Post #206,469
5/8/05 1:38:21 AM
5/8/05 1:40:12 AM
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Took the Honda CR-V Home
She picked out one of the CR-V SE Editions. They let us drive it home, but we still have to work out the financials.
Fully loaded about $25,600. Invoice is about $23,800.
Sunroof, leather, 6 CD changer, fog lamps, running boards, aluminum wheels, heated seats, and the highest trim level (normal CR-V's have the "plastic" fenders, this one doesn't). There are a couple of things it doesn't have. It is XM satellite capable, but the activation/upgrade is $500. It doesn't have the roof rack, but we can get it for about $300. My wife wanted a GPS system (not available on the CR-V), but I've just about convinced her to do the "personal" GPS, which is about $800 cheaper. Also, my Dell Axim is WiFi and Blue Tooth capable, so a blue tooth phone would give us [link|http://maps.yahoo.com|http://maps.yahoo.com]. (I guess I still need to know where I'm at, but if you have the map, you shouldn't get lost.)
Anything else, I think we can live without.
The big question is still the space. My wife still wants 3 rows, but it puts us into the 17/18 mpg world with a Pilot, MDX, Windstar, Town & Country, or something like it. I think the Odyssey and Sienna might get 20 mpg in town, but she wants the SUV. I think I have her convinced to try the CR-V for 3 years and if we're not happy with the space, then we'll get the big SUV when my Taurus gets to end of life. We'll know a little more about where gas will be then, too.
So, my prediction is that we'll be proud Honda Owners sometime next week.
Glen Austin
Edited by gdaustin
May 8, 2005, 01:40:12 AM EDT
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Post #206,478
5/8/05 8:55:31 AM
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Sounds nice. Luck!
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Post #206,573
5/8/05 10:56:03 PM
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I wasn't quick enough.
I was going to suggest looking at a Nissan* X-Trail. It's basically a Pulsar-derivative, but taller, less overhang and a 4WD gearbox. The handling and space is great and our rough estimates put the mileage at reasonable about 10 L/100 km. Which is almost what the sticker said. We haven't taken it for a "real" 4WD - the car mags say its 4WD capabilities are ordinary.
We drove a Pajero for 8 hours whilst away in Borneo. The X-Trail is much better.
Wade.
* I think Nissan are still badged Datsun on the states.
Is it enough to love
Is it enough to breathe
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
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Is it enough to die
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be Anything but Ordinary
Please
| -- "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. |
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Post #206,574
5/8/05 11:02:17 PM
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It's been Nissan here since '83 or so.
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Post #206,578
5/9/05 12:47:30 AM
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Careful on the financials
That's a standard scam for car dealers, though more common for used cars. Did you give the old car as a trade-in?
Best case, they want you to really like the car -- and who isn't going to like a brand new car? -- then they'll screw you on the terms because you won't want to give it back. Worst case, they'll tell you your trade-in has already been sent to the auction, and if you give the new one back you'll get a "standard trade-in value" which will never be more than $3,000.
If you do get the worst case, go home call your state's Attorney General immediately. Don't give them the opportunity to "try to make it right". They have experience with this, and bigger lawyers than you have.
===
Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link|http://DocHope.com|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats].
[link|http://DocHope.com|http://DocHope.com]
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Post #206,743
5/10/05 3:44:20 AM
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Re: Careful on the financials
Yep, have a friend who is a Pro on dealing with 'dealers'. You start with finding out not merely the dealer 'price' before all the BS - but how much incentive $ (and other perks) are also attached. Then you decide, given current market and waiting til last couple days of the salesman's Quota Race ~~ how much Profit you think they will bite on. Say, 600-1600 for a rough ballpark on a $20ishK thing, depending on how hungry the local auto rowgues.
If you've properly gauged the local market - this will get it about as low as it goes; they WILL notice when/if you have accurately done your homework, especially if you use the right terms for the kickbacks (which I forget). Usually you just give bottom line, but sometimes mentioning one or two of the er derivations: establishes creds.
She has scored nicely re 4 new-car purchases (for others) via these calcs. Anyone who "can't be bothered" to do that much arithmetic - is their lawful psychological-prey.
(And beware the "special clear-coat wax Offer" and in many markets, at closing -- an overpriced and sometimes even harmful "special underseal / anti-rust cha cha cha". (Yes, there Are decent such, for those condemned to the Rust Belt, but these don't hardly ever emanate from the Dealer Pack))
Caveat emptor
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Post #206,757
5/10/05 7:32:30 AM
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"Dealer Holdback".
[link|http://www.edmunds.com/advice/incentives/holdback/|Edmunds on Dealer Holdback].
The trouble with buying a car these days is that even if you know the holdback and the incentives and ..., you still don't really know what the dealer is paying for the car, nor what their bottom-line price is. How much of their "advertising fee" is legitimate? How much of the "paperwork fee"? And there's always the issue of how they screw around with trade-ins (if you have one).
It's good to be informed as much as possible, but there are still hidden transactions between the manufacturer and the dealer that affects the price.
Edmunds has a lot of information on stuff like this, but much of it has been hidden so that it looks like you have to request a quote from a dealer to get it. Use Google to drill down.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #206,858
5/10/05 10:01:58 PM
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Honda CR-V Back at the Dealer
We returned it Monday night. We negotiated about an hour and my wife didn't like the deal. The dealer took our first price, so we weren't low enough.
My wife was upset because we were still going to have to finance more than $24,000 with TTL and trade-in. So, we walked out.
They have tried call us about 10 times today. I talked to them once and they tried to tell me the bottom line was $500 higher than the sheet I didn't sign. Sorry, no deal.
I think we're done with this dealer. My wife wants to look at the Volvo and Freestyle one more time and we might try again at another dealer at the end of the month. There are lots of Honda dealers around here.
Also, they didn't want me "shop the deal", but I don't understand why that is bad for me. It's bad for them, but I really want to know what the best price someone can make is.
Also, my work performance review is end of month. I should get some kind of raise in late May / early June. Also, we need to pay my car off.
So, the dealers can wait another month, or two, or six. Both cars are still running.
Glen Austin
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Post #206,861
5/10/05 10:14:56 PM
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Ya done good.
If you don't feel good about a purchase like that, you have to walk away. Car (and other) salesmen have to learn that they lose more sales by bullying than they do by making customers feel like they were treated well. They won't learn that lesson unless mistreated people walk away.
Luck with the search!
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #206,862
5/10/05 10:16:27 PM
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You should buy the thing over the phone
from the leasing office.
Why subject yourself to all that pressure? Car sales people have "games". I've seen them all. They are now classics, they still run them, and they often still work.
Like the old "holy cow we gotta hurry on the paperwork, my buddy has another buyer down the hall trying to buy your car and we have to beat him to it. That's the only one we have at that price point because of a special arrangement with the factory".
Or "this offer is only good today".
Or "man my boss is gonna kill me when he finds out I did this". Often done in pairs with a white hat black hat couple.
Other tips - get outside financing - they mark theirs up.
This is a worthwhile investment : [link|http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312980744/amzna9-1-20/ref=nosim/102-1377767-4883307?dev-t=D26XECQVNV6NDQ%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2|http://www.amazon.co...5%26link_code=xm2]
It will tell you the "lingo" and provide tips for buying through the leasing office - where things are much less of a circus and you cut out the salesmen. Hey, its only six bucks and could save you a bunch of anxiety.
"Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect" --Mark Twain
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." --Albert Einstein
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses." --George W. Bush
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Post #206,865
5/10/05 10:22:48 PM
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when talking money with a car dealer
I never have anything but a drivers license with me, no checks, no credit cards no nothin, so If they want to make the deal they need to overcome that. When I bought the vn I went to the different dealers with the same "type" of car, asked them to provide bottom dollar quotes, I put 5k down and pay sales and all fees and what was the total dollar amount to be financed. It came down to the difference in warranty between ford and chrysler (the chrysler warranty was longer but I could pay extra and get the same coverage for the ford for the same amount) they did try the addon scam after I agreed to the deal, I said nope deal only, kiss my ass or I leave. Either they want to sell cars or they dont.
thanx,
bill
All tribal myths are true, for a given value of "true" Terry Pratchett
[link|http://boxleys.blogspot.com/|http://boxleys.blogspot.com/]
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 48 years. meep
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #207,023
5/11/05 10:36:11 PM
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Freestyle
We test drove the Ford Freestyle tonight. She likes the Freestyle, and it's got more "kid" room, so we'll probably end up with it.
I like the Honda better, but this time we're replacing her minivan, so it probably makes more sense to replace it with a larger car than the CR-V.
I liked the CR-V so much that I'll probably get one when it's time to replace my car. But right now, it's time to do hers.
Glen Austin
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