Hello, We visited Peabody Acura and were offered a deal on an in stock new 2004 Acura MDX. The MSRP was $36,945. We were offered $35,746. With tax, licence & docs, it worked out to $37,748.30. Can anyone tell if this is a good deal or could we do better? Thanks!
I'm happy to announce I just snagged ( 12/11) a brand new leftover 03 MDX touring w/nav from Acura of Valley Stream in L.I. It's black/black.( Dealer offered accessories at cost but I discovered I could order items I wanted online for a better price.
All though 04 MDX's are out, I prefer the 03 MDX. It suits my needs and budget better than the 04 MDX. Also I feel I was able to get(I consider it to be)a good deal on it.
The breakdown of the deal was $2500 off MSRP ($38,500)plus TTL = $41,823. I probably could have gotten $500 more off if I waited another week, but I didn't have the patience.
As for accessories(genuine Acura parts) I'm ordering (the woodgrain steering wheel -$360, wood meter trim- $100, moonroof visor-$40, bright chrome side steps-$420 and all-weather mats-$80) online for a total of $1065(w/shipping).These prices were alittle bit better than hondacuraworld.com.
Anyway, I glad to finally be a MDX owner. I love the vehicle.
Deal hasn't gone thru yet as we're waiting for the color we want (Sage Brush Pearl). Left deposit and hope to have it this week then I'll post details. Nothing's for sure until the car is parked in my driveway. Glad to know it appears to be a good price.
I just bought an 2004 MDX w/ Nav plus accessories of side-step, all season floor mats, wheel lock, side-molding, and AutoNation etch for $39590 + tax/licence at Stevens Creek Acura, CA. Don't know your tax rate and licence, but seems like close to what you paid.
That's very good price, congratulations. I was shooting for $34500 for the '04 base model with running board and side molding. But couldn't find the color I wanted after a couple months. So I ended up buying the higher end model (Tefeta White with Gray interior).
I actually found a new Red '03 MDX with NAV and got and offer of $1500 above invoice ($38,880 base + TTL = $41,600) Does that sound like a good offer and should I be wary of a '03 still on the lot
Here's the offer that I have rec'd on an '04 MDX Touring Pkg w/RES w/moonroof visor, Splash Guards, Wheel Locks, and (the ever popular) Paint Sealant.
Lease
48 month 12k miles / year Purchase Price (includes destination) $38,695 Residual 53% of MSRP ($41,045) = $21,753.85 "Junk" Fees of $399 (paid up front) Dealer Acquistion $550 (paid up front) Tag $21 (paid up front) 1st Month's Payment (paid up front) About $13 in Cap Cost Reduction (my choice to make the upfront costs a round $1,500) Base Monthly Payment = $482.61 Tax on Monthly Payment (7%) = $33.78 Total Monthly Payment = $516.40
We just purchased a base 04 MDX at $35746 or $37248 out the door in MA. $4352 less than one with RES. You can get all accessories much cheaper at www.hondaacuraworld.com
I just spoke to one of the internet sales folks at StevensCreek and told him the price you quoted on this board- $39,590 + tax/licence and he stated that they have never sold a MDX that cheap. If he was willing to match the price you quoted I told him I was willing to buy this weekend.
Anyone else see trade-in manipulation as a problem. I brought my 96 Acura TL Premium with low mileage to our local Acura dealership. The offered me $6300 on my trade towards a new MDX Touring listed at $40,500 with dealer add-ons. I was shocked as they say they use NADA pricing but I'm seeing a NADA price of $7,575 plus $875 for low mileage trade-in. Avg Retail shows $10,425. Any thoughts on the low ball trade-in number. Is this just a negotiating approach they are using in order to look good when they get back to reality? I'm planning to shop my trade around in the morning at other Denver dealership, but I was just floored by their number. Oh yeah, as I was walking out the sales manager said they'd be able to adjust the overall price another $1700, but that puts the trade-in only at $8k with nothing off MSRP. I was expecting $8500 trade plus looking for $1K off MSRP. Reasonable or not?
Having shopped for my '03 since early '01 (long story) I can tell you that there are a tons of fibs the dealers tell. I'm sure this is not exclusively a preactive of Acura stores, but any badge that has a lower than average supply of vehicles will claim that they all go for "list or above". Heck the same salesmen may even spout the same nonsense about the very long-in-tooth RL...
It is a tactic. With a vehicle in short supply it probably does 'backfire' far less often than with a vehicle that is slow selling, but you can find a decent deal with a salesperson who acknowledges that you have done your homework. You can start be saying "I don't expect to get this for invoice, but I know there are deals that are far better than sticker". How the salesperson responds will let you know if they intend to cling to the fiction of MSRP or are aware of the realities of the marketplace and would rather make a SALE than waste your time & theirs...
Other stuff to doubt: "that color is the hardest to find" "those options almost never are found on a lot" "you need the extended warranty" "we put the wheel locks on all of 'em" "paint sealant is a must"...
Forums like Edmunds truly DO give consumers an edge, but you still have to be realistic!
Falcon74, etching is where the dealer uses acid to etch the VIN in all the windows, supposedly as a theft deterrent. Worth $5 tops and some police stations do it free.
I think it's useless, and don't know of any insurance companies that'll give you a discount for having it done.
We ended up not taking the base model for the price I originally quoted and instead decided to go with the touring model. Got it for 36,084 (wheel locks and cargo cover included) and just add tax and tag. Is that a good price?
i just bought a base 2004 MDX black/tan interior for 35,700 + taxes + tags [Arlignton, VA]. I advise taking your trade to carmax first..I got a great price for my 2002 isuzu trooper trade (13k/carmax) and was able to muscle the acura dealer to match the carmax price (other acura dealers only wanted to go to 12k on the trade).
I got your info in my email. Thanks a lot. Today, I spent time to search and negotiate in Los Angeles and Orange County (California) but haven't got anything even close to yours. The best I got so far is $1500 below MSRP. Will try harder.
The advantage of trading with the dealer you are purchasing your vehicle from is tax savings. I'm in MA and if I traded in a vehicle for $10000, it would shave an additional $500 off the purchase price.
I don't how much it actual cost to perform. What I got is $2 off on a 6-month insurance premium and $5000 (from AutoNation) in addition to what the insurace will pay if the car is stolen and damaged.
I have been working the AL,GA and FL panhandle dealers for the past month and the best I have been able to find negotiate on a 2004 MDX Touring with Nav and DVD is $1500 over invoice plus a $290 documnetation fee.....which I think is nothing but garbage dealer markup but can't seem to get around it no matter what I try.....so basically I am at $1790 over invoice and then all accessories are at dealer internal cost ( about 20% of retail) plus any labor cost to install. All said and done it ends up about $2600 off MSRP plus labor to install accessories.
Many tell me this is a great deal but I am still hoping to do better even if I have to travel a bit to do it. May be I need to call Rick Case posted above.
Just got an email from Valencia Acura with AAA offer on base MDX of $34,336.00 plus $45.00 documentation fee, tax and license. Is this too good to be true? The thing is, I have to drive to hours to see if this is real or not. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Valencia delivered to San Diego for a friend. Everything done online and by phone/fax prior to delivery. Took a few minutes to check the car, sign the papers, and take care of the money end. All done without going to Valencia.
I haven't posted much on the board, but have read many posts here and at the acuramdx site. All of your posts were helpful in confirming that my deal was a good one. Thanks to everyone for sharing info so openly. Hopefully what I outline below will be helpful in return.
I used the internet to send emails to 6 area dealers (from the Acura.com site after I configured my base car with no dealer accessories) and managed to get 2 offers at $1,000 over invoice, both after less than 15 minutes of negotiation (Price was $40,007). One was for a 2004 Silver with Touring, Navi and RES, the other identical in options except for Sage in color. I bought the Sage. I chose not to email 2 dealers and negotiate with 1 by phone and the other in person. These dealers would not go under $2,200 below MSRP after negotiation. The internet responding dealers claimed they are more competitive on pricing for internet inquiries in order to entice buyers into the dealership. I actually think they are likely a bit random in how they price responses, offering more to some than to others, trying to figure out the best balance to maximize sales at a good price for the dealership. However, the initial offers from the internet dealers that eventually got to $3,238 off MSRP were $2,000 off (not in-stock, but January delivery) and $2,500 off (in-stock, purchase before 12/31). Some initial offers were for only $1,000 off, claiming high demand and low supply. That's simply not true anymore.
Here are my suggestions that may echo the advice of past posts, but I'll list them anyway: 1) Be sure to solicit internet offers from as many dealers as you feel you are willing to drive to and purchase from. Don't worry about servicing - you can always service it closest to your home. 2) Don't accept a boilerplate email response that says "your vehicle is in stock" and that you should call them to discuss it. Respond back that you want them to email you competitive pricing and a VIN so you know they have the car in stock. 3) Make sure to let each dealer know they are competing against at least one other dealer. Let them know the price they need to beat, which should be a) your target price, b) your current best offer, or c) somewhere in between. Obviously this will be an evolving process. 4) Once a price is offered by internet, then talk with the salesman by phone. Tell him his price isn't competitive, but let him know what it takes to be competitive. He may tell you to go to the dealership to negotiate in person. Hopefully you can tell him that you already have better pricing AND his dealership isn't the closest to your home (you definitely get better pricing from a dealership that knows they are not your first choice - username "sophiecat" on this site proved that and noted it in previous posts), so you are not inclined to do that unless he'll confirm he can provide more competitive pricing over the phone. Let him know if he hits your target price that you WILL buy from him, provided your vehicle as configured is truly in stock or available by his promised date. 5) Immediately upon arriving at the dealership, have the salesman show you the vehicle, confirm the VIN and confirm the pricing in writing. If he can't produce the car or offered pricing, tell him you are leaving unless he does. Make sure he knows you can't be bait-and-switched. Walk if you have to - he and the MDX will always be there tomorrow, and your money will still be accepted by them if you offer it.
Going to get an MDX before the end of the year. Can't decide between base and touring. Don't really need the touring that much, but concerned about resale value(seems like touring might be easier to sell later, if need be). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
I suggest going with the base. The $2500 additional for touring is not worth it in my opinion. We purchased a base 04 MDX in sage and VERY happy with it. Check out www.cars.com for used ones and you will see that the base is priced competitively. The MDX is very popular, so selling should not be a problem.
We got an '02 touring. The power/memory drivers seat and mirrors was one of the main features that did it for me. My wife is shorter than I am, and power seats with a lot of adjustments are hard to get in the same position each time. Our seat memory has not had any issues. It also makes it safer for my wife, since her driving position is the same each time, she can have the right distance from the steering wheel airbag, seat height to see, etc.
The better tires is also a $300-$400 value. Overall I am happy I made the decision to get the touring. To me it was worth it, since it only adds up to a little more per month anyway. I only wish we went with the NAV also. I understand it is an awesome system and on road trips I am sure it would come in handy.
Comments
Thanks!
We visited Peabody Acura and were offered a deal on an in stock new 2004 Acura MDX. The MSRP was $36,945. We were offered $35,746. With tax, licence & docs, it worked out to $37,748.30. Can anyone tell if this is a good deal or could we do better?
Thanks!
All though 04 MDX's are out, I prefer the 03 MDX. It suits my needs and budget better than the 04 MDX. Also I feel I was able to get(I consider it to be)a good deal on it.
The breakdown of the deal was $2500 off MSRP ($38,500)plus TTL = $41,823. I probably could have gotten $500 more off if I waited another week, but I didn't have the patience.
As for accessories(genuine Acura parts) I'm ordering (the woodgrain steering wheel -$360, wood meter trim- $100, moonroof visor-$40, bright chrome side steps-$420 and all-weather mats-$80) online for a total of $1065(w/shipping).These prices were alittle bit better than hondacuraworld.com.
Anyway, I glad to finally be a MDX owner. I love the vehicle.
Could you post the web site where you bought your accessories?
Thanks.
Where do you get this good offer $33700, just a few hundrds above invoice? This is a very good price IMHO.
Thanks
Service is very prompt.
Congrat's on your purchase, what color did you get?
Can you tell us where/who/how did you get the superb price of $33700 ($363 above invoice) for '04 MDX base?
Do you have the roof-rack?
Thanks.
Lease
48 month 12k miles / year
Purchase Price (includes destination) $38,695
Residual 53% of MSRP ($41,045) = $21,753.85
"Junk" Fees of $399 (paid up front)
Dealer Acquistion $550 (paid up front)
Tag $21 (paid up front)
1st Month's Payment (paid up front)
About $13 in Cap Cost Reduction (my choice to make the upfront costs a round $1,500)
Base Monthly Payment = $482.61
Tax on Monthly Payment (7%) = $33.78
Total Monthly Payment = $516.40
Sound like a good deal?
Question- which dealership is offering that?
Thanks
Thanks.
thanks
We just purchased a base 04 MDX at $35746 or $37248 out the door in MA. $4352 less than one with RES. You can get all accessories much cheaper at www.hondaacuraworld.com
Any comment?
Oh yeah, as I was walking out the sales manager said they'd be able to adjust the overall price another $1700, but that puts the trade-in only at $8k with nothing off MSRP. I was expecting $8500 trade plus looking for $1K off MSRP. Reasonable or not?
It is a tactic. With a vehicle in short supply it probably does 'backfire' far less often than with a vehicle that is slow selling, but you can find a decent deal with a salesperson who acknowledges that you have done your homework. You can start be saying "I don't expect to get this for invoice, but I know there are deals that are far better than sticker". How the salesperson responds will let you know if they intend to cling to the fiction of MSRP or are aware of the realities of the marketplace and would rather make a SALE than waste your time & theirs...
Other stuff to doubt: "that color is the hardest to find" "those options almost never are found on a lot" "you need the extended warranty" "we put the wheel locks on all of 'em" "paint sealant is a must"...
Forums like Edmunds truly DO give consumers an edge, but you still have to be realistic!
I think it's useless, and don't know of any insurance companies that'll give you a discount for having it done.
Etch = dealer profit.
Steve, Host
falcon2315@hotmail.com
What city, salesman, dealer did you get the Acura Touring MDX for 36,084? If you are reluctant to give this info, what city was this in?
Thank you in advance.
Just no names of individuals please.
Steve, Host
Many tell me this is a great deal but I am still hoping to do better even if I have to travel a bit to do it. May be I need to call Rick Case posted above.
Thanks
I used the internet to send emails to 6 area dealers (from the Acura.com site after I configured my base car with no dealer accessories) and managed to get 2 offers at $1,000 over invoice, both after less than 15 minutes of negotiation (Price was $40,007). One was for a 2004 Silver with Touring, Navi and RES, the other identical in options except for Sage in color. I bought the Sage. I chose not to email 2 dealers and negotiate with 1 by phone and the other in person. These dealers would not go under $2,200 below MSRP after negotiation. The internet responding dealers claimed they are more competitive on pricing for internet inquiries in order to entice buyers into the dealership. I actually think they are likely a bit random in how they price responses, offering more to some than to others, trying to figure out the best balance to maximize sales at a good price for the dealership. However, the initial offers from the internet dealers that eventually got to $3,238 off MSRP were $2,000 off (not in-stock, but January delivery) and $2,500 off (in-stock, purchase before 12/31). Some initial offers were for only $1,000 off, claiming high demand and low supply. That's simply not true anymore.
Here are my suggestions that may echo the advice of past posts, but I'll list them anyway:
1) Be sure to solicit internet offers from as many dealers as you feel you are willing to drive to and purchase from. Don't worry about servicing - you can always service it closest to your home.
2) Don't accept a boilerplate email response that says "your vehicle is in stock" and that you should call them to discuss it. Respond back that you want them to email you competitive pricing and a VIN so you know they have the car in stock.
3) Make sure to let each dealer know they are competing against at least one other dealer. Let them know the price they need to beat, which should be a) your target price, b) your current best offer, or c) somewhere in between. Obviously this will be an evolving process.
4) Once a price is offered by internet, then talk with the salesman by phone. Tell him his price isn't competitive, but let him know what it takes to be competitive. He may tell you to go to the dealership to negotiate in person. Hopefully you can tell him that you already have better pricing AND his dealership isn't the closest to your home (you definitely get better pricing from a dealership that knows they are not your first choice - username "sophiecat" on this site proved that and noted it in previous posts), so you are not inclined to do that unless he'll confirm he can provide more competitive pricing over the phone. Let him know if he hits your target price that you WILL buy from him, provided your vehicle as configured is truly in stock or available by his promised date.
5) Immediately upon arriving at the dealership, have the salesman show you the vehicle, confirm the VIN and confirm the pricing in writing. If he can't produce the car or offered pricing, tell him you are leaving unless he does. Make sure he knows you can't be bait-and-switched. Walk if you have to - he and the MDX will always be there tomorrow, and your money will still be accepted by them if you offer it.
The better tires is also a $300-$400 value. Overall I am happy I made the decision to get the touring. To me it was worth it, since it only adds up to a little more per month anyway. I only wish we went with the NAV also. I understand it is an awesome system and on road trips I am sure it would come in handy.