Are you a current Michigan-based car shopper? A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/2 for details.
I'm trying to deal on an '04 4WD EX-5 speed w/side air bags in the NY/CT area. Anyone have any recent experiences in this region?
Figure5 (post #187) got the exact same vehicle (black instead of my blue) for $19,080 in Michigan. My dealer is looking for $20,300 (before destination!), which kinda irritates me, but I've called around; there aren't many 5-speeds to be found.
I live in the chicago area right now (have family in nj). I had to settle for black if I wanted a 5 speed with side air. No one has them around here. 5 speeds are hard to find. Having side air is even more difficult.
Northern Westchester County, NY: Just bought an EX AWD, manual transmission, roof rack and cargo net. No side air bags. Paid $18,975 including destination. Totally sold out of hybrids in this area, but I think the Elements aren't selling and they are overstocked.
Congratulations. Did you get it at either Curry or Brewster? I've been calling around since I posted, and they both seem ready to deal. Brewster even has three on the lot.
I am trying to negotiate on an '04 Element EX Auto no side airbags. It doesn't seem that the dealers here in Texas want to go below invoice. Others I see on here seem to be getting under invoice. Any thoughts?
I am talking to a dealer in Suffolk County, NY. I am trying to keep the price down and he has a new 2003 4WD DX model which he is pricing at 16,995 including a CD player and air conditioning. I forgot to ask him about keyless entry and alarm so I'll have to add those on, too. Do you think this is a good deal? Any suggestions or things to be aware of or be careful of?
You might be able to go much lower. I paid $19,500 for mine (2004 EX-S/SOP/AWD) in the Boston area, with NO trade. I don't know what the market is like down in NC however.
I'm interested in purchasing a brand new Element. I'm not sure whether to get the AWD or the FWD model. I have a Subaru Impreza that has all time AWD and I feel very safe driving the car in any kind of inclement weather. We don't have snow storms here in South FL but we do have plenty of rain. My concern is that the AWD robs some power from the 4 cyl engine and uses up more gas. One last thing, has anyone heard that the plastic side panels fade badly with time? Any advice would be appreciated.
The Element system is "Real-Time 4WD" meaning the system is Front Wheel Drive all of the time, until the system senses that the front tires are spinning/slipping faster than the rear. At that point, the system will engage into 4WD until the slippage is no longer evident. This will also save on gas as it's not a full-time 4WD system. Regarding the plastic panels, I don't believe enough time has elapsed since the first Elements came off the line to tell if there will be fading. I have read all of the Edmunds posts along with all of the ElementOwnersClub.com and hondaelement.org posts, and I don't believe I've seen anyone with a fading issue. Good Luck!!!
Thanks ztorin. I was under the impression that the Element was full time 4WD. I know it doesn't get as good gas mileage as the FWD. I guess that is because of the added weight and not because the transmission is always engaged.
I came from a 97 outback sport that got me through anything! Honda's system is definitely below Subarus system. Im only driving an element dues to its utility.
I bought my Honda Element today. I got it for 20K and they gave me a good deal on my trade-in. They also made my financing more simple by matching my VERY LOW interest rate w/ my credit union. I'm happy w/ my purchase even though I didn't get the one w/ side airbags.
I just picked up my Element from Sussex Honda in NJ. I got it for 19,328 + tax & tags. It is an EX, AWD, 5Sp w/Side Airbags in Sunset Orange Pearl. I am happy with the price.
I have not had any luck getting offers for an 04 EX-S AT 4WD at the 19500-19700 price this board have been quoting. Would anyone be kind enough to point me at the right direction?
I just picked up an orange 04 Ex-AT AWD at Diamond Bar Honda for 19450 +tax, lic, and handling. After trying to negotiate with other dealers who would not drop below 20,000, I felt this was a good deal for my area. Just drove it 130 miles yesterday, and had a smile the whole way.
2004 Element EX AWD Auto w/o side front airbags Price: $19,450 + Tax/license, APR 1.9%, Trade-in: $7,000
1. Do TONS of Internet research before and during negotiations 2. BEWARE! Trade-in is where they will get you if you are not careful. 3. When you have decided exactly what you are willing to pay and how much you are willing to trade, bring printed documentation (from Internet) backing up your "demands" 4. I had quotes from Internet managers from 5 dealerships. I only went to 2 in-person. I refused to sign-a contract after negotiations started (I want to sleep on it)...instead I did MORE research to de-bunk their claims during negotiating (dest fees, the value of my CRV, a lower quote from a competing dealership). I went in the next morning and said "These are my numbers, take it or leave it" They gave me everything except $1000 lower on my trade-in BUT my CRV easily needed $1000 work so...I took it.
Hi ALL- I am considering purchase of a 2004 Honda Element EX with 5 speed manual transmission and front wheel drive. Honda dealer in San Antonio, Texas quoted me a price of $18,300 (includes destination charge) and 3.9 percent loan from Honda financing. Is $18,300 price a good deal for this car? Any feedback is appreciated. :+) Thanks. --emarkv
Invoice plus $490 destination charge for that vehicle is $17,953. I would offer $17,553 ($400 below invoice)plus tax and registration. The 2005 Elements will be out in August, so this is a fair price. Plus, I believe there is a $400 manufacturer to dealer incentive.
I think you can get lower. I paid $18,000 for the 2004 Element EX, FWD, automatic transmission, no side airbags and no add-ons. With TT/L included I drove off the lot at just under $19,700. Shop it around a little, especially at the end of the month. I bought mine in Houston on the last day of June. Take Care & Have Fun!
I just bought a 4WD EX w/side airbags for 21k at Power Honda in Costa Mesa. Included in the price was side step, roof rack, fog lights, lojack, alarm and 7 yr/100k Honda care warranty. I would recommend this dealership 100%.
I've seen a lot of people posting that they got their cars below invoice. I just got mine for $500 below invoice too! (EX 4wd 5-sp for 18,210 plus destination charges & tax) Now, I'm not complaining, but I always thought that invoice was the price that the dealers bought the car for - can anyone explain?
Btw - I used Edmunds free quote service to get this price. I filled out the short form with the car I was looking for and within 24 hours had quotes (2 below invoice, one matching invoice) from 6 nearby dealers in my inbox. Simply AMAZING!
Dealers can make money selling below invoice because of holdback.
Additionally there's marketing support and dealer cash and other programs that we'll never learn about. Often the sales people don't even know what incentives the dealership owner is getting - they may just get told to push Elements out the door this week, and maybe that helps the dealer meet a quota or qualify the dealer for more CR-V inventory.
I guess there is significant regional price difference. I just moved to rural NH and the dealers in the area are more difficult than any I've ever dealt with. I'm planning to buy a "04 EX AWD auto w/ side bags. The lowest I've been able to get is 20,500. This is kind of frustrating since apparently people in CA are getting the same car for $1000 less. At this point, at the end of the model year, you'd think they would offer some great deals. I think I'll wait for the "05's.
How far up in NH are you? I got mine ('04 EX w/Sides, Auto, AWD, SOP) for $19,500 plus dest. at Atamian in Lowell, MA. Didn't even have to haggle at all, that was their initial price right off the bat. No one else could touch it. It was BRAND new too, only had like 12 miles on it, and 4 of them were mine from my 2 test drives.
I'm in Lebanon. Just moved here a few weeks ago so I don't know the area well but I did a search on the Honda site and called all the dealers within an hour or two. They were really tough. I finally told them that for 20,400 I'd rather wait and see if the "05's offered side curtain air bags. I would have thought they'd be offering great deals on the "04's since it's the end of the model year.
Does anyone know if there is a fairly accurate date for the "05's to be introduced?
I got an offer for a new EX w/o air bags, auto for $20,483 from my credit union's auto service. I live in the Atlanta area and I'm not sure what people are paying around here. Edmunds TMV is $20,429 so it doesn't seem that bad to me. The credit union brings the vehicle to me and I get to test drive and check it out before I decide wether or not I want that particular vehicle.
Let me know what you guys think. Should I shop around this price to dealers or does this sound reasonable?
Online quotes in the Greater Cincinnati area are running at or just above invoice, as recently listed by Edmunds (including destination), with a good selection of models & colors to choose from. We picked up an EXS last weekend - it's been miles of smiles ever since!
Just bought a Honda Element LX FWD 5M in Tampa for $16878. No hassle, great experience. No silly add-on features or dealer installed nonsense, no sales push, exactly what I wanted.
hey im planning on buying a Honda Element EX 2WD with side airbags. I went to the dealer couple months back to see what kind of price i could get, and lowest he would go was 20300, this is in Alhambra, CA in socal if anyone knows where that is. i was wondering what some of the terms meant such as SOP, EX-S,and TT/L. i was also wondering if anyone got their car for cheaper in this area.
So, we go to buy an Element EX, auto, 2WD w. sideairbags in west bloomfield, Michigan. We ask for internet quotes through Edmunds and only dealership writes back. So I go back and forth, and I have it in my mind I am going to buy this car for 18,500 - their "best" pricethey say is 18,900. We go to the dealership and ask the manager for another 400 or to throw in some extras. He BARKS yelling "no, not another dime less and no extras". we leave. Back home, the internet department has sent us an e-mail for 18,500inluding destination charge. So we go back. They are not happy but do honor the offer. Then it took 2WEEKS to get the car (in sunset orange) and when it finally arrived it didn't have the sideairbags which the offer clearly stated. We called them on it AND THEY REFUSED to get another car that matched the description of the offer. I took some time to think about it and finally accepted it. My question, what could I have done? Did I have any options? Did I get a good deal? Bottom line EX, auto, 2WD for 18,500+TTL. I do love it - probably a little too much because I am at the gasstation every other day...
I just put down deposit for silver LX 2WD for $17,300 from atlantic honda (Bay shore, long island, NY), including destination. They did say it might take some time to "locate" the vehicle. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, since my last purchase has gone bad since they "lost" the car somehow on the way and I ended up buying a different vehicle. Has anybody had a similar experience?
Why did you cave and deal with them in the first place. I didn't do my quotes by edmunds. I went to the individual dealship webpages and did my own quote hunting to see how people would barter. They were jerks to you in the first place in the tone they were using. I had a dealership treat me as such and even though their internet departement quoted me better than the guys on the floor, I did not go back there. They didn't give you what you say you ordered then do not purchase it. Find out what your time is to take it back and consider that and screw them as an option. They shouldn't profit on you by delivering you nothing but attitude, and that's not what you ordered. I had my range and options and everything all planned out with my dealer costs, destination, tags and taxes all figured out. I left the attitude dealership I first went into and walked out when they said they weren't my personal Santa Clause (day before Christmas eve shopping) I went over to dealership number 2 and showed them my sheet with everything I wanted for ONE FLAT COST, installation and dmv fees and all. He didn't give me attitude and realistically he told me hed meet me within $500 of what was my high price intended to pay. I got what I wanted right there and they had a selection. I went the day after christmas and got my options and accessories installed.
You have other options. There are always other people to serve you. Go through your yellow pages and find out everything dealership within an hour of your home. Find their website and request a quote. You can tell in their responses even, which ones might be more willing to bend because of their turnover in customers. You can also get the fax number to their Fleet Manager and tell them exactly what you want. No one should bend over for the dealership. I bought my first car by myself, my Element, and only took my husband along for an intimidating edge. I did all the talking and the research and I was the one that walked on the first dealership and told them someone else would be willing to at least look like they are meeting me.
Well, they could not locate the vehicle, so I ended up with silver 4WD Ex Auto at 192 + TTL. Apparently some dealers in metro NY area are anxious to move 4WD EX's, since I had a similar internet quote from another dealer. (hope there isn't any known problem with auto 4WD EX. Is there?) I'll post first impressions & such at the element column.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am pricing the 2004 Honda Element LX AWD with an automatic transmission. The lowest price quoted to me so far is $17,522.00, including destination fee. (Invoice is $18,322.00.) Dealer financing has been offered at 2.90%. Can I do any better than this? Should I wait, perhaps, another month or two?
Please reply with any comments and/or suggestions.
Comments
Figure5 (post #187) got the exact same vehicle (black instead of my blue) for $19,080 in Michigan. My dealer is looking for $20,300 (before destination!), which kinda irritates me, but I've called around; there aren't many 5-speeds to be found.
Zman
$18,195 + 6.25% TX sales tax and $200 fees. Overall a great experience,
In return, I would like to get at least $19,000 for my trade in (2000 4Runner w/ very low miles, 4WD, loaded - everything except for leather)
I'm fine w/ the financing.
Should I go lower on the sticker price of the Element if they meet my trade in price?
Let us know how the deal goes on the Element.
Price: $19,450 + Tax/license, APR 1.9%, Trade-in: $7,000
1. Do TONS of Internet research before and during negotiations
2. BEWARE! Trade-in is where they will get you if you are not careful.
3. When you have decided exactly what you are willing to pay and how much you are willing to trade, bring printed documentation (from Internet) backing up your "demands"
4. I had quotes from Internet managers from 5 dealerships. I only went to 2 in-person. I refused to sign-a contract after negotiations started (I want to sleep on it)...instead I did MORE research to de-bunk their claims during negotiating (dest fees, the value of my CRV, a lower quote from a competing dealership). I went in the next morning and said "These are my numbers, take it or leave it" They gave me everything except $1000 lower on my trade-in BUT my CRV easily needed $1000 work so...I took it.
I am considering purchase of a 2004 Honda Element EX with 5 speed manual transmission and front wheel drive. Honda dealer in San Antonio, Texas quoted me a price of $18,300 (includes destination charge) and 3.9 percent loan from Honda financing.
Is $18,300 price a good deal for this car? Any feedback is appreciated. :+)
Thanks.
--emarkv
The prevailing market on these in your area will always determine prices.
Take Care & Have Fun!
Btw - I used Edmunds free quote service to get this price. I filled out the short form with the car I was looking for and within 24 hours had quotes (2 below invoice, one matching invoice) from 6 nearby dealers in my inbox. Simply AMAZING!
Additionally there's marketing support and dealer cash and other programs that we'll never learn about. Often the sales people don't even know what incentives the dealership owner is getting - they may just get told to push Elements out the door this week, and maybe that helps the dealer meet a quota or qualify the dealer for more CR-V inventory.
Congrats on the new ride!
Steve, Host
Does anyone know if there is a fairly accurate date for the "05's to be introduced?
Let me know what you guys think. Should I shop around this price to dealers or does this sound reasonable?
Waht do you guys think? A fair deal?
Bottom line EX, auto, 2WD for 18,500+TTL. I do love it - probably a little too much because I am at the gasstation every other day...
I just put down deposit for silver LX 2WD for $17,300 from atlantic honda (Bay shore, long island, NY), including destination.
They did say it might take some time to "locate" the vehicle. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, since my last purchase has gone bad since they "lost" the car somehow on the way
and I ended up buying a different vehicle.
Has anybody had a similar experience?
They were jerks to you in the first place in the tone they were using. I had a dealership treat me as such and even though their internet departement quoted me better than the guys on the floor, I did not go back there.
They didn't give you what you say you ordered then do not purchase it.
Find out what your time is to take it back and consider that and screw them as an option.
They shouldn't profit on you by delivering you nothing but attitude, and that's not what you ordered.
I had my range and options and everything all planned out with my dealer costs, destination, tags and taxes all figured out. I left the attitude dealership I first went into and walked out when they said they weren't my personal Santa Clause (day before Christmas eve shopping)
I went over to dealership number 2 and showed them my sheet with everything I wanted for ONE FLAT COST, installation and dmv fees and all. He didn't give me attitude and realistically he told me hed meet me within $500 of what was my high price intended to pay. I got what I wanted right there and they had a selection. I went the day after christmas and got my options and accessories installed.
You have other options. There are always other people to serve you. Go through your yellow pages and find out everything dealership within an hour of your home. Find their website and request a quote. You can tell in their responses even, which ones might be more willing to bend because of their turnover in customers.
You can also get the fax number to their Fleet Manager and tell them exactly what you want.
No one should bend over for the dealership.
I bought my first car by myself, my Element, and only took my husband along for an intimidating edge. I did all the talking and the research and I was the one that walked on the first dealership and told them someone else would be willing to at least look like they are meeting me.
(hope there isn't any known problem with auto 4WD EX. Is there?)
I'll post first impressions & such at the element column.
Please reply with any comments and/or suggestions.
Thank you.