Should I become a first time Kizashi buyer?
Yeah, I've done enough research to know that Suzuki has some weirdness going on with their trim levels from year to year....like the 6MT offered on both the SLS/GTS in 2011 but not in 2012 (iirc) and then in 2013 only the base S model gets a manual.
The sweet spot would be exactly what you (Kuro) have...2011 GTS with the 6MT. I can live without leather seats and bluetooth, but I would really like the manual trans without having to drop to a base model of any year.
This is getting pretty frustrating, but I've found what I'm looking for finally..2011 GTS with 6MT, low miles and a decent starting price....but it's over 1000 miles away.
The sweet spot would be exactly what you (Kuro) have...2011 GTS with the 6MT. I can live without leather seats and bluetooth, but I would really like the manual trans without having to drop to a base model of any year.
This is getting pretty frustrating, but I've found what I'm looking for finally..2011 GTS with 6MT, low miles and a decent starting price....but it's over 1000 miles away.
That dealer definitely has the largest stockpile of Kizashi's that I'm aware of, but it seems the vast majority are 2013 SE's that are priced pretty much where they were before the Suzuki pull out. They do have one 2011 SLS and a small assortment of 2012 GTS/SLS models, but none with the 6MT. I might give them a call and see if they can find a 6MT GTS/SLS, but that sort of thing can backfire when negotiating price....not to mention I don't live anywhere near PA and wouldn't be a possible repeat customer. (meaning they could try to make as much money as possible from me with no harm to their dealer rep)Ronzuki wrote:Jim Shorkey in Pittsburgh has been hoarding them. Buying up every Suzuki in sight, new and used from what I hear. Thgere's picture floating around of their storage lots full of cars (and some trucks and GVs. Maybe call them and see what they have....take a plane ride up and drive it home. Just a thought.
lol...at least that spambot had the decency to register an honest name! 
Anyway, my search continues and is bordering on insane obsession now. The lack of models with the 6MT on the market has me seriously contemplating flying to Virginia, Minnesota or making a long drive to Kansas. No guarantee that the car would still be available when I arrived, or that I could pull off an acceptable price negotiation...and none of those states are really on my summer vacation list if everything falls apart.
I don't mind expanding my search to distant lands if I find what seems to be the perfect car, but I can't really afford to criss-cross the country every weekend. If you guys know of any GTS/SLS with the 6MT for sale in your local areas (and maybe not advertised nationally) I'd appreciate a heads up..
Anyway, my search continues and is bordering on insane obsession now. The lack of models with the 6MT on the market has me seriously contemplating flying to Virginia, Minnesota or making a long drive to Kansas. No guarantee that the car would still be available when I arrived, or that I could pull off an acceptable price negotiation...and none of those states are really on my summer vacation list if everything falls apart.
I don't mind expanding my search to distant lands if I find what seems to be the perfect car, but I can't really afford to criss-cross the country every weekend. If you guys know of any GTS/SLS with the 6MT for sale in your local areas (and maybe not advertised nationally) I'd appreciate a heads up..
I feel ya. You're in a bit of a pickle and I can relate.Pyramid1 wrote:lol...at least that spambot had the decency to register an honest name!
Anyway, my search continues and is bordering on insane obsession now. The lack of models with the 6MT on the market has me seriously contemplating flying to Virginia, Minnesota or making a long drive to Kansas. No guarantee that the car would still be available when I arrived, or that I could pull off an acceptable price negotiation...and none of those states are really on my summer vacation list if everything falls apart.
I don't mind expanding my search to distant lands if I find what seems to be the perfect car, but I can't really afford to criss-cross the country every weekend. If you guys know of any GTS/SLS with the 6MT for sale in your local areas (and maybe not advertised nationally) I'd appreciate a heads up..
When I found my car, I called the dealer to make sure that it was still there and to let them know I was coming to check it out from far away. This was both good and bad. It was good because they pretty much expected me and had the car ready. They even reserved it for me to check out so no one else could buy it as I was headed over there.
The bad thing was that they knew I was all about the car. They knew that had I liked it once I saw it and test drove it, they could be firm on the price and I would probably still buy it. They were right.
In the end, I did not get a lower price than advertised, but the listed price was so good it did not really matter. The price was something that made me get the car within two days of seeing it listed and drive hundreds of miles for. I knew it and they knew it.
The good thing is that the Kizashi is an unknown car and is not very popular. Most people will be avoiding it especially now that Suzuki left the US market. For this reason, they are not selling fast and you won't have much competition from other general car buyers.
For the best price, you are probably better off to find the car you want at a non-Suzuki dealer. The place I bought mine was a Subaru dealer. Most people who came in were interested in the BR-Z or an Outback. Mine was probably a trade-in for a BR-Z or WRX. If you go to a Suzuki dealer with a lot of Kizashi's then they will know you are there for the specific car and can keep a firm price.
Non-Suzuki dealers will not consider the Kizashi a money-maker and would probably give it up for cheaper to get it off their lot for 'more desirable' cars. This was pretty evident for the place I bought my car at.
If you keep vigilant on your search for the right car spec'd the way you want it, it may show up at some random dealer's autotrader site. It may be the only Suzuki they have on the lot and they will probably just want to get rid of it.
It will require patience and time, but it's the way you can get the perfect car for the best price like I did.
If you really just want to get a Kizashi ASAP, hitting up a Suzuki dealer with a big Kizashi inventory is the way to go. Hopefully, you get a good deal, but the fact that you are at a Suzuki dealer just for the Kizashi is a clear sign to them you really want the specific car.
Best of luck.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
KuroNekko- You're thinking just like I do. The small handful of cars I've managed to locate (through Autotrader and other sources) all seem to be at dealerships for other makes, or general used car sales places. The Kizashi hoarder in PA has zero GTS/SLS models with the 6MT in his giant inventory, and strangely enough the one remaining Suzuki dealer near me only has a couple of SX4's. You touched on a dilemma that I'm facing...and that is if I contact a dealership far away, have them hold the car for me and then travel 1000+ miles just for a test drive...they'll know I seriously want the car and will be less willing to do their usual "whatever it takes to get you in this car today". Desperate buyers are a used car salesmans dream.. 
Exactly.Pyramid1 wrote:KuroNekko- You're thinking just like I do. The small handful of cars I've managed to locate (through Autotrader and other sources) all seem to be at dealerships for other makes, or general used car sales places. The Kizashi hoarder in PA has zero GTS/SLS models with the 6MT in his giant inventory, and strangely enough the one remaining Suzuki dealer near me only has a couple of SX4's. You touched on a dilemma that I'm facing...and that is if I contact a dealership far away, have them hold the car for me and then travel 1000+ miles just for a test drive...they'll know I seriously want the car and will be less willing to do their usual "whatever it takes to get you in this car today". Desperate buyers are a used car salesmans dream..
The dealer I got my Kizashi from was pretty firm on the price, but they also gave me a ridiculous offer on my old car as a trade-in. They probably expected me to trade it in regardless. I actually declined their trade-in offers and bought the Kizashi and drove my old car home. I picked up my Kizashi 2 weeks later. I made it a condition that if I buy the car, they would have to store it until I could pick it up.
A few months later, I sold my old car for over twice as much as the highest offer the dealership gave me. They can screw you on the new car price, but you don't also have to play their bullshit trade-in game.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
I bought my new Kizashi without ever having driven one, or even being inside one. I had done and extensive amount of research, and I was sure that I would be happy with the car. I am.
My suggestion would be to test drive a Kizashi with the 6MT, and decide if you really like the car or not. If you do, then you can negotiate a purchase price with a dealer contingent on the vehicle being in the condition described, and having no problems arise during a test drive. That way you can take care of most of the negotiation process before you even arrive on the dealer's lot. If you are planning on trading in a vehicle that may complicate things slightly, but you should be able to work something out in rough terms if that is the case.
Good luck, and I hope that you find what you are looking for.
My suggestion would be to test drive a Kizashi with the 6MT, and decide if you really like the car or not. If you do, then you can negotiate a purchase price with a dealer contingent on the vehicle being in the condition described, and having no problems arise during a test drive. That way you can take care of most of the negotiation process before you even arrive on the dealer's lot. If you are planning on trading in a vehicle that may complicate things slightly, but you should be able to work something out in rough terms if that is the case.
Good luck, and I hope that you find what you are looking for.
Ok, so I tracked down a 2011 GTS with 6MT for sale in-state and went and looked at it yesterday. After a 450 mile round trip, (this is Texas we're talking about) I decided not to buy. It met most of my criteria (black, 6MT) but had almost 50k miles on the clock and was driven by a guy that I'm guessing is no more than 25. I remember my early 20's and how I drove cars back then, and I wouldn't buy a car from my early 20's self.. 
I was still interested however, I know that in Texas mileage can pile up more quickly than other states..and a short test drive proved the car still felt tight and shifted well. The biggest problem is that the kid wouldn't budge from his $18k asking price even though I pointed out that lower mileage top of the line, loaded SLS's were starting out around that price from dealerships. I decided to walk, and maybe he'll come to his senses and give me a call after it hasn't sold in a few weeks. Then again, maybe someone will be willing to pay that if they're more desperate for a manual trans Kizashi than I am..
I was still interested however, I know that in Texas mileage can pile up more quickly than other states..and a short test drive proved the car still felt tight and shifted well. The biggest problem is that the kid wouldn't budge from his $18k asking price even though I pointed out that lower mileage top of the line, loaded SLS's were starting out around that price from dealerships. I decided to walk, and maybe he'll come to his senses and give me a call after it hasn't sold in a few weeks. Then again, maybe someone will be willing to pay that if they're more desperate for a manual trans Kizashi than I am..