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SUVs Honda Element Honda Element: Prices Paid & Buying Experience
729 messages, Last post on Jul 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
You are in the Honda Element Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
| Bought an '08 Element SC in Root Beer for $20,300.50 a month ago. Dealer threw in the all-season floor mats, I got the cargo tray, wheel locks and fog lights. From reading other posts, I believe the deal was right. I used the internet quote strategy and it really seemed to bring the dealers down to earth. My initial quotes were some 2K higher, but with patience and email print-outs, I finally got a price that I felt comfortable with at one of my local dealers. I found another section of this forum which has accessory installation instructions, and plan to use it to add some underbody spoiler trim and a roof rack. I found the dealership's prices for the parts and installation were a bit inflated, and the items I want to add are relatively simple to install with the directions I found. Wish me luck. I've never owned a car longer than 2 years, but as much as I like this Element, I can imagine driving it 'til it falls apart. Being a Honda, that's gonna be a long, long time. | |
| pd $18,700 ... now that Honda is offering a $1,500 cash to dealer incentive! We have 2 dealers in town and the Element is my 3rd Honda purchase in 7 months (long story). My preferred dealer had (1) 08 EX left, but could not sell it at the other dealer's price, though he would have loved to have had my repeat biz. He said the price I got is over $1K under cost, and he was pretty flabbergasted. I looked up the Edmunds TMV - $18,697 - emailed my offer of $18,700, and my offer was accepted by the internet manager with no negotiation at all. I paid cash, no trade, etc. ... so that simplified things. MSRP sticker was $22,460. | |
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Hello I don't know if everybody gets my experience with 2009 Element models, but here is my story. 1. Emailed 4 Honda dealers about their price for 2009 Element (Alabama), only one replied (Brannon Honda). For LX 4WD the quote was 21.300 OTD. We scheduled a test drive ASAP 2. Entered the dealership. "Sorry, we don't have 2009 Element right now, but here is 2008 EX 4WD you can test drive". OK, did test drive it. Told them, it is not what I want, but we went to see how it goes (3700 rpm at 75 mph Interstate, my CRV easily keeps 2500 rpm at 80 mph - same engine). 3. Went to discuss 2009 Element price. "We can't deliver it before 5/2009, nobody else can in AL". WTF? "We can give you OTD price for 2008 EX 4WD as $22.300, it is a great price!" What a waste of time. People, do you have this problem everywhere, or it's only AL? There are some 2009 on eBay all the time, but not many. Thanks |
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Replying to: newcrvman (Feb 04, 2009 10:51 am) Sounds like you're getting the run-around. I sold Hondas a few years ago, and they're jacking with you. When I bought my end of season '08, they had about 5 '09 models on the ground in all the trim lines at Bob Howard Honda here in Oklahoma City. An LX can be had for under 20K, so their price sounds a little high. I'm not sure what dealer incentives are available on the '09s, but my '08 SC had $1500 in dealer incentive. Plus, I got into their holdback a little bit. You can check this out incentives on the Edmunds incentives page when you search/research the Element you want. They likely don't have any rebates, but usually have dealer incentives. That's free money, if you can get them to part with it. And trust me, they're not gonna tell you about it. With the car market as it is today...even with the fast selling Hondas...you should be able to get a better deal. When I bought mine, I was the only person in the show room. Let's face it, even Honda is having a hard time. The Civic is where they're not budging much on price, not the Element. Very hard to believe that they won't have any '09s until May. I bought my '08 in November '08, and as I said, the dealership here had several '09s...I even looked at one, but couldn't get the color I wanted, so went with the '08. There was no difference in the way they drove. I personally preferred the '08 to the '09, but that's just a personal choice. There isn't that much difference...just a change to the headlights, tailights, grille, and seat fabrics, so it's not like it's a totally new vehicle they're rolling out. Stick to your guns, get some more internet quotes...even from surrounding states. They won't know if you're really willing to drive to another state for a better deal. Print the quotes & see the sales manager and let him know you're serious...he won't let you walk. Also, the best deals to be had are always on the last sales day of the month. They always want to sell JUST ONE MORE, so they make concessions they might not ordinarily make. If you get the deal you want, it might be almost a no-money deal,so they may try to make it up in the finance department. It pays to have you're financing arranged ahead of time...but don't let them know that. Hope this helps, and best of luck. I'm willing to bet you can do better.
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Replying to: SalGood (Feb 07, 2009 6:46 pm)
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Replying to: newcrvman (Feb 09, 2009 9:12 am) |
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Replying to: newcrvman (Feb 04, 2009 10:51 am) Your local dealer is correct, no one in AL can deliver one until May.
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Hey mplshondadlr: That's too bad...what is their deal? But I do know that Bob Howard had 5 on the ground when I bought my '08. That's not very good customer service. Not available until May??? Heck, I think I'd tell them to get lost. Even though the majority of people are wanting the Civics or Accords, I would think a dealer who wanted the business would go to the lengths necessary to secure the vehicle newcrvman is wanting...
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Replying to: SalGood (Feb 10, 2009 4:25 pm) For dealers, it has nothing to do with customer service. We're at the mercy of Honda. Were it up to us, we would sell everyone who walked through the door a car. Sometimes things are beyond our control. 
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Replying to: mplshondadlr (Feb 10, 2009 4:46 pm)
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