Airport Marina Honda - Great Experience with Tunde

[chips4s]

I had a great experience with Airport Marina Honda with the Fleet Mgr Tunde. I live in San Jose and purchased our 2004 Pilot EX-L Navi from Tunde at Marina in November, 2003.

I had a terrible experience trying to find my car in the Bay Area. In the fall of 2003 I found all the Bay Area dealers were short of Pilots (2003 & 2004 models) and nobody was willing to offer much. I tried Costco, AAA, and credit union discounts. The best I could do was $1K off MSRP with significant arm twisting and then I was put on a waiting list for the specific model I wanted (as above in Silver). After 1.5 months of waiting (with 2 different dealers), I found HondaPilot.org.

After reviewing posts on this website I called several dealers in Los Angeles near the airport and found our Pilot within a day. The dealers in LA were much more willing to discuss better pricing.

I called Tunde at Airport Marina Honda. He gave me a great deal (>>$1K off sticker price and he added mud flaps and a cargo cover). We agreed on paper (fax) to a specific arrangement. I must admit was a bit concerned when I flew down to LA on a 1 way ticket. I was afraid I might have to live with a different deal once I was there in person. No issues at all. Tunde picked me up from LAX, everything was exactly as we agreed and I was out of the dealer within about 90 minutes (just paperwork) without pressure to add options or warranties.

I had a great experience working with Tunde at Airport Marina Honda. Call him on his cell (310)383-0592 if you want to deal with a straight shooter for your Honda. Tell him chips4s from San Jose sent you.....

[sac84371]

I hope you are enjoying the new Pilot. I live in the east bay and I paid $750 off MSRP with a free cargo cover and free Perma Plate,( over priced wax job and leather treatment.)

How do you think I did. This was on a Sage Brush EX-L.

Pilots in the Bay Area are very hard to come by, if you go to the I/F department you can see that the 30 Pilots coming in over the next 60 days are already spoken for or reserved for MSRP sales only.


Are these cars that in demand or is Honda just holding back production to raise prices?

Thanks

[m-mmeyer]

Originally posted by sac84371
SNIPPED.....
Are these cars that in demand or is Honda just holding back production to raise prices?

Thanks

I believe that Honda has always held back production on there cars. It was that way with the Odysseys. When they fist came out you couldn't even test drive them!
By holding back production they don't end up with a glut like GM and other US makers, which causes them to do massive markdown which cause residual value to drop like a rock.


Matt

[chips4s]

It's simply a fact there has been more Pilot inventory in LA than the Bay Area. I don't if this is because of the higher volume of dealers, there's lower demand in LA, or if Honda ships more cars there. This has been true for a couple years with Odysseys, some Accord models and now the Pilot. I've spoken with many Honda owners in the Bay Area who bought their cars / minivans / now SUV's in LA because they found significantly better pricing there. The bottom line is if you're willing to do the drive and do your shopping over the phone, you'll most likely get a much better price in LA (or outside the Bay Area) for the same Honda.

[omg]

I also had a great experience with at Airport Marina Honda. I did all the negotiations through email and picked up my Pilot EX SBP last sunday for $392 over invoice. I emailed several dealers in California and decided to purchase my Pilot in LA since most the dealers had the model/color and the price was significantly lower compared to NorCal dealers
.
Most LA dealer quoted between $392-$1000 over invoice. Airport Marina quoted the best price so I went with them.
Best quote I got in NorCal was $1500 below MSRP from Hansel Honda.

I flew from Sacramento and I was also a little nervous at first but Tunde was great and everything went well.

[kadiir]

Me, too!

I got $1850 below MSRP & all accessories (see my sig, excluding one's Honda doesn't make of course) at 10% over cost.

I picked mine up 10/24/04. It was totally worth the drive down (we rented a car to head down & drove the pilot back).

kad

[kemosabe]

Originally posted by kadiir
[ S N I P P E D ]

I picked mine up 10/24/04.

[ S N I P P E D ]

Wow, kadiir, I didn't realize that time travel into the future was possible...

P.S. The video clip that you requested has been sent...