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Comments
I will have the edmunds and consumer reports prices in mind though when I talk.
Look at the offer. Figure out what you want to pay. Try to negotiate so that you can get to your figure. You may have to go to a couple of dealers.
Sometimes you can get your target price. But if there is a lot of demand, the dealer won't move down much. That makes sense if you think about it. Why should he?
Then, it's up to you to figure out if you want to pay more.
I will add something to the well said advise by Eric29. Remember always that bargaining on the car is just one piece of the whole puzzle.
Extra care must be paid on the negotiation of the 'trade in', financing terms, and then the acessories that you add to the car like Lojack, extra warranties etc. One way to do it is to avoid financing from the Dealer affiliated people period, pay cash or get you own financing. (But there you got to be careful negotiating with them.)
The sales professionals(Their skills have earned my admiration.)can pull many stunts. They can give you a cheaper price on your new car, take you to the cleaners for your 'trade in' and financing and the extras you want. Or they can do any combination. They are good at this chess game. Watch out for gambits and Trojan Horses.
I got a good deal on my car, but nearly got taken in by the extended Warranty and Lojack. I almost went for an extra passive alarm on top of the one the car came with.
Luckily I got away without hurting too much. And I did not have a trade in. And I did not take dealer financing.
Be careful indeed.
Manny
Thanks!
The MSRP on a 2006 Civic EX AT Coupe with Navigation, including Destination, is $21,360. The dealer's Invoice cost is $19,568. They are pocketing the Holdback of 3% of MSRP, or $640. That makes their true cost about $18,928 plus the cost of local advertising, say $200. That brings their actual cost to about $19,128.
If it were later in the model year I'd add in $200 profit to make an offer of $19,328. However, considering the fact that it is very early in the new model's first year, your quote of $20,200 seems reasonable.
Wait another few months for supply to catch up with demand and you will be able to negotiate a much better price.
Whats the best out the door prices on the civic lx or ex that you guys have been paying?
I was recently quoted 17,500 OTD for an 06 LX AT. Without TTL, it was 16,937 (with destination).
Hope this helps.
First, far too many buyers are upside down in their previous car/SUV, etc. No one can defer gratification anymore. The mantra of today is I have to have it now, even if I have no down payment, my credit history is spotty--or worse and I have to have the current hot car (read: civic). Either pay cash for the entire car (Best solution) or put down a substantial down payment (2nd Best solution). Arrange your financing in advance and unless the dealer can beat it go with what you arranged.
Second, timing is important, but you can never know all the special arrangements the dealer has with the manufacturer. You can, however, get a much better deal on cars sold in the middle of their design cycle, after the first few months of new model frenzy have worn off and long before there are just a few models remaining because of the imminent introduction of a new model. Look at what great deals can be had on the Accord right now.
Third, don't complicate the deal by trading in. Sell your car privately, you'll get more money and there can't be any hard feelings about getting taken on the trade.
Fourth, buy very reliable cars like the Civic and avoid paying for an extended warranty; instead put the money you would spend on the warranty into a money market account earmarked for repair. Our 94 Civic has never needed anything of substance until earlier this year--8 years after the warranty ran out! Plus so much is excluded on most warranties anyway. Beware of fine print.
Fifth, hang onto your car for at least 10 years and it won't matter whether you paid MSRP or not and you won't have to obsess after the fact about whether you got fleeced or whether someone else in another market, with different market forces at work, got a "better deal".
Sixth, most add-ons and options can be bought elsewhere for less. Just make sure they don't void your warranty. Read the contract carefully, check the figures with a calculator and take your time before signing. Don't act impulsively.
I'm probably going to get a new Civic to replace my current one, but I can wait a year or two. They are great cars and they do last a long time with minimal upkeep. I think the current Civic is appropriately priced, even if you don't get it near invoice.
Gogiboy
007
With friends like this, who needs enemies. This is classic salesman's B.S. The only thing he left out is "if you don't buy this car today, somebody else will". Don't fall for this crap. The factory is turning out about 1200 more every day.
Warner
Thanks,
Warner
PS - They just yesterday got 2 LX's with auto in the Shoreline Mist Metallic color, which I like better than the Galaxy Grey that I got, but my wife liked the gray pretty well....and you know how that goes.
Most people probably think they are smart consumers and like to think they make smart choices. But ask yourself what is your second choice other than the civic, and if you can't answer that, then you are not a smart shopper, but rather a honda lacky whose fixated on buying the civic and have probably not really comapred it to the alternatives.
I feel sorry for such people but unfortunately it seems there are a lot of those here.
Warner
Warner
Who'd have thought finding a Civic would be this tough? Anyone have any experience with an Atlanta Honda dealer? Any other mega-dealers in the South I should try? I'd be willing to go up to 8 hours away to get it (if necessary).
Otherwise, looks like I'm going to have to settle for my other choice (Mazda3).
Warner
I haven't worked with this dealership, so I don't know wha the customer service is like. They have what you want though.
http://www.greensborohonda.com/New-Inventory.aspx?InventoryId=7959785
Greensboro is in the middle of NC. I believe we are a 5 hour drive from Atlanta.
With the dealer you are paying $7 a month for 5 years and you only need the GAP insurance for about 2 years to be not upside down on the loan.
Beware!
Alex
Warner
Ed Voyles - Marietta
Gwinnett Place - Duluth area
Team Honda - Lithia Springs
Hennessy Honda - Woodstock
From what I have seen dealers in Atlanta do not have a wide selection of Civics right now. Gwinnett Place is the largest dealer in the Southeast but I don't think they post their inventory on-line. It would be time consuming but you can always go to www.hondacars.com and do a dealer locator and just search all of the websites.
My mistake. this is a Civic DX. Sorry.
Civic plus D&H.................................$17,360.00
DMV Fee's..............................................$169.00
Documentation Fee.................................$45.00
Calif. Tire Fee.............................................$8.75
Calif State Sales Tax.........................$1,348.89
Net Cost............................................$18,931.64
The original quote was $16,615, which I thought was nice. I then asked for the otd because I've been warned about hidden charges. It seems what he charged for destination is definitely way over the $550 price. This is Fuller Honda in San Diego by the way. Oh yeah, it's an automatic lx.
Another quote, which is cheaper, is $18,685 and is offered by Tipton Honda in San Diego.
Please give your input and if anyone is in the San Diego area and knows a better price, it would be most appreciated if you would let me know. Thanks in advance.
I have looked at the tC, which I liked but this car is something that the whole family will be driving and that car didn't appeal to them. Also, it was a sturdy $17,500 starting and the long wait if purchased wasn't something that I can do. The mazda3 was appealing, but the whole look couldn't grow on me. It was appealing due to the cheaper pricing and the fun factor of driving the car. Zoom zoom zoom right.
I just emailed Gwinnett Place. You're right, they don't list their inventory on their website. I've also talked to a guy at Curry Honda, but he keeps trying to push other colors on me even though I made it clear I'm not interested. It isn't even the exterior colors that bother me as much as that ivory interior. I wish Honda would offer ivory AND gray interior on most exterior colors. Then again, they've been doing fine for years not giving the option. They are offering both interior colors on the Royal Blue color only. I thought that was odd, but maybe they're just testing it?
Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.
If something doesn't turn up in the next few days, I'm probably just going to go with something else. I can always trade it in on a Civic Si Sedan when those come out!
Replying to: warner (Dec 09, 2005 1:19 pm)
The Honda dealer told me that gap insurance cost $96 - just a one time charge. That's with Honda financing.
Well, I went with Honda Financing, so maybe I got smoked on the gap insurance....oh well. All the other battles that I won on this deal more than make up for the $300 I may have overpaid on the gap insurance. I also just ordered the all-season floormats for my car from collegehillshonda for about $95 delivered. It's worth it knowing my 3 kids with boots will be in the back seat several times this winter.....
Warner
Bottom line is that you looked at all factors and decided to insure against a loss. There's nothing wrong with that. If you need that gap insurance because someone steals the car or the car is totalled, you'll be really happy that you paid $300 rather than the difference between the book value and your loan. It's like most insurance. You hope that you won't use it.
This looks like what you are searching for. Civic LX, blue, manual transmission.
http://www.greensborohonda.com/New-Inventory.aspx?InventoryId=8163585
I would want them to come down another $300-400, but if you can't wait then at least you know you are not getting "taken".
My GAP from mercury was for the total balance of the loan, not a replacement of similar mileage, if it was it wouldn't be called GAP insurance. GAP means the gap between the value of the car and what you owe to the bank.
Just regular insurance gives you what the value of the car is or a replacement of similar mileage, so I don't know why you don't think that GAP from the insurance is different. How does your definition of GAP from the insurance company differ from what the insurance company does if your car is lost or totalled? They give you the value of the car at the current mileage right?
I'm not attacking you for buying it, just warning others that the same could be had for a lot less through their insurance company. If you really want it from an independent insurance companies, there are 3rd party companies that sell it for $200.
I have a feeling you got your information about GAP insurance from the dealer, where they scared the crap out of you to buy it. Man, if you bought an American car where the value drops a lot, I would say GAP may actually be worth it, but you bought a Honda, worst case senario you are right side up on the loan within 2 years and most insurance companies give you full value the first year. If not change insurance companies.
Just a warning to others, don't let the dealers use Jedi mind tricks on you.
Alex
Warner
PRICE OF THE VEHICLE LESS MY TRADE IN (05 FOCUS ZX3 SE)
= $6500 OTD
+$1000 SAVED
ON THE WAY OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP, I HIT A DEER
TOTAL +$1000 SAVED PLUS +$2000 COST OF REPAIR
You got a great deal, they have to get you somewhere, if you got out of there with a fair deal, they wouldn't be doing their jobs. You wouldn't ask a cop to let a criminal go or a firefighter to not stop a fire. So why would you ask a car salesman to give a customer a fair deal.
But their Jedi skills are very strong, they can make you believe anything.
I'm waiting here in Los Angeles to buy a Civic but some dealers have a $2000 mark up and out of the bottom of their hearts, they are willing to take off the $2000 and sell it at sticker.
I give it about a month before prices are close to invoice for 2 reasons.
1. I bought the 03 Accord which was the new model in late 2002 for close to invoice, so why should it change for the civic.
2. When I went to see Civics last month, there were about 4 on the lot, I went yesterday and they had 15 of them. About another month and their going to have 30 and the prices will fall.
Alex
I recently received a quote from Independence Honda in Bloomsburg, PA for a AT Civic LX. The dealer quoted me $17,860 which I would have considered if that was OTD, but that was before tax, title, and tags. He quoted me the MSRP price.
$19,050 was the OTD quoted price. The difference in MSRP between the AT and MT is $800, so factoring that in my quote was over $1000 more than your's stormy4. See why I feel like going to another state to buy a car?