- #818 of 1783
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Re: Buying Experience [imdone]
by jkandell
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Jan 03, 2007 (9:36 pm)
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Replying to: imdone (Jan 03, 2007 8:46 pm)
I can totally relate to wanting to deal with a dealer with basic integrity. While it could be a simple mistake it sure sounds like they sold the same car to two people, quite deceitful. However, I don't think this has to do with Honda or Nissan or any other make, but rather the individual dealership. I was surprised how different all the dealers styles were whom I solicited. Some were straightforward, some were classic car salesmen with every second word full of sh-t, and others were somewhere in between. The truth is auto sales is not the den of integrity, even at best. However as long as you keep your ethics, as you did, you can eventually find a dealer whose style matches your own. Enough to make a purchase anyway.
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- #819 of 1783
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Are the Sport ATs selling cheaper than the Base MTs? (Was: deposit on
by jkandell
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Jan 03, 2007 (9:52 pm)
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Replying to: caracraig (Jan 03, 2007 4:33 pm)
"The price quoted to me out the door was $17495. [...]Does this sound about right including all the fees, tax, tags, etc?"
Sounds like a good price to me. I'm starting to wonder if the Sport ATs are selling cheaper than the Base MTs due to supply and demand right now? I noticed the last few people posting who bought sport ATs here paid out the door only about $900-$1200 above msrp including taxes and title etc --with something like cargo tray or mats or tinting thrown in for free. I felt lucky to find a MT with no add ons at $1750 over msrp otd (including taxes and title). Has anyone else noticed this discrepancy in their neck of the woods? Or perhaps I got a lousy deal or it's just Az. In Arizona you'd be paying $1325 sales tax on those Sport ATs so I don't see how you guys are getting away so low.
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- #820 of 1783
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Questions: deposit and ordering without add-ons
by stevendmo
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Jan 03, 2007 (11:52 pm)
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What's an appropriate (reasonable) deposit when ordering a new vehicle? Are we talking five or ten percent here?
Also -- is it reasonable for me to expect that the dealer will either order or search out a Fit that does not have all sorts of extra add-ons that I don't want/need (e.g., racing stripe, mud flaps, etc.)? There are precious few Fits available in area dealerships (finally test drove one today after much searching!), but I really don't want to jack up the cost of the vehicle by $800-1200 simply for things that I don't really need, even if it's in the dealer's own interest to pad the bottom line. I'm willing to wait (five months if necessary) to get the right Fit. Is my stance reasonable? Do you imagine I might prevail, or am I crazy here? Thanks for any thoughts/advice!
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- #821 of 1783
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Re: Are the Sport ATs selling cheaper than the Base MTs? (Was: deposit on [jkandell]
by caracraig
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Jan 04, 2007 (6:26 am)
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Replying to: jkandell (Jan 03, 2007 9:52 pm)
I wonder if the difference in the sales tax state to state is the difference you are seeing. Here, in North Carolina, the sales tax for vehicles is 3%. My taxes ended up being just slightly over $500. I'm thinking it was $505 or something like that. Also, to the last question on deposits...I put down $500 deposit for a car that the dealership already had coming in next month. I got to choose the add-ons.
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- #822 of 1783
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Re: Buying Experience [imdone]
by crv16
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Jan 04, 2007 (7:48 am)
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Replying to: imdone (Jan 03, 2007 8:46 pm)
While I sympathize with your situation, I think you are being short sighted. Think about it - when it comes to owning a car, the actual purchase experience represents 0.000002% of the actual time you spend with the car. I'd rather deal with a poor purchase experience and end up with a superior car (that I'll live with for YEARS) than having my butt kissed at a dealer and live with a mediocre car.
Unethical dealers are not exclusively Honda. The same thing happens at *all* dealers when demand for a car exceeds supply. Go try to buy a Mazdaspeed3 or a Sky Redline and you'll get the same treatment.
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- #823 of 1783
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Re: Buying Experience [crv16]
by jkandell
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Jan 04, 2007 (8:00 am)
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Replying to: crv16 (Jan 04, 2007 7:48 am)
"The same thing happens at *all* dealers when demand for a car exceeds supply."
While it's true that the buyer loses leverage with "hot" cars, different dealers have different ways of handling this, and not all of them violate common decency. I noticed some dealers took your name, and then when a Fit came in all the salesmen did a race to see who could reach a buyer first. Other dealers had an organized waiting list, so that you didn't lose your place if you were at work and didn't pick up your phone.
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- #824 of 1783
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Re: Questions: deposit and ordering without add-ons [stevendmo]
by jkandell
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Jan 04, 2007 (8:22 am)
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Replying to: stevendmo (Jan 03, 2007 11:52 pm)
You should do a search of this thread to get the answer to your question, it's been discussed a lot. My summary: Most people seem to have put down $500. Make sure you use a credit card and get something in writing saying it's refundable. Get a VIN# if possible (so you know it's a car which is built)--that's just my opinion but if you're putting down a deposit on an entry level vehicle you deserve some reassurance it will come. Most dealers try to do add-ons, especially since demand is greater than supply. With effort you can find dealers who will not do add-ons. I did that, as did others here. Watch out for doc fees too, go for "out the door" price. I personally was not successful in finding a dealer without a high "doc" fee, but I was not willing to wait months. Others here have found what you want, but you'll need to solicit as many dealers as possible in your region, and be willing to wait. My sense from having read the whole thread and my own search is that about 1 in 10 dealers are willing to avoid add-ons (and not always without pressure). Given the hoard of buyers wanting this car, and the temptation to bait-and-switch, I'd make sure you find a dealer with some integrity in this whole process.
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- #825 of 1783
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Re: Questions: deposit and ordering without add-ons [stevendmo]
by ciara1
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Jan 06, 2007 (11:14 am)
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Replying to: stevendmo (Jan 03, 2007 11:52 pm)
It's absolutely reasonable to expect to find a dealer willing to order a fit without the extra add-ons. The majority of those are added by dealerships when the car arrives to increase profit margin, but if you order a car, you should be able to get it without them if that's what you want. It does take some doing to find a dealer willing to work on those terms, but they're out there, and as long as you're willing to keep walking out until you get what you want you'll find one eventually.
I found that contacting dealerships via email worked better than visiting in person. Internet managers are accustomed to the idea that their customers are savvy shoppers and are probably collecting multiple quotes. Watch out for the ones that won't give you a quote over the phone or via email even after being told exactly what you want -- they're typically the ones wanting to do whatever it takes to get you into the dealership in hopes of plying you with high-pressure sales tactics. Also, make sure you ask for the out-the-door price so you're always sure you're comparing apples to apples, because far too many will claim to sell somewhere between invoice and MSRP -- what sounds like a great deal for you! -- but then turn out to have all kinds of non-negotiable extra add-ons or fees that jack the price up well above MSRP. If you ask for the out-the-door price with all fees itemized, they can't sneak anything by you.
Good luck with the shopping process 
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- #826 of 1783
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Re: Questions: deposit and ordering without add-ons [ciara1]
by bobw3
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Jan 06, 2007 (2:02 pm)
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Replying to: ciara1 (Jan 06, 2007 11:14 am)
But since the Fit is in such high demand, they know that people will buy them with the extras, so they'll do that for the added profit. They figure if someone won't buy it with the extras then so what?? There are plenty of others who will buy it.
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- #827 of 1783
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Re: Questions: deposit and ordering without add-ons [bobw3]
by jkandell
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Jan 06, 2007 (3:14 pm)
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Replying to: bobw3 (Jan 06, 2007 2:02 pm)
You are correct. Which is why only about one in ten dealers is willing to sell it to you without add-ons. The good news is: You can usually find dealers in your area willing to do so, though you may have to drive to get there.
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