[joshr]

i've got a dealer willing to do MSRP with no forced accessories on an EX. they are friendly, seem genuine and up front.

my only concern is that instead of taking a deposit, they want me to buy the car before it arrives (due in about a week). they will give me a VIN right away. they say they don't take deposits, and if i wait until the car hits the lot they will do forced accessories.

i was in the market for an MDX a little while ago and a dealer wanted me to do the same thing and i wasn't too excited about it, but now i think i'm reconsidering.

the issues i have:

1) i have a trade in. they say that we can negotiate a certain amount of mileage between now and the time the Pilot arrives.

2) something happens to my trade in between now and then, and i need to come up with the difference

3) something happens to my Pilot (i.e. it falls off the truck, gets scratched, dented, whatever), and since i now own it, its my problem, not the dealer's.

any opinion/experience is greatly appreciated.

josh

 

[banningjr]

Personal opinion - No way Jack!

As much as the Pilot is a great vehicle there is no way in heck I would buy the car before it even arrives. If it is only a week away there is no way the value of your trade should change as long as you don't run up 1,000 miles on it. I wouldn't trust that dealership. There is another somewhere else who will give it at MSRP and at most may ask for the deposit.

 

[joshr]

i'm leaning towards the no way jack the more i think about it. the situation around here sucks (southern california). i think i'll take my chances with a couple forced options.

Personal opinion - No way Jack!

As much as the Pilot is a great vehicle there is no way in heck I would buy the car before it even arrives. If it is only a week away there is no way the value of your trade should change as long as you don't run up 1,000 miles on it. I wouldn't trust that dealership. There is another somewhere else who will give it at MSRP and at most may ask for the deposit.

 

[03pilot]

NO way can i think of buying a car without looking at it and inspecting it. I had a tough time giving a deposit without ever having seen one in person. Forget about buying it from this dealer.

 

[marerich]

I agree with... no way jack

Run .....don't walk to another dealer.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[joshr]

Re: I agree with... no way jack

Run .....don't walk to another dealer.
GOOD LUCK!

did that. got a really great quote, spent half the morning there. unfortunately, they didn't actually have the car, and they one they located through the 'dealer network' was actually sold. argh. after going back and forth on my trade in for over an hour, i gave up. this dealer, too, wanted me to basically buy the car before it arrived, saying that they aren't supposed to take deposits and that i can either do the paperwork now or take my chances and wait for one to come in. pretty frustrating way to buy a car.

 

[marerich]

re. no way jack

Keep trying they are worth the wait. There has to be a reputable dealer in your area.Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hondapilot/messages
There may be some people in your area with dealer info.
again GOOD LUCK!

 

[banningjr]

Josh
I would keep looking. If you want to post a general location of where you are I'm sure someone in your area could direct you to a real dealership.

Marerich
I see you are from Northern PA. Have you tried out your Pilot on any lands your way? I am looking for some nice trails other than the coal roads of Northumberland and Schuylkill Couties.

 

[joshr]

good news. i drove home in the car i wanted today! EX-L with DVD, Redrock Pearl. got a good deal considering the market. thanks everyone!

Josh
I would keep looking. If you want to post a general location of where you are I'm sure someone in your area could direct you to a real dealership.

Marerich
I see you are from Northern PA. Have you tried out your Pilot on any lands your way? I am looking for some nice trails other than the coal roads of Northumberland and Schuylkill Couties.

 

[rtr]

got a good deal considering the market

What does that mean? If you paid over MSRP you didn't get a good deal.

 

[N_Jay]

A good deal

A good deal is when you pay the same or less than what YOU consider the vehicle to be worth.
MSRP is just a suggestion. It is not the maximum you should pay (per the logic of a lot of people here), nor is it the minimum you should pay (per the logic of some dealers).
If you want to "save" maoney, just buy a Dodge or Chevy. You can always get them for WAY under MSRP!

 

[joshr]

What does that mean? If you paid over MSRP you didn't get a good deal.

that means i paid MSRP for the car, and got the one option i wanted (running boards) for under MSRP.

 

[renov8r]

Re: Pricing thinking...

A good deal is when you pay the same or less than what YOU consider the vehicle to be worth.
MSRP is just a suggestion. It is not the maximum you should pay (per the logic of a lot of people here), nor is it the minimum you should pay (per the logic of some dealers).
If you want to "save" maoney, just buy a Dodge or Chevy. You can always get them for WAY under MSRP!

MSRP does carry quite a bit of weight with regard to vehicle purchases.

From insurance, to financing, to residual value the single biggest determination of 'max value' is MSRP. It is not "just a suggestion". It is a CALCULATION performed by the factory to assist the dealers in negotiating vehicle sales to profitably run their stores.

I see lot of folks who claim that you should feel good about paying what you feel the "vehicle is worth", I suspect these are people who have a vested intrest in seeing folks pay more than MSRP and/or people who are trying to apply the thinking that goes into 'real estate bidding wars'.Current production vehicles are ALWAYS decling worth assests. Real estate is not. This is just stupid to think that if supply were UNCONSTRAINED there would be ANYONE paying over MSRP. The factory & dealers artifically limit supply - folks who are IMPATIENT for this situation to be corrected FOOLISHLY pay more than MSRP...

While it is true that some domestics sell for significantly less than MSRP, it is also true of some Honda/Acura products-- there are currently SCREAMING deals on the Accord, and most Acura dealers will happliy whack 3 or 4 grand off any RL they have gathering dust. You can lump the Lexus RX300 and some other 'imported luxury' SUVs in there too, just to be fair.

WHENEVER somebody pays more than MSRP you can bet that a) that person is NOT "money smart" b) a salesperson is VERY VERY VERY happy c) at trade-in time that car is worth not a cent more than one purchased at/below MSRP.