number along with built and compliance details.

It is always a good to ask if car is in stock or ETA of delivery. If the vehicle is in Australia request to have details up front before going into the dealer and signing delivery.

Also note if your purchasing a new vehicle generally first quarter of the year, you don't always get the same year built vehicle.

In the future if you were to sell/trade the car, of course the year of the vehicle contributes to the price and along with condition, maintaince etc...

just write it & put down another name,

Thanks for your response & I don't mean to be dumb but who's other name "the Mazda dealership" or ?
Cheers

This dealer is not one I have dealt with. My Mazda dealer, Sutherland Mazda, accepted my old car as a trade in.

Yes with West End Mazda Blacktown.

Yes! I also had these charges 'dealer establishment fees' and what not with the Mazda Artarmon dealership - they even got me to sign for a 10 year roadside assist where they did not inform me there were NO refunds.
Took this to the manager and kept arguing about the way the finance guy Samir was dealing with me and managed to get this part refunded.
Do not do car finance with the dealerships.

Hi Janet,
It is encourage with all finance docs are read through carefully and knowing what your signing. Ask the question if you don't understand, there are always fees and charges with every documents and brokerage/origination fee. Nothing is free, it is business.

Regarding the road side assistance, I'm sure you should be able to cancel it. Call the road side assistance to inquire further, if this was financed into your loan contract even though you didn't request it. Contact the finance consultant and refer to the credit guide who to contact to make a complaint etc...

If you are the sort of person who likes to be "served" by a clown in a suit who knows nothing about your car, but is only too happy to rip you off with a smile on their face, whilst denying any warranty claims, and charging for work either not done or not done properly then Sutherland Mazda is the place for you. But I am guessing you're not, because you asked the question. The Mazda 3 is a great car, but take it to your trusted local mechanic for servicing, they will do a much better job, and the extended warranty that Mazda offer might as well be written on toilet paper. I will never buy a Mazda again, simply because of the way that Sutherland Mazda has treated me and my Bt50.

Unfortunately it seems to effect a lot of cars these days, fuel economy ratings never seem to be "real world" but estimated in controlled conditions. Has your CX5 improved in economy after being "run in"?

Not really. It is the hills that are the killers. What I found was that flat roads give you exactly the fuel economy as the ratings Mazda advertise. But once you get on a hill the fuel consumption is excessive. Gold Coast to Brisbane on Motorway almost no hills got 6.4/100k. Gold Coast to Byron Bay a few hills got 7.4/100k. Tweed Heads to Northern Coomera Gold Coast, driving along Gold Coast Highway,which is flat but for Burleigh hill, stopped at 20 or so traffic lights and I got 8.4/100k. But as soon as you drive up a hill, even only a slight hill, the fuel consumption is way above any quoted average. Just driving to and from school and shops I get around 12.5/100k. I'm glad I don't live up Mount Tambourine

Hi Peter, did you end up having any contact with Dutton Mazda? I am looking to but through them and haven't heard any reviews.

mazda sales staff are fantastic. will bend over backwards to help. unfortunately service department staff have some customer service issues and opportunities for quality improvement.

Tom Kerr in Ryde is pretty good for car buying but servicing is much better at John Newell in Alexandria.

West End Mazda. Went there on a recommendation from a friend and enjoyed the experience. Sales staff were pleasant and helpful and the manager priced competitively. Artamon Mazda is also very good and the sales manager (floor sales staff busy with customers) spent time with me to explain features of the car that you would not easily pick up from reading brochures.

Stay away from Hornsby Mazda. Sales Consultant Guy W did the age old "no stock for 3 months but we may be able to get one in one month for you if you order NOW" routine. And he quoted a price above the manufacturers RRP and read to me the features off the brochure. Word of advice to Hornsby Mazda. Assume your customers know the RRP of the car and that we can read.

NOT Artarmon Mazda please! Horrible experience.