New Honda Pilot Buyer's Group

[kruzo]

(Temporarily removed. See bellow.)

[kruzo]

(Temporarily removed. See bellow.)

[MDXlite]

Wow Kruzo!

These are great prices! I would have saved a couple of hundred more had I waited. Damn!

How about a price for the complete tow package??

Thanks!

[pjl56]

? ?

[admin]

Here is the reason for this group buy being temporarily suspended:

This site is free to all members. However, if you are a business trying to sell/advertise your product, you have to pay a fee to hang out here. We had numerous dealers trying to sell their products on our sites without paying for advertisement, and we have been removing their posts quite frequently. Same applies to group buys.

Bottom line: I'd love for everyone to get good/better/best deals around, but we have to be strict on our advertising policy, and be fair to other paying advertisers.

So, once this accessories dealer makes appropriate arrangements with me, the group buy will be reopened.

Regards,
admin.

[kruzo]

I apologizes to the members -- I was not aware
of the restrictions that states that the group
buys are designed only for paying advertisers.

I have admin's permission to post the web site
of our supplier.
http://www.pbhonda.com/

Unfortunately our special rates are not available from the web site. Until this is all figured out,
feel free to email me kruzo@yahoo.com for the
prices, or send me private message

Since the dealer did not approach me (I approached
them) and is not even aware of this site, it will
be a tough sale for me to get them to advertise
here. And I am at the point where I think I have
exceeded the amount of effort I am willing to invest out of the kindness of my heart.

Originally posted by admin
Here is the reason for this group buy being temporarily suspended:

This site is free to all members. However, if you are a business trying to sell/advertise your product, you have to pay a fee to hang out here.

[justacar]

Thanks for all the effort Kruzo, but I think Tim has the reputation and the loyalty that can't be beat.

[PrG]

Loyalty ...

Now that a novel idea !

PrG

[N_Jay]

Unfortunatly too many people shop on price alone and then complain about "Service" or other "Costs".

I would rather pay a few cents (or %) more on the transaction, than to deal with issues that arrise with most bottom dollar sellers.

Tim supports this site with both advertising and a lot of time reading and posting.
Tim supports his customers with a toll free number, and a willingness to spend time on it.

Lets hope that this new vendor wants to do that same.

[Mkell]

Seeing that a few of us are displaying personal opinions let me add mine. On the internet, generally price should rule. If one needs a long-term purchasing relationship with a supplier then it might be worth it to pay more in exchange for an expectation that you will receive better service. If one is odering a couple of parts, like floor mats, I don't think that paying more for them from a friedly place gets you a whole lot.

[hondacuraplanet]

Until yesterday, I have been the lowest price found on all accesories for the Pilot (when free shipping is factored in). I'm still cheaper on some than they are.....frankly I hadn't had time to go over the whole list. Let me demonstrate how what I do *can* make a difference.

Let's take this scenario (and this happens more frequently than you'd imagine). We have a new Pilot owner that calls me to order some accessories for his new incoming vehicle. We strike a friendly conversation, and talk about the internet forums, etc, and general banter. Order comes to say $200, shipped and received by the customer. Transaction done. Or is it?

Six months later, the customer sends me an email telling me of a defective cargo net that has lost tension. I return the email saying that a new one is en route to them along with a return label. Put the old net in the bag, and return it to me....let me deal with Honda on it. Happy customer.

Next year as I'm doing my daily round on the boards to see what's happening around, I see that customer has posted dissatisfaction with the dealer's handling of a warranty repair....they refuse to cover the needed repair and tell you you'll have to live with it. I send you a PM to tell you to call me. You ring me in the afternoon and we talk at length about your problem and I contact my people at Honda and find out exactly what is going on. I can't promise a resolution, but I can promise that I will use everything in my power to help you out. Things work out for the best in the end in this case. Happy customer.

Time passes and that same customer calls me and asks a little advice on a used Honda purchase for his daughter that's going away to school. I offer to do a VIN check for the warranty status of the car, and to check it's history. Looks like a good buy! Happy customer.

Whether you're my customer or not, I will display that level of commitment to you as an owner of a Honda product. This is why I have such loyal customers. Where you spend your money is of course your prerogative, and I never badmouth any other sites....they may have great service and prices as well. But there is one thing that I believe sets me apart from them.

I work here.

[N_Jay]

Buy on Cost:Value, not Price.
Lots goes into the Value equasion besides the product.
If everyone adopts your "Price is King" attitude, we all end up geting no service even when we only need a little, and paying a whole lot when we need a little more.

[kruzo]

N_Jay:

1. If "Price is King" attitude had no merit on the web, sites like dealtime.com, mysimon.com and other shoppers would not survive. They prosper.
2. If this was all about loyalty, you should be
buying your accessories from the dealer you bought
your car from (provided he was OK), support him and the local economy.

I agree, Value is what everyone is looking for.
But who's to say that the new source is not going
to offer it -- this is why we were going to do
a trial!

The thinking I see all to often here, "I bought
stuff from X and it was great and inexpensive,
and I've tried the Y, and he was cheap and bad,
so I won't try Z because cheap is bad". Well,
it's irrational. Keep in mind, we are buying
Honda part froma Honda dealer, no matter where
you go. If it's broken -- you can go to
ANY dealer and demand a warranty service within
12 month. How BAD CAN IT BE.

Originally posted by N_Jay
Buy on Cost:Value, not Price.
Lots goes into the Value equasion besides the product.
If everyone adopts your "Price is King" attitude, we all end up geting no service even when we only need a little, and paying a whole lot when we need a little more.

[davemac]

My colleagues and I (involved with a financial product/service) jokingly refer to the obsession of low price chasing, as the "Walmart Syndrome"- the theory being that the large chain stores (Walmart/ Home Depot, etc) have conditioned the consumer to primarily target price. Good for the wallet- yes. But it comes at the expense of a lot of hard working, knowlegable, merchants who give much better service. Kinda sad I guess (although admittedly I am often guilty.... I like to blame my Scottish ancestry... Was copper wire really invented by two people fighting over a penny?)
Anyway, I appreciate Kruzo's efforts. I did get a glimpse at some of the prices b4 they were censored & didn't see much, if any, difference from HAW, so much of the stirrings appear moot. At this point, I'll be sticking with Tim for my next accessory purchase. Hey, any word yet on an August "special"?

[Hitandrun]

I have to reply to the backhand at Home Depot. I have NEVER been treated better by ANY business establishment than by Home Depot. They have gone WAY above and beyond reasonable service each and every time I have ever had any problem. I have been jerked around too many times by "Hard-working knowledgable people" at other retailers. HD is a breath of fresh air in their policies regarding their customers. As for Wal-Mart and other national chains, I don't deal with any of them anough to have an opinion, but HD is OK by me.