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Actual prices paid ONLY - comments will be deleted

710K views 2K replies 933 participants last post by  steve44 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
As some of us prepare to enter negotiations with dealers, it would be really helpful to share some key information here to help others:

(YYYY)Trim Level (RT, RTS, Sport, RTL, RTL-T, RTL-E, Black Edition)
Exterior Color
City (County) and State of Purchase
Final Price Before Tax and Trade-in
Incentives and Discounts​
Trade-in Involved (yes/no)

Reason to ask if there is a trade-in involved is that makes it really hard to determine the actual price paid for the new vehicle. Getting some sense of whether people are paying MSRP, above, or below, especially where no trade-in is involved, will help others in their negotiations.

Thanks!
 
#1,316 ·
Dealers will say that if they charge a doc fee (which is not a fee required by law), then they have to consistently charge every customer the same doc fee. However, I've purchased vehicles from dealers that charge doc fees and there is nothing or "0" shown in the "doc fee" line on the paperwork. I don't care whether they charge $0 or $5,000 for a doc fee - as long as the OTD price is where I want it to be. When submitting my offers, I completely ignore any other fees or charges as if they didn't exist - I let them decide how to show the numbers. When you start trying to focus on haggling individual charges, dealers are highly trained on how to overcome those objections. Making an OTD offer takes away many of their tools.
 
#1,317 · (Edited)
To just add my experience to what has already been said. In 2011 I bought a used accord from a nissan dealer and they charged a $75 doc fee that I just paid on top of our agreed price. The salesperson told me everyone just pays it and it's lower than other dealers. In 2012 I bought a new odyssey from the local honda dealer and was charged $93. I just paid it and it raised the agreed price of the vehicle $93, although I bitched a little and got free splash guards. A couple years ago I bought a very used crv from an independent used car dealer and there was no doc fee. When I talked to honda dealers recently with my ridgeline purchase my local dealer's doc fee was now $180 - doubled since 2012. I questioned it. I was told by the sales manager if he charges one person the doc fee he has to charge everyone the doc fee, but lowered his vehicle price, added the $180, and gave a price with them added together. I still walked. The dealer I ended up going with had a $155 doc fee. I told the salesperson I would do it w/ no doc fee, his GM said no, and they were willing to lose the sale over that I guess. I suggested why don't they lower the truck price $155, I'll pay the doc fee, and then I'll do it. They agreed to that. Mathematical geniuses there. Or more likely they don't want the word getting out you can remove them. With my vehicle locate, I also got splash guards, door edge guard film, and pin-striping (gross) at no charge since they were already installed and I had luckily asked to remove the splash guards & mats accessories I was using to negotiate the base price when I saw how much they lined those out. I think it's best just to shoot for a price of the truck period, unless they bring it up to give extra value with free/discounted accessories. Other dealers within 100 miles had similar doc fees. So doc fees are negotiable. $500 is ridiculous, unless you're making that up in the vehicle price. And while TTL (govt. fees dealer may say) do add up, you can figure them out before hand and as long as you have your vehicle price in mind there's no use haggling over them as they're fixed. So I avoid the term "OTD" myself as there's just too many variables there.
 
#1,322 ·
This thread was helpful in determining a fair OTD. I bought a 2019 Lunar Silver RTL-E (dealer added wheel locks & floor mats) in DMV for $37.5K OTD. Price includes $500 military discount. Cost breakdown is as follows:

Vehicle Cost / Dealer Fees - $35,187
Destination - $1095
VA Tax/Reg - $1718
---------------------------------
OTD Negotiated Price - $38K
Honda Financing Military Discount - $500
--------------------------------------------------------
Total $37.5K

In my opinion OTD price is the only way to negotiate a vehicle. I don't care how the dealership distributes vehicle cost, dealer fees, etc. - I just care what I am paying OTD. It also makes it much easier to compare offers between competing dealerships.

Thank you to those who posted their information. Knowing that Honda was still offering the additional $1500 made my decision to purchase a 2019 much easier vs waiting for the 2020 to come out later this year.
 
#1,323 ·
Back in 2015 I tried to buy a Highlander over the internet as I had done with my Accord. I'm always direct, I come in with a price plus tax and tags. I tell the dealer cash deal, no trade and if the price is agreed but 1k on the credit card and I'll pick it up the next day. The dealer negotiated a little but not a lot. I knew the deal was doable because I had seen what folks were getting done at. In my frustration I instead purchased a CRV Touring over the web and phone at invoice less 500 which was a decent deal. A few hours later the Toyota dealer called me back with a number that was close to what I had asked for. I told them I wish they had taken me more seriously as I had just did a deal for a CRV. The Toyota dealer replied that usually people come in when they are serious. Granted, this was 2015 but in the end, I have remorse over this one, the CRV (our third) has been a disappointment. I should have gone tried other Toyota dealers or actually gone in.
 
#1,324 ·
I've bought several vehicles negotiating over the phone as I take bids from dealers. Of course they say that only serious buyers come into the dealership, they want you in there because they need you to fall in love with the vehicle and make an emotional decision. The average buyer visits 1.2 dealers when purchasing a vehicle. They know that, they want you in there, they want control. I have complete control over the process and they hate that.

I make it clear that I'll come to the dealership after we've agreed to the deal to sign paperwork and take delivery. I tell them that I have my financing and I'll be there for 30 minutes or less and that I'll give them more time to deal with the typical time consuming buyer.

I was looking to replace our 2005 Ram 1500, my wife has driven it to work for 14 years. My first round was contacting Nissan dealers about the Titan because their sales are down and I expected agressive pricing. Deals weren't to my liking so I shifted to Chevy, GMC, and Ford. I've had my eye on the Ridgeline since 2017 and had that as my ace in the hole. I was looking at $48,000 to $50,000 on a full size truck which made me cringe because truck prices have doubled since I bought the Ram in 2005.

I took bids from the 16 Houston area Honda dealers and got a killer deal of 36,168 + TTL + $150 dealer fee and I'm keeping the Ram and fixing the engine lifter issue with a performance cam, Hellcat lifters, and other supporting parts. It's worth a lot more to me than how little I'd get if I sold it. Plus, it'll be a classic in a few years.
 
#1,326 ·
I just bought a slightly used 2019 BE w/ 5,500 miles on it as a Honda Certified+ vehicle. The Certified+ was quite a selling point for me (actually ends up being a better warranty than the new car warranty since it maintains and extends the original factory warranty) original bumper-to-bumper warranty (3 years/33k miles) extended to 5 years/86k miles and extended powertrain warranty to 7 years/100k miles - it also included the next two oil changes . Total price was $39,541 and when all was said and done in VA (tax, title, tags, and processing fee) it was $42k OTD. I felt like I could have gotten a slightly better deal but I was ready to buy and didn't feel like haggling anymore (I also used USAA buying service so I got a pretty amazing deal on financing).
 
#1,328 ·
Unless you live in a really sketchy neighborhood, I'd pass on the protection package. (Air is 78% nitrogen and I only take their nitrogen offer when its free). There is not a high demand for Ridgeline wheels. And, I think you could get tinting done at a reputable tint shop for less. But your base price is pretty good, I think. They are just selling you more stuff to pull some more profit into their picture.
 
#1,330 · (Edited)
Pre-owned 2017-2018 Ridgeline prices have begun to come down significantly. One dealer in my area dropped the price of a 2017 RTL-E with 22K miles from $34,200 down to $31,688. I did not upgrade because I don't want the gray interior.

For anyone who wants to know the "underline" feature is now in the drop down menu where the 3 ...'s are, in the lower right hand corner when you post comments.
 
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#1,334 ·
You know, this thread looses relevance over time where MSRP for a new model vehicle when it is first introduced is going to continually drop as time passes by. For example, the MSRP stated for our vehicle at time of purchase was $36,770, where it is now listed on the Honda website as $34,870. When we purchased our Ridgeline 5 months ago we felt that we got a pretty good deal, comparing to today's price, not so much!

Bill
 
#1,336 ·
Started shopping just yesterday in New England, and landed on 35,716 + 449 doc fee for a 2019 RTL-E. We don't pay tax in NH. No other fees.

Picking up a 2019 White RTL-E tomorrow.

I got a rough range of 35.7k - 36.8k based on the quick 4 dealers I emailed. Only looking at white/gray RTL-E.
 
#1,338 ·
Yup, haven't seen Honda deal on g2 ridgelines much until the last 3-4 months, add on the $1,500 dealer cash (which is quite uncommon to see incentives like that on a ridge) and you can probably get a 2019 for $3,000 to $4,000 less than you will be able to get a 2020 at in the near future, and probably $2,000 less than you will ever be able to get a 2020.

The $1,500 currently runs until 10/31, who knows, they may continue it, increase it or drop it entirely. Unless you are looking for a sport or rtl, may be tough to find what you want when the 2020s start rolling in as well.

Right now you know you can get a great deal, unless you hate something about the 2019s that you hope the 2020 will fix, now is as good a time as any to buy.
 
#1,339 ·
My take on the whole 2019/2020 comes down to the headlights. Therefore, any 2019 trim below E is excluded for purchase. There is no guarantee that the 2020 headlights will be as good as the 2019E either. Yes, the 2020's should have the Sensing but how ling will it take for a 2020 RTL or Sport to be the same price as a 2019E? Could be years until there is another incentive.. Maybe when the new F-150 comes out next year I believe the deals on those remaining F-150's will be so good that Honda may have a tougher time moving 3k units a month. Over the long haul, the 2019E should have a lower cost of ownership with the 6 speed as well. Yeah if I was buying, I'd be checking every day because it's getting close now but watch that E inventory closely.
 
#1,342 ·
The pricing ($25,600 with 62K miles) for this 6-7 year old vehicle (2013 Honda Ridgeline RTL w/o Nav) seems a bit on the high side. No wonder people are buying new!
 
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#1,344 ·
Several friends in the used car business (owners and managers who make vehicle purchases) have told me that there’s pretty high demand for the late-model G1s, and given how few Honda sold, it’s really keeping the values high when compared to most vehicles which drop stiffly after a redesign. I love my G2, but I do miss the “personality” of the G1, and I guess others must place some value on that too.
 
#1,345 ·
2019 RTL-E Obsidian Blue Pearl
  • Dealer located in Northeast Illinois
    • Largest Honda dealer in IL (about 30 miles West of Midway Airport)
  • 36,579.30 Price of Vehicle including Destination (no trade, no options)
  • 179.81 Doc Fee
  • 25.00 ERT Fee
  • 2,714.89 Sales Tax (7% based on above AND 2,000 Honda to dealer incentive)
  • 251.00 State Licence and Title
  • 39,750.00 Out-the-door
NOTE: The last 5-digits of the VIN are 31xxx, so destination at that time was $1,045)

Long story: I sent an email inquiry via cargurus to four dealers on the afternoon of Oct 1, requesting a price on a blue RTL-E. These were the only four that appeared in a search within 250 miles or so of my central IL zip. All replied either late Oct 1 or early Oct 2 with prices from 36,757 to just a courtesy email asking me to call. I sent a reply to all four verifying the VIN, their quoted price, the fact that I had contacted multiple dealers, and asked for their best "out-the-door" price with a line-item breakdown so I could do an apples-to-apples comparison (had both IL and IN dealers). The best price at that point was the 36,757 (eventual winning dealer) with 39,940.14 out-the-door. I sent all four my target of 39,750, which the winner agreed. I made a holding/down-payment just before noon on Oct 3, and finished the deal on Oct 5 after a visual inspection and a test drive.

There may have been a little more wiggle room; hard to say; but I was pressed for time (see next paragraph). The sales associate told (and showed) me that, in addition to the 1,500 Honda to dealer incentive (continuing at least through month-end), there is now another 500 dealer incentive for October. With the RTL-E dealer cost around 38,517 (invoice 38,310 + dest 1,045 - holdback 838) and then the 2,000 incentive, the dealer cost is around 36,517. Then they get the other bonuses, etc.

I was originally going to wait until Spring or Summer of 2020, but an F-150 decided to give some love to my 2013 CR-V. No injuries and still drivable; just damage to most things on the drivers side. According to the insurance adjuster, the love (over $10,800) was 68% of the current value and they have a 65% damage-to-value threshold, so they gave it a Viking funeral and sent it to the salvage auction.

Anything other than white or black RTL-E's are getting rare, with the blue on the endangered species list (scarlet and forest mist are nearly extinct). Desiring the blue, the timing of the above funeral, and a "need" to get a deal done soon pushed me to make a deal quicker than I normally would have. However, considering everything, I am satisfied with the final deal.

The sales rep said they have yet to hear anything about the 2020's. However, with the added incentive, he said they are selling quickly. So (my spin here) ... at some point when the 2019 Ridgeline inventory is low enough and enough other 2020 products have rolled out of Lincoln, AL ... the 2020 Ridgelines have to start rolling off the factory floor.

I hope the above detail and incentive information helps others in their decision-making process!
 
#1,347 · (Edited)
Anything other than white or black RTL-E's are getting rare, with the blue on the endangered species list (scarlet and forest mist are nearly extinct). Desiring the blue, the timing of the above funeral, and a "need" to get a deal done soon pushed me to make a deal quicker than I normally would have. However, considering everything, I am satisfied with the final deal.
I agree it seems hard to get Forest Mist, but I just bought one ~3 weeks ago and it was made in June!!! So where are the ones they have built recently or aren’t they building green anymore?

(PS I think these earlier build dates contribute to the dirt in the nooks and crannies on the exterior that so many of us find when not fully detailed, if at all, by the dealer. Alabama must have red dirt like East Texas!)
 
#1,346 ·
I also just bought a 19 RTL-E in Obsidian Blue! Western Washington.

No trade in, no options, no warrantees or add-ons. I paid cash and did this deal 100% remotely making it clear I wanted a hassle-free experience and would walk away the moment it went weird.

I started off using TrueCar and very much regret that - so many phone calls despite saying I only wanted emails. I did some research and leaned that TrueCar is probably not a great way to go. They work for the dealer, not the customer, and many dealers will not honor the quoted prices in the end.

I did asked at the very end if I wanted to add on the paint protectant, windshield coverage, etc, but it was along the lines of a "do you want any of these options" and I said "nope" and there was no struggle.

$37,330.00 Negotiated Price
---
$41,861.32 OTD

You're right that it is harder and harder to find any that are not black or white - the 2 colors I was not interested in!
 
#1,352 ·
Was quoted this for the two different models.
Still need to figure out what I want to do.
good price?

View attachment 396708
Here is some information from www.car-buying-strategies.com/dealer-invoice/honda-ridgeline-prices.html. That website is using the $1,045 destination fee but, depending on your VIN or date of build, it looks like your date-of-build is newer (or at least the dealer is using the newer dest fee - check the window sticker).

Adjusting the dest fee used by the website up by $45 based on the MSRP you mention ...
Trim : Invoice + Dest Fee - Holdback = Dealer Cost
RTL AWD: $33,612 + $1,090 - $735 = $33,967
RTL-T AWD: $35,555 + $1,090 - $778 = $35,867

For October, the Factory to Dealer incentive is $2,000 ($500 more than the previous incentive). Applying that to the above Dealer Cost ...
Trim : Dealer Cost - Dealer Incentive = Starting Point
RTL AWD
: $33,967 - $2,000 = $31,967
RTL-T AWD
: $35,867 - $2,000 = $33,867

Check the VIN or date-of-build, if that matters to you, to see how long it has been sitting on a lot somewhere. You can also use the free VIN look-up at www.iseecars.com/vin to get some detail on where the truck has been, and for how long.

The prices you have been quoted seem VERY nice. Good luck with your negotiating!
 
#1,353 ·
Seeing a TrueCar price of $39,119, which I assume is before taxes, on black edition. I wonder if I waited for more info on the 2020 if it might get better when they’re looking to move the 2019s more aggressively. I also just learned that TrueCar isn’t a great service and that there’s going to be fees added on top of that number so I’m not sure where I’m at. All in pricing seems so elusive in car buying still today. I just want to know my out the door price.
 
#1,356 ·
should be possible. I sent emails to 4 dealers last week. Took the lowest and then found the dealer with the color I wanted and they price matched. Lowest price had the rest of the dealers beat by about 600 bucks.

I don't think there's an abundance of any color and in your case BE. I jumped on it having been shopping the ridgeline since last november. Price back then was 39, 3 months ago was 37, and now just a hair under 35 for the RTL-E. I don't think the prices will fall much anymore.
 
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