Beyond Buying the Car : The Warranty, etc. (How to Avoid the "Clear Coat") - GreenHybrid

ferkee · #1 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 09:39 AM

I've now got 2-3 dealers aggressively fighting for my business. I have a fantastic price from a far-away out-of-state dealer (dealer 1) that I really like - yet have never met. Another dealer that's been working with me locally (dealer 2) called me and I told him that dealer 1 has faxed me a quote sheet ('07 non Navi for $20,847 - no strings) and that on principle, I am most likely going to honor him by buying from him. To which Dealer 2 said what will it take to keep you from driving all that way and coming to our dealership? I told him that I'm not really sure...I can't see how he can make his offer any more appealing than Dealer 1's.

I know that when it comes to buying a car, there are several phases that either suprise you or at least catch you off guard or wear you down. The only 2 parts of my process (once I go to the dealership) would be the financing (if they can beat USAA at ~6.5%), and the extended warranty pitch.

What do y'all out there think of the importance of ANY extended warranty on the 2007 HCHII? of Honda's extended warranty? of others?

The only item I "need" on the car is tinting (which dealer #1 has quoted me $109 - great). Dealer 1 also said that he is "going to have to charge me a documentation fee of $199" - not sure why? ... for processing my state's TT&L docs?

Some of the things that I "would like" are

splash guards
all weather mats
wheel locks

and just to possibly increase resale down the road and add to the "look"

full-nose mask (to protect the paint that I keep reading about)
front under spoiler
side and rear spoiler
interior guage trim

And some of the things that would just be "neat" are

leather steering wheel cover
bass system

Crazy would be for him to offer me the Navi for the non-Navi price.

This really reads as greedy but HEY...when roles are finally reversed in car buying, it makes you think. I really think I will go with the out-of-state dealer (#1) unless dealer 2 knocks my socks off. I still don't understand why some places are selling these things for MSRP + or - a little and these guys are tearing away at the INVOICE price!

Just looking to the forum for experience, warnings, and advice!

Appreciate it,
John

rysa4 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 12:35 PM

My car came with the first three oil changes free. They already did the first one free so thats not a bad thing. ALl weather mats could be purchased cheap anytime from more than one source. The Navi works well-- but some have said interfers with FM reception( I use XM and have no clue about that)

AS far as Bass system- the stock radio is decent but not great. The less the electrical system is messed with out of the factory the better.

Remember one last thing " Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered"

Mikeyt758 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 10:50 AM

Just don't let them rip you off for the extended warranty. I bought a Hondacare extended warranty from another honda dealer online for half the price my dealer wanted to charge me. You don't have to buy the extended warranty from your dealer. I paid $825 for a $0 Deductible 120k warranty.

When I purchased my car, my dealer threw in the all weather mats and wheel locks. Of course at the time I paid retail for the car when they were in high demand.

felixdacat · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 11:07 AM

Ferkee,

Just to let you know i don't think you can have the front underspoiler and the full nose bra at the same time. The full bra is fit for the stock front bumper only w/out the bottom spoiler. So it's either one or the other... OR you can go HALF bra w/the bottom spoiler....

mmrmnhrm · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 03:36 PM

You can have both, but a better question is "Do I really want it at all?" Yes, that's right, I'm hating on the bra. Basically, you have two problems with it. First, it's got a nasty habit of catching sand and road grit as you drive along, trapping it against the paint and wearing it down. Second, it blocks the sunlight from hitting that area of the car, resulting in a very obvious "two-tone" finish after the passage of time. That's why you'll find mine sitting in a closet collecting dust.

gumby · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 08:40 PM

I'm with hmmrmnhrm on the bra. Find another method, or none at all, to protect the front. Scratching the clearcoat and uneven fading are very real issues with most bras. I've had one before, and never again.
And I concur with Mikeyt758 on the extended HondaCare warranty. Get it cheap at the dealer or get it elsewhere. Search on this site, you'll find lots of discussion on the topic. MANY people went to Saccucci or Bernardi to get theirs online. Be prepared BEFORE making the deal, and you'll know whether to buy it at the dealership or online. ONLY if you live in FL is this not possible. In FL, you're hosed by your gov't trying to "protect" you from the fly-by-night outfit. In so doing, there is NO competition in FL, and you can't buy the extended warranty outside of FL.