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?
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?