After about a year away from the site, I am back again! I am the proud owner of a NEW 3...yea! I was driving a ford product during the time away. (Yes, I paid the stupid tax on the ford to get back into a Mazda again) I have owned a 95 Protege along with two 87 323's.

What I bought is a 2008 Mazda 3 Grand Touring in Phantom Blue. It is the M/T with leather, moonroof, and Bose sound, along with the HID headlights and LED taillights. This is one bad a$$ ride!! The only thing different is the tinted windows, I'm happy with it stock.

Here are some pics...

 

Welcome back.

 

YOU *****! crap im no longer the only one in the forum with a phantom Blue mica. Good color choice, mines an 07 sedan tho

 

Welcome back!

i almost got that colour, but it was a 6 week wait, and i didnt want to wait any longer for a car, so i got silver instead.

 

Welcome back.

 

That was the other color that I was looking for, and was nowhere to be found. Welcome back.

 

nice car. nice color.

 

The story is quite funny how I found the car. I saw the M3 on the dealer website. I went with a friend to go see it in person, and told the salesguy (in the parking lot) what I was looking for...the M3 with a 5 speed, blue,and grand touring package. He walked us around for about 15 min showing us all the auto trans M3's, (the whole time telling him I WANTED THE 5 SPEED, NO AUTO!). During this time, and not able to locate what I wanted, we left the salesguy on the lot to locate the restroom facilities inside............And low and behold..... what I was looking for was in the middle of the showroom floor! So after using the restroom, we found the salesguy still wandering the lot and told him we found the car. And the rest is history!

 

thats sweet man congradulations. it looks very nice. i wish i had gotten the hatchback i really do but i still like my sedan. guess its all about money these days lol

 

That's a pretty sad story, bkey.
The salesman didn't know that from his desk (I'm assuming his desk is on the sales floor like in most other dealers) hehad beenstaring at the exact car you were looking for all along, and for how long was the car parked inside??? He must be a REAL car guy!! I can tell you from experience that once inside, a special display car usually (but not always) staysthere till it sells.

Why are Mazda dealers such A-holes!! If it weren't for the car(s) itself, I might've gone some other route.
I try to avoid my dealer. Even though I've come right out and told them (Service department mostly) that I have been around cars all my life and that I was in the business for 10yrs, they still treat me like a no-nothingidiot. [:@][:@][:@]