I think I probably knew in the back of mind that there might be a resale issue for the manual - though the salesman at the time assured me that they are produced in limited numbers due to limited demand and as such that there is a good supply of buyers from a resale standpoint, sort of it's own self sustaining market, blah, blah..! Again, you hear one thing at time of the sale, then a completely different twist when talking resale after you actually own the car. From an MSRP perspective, it was only about $800 more for the auto but may ultimately prove to be worth much more in terms of resale value. It was not a money issue - just a preference for the stick for which I can only look in the mirror and in my wallet! Oh well, I still wish they offered the V-6 with a 6 speed for the sedan instead of just in the coupe. I had a 91 EX that I traded on a 92 Explorer after about a year and came out of the Honda in great shape...different time!
In general, there are a TON of Accords in the Houston area sitting on the dealer lots. Most deal in volume and so you should be able to walk out with one at invoice (assuming you don't have a trade to negotiate, the used car market is SO soft right now). With that said, the only pleasant buying experience I have had with Honda was the purchase of my old S2000, which was bought over the phone, LOL, so I didn't have to meet the salesman until I picked up the car.
I would go online to each Honda dealer's website, find the color/model you want, email them with an offer, and see if they bite. They will. If you have a particular dealer close to you or your office, I would put them at the top of the list because that is where your car will go for warranty work.
Years ago, sticks were faster, more economical on fuel, and often less troublesome than early automatics. That isn't true today.
Clutches last depending on the driver's habits which can be ruinous to clutches if driven thoughtlessly, and automatics are now so efficient that gas mileage is about the same.
The new Accord's 5 speed automatic is so good that it's no wonder why few people would want to row a new Accord. Nothing is sacrificed with the AT.
Of course, some cars have poorly matched engines and automatics. The Mazda 6 was to my first choice among sedans until I drove the 4 cylinder car with AT. It was sluggish off the line and hunted crudely between 2nd and 3rd gears on inclines. The Mazda 6 with a 4 cyl. engine and manual trans. would probably have been MUCH better (I didn't bother to drive one because I wanted an AT).
The point is that most new automatic transmissions are so good and so trouble-free that the manual is almost obsolete--at least on sedan models.....Richard
That said, I am picking up a 2004 Accord EXL auto tranny in SoCal for $24,300 out the door. Paperwork will mostly be done on the phone and I expect to be in and out of the dealership in 30 minutes. It has been a very pleasant buying experience.
Thanks Isell and others for your feedback. At the end of the day, I own the decision for having bought the 5 speed manual and whatever financial "hit" I may ultimately take for that decision. At the same time, I do think my sales "consultant" could have worked harder to impress upon me the implications of the purchase. As I said before, the story has changed depending on whether buying or selling (i.e., at time of purchase - "limited demand, limited supply, you'll not have any problem with trade in or finding a buyer...". At time of trade,"..these things are white elephants, our used car manager does not want it on his (Honda)lot, we can't give'em away, etc., etc."). I do like 5 speeds and like driving it but now realize that it will ultimately end up costing a good deal more than the $800 it would have cost to get an automatic. Strange twist but a lesson for me. At the same time, my sales "consultants" credibility takes a bit of hit as well in terms of him telling me what I wanted to hear just to move a car versus providing some meaningful guidance. We've had six new cars in the last 3.5 years so sort of short term view from his perspective. In terms of depreciation rate, this is ranking up there with an Expedition I had. Moral of the story - the 5 speed stick is a great car but unless you drive your car until the wheels fall off, anyone contemplating buying one should think it through to resale before signing on the dotted line so to speak or at least go into it knowing your true cost in owning. For now, I will just sit back and enjoy the ride. Thanks!
...the salesperson unlucky enough to have a 5-speed on his lot is not going to dissuade you from buying it if you seem so inclined. And of course, if you're trying to trade an otherwise desirable car saddled with a virtually unsalable vice (in this case a 5-speed), you're not going to get the same kind of money you would if it were an automatic. This isn't all that mysterious.
That said, I don't think your car will be as unsalable as people are making it out to be. The key here is to sell it on your own. Most dealers don't want sticks, most buyers (especially those at dealers) don't want sticks, so the dealers don't have them. However, those of us who DO want sticks know we can't generally find them at dealers, we hit the newspapers and websites like autotrader.com. Enjoy your car, don't blame the dealer for selling it to you, but sell it on your own when you're ready for something new. I'm sure you'll have no problem selling a nice Accord to someone who wants a stick, the key is finding those buyers (make sure you indicate the manual trans in the ad so you don't get time wasters).
i owned a 99 solara 6 cylinder 5 speed... had leather seats and dog slid around too much on them (she liked to ride) so went to trade it in 2001 for accord coupe with cloth... dealers wouldn't give me much for solara due to the 5 speed (and one lousy coinbox)-- so i placed ad in paper and eventually sold it privately for thousands more than dealers offered-- the best part was honda dealer offered to do the paperwork on the private sale and my purchase of their accord, and i still saved on tax-- it was as if the dealer bought it-- something called an "in-out" deal...
5 speeds are fun to drive..as long as you know you'll probably have to sell privately to get back what it's actually worth.
Can someone suggest a dealer or two in the metro DC area that is really willing to deal? Who have you had a good experience with?
Or is the better approach to do the broadcast fax that was described above (which I thought was a pretty cool way to get offers) and simply let the most eager dealer get the business?
Thank you for your suggestions.
PS--I'm looking for an 04 sedan ex w/ navi/leather/v6/xm FWIW.
I haven't picked up the car yet, but got an email quote $700 less then 5 other dealerships in Atlanta from a dealership in Woodstock, GA. Drive out price is $21,808 for a 2004 accord coupe ex, automatic, with cloth interior.
I just wanted to pass this along to anyone in the Atlanta market for a new Honda, since it took me a while to find a good deal.
JHS70, I just bought a Honda from College Park Honda. I bought the exact car that you're looking at. They were excellent, and did not try any add on BS (I told them I did not want that). They knew I was very knowledgeable and also knew that I would walk if they tried anything funny on the back end. I did the e-mail attack (kind of like the fax attack), and I got a great price of $25,351 ($200 under incoice) and $27,371 OTD. If you'd like, I can e-mail you and give you name of the salesman. In your next post just write your e-mail address down and I'll give you his contact information. I'm sure he'll be happy to sell two Accords in a month.
I did good at Herson's Honda in Rockville. I think I got a better deal because I contacted my salesman through Edmunds website and Herson's has a seperate deal with so called web customers. I was able to take my time and actually stayed in touch with the same salesperson for 6 weeks before we met. I was also contacted by College Park Honda. They seem ok but I havn't had the best experience with their service department, as a previous Honda owner. Being close to the University, they have no lack of customers which might explain my experience.
I just heard from the Honda dealership. He is offering $25,551, plus $490 destination charge, plus State taxes and tags, $100 processing fee and $2 MD tire tax. This latter stuff will be different because I'm a VA resident.
Hi Everyone, I wanted to let everyone know that I brought my new Accord home last night, and I got a fantastic deal at Lute Riley Honda in Richardson. I worked the deal over email, conversed with several dealers in the area, using info from you folks regarding pricing, dealer holdback, etc. I had a trade with negative equity, but they worked with me and there was no BS or pressure to get extras. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, because it helped me immensely.
Now the proud owner of an '04 Accord EX/V6/Leather/Nav Sedan--it's beautiful!
I just bought a new Accord LX 2004, Auto, Silver for $18,900 (out the door price) from a car dealer in Washington D.C. Metro area. Did not buy extras that they offered. (like tinted windos and stuff).
You sound like a person that follows their passions (6 cars in 3.5 years) and there is nothing wrong with that. Enjoy your 5 speed to the fullest and forget about all this re-sale nonsense. Life is short and should be enjoyed as much as possible. If a 5 speed makes you happy, then go for it!! I'm willing to bet when most people reach that final day their thoughts are of good times and loved ones, not of how much money they got at trade in time on their Accord automatic!!
Thanks YStress. I agree completely. As my mother always would say ...this too shall pass (and it already has!). I think when I ran into the double speak the other day about what dogs five speeds are I got particularly irritated - especially when coming out of the dealership where I bought the car (and several others)! Heaven knows I've taken a huge whack already with so many quick trades over the years(i.e., frequent trades of cars is a certain way to lose a lot of money - in this case perhaps even more than usual!!)so in the grand scheme of things it's really not that big of a deal. It's a great car regardless and I enjoy driving it. Everyone knows it's generally best to sell privately vs. trade though sometimes not worth the time and hassle. In the case of this car, from everything I've heard, it looks like whatever hassle there may be, it will be worth it. Everyone has to have vice or two and unfortunately cars seems to be one of mine...
Redondo Red pearl with autodimming mirror, gold badges (but not exhaust tips), and mudflaps for $24,600. Looking forward to the big performance improvement over my 97 Camry LE 4-cyl. Had a great experience with Honda East in Cincinnati. Bought an Odyssey from them in 2001. Took care of everything via email and phone calls. Highly recommended.
I just drove home my 2004 Accord EX-L 4 cyl with auto transmission today. I went through Crevier Leasing in Santa Ana Auto Mall. Got it for $24,200 out the door. Did all the bargaining over the internet, they had the paperwork complete when I arrived, and I got in and out in 31 minutes! Best experience in buying a car ever. Good luck getting yours.
Just purchased down here in Miami at Braman Honda thru the Costco Auto Program. Called assigned costco rep at dealer set appt, picked car, was shown dealer invoice and that was the price... Easiest purchase I ever made, no dealer fees, or extras like cloth guard, underbody protectant, etc. Anyone else have a god experience thru this costco program? I was shocked at how easy everything went, only negotiation was on the trade...
I’m extremely happy with the price that I negotiated for my 2004 Accord, about $100 over actual dealer cost, i.e. about $750 below invoice. Reading these boards, there are many folks that also got very good pricing. Here’s some food for thought, just to stimulate some discussion.
When a new vehicle is not heavily discounted, its eventual resale price is likely to be a high percentage of its original price, presuming it is as reliable and desirable as an Accord.
How about where the new vehicle is heavily discounted? Doesn’t it follow that the eventual resale price, for those who weren’t as successful in their original negotiation, might return a much smaller percentage of the original purchase price?
That resale price (or trade-in price) would be the same in either case. What do you think?
I totally agree with your philosophy about life being short and enjoying it to the fullest. It seems like an obvious notion, but I'm not sure if many of us put it into practice.
I found myself stressing a bit about my recent new-car purchase, but I got over it. You're right. What it all comes down to is, you can't take it with you.
Enjoy it now. Well said.
tprice, enjoy your new manual-equipped Accord. I'm sure you'll love it.
The price I got through Edmunds was 23,744 (incl destination but no other fees/taxes)for the EX v-6 on westside of LA. Would be willing to drive out to Riverside if the price was right
My wife and I are leaning towards an EX V6 with Leather and most accessories except DVD and navigation system. At the auto show, one was listed for $26,400. We inquired via a local dealer's website and got a price of $25,400 after we added fog lights, decklid spoiler and moonroof visor. Is this a decent price? Since I can't price Honda's with options on Edmunds, is there another site to find out the invoice price?
I hope I am speaking for all potential buyers lurking in this forum. Thanks to those who post details of their buying experience etc. But it will be more helpful to us if they also post the price (before tax/fees etc). Taxes and fees vary from state to state so price before taxes/fees will help compare apples to apples.
The best price I have seen was Honda of Oakland who quoted me $23,652 including destination. From reading the board, that seems to be a winner. Do you agree?
Has anyone bought an Accord EX V6 w/ Nav in Austin, TX area ? Which dealer you got it from and how much you paid for it ? I'm looking to buy one in a couple weeks but I don't know what dealer to start with and what price range I should aim for. Thanks.
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I think yours is a good deal. I got an EX-L 2.4L auto with some dealer options for $22,200 (including destination). I offered them $23,700 for a V6 w/o navi, and they turned their nose at me! I believe a little over $23,700 is invoice on your vehicle, so you've a fair deal on the table.
Our experience was tremendous. We stopped into the Honda dealer as we were looking for the Acura (the dealer has both shops).
We "stumbled" onto the EX-V6 ... amazing car. The floor salesman was excellent. Based on the way we were treated and the performance of the car we priced the Accord ... one week later we drove the Black EX-V6 (No navi) home.
With destination we paid $24,333. This was over the Internet (I made sure the internet sales manager knew that the floor salesman really made the deal ... hopefully they take care of each other!)
I will be going back to the dealer for the deck spoiler ($299 + installation ... $117) Installation is a little high, but spoiler price seems good.
I recently visited Gunn Honda in San Antonio to inquire about buying an Accord Coupe V6 with the manual transmission. Of course, they didn't have any with the manual transmission on their lot and told me the car would sell at or near MSRP if they received one.
I haven't bought a new car since 1998 and right now am under the impression that very few people are buying cars at MSRP because of the economy and other factors. Gunn Honda has several new 2004 Accord Coupe V6s (automatics) on their lot which are being sold for around $24,400. I told the salesman I thought a slightly lower price than this should apply to the manual Coupe V6, being that the manual transmission costs less. The $24,400 non-negotiable price on the coupes the dealer has in stock apply to those which have remained on the lot for approximately two months. The longer the car remains on the lot, the lower the price drops. Gunn Honda adheres to a non-negotiable price philosophy.
Am I mistaken in my thinking I should be able to buy a manual Coupe V6 somewhat close to the invoice price? Or is the manual version of this car so hard to find that the law of supply and demand takes over and dealers simply charge more for it?
Thanks for any help and advice. I would be willing to drive outside the San Antonio area to make my purchase if doing so will result in substantial savings, so any dealer recommendations would also be appreciated.
Since the demand for the Accord V6 Coupe 6sp is relatively high and the supply is much lower than, say, for the V6 sedan, paying close to sticker is not unreasonable.
Very few of these models are being made compared to the EX V6 sedans, or even the Coupes with AT, and people seem to snapping them up when they do arrive.
What you can do is hit as many dealers in your area as you can, tell them what you know, DO NOT make them an offer, then see what they come back with. You will need actual invoice price to do this. Tell them you know the invoice price and see what they say. Do not visit the dealers, but, rather, hit them via email or fax, and try to deal only with the sales or fleet managers.
That said, I don't think you're going to have much luck getting this particular model at invoice because of their relative scarcity.
If you'd consider the excellent EX V6 sedan, you'd find that you could easily get one at or below invoice, with a top-notch financing rate. Take the money you'd save by not buying the coupe 6sp and get a sedan with navi.
The trade-off would be no sport-tuned suspension and exhaust, and no 6 sp manual tranny.
Comments
I would go online to each Honda dealer's website, find the color/model you want, email them with an offer, and see if they bite. They will. If you have a particular dealer close to you or your office, I would put them at the top of the list because that is where your car will go for warranty work.
Clutches last depending on the driver's habits which can be ruinous to clutches if driven thoughtlessly, and automatics are now so efficient that gas mileage is about the same.
The new Accord's 5 speed automatic is so good that it's no wonder why few people would want to row a new Accord. Nothing is sacrificed with the AT.
Of course, some cars have poorly matched engines and automatics. The Mazda 6 was to my first choice among sedans until I drove the 4 cylinder car with AT. It was sluggish off the line and hunted crudely between 2nd and 3rd gears on inclines. The Mazda 6 with a 4 cyl. engine and manual trans. would probably have been MUCH better (I didn't bother to drive one because I wanted an AT).
The point is that most new automatic transmissions are so good and so trouble-free that the manual is almost obsolete--at least on sedan models.....Richard
Thanks.
That said, I am picking up a 2004 Accord EXL auto tranny in SoCal for $24,300 out the door. Paperwork will mostly be done on the phone and I expect to be in and out of the dealership in 30 minutes. It has been a very pleasant buying experience.
That said, I don't think your car will be as unsalable as people are making it out to be. The key here is to sell it on your own. Most dealers don't want sticks, most buyers (especially those at dealers) don't want sticks, so the dealers don't have them. However, those of us who DO want sticks know we can't generally find them at dealers, we hit the newspapers and websites like autotrader.com. Enjoy your car, don't blame the dealer for selling it to you, but sell it on your own when you're ready for something new. I'm sure you'll have no problem selling a nice Accord to someone who wants a stick, the key is finding those buyers (make sure you indicate the manual trans in the ad so you don't get time wasters).
5 speeds are fun to drive..as long as you know you'll probably have to sell privately to get back what it's actually worth.
Or is the better approach to do the broadcast fax that was described above (which I thought was a pretty cool way to get offers) and simply let the most eager dealer get the business?
Thank you for your suggestions.
PS--I'm looking for an 04 sedan ex w/ navi/leather/v6/xm FWIW.
I just wanted to pass this along to anyone in the Atlanta market for a new Honda, since it took me a while to find a good deal.
Thanks.
salesman through Edmunds website and Herson's has a seperate deal with so called web customers. I was able to take my time and actually stayed in touch with the same salesperson for 6 weeks before we met. I was also contacted by College Park Honda. They seem ok but I havn't had the best experience with their service department, as a previous Honda owner. Being close to the University, they have no lack of customers which might explain my experience.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions..
Price paid: 23,279 (included destination &handling fee) this was $900 better than next offer. Even below invoice on edmunds...im very happy.
I wanted to let everyone know that I brought my new Accord home last night, and I got a fantastic deal at Lute Riley Honda in Richardson. I worked the deal over email, conversed with several dealers in the area, using info from you folks regarding pricing, dealer holdback, etc. I had a trade with negative equity, but they worked with me and there was no BS or pressure to get extras. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, because it helped me immensely.
Now the proud owner of an '04 Accord EX/V6/Leather/Nav Sedan--it's beautiful!
Had a great experience with Honda East in Cincinnati. Bought an Odyssey from them in 2001. Took care of everything via email and phone calls. Highly recommended.
I'm in Dayton, OH and am researching deals. Did your Honda Accord V6 EX have leather?
Thanks
If so you got a great deal!
John in Dayton
When a new vehicle is not heavily discounted, its eventual resale price is likely to be a high percentage of its original price, presuming it is as reliable and desirable as an Accord.
How about where the new vehicle is heavily discounted? Doesn’t it follow that the eventual resale price, for those who weren’t as successful in their original negotiation, might return a much smaller percentage of the original purchase price?
That resale price (or trade-in price) would be the same in either case. What do you think?
Do the Ex V6 accords have Heated Mirrors? On the internet I could not find a reliable answer to this.
Thanks!
I found myself stressing a bit about my recent new-car purchase, but I got over it. You're right. What it all comes down to is, you can't take it with you.
Enjoy it now. Well said.
tprice, enjoy your new manual-equipped Accord. I'm sure you'll love it.
Johnny
Thanks for your time!
RB
Thanks!
Thanks again for taking time to post.
SS
Where did you buy the Ex V6 with Nav?
What was the price before taxes, license, documentation fees? As you know taxes, differ from location to location.
Thanks.
Jeannine Fallon PR Director Edmunds.com
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Review your vehicle
Barry S.
We "stumbled" onto the EX-V6 ... amazing car. The floor salesman was excellent. Based on the way we were treated and the performance of the car we priced the Accord ... one week later we drove the Black EX-V6 (No navi) home.
With destination we paid $24,333. This was over the Internet (I made sure the internet sales manager knew that the floor salesman really made the deal ... hopefully they take care of each other!)
I will be going back to the dealer for the deck spoiler ($299 + installation ... $117) Installation is a little high, but spoiler price seems good.
Hope this helps!
I haven't bought a new car since 1998 and right now am under the impression that very few people are buying cars at MSRP because of the economy and other factors. Gunn Honda has several new 2004 Accord Coupe V6s (automatics) on their lot which are being sold for around $24,400. I told the salesman I thought a slightly lower price than this should apply to the manual Coupe V6, being that the manual transmission costs less. The $24,400 non-negotiable price on the coupes the dealer has in stock apply to those which have remained on the lot for approximately two months. The longer the car remains on the lot, the lower the price drops. Gunn Honda adheres to a non-negotiable price philosophy.
Am I mistaken in my thinking I should be able to buy a manual Coupe V6 somewhat close to the invoice price? Or is the manual version of this car so hard to find that the law of supply and demand takes over and dealers simply charge more for it?
Thanks for any help and advice. I would be willing to drive outside the San Antonio area to make my purchase if doing so will result in substantial savings, so any dealer recommendations would also be appreciated.
h0udini
Very few of these models are being made compared to the EX V6 sedans, or even the Coupes with AT, and people seem to snapping them up when they do arrive.
What you can do is hit as many dealers in your area as you can, tell them what you know, DO NOT make them an offer, then see what they come back with. You will need actual invoice price to do this. Tell them you know the invoice price and see what they say. Do not visit the dealers, but, rather, hit them via email or fax, and try to deal only with the sales or fleet managers.
That said, I don't think you're going to have much luck getting this particular model at invoice because of their relative scarcity.
If you'd consider the excellent EX V6 sedan, you'd find that you could easily get one at or below invoice, with a top-notch financing rate. Take the money you'd save by not buying the coupe 6sp and get a sedan with navi.
The trade-off would be no sport-tuned suspension and exhaust, and no 6 sp manual tranny.
Johnny