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Comments
You got a real good deal! I wish I could wait for a month and pay $2K more for the Touring.
Can u give us the name of the dealer?
I'm negotiating a EX-L/RES in the Atlanta market and have receieved offers of around $28,500 OTD in a 6% tax area from several dealers. This price took several days to acheive and so far, no one has offered lower.
One dealer has 115 Odyssey's in stock and according to thier online inventory and have averaged about 1 car sold per day for the last 4-5 weeks. There are 45 days left in the year - so even if they pick-up the pace to sell 60 cars by year-end, they're still looking at having 40-50 2007 models when 2008 arrives.
My plan is to wait a few more weeks (or until next year) to get the 'real' best deal prices in this market. I hope to drive out for around $27,000.
We started out with Honda Cars of McKinney since it was the closest (and one of the lower priced over the phone). They supposedly had the color I wanted even though it didn't show up on their web-site. I told the salesman to go and check the lot just to make sure he had an '07 Odyssey EX in that color. He called me back and said he had it. I had an appointment to meet the salesman. However, when we arrived we were told that person was busy and another salesperson helped us. (The guy I talked to on the phone never appeared the whole time we were there.) Then we find out they did not have the color I wanted. We found another color I could live with and I thought we were ready to buy, but then the salesman comes back and says he can sell it to me for over $1,000 more than the quote I thought I had with the man over the phone. The salesman then says he has to go back and talk with his manager and comes back with a quote still $400 above my offer. He said he couldn't go any lower and that all the other low quotes I had gotten were probably just offers to get me in the door (kind of like they did) so we walked out and headed to the next dealership.
We went to David McDavid Honda of Frisco. They actually gave me a quote $200 lower than the one I had gotten on the phone from Honda Cars of McKinney and had all the accessories that the other dealership had added, but had gone to McKinney first because they were closer to our house. The salesman at David McDavid was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and nice. My husband test drove their car and we were ready to buy. There was no haggling - they gave me the price we had discussed over the phone and we bought the van. They stayed after hours to finish up our deal. It was wonderful. I wish I had gone there first. I highly recommend David McDavid of Frisco!
As I stated earlier, I used the donkeypunch1 method and got 10 quotes from local dealers. Herson's was the cheapest by about $400 out of the gates, and their response was the first one back with the most detail that aligned with all the questions I'd asked. After the final round of negotiations with Herson's (to get $250 more off the price b/c of added dealer incentive), I called my closest dealer (Tysons Rosenthal Honda) and asked if they could beat the deal. After 5 min, the internet manager called me back and said "we can't come within $700 of your other offer, you should jump on it." That was enough for me.
So with CarMax offer for trade-in in hand, I went to Herson's today. They actually offered me more than CarMax had on my trade-in, and there was no "funny business" around our negotiated purchase. They had a huge stock of 07s to choose from (I saw about 5 light green, a black, other silvers, a cherry, and a beige), and we selected our silver. They drew up the paperwork, we easily declined all extra warranties, and we were out the door with one van bought and the other sold. We prob spent 3 stress-free hrs in the dealership total (after driving 2 vans and buying/selling).
I'm a very happy customer and I highly recommend Herson's. I told the guy I worked with that I'd be reporting about my buying experience on line and that he could expect others to want the same deal.
I just wish Herson's was closer to me so I could use them for service.
I hope this helps others, and again, my thanks to everyone who has posted advice and buying info!
Thanks
Thanks much
I think you could get a little lower from Regal Honda in Lakeland... their closing costs were cheaper than the dealerships in Orlando or Tampa... I'd talk to mike in the internet department to get your quote prior to the travel... They had a good selection but not as many as Coggin in Orlando, which had a ton still... they just wouldn't budge quite as much on their prices.
Good luck!
I would like to thank everyone on the forum for all the great advice. Thankyou Donkeypunch1! I had started negotiating the oldfashioned way and after walking out of 4 dealerships I switched to the donkeypunch method (modified, I only e-mailed around 6 different dealers) Here is what I paid
total OTD $25,481
Van $23,632
doc fees $95
RI tax and reg fees $1,754.24
I got great prices on the EX and the EXL but chose the EX due to headroom concerns with the moonroof on the EXL
thanks again and good luck to everyone!
We live in NOVA and will happily make the drive to MD if it means the best price.
Did you get DVD on your EXL? (And I'm a newbie -- does OTD stand for "out the door" meaning it's inclusive of all taxes, destination, and assorted fees?).
Your advice is greatly appreciated!
Thanks
We will be also in the Mission area square dancing for a week.
Hats off to Donkey for the steps on how to negotiate this deal! We would not have gotten this price without your advise and without everyone’s input on the prices they are paying. As for financing, DCH offered 6.9% for $0 down 60/mo. That's when we "donkey kicked" them w/ our pre-approval letter from BOA stating 5.5% (we're a BOA customer and we have 780 credit). They dropped 2 points in less than 5 minutes to get to 5.0%. Shame on DCH for trying to bend us over and thanks again to Donkey for the advise on getting our own financing before hand. Between the price and financing, you saved us thousands!
Decided to go with Honda over Sienna recently due to the fact the latter DOES NOT include VSC with most lesser expensive packages and I find that feature quite important. Anyway, here in Houston, the best prices I have gotten are:
Touring no Nav $31702+TTL
EXL no Nav/DVD $26434 + TTL
Are these reasonable prices or should I attempt to opt for more?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
JC
I don't know if you saw my post but I just paid 23,632 for and EX in RI at Majestic Honda in RI I dealt with Michelle. They had a silver and a numbus grey, I bought the last green one. There are not too many EX's left in the southern NE area.
My husband's aunt lives in Liverpool.
Maybe you should stretch your search out further?
"Demos" typically have several thousand miles on them and are a different breed of animal.
34650.00 otd for an 07 ex-l
Seems too high compared to other posts. Can you help?!
Basically, if you make a deal the first day you're certainly paying more than you have to pay. If you buy the second day you probably paid a little more than you had to pay. If you keep sales people engaged for three days and you buy a car on the fourth or fifth day of negotiating with several dealers, then you probably found the bottom.
Test drove first vehicle, but then noticed it had scratches and dent. So test drove another vehicle, which had noise coming from the brakes, which the salesperson also agreed on. Despite this problem, I told them I would take the car after the brakes were fixed. they agreed and we were about to sign. then the sales manager tells me that I would have to take the first car as the price was for the first car, since it was on the lot longer(the one with teh dent). He was shouting at me that otherwise the deal was off. Later, he offered to fix the dent, but I would have to drive back 4 hours to pick the car on monday. decided to walk out, but then they came up with a third car.
Test drove the third car, and it was okay, and agreed to take it. At that point, they said that I would need to sign a credit application form, although I had Capital One financing preapproved and the check with me. They initially told me that it was federal law to check for any terrorism related activities. However, when I countered that Capital One had already done that, they changed their story and said that it was only for their file purposes. They said that they would not run a credit check on me or push me for financing.
So signed the deal, the credit application and gave the check. However, called Capital One once again, and they said that I should not have signed the credit application, and that sometimes dealers say that the preapproved check did not go through, and that they may force me to go through dealer financing.
So, I went back to them, and said I would take car from their lot once the check was cleared. They did not agree. So I asked them if we could cancel the deal. They said they would be more than happy to. Therefore, I returned the documents and the keys. After that I asked for my check to be returned. However, they said that they cannot return it as they could not retreive the check from their safe box. I got desperate, and was visibly shaking with depression, as at this point I DID NOT HAVE CAR OR CHECK. They would not give me any documentation that I had returned the keys and cancelled the deal. I therefore, had to call the cops. The officer was very helpful, very nice. Even though this was a civil case, he negotiated with them, and they finally gave me a document that stated that they would express mail me my check by Monday. Capital one told me that they could not void the check, unless it was so stated to them by BOTH the dealer and me, which the dealer did not do.
The entire experience was a lot of mental harrasment and torture. at this point, NO CAR and NO CHECK. I am very depressed at this point, and not able to function. I am desperately waiting for the check.
Will there be a problem? What should I do if I dont get the check? What are my chances of getting the check back? Any advise will be greatly appreciated. Desperate for an answer.
I second your observation and stress that readers of this thread need to be read pricing posts extremely carefully to make sure they are accurate and to ensure they are making apples to apples comparisons.
Some pricing posts get model information wrong, don't explain that Nav wasn't included or convolute their numbers so you can't tell if destination was included, etc.
If you pore over these threads meticulously you will start to see a pattern for pricing in your area or for the model you desire. There will always be a few buyers that pay way to much and there will always be a few deals that sound to good to be true or they don't include full information as to trade in, options or that specific car may have been dealer driven or had cosmetic damage, etc...
You should throw out the top prices and the low balls and concentrate on the mean pricing. Within that average you will see a pricing trend (usually downward at the end of the year). Start with an offer a few hundred below the low end of that trend.
Be advised that as we get closer and closer to the end of the year your deal should get better. But your chances of getting a good deal are inversely related to the number of '07's left. As they dwindle you will have more discount buyers shopping for a smaller number of models. Dealers know this and will play them against each other.
In my own case I knew my dealer had 2 of the exact same model left (silver Tourings). I waited and waited for the deal to get better, which it did. But I knew in the back of my mind that if one of those Tourings were sold all the leverage was going to swing back to my dealer, who would call all the Touring prospects and tell them this was the last Touring and play us all against each other.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck to all buyers.
1) Log into the Honda.com website and click on "find dealer" (DONT use the request quote button).
2) At that point, select "request a quote) after you have list of dealers.
3. Fill out your info. don't put a phone number down, you call them if you want...they don't call you.
Ask for the following:
- Obviously request model your looking for in dropdown.
- In "comments" section put something to the effect:
Would like an OTD (out the door) quotation on EXL RES. Please itemize charges: Base Price (INCLUDING DESTINATION) only extras should be tax, title license. I understand that Honda is offering the special APR financing or the $2500 dealer incentive. I would like your best price including the $2500 incentive. Additionally, please include the color selection that you have available. I'm checking with several dealers in the area and will be purchasing shortly, so your promptness and bottom line is appreciated.
Dont give them your phone number. You call them when you want so that you can think in advance of what your going to say. You don't need anyone calling you.
- Press Send
4. Go Back to "find dealer" enter your zip and you'll get the same list. select 'request quote" by the next dealer and this same form that you initially entered will be available. just press send.
5. repeat to at least 8 dealers in your area if your in a metro area. I'd send to everyone. OMIT the Dealer that is the most ideal location to your home.
5 1/2. Go to your credit union, capitalone.com or whomever your comfortable with and get your own financing. You should have a check in your back pocket when you go to buy the car or their going to bend you over. The big players will overnight you a blank check. If your a costco member, check out costco dot com and get the capital one rate there. You should get 5.9 apr for 60 months, which you will use as your fallback.
6. Sit back..your in the drivers seat.
7. Wait for quotes to come in.
8. You'll find out who's serious.
- some will give you HIGH price
- some wont respond (amazingly enough)
- a few will give you a pretty aggressive price
- you may end up with a clear cut low ball great price
9. Forget about the morons that ask you to call them for an appointment (The VIP treatment means getting bent over). On the ones that are really high, if you want reply and tell them they are off by whatever the diff is between them and your lowest price. i.e, "your off by $2600, if that's your best shot, I'll pass thanks".
10. Let the few that are low site a few days and then reply back. Note that you appreciate their offer. That you have a few others that are right there and that you'd like to buy from them. Your making the decision in the next 48-72 hourshours. Is this your best price? (if you want any accessories, nows the time to ask for them). Alternatively, you can name a price to see if they can get there, personal choice really here. Make sure again to qualify that Destination should be included and that there should be no dealer extras on the car (ask them to confirm this). Get an itemized out the door price. Base+Desination, + tax + title + license. Make sure that the documentation/processing fee does not exceed $100. In some states the most they can charge is $59.
11. Wait for your responses. Hopefully you should have a pretty good price (better than you have from your other guy).
12. Take the best quote you've got and email it to the internet dept sales person of the dealer closest to you and tell them you'd like to buy local if they can beat it. If they match or beat and have your color choice go buy from them.
13. If not, go back to the person with best quote and requalify the details? "You have this color in stock and this price includes destination? Only Extra's are Tax, Title License? They reply in writing with a "yes", then call them to once again firm these detials and make an appointment to meet them and drive (and hopefully buy) the car..
13.5 When you show up. Drive the EXACT VAN you are buying. Make sure you like it, no rattles, etc. Inspect it for scratches, etc. Should be fine, but make sure. You've come this far, don't overlook final details.
14. Show up with your own financing as noted previously. When you pull the check from your pocket, their going to ask where/what your rate is. If you have good credit tell them you have 5.5% for 60 months. If they ask to see paperwork details on the check, make sure the ONLY thing you show them is the dealer details DO NOT SHOW THEM THE INTEREST RATE...DONT EVEN bring those details with you. It is NONE of their business. If you have good credit (780+, odds are they'll beat the 5.5% and you'll save even more money. Show up without a blank check and try to get 5.4% or lower and odds are it'll never happen.
14.5 You have a trade-in? Research your price on kbbdotcom and edmunds dot com. If its and older car with high mileage don't expect to much, sell it on craigslist, someone at work, or expect to take your $1500 at the dealer to be done. If you have a car thats actually worth something, again, do your homework. Get a price from carmax (they'll give you 7 days to decide to sell to them or not). At this point tell the dealer you brother inlwaw was supposed to buy it but he backed out. They'll give you a lame price, tell them you need $500 over whatever your carmax price is..with the carmax price as your target.(Dont tell them you have carmax fallback) If they beat or match carmax take it. If they come within $500 i'd still take it...(the trade value comes off your purchase price before tax is calculated so your still even). Bottom line is your trying to avoid getting bent over by several thousand bucks..which is highly likely if you dont research. If they get to your price and honor their quoted price, your buying the car. If they honor quoted but bend you over by several thousand on the trade, you might want to walk...your call. Folks time and money mean different things to each other, its your call.
15. Do all negotiation back forth via email. DONT GO IN until you have a deal. If you go in without a deal being done your prone to wasting your time or caving and not getting a great deal. AND DONT BRING UP TRADE UNTIL YOU GET THERE AND DONT MENTION YOUR CARMAX FALL BACK PRICE. Your trying to get them to beat it.
-If your not in a major hurry and the dealers in your area have a lot of vans on the lot, I would start this the day after Thanksgiving, get your quotes, let them sit a few days, follow up, sit a few days, then put the final press on for the last 2 days of the month. Your likely to get the best price on the very last day of the month.
16. Lastly, after putting the screws to everyone (who would otherwise be putting the screws to you)..do honor the final deal and dont try
Yes, OTD is out the door. No, I did not get DVD, just standard EXL. Here's how Hersons broke the the #s down:
$25,606 van (incl dest)
$150 moonroof visor
$770 VA tax
tag transfer (using old tags) $51.00
total out the door: $26,477
For free, included paint matched moldings, wheel locks (I thought mud flaps, but was wrong on that).
Hope this helps!
Picked up a 2007EX-L with RES and NAV at Honda Dealer in the Twin Cities. Here is what I paid:
Car - $29,288
Back up sensors - $796
Auto Mirror - $376
Fog Lights - $525
Title - $86.25
License fee - $425
+ Sales tax (6.5%)
I also brought in a quote for an extended warranty from Bernardi, which my dealer matched (grudgingly after claiming it was at their cost). I did not know about the additional $500 incentive (I knew about the $2,000 incentive), but it was a great experience and very interesting to see differences in numbers. Another local dealer was about $500 higher on the car but a few dollars less on the accessories. not everyone had the color we wanted (White).
Thanks to all and good luck to those still shopping!
Sorry to bother you, but should I complain to BBB now or only if I do not get the check.
You said they stated they would not deliver the vehicle once the check cleared. Why not?
Their reply was that they could not keep the vehicle on their lot till monday, just 2 days, even though the particular van I was buying had been on their lot for the past 8 months, since march 2007.
At that point, I told them could we cancel the deal then, because I did not really want to take the risk of going on their financing. They said, yes, they could cancel the deal. I gave them the keys, and all the papers etc. I had not driven the car at this point. It was still on the lot, with all the plastic, etc on it. I then asked them for some kind of letter/document, which would state that we had cancelled the deal and that I had returned the keys, etc. They got nasty, and asked me to get out of the dealership, they could not give me any kind of document. They would not return my check either.
THAT SAID, I think you need to look at your individual situation. I bought a PDA back when they first came out and bought the extended warranty. I dropped it and it stopped working and I brought it in (didn't tell them I dropped it) and they just gave me a new one.
I also bought an expensive projection TV and bought the extended warranty. I've already had the light engine replaced on it so it's paid for itself.
I tend to think with new, complicated technology extended warranties make sense. Today's cars are complicated, esp. with Nav, etc. But the Odyssey has been around for a while and those systems have been well tested in production.
If I were buying a mercedes or BMW today, though, I would probably be inclined to get one. I just saw BMW has some option so that not only are your windshield wipers rain activated, but then they also tell the brakes to dry out when it rains. That is one of hundreds of complicated features on a BMW that because of their poor quality, tend to break all the time and end up just draining your wallet (I know, I had one!)
But a big reason I bought a Honda was their renowned QUALITY. If I was buying a new model of a car or the first year of a completely new redesign where features haven't been tested over several years in actual usage by consumers again, I would be more likely to look at an extended warranty for piece of mind.
But I just felt in this case, with this manufacturer the risk of major (non recall covered) issues after my warranty runs out is as minimized as I'm ever going to get with any vehicle, so I decided to let it ride. But I would never fault someone for opting for that option for piece of mind. But for me it just seemed like too big a bet to make (I think they offered 7 additional years for $1,895-I didn't try and negotiate, I just said no.)
if one is looking at a lease vs purchase for 3-4 years what is the most cost efficient way to go and the best deals on either alternative anyone has heard
thanks
All that's a bunch of B.S. They see capital one checks on a weekly basis and know full well that it applies to a NEW 2007 or 2008 purchase from an actual dealer (Them!) and not a mom and pop. The whole routine is because their pissed off that they aren't going to have the chance to bend you over on financing now that you've negotiated a good deal on the car. The reason they want to see the "paperwork" is to stick their nose in your business--figuring out the rate you've been given.
Anyone using Capital One or others, REMOVE all details regarding the actual RATE and terms they are giving you and bring just the small slip that tells dealers that it's good for 2007/2008. DO NOT show them the rate.
Tell them the rate is 5.5% and give them a chance to meet/beat it. If they don't, ink the Capital One (or other bank) check and be done with the deal. If they won't take that check and they won't meet or beat the 5.5%, then take your check and business elsewhere.
It's all just a B.S game, wanting to stick their nose in your rate or trying to act like they can't take such check, which is moronic. Give them the little info they claim to need but do not divulge the interest rate. It's NONE of their business.
If they see the interest rate, you have no room to negotiate a better rate. If you tell them 5.5% (super duper costco preferred or some b.s), they have the option to try to beat it or let it go. If you tell them 5.9, the best your going to get is 5.9 or 5.8. In my opinion your better off bluffing for 1/2 a point better than settling on a 10th of a point. Now if you tell them you've got 4.9% from an outside source, their going to smell some b.s be realistic, like 5.5%.
By the way, this applies if you have GOOD credit. If your credit is lousy, your never going to see 5.4 or 4.9 so you might as well cut to the chase and be honest with the outside source rate. If your credits great, then have some fun with it.