I am actually from las vegas. Who should I speak to if I want the same deal as yours? Would you recommend your sales person? If you dont mind please send me a private e-mail so I can get this awesome deal!
Hi - I am located in Phoenix, AZ but would be willing to head to Southern California if this is the best deal. It's not that far. Could you also send me via email the name of the sales person and the name of the dealership? I am hoping to take advantage of the cash for clunkers so need to wait until that is fully available to close any deals. Any help is appreciated. I have been quoted a price of 18,500 OTD and that is with a lower sales tax percentage than california.
Hi - I am also interested in getting the Redland CA price of $17,500. I am from Phoenix. Have you gotten in touch with the dealership and if so, could you let me know what deal you were able to negotiate? As a buyer from another state, I am assuming that they would charge the sales tax for my county/state rather than CA. Also, I am not sure what the surcharge was for since the other purchaser was from nothern CA, not sure if that was transport. I would be more than willing to pick up. Cheers and thanks for the help.
What dealership did you go to? I live in LA and they are saying 17,900 is the BEST offer I can expect. It is the bottom line. I'm going to say 17,900 with floor mats and cargo liner for the trunk. What do you think?
Its Spreen Honda, Redlands, CA. I have no idea how tax and all that actually works. I just asked them what price they can give me OTD. They first told me 17914 OTD, but it was too high for me. THey called me 4 times and I got it lowered to 17550. When I got there I asked for 17500 OTD. I am not sure about the transport but I know if you pay for it you can pick it up there.
I called many dealerships near los angeles. spreen honda was the only one who gave me this low of a price and was the only place that budge on the price. at other dealerships i got offered 17900 OTD, 18400 OTD, etc. if they want you to buy the car they will be the one calling you back and you can push for a lower price.
So I went in yesterday to Galpin Honda prepared to buy for 17,900 cause that's what they quoted. Then, once I am there with my checkbook, they say 18,100. I was so angry that I left. They tricked me into coming back with the impression that I would pay 17,900. Now, I am looking at a 2009 USED Honda Fit Sport with Nav (7290 miles). Their offer is 18,400OTD. I'm going to try and get it for 17,500 since it's used. I don't know. Thanks for the advice! Ali
Hi - Just wanted to confirm that you have actually closed the deal for this price (17500).. Also, wanted to confirm that this was a brand new car. I am seeing some posts on other forums about promises that don't get delivered on when you actually come into some dealerships to get the car. Also, I am looking at a later post on this forum where that happened to someone at another dealer. I have set up an email address just for this purpose on gmail, and I have made that email address public. I am hoping that you could send the name of the salesperson you worked with if you were happy with that person. I understand forum rules prohibit public posting of this info. Any help is appreciated.
Well - I just returned from a dealer where I did a test drive. I am not willing to purchase today as I am hoping to take advantage of the cash for clunkers - so it may be mid-July. I was shocked by the final sticker price, and was unable to get (although it should be coming) an out the door price. The sticker price was broken into 2 parts. I interpreted this to be Honda and aftermarket. The aftermarket included all kinds of stuff I was not expecting. For example - alarm system $600 (this can be removed). Protective paint coating ($400 - this too can be eliminated). A market price adjustment of $1,899 - I am told that we should ignore this one. Either a protection package for $200 or an appearance package for $200. I am not even sure what enhancements the appearance package provided. Is this stuff on cars in other dealers? What has been your experience? I am starting to think about other cars, but I do like the Fit. Hope it works out in the end.
Since not much post is within the Nevada states I thought I'd share my Fit purchase experience with you guys.
Got my Fit yesterday and the OTD was $18000. Know it wasnt the cheapest around but there's only 4 Hondas around so there isnt much competition. We first went to Findlay Honda and the sales agreed an OTD $17900 but when we get there they wanted $18050. And I think, screw it and walked straight out. I'v been negotiating through e-mail to another dealership, Desert Honda, and their best price was $18130. Called them up and told them if they could do $18000 I will go there and buy right now. They say no problem but only white is available. That's what I wanted anyway so went there straight away. And when I got there the Fit has already got its windows tinted so I wont complain about that! Because I am a first time buyer they wanted 10.9% interest at first even I have an excellent credit score! After lots of negotiating we were able to get it down to 6.9%. Here's a breakdown of the OTD:
HI - Can you confirm that this was for the Honda fit Sport? If so, could you email me the name of the salesman you worked with? Thanks for the help and thanks for posting this. I think it is a competitive price.
One last question. Was the price contingent upon your financing with them?
i had to pay a difference in tax 158 because i used a different address in california where the tax was 1% higher if not i would have gotten the car for 17500 otd only.
wow tax is low in NC. i paid 9% tax. they don't make any money for themselves if they sell the car to you for really low. try starting at 17900 otd. if they say no, try somewhere else. if they want you to buy the car they will keep calling you and you keep telling them it is too high. thats how i got my car 17500 otd.
Went to 3 dealers today, cash in hand - Northern Cal area - Fremont, San Jose and Santa Clara Honda dealers. Went in, ask for the sales manager - and spoke to each sales manager at each dealership. Sat down, told them I was paying cash and wanted an out the door price of $17,500 on a Sport FIT A/T. None of them took me up on that offer - did not purchase a car. There is a $500 cash incentive if you finance - but we were not doing that.
I'd be a little skeptical about those that have posted any purchased OTD for $17,500 (or less) and even the $17,686 price (perhaps with Financing that could work) is questionable - but our sales tax is also between 9.25 and 9.75% - so there is room to work there in other states - but not in CA.
After going between several dealerships in the Boston area, I just signed the paperwork on the following:
$15,900 (includes destination, $500 rebate for partial Honda financing) $795 (5% MA sales tax) $299.75 documentation fees $110 title and registration
$17,105 out the door.
This is for a 2009 Fit Sport Automatic in Blackberry Pearl, with standard options for the trim level. This was my first time purchasing a new car, and I took the long, circuitous path to a satisfactory ending...
Here's how searching for the B.B.D. and clinging to $592 like a rhesus monkey can complicate the car-buying process:
1. I began collecting quotes on June 27, near the end of the month, so take that for what it's worth in terms of dealer motivation.
2. My first step was to collect e-mail quotes from four dealerships through Honda.com and cars.com. I used two different e-mail addresses and two different aliases to determine which dealerships had established firm opening offers from their e-teams, and which allowed loose cannons to throw out arbitrary numbers. The range was from $16,371 to $17,400. Only one dealership quoted both e-mail addresses at the same price, and it was the lowest -- $16,371.
3. I made sure to research everything I could about the actual dealer cost, holdbacks, rebates, etc. I eventually used this information to call out salespeople who told me that there was no flexibility in pricing the Fit, and also reminded one salesman who suggested that they would "take a loss" on $16,300 that the documentation fees exist to pad profits. I had no shame in haggling over a couple hundred bucks, because I was on the fence about whether to purchase a new car anyway.
4. My first visit was to a dealership that had offered one of my e-mail aliases $16,700 (I happened to be in the area, so I figured it would be fine for test driving the vehicle). I told the salesperson firmly that I would not be purchasing that day, but that I would return after doing some research. After three e-mails from different salespeople at the dealership asking if I'd thought about the $16,700 offer, I finally responded by saying that I had received a quote for $16,070 (a small fib). I received the following response from a sales manager: "Salesperson X was correct in saying that every Honda Dealer owns the vehicle for $16,718, however if you finance through American Honda there is an additional $500 in cash back which would bring the price down to $16,218. Seeing as that we take pride in being the #1 Honda Dealer in Sales on the Planet and not letting anybody beat our prices, if you are willing to leave me a small 100% refundable deposit to secure the price as well as the color of your choice in stock, I will sell you the vehicle for $15,900 if you finance through American Honda."
5. After checking for OTD prices on these forums, I decided that, even though these guys appeared desperate to move some inventory, I had probably hit the glass floor, so to speak, in terms of price flexibility. Apparently, these numbers were completely alien to the salespeople on the floor, because they had to check with multiple managers to confirm that the $15,900 quote included destination charges. Perhaps this is why they didn't seem overly disappointed when I walked out upon finding that the only colors available were black, silver, blue sensation, and orange.
6. The next day, a sales manager from a rival dealership (the one that had consistently quoted $16,371) e-mailed to ask if there was anything he could be doing to secure my business that he hadn't done already. At this point, I called him and said, "Sure, you could match this $15,900 offer, but make it a Blackberry Pearl." He responded that he could match the offer, and that if he didn't have my color of choice in stock, he could locate it for the same price. He assured me that he "wouldn't let me walk away over a few hundred dollars." After calling to confirm the quote one last time, I went to the dealership after work. The sales manager passed me off to a novice salesman, perhaps to give him the warm and fuzzy feeling of closing a sure deal. Two-and-a-half hours later, however (don't ask me how so much time was allowed to pass), I was informed that there were no Blackberry Pearls on the lot, and that securing one from a sister lot would cost an additional $592. I replied that this wasn't a problem, because I had been assured that one could be located at no cost. The salesperson simply shrugged and said that his managers hadn't authorized $15,900 for a vehicle that wasn't on the lot. The sales manager who had quoted me the price was nowhere to be found. I walked out, angry and perplexed. Mostly angry.
7. The next day, I tried to call the sales manager who had given me the quote. No response. I sent the following e-mail:
I'm just curious why, after receiving a quote for $15,900 on a Blackberry Pearl 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic and confirming said quote over the phone, I invested 2 1/2 hours of time at the dealership so that I could be treated to a bait-and-switch?
After specifically being told that a Blackberry Pearl Fit with those specs could be located at the quoted price and that XXX Honda "wouldn't let me walk away over a couple hundred bucks," it's a bit disconcerting to sit down to discuss financing and find out that my new quote is $600 higher.
I just wanted to offer the opportunity for an explanation.
No response. So I sent this e-mail to the customer relations department:
I realize that dealerships make plenty of money on trying to browbeat exasperated shoppers once they are in the door (and I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask the customer if he's willing to pay $592 more than a car was offered for), but as a general rule, once a customer insists on the quoted price, I think it would generally be better business practice to honor it. In other words, please don't quote prices and terms that you aren't prepared to honor. Drawing customers with misleading rebates and APR terms is one thing; drawing them by hashing out price terms and then renegotiating when it's time to work out the financing details is another.
At the very least, I should have been told over the phone before I wasted my time at the dealership that the locked-in price would only apply to a vehicle on the lot (despite the assurance to the contrary) and that, if I didn't respond favorably to the obligatory shakedown, the offer would be rescinded.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll pass it along to anyone who cares enough to make a difference.
Finally, I got a response from a higher-up... let's call him "Mr. Fix-It." He apologized and assured me that he would do everything in his power to restore my faith in humanity and/or car dealers. Since I still had some venom left in my consumer glands, I seized the opportunity for one last rant:
Thank you for your reply. I just wanted some reassurance that driving up quotes at the last-minute isn't the official business model at every dealership. I am certain that XXX Honda has been able to sell the 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic to customers for more than $15,900, and understand that selling one to me at that price may not have been a top priority when there are countless other customers who will pay sticker or invoice and won't haggle over a few hundred dollars. I simply hoped that once the price had been confirmed for my specifications, I would be able to complete a purchase at that price a few hours later without any further mark-ups. In addition to making a modest profit on the vehicle after documentation fees and holdback (and any hidden profits or bonuses of which Internet-savvy customers aren't even aware), you would have established a business relationship with a first-time car buyer with a network of friends and family who will be looking for dealership recommendations in the future.
Perhaps with the gauntlet of salespeople that a customer must run before completing a deal, this is just a case of poor communication and too many cooks spoiling the soup. Whatever the case, it was a very inconvenient end to the workday for my wife and me, and it came on the heels of a two-week delay in getting confirmation from an insurance adjuster that our car had been totaled.
I appreciate your response and your attention to the matter.
To cut a very long story short, Mr. Fix-It called and explained that I had been spot-on about being a low-priority customer at that price, because his sales manager was never authorized to quote a price that low on a vehicle that wasn't already on the lot. In the end, however, he thanked me for my understanding and offered to locate the vehicle at $15,900. Since my wife had practically cried when it seemed that she had forever lost her chance to drive an eggplant-colored spaceship, I put aside my righteous indignation and accepted the gesture.
So, that's the long-winded tutorial on how to get a 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic in Blackberry Pearl for $17100 OTD. I'll let you judge for yourself whether the phone calls, the deforestation of countless e-trees, a two-day delay in securing transportation, and a mopey wife is actually worth $592 and your pride. For me, it was. But for people with something better to do with their time, just take $17600 if you can get it. You'll live longer.
Deals are around and can be obtained as just picked up, over 4th July weekend in the just-outside-southwest-of-Boston area, a 2009 HFS Auto transmission for $1K below invoice at $16,218 (everyone knows $17,820 MSRP, with $17,211 invoice) with NO Honda Financing Corp (HFC) financing tie-in, with inspection sticker and full tank of gas, storm silver metallic (toss-up with tidewater blue metallic). Went this holiday weekend to the same interPLANETary dealer.
$16,218 298 doc fees (hate'm, but gotta pay'em) 811 governor's sales tx 5% still 110 new registration and plates
$17,437 OTD Complete
As you likely know, if went with Honda Financing Corp could have gotten an extra $500 off with the HFC promo going on until tomorrow 7/6/09. Also $418 remote starter with 3 year warranty was available (vs. about $600).
Dealer reps (every one of them we dealt with) were very nice, polite, and did not treat us negatively because we got a good price. The place was crowded. They saved us from the grueling hours and trips to comparison shop. Provided us plenty of ice cold Poland Springs waters during our time there on a hot day.....and they have recycle receptacles for the empty bottles.
So, go buy there by specifically contacting that dealer in advance through the Honda.com internet site for getting local quotes and get your chance to ring the bell!
I finally bought my Honda Sport Fit yesterday at an OTD price of $18,000.
The original deal was $17,900, if we took the Honda Financing. But we got a better interest rate at a credit union here, so decided against that. So overall, instead of paying $18,490 OTD, we got it for $18,000. This also included a free GPS unit, 2 free oil changes, 2 free tire rotations, 6 free car washes and owner's clinic.
This was not the best deal but all the dealers we went to in the area were offering 17,900 and above. The lowest we got was 17,500 but the dealership is 25 mi away from where we live and there were not giving any extra frills. This dealership from where we bought the car from is just a mile away from where we live and we liked the salesman. Plus she agreed to give all those extra frills which may amount to close to $300.
Thanks so much for posting... I'll be looking into a Fit at the end of July when the clunker bill gets its final footing. For the people near Boston... when does 5% turn to 6.5%? I was looking into buying from Honda of Boston in Everett or Honda North in Reading. Would I have luck there?
Great recaps & prices paid guys. I won't budge on OTD 17,500... I simply do not need the car.
Scott, Go to Andersons Honda in Palo Alto and be firm with $15888. I paid cash and got that deal.
Andersons is advertising one AT Fit Sport for $15988 (Model GE8849EW #020981) which tells me that you might be able to get it for even lower than $15888. Try starting at $15688 which would get you $17.5K OTD. Speak to the fleet manager and be prepared to get in your car to leave. That's what we did when he told us to come back in and gave us the $15888. See the details of my deal on post #2162 and don't be skeptical of my deal.
Hi, I am looking to buy a new fit sport auto. Looking at the prices posted here just couple of days back it looks that there has been just recently a huge up in the price. I checked the MSRP here and it shows $17,110 with an invoice $16,501. At kbb the prices are totally different: 17,820.00 and 17,820.00. This is also what the dealer write me in the quotes. The offers I have recieved so far yesterday: 16799 (is the cheapest but I am not absolutely sure if it includes destination, I dont; want to ask for now, but assume it does ) 16999 with destination and everything possible above 17k. It is sooo expensive. What happened? Other people say they got it for 15,9k??? Am I doing something wrong? I know that the 500 cash back just expired but I plan buying cash anyway so this wouldn't affect me anyway. do you also know if new initiatives will be coming? It can't get more expensive than that!!! This is a small car! thanks. Any help appreciated!
ok to keep it short: what would you suggest for a OTD price or an sales price (with destination) for fit sport automatic in san diego, ca now? What are you all getting? thanks
You might want to take a look at the fitfreak forum as I see folks from CA posting there often, and may want to take a look at truecar.com to get an idea of what others in your zip code are paying.
Hey, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience in buying a new fit in Florida, it would help me greatly if anyone has any good dealers they went to or what prices to hold firm to. I am interested in a new 2009 Fit Sport manual, Please help me!! :confuse:
I am in the same situation looking for a 2009 Fit Sport manual in the Miami area. I have been talking to the internet sales dept and the best I can get out of them is $15970, but that doesn't include the Dealer Fees that florida imposes which can be between $200-$1000 extra before tax, tags and registration. The best price I have gotten with deal fees included is $16500, which I think is too much for the car. Anyone else have any better luck?
The 2009 Auto 1.8L Vibes have some SICK rebates if you can find one... I'd do that over a Fit any day of the week. I'll be test driving a Fit & trying to get 17,500 OTD & I will walk for sure if not
15,9k sounds good to me. Does it include destination? I could only get down to 16,7k (including destination) + around 10% taxes and lic... I think you have a great deal! I still need to try get them go down a little more!
prices have increased this month because the 500 dollar incentive is gone. I'm just gonna wait it out. 2010 models are around the corner. no need to rush. discounts will come when they realize they have a bunch of 09 fits on the lot.
I received a quote yesterday from a dealer in central NJ for $17,000 OTD for an Orange Fit Sport 5spd man w/o navigation. They will have to order the car as they don't have one in stock, and they know i won't be buying it until Friday the 24th to use my $4500 CARS credit, so after the credit I'm at $12,500. I was really hoping to hit the $12,000 mark which would mean an OTD price of $16,500. I'll keep you all updated as to whether I reach this price before Friday. If anyone has done better, or if you think my hopes for the magic $16,500 are a bit of a stretch, let me know! Keep in mind the model year is drawing to a close, and as far as i know, dealers haven't been selling much of anything for most of July, so I'm really hoping to hit my mark! Heck, maybe I can even do better than the $16,500! Let me know your thoughts.
I got that from Brickell Honda, BUT the internet salesman didn't read my request carefully enough. That was the quote for a regular Fit not the Sport. Also from what I have been able to find out from other deals there are no or very few manuals on the lots in all of Florida. I had one deal try to talk me into an automatic. The Manual fits that I have been getting quotes for are over $18,000 out the door. That is too expensive for me and I have decided not to make the purchase.
It seems like the cash for clunkers is making companies reluctant to let go any cars at a discount. I couldn't get more than $200 off a Fit. All the rebates are off the table... same for the Versa. Its not easy right now & I'm NOT going to cave in & pay full sticker (17,800) for my color choice + docs & taxes... thats insane. The car is a good subcompact... but its still a subcompact car & paying freaking 19K OTD is crazy. We'll see if anyone is willing to let them go but this weekend I couldn't get a thing off.
Comments
Great job!!
I approve of your price!
Enjoy!!!
It was actually 17500 OTD but i had to add 168 difference because I am not from southern california.
Vehicle price: 15782.47
Document fee: 55.00
Tax northern california 9%: 1544.15
Official fee: 276.75
Total: 17658.37 OTD
Thanks!
The best OTD price i have for 09 fit sport At is $17,800. Is this a good deal? New jersey has 7% sales tax. :confuse:
16,206 (inc dest charge.. no added options)
1,134 (NJ sales tax)
243 (title/reg)
20 (financing fee)
197 (doc fee)
___________
$17,800
the sales man said if i wanted to add wheel locks, it would be $75 more.. Total $17,875. Is that a fair price?
Ali
did this price include all the dealer fees and everything plus tax? Its hard to believe that you got OTD for $15,200.
Can you break it down for me pls?
thankssss
Got my Fit yesterday and the OTD was $18000. Know it wasnt the cheapest around but there's only 4 Hondas around so there isnt much competition. We first went to Findlay Honda and the sales agreed an OTD $17900 but when we get there they wanted $18050. And I think, screw it and walked straight out. I'v been negotiating through e-mail to another dealership, Desert Honda, and their best price was $18130. Called them up and told them if they could do $18000 I will go there and buy right now. They say no problem but only white is available. That's what I wanted anyway so went there straight away. And when I got there the Fit has already got its windows tinted so I wont complain about that! Because I am a first time buyer they wanted 10.9% interest at first even I have an excellent credit score! After lots of negotiating we were able to get it down to 6.9%. Here's a breakdown of the OTD:
Selling Price: $ 16279.62
Sales Tax: $ 1292.63
Title fee: $ 28.25
Documentation:$ 399.5
Total: $18000 (with tinted windows)
One last question. Was the price contingent upon your financing with them?
(including wheel locks, splash guard, and undercoating)
09 FIt S 16,000
Tax ( 7%) 1,120
DMV 272
DOC 279
Etching 198
Financing 19
Registration 7.70
_______________
OTD $17,900
Haggling was intense, but i'm happy with the deal we got. I love the FIT!!
I found center armrest in ebay for $89 +S&H.
Can anyone tell me how much it cost to get the fit TINTED?
price of vehicle: 15782.47
document fee: 55.00
tax: 1544.15
registration fees, etc: 276.75
total 17658.37 out the door
i had to pay a difference in tax 158 because i used a different address in california where the tax was 1% higher if not i would have gotten the car for 17500 otd only.
I'd be a little skeptical about those that have posted any purchased OTD for $17,500 (or less) and even the $17,686 price (perhaps with Financing that could work) is questionable - but our sales tax is also between 9.25 and 9.75% - so there is room to work there in other states - but not in CA.
Scott
$15,900 (includes destination, $500 rebate for partial Honda financing)
$795 (5% MA sales tax)
$299.75 documentation fees
$110 title and registration
$17,105 out the door.
This is for a 2009 Fit Sport Automatic in Blackberry Pearl, with standard options for the trim level. This was my first time purchasing a new car, and I took the long, circuitous path to a satisfactory ending...
Here's how searching for the B.B.D. and clinging to $592 like a rhesus monkey can complicate the car-buying process:
1. I began collecting quotes on June 27, near the end of the month, so take that for what it's worth in terms of dealer motivation.
2. My first step was to collect e-mail quotes from four dealerships through Honda.com and cars.com. I used two different e-mail addresses and two different aliases to determine which dealerships had established firm opening offers from their e-teams, and which allowed loose cannons to throw out arbitrary numbers. The range was from $16,371 to $17,400. Only one dealership quoted both e-mail addresses at the same price, and it was the lowest -- $16,371.
3. I made sure to research everything I could about the actual dealer cost, holdbacks, rebates, etc. I eventually used this information to call out salespeople who told me that there was no flexibility in pricing the Fit, and also reminded one salesman who suggested that they would "take a loss" on $16,300 that the documentation fees exist to pad profits. I had no shame in haggling over a couple hundred bucks, because I was on the fence about whether to purchase a new car anyway.
4. My first visit was to a dealership that had offered one of my e-mail aliases $16,700 (I happened to be in the area, so I figured it would be fine for test driving the vehicle). I told the salesperson firmly that I would not be purchasing that day, but that I would return after doing some research. After three e-mails from different salespeople at the dealership asking if I'd thought about the $16,700 offer, I finally responded by saying that I had received a quote for $16,070 (a small fib). I received the following response from a sales manager: "Salesperson X was correct in saying that every Honda Dealer owns the vehicle for $16,718, however if you finance through American Honda there is an additional $500 in cash back which would bring the price down to $16,218. Seeing as that we take pride in being the #1 Honda Dealer in Sales on the Planet and not letting anybody beat our prices, if you are willing to leave me a small 100% refundable deposit to secure the price as well as the color of your choice in stock, I will sell you the vehicle for $15,900 if you finance through American Honda."
5. After checking for OTD prices on these forums, I decided that, even though these guys appeared desperate to move some inventory, I had probably hit the glass floor, so to speak, in terms of price flexibility. Apparently, these numbers were completely alien to the salespeople on the floor, because they had to check with multiple managers to confirm that the $15,900 quote included destination charges. Perhaps this is why they didn't seem overly disappointed when I walked out upon finding that the only colors available were black, silver, blue sensation, and orange.
6. The next day, a sales manager from a rival dealership (the one that had consistently quoted $16,371) e-mailed to ask if there was anything he could be doing to secure my business that he hadn't done already. At this point, I called him and said, "Sure, you could match this $15,900 offer, but make it a Blackberry Pearl." He responded that he could match the offer, and that if he didn't have my color of choice in stock, he could locate it for the same price. He assured me that he "wouldn't let me walk away over a few hundred dollars." After calling to confirm the quote one last time, I went to the dealership after work. The sales manager passed me off to a novice salesman, perhaps to give him the warm and fuzzy feeling of closing a sure deal. Two-and-a-half hours later, however (don't ask me how so much time was allowed to pass), I was informed that there were no Blackberry Pearls on the lot, and that securing one from a sister lot would cost an additional $592. I replied that this wasn't a problem, because I had been assured that one could be located at no cost. The salesperson simply shrugged and said that his managers hadn't authorized $15,900 for a vehicle that wasn't on the lot. The sales manager who had quoted me the price was nowhere to be found. I walked out, angry and perplexed. Mostly angry.
7. The next day, I tried to call the sales manager who had given me the quote. No response. I sent the following e-mail:
I'm just curious why, after receiving a quote for $15,900 on a Blackberry Pearl 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic and confirming said quote over the phone, I invested 2 1/2 hours of time at the dealership so that I could be treated to a bait-and-switch?
After specifically being told that a Blackberry Pearl Fit with those specs could be located at the quoted price and that XXX Honda "wouldn't let me walk away over a couple hundred bucks," it's a bit disconcerting to sit down to discuss financing and find out that my new quote is $600 higher.
I just wanted to offer the opportunity for an explanation.
No response. So I sent this e-mail to the customer relations department:
I realize that dealerships make plenty of money on trying to browbeat exasperated shoppers once they are in the door (and I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask the customer if he's willing to pay $592 more than a car was offered for), but as a general rule, once a customer insists on the quoted price, I think it would generally be better business practice to honor it. In other words, please don't quote prices and terms that you aren't prepared to honor. Drawing customers with misleading rebates and APR terms is one thing; drawing them by hashing out price terms and then renegotiating when it's time to work out the financing details is another.
At the very least, I should have been told over the phone before I wasted my time at the dealership that the locked-in price would only apply to a vehicle on the lot (despite the assurance to the contrary) and that, if I didn't respond favorably to the obligatory shakedown, the offer would be rescinded.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll pass it along to anyone who cares enough to make a difference.
Finally, I got a response from a higher-up... let's call him "Mr. Fix-It." He apologized and assured me that he would do everything in his power to restore my faith in humanity and/or car dealers. Since I still had some venom left in my consumer glands, I seized the opportunity for one last rant:
Thank you for your reply. I just wanted some reassurance that driving up quotes at the last-minute isn't the official business model at every dealership. I am certain that XXX Honda has been able to sell the 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic to customers for more than $15,900, and understand that selling one to me at that price may not have been a top priority when there are countless other customers who will pay sticker or invoice and won't haggle over a few hundred dollars. I simply hoped that once the price had been confirmed for my specifications, I would be able to complete a purchase at that price a few hours later without any further mark-ups. In addition to making a modest profit on the vehicle after documentation fees and holdback (and any hidden profits or bonuses of which Internet-savvy customers aren't even aware), you would have established a business relationship with a first-time car buyer with a network of friends and family who will be looking for dealership recommendations in the future.
Perhaps with the gauntlet of salespeople that a customer must run before completing a deal, this is just a case of poor communication and too many cooks spoiling the soup. Whatever the case, it was a very inconvenient end to the workday for my wife and me, and it came on the heels of a two-week delay in getting confirmation from an insurance adjuster that our car had been totaled.
I appreciate your response and your attention to the matter.
To cut a very long story short, Mr. Fix-It called and explained that I had been spot-on about being a low-priority customer at that price, because his sales manager was never authorized to quote a price that low on a vehicle that wasn't already on the lot. In the end, however, he thanked me for my understanding and offered to locate the vehicle at $15,900. Since my wife had practically cried when it seemed that she had forever lost her chance to drive an eggplant-colored spaceship, I put aside my righteous indignation and accepted the gesture.
So, that's the long-winded tutorial on how to get a 2009 Honda Fit Sport Automatic in Blackberry Pearl for $17100 OTD. I'll let you judge for yourself whether the phone calls, the deforestation of countless e-trees, a two-day delay in securing transportation, and a mopey wife is actually worth $592 and your pride. For me, it was. But for people with something better to do with their time, just take $17600 if you can get it. You'll live longer.
$16,218
298 doc fees (hate'm, but gotta pay'em)
811 governor's sales tx 5% still
110 new registration and plates
$17,437 OTD Complete
As you likely know, if went with Honda Financing Corp could have gotten an extra $500 off with the HFC promo going on until tomorrow 7/6/09. Also $418 remote starter with 3 year warranty was available (vs. about $600).
Dealer reps (every one of them we dealt with) were very nice, polite, and did not treat us negatively because we got a good price. The place was crowded. They saved us from the grueling hours and trips to comparison shop. Provided us plenty of ice cold Poland Springs waters during our time there on a hot day.....and they have recycle receptacles for the empty bottles.
So, go buy there by specifically contacting that dealer in advance through the Honda.com internet site for getting local quotes and get your chance to ring the bell!
The original deal was $17,900, if we took the Honda Financing. But we got a better interest rate at a credit union here, so decided against that. So overall, instead of paying $18,490 OTD, we got it for $18,000. This also included a free GPS unit, 2 free oil changes, 2 free tire rotations, 6 free car washes and owner's clinic.
This was not the best deal but all the dealers we went to in the area were offering 17,900 and above. The lowest we got was 17,500 but the dealership is 25 mi away from where we live and there were not giving any extra frills. This dealership from where we bought the car from is just a mile away from where we live and we liked the salesman. Plus she agreed to give all those extra frills which may amount to close to $300.
Overall, I am happy with my Pearl:)
For the people near Boston... when does 5% turn to 6.5%?
I was looking into buying from Honda of Boston in Everett or Honda North in Reading. Would I have luck there?
Great recaps & prices paid guys. I won't budge on OTD 17,500... I simply do not need the car.
this is before destination charges etc.
I have tried Planet, Madison, Hillside and VIP.
any ideas ??
Go to Andersons Honda in Palo Alto and be firm with $15888. I paid cash and got that deal.
Andersons is advertising one AT Fit Sport for $15988 (Model GE8849EW #020981) which tells me that you might be able to get it for even lower than $15888. Try starting at $15688 which would get you $17.5K OTD. Speak to the fleet manager and be prepared to get in your car to leave. That's what we did when he told us to come back in and gave us the $15888. See the details of my deal on post #2162 and don't be skeptical of my deal.
16799 (is the cheapest but I am not absolutely sure if it includes destination, I dont; want to ask for now, but assume it does
16999 with destination
and everything possible above 17k.
It is sooo expensive.
do you also know if new initiatives will be coming? It can't get more expensive than that!!! This is a small car!
thanks. Any help appreciated!
thanks
I'll be test driving a Fit & trying to get 17,500 OTD & I will walk for sure if not
I think you have a great deal! I still need to try get them go down a little more!
can you disclose what part of CA you purchased your Base Fit AT? the lowest eQuotes i've received is $15K even. thanks for your time!
The car is a good subcompact... but its still a subcompact car & paying freaking 19K OTD is crazy.
We'll see if anyone is willing to let them go but this weekend I couldn't get a thing off.