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2013 and earlier-Honda Accord Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • rwong1998rwong1998 Member Posts: 38
    My neighbour in Vancouver B.C is considering buying 2.4L LX-G 5 speed manual Honda Accord and my brother in law in Calgary is considering a 2.4L LX-G automatic Honda Accord. The MSRP on the 5 speed including freight is $26,195 and the MSRP on the automatic is $27,195. What is the best price that people in Canada are getting on these cars?...any information is greatly appreciated
  • atlantis4denniatlantis4denni Member Posts: 1
    Hi Guys...Thanks in Advance for your help.

    I'm ready to buy and have a few quotes via email. What is a reasonable price to buy.

    Thanks
  • 381d381d Member Posts: 5
    Bought a 2004 ex v-6 sedan, graphite pearl, cargo tray, wheel locks, mud flaps, rubber floor mats.
    price-
    24343 incl. dest (99 ovr. inv + dest.)
       80 lic& title
       54 doc
    -2600 trade- '95 sentra, rust, a little rough
     1417 tax 6.5%
    23293.52 net cost.

    happy w/ car
  • johnny420johnny420 Member Posts: 473
    Sounds like a solid deal, especially considering you got the protection package thrown in, and no extraneous BS fees.

    Just goes to show that, right now, Accords can easily be had at or below invoice.

    If I end up pulling the trigger on an '04 EX V6 in the next couple of weeks, I'll post my price paid. I'm going to use the fax-attack method and let these dealers bid for my business.

    Johnny
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    i wonder about this scenario: let's say there's an auto show in toledo, and there's a special "$500 off your best deal" coupon given by all the toledo dealerships handed out at the auto show, redeemable until the end of the month. Can an accord then be purchased for $500 below invoice, if normally the 4 cylinder sedan is going for right around invoice, as it appears it is?

    OR, do dealers simply hold the line at $500 above invoice as their bottom line price, so when this coupon is then used by the customer, they are still selling the car for right around invoice?
  • johnny420johnny420 Member Posts: 473
    Irrespective of your scenario, I think you can purchase a 4 cyl sedan at or below invoice. In fact, I know you can. Accord sales were down for January, and the Camry just outsold the Accord for the 4th straight year. The market is ripe.

    I'm not sure about the coupon deal you're talking about, but I would try to negotiate my price before I made any mention of the coupon, then spring it on them once the price is nailed down.

    The way you phrased it, "$500 off your best deal" strikes me as meaning they'll beat any deal you negotiate at another dealer by $500. Is that the case?

    Either way, great deals are to be had on Accords right now. I wouldn't pay one dime over invoice, and I would try to get well below.

    Johnny
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 234,725
    The coupons are most probably worthless. Why would they sell the car any cheaper than they would anyway? Just negotiate the best deal you can. The coupon will just muck things up, and give them another way to play with the numbers.

    regards,
    kyfdx

    Edmunds Price Checker
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  • hyrulehyrule Member Posts: 2
    This is my first new car experience and I'm a little nervous about heading out to the dealership tomorrow and 'pleading my case'. I've read alot of the posts and docs here so I feel somewhat prepared, but preparation is no substitute for experience....

    I have been to Jones Honda, PA two other occasions to talk in the past two weeks. I have a trade in (99 Ford Ranger 4x4 v6 53k) which they offered $6000 for and went up to $7200. Seems fair.

    They have only quoted MSRP for the '04 Accord LX 5sp that I want - $19790, and I have not countered yet, or made any comment at all about the price, though I have declined ext. warranty, and other options...

    Tomorrow or the next day I'll be going in to finally strike a deal. Should I just ask them what they can do until they lower the price by themselves? Or should I prepare a little sheet with all my knowledge and my firm asking price? Or a combination of the two? Any other suggestions? I could use them! :) Thanks everyone!
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    I read a post about an excellent deal for an EX V6 in Sonoma; any deals to share for the San Jose area?

    Should I just insist on invoice and get what I want?
  • 381d381d Member Posts: 5
    Leverage for you-
    1. you walk away from a bad deal. You keep your money, your car, they get nothing. They can't make you do anything, they have to earn your business, and if you can drive your car for a while longer, prices will go down as the '05s get closer with competion from a freshened Altima & Camry, plus their own '05 Hondas. Your '99 will depreciate more slowly than their new cars. The pressure is on them, they've got boatloads of cars arriving that become less valuable everyday they sit on the lot. A car dealer is an expert at creating the notion of "scarcity"- using the word "available" for an unsold car instead of "nobody else on the planet wants that very car right now. It is depreciating everyday. Please buy it!" A 5 sp lx is a great car and still not a "hot" car. How would that sound to you? If you have a car you can live with, you should walk. They'll call in a few days anyway.
    2. True solid, inarguable leverage is a competing personal/internet/carsdirect quote for your exact model/color car. You may have the added luxury of a major competing Honda dealer that advertises no haggle prices with accurate model descriptions.
    I couldn't believe how much the internet works in your favor. Take the time to do this- Once you've decided on a model, and it sounds like you have, a carsdirect or internet price quote will be invaluable- you'll get an e-mail with a firm price, probably a good deal, and instant "availability" information. Let them know you need emdunds/kbb for your car, which is exactly x amount, and you don't want to haggle.
    That's leverage, you've got a solid case for your offer. Also, if a car just arrived or they've got one arriving, your very same deal is worth more to them because they keep more or all of the holdback. Even an under-invoice deal still provides profit. If your stuck on a price that's close but still a little high, do you want a spoiler? fog lights? etc. where you agree to their price if they give you some of their overpriced accessories for free.
    good luck!
    I also insisted on going with their used car appraiser when they asked for my key. I said no, I wanted to go along. After that, they never even drove my car! They just looked at it, and quickly figured out its worth, and probably did a search for accident history. I just told the guy firmly that I would not accept anything but a reference price -kbb, and I knew what it was. That's what I got.

    P.S. bring a calculator, paper, pen, cell phone, printouts of your info. That is your "hand," play it out if you get challenged. I think someone listens in via the microphone/speakerphone function on their desk telephones (to your face-to-face conversation). Also, the manager cuts the deal, not the sales guy. Cut out the middle man if there is back and forth, I'll go check, etc. That's what is so great about the no-haggle internet deal.
    And finally, before you sign a thing, make sure all the numbers add up- demand on seeing the number that is the amount you will owe them after trade/tax/title/doc- they can and will do that, just takes a moment. title & doc are the same for them on every deal, tax takes just a moment to figure out. If the bill of sale is different than this number, walk. Extended warranties to me are a bad deal.
    Good luck & enjoy your new car!
    381d
  • overdriveroverdriver Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for everyone who have had shared their experience in this site & internet - whoever invented :) I am sharing mine now to help someone out there to get some idea:
    Here is what I got for V6 EX with NAV & 'metal looking trim': $25711(destination included) + tax and doc fee.

    since I am new here I am not sure if I can mention the name of dealer.. plz let me know if I can do that or not.

    One thing I can tell you is: please avoid the Honda dealer in Costa Mesa at all cost!
    I went there and spent 3 hours on Sat for nothing even with my email print and quote they gave me. They threw all kind of standard BS to me.For example, even if I ask them to offer me a quote including 'Metal looking trim' which is extra interior accessory(I even mentioned that of course) he just didn't know(or pretend) about that option specifically. and tried to blame me not to mention every single time I replied his email.(I asked 'so, is it my fault?' he said 'yes' without hesitation..omg what an attitude) and, when I asked for caculator they said they don't do math using calculator lol! gimme a break :) I just gave up for them although they might save me $300 more but I rather pay that money not to get upset. besides, I got a call from Cerritos dealer so I will buy on this weekend. This guy know what that option is and he will install on site as soon as I sign the contract.

    Since I checked more than 8 Honda dealers in LA county and Orange county just ask me for comment about any dealer nearby.

    again, thanks everyone. I think I got a good deal :)
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    unfortunately, i didn't see reply from musicboy (post #3825) in regards to options he selected for LX with with w/Side Airbags, but i asked for $100 less for the same car
     with accessories: Cassette Player, Audio Attachment, Security System, Security System Attachment Kit, All Season Floormats, Front, Leather Steering Wheel Cover, Trunk Tray, Door Edge Guard, Door Visor, Front, Fenderwell Trim, Wheel locks, Exposed
     and got ok' from one dealer. Now I face a tough choice btw new Mazda 6 & Accord LX auto. I now have 2002 Tribute and it has free transp. solutions from Mazda(I'm getting rental for any warranty repair right away). I think Honda doesn't have this option or it prob. very very expensive. Also powertrain on Honda is only 3/36k. Please, help me decide... Thanks a lot.
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    unfortunately, i didn't see reply from musicboy (post #3825) in regards to options he selected for LX with with w/Side Airbags, but i asked for $100 less for the same car
     with accessories: Cassette Player, Audio Attachment, Security System, Security System Attachment Kit, All Season Floormats, Front, Leather Steering Wheel Cover, Trunk Tray, Door Edge Guard, Door Visor, Front, Fenderwell Trim, Wheel locks, Exposed
     and got ok' from one dealer. Now I face a tough choice btw new Mazda 6 & Accord LX auto. I now have 2002 Tribute and it has free transp. solutions from Mazda(I'm getting rental for any warranty repair right away). I think Honda doesn't have this option or it prob. very very expensive. Also powertrain on Honda is only 3/36k. Please, help me decide... Thanks a lot.
  • json717json717 Member Posts: 8
    Hyrule,

    I just read your post and felt compelled to response. If this is your first time buying a car I would caution you to be very careful when talking and dealing with any car salesman. They are experts at making you feel like they are doing you a favor by selling you a new car while they just made a ton of profit from you. Reading all these great information is no substitute for the real thing.

    I think you already made a mistake by talking to the dealer about your trade in before you agreed on your purchase price for the new car. Read the buying guide here on Edmunds and also check out www.motleyfool.com and do a search in motley fool for guide to buying a new car. They have excellent advice for someone like yourself.
    I can already tell by the words you used "pleading my case" to describe your nervousness that these car salesman might eat you alive. But know that you are the one with the power here. 381d is absolutely right, you have total control and power to walk away if you do not like what they offer. I have purchase many vehicle where I walked out of the dealership only to have the salesperson call me 2 minutes later on my cell willing to give me the vehicle at the price I wanted asking me to come back to the dealership.
     
    If you can, I would call the dealer up and negotiate the price of the new car over the phone (preferrably with the internet sales manager) before going out to the dealer. The internet sales manager can usually give you a better price than a typical salesman because he usually does not work on commision and mainly on volume of cars he sells. Tell them that you will buy the car today but only for the right price. Make sure you give them your phone number before you start negotiating that way they can call you back once you tell them that you don't like their offer. Most dealer will call you back. Better yet, I would prefer to buy from a different dealer than Jones Honda b/c this dealer already knows you have a trade in at a price you already like, therefore they will be less inclined to come down on your new car price. Have you shopped at other dealership that have the vehicle you want? Even if they are far away, you can use them as leverage against Jones Honda.

    Also, if you can wait another week (next weekend) I think it would be better since it will be the end of Feb. Most dealers tend to be more desperate to sell before month end. Did you know that Jan 2004 had the lowest car sales in recent years. Cars just aren't selling right now and I would think that Feb will be no different. Keep in mind that you do not want them to know that you really want the LX 5 speed even though you really do want this. Car dealers will do anything possible (ex. sell at or below invoice) to get rid of cars from there lots. However if they know that you really want a particular vehicle and a certain type(since its hard to find too many Accord LX in 5 sp)than they will certainly be less inclined to negotiate with you. On the other hand, car like accord LX 5 sp is not a very popular car and most people do not want a LX 5 sp and the dealer knows this as well so you can use this to your advantage. Just keep in mind that you are in total control and call all the shots. Go in there with a mindset that you are firm on what you want(price) and make sure that they know you are not going to budge. They already know that your a serious buyer because you have already been there twice in the past 2 weeks. If you play it right, they will most likely give you the new car at the price you want, Good luck and let us know what happened.

    PS. Ext. Warranty are usually not worth it especially on accords which are so reliable.
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    I gotta tip my hat; you're providing sound advice when buying a car. I've done the same with friends, but time after time, people cave in to the pressure that a sales "pro" can provide. People get impatient/ worn out by the rigors of the selling process and just crumble to the ground.

    For those of you lacking the back bone to be firm, diplomatic and tacticle; do as much negotiating as possible through the use of the internet and phone - using the internet sales person.
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    I gotta tip my hat; you're providing sound advice when buying a car. I've done the same with friends, but time after time, people cave in to the pressure that a sales "pro" can provide. People get impatient/ worn out by the rigors of the selling process and just crumble to the ground.

    For those of you lacking the back bone to be firm, diplomatic and tacticle; do as much negotiating as possible through the use of the internet and phone - using the internet sales person. Or better yet, get someone to do it for you - it could save you THOUSANDS$$
  • musicboymusicboy Member Posts: 66
    4bib> musicboy: Could you please list options
    4bib> you chose to arrive to MSRP of $20,840?

    There were no options that were included in the MSRP of $20,840 (which as I said in my originial post included destination of $490.) This was the MSRP as printed on the Factory window sticker that came with this car. I also just checked Edmunds (and a couple of the other services) current pricing and this is still the listed National Base price for this vehicle.

    This dealer had already installed Pin Stripes, Wheel Moldings, Mud Guards and Wheel Locks and would have sold them to some sucker who showed up on the lot and didn’t know any better as “additional dealer-added equipment and services” for $646.00. They weren’t about to de-install them so they included them AT NO ADDITIONAL COST in the OTD price of $18,480.90. (see my previous message #3825 for details.)

    4bib> i asked for $100 less for the same car with
    4bib> accessories: Cassette Player, Audio Attachment,
    4bib> Security System, Security System Attachment Kit,
    4bib> All Season Floormats, Front, Leather Steering Wheel
    4bib> Cover, Trunk Tray, Door Edge Guard, Door Visor,
    4bib> Front, Fenderwell Trim, Wheel locks, Exposed
    4bib> and got ok' from one dealer.

    So you are sayinging that they will sell you the car with all those accessories for $17,652.13? That would be a super duper great deal (IMHO) if its an exact match on the car. Are you sure that the dealer is comparing the same car: 2004 Accord LX 4 DR Sedan 4 cyl 5 spd AT with Dual Side Airbags (CM5644EW)? To make sure, ask him for the Honda designated Trim number and see if it matches the number in the previous sentence. That way you’ll know that you are comparing apples with apples.

    Sometimes dealers have been known to say one thing and then once you are at the dealership say something like “Oh, I thought we were talking about a manual transmission. What you want will cost more.” If that were to happen you can always walk out but you will have wasted some time. Just check to be sure.

    4bib> Now I face a tough choice btw new Mazda 6 & Accord LX auto

    In purchasing my new Accord, I looked at the Mazda 6, Toyota Camry, Nissan Sentra and VW Passat and came to the conclussion that the Accord was the best bang for the buck overall for my needs. I had previously owned a Mazda 626 and was very happy with it through the years. However I thought it’s replacement, the Mazda 6, was not for me. Primarily this was due to the fact that it is a smaller car and it didn’t seem to be as fully thought out as the Accord. For me the choice came down to the Toyota Camry and the Accord. And you know where I ended up.
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    Thank you for a great reply. I sent exactly the same quote for 5 dealeships in my area - NY. (I didn't use your faxing method yet). I hope one dealer that I got ok' from did read full request for my quote :) I will definitely clarify this with him.
    Now, as far as warranty issues, would you recommend to buy extended warranty from Honda? I think I'm going to have around 24k/year on a new car. Is it worth doing, if I plan keeping this new car for a long time?
  • musicboymusicboy Member Posts: 66
    4bib> I hope one dealer that I got ok' from did read full request for my quote :)
    4bib> I will definitely clarify this with him.

         That’s a good idea. I had one dealer who had emailed me an aggressive price in the first round and when I emailed a reply asking for color choices available in that car (which I had asked for in my initial request) he replied that he didn’t read to the bottom of my initial email and didn’t realize that I wanted side airbags and he didn’t have any in stock and couldn’t sell it to me at that price anyway (I ultimately bought it for less than that from another dealer.) At least I didn’t waste any time going to his dealership until I had clarified everything.

    4bib> Now, as far as warranty issues, would you recommend to buy extended
    4bib> warranty from Honda? I think I'm going to have around 24k/year on a
    4bib> new car. Is it worth doing, if I plan keeping this new car for a long time?

         I didn’t buy an extended warranty at the time of purchase. As I understand from reading these boards you can always buy the Honda extended warranty up to the end of your new car warranty (I think you if you purchase it at a later time in addition to it’s cost you will pay a small additional sum of something like $60.) I may consider one as I near the end of my original factory warranty if I seem to be having abnormal problems with my car.

         I think that many people on these boards will say that it’s not necessary to purchase an extended warranty because the car is so finely engineered and that with proper maintainence it will last a long long time without major problems. Others will say that if you are the type of person that wants to have all bases covered and not have to worry about the possibility of having an expensive repair down the road then the peace of mind of an extended warranty will be worth the cost.

         A Honda extended warranty is available up to 7 years or 100,000 miles. The seven years includes the original new car warranty of 3yrs/36000 miles. So you are really getting 4 more years of warranty and based on your estimate of 24k a year it would only amount to a little more than 4 years total before hitting 100,000 miles.

         If you do decide that you want to get a Honda extended warranty you might want to shop other Honda dealers on the Internet as this is an item that many will deal on. I know I have seen it posted somewhere on these boards a dealership in MA that will sell Honda extended warranties at a discount. Also somewhere I have info about a dealership that will sell them at $100 over cost. I’ll look to see if I can find it.
  • hyrulehyrule Member Posts: 2
    Thanks everyone, especially 381d & json717 for your detailed replies. I now am a happy owner of an Accord LX 5sp Sedan(Graphite Pearl).

    I went back to Jones Honda and my original salesman was not there. I talked with another guy and inquired about LX 5 Speeds in stock and colors. He said he had none but if he had some color choices he could see if he could get one from another dealership. He came back with our second choice color and said there was ‘only one Graphite Pearl in the entire state of Pennsylvania’. He said he would have to have the Silver LX brought over from Pittsburgh (300 miles away).
    I started to deal with him about the trade in price and the price of the car and when I was becoming insistent about certain prices, he declined to deal with me further and told me to wait until the next day when my original salesman would be back. I didn’t hesitate. Without my first color choice and having to wait a week and being told to come back - I left and didn’t come back.

    I drove 30 minutes west to Apple Honda in York. Immediately I met someone there and asked about LX 5 speeds in stock. They had a good selection including my color choice. I sat down to deal, and after getting a feel for the atmosphere and the sales person (it makes a big difference I think), I decided to take a direct approach. They had offered $7000 trade-in for my Ford, which was in the middle of several online ‘blue book’ services’ quotes. Pretty fair I think, and about what I was expecting.

    I told them I wanted to pay 17500 for the car. They grimaced and made comments about the 1000s of dollars difference between MSRP and my price but took it to the ‘manager’. They immediately came back with an offer of Invoice and $6500 for my trade in. I said no way to $6500 for the trade in, I wanted $7000. They countered with $6800 and while I considered I applied for credit, hinting that I really was hoping to get the 2.9% financing. I know my credit isn’t quite good enough to qualify normally, but they offered the 2.9% and I felt it was a fair deal in total. Not spectacular, but definitely fair.

    So my final price on the `04 Accord LX 5Speed Graphite Pearl with no options was:

    Invoice: $17884.64
    Tax: $665
    Fees: $128
    Total: $18678

    The people at Apple were extremely friendly, not too pushy, the Finance Guys were very nice and nothing I saw was questionable and they went out of their way to be open and honest with all the numbers and terms – as far as I could tell.

    I guess my research and hard work paid off! Thanks!
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    i'm from rockland county ny. i'm looking for a new 2004 auto ex v6 nav accord. so far the best quote from "Honda of Nanuet" was for $26,679.00 + tax +Documentation($45.00) + dmv fees.

    i think i can do better on the price of the car.

    thanks
  • pgillpgill Member Posts: 84
    I was quoted $26,000 for the same car at D&C Honda at Tenafly. Looks like you can probably do better.
  • nw1997nw1997 Member Posts: 227
    mark,

        I did not like the service we got from Honda of Nanuet. There pricing was not competitive.
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    I love the idea of using Costco to buy a car, provided I'm not leaving more than a couple hundred dollars on the table vs. a grind it out deal.

    Anyone have experience getting a quote from Costco and then go out and try to beat it?
  • nw1997nw1997 Member Posts: 227
    aspesisteve,

         We did get a quote from a dealership that had an agreement with COSTCO. It was much higher than we got on our own. This was in the NYC area where the Accords and Camrys sell for high prices cause the demand are very high out here.
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    last year i tried to help my neice shop for a 2003 crv. i contacted several honda dealers on my area and "honda of nanuet" was no where close to the lowest price. my neice thought comming in the the best price and talking to a live sales man would help. it did and he gave an even lower price. the key is try and try again.
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    when i purchased my camry back in 97, the toyota dealer had a lifetime oil change club for a one time fee of $100. i signed up and they still honor it. now i'm in the market for an accord and need to know if there are any honda dealerships that have oil change promotions, free loaner, free car wash, ... around the rockland county ny area ?

    thanks
  • svec7186svec7186 Member Posts: 56
    around what month is the best time for incentives? when do the next years model accords come out. the camry comes out around oct. so thats a good time for deals.

    thanks
  • elisa2uelisa2u Member Posts: 5
    The quote I got from Costco was right around invoice...which is quite a bit more than other sources (like Edmunds and Autobytel)but they were very easy to deal with. Have had clients that bought other makes from them and been very happy though.
  • jarlesjarles Member Posts: 7
    I bought a silver EX V6 yesterday for $24395, which I consider a decent price.

    It took some going back and forth, but it came down to the fact that I found a dealer about 3 hours away that had quoted me that as an internet price. So really, this dealer was forced to match it or I could have driven a few hours and done the deal (I live in central PA, and Honda dealers are spread out). I didn't want to do that, so I was really hoping the dealer would match, and they did.
    My experience with the dealer was pleasant, and I thought he was pretty straightforward with me. My wife and I bought a GMC truck a few months earlier, and they were shady and will lie right to you and deny it a few minutes later.

    The Honda dealer basically said you typically won't be able to negotiate a price as low as some internet managers will go, because they are looking for quick easy sales and will settle for only a couple hundred dollars over invoice. But he grudgingly matched the price, so I was happy. I then negotiaed my trade, which I received $2500 for (a fair price, according to kbb, for a fairly worn down 1994 Honda Passport).

    Here's a question:
    On the sale write-up, he broke down the price as this:
    Sale price $26890
    Trade in $4995
    Total sale $21895

    Rather than a Sale price of $24395 and the $2500 trade. He said it's better for me because if anything happens to the car, it will have a higher replacement value. I suspect that it was better for him, and will appear that he sold the car for the full MSRP.

    Is this normal practice? It didn't affect my price, so I didn't mind.

    Thanks.
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    Looks to me like an internal sales strategy.

    The Used Car dept., being typically a different cost/profit center from the New Car dept., buys selected trade-ins from New Cars.

    Using the same "I'll show you the invoice" tactic they use on us consumers, New Cars shows $4995 to Used Cars as their acquisition price for the trade.

    Haggling ensues and, in the end, Used Cars probably gets the car from New Cars higher than the actual $2500 trade. Result: more internal profit for New Cars.

    As the consumer, you're paying the same net sales tax (new minus trade x sales tax) so, no effect there on you. On future resale, market prices at the time will mostly dictate your resale price, and showing buyers your purchase paperwork will have little or no bearing.

    Now, if most new car buyers had trades, and most car dealers invoiced in the manner of your dealer, then there might be a cumulative effect on future resale. I'm not sure if this is the case, though.
  • desmonsmdesmonsm Member Posts: 48
    "As the consumer, you're paying the same net sales tax (new minus trade x sales tax) so, no effect there on you."

    This isn't always true; I know some states (specifically Kentucky) don't do the taxes this way. You pay tax on the price of the new vehicle, regardless of the trade. If PA is similar to KY, jarles would be paying more tax than he really should be. Not sure that this would benefit anyone but the state, but the fact remains.
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    I drilled down on this item during a recent purchase, and apparently the new-minus-trade x tax rate formula holds true, at least in GA. Car dealers here promote that tax treatment, and so far I've not found it to be a ruse (note "so far").
  • genetageneta Member Posts: 23
    Went to my local dealer in Alexandria, Va. Offered 24,500 on V6EX. After a lot of haggling and back and forth they agreed. One catch, they add $289 processing fee so the total before title and tax is $24,789. I'd be interested in learning your feelings on this deal!
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    when the sales guy bumped up your trade value so he could bump up the Accord's selling price it's pretty obvious he got some kind of kicker for selling it at a higher price. As for the "higher replacement value" this is a fairy tale. Auto insurance will not buy you a new car after it's driven off the lot - it will be used and depreciated right off the get go and that's your insured value. Dealers often try to sell 'gap' insurance for this reason.

    btw; California doesn't let you subtract sales tax with a trade - this really makes it a poor proposition to trade a car in here.
  • musicboymusicboy Member Posts: 66
    geneta> Went to my local dealer in Alexandria, Va. Offered 24,500
    geneta> on V6EX. After a lot of haggling and back and forth they
    geneta> agreed. One catch, they add $289 processing fee so the
    geneta> total before title and tax is $24,789.

    I live in Alexandria, VA and recently bought a 2004 Honda Accord LX with Side Airbags 4 cyl 5 spd Automatic for $2,988 below MSRP and more than $300 BELOW the True Dealer Cost. This dealership also included pinstripes, mudguards and wheel locks as part of the deal. I had several dealers wanting to sell me the car at this price. It was a much better result than I expected to achieve.

    I believe the only way I was able to achieve this was by putting out my car to bid by email and Fax among 20 to 25 area dealers. If you haven't already done this you might want to try it to see if you can get a better deal than what you have. It looks like there may be some dollars still left on the table. Doing this with just a few dealers won't get the best result. In my recent post (#3825) on this board you can read exactly what I did.

    According to Edmunds the MSRP (includes destination charge) on the EX V6 AT you want is $26,400. Invoice is $23,754. The Holdback is $792. So the True Dealer Cost is $22,962. Having just gone through this experience I would think that you should be able to get a car around this price plus $200 to $300 at the MOST in the DC area under present conditions. However because you are getting an EX V6 instead of an LX I4 then the supply and demand equation that favored me may or may not be the same for you. The only way to know for sure is to put it out for bid via "email/FAX attack."

    I bought my car from a nearby Maryland dealer. Maryland dealers are limited to $100 processing fees. VA dealers can charge whatever they want. You only pay the 3% VA Tax at a Maryland dealer. You don't pay the additional approx .2% local Gross Receipts Tax. The MD dealer will handle the tag work for you. You will have to pay $15 for the VA safety inspection in VA after you get your tags though. This is kinda moot since you are really looking to compare the dealers "Out The Door Price".

    An additional reason for getting the lowest price you can is that in VA you will be paying 30% of the personal property tax yearly. Buying sooner rather than later may also be in your favor. It looks as though the VA General Assembly is going to raise the vehicle "sales" tax from 3% to 4.5% to help close the state budget deficit. If it passes and the Governor agrees to sign the bill it will start on July, 1.
  • jarlesjarles Member Posts: 7
    I did the math, and the salex tax was calculated on the amount AFTER the trade-in value was subtracted from the selling price, so it really didn't affect my total price.
    I suspected the dealer was doing this for less than altruistic reasons on my behalf, but I really didn't mind since I could see difference on my part.

    Thanks for the input.
  • aspesisteveaspesisteve Member Posts: 833
    I didn't mean to say your deal was misleading or a bad one - the end result was good for you and that's what counts. It's just funny what sales people will say in fear that you might walk from a deal.
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    anyone know which would be a higher demand vehicle (and thus less be apt to make a good deal on?):

    4 cylinder EX-L sedan

    or

    4 cylinder EX-L sedan with navigation?

    thanks
  • jmaxejmaxe Member Posts: 198
    It appears that anything with Navigation is in relatively short supply so your chances of getting the best deal are greater with a non-Nav because that's mostly what the dealers have available.
  • genetageneta Member Posts: 23
    musicboy and drivn1, thanks so much for your ideas about shopping around. Spent about 30 minutes sending emails to dealers - used cars.com that has a direct link to dealers on their search engine - (within 30 miles of my Burke, Va home.) About 4 hours later I had received a number of offers back, the lowest looks to be $1,500 to $1,700 less than the folks at Landmark quoted. Anyway, I'll have to see if the deal holds up. I'll be making a decision by Feb. 29 to get in on the low Honda financing also. I'll let you know the results.
  • jrock65jrock65 Member Posts: 1,371
    In your initial "email/FAX attack", did you specify that you did not want any add-ons?

    Also, a minor correction: EX V6 MSRP including destination is $26,890 and Invoice is $24,244.

    I plan to move down to Arlington, VA in a couple months and buy an EX V6 sedan as soon as I get there. The info about the difference in fees and regional tax between buying in VA and MD was especially helpful.
  • drivn1drivn1 Member Posts: 6
    Geneta,
    Good Luck...can't wait to hear how you make out! Stick to your guns! :) Look forward to hearing your experience!
  • iwseiwse Member Posts: 27
    After extensive deliberation over various makes and models, I settled on this vehicle in the Boston area. Price paid was:

    $24,300, including auto-dimming rear view mirror, all-season mats,wheel locks and chrome exhaust tips
    $198 processing fee
    $24,498 all in except for 5% MA sales tax

    Went through internet manager of a couple of competing dealers until settling on the lower priced one. Picking it up this week. I liked the Acura TL, but it was a little too stiff riding for me, plus I couldn't wait until next year for them to work out first year model bugs and rattles (just read the TL message board). The Accord is nearly as good and priced a lot less, compared to the $30,995 lowest Boston-area price I could get on the non-Nav TL. In fact, for my driving style and normal daily commute, the Accord is probably a better choice for me.

    I sure had fun with my son test driving various makes/models of cars over the past few months. Nice winter-time diversion.

    Good-bye 1994 Camry..you served me well.

    Thanks to many on this message board for the helpful current pricing tips.
  • cho7819cho7819 Member Posts: 20
    Hi Guys!
    I just bought a BRAND NEW (22 miles!) 2003 Honda Accord LX manual yesterday for $16,000. I understand it is technically a year old but resale is a non-issue since I will be driving this car for atleast the next 7 years. I was wondering whether or not this was a good deal or not. I have 72hrs. to cancel the deal. Thanks for the help
  • nw1997nw1997 Member Posts: 227
    cho7819,

       Technically the vehicle is two years old. If I had a choice I would go with an 04 model instead. Most of the bugs in the 03 were worked out in the 04 models. Then again it's your budget.
  • snarkssnarks Member Posts: 207
    Sounds like a great deal in my opinion. I would not worry about model year in your case since you are reasonable and keep the vehicle for a adequate period of time. 2004's that I have priced with manual run around $17,800 delivered.
  • ral2167ral2167 Member Posts: 791
    we're a couple of teachers who plan to do travel in summertime... we're looking at the 4 cylinder EX-L sedan, no navigation....

    but,we were wondering if the navigation would "suggest" scenic places/parks/places of interest that we otherwise might not know about....

    or,

    does navigation simply point out addresses, like 1500 Broad Street...

    basically, if we plan to do a lot of travel, but NON-BUSINESS travel, but merely scenic/vacation-type travel, would the navigation system be of use to us? or is the navigation system mostly just for business people who do alot of trips related to their job?

    we never had a navigation system, so don't really know.

    thanks for any advice. email us if you prefer.
  • gatrhumpygatrhumpy Member Posts: 126
    I would highly recommend the navigation system. Not only does it find and know about millions of addresses, but it can find them for you on the fly, along with other areas. You can press the voice activation button on the steering wheel and say, "Find nearest American Restaurant" or "find nearest park", and it will find them for you. I love this feature. You can even find an address with a phone number. It can direct you around a traffic jam, and it will even "learn" new routes that you travel on that are unverified. I love the navigation system and will never get another car without it. Go to your nearest Honda dealer and test it out.
  • thepolthepol Member Posts: 2
    I live in the central PA area. In the next 3 - 4 weeks I'm buying a 4 cylinder EX-L Non-Nav and I'd like to learn what prices are like for this model Accord.

    Also, I've seen reports that Accord owners are getting 2.99% financing (as opposed to the 3.99% financing advertised for new Accords on Honda's website). Can anyone confirm?

    I've seen many reports on the V-6 EX-L but little on the 4 cylinder EX-L... thanks in advance for your response!
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