[Mojo]

Just closed my deal yesterday in NJ. Firstly, I'm a Costco member; they provide the name of a dealership where you can get the "Costco Car Price" , so I went to that dealership and told them that I'd like to see the Costco Price List. They showed it to me, and it stated that I was entitled to $500 off the MSRP. I LAUGHED AT THEM, and then said, "well, why don't you put that list away, and I'll pretend that I never saw it!". Then I gave them a piece of paper with what I wanted to pay. Funnily enough, my offer was higher than what we eventually bargained down to. Anyway, the details of the purchase are below:

Base RTL: $28,328 (This is their invoice cost; List is $31,490)
Amount over Invoice: $0!
Tonneau: $ 1,100 (Lists for $1795)
RearviewMirror: $ 300 (Lists for $525)
Destination: $ 550 (did not try to negotiate this away)
Floor Carpets: $ 0 (you should never pay for these, Lists for $249)
==========
Sub Total: $ 30,278 (Savings of $4,082!!!)

Doc Fee: $138
License & Registr: $324
Tire Tax: $ 7.50
=======
Grand Total: $ 32,569

The following is a comical discussion I had with the salesman at a different dealership:

Me: "How can you sell the car to me for Invoice and make any money?"
Salesman: "I don't know. That's the finance guys job!".
Me: "How long have you worked at this dealership"
Salesman: "Six years"
Me: "So you're trying to tell me that you've worked here 6 years, and you don't know how this place makes the money to pay your salary, commissions, and office space, etc.."
Salesman: "Not really" (with a s--- eating grin).
Me: "Do you get some sort of holdback from the manufacturer?"
Salesman: "Well, yeah, we get something, but I don't know what it is."
Me: "So why didn't you tell me that when I first asked?"
Salesman: "I don't know."
Me: "So, in other words, you lied to me, no?"
Salesman: "Not really, I mean that is public knowledge."
Me: "Later, I don't purchase from liars" (but I knew that I had a better deal from the other dealership where actually I purchased the car)

So, the moral of the story is, even at invoice the dealership will make its money. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending upon how you look at it) gas prices are sky-high, and Honda is fearing it won't make its numbers, hence the agreement to sell at invoice. I say that we now try to chip away at destination charges, doc fees, and even dip below invoice!

Now, I wonder why there is a STICKY post on a $500 OFF MSRP offer from a dealership (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177). I think that the owners of this site should make THIS the STICKY posting, as I think it benefits this website community more than an ad from a dealership (unless, that is, they paid you for the post!)... What do you all think?

And if somebody scores a better deal than me in the future, then make their posting of the financial details the STICKY post...

Addl Info:
When I got into the discussion with them about floor carpets, it was only then that I realized that while I could buy them from the Parts desk for $129, the dealership wanted to charge $249! I asked why there was a discrepancy, and they said that the difference is the installation charge!!!! "Do you mean that is what you charge to throw them into the car?", and their response was, "Well, we need to fill out the order form, go to the parts department, check them out, put them in the car...". I was so disgusted that I then told them, "Sounds a bit excessive to me; you've just thrown them in for free!"---they agreed.

Furthermore, when I found this out, I started analyzing their "install" charges for other options...needless to say, I will be installing numerous other options myself. Honda's list prices can be found on their website, but I also found that I can buy those same Honda OEM parts from AutoWebAccessories.com for even less, as they apparently buy in bulk. I had them install the Tonneau cover for obvious reasons, but, for instance, holes are pre-drilled for installation of the running boards, so why pay them $280 to tighten a few bolts?

 

[planetohdaddy]

Mo, please tell me from what dealership you bought, or just tell me what town would be a nice to visit at this time of year (hint hint). I went to Clinton Honda and Phillipsburg Honda and neither would just come out and give me a price. AutoSport told me immediately, invoice plus $100.

 

[Mojo]

Will send you a 'private message' per your request...Not sure how this works...let me know if you don't get it!

 

[maybearidge]

is planetohdaddy from Planet Honda n NJ??

 

[tedridge]

I bought my Ridgeline back in April from Clinton Honda. Great dealer and service department.

 

[planetohdaddy]

is planetohdaddy from Planet Honda n NJ??

lol, no, they stole my name idea!!!

 

[captmiddy]

Mojo - That sticky is from a sponsored link to a sales group that is some how associated with this forum. If you look at other posts by them you will see changes in that pricing. That price was before the Ridgeline was even available everywhere and they were taking $500 off MSRP while some places were selling over MSRP. I believe they offered something closer to invoice just recently. In fact here is the link for when they were offering $99 over invoice http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25931#post25931

So yours would likely not be sticky because it just shows what you can get right now, not necessarily what anyone can get. I am sure some could get better, some will only be able to get something worse based on market. And you are not a dealer who can guarantee a price.

 

[Mojo]

CaptMiddy - My intent is that the sticky post should be set to whatever the best price is at the moment... If you were a buyer, wouldn't you want to know who paid the least, and where? It would make it easier for the users of the site to immediately know the BEST price on base/options/etc., instead of forcing each individual user to search and search (like I did) for pricing discussions.

As far as I can tell, nobody has posted that they were able to obtain their Ridgeline AT invoice, nor have I seen better pricing in posts for the high-priced Tonneau cover. If somebody can get a better deal than I, then great; just recommending to aggregate this info into a single, pinned post.

 

[tedridge]

Mojo, I like your suggestion. Where in Jersey do you travel? I'll keep a look out for you. I drive daily from Clinton area to Jersey City in a black Ridge. Enjoy your ride.

 

[captmiddy]

CaptMiddy - My intent is that the sticky post should be set to whatever the best price is at the moment... If you were a buyer, wouldn't you want to know who paid the least, and where? It would make it easier for the users of the site to immediately know the BEST price on base/options/etc., instead of forcing each individual user to search and search (like I did) for pricing discussions.

As far as I can tell, nobody has posted that they were able to obtain their Ridgeline AT invoice, nor have I seen better pricing in posts for the high-priced Tonneau cover. If somebody can get a better deal than I, then great; just recommending to aggregate this info into a single, pinned post.

And while that is fine, because your post is new it will stay near the top of the current purchased list (and there are others who have claimed pricing right in line with yours, but maybe not on the accessories). My statement was more to the fact that pricing you paid will not translate into what someone else is going to pay. It is a point in time, one time deal that says once upon a time you were able to pay invoice. The issue was more in the other posts that you made stating that some deals weren't very good over a $500 difference in price which could have had everything to do with the location, the time of the month, the willingness of the dealership to bend because of their current month's results, or even the other factors of trade and the like. There are so many factors in making a car deal that each deal is very different from the last. You are obviously a good negotiator and was able to get your dealership to bend to where you wanted them to. Great for you, and it is great to share it, but don't worry about the other posts, people will see what you got, will think twice about their plan to purchase and will make a decision that they are comfortable with. Like I have posted in my signature, I made a deal which cost me $2000 because I wanted the truck now and wasn't willing to wait any more since I had been shopping around for 2 weeks. Am I disappointed, no not in the least, at the end of the day I saw my deal as a point in time thing, and the deal I could make the next week may have been different. I got over it. Sure that $2000 would have been great to have, but if I look at it that way, when people are paying under invoice more frequently or when someone else posts their deal that is so much better than mine, I would just be depressed. I can't look at it that way.

So it is great that you got a good deal, thanks for sharing it, we can all see that there is more wiggle room now than when several of us purchased. If I were to go do it again, I would definitely try harder now, or perhaps wait a little longer.