2013 and earlier-Honda Accord Prices Paid and Buying Experience

rbr · December 2003

I'm from Minnesota, so I cant recommend a dealer, but we paid $26,600 (including destination, but before tax and tags) about 3 weeks ago from a local dealer. Accords with V6 and NAV are in very short supply around here -- our dealer is one of the largest in Minnesota but they only get one NAV car a month -- they had to trade with another dealership to get ours. Also got a zero deductible 7yr/100K Honda Care warranty for about $945, which is about a $400 discount over their original asking price.
I know this isn't the lowest priceon the board but we had a very positive experience at the dealer, and we did do better than the Edmunds TMV. I basically used the "request a quote" feature on the Honda website to get bids from our five local dealers three actually responded with prices, including our preferred dealer. They weren't the lowest, but we brought the lowest bid to our preferred dealer and they came within $125, which was close enough for us.
I love the car -- only thing I might do is upgrade the speakers and maybe add an amplifier, but only if it doesn't change the stock appearance of the car.
Good luck

akc10 · December 2003

$18,282 this is 100 over invoice or is $17,500 on an 03, same options, a better deal? Both quotes include destination charges.
Thanks

makeitgo · December 2003

Hi Everyone. I am new to the forum and have what I think are two really good deals, just cant make a decision and I need to fast. I was looking for a car for my husband to use for mainly work and back. We can not afford the V6 as cool as that would be. Our dealer nearby has a silver Ex with side curtain air bags in cloth( Already at the top of our budget)that he will sell me for 500 under invoice no extras on the car and throw in the auto dim mirror. I like the extras but the main one is the side curtain air bags that I can't get on the LX. They will offer me the same deal on a located LX with side air bags(no head protection, I am a safety nut) with 6-disk, rear deck spoiler and auto dim mirror added on. These are the things I think he would use and like the most. The only thing is, on the LX I have no idea what cost is on those items and do not want to be taken on what they say cost and install would be. I was told by my dealer that the rear spoiler is 471.54 at cost "with install". Is it worth the extra 1,700 to get curtain airbags? Are the 4 wheel disc brakes really going to be safer? will the ride be better? I am leaning toward the EX but this might be emmotional because this car has so much STUFF! Please help

chucko3 · December 2003

500 under invoice. What is the invoice price?
Go to cars.com and build your dream car.
I would skip the spoiler if it's over the budget.
Good luck.

makeitgo · December 2003

Looks like I am going with the EX. My invoice on the EX with curtain airbags is 20,978 minus the 500 is 20,478. out the door at 22,005 and he just called me back(the GM) and said if I buy tonight he will throw in the rear deck spoiler. I get all the STUFF and the spoiler, can't pass it up. The LX with the add ons was about $800 difference. Hope I did good! Oh and he is going to give me 2.9 for 60 months when I told him I qualified for the 1.9 at Toyota (which I did)

barryss · December 2003

Sounds like a great deal--congratulations! The curtain airbags are worth the extra $$. Hopefully things went smoothly for you tonight. I'm jealous of the spoiler :-).

Barry S.

chucko3 · December 2003

Very good deal. I hope you get the car.
Congrats!

vitaly2 · December 2003

Got my Accord today for $23,908 OTD (including an auto dimming mirror with compass at Lester Raines). Bought Odyssey from them in 2002 and the buying experience was amazingly pleasant. This time I wanted Accord EX (21,300 before taxes, etc) then tested the leather option (22,600 before taxes, etc) and decided to take it. The dealer also agreed to add that mirror for $100 (kids really liked the mirror/compass on Camry XLE when I was test driving it, btw a drive in Camry was a REAL TREAT of comfort). Almost bought Camry twice but Toyota dealers tried to screw me both times after initially agreeing to my price (first time 21,000 OTD for 2003 XLE w/moonroof, and the second time 21,200 before taxes for 2004 w/moonroof.) Also had a very good offer for Camry 2003 XLE w/moonroof (Catalina Blue) new with 300 miles for $20,000 before taxes (Love Toyota in Saint Albans) was ready to buy it but at the 11th hour decided to find on the Internet the specific details of the safety testing (beyond simple star ratings) and was surprised that Camry, actually, was far from being the best among this class--for example, the head injury criterion was 441! The European standard is 500, US is 700, Accord was 290. That put it over the top. Camry gets its 5, 4, and 3 stars, but if you look at the real results in the testing data, is it quite worse than competition. BTW, if I remember correctly, Altima is the best in safety in this class.

makeitgo · December 2003

Everything went pretty smooth with the deal, until I asked if they had an arbitration agreement. Right before heading out to get the car My salesmen called me to tell me they did. I told him to ask if they would wave it or I would not be coming in. The GM called back and said O.K. Boy that was close! Te F&I guy still tried to get us to sign it but didn't push it. Overall they were great people to do business with and are located in the western suburbs of Illinos. I set the boundries early about what I expected to see on paper in the F&I office, so no added costs anywhere. They ordere the spoiler, and that should be coming in about a week. This is our first Honda, so I hope that we have real good luck with it. The car is SOOOO Nice!

dust90 · December 2003

I also bought my Accord from Lester Raines. I like the way they do bussiness! I wouldn't buy anything from Love Toyota, Nissan, Chevy. I bought my 4Runner from Rich Toyota in Huntington(I think they are now Advantage Toyota in Barboursville) and it was quite pleasant. Wife got her Camry at Bert Wolfe Toyota & that deal was a bit of a hassle, but they had the car she wanted.

desmonsm · December 2003

I'm shopping for an Accord, and wondering if this quote I received for an 04 EX-L Auto 4 cylinder is competitive in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. $22,200 includes wheel locks, cargo tray, mud guards, and all weather mats. I've received this quote from Wyler Honda in Florence, KY and Honda of Frankfort will match. Based on the research I've done, I think this is a very fair offer. The only thing holding me back right now is my trade in (02 Ford Escape XLT, 41K miles, loaded w/everything but moonroof and 4x4. Excellent condition). The average trade in value from 5 sources (Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds.com, CarsDirect.com, NADA, and Black Book) is $13k. Regional variances are taken into account in all 5. One dealer offered $11.3k, and the other (sight unseen) started at $12k. If I can get them to $12.8k, I'll make the deal.

kyfdx · December 2003

Have you shopped Century on Montgomery Rd? Real straight shooters there. I've only bought one out of my six Hondas there, but its where I take all of them for service. The buying experience isn't as good, but I've always found the best prices and highest trade allowances at Perfomance Honda in Fairfield. Hope this helps.. and keep your eye on the ball at Wyler. I have nothing good to say about the sales experience there, but the service and parts guys in Florence are top-notch.

Regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx · December 2003

If that is out-the-door...with only tax on top of it, thats below invoice... I'd say thats very good....

desmonsm · December 2003

I haven't shopped at Century or Performance, but I will. Thanks for the info. The $22,200 doesn't include any taxes, fees, etc. Speaking of taxes, I'm more inclined to purchase the vehicle in KY where the sales tax is 6% vs. Ohio's 7%. If one of the Ohio dealerships will deduct this difference, I'd be open to purchasing there. BTW kyfdx, where in KY are you? Thanks again for the info.

kyfdx · December 2003

You pay the sales tax where you live.. Most Ohio dealers don't even collect it, if you live in KY. That may vary with how you finance it. If they do collect the tax, they'll give you a check to give the court clerk when you register the car in your home county. I live in Campbell County, about 3 miles from downtown Cincinnati.

To sum up, you'll pay 6% of 90% of the MSRP on a new car in KY. It doesn't matter where you buy it.

regards,
kyfdx

kyfdx · December 2003

Ohio residents get a credit on their sales tax for trade-in.. Something we don't get in KY.

sbake1 · December 2003

Watch out for the Jeff Wyler processing fee of $199 on the sales contract. I bought a 01 Odyssey back in 2001 and came down to pick up the van after agreeing on an "out the door" price. As we were signing the papers I saw it and called Honda East to ask if they charge this fee. They said no "that sounds like something from a Wyler dealership." I went in and said no way to the charge so they took 200 off the sales price but left the fee on. Odysseys were hot at the time so I bought the van. But if you have options I would look hard elsewhere as I have heard many stories concerning that ownership group. Good luck.

lhughes51 · December 2003

I was surprised to read you bought from Apple Valley Honda too! We live in Kirkland, WA but i have researched and e-mailed numerous dealers (including the Stevens Creek in San Jose) and Wenatchee came in with the best offer (28,931.11 OTD). We actually don't have it yet, but we put down a deposit. They had to locate one from another dealer. We ordered the Silver EX V6 4dr sedan w/Navi. I have one arm & i think the voice activated navi will be great for me (once i figure it out!). I've been reading these posts for awhile & have found them very helpful. I do the research & my husband talks to the dealers. I find that experience a bit intimidating.
So you had your delivered? How far? Was that extra $? That is a great service!
It seems odd to be buying a car that we haven't seen yet, but i hope my deal works out as good as yours did.

kyfdx · December 2003

I know Wyler owns a dealership in Frankfort.. I just can't remember if its the Honda dealership or not... You might be trying to shop your deal with the same dealership group.. Something you might want to check out..

regards,
kyfdx

nw1997 · December 2003

Hello Everyone,

We just placed a down payment for the above vehicle. Includes wheel locks and mud guards for $26,000.00. Also, taged on is a 70.00 Reg/DMV Fee, $12.00 Inspection Fee, $20.00 Paper work fee and NYC Taxes. OTD approx. 28,214.00. The invoice on the vehicle is $25,500.00 plus a $600.00 hold back that the manufacture gives the dealership. They made approx. $500.00 off of us, which I was aware of and we considered to be fair, hey everyone's in the business to make a profit. What do you folks think about the deal?

Thanks

topgun7 · December 2003

I am pricing a 04 EX V6 coupe in Northern California now. I am not concern about what the dealer make. It is more important to get the best deal within a reasonable driving distance. It is very hard to figure out what is the ultimate cost for a dealer to sell us a car. The rent, labor cost, insurance rate etc pay a role in their cost. I sent out email to about 20 dealers in the greater SF bay area yesterday. So far about 10 come back with a response and they range from $600 above invoice to $700 below invoice (by the way, Gary3308, thanks for your pointer. The lowest bid so far is from Roseville). It is absolutely amazing to see the variation of the price and the response. I also try to price an accord in Tucson for a relative. The situation there is entirely differnt, there is only 2 dealers within a 50 miles driving. So I would expect price would be a lot higher there.

rbhcpa · December 2003

Hello, I am from NE Ohio and was offered $24955 on a 2004 EX V-6...sticker was $26.7 I believe. I am trading a 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo SS and was offered $11k trade in on 34k miles. I am not too thrilled with this offer on both ends, sale price or trade in. Does anyone have any thoughts on this deal?

kendrid · December 2003

What does the blue book (kbb.com) say your trade-in value is for 'good' condition (assuming it is in good condition)?

lhughes51 · December 2003

Check out message #2179 don'tbuyseattle for a great buy in San Jose, CA

rbhcpa · December 2003

Well, kbb says a 2001 Monte Carlo SS with my miles a nd options is $10,800, so I guess I don't have much to be unhappy about there... but I don't think $1700 off sticker on a $26000+ car is that great! I was hoping somewhere around $24000 if not lower.

ken972 · December 2003

I think you can do a little better. I got 500 over invoice without much fuss...Im in PA. That was about $24,700. From reading posts on this board you should be able to get 2 or 3 hundred less then that without much of a problem. And maybe even more off if you want to spend time on it. Of course watch out for excess fees etc. I accepted kbb value for my trade in. Good Luck! Its a great car.

f1monkey · December 2003

I had the same problem with tracking down a car. They didn't have what I wanted on thier lot so they traded one of thier cars with Hinshaw Honda down south.

A guy from apple valley drove over with one of their honda's on a flatbed and dropped it off and picked up mine down at Hinshaw. Then he drove up here to Bellevue and dropped mine off. There weren't any extra charges or anything like that for the delivery. Only had 10 miles too. It wasn't actually very inconvenient for them to drop it off here since they had to come over to Hinshaw anyway.

- Kyle

akc10 · December 2003

I am getting ready to move to either Tennessee or Alabama. Can anyone tell me what the sales tax rates are on new cars in these states? Also how are insurance rates comparatively speaking?
Thanks

bamacar · December 2003

I have lived in both states. Insurance seemed to be about the same in both states (low compared to the nation). Of course, insurance is slightly higher in Metro areas. I believe (not sure) that sales tax in Tennessee is about 6% no matter where you live in Tennessee. In Alabama it depends on whether you live in the County or City and where you buy. If you buy in certain cities they add some or all of the local taxes (even if you live the county). I usually buy out of state and just pay the lower county/state tax. Most counties charge 2.25 to 3% (includes state and county tax). City residents seem to be charged from about 4.5 to 5.5% (include county, city, and state tax). My county charges 2.75%. Of course if you live and work in Tennessee, you will have no income tax.

az2chicago · December 2003

Just bought a 2004 Accord LX 4 door automatic in the Chicago suburbs for $17979, including destination. (Invoice was 18582, MSRP 20590) I used Honda finance for the 2.9% for 48 months with no problem.

I called/faxed several different dealers around Chicago and a few were willing to match the price, but I bought in Lake County (and I live in Lake County), so the sales tax was only 6.5%. Standard 52.57 doc fees, $65 for title and $15 for license plate transfer fees.

The finance manager offered (no pressure) me the 7/100 0 deductible Honda warranty for $1000 (retail about $1300+), and we settled on $910. Is this a fair price for the warranty?

If anyone wants the dealer/sales specifics, let me know. (lplitwin @at@ rocketmail-NoSPAMMERS .dot. com; remove the obvious extra stuff...)

silphium · December 2003

Survived getting t-boned in our '99 Accord LX. Totalled the car. Was slung into the door, broke ribs, shoulder blade, left hand. With side and curtain airbags, I'd have probably left the scene in a taxi instead of an ambulance (3 mos. laer I;m doing fine :-)... So my new car is an '04 Accord EX-L, at least in part for the standard side curtains. Safety is worthless until you need it, then it becomes the whole reason you bought the car.

silphium · December 2003

We're in Austin. The two Honda dealers here are I think in agreement not to cut each other's throats on price. I was however able to locate a dealer who sold us an EX for well under invoice. E-mail me for the details...

bburton3 · December 2003

That was a great deal. Could you just mention the dealer's name-that is permitted-thanks

Sylvia · December 2003

you can mention the dealership name, city and state, but not the names of salespeople (or their emails or "email me for my salesman's name) or direct links to the dealership.

az2chicago · December 2003

For post #3404, I bought at Highland Park Honda (Muller), mostly because they were the closest to my house and in Lake County, which is 6.5% (for Lake County residents).

I had contacted several dealers in Chicago and some were a higher price than I paid, but there were 4 others willing to sell at the same price:
Castle Honda (Morton Grove)
Carr's Honda (Chicago)
Libertyville Honda
Contintental Honda (Countryside)

Keep in mind that the best deals are probably on the 4 cyl models.

Not to be a commercial, but I did purchase the FightingChance.com package for $30, which helped me get this deal. There's a lot of great information in the package, but I wouldn't say that you have to have the package to get deals like this. The package is excellent reading material about the auto business and includes up-to-date specific vehicle information.

After spending months reading this bulletin board and reviewing tons of other information, I felt like I did my homework on this one.

bburton3 · December 2003

Live in Lake Geneva WI and would really prefer not schlepping all way back to Eau Claire to buy a new accord.

akc10 · December 2003

Sounds like I need to live in Alabama to buy a car and live in Tennessee to work.

gene65 · December 2003

Ref. to #3409 & #3404, I had a price from Libertyville Honda of $26,000 for E-X Accord v-6 with navi, but when I came to Highland Park & offered them the same $26, they didn't even talk to me. They told me to come back with a real offer. The guy didn't even asked for my phone #. I finally bout one from Crystal Lake Honda for $25,521 plus tax. All my other experience with them was about the same. I live not far.

az2chicago · December 2003

and what kind of mood/incentive/need they've got to sell you a car.

For me and my Accord LX, Crystal Lake Honda didn't even return my inquiry. Maybe in your case HP Honda didn't have the vehicle you were looking for (or at least thought they could sell it for more).

gene65, your experience shows me that to get the best price, you've got to shop around. That's what I like about Hondas, that they don't come with different options and only in a few trim levels.

It makes it a lot harder to shop price when there are 50 different option combinations/colors and you can't compare apples to apples.

All in all, I'm happy with my buying experience (with Honda in general) and the new car.

acura2000 · December 2003

What would be considered a "good" deal on a 04 EX-V6 Sedan with Navigation and the following options 17 inch Honda wheels, wood trim, and deck lid spoiler? I know the invoice of the car WITHOUT the above mentioned options is $25,521 plus destination of $490.

I'm in Ohio, so if anyone knows of any "good" dealerships in the Cleveland or Columbus area that they recommend or have received a "good" deal and had a pleasant experience I would appreciate it as well?

Thanks.

jaxs · December 2003

I am buying an 2003 Accord LX 2 door manual, windows are tinted and has 330 miles on it, no sideairbags, for a total price of $16,800 including handling fee, etc. Does this sound like a good deal or should I be able to get it lower?

anonymousposts · December 2003

Sounds like a decent deal to me.

chip3432 · December 2003

I just bought a Deep Green Pearl (new color...looks great) 2004 Accord EX, 5-spd w/ cloth.
$20,000 which was $20 below invoice (included destination charges). I leased for 36 mos., 12k miles/yr. $251/month. I put down $1256 for first pmt, tag, title, and tax. The finance guy mentioned a $500 acquisition fee was part of the deal. Is this fee common in a lease arrangement? I thought it was, but perhaps some of you can help me. With the sec. deposit being waived, 60% residual and the fact I negotiated price before mentioning the word "lease", the $250/month seemed pretty attractive. If some of you could pass along your thoughts on my deal, I'd appreciate it.

anonymousposts · December 2003

Alot of leasing companies will charge an acquisition fee for the lease. Regardless of whether you paid it or not it sounds like you got a great deal.

The Deep Green Pearl is nice and a big improvement over the green used on the 03's. We noticed it when shopping for our EX-L.

johnnycake · December 2003

Last week, paid $17,764 (INVOICE AND DESTINATION FEE)for new 2004 Eternal Blue ACCORD SEDAN 2.4L LX 5-spd MANUAL TRANSMISSION with $65.00 half-nose mask thrown in no charge. Dealer invoice is 17864 plus 55 for nose mask = $17,919, therefore purchased vehicle for $155 under dealer invoice.

TITLE, TAXES, LICENSE, and normal $52.00 DOCUMENT FEE and extended warranty were additional. The car was FACTORY ORDERED thru ROSEN HONDA, Gurnee, IL, in late November 2003 and arrived from Marysville, Ohio on Dec 2, 2003. Purchased Dec 13, 2004. All negotiations done via email to Internet sales, Rosen Honda. All promises were kept, response to any email question was immediate, and no pressure about anything, not even once. The purchase process at dealer was smooth, no pressure, no phony creepy behavior. Loan was financed thru Honda at 3.9% for 60 months. The HondaCare extended warranty of 7 yrs 70,000 miles cost 895, which I PROBABLY OVERPAID FOR BY ABOUT $100.

topgun7 · December 2003

Here is the deal that we struck tonight, 3yr/15K mi per year from Honda Financial. MSRP $26990, invoice $24933. Cap cost $23900 ($1000 below invoice). Residual $15654 (58%). Money factor 0.0015. Drive off $845. And the monthly payment is $289.35 + Tax (total $313 per month). The dealer did a dealer trade and have someone drive to another dealer 60 mi away to pick up the color that we want (Blue).

isellhondas · December 2003

That is a VERY good price for that Accord.

Just be aware that is a very hard to sell model as for as Hondas go. It's an LX coupe for one thing. These are not popular at all either new or used.

And...it's a five speed...these do not sell well!

But, if it's what you like and you're not too worried about resale down the road, it's a great deal.

johnnycake · December 2003

"...That's what I like about Hondas, that they don't come with different options and only in a few trim levels. It makes it a lot harder to shop price when there are 50 different option combinations/colors and you can't compare apples to apples."

Having failed to get a good price (and the build I want)on a Toyota Tacoma pickup for over 2 yrs, I can testify to az2's wisdom. Toyota loves to mix up the options on its hot sellers and every region has its own packages. Most Tacomas in Chicago are 4 wheel drive only and come with an expensive off-road TRD option. And ordering from the factory is discouraged "...it'll take about 4 months to get what u want and maybe even then they won't make it..."

After all this frustration, I decided to buy an Accord. No regrets.

acura2000 · December 2003

This quote is from a Honda dealership on an 04 Accord EX Sedan WITH Navi, deck lid wing, 17inch wheels, and automatic day/night mirror. The dealer quoted me a price of $27,832 BEFORE taxes, so this would be my CAP Cost. The MSRP is $28,890. The residiual is 48%, the interest rate is 4.92% which gives me a money factor of .00205 which also what the dealer gave me and supposedly used. This is a 48 month lease at 15k miles a year. Only first payment and plates are due at signing. Tax rate is 6.75%. With this information the dealer quoted me a payment of $413 a month. Does this sound about right?

ral2167 · December 2003

cap cost seems high if the msrp is $28,890 and the cap cost is only $1000 less

i'd also lose the navigation and get nothing higher than a 36 month lease; not sure what the allure of navigation is, and aren't 48 month leases kinda out of vogue now?...

why not just BUY a 4 cylinder EX without navigation than lease a V6 with navigation?

2013 and earlier-Honda Accord Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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