Getting a stook at MSRP
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,768
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From: Southwest Florida
I called around to my local Honda dealerships and they are giving me numbers anywhere from 35K to 40K for stook's. Are there any tricks to getting the car at MSRP or below?
I figured that I could get one at MSRP but I would have to wait longer, which is fine with me.. but I get the impression that they aren't budging..
Thanks
I figured that I could get one at MSRP but I would have to wait longer, which is fine with me.. but I get the impression that they aren't budging..
Thanks
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,959
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From: Bedford
Get on the internet and check out some out of the way dealers. There are several owners on this board who have gotten theirs' for MSRP. The money you'd save would more than pay for your airplane ticket. I'm sure you'll get some replies from those who have done so and they can give you specific information.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,127
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From: Orange Park
I bought mine (MY2001) back in November and called EVERY dealer in the state of Florida. I found one (Sunbelt Honda) in Lake City that said they had a yellow one coming in that they would sell at MSRP. I gave them a deposit and when I went to pick it up, the price jumped about $6K. Go figure. I started calling other dealers working my way up the East Coast. Eventually got mine in Greenville, NC at Bob Barbour Honda for about $500.00 under MSRP.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 59
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From: orlando
I bought mine 2.5 weeks ago at Classic Honda in Orlando for MSRP with no forced options. As far as I know, they still have a yellow/black, black/black and a white/red in stock. You may also want to call Jimmy Bryan Honda in Longwood; they also off them at MSRP with no options, good luck!!!
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,731
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From: Phoenix
Just because the dealer quotes you a price of $35K doesn't mean that you have to pay that much. My dealer quoted $32,740 + $660 forced options + $3,000 market adjustment = $36,400. That was for a black/black (pure suicide in Phoenix), with a Spa Yellow being an extra $1,000 on top of that.
I got my Spa Yellow after 45 minutes for $33,400, saving $4,000.
My tips for successful negotiating:
1) Setup your financing ahead of time through your credit union or http://www.peoplefirst.com . You can have your check in 24 hours. If you finance through the dealer, you will be giving them yet another opportunity to screw you.
2) Call/email ahead of time to the fleet/internet manager and verify which cars are available, and get prices if possible. Do not talk to the regular salespeople! Set up an appointment at a minimum of 2 dealerships, allowing about 60 minutes at the first dealer.
3) When you show up and are looking at the car with the salesman (most likely you will get stuck with a salesman) quote off some of the important information that you have learned about the car (ask about whether the TSB fixes on seatbelt and transmission have been done, ask about the wet traction of the S-02's, mention that VTEC won't kick in until you have 3 bars on the temp gauge, stuff like that that the salesman probably doesn't know). You want him to understand that you know EVERYTHING that there is to know about the car.
If you are lucky, you will have a set price with no haggling from the internet/fleet manager and won't have to talk to a salesman. If you like the price, buy it and go to step #9.
4) Inform the salesman that you have a check in your pocket and will buy immediately if you like their price. Inform the salesman that you have an appointment at another dealer in less than 60 minutes, and that they also have exactly the car that you want. Tell him about all of the other dealers that you have been reading about with S2000's sitting on their lot. You can expose your deep and abiding love for all things stook, as long as you make it clear that you like the stooks at other dealerships just as much as you like this one.
5) Offer MSRP, plus any options that have real value (CD changer, alarm system, front lip, spoiler, etc). Fabric protectants and undercoatings don't count. Neither does custom pinstriping (ugh!).
6)Tell the salesman what you are going to pay for your car. Remind everyone that parades out (to try to raise your offer) that you have an appointment at the next dealer, so you have to leave soon. Do not feel pity for them; remind them that you are not asking for the invoice price, you are asking for full MSRP plus add-on costs, which is more than fair.
7) If they don't come to a decision to accept your offer before your time is up, head for the door, thank your salesman, sales manager, general manager, etc., for their time, and leave. Amazingly, they may suddenly find the ability to meet your offer; if you feel that they are just stalling, LEAVE!
8a) They give you your price and you buy the car. You ought to call the other dealerships and cancel your appointments
8b) They don't give you your price and you walk out the door and go to the 2nd dealer and repeat.
9) When you get your price (which you will in 49.5 out of 50 states), be happy. Then start practicing saying, "NO!" over and over so that you are ready to go in and talk to the finance guy. No, I don't want your financing, here is my check. No, I don't want LoJack! No, I don't want a 100,000 mile extended warranty! No, I don't want to contribute to the Old Car Salesmen's Retirement Fund! No, I don't want any Girl Scout cookies! Ok, some people like extended warranties and LoJack; check the prices on the web first, because they will be cheaper than your dealer.
10) I recommend selling your old car yourself. Place an ad on http://cars.yahoo.com for free. You will get ripped if you trade it in, but it will also lower your sales tax by reducing the purchase price of your stook (at least in the states that I have lived in). Check the Edmund's site for info on dealer trade-in, retail, and private sale prices.
I have writer's cramp, so I will stop here. One last summarizing point: YOU ARE IN CONTROL AT THE DEALERSHIP...BELIEVE IT AND ACT IT. YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO BUY OR NOT BUY.
Hope that psyched you up as much as it did me,
Tanq
I got my Spa Yellow after 45 minutes for $33,400, saving $4,000.
My tips for successful negotiating:
1) Setup your financing ahead of time through your credit union or http://www.peoplefirst.com . You can have your check in 24 hours. If you finance through the dealer, you will be giving them yet another opportunity to screw you.
2) Call/email ahead of time to the fleet/internet manager and verify which cars are available, and get prices if possible. Do not talk to the regular salespeople! Set up an appointment at a minimum of 2 dealerships, allowing about 60 minutes at the first dealer.
3) When you show up and are looking at the car with the salesman (most likely you will get stuck with a salesman) quote off some of the important information that you have learned about the car (ask about whether the TSB fixes on seatbelt and transmission have been done, ask about the wet traction of the S-02's, mention that VTEC won't kick in until you have 3 bars on the temp gauge, stuff like that that the salesman probably doesn't know). You want him to understand that you know EVERYTHING that there is to know about the car.
If you are lucky, you will have a set price with no haggling from the internet/fleet manager and won't have to talk to a salesman. If you like the price, buy it and go to step #9.
4) Inform the salesman that you have a check in your pocket and will buy immediately if you like their price. Inform the salesman that you have an appointment at another dealer in less than 60 minutes, and that they also have exactly the car that you want. Tell him about all of the other dealers that you have been reading about with S2000's sitting on their lot. You can expose your deep and abiding love for all things stook, as long as you make it clear that you like the stooks at other dealerships just as much as you like this one.
5) Offer MSRP, plus any options that have real value (CD changer, alarm system, front lip, spoiler, etc). Fabric protectants and undercoatings don't count. Neither does custom pinstriping (ugh!).
6)Tell the salesman what you are going to pay for your car. Remind everyone that parades out (to try to raise your offer) that you have an appointment at the next dealer, so you have to leave soon. Do not feel pity for them; remind them that you are not asking for the invoice price, you are asking for full MSRP plus add-on costs, which is more than fair.
7) If they don't come to a decision to accept your offer before your time is up, head for the door, thank your salesman, sales manager, general manager, etc., for their time, and leave. Amazingly, they may suddenly find the ability to meet your offer; if you feel that they are just stalling, LEAVE!
8a) They give you your price and you buy the car. You ought to call the other dealerships and cancel your appointments
8b) They don't give you your price and you walk out the door and go to the 2nd dealer and repeat.
9) When you get your price (which you will in 49.5 out of 50 states), be happy. Then start practicing saying, "NO!" over and over so that you are ready to go in and talk to the finance guy. No, I don't want your financing, here is my check. No, I don't want LoJack! No, I don't want a 100,000 mile extended warranty! No, I don't want to contribute to the Old Car Salesmen's Retirement Fund! No, I don't want any Girl Scout cookies! Ok, some people like extended warranties and LoJack; check the prices on the web first, because they will be cheaper than your dealer.
10) I recommend selling your old car yourself. Place an ad on http://cars.yahoo.com for free. You will get ripped if you trade it in, but it will also lower your sales tax by reducing the purchase price of your stook (at least in the states that I have lived in). Check the Edmund's site for info on dealer trade-in, retail, and private sale prices.
I have writer's cramp, so I will stop here. One last summarizing point: YOU ARE IN CONTROL AT THE DEALERSHIP...BELIEVE IT AND ACT IT. YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO BUY OR NOT BUY.
Hope that psyched you up as much as it did me,
Tanq
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Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 308
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From: Northern Virginia
1. Figure out how you want to communicate with dealerships (fax, email, phone call, or personal visit) ... pick one
2. Put together a standard fax/email/phone conversation/personal visit that gets accross that you will buy an s2k immediately (pending test drive) at MSRP with no forced options ... if you want any options make sure to include those and what you are willing to pay
3. Send the fax to/send the email to/call/visit dealers in an expanding circle from where you are ... start with local dealers and then start moving further away ... you want as many dealers as possible to know that you will buy NOW at MSRP ... don't do personal visits unless you are willing to turn around and walk out ...
4. I've found that dealerships in more rural or less affluent areas have been more willing to sell the s2k at MSRP
You should definately be able to get an s2k at MSRP now ... just be persistant and let the dealers know you are serious ... I actually saw an add for 2 new s2k's up in Maryland below MSRP ...
Have fun,
Derek
2. Put together a standard fax/email/phone conversation/personal visit that gets accross that you will buy an s2k immediately (pending test drive) at MSRP with no forced options ... if you want any options make sure to include those and what you are willing to pay
3. Send the fax to/send the email to/call/visit dealers in an expanding circle from where you are ... start with local dealers and then start moving further away ... you want as many dealers as possible to know that you will buy NOW at MSRP ... don't do personal visits unless you are willing to turn around and walk out ...
4. I've found that dealerships in more rural or less affluent areas have been more willing to sell the s2k at MSRP
You should definately be able to get an s2k at MSRP now ... just be persistant and let the dealers know you are serious ... I actually saw an add for 2 new s2k's up in Maryland below MSRP ...
Have fun,
Derek
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
Tanqueray's comments are right on ... one addition ... in step number 7 ... knowing exactly what the dealership paid and what they're going to be making ... and a rough estimate of what the salesperson will be making will help ... http://www.edmunds.com will have info to get that information (it's not just the invoice price ... there's also the dealer holdback and some other little detials)
