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Was that $17,000 for a new 05 LX w/ Auto or Manual? If it’s an Auto, that is an absolute steal at $1,945 below Invoice!
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
As has been said on here before: a five minute route that doesn't include freeways is *NOT* enough time to properly test drive a car.
Carbuyingtips.com even says that it takes at least two months to shop and buy a car. I'm planning on keeping this car for at least ten years, and I want to be DARN SURE that I like it.
Cheers, Peter
My sincere apologies for some inappropriate conduct in the last incident of my post. Post is modified below.
As if my experience with Ford (in the Ford forum under the Mustang GT section) wasn't bad enough, here's another one. BTW, I want to mention that I had only visited the Ford dealer once and that I had never been there before.
I went to Honda World in Westminster, California for a *FINAL* (I want to emphasize final here) test drive of the car I'm buying this month. I've had test driven four (three Accords and one Civic to compare -- one time they only had Accord sedans on the lot so that one doesn't count) previous times there. The reason Honda World of Westminster was getting my money was because they were incredible and always helped me. Well, no more.
I narrowed down my car to the Accord EX V6 with leather in Graphite Pearl and I wanted to drive the car I'm interested in in different driving conditions so I can get a feel for the car. Driving the car for a five minute route is NOT enough time to get a true feel for the car! Now, I admit in the past they have been incredible in their help but this time, I will not give them *my* money. Here's why.
I get on the lot and asked to test drive a Honda Accord V6 w/leather for the final time to make my final decision. I explain I'm not buying today but buying at the end of the month (finally). I get in the car and the guy goes to get some keys. I wait for about 20 minutes in the car and finally get fed up and ask another salesman where that guy went. Apparently he had "gone home." That made me mad inside but I kept my cool.
Anyway, after waiting for another five minutes, a rude salesman came outside. I asked him for a test drive. His response immediately: "No test drives allowed." He proceeds to put his HAND DIRECTLY IN MY FACE WAVING ME OFF THE LOT. This REALLY got me angry and I threatened to call my lawyer for this. He just kept rudely waving his arm pointing off the lot.
After cooling down a bit (I have every right to be going three mile island here) I go inside and ask the receptionist if I can talk to the sales manager. Another sales *man* comes by and takes me outside. He explains that I've been there "ten times" already and that "they have the right to refuse service to anyone." He says I've said before to him (I didn't recognize the guy and I've never seen him before) that I'll be buying in the next month. That is not true -- I've always mentioned that I'll be buying within the next six months. It's just recently (at the end of the six-month period I mentioned) I'm financially able to buy and I'm finally buying for sure this month. I have to give him credit; other than that he was at least nice about it. There was no reason for the other salesman to act as rude as he did.
So, anyway, I'm going to go to another Honda Dealer. I would advise EVERYONE to avoid Honda World of Westminster, CA. Take your money to a better dealer.
You may have been taken as a non-serious "test driver". When you tell a salesperson that you aren't buying a car for a month or more, a lot of them will lose interest quickly and figure you are just wasting their time. Right or wrong, you were probably tagged as a "stroke".
People who want to test drive cars over and over USUALLY aren't serious.
Still, a professional would have never treated you in such a fashion. I'm from So. Calif and I'm not at all surprised. That is a tough, brutal marketplace.
By all means, try another store.
You treated me rudely -- "I'll call my Mom -- err, Lawyer!!"
You can afford a lawyer, if a salesman is rude to you, presumably because he or she doesn't want to give you a "final" test drive, when you're not going to buy for another month (maybe), but you can't yet afford the car.
Nice priorities.
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My only point was that, having worked on the other side of the desk, there's a point at which mistreating the sales staff is really counterproductive. Does anyone really think a salesman would be relucant to test-drive a buyer? No. Of course not.
But, beyond an initial test-drive (after some careful qualifying questions), if someone is sincere that they need a month to get finances together, what possible reason is there for multiple test-drives until the buyer CAN make a purchase decision.
It's unreasonable -- especially long, LONG test drives that put miles on a new car, and waste the salesman's time.
Imagine selling a car privately, and having the buyer drive it repeatedly, take it home, whatever, then return it, and say, "Thanks! Perhaps I'll see you in a month."
In my past experience (to bring this back on topic), one gets a great price by being as 'tough' as needed, but also by being fair and *able* to purchase. There's not a salesman around who wouldn't rather have a minimum deal than NO deal.
The next test drive will be on the day we are buying a new car.
Grandmaster, I think it was wrong of you to ask for so many test drives. You gotta learn to make a decision.
Are you a Grand Master at chess? If so, how about if we play a game? You make your first move and punch the clock. I sit there contemplating my first move until my time runs out, so you win by default. How much fun would you have playing a game like that?
1. They gave me a Sedan V6 to drive because they didn't have the new coupes on the lot at the time, and the color was ivory, which I don't particularly care for I should have refused that test drive on the basis that it's not the car I was planning to get.
2. I drove a Honda Civic to compare. I don't joyride nor do I drive pointlessly. I want to hear the car and check what's going on while it's driving. I don't want to buy a car that constantly rattles or vibrates...or worse. And I always want to check wind noise and so forth. I'm spending a lot of money here; I want to make sure that I'm going to like the car before I buy. If a salesman (or even the dealership itself) doesn't give a darn and treats me as rude as I was treated last night (when it wasn't even called for), then I'm taking my business someplace else.
I'm in commissioned sales (not cars, but the product doesn't matter) myself (consistently ranked at the top on my sales team), and there is no way no how I would EVER EVER treat a customer like they treated me. I'd get fired on the spot for doing something like that.
And for clarification: I don't mind customers who want to decide and look around before they buy. It's my job to help them make a decision on a product to buy and close the sale. It's not my job to scam them and attempt to scare them into making a decision they're not ready to make.
Also for clarification: I have more than enough financial ability to make my purchase right now. I just need to make a few last minute arrangements. They include: selling my current car, getting outside financing together (I have great credit) and so on. These things take a little time as I am currently holding down a full time job in sales (just got a HUGE promotion) and working my way through college part time, too.
No one knows but it is being accomplished all over the country and for at least a year or more when reading back into this forum.
With 05 Accord sales falling off again (Year to Date/Month to Date/Month over Month), expect some kind of incentive to help pick them back up again in the very near future. I just hope its better then last years $1000 and then $1,300 near the end of the MY. I read somewhere that the 4-door Canada purchased Accord’s are already receiving a $1,000 FTD incentive but I cannot confirm this
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
Planning on buying w/in a couple of days. Any advice is appreciated!!!
I called Grand Honda. They gave me a good price on a Accord 05 LX.
However they refused to put anything in writing, even after I offered to put my credit card as deposit.
I explained that I am not local and I am driving from a long distance to pickup the car and I needed something in writing - but no dice.
Has anyone had any bad experiences with them.
Pummy
What difference in the world would the COLOR make when test driving a car?? A red car will drive exactly the same as a white car!
What kind of price did you receive as they don’t advertise the LX’s that often.
I don’t know their rep but they couldn’t fax you the documents to sign off on? A fax is as good as being there in this day and age. Keep us informed.
As for their specials this week
2004 Accord EX V6 coupe w/ Auto - 11 miles: $21,500
2005 Accord EX 4-door w/ Auto - 91 miles: $20,123
2005 Accord EX-L 4-door w/ Auto - 17 miles: $21,661
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
Can you check the Sunday Tribune and see if there are any prices posted for a new 2004 Infiniti I35?
I have no idea as to where to look for an Infiniti I-35 price. The Chicago Tribune Transportation section does have a Grand Honda ad showing a 2005 Accord EX 4-door w/ Auto at $20,123. This is ~ $1,000 under MSRP including dest. which does not seem out of line from what I have seen from them in the past? This is not an EX-L although last week they were promoting an 05 Accord EX-L 4-door w/ Auto for just $21,661 which is ~ $900 under Invoice.
I also missed their std. 05 Accord EX V6 4-door w/ Auto for $23,600 listed this week. I really need to sell one of my other automobiles so I can pick one up in the not to distant future.
On a similar note, does anyone know of a dealership that sells like Grand Honda does here in Illinois but is located in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, or Vermont? I want to purchase a PZEV and they don’t sell those here in Illinois unfortunately.
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
Thx
That is $545 under invoice so that sounds like a good deal. Will they not let you do the deal on the LX w/ Auto via FAX? Once it is signed, it is as good as being there. It will save you any hard ball tactics they might try and pull when you get there as well. Keep me posted as I cannot believe they would make you drive any distance without having the paperwork signed, t’s crossed, and i’s dotted. I would be leery as I am sure you are.
Are you coming up from the St’ Louis or maybe Milwaukee by chance?
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
I'm looking to get an Accord 4 Dr LX V6, in the Southern California area. Please share what you paid for, or what would be a reasonable out-the-door price. Thanks for your help.
Either your numbers are off or mine are. I show a MSRP for a 2005 Accord EX sedan auto at 23,415. You stated that 20,123 is approximately $1000 under MSRP which would put the MSRP at approximately $21,123. Are my numbers wrong?
I won't personally say what I think of both of those...but FJ was totally off the mark, and well really Carrs wasn't that nice in person. However the Carr's internet guy "FH" was nice, but still overpriced. Best price I got was from Muller Honda from their internet guy....his 1st quote for a Honda Accord LX w/auto trans was ....18,095.00 dest included, but not tax, title or doc fee. I think I can do better.
Look at my above posts....If your not picky you may want to hold off until Honda publicizes the July 18th Honda Clearance sale and the particulars of that....yeah you may have a bit less inventory, but you still may save 200-500 in cash and that's nothing to sneeze at.
Sorry I misled you as Bama is correct. I meant $1,000 under invoice.
The Sunday Trib here in Chicago runs ads just like any big city paper. They don’t specifically split out any particular Model at a particular price. If a dealership ad shows a price, it would be in there but I just looked through the entire Sunday’s Transportation section and didn’t see any I35 prices.
Good Luck
Wayne R. Gerdes
All the buzz I read here about Autowest Honda is true. I had a quote from Anderson Honda in Palo Alto CA for the same car just hours before I went into Autowest. Anderson Honda quoted me a price of only $80 below invoice. The buying experience at Autowest was very pleasant. No pressure to buy anything I didn't want.
At Carsdirect.com for a 2005 Honda Accord EX, MT, cloth, they're quoting:
6yr/72k - $987
6yr/100k - $1167
7yr/100k - $1297
Are these reasonable? Thanks for any feedback!
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Wasn’t that Fremont Dealership the one some were picking up excellent deals from around Christmas time last year? Either way, that was a smashing deal you received as it brings the Accord prices right back to what some were picking up 04’s w/ the $1,300 FTD’s late last year. I sure would hate to have to fly to Fremont, California and drive an Accord all the way back to Chicago but if the deals are that good or even better later on this year, I just might have to :-D All the I4 Accord’s w/ Auto in California are PZEV’s right?
Good Luck and what a great deal if I do say so myself!
Wayne R. Gerdes
Any leads on good deals on the Accord EX V6, with leather (auto, sedan) ??
Also, for those who have the navigation system, is it worth the extra money?
Thank you so much for that link on the extended coverage pricing! It's going to save me several hundred dollars right there.
I don't know if all cars in CA are PZEV, just that the one I got is.
This is the Fremont dealership that sold as low as $1,800 below invoice for the EXV6 in Christmas. As a matter of fact, I received an internet quote from them after Christmas in December for the Accord EX V6 for $1,300 under invoice. They would not give me the $1,800 below price because they said that was a '4 hour sale' on Christmas. We were set to buy the EX V6, but it was a mob scene on Dec 31 and someone bought the EX V6 we wanted minutes before we arrived. Anyway, we watched the dealership's online inventory list and called the internet guy as soon as we saw the model we wanted. We decided to buy the EXL I4 instead. Our original quote for the EXL I4 was only $1,000 below invoice. We were able to get him to knock it down to $1,300 over the phone. When we pressed for a better deal, he then said that if we showed up that same day, he would 'try to convince his manager to lower it another $200'. Anyway, we got the $1,500.
Also, the Palo Alto CA dealer (who quoted me only $80 below invoice) said my quote for $1,500 below was probably an old December quote. He said dealers in Dec were given big incentives from Honda. I said thank you and good bye.
4cyl or 6?
Can someone tell me where you could expect the best deal for a 4 Door Auto 2005 Accord LX in New Jersey? I am not able to get lower than $19600 OTD. I have been seeing much better deals on this forum. Any help / reference is appreciated.
Sincere thanks.
Robert
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