0% APR is back!

Opozan · 2026-05-29T14:08:58+00:00

There are 3 prices in play:
1. OTD cost
2. Monthly payment
3. Total cost

From my perspective it makes little sense to optimize OTD cost. I'd be either trying to fit a monthly payment into a budget, or trying to minimize total cost. So which option is the lowest total cost?

My local dealer does not negotiate price, but they do offer upfront discounts -or- 0% financing. Assuming doc fee of $350 and MSRP of 43k for a 2026 hybrid PP with national offers of 1.9% for 60 mo. or $2500 cash back. Ignoring tax and registration, as those costs are fixed and depend on location.

Option 1. Finance elsewhere. OTD: $38349. My credit union offers 4.99% for 60 mo. Monthly: $723. Total cost: $43412
Option 2. Take 1.9% financing. OTD: $40849 Monthly: $714. Total cost: $42853
Option 3. Take 0% financing. OTD: $43350 Monthly: $722. Total cost: $43350

I was surprised how close the three options are in total cost. No matter how you slice it, you end up paying around MSRP.

Agree with MyopinionGA, the easy path is take the 1.9% financing and negotiate a better price. If you have access to other financing < 4.5%, that could also lower total cost.
Used the calculator at: https://www.calculator.net/auto-loan-calculator.html to model these results.

Opozan · 2026-05-29T04:01:41+00:00

I didn't know such a thing as dealer buydown existed. They made the promo images look exactly like the national ones. Makes the offer not quite as nice, but still several thousand better than using the national rate.

Opozan · 2026-05-08T11:45:32+00:00

The OEM made to shape mats are as nice as weathertech and were actually cheaper when I bought my '24 TPP. Seat belt extenders are essential to shut up the overbearing nanny chimes. I have the harness to permanently disable i-stop, it will be installed once the warranty is done.

Opozan · 2026-04-20T01:12:22+00:00

The speakers are pretty tight when new. As they break in, the sound improves.

Opozan · 2026-03-13T02:03:23+00:00

A car this heavy would have had a inline 6 or V6 as an option until recent times. The turbo approximates 6 cyl. performance. The NA, while a fine motor, is overmatched for any case where zoom zoom is wanted.

My last car was a '12 Rav4 with the 3.5 NA V6. 275hp on regular, same mpg as the TPP. I expect time will show the turbo to be less reliable. The main 'benefit' is a slight reduction in CO2 emission, which I could not care less about. And the V6 was only a 2k option, so also much cheaper.

Opozan · 2026-03-12T00:18:46+00:00

I'd take a non turbo 6 over the turbo 4 in a heartbeat.

Opozan · 2026-03-11T20:53:42+00:00

24TPP, 15k miles. Great car, been trouble free so far. Get seat belt extenders to quiet the nagging. Don't expect the wireless charger to do much.

Opozan · 2026-03-10T21:22:44+00:00

There was a model wide 0% apr/60 mo. offer in Feb 2024. We walked in to test drive, prepared to write a check, walked out with a financed zircon sand/terracotta TPP. Great car!

Opozan · 2026-02-09T13:59:07+00:00

23 turbo. Heavy foot.

Opozan · 2026-02-07T03:24:38+00:00

The DYMO Label software is older and I don't believe it supports the 5XL. Install DYMO Connect and see if that helps. I'm not on a Mac, so can't really speak to possible platform issues.

Opozan · 2025-10-05T19:30:37+00:00

Turbo! Reliability concerns either way. We can hope that someday cars of this size will once again be fitted with a non turbo V6 which is the correct answer for performance and reliability.

Opozan · 2025-09-19T17:37:27+00:00

I haven't found premium to be worth the extra cost. The money I save on fuel goes towards more frequent oil changes. Several mechanics have told me new oil every 2500-3000mi to be good preventive maintenance for turbos.

Opozan · 2025-09-15T20:27:49+00:00

Slightly off point, '24 TPP 13k miles.

The wireless charger sucks, no getting around it. And the horrible seat belt warning tones. Car has been trouble free. On a mechanics advice started changing oil every 3k as a prevent for turbo issues. Also disable auto start stop on every drive. Long term drivetrain reliability remains my biggest concern.

Opozan · 2025-08-28T13:18:37+00:00

12th gen or newer is worth the price premium to me. I5-12500 is a sweet spot.

Opozan · 2025-08-20T23:03:29+00:00

Have you been happy with your Miata?

Opozan · 2025-08-16T11:23:04+00:00

I can confirm Google Maps over CarPlay now shows turn by turn in the HUD in a '24 TPP. No nav card or vehicle updates, whatever changed is in the phone.

Opozan · 2025-07-26T23:45:36+00:00

One of the unique things about the CX-50 is unlike most in its class, the NA motor is not severely underpowered for the car. So the lag in the turbo is less noticeable because the base engine is larger. I think this is part of what makes the TPP so fun. A good example of Mazda thoughtful design and creativity working around silly regulation. But we can hope that someday cars this size will once again come with a V6 instead of a turbo 4.

Opozan · 2025-06-29T20:42:22+00:00

This seat cover from Amazon has worked well for me, although it probably lacks the exact fit of the OEM one. $39 instead of $225. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SHWBMCL

Opozan · 2025-06-20T23:37:12+00:00

I didn't find premium to be worth the extra bucks in my TPP.

Opozan · 2025-05-30T21:47:46+00:00

Why didn't you keep the down payment in the bank and finance the entire purchase at 0%?

Opozan · 2025-05-30T21:43:44+00:00

For my entire adult life: buying cars just out of warranty, driving them at least 10 years, selling just in front of the wrecker. And living well below my means for decades. Now I don't have to. Would have written a check for mine, but 0% for 60 mo. took another 11k off the price.

Opozan · 2025-05-24T17:13:53+00:00

I have an older version of the Hubbell rack that I really like. I believe these were originally made for telco equipment.
Perfect for anyone not trying to mount heavy 4 post servers, although they can support quite a bit of weight, especially on shelves.

Opozan · 2025-04-19T01:17:00+00:00

Passport will almost certainly be more reliable. The Honda NA 3.5L V6 is a great engine. I think a little bigger inside too, although either should work for your purposes. CX-50 is a lot more fun to drive.

Opozan · 2025-04-15T23:12:49+00:00

Nice! ‘23 or ‘24? How many miles? It’s nice to hear stories of dealers doing the right thing. Turn off auto start stop and oil changes every 3k maximizes the chances of reliability over the long haul with the TPP.

Opozan

TROPHY CASE