You two both have great taste. My Tech + PTG is also in steel blue. I've heard the steel blue will be dropped in 2009 for a darker blue as the desert rock metallic will also be changed for a darker brown.
If there are concerns with the tailgate hitting the garage, a manual one may be a better idea, but of course you would still have to hold it so it wouldn't continue to raise higher. There's not a way to stop the PTG mid-stream that I know of. Except for the moment right before it's completely open or completely closed, if the PTG hits an obstruction it will reverse motion. I don't know if you can hold it while it's moving.
Hi everyone, wanted to post again about my recent purchase (9) days ago. I bought a 2008 mdx with tech package and PTG, MSRP 45,005.00 walked out paying 38,559.00 before etag file fee 30.00 battery/tire fee 6.50..tag/title 209...sales tax 2,315.00. total 41, 123.00 I did round off numbers. They included the real nice rubber mat for the back trunk area, I don't need a third row as I have dogs and this if perfect for it. What I did was look at what I wanted, color packages etc, and then emailed 6 dealers within 3 hour drive, whoever gave me the lowest (tampa), then I printed email, came back to local dealer and they honored tampas price. I am so happy with this transaction. There was no trade and no financing so i was really trying to hold onto every penny on this car. I am getting roof rails and side molding put on next week. I got black on black, love the backup camera, navigation, bluetooth, everything except the power tail gate, I have to hold and hold the button in before it works, so gona have dealer look at it next week. Other then that minut problem. Its handles like a dream, but it does need the roof rails to look cool, thinking about adding the sport running boards but will have to save for those.
New poster here, searching for an MDX... I am looking at a Tech+Entertainment package with an MSRP of $45,900 and Invoice of $41,700. Assuming $2500 below invoice that would mean $39,200 would be a good price without any dealer installed options and not including tax/tag/title. Now my question is I want about 2K MSRP in options (front/rear bumper garnish, side steps, cargo mat/net, floor mats, moonroof visor, side body molding)... how much should I be able to negotiate on that?
Finally, I think I would prefer to go with the Honda .9% financing if theyll give it to me, is $1500 off invoice instead of $2500 a good goal? Do you think Id still be able to get free oil changes & inspections for life?
#1. Honda's financing from now thru sept 2 is 1.99% with $1,500 incentive. if you had jumped in before july, it would have been .99% with $1,000 incentive which would be a few dollars cheaper/month. No use crying over spilt milk but yes, if you're going to finance any portion fo yoru payement, 1.99 is the way to go. keep your money in a savings acct earning 3.5% easy.
#2. Invoice minus incentive is a good starting point. at this point in time, if you hear a dealer advertising he has the biggest baddest selection and inventory, that's the jackpot; in my shopping, these are the guys who really need to get the cars off their lot and were really eager to deal. FYI, I like dealing with the guys on the phone or via email and settle on pricing before stepping into the dealership.
#3. Options: ridiculously overpriced and i usually refrain from making them part of the negotiation. i do however use them as freebie negotiation items. i.e. i'm willing to pay $40K for my sport, i offer them $39,500, they come back with $39,800, i'd say add protection package and you have a deal, we shake hands. That being said, if you're not into installing these things yourself or know of any mechanic that will do this for a reasonable price, you may want to deal directly with the dealership. In my case, i wanted sport running boards, dealer offered to split the cost (mind you, it's dealership price $500 is MSRP, they charge $713 to include install) - i balked, took it out of the negotiation and purchased mine on Ebay for $439 minus 20% livedotcom cashback - installation, i'll do it myself with the help of a friend (no drilling only wrenches/screwdrivers).
4. bottomline, you'll get a great deal on an MDX today, just know exactly what you think is a fair price that you can live with. like i said, invoice minus incentive is, imho a fair price - you probably can do a few hundred dollars better but i don't think they're giving these cars away yet.
Thanks for the response. Are these prices people are quoting ($2500 below invoice, etc) with all fees (destination and any other random dealer fees) waived, other than tax/tag/title?
Does installing any of the following involve drilling? 1. Front/rear bumper garnish 2. Side Steps 3. Moonroof visor 4. Side body molding
On a side note.. wasnt that live.com-ebay cashback deal great? I bought $2100 worth of stuff (DSLR lens & flash, HD camcorder, Xbox 360 w/controllers & games) for like $1400 with 35% back. I wish I had known I was buying this car so I could have bought all these accessories with another account!
I think most people are quoting the agreed price as including destination but before tax/title/tag/doc fee since the tax is state-dependent and the doc fee is dealer-dependent. For example somebody in NJ can buy a tech model for a lower agreed price than I did in NC, but my OTD price may be better because it's 3 versus 7% sales tax.
I have not installed these accessories myself, but I have read how others have done it, so I think this is accurate (but if not somebody please correct me): 1. The garnishes require removal of the lower part of the bumper (unpainted) but I believe there are pre-drilled holes for them. 2. The side steps/running boards should have holes under the car ready for installation. The mudguard behind the front wheels do have to be removed though. 3. No idea, I doubt something like that would require drilling in the roof. 4. Molding is stuck on with 3M-type tape. Works well for most people but there are some who complain of it coming loose.
My advice is to buy accessories from ebay (plenty of Acura dealers selling for less than MSRP) or google one of the dealers that sells it online. Then ask for quotes for surrounding dealers for installation fees or DIY. For simple things like wheel locks and all-weather mats, you can always ask for those to be thrown in if you and the dealer are separated by a few hundred bucks, which is what happened to me.
Im a bit bummed because I just got a quote from a dealer in Maryland for my asking price ($2500+ under invoice, plus Ebay prices for the $2k MSRP in accessories I wanted, including installation), but I live in VA so the 3% extra tax in MD costs me $1200 if I go with that dealer. Quite the disadvantage for them, and a bummer for me because now I have to convince one of my VA dealers to match that quote.
The math isn't exactly that easy. Any interest you earn in your savings account is taxable while the interest you pay on the loan is after tax. Depending on your tax bracket, if you earn 3.5% in interest in your savings account then it is essentially a wash.
If you have to finance the purchase, then perhaps taking the 1.99% is the way to go depending on the alternative financing costs.
I thought if you lived out of state from the dealership then you paid taxes only when you titled the new car in your home state? Maybe it depends on the state like everything else does.
If not then use the OTD prices to compare MD versus VA. Even if a VA dealer doesn't match, it might be worth going that way so you can save a few hundred bucks or whatever the difference ends up being.
Actually youre right, the guy confirmed with me that I would still only pay VA taxes even if their dealership is in MD.
The problem is they sold the color/package I want so now I either have to look further away to get the combination or settle for a different exterior color. Dang.
I'm planning to buy a MDX base model in the next few weeks. A couple of questions hope you or anyone can help:
1. If you get a few quotes from the internet sales managers, then you select the dealer with the lowest quote to talk to them. At this point, is there any room for negotiation with this dealer who has offered the lowest quote?
2. jsp5: which dealer in NC did you get this quote from (if you don't mind sharing)?
I'm planning to buy a MDX base model in the next few weeks. A couple of questions hope you or anyone can help:
1. If you get a few quotes from the internet sales managers, then you select the dealer with the lowest quote to talk to them. At this point, is there any room for negotiation with this dealer who has offered the lowest quote?
2. jsp5: which dealer in NC did you get this quote from (if you don't mind sharing)?
you shouldn't ever settle for the lowest quote. The lowest internet quote i got for a sport in my area was $40,200 which is pretty good - however, from reading this board, i knew that in this market, i should be able to get invoice minus $2,500 incentive at a minimum which is a few hundred dollars less than the quote.
the only thing the lowest quote did for me is confirm my understanding of the ballpark figure i was shooting for. once i got a quote close enough, i went in negotiating with the confidence going a little below invoice+incentive as my opening price was do-able. I never did negotiate with the dealer who had the lowest quote b/c more likely than not, it'll be a dealer far in the boonies without the color combo you want.
just picked up my sport ride today, nothing like that new car smell.
I have the MDX Sport w/ PTG and had no problem opening it in a very small garage. You should have no problem as long as you have a foot of space behind the car. The tailgate does not open higher than the car and therefore you can open the PTG if you can park the car in the garage. In addition, you can manually open the tailgate if you worry it will hit the top. I love the power tailgate when I have my 1 yr old in my arms and lot of thing to put in the back. Hope the information helps you decide.
Pricing for the 2009 model just got out on the Acura's website. Few hundreds more for each model, but it appears they added perforated leater (not Milano's though) to the driver's seat (hopefully is just a typo and both front seats have it). also a nicer website presenting the MDX in detail. don't know though if dealers have them on the lot.
Had an interesting experience yesterday when walking through a local dealership's lot in SoCal looking for a specific color combination. Went for a test drive (oh well I shouldn't have) and then went in to talk number and she brought back a printed piece of paper with "market value" 2k more than the msrp, discounted 2000 "special deal" with final selling price at msrp. I laughed and ran away
I think I just made a deal on the car I want... $42K + tax & tags for a 2008 MDX Tech+Ent in Steel Blue with Taupe interior (HARD to find!!) plus dealer installed chrome side steps, front & rear bumper garnish, and moonroof visor and with the 1.9% 36 month financing. Basically without the added options and if I paid cash it would have been $39,500.
I am being quoted an invoice price higher than Edmunds by every dealer... Edmunds has the invoice price of the 2008 MDX Tech+Ent as $41,683 but pretty much every single dealer I have talked to has said $42,200-42,400 invoice.
Haha yeah I know the bumper garnish is a waste of money but I really liked how it looked. I also wanted the rims from the sport package but couldnt bring myself to pay the extra 2k for something that I really didnt notice any difference for in terms of the drive...
congrats on your vehicle. the garnish is actually a nice looking add-on especially if you go spend another grand painting the plastic bumpers. this guy on acuramdxdotorg did a great job on his black sport, you should go take a look - stunning in black.
btw, i see everybody and the mods here tolerating dishwasher's repeatedly tired rants about the evils of accessories - it's getting to the point where someone needs to put on a gag.
I agree about the sport rims, keep your eyes peeled on ebay and some of the forums for cars. I picked up a set of sport rims that were very lightly used for $750 and they will go on my car next week.
first of all, it's dishwash, not dishwasher. second of all, anyone in the know will tell you that "accessories" do not add value to your automobile and even if you like them, should be purchased from a third party, where they can be had for pennies on the dollar compared to dealer's exorbitant prices.
vavavoom, if that really is your name, you will do well to not tell other users of this forum to "put on a gag".
Why not buy PTG, I love my power tailgate, at least so far so good. At first I thought it should be standard, but after reading some of the post concerns about garage and fit; I realize now it might not be a good thing for everybody; but I love mine. I wanted it because lots of times I've got my hands full going to the car and I have to put all my bags down on the ground to open the tailgate, sometimes it's raining, I hate it. One time I rented a Town and County with power tailgate and doors; I loved it; because when my hands were full I could use the remote to open the tailgate and put my packages in it with out putting them down on the ground.
I measured my garage, originally I was thinking of the Pilot Touring 2009 so I had done a lot of measurements. Due to the cost of the Pilot I decided to just get the MDX. I thought I had the proper measurements for the MDX, but after I made the deal on the Acura I reviewed it's measurements again and realized the Pilot and the MDX is the same width. So I ran back out to the garage to measure some more, as if the garage was going to grow bigger. So I start thinking this is going to be a tight fit in when it came to wdith. I got it home and for the first 3 or 4 days, I had to practice and sometimes I had to fold the side mirror in every now and then, but now I can whip it right it in and out with out any problems and without folding any mirrors. I have about 3 inches on each side with the mirrors out but it does take some adjustment and good judgement.
The tailgate can also be opened manually, so when I first got it home, I drove it in the garage and opened the PTG manually to check for room, to my surprise it wasn't that bad, it depends on how far into the garage I park too; but for the most part if I'm in the garage and I must open the tail gate, I'll just do it manually, instead of using the remote to open it. I have control over it that way; but normally it's usually easier for me to unload the tailgate before I park in the garage, that's the way I did it with my last vehicle so I'm kind of use to unloading before I park in.
The PTG is really convenient when shopping. At first they tried to tell me I didn't need PTG at the dealer, I told them, yes I do. I was thinking a luxury vehicle with out power tailgate what kind of deal is that; but now I understand why some people may not want it, so I guess it's good that it's an option.
The only PTG concern I had was how sensitive it was and how easily it opens. The Town & Country remote was very sensitive, every time I turned around the doors and tailgate was open, it was too sensitive, you couldn't even put the keys in your purse without the doors and tailgate opening up behind your back. It was quite a challenge trying to keep it closed up when walking away from it..
I had the salesman show me how the Acura PTG opens and decided to take a chance on it and it works good, so far no open tailgate when I don't want it open, so I'm happy for that, because I really do love it. I can start that tail gate to open before I get to the car, throw my packages in and off I go. In the rain and snow I really appreciate it.
Well it's a good thing we bought ours when we did. The steel blue is a good color, I wanted something that hides dirt and this color does it well. I've seen people driving some of the other colors and some of the other colors don't hide dirt. This color is amazing at hiding dirt; not to mention it's a good looking color and it brightens up a cloudy day. In the parking lot it it stands out as if to say; I'm the Boss, so they really should reconsider; maybe get rid of one of the whites they have, they don't need two whites. The black is what I originally fell in love with but then I ended up buying the steel blue because I didn't want to have to worry about it looking clean. I get so many compliments it's not even funny; almost every where I go; people say "nice car" or "that's a nice looking car you have there" and some add "and the color is great, it's beautiful. So I don't know why their not doing the steel blue for 2009. They are always changing something on the new MDX, from the 2007 to the 2008 they made some changes; that's why I bought mine this year; before they make a change I really don't like. I liked the welcome greeting in the 2007's and they removed it in the 2008's, they also had an option to upgrade the trim inside to a lighter wood color which was nice, but they didn't offer it in the 2008. I told my husband I'd better buy it before they get rid of something else I liked. I was kind of disappointed the greeting was gone, I was really looking forward to it. The good thing for 2008 is the tech models got PTG, that made me happy.
First of all, thanks to all for providing the detailed information on both quaility and pricing on my new MDX. Live north of Boston and have three dealers within about 1/2 hour. That is the key to get the best price and play them against each other. All dealers were great, low pressure had a very good knowledge base. But, each dealer has hundreds of MDX's sitting on their lots. The other car choice we almost purchased was the GMC Acadia, at the end no real price discount and dealers only have a few on lot. Purchased the base model with roof rack and rails, white with taupe and its been great. The last dealer I went to was Prime Motor (the old Ira motor group) in North Hampton, NH and within an hour, I was driving my new MDX out the door. (they told me I have the record) from negotiation, test driving my SUV to cleaning the new car less than an hour. They told be to bring in the check the next day. Great people and they really wanted to take the order from the other dealers. Maybe it was good timing. Traded in 2001 suburban that was beaten and more than a few dents or scratches. List price ($40,910). Final prices was $31,750 inlcuded the roof rack and rails installed ($6-700 option) all the destintion charges, prep fees and other dealer admin fees. Plus, an extended warranty from Acura that doubles the original warranty for $ 400.00 Not a big fan of these. but for $ 400 to get 8 years, 100,000 miles bumper to bumper was a no brainer. Prime guys where great, but my overall experiance at all three dealers was very pleasent experience. Once again thanks for all the information.
Regardless of what state you purchase the car, don't you only pay sales tax in the state you register it? In the past i had purchased cars in NY and registered in NJ and the dealer took care of it all without me having to pay double sales tax.
I noticed that only the base and Tech package really had any price flexibility. Sport, Ent, Sport + Ent, and the PTG all had pretty heafty premiums considering the difference in their MSRP or invoice pricing.
Multiple Internet dealers in Fairfax VA quoted about the same price for a Tech pkg, which was invoice - $2,500 including 'processing fees' (ultimately labeled the infamous doc-fee). Negotiating the price seemed to bounce back because mysterious taxes/fees appeared which undid the negotiated dropped value. They're pretty clever though, because of the 5 separate papers that quoted the sale price, some included sales-tax, some included processing fees, etc, such that you couldn't get a clear listing of what the true underlying cost of the car was. When my wife and I unraveled it at, we found it was basically their original offer price. But still below invoice - $2,500 so we were ultimately happy.
We wound up getting a 10yr 100K warranty with tire-replacements for 5 year (DC streets suck, and we don't plan on replacing the car). That pushed the total price (including sales tax) to $42k. For the avg person, the base warranties should be plenty.
Note, apparently Tech + Ent is hard to come by these days - I couldn't even get a quote.
Unlike the lock/unlock buttons on the remote, the PTG button requires you to push it for about 2 seconds before it operates thus lessening the chance of an accidental open.
I see Acura's web site for the MDX is all 2009's. Nice graphics, videos, etc.
Does not appear to be many changes...looks like MSRP went up about $1,000...on Tech, but PTG is standard?
Has anyone had any interaction on pricing with dealers? I assume it will just continue to put pressure on the 08.
FYI, my experience shopping like a lot of others. Quoted about $1,800 below invoice on Tech Package w. no haggling. Once I am set, will worth towards the $2,500 below and/or the low 1.9% financing.
I think if you want a good quote take the invoice price of the car you want (without any options) and subtract $2500. Email one dealership and tell them you have an offer of $X with no other fees, plus tax & tags out the door, can they beat it?
If they beat it, take that quote and email it to the next dealer, etc, or just be happy and take it. Once at the dealership to make the deal get them to throw in a couple of options for free. I found the entire process pretty painless.. I emailed probably 10 dealers and 3 of them came back with quotes basically at the price I was shooting for, which was $2500 below invoice.
Without too much haggling, I was able to get an offer for a Tech/Entertainment Black/Black MDX w/running boards installed for $41,100 (that includes the $1,500 rebate and 3.9% financing, but not TT&L).
Please tell me what you think. I'm in Dallas, TX. Thanks.
I am buying an 05 mdx. I just need some recomendations on buying a certified for about $19.5 base with 39k, or non-certified for about $17.9 with 37k, and then adding the 60k warranty for $1800. I have also found certified 05's with 50k pluse for about $18.5. Or should I not buy any warranty? I drive about 24k per year and sell my cars around 75k to 95k. My last lincoln was certified and the warranty was used. Let me know what you would do in this case, or if there is a certain number I should look for for the above cars. also the above cars are an average of what I have found. They are not individual options, so if you know of any better deals in the midwest, please let me know. Thanks.
Two items you might want to factor in: 1) the resale values provided by virtually all of the used car appraisers give higher values to CPO cars; and 2) extended warranties may be pro-rated and you could get money back at the end.
After much deliberation and shopping, we are pretty close to deciding that the MDX is our car of choice. My husband ruled out the Mini Cooper Clubman and the EX35. I ruled out the X5, GX470 and ML350.
I am shopping on the internet and these are the reasonable deals I have so far in the NYC metro area. A quote on a Tech w/PTG be 41,962 after all fees that's including taxes ,and MV fees (don’t want the power tailgate, but they are no longer making the tech w/o and this particular dealer didn’t have any left) or $37,341.00 including the destination but not the MV fees and the taxes which are 7% in NJ.
Is it better to negotiate the OTD price or stick to the price of the car? :confuse:
Hi folks, I could use some advice. I am in the process of purchasing an 08 MDX in the DC area. (1) What have people paid for their extended warranties (and what was that warranty - e.g., 7 years/75,000 miles, etc.)? (2) Are the extended warranty prices negotiable at the dealership? Or are they firm (I get the sense that everything is negotiable, but want to confirm)? (3) How much can the price of accessories be negotiated? Is there a website with information on what you can try and get for the accessories? Specifically, I am interested in the side guards, roof rails (and potentially cross bars, but am not sure), some form of mat for the back of the car (where I would be putting groceries, etc.), and potentially the sliding cover for the back (so people cannot see what I have in my car). Any thoughts?
I have been pricing a 2008 MDX w/tech package. So far I have been able to get an offer for: $38,540 (all fees, tags, taxes, and registration) [if not financing] or $39,572 (all fees, tags, taxes, and registration) [if taking advantage of the 1.9 or 3.9% APR financing]. Are these good prices? What else would be reasonable to try and get the dealer to throw into the deal? Some accessories? :confuse:
Extended warranties (Acura Care) can be purchased from any Acura dealer, I recommend shopping online, one good place others have bought from is: http://www.bernardiwarranty.com. The warranties are negotiable at the dealership but many will refuse to do so.
Accessories can also be negotiated, but some dealers will refuse to drop below MSRP. My advice is to shop on ebay, there are 4-5 Acura dealers selling accessories there. For example: Cargo organizer MSRP is around $70, buy it on ebay for $44. Sport running boards MSRP is $571, I bought a set on ebay for $385, and so forth.
Bottom line is accessories and warranties are both negotiable, and it does not matter which dealer you buy them from, so shop around!
I have been reading this post since the beginning. This is my first post. You guys give some great advice. I just got an offer from a dealer for a base MDX for $33,700 (including destination) + Tax & DMV fees. I requested 33,000 initially. Is this a good deal? This is in the Bay Area, CA. I also want chrome running boards, roof rails with crossbars, lower front garnish and trailer hitch. How should I negotiate for these items. Should I negotiate an out the door price instead. I have not asked any other dealers to beat this price just yet. Thanks.
lukas4, may I ask what state are you in? I am shopping for '08 base in MA and so far wasn't able to get much lower than $35k + tags/taxes while I was shooting for this much but with tax/tags inlcuded. Am I delusional?
Also, a question to everyone: Is it a good time to buy now or should I wait till August? Any scientific guesses whether Honda will increase the rebates/incentives or other kickbacks?
Hi there, I live in Virginia. I have only been pricing the MDX with the tech package, so am not sure what is reasonable for a basic package (without tech - I believe this is what you are looking for?). I also am curious whether folks think that now is a good time to buy or whether it is better to wait until August - any thoughts?
With regards to the 2008 model year, the longer you wait, the better. With gas price still going up and the 2009 model coming out, dealers are looking to unload their old inventory. Given that the 2008 are pretty much identical to the 2009 (unlike the 2009 Honda Pilot), there is no rush to get the new model year. If you can wait, I do suggest that you wait. Prices will only get lower. Only concern is that if you are picky about a certain exterior/interior- there may not be one of that particular style available. You would hate to have to settle for a luxury car. With a new baby who has just arrived, I need to get my SUV soon. Question is - is $33,700 good enough. Can and will the dealer go any lower given invoice is at $36,500. I appreciate any inputs and any info on anyone who might have gotten a better deal. Thanks.
Chd, are you purchasing the 2008 MDX with the technology package? Or without? Also, does the $33,700 include the destination fee, handling/doc fees, title, tags, registration, etc.? Or is that strictly for the base price of the car?
-This isn't a contest, any time you can buy a car for $7,000 off MSRP, it's going to be a good deal! If you get invoice minus the rebate, go for it. Anything lower is just gravy, it's nice if you can find a dealer willing to sell that low. I would offer in that range, but don't expect all dealers to be willing to go into holdback. And if you can only get a dealer a few hundred within your goal, it's up to you to decide how much more you want to haggle.
-If you can wait and are flexible on colors, then do so, if you have to have a certain color+trim line, then I would watch inventories of local dealers, if they have 2-3 in the type you want, then you can wait, if they only have one, then you might want to pull the trigger.
-Finally, I originally was shopping for the base model, but with the rebate I decided to upgrade to tech package (and got the PTG since they had it in the color I wanted fresh off the truck). I would advise you to upgrade if you can budget it from the base model. The navigation works well, and the rear camera is crucial because rear visibility isn't the greatest in these vehicles.
hodog16 - thanks for all of your thoughts - the more information and advice I consider the better! Chd - I honestly don't know about pricing for the base model, since I have only been pricing the MDX with the tech package. I agree with hodog16 - the back up camera and navigation system are fantastic in the car and well worth it if you can swing it. I am not going for the PTG, unless it gets to the point where inventory is low and my options are limited. Good luck!
Not to play devil's advocate, but I thought the PTG was useless until I had it. I wouldn't call it indispensible, but it's really convenient and makes the MDX even more luxurious I guess. But it is another $500 or so.
Comments
If there are concerns with the tailgate hitting the garage, a manual one may be a better idea, but of course you would still have to hold it so it wouldn't continue to raise higher. There's not a way to stop the PTG mid-stream that I know of. Except for the moment right before it's completely open or completely closed, if the PTG hits an obstruction it will reverse motion. I don't know if you can hold it while it's moving.
Finally, I think I would prefer to go with the Honda .9% financing if theyll give it to me, is $1500 off invoice instead of $2500 a good goal? Do you think Id still be able to get free oil changes & inspections for life?
Thanks!
#2. Invoice minus incentive is a good starting point. at this point in time, if you hear a dealer advertising he has the biggest baddest selection and inventory, that's the jackpot; in my shopping, these are the guys who really need to get the cars off their lot and were really eager to deal. FYI, I like dealing with the guys on the phone or via email and settle on pricing before stepping into the dealership.
#3. Options: ridiculously overpriced and i usually refrain from making them part of the negotiation. i do however use them as freebie negotiation items. i.e. i'm willing to pay $40K for my sport, i offer them $39,500, they come back with $39,800, i'd say add protection package and you have a deal, we shake hands. That being said, if you're not into installing these things yourself or know of any mechanic that will do this for a reasonable price, you may want to deal directly with the dealership. In my case, i wanted sport running boards, dealer offered to split the cost (mind you, it's dealership price $500 is MSRP, they charge $713 to include install) - i balked, took it out of the negotiation and purchased mine on Ebay for $439 minus 20% livedotcom cashback - installation, i'll do it myself with the help of a friend (no drilling only wrenches/screwdrivers).
4. bottomline, you'll get a great deal on an MDX today, just know exactly what you think is a fair price that you can live with. like i said, invoice minus incentive is, imho a fair price - you probably can do a few hundred dollars better but i don't think they're giving these cars away yet.
Does installing any of the following involve drilling?
1. Front/rear bumper garnish
2. Side Steps
3. Moonroof visor
4. Side body molding
On a side note.. wasnt that live.com-ebay cashback deal great? I bought $2100 worth of stuff (DSLR lens & flash, HD camcorder, Xbox 360 w/controllers & games) for like $1400 with 35% back. I wish I had known I was buying this car so I could have bought all these accessories with another account!
I have not installed these accessories myself, but I have read how others have done it, so I think this is accurate (but if not somebody please correct me):
1. The garnishes require removal of the lower part of the bumper (unpainted) but I believe there are pre-drilled holes for them.
2. The side steps/running boards should have holes under the car ready for installation. The mudguard behind the front wheels do have to be removed though.
3. No idea, I doubt something like that would require drilling in the roof.
4. Molding is stuck on with 3M-type tape. Works well for most people but there are some who complain of it coming loose.
My advice is to buy accessories from ebay (plenty of Acura dealers selling for less than MSRP) or google one of the dealers that sells it online. Then ask for quotes for surrounding dealers for installation fees or DIY. For simple things like wheel locks and all-weather mats, you can always ask for those to be thrown in if you and the dealer are separated by a few hundred bucks, which is what happened to me.
Im a bit bummed because I just got a quote from a dealer in Maryland for my asking price ($2500+ under invoice, plus Ebay prices for the $2k MSRP in accessories I wanted, including installation), but I live in VA so the 3% extra tax in MD costs me $1200 if I go with that dealer. Quite the disadvantage for them, and a bummer for me because now I have to convince one of my VA dealers to match that quote.
If you have to finance the purchase, then perhaps taking the 1.99% is the way to go depending on the alternative financing costs.
If not then use the OTD prices to compare MD versus VA. Even if a VA dealer doesn't match, it might be worth going that way so you can save a few hundred bucks or whatever the difference ends up being.
The problem is they sold the color/package I want so now I either have to look further away to get the combination or settle for a different exterior color. Dang.
1. If you get a few quotes from the internet sales managers, then you select the dealer with the lowest quote to talk to them. At this point, is there any room for negotiation with this dealer who has offered the lowest quote?
2. jsp5: which dealer in NC did you get this quote from (if you don't mind sharing)?
Thanks!!
I'm planning to buy a MDX base model in the next few weeks. A couple of questions hope you or anyone can help:
1. If you get a few quotes from the internet sales managers, then you select the dealer with the lowest quote to talk to them. At this point, is there any room for negotiation with this dealer who has offered the lowest quote?
2. jsp5: which dealer in NC did you get this quote from (if you don't mind sharing)?
Thanks!!
the only thing the lowest quote did for me is confirm my understanding of the ballpark figure i was shooting for. once i got a quote close enough, i went in negotiating with the confidence going a little below invoice+incentive as my opening price was do-able. I never did negotiate with the dealer who had the lowest quote b/c more likely than not, it'll be a dealer far in the boonies without the color combo you want.
just picked up my sport ride today, nothing like that new car smell.
I have the MDX Sport w/ PTG and had no problem opening it in a very small garage. You should have no problem as long as you have a foot of space behind the car. The tailgate does not open higher than the car and therefore you can open the PTG if you can park the car in the garage. In addition, you can manually open the tailgate if you worry it will hit the top. I love the power tailgate when I have my 1 yr old in my arms and lot of thing to put in the back. Hope the information helps you decide.
Had an interesting experience yesterday when walking through a local dealership's lot in SoCal looking for a specific color combination. Went for a test drive (oh well I shouldn't have) and then went in to talk number and she brought back a printed piece of paper with "market value" 2k more than the msrp, discounted 2000 "special deal" with final selling price at msrp. I laughed and ran away
I am being quoted an invoice price higher than Edmunds by every dealer... Edmunds has the invoice price of the 2008 MDX Tech+Ent as $41,683 but pretty much every single dealer I have talked to has said $42,200-42,400 invoice.
btw, i see everybody and the mods here tolerating dishwasher's repeatedly tired rants about the evils of accessories - it's getting to the point where someone needs to put on a gag.
vavavoom, if that really is your name, you will do well to not tell other users of this forum to "put on a gag".
have i made myself clear? thank-you.
I measured my garage, originally I was thinking of the Pilot Touring 2009 so I had done a lot of measurements. Due to the cost of the Pilot I decided to just get the MDX. I thought I had the proper measurements for the MDX, but after I made the deal on the Acura I reviewed it's measurements again and realized the Pilot and the MDX is the same width. So I ran back out to the garage to measure some more, as if the garage was going to grow bigger. So I start thinking this is going to be a tight fit in when it came to wdith. I got it home and for the first 3 or 4 days, I had to practice and sometimes I had to fold the side mirror in every now and then, but now I can whip it right it in and out with out any problems and without folding any mirrors. I have about 3 inches on each side with the mirrors out but it does take some adjustment and good judgement.
The tailgate can also be opened manually, so when I first got it home, I drove it in the garage and opened the PTG manually to check for room, to my surprise it wasn't that bad, it depends on how far into the garage I park too; but for the most part if I'm in the garage and I must open the tail gate, I'll just do it manually, instead of using the remote to open it. I have control over it that way; but normally it's usually easier for me to unload the tailgate before I park in the garage, that's the way I did it with my last vehicle so I'm kind of use to unloading before I park in.
The PTG is really convenient when shopping. At first they tried to tell me I didn't need PTG at the dealer, I told them, yes I do. I was thinking a luxury vehicle with out power tailgate what kind of deal is that; but now I understand why some people may not want it, so I guess it's good that it's an option.
The only PTG concern I had was how sensitive it was and how easily it opens. The Town & Country remote was very sensitive, every time I turned around the doors and tailgate was open, it was too sensitive, you couldn't even put the keys in your purse without the doors and tailgate opening up behind your back. It was quite a challenge trying to keep it closed up when walking away from it..
I had the salesman show me how the Acura PTG opens and decided to take a chance on it and it works good, so far no open tailgate when I don't want it open, so I'm happy for that, because I really do love it. I can start that tail gate to open before I get to the car, throw my packages in and off I go. In the rain and snow I really appreciate it.
Purchased the base model with roof rack and rails, white with taupe and its been great. The last dealer I went to was Prime Motor (the old Ira motor group) in North Hampton, NH and within an hour, I was driving my new MDX out the door. (they told me I have the record) from negotiation, test driving my SUV to cleaning the new car less than an hour. They told be to bring in the check the next day. Great people and they really wanted to take the order from the other dealers. Maybe it was good timing. Traded in 2001 suburban that was beaten and more than a few dents or scratches. List price ($40,910). Final prices was $31,750 inlcuded the roof rack and rails installed ($6-700 option) all the destintion charges, prep fees and other dealer admin fees. Plus, an extended warranty from Acura that doubles the original warranty for $ 400.00 Not a big fan of these. but for $ 400 to get 8 years, 100,000 miles bumper to bumper was a no brainer. Prime guys where great, but my overall experiance at all three dealers was very pleasent experience. Once again thanks for all the information.
Multiple Internet dealers in Fairfax VA quoted about the same price for a Tech pkg, which was invoice - $2,500 including 'processing fees' (ultimately labeled the infamous doc-fee). Negotiating the price seemed to bounce back because mysterious taxes/fees appeared which undid the negotiated dropped value. They're pretty clever though, because of the 5 separate papers that quoted the sale price, some included sales-tax, some included processing fees, etc, such that you couldn't get a clear listing of what the true underlying cost of the car was. When my wife and I unraveled it at, we found it was basically their original offer price. But still below invoice - $2,500 so we were ultimately happy.
We wound up getting a 10yr 100K warranty with tire-replacements for 5 year (DC streets suck, and we don't plan on replacing the car). That pushed the total price (including sales tax) to $42k. For the avg person, the base warranties should be plenty.
Note, apparently Tech + Ent is hard to come by these days - I couldn't even get a quote.
Does not appear to be many changes...looks like MSRP went up about $1,000...on Tech, but PTG is standard?
Has anyone had any interaction on pricing with dealers? I assume it will just continue to put pressure on the 08.
FYI, my experience shopping like a lot of others. Quoted about $1,800 below invoice on Tech Package w. no haggling. Once I am set, will worth towards the $2,500 below and/or the low 1.9% financing.
If they beat it, take that quote and email it to the next dealer, etc, or just be happy and take it. Once at the dealership to make the deal get them to throw in a couple of options for free. I found the entire process pretty painless.. I emailed probably 10 dealers and 3 of them came back with quotes basically at the price I was shooting for, which was $2500 below invoice.
Please tell me what you think. I'm in Dallas, TX. Thanks.
After much deliberation and shopping, we are pretty close to deciding that the MDX is our car of choice. My husband ruled out the Mini Cooper Clubman and the EX35. I ruled out the X5, GX470 and ML350.
I am shopping on the internet and these are the reasonable deals I have so far in the NYC metro area. A quote on a Tech w/PTG be 41,962 after all fees that's including taxes ,and MV fees (don’t want the power tailgate, but they are no longer making the tech w/o and this particular dealer didn’t have any left) or $37,341.00 including the destination but not the MV fees and the taxes which are 7% in NJ.
Is it better to negotiate the OTD price or stick to the price of the car? :confuse:
Thanks in advance for any advise you may have.
Thanks!
Accessories can also be negotiated, but some dealers will refuse to drop below MSRP. My advice is to shop on ebay, there are 4-5 Acura dealers selling accessories there. For example: Cargo organizer MSRP is around $70, buy it on ebay for $44. Sport running boards MSRP is $571, I bought a set on ebay for $385, and so forth.
Bottom line is accessories and warranties are both negotiable, and it does not matter which dealer you buy them from, so shop around!
I have been reading this post since the beginning. This is my first post. You guys give some great advice. I just got an offer from a dealer for a base MDX for $33,700 (including destination) + Tax & DMV fees. I requested 33,000 initially. Is this a good deal? This is in the Bay Area, CA. I also want chrome running boards, roof rails with crossbars, lower front garnish and trailer hitch. How should I negotiate for these items. Should I negotiate an out the door price instead. I have not asked any other dealers to beat this price just yet. Thanks.
Also, a question to everyone: Is it a good time to buy now or should I wait till August? Any scientific guesses whether Honda will increase the rebates/incentives or other kickbacks?
-This isn't a contest, any time you can buy a car for $7,000 off MSRP, it's going to be a good deal! If you get invoice minus the rebate, go for it. Anything lower is just gravy, it's nice if you can find a dealer willing to sell that low. I would offer in that range, but don't expect all dealers to be willing to go into holdback. And if you can only get a dealer a few hundred within your goal, it's up to you to decide how much more you want to haggle.
-If you can wait and are flexible on colors, then do so, if you have to have a certain color+trim line, then I would watch inventories of local dealers, if they have 2-3 in the type you want, then you can wait, if they only have one, then you might want to pull the trigger.
-Finally, I originally was shopping for the base model, but with the rebate I decided to upgrade to tech package (and got the PTG since they had it in the color I wanted fresh off the truck). I would advise you to upgrade if you can budget it from the base model. The navigation works well, and the rear camera is crucial because rear visibility isn't the greatest in these vehicles.
-Good luck!
2009's are rumored to be out in September.