Howdy folks, Long time lurker, first post.

I have been kicking around getting a hybrid for the past few years. I have test drove the 2004 and 2005 HCH. I really wasn't impressed until the 2006 came out so I am seriously considering buying one.

Went in a did my homework and spoke to the local dealership here in Birmingham, AL (Tameron Honda) I logged onto the Honda Website and put in all the options I wanted: 2006 HCH Alabaster Silver with NAVI and about 6-7 other options. Total cost on the website with delivery was quoted as $25,300.

I spoke with the sales lady at Tameron I was dealing with and asked her to work up a price for me with the EXACT same options that was quoted on the website. She later called back and quoted me $27,500. I laughed at her quote and told her to stop wasting my time and hers. She then asked what I was thinking would be fair. I told her that nothing over $25,300 since that is what Honda was quoting. I also reminded her that I am a Commercial Pilot by profession and can basically travel to anywhere in the country free to get a good deal. Later in the evening I got a call from her manager stating that $25,300 was good with them.

I told them I would think about it.

I realize that the HCH's are hot cars right now but it pissed me off to no end that these people tried to gouge me like that. They claimed that they do not go over MSRP which is a direct contradiction to what the Honda Website has shown.

Given that buying a new car is about the biggest rip off in the world as it is I am not going to get screwed anymore than I have to. So, I am either going to go out of state to get a good deal or not get one at all and wait a few years for a used one.

Anyone know of any good honest dealerships out there that realize that buyers have 100 times more information at their fingertips now than they did ten years ago? To think that these folks at Tameron think I am going to go one cent over what the Honda Website is quoting is assinine. I dont care what their shop charges are for options. I aint paying for them and the hefty mark up's they love to charge uneducated buyers.

Any help or info that y'all could provide would be greatly appreciated.

You could have been driving that car today at the price you wanted, but nooooooo.....


First, it sounds like you were armed for a fight when you started the conversation. The two best ways to get the Worst Possible Deal on a car is to walk into a dealer with either stars or blood in your eyes.

Second: why did you call instead of going to see the dealer in person? If you're calling on the fone to check a price (which you obviously already had) then you're just "tire kicking" and not ready to make a deal "today." When you're ready to sit down at a desk and pull out a check book, then you're going to get the serious numbers on the car. (Otherwise, they're going to pull out all the haggling stops - start high... do the "what do you think is fair" game... a little good cop/bad cop with the sales manager, keep you in the Little Room With No Windows for a few hours...) If you sit down, pull out a check, and write their name on it and wait expectantly for what to write in the dollars field, then the numbers get more serious.

The "don't waste your time and my time" ploy never works, because you've *already* wasted the salesman's time by not being prepared to do close a deal. Of course they're going to pull out the highest number they can possibly give you, because the chances just became Zero that you're going to buy.

You did half the homework and then lost the tourney on the back nine: Your blood pressure would be in a lot better shape today if you'd walked in with the printout of that price quote, and simply asked, "how long would it take me to get *this* car?" Accusing the sales staff of every Evil on the planet will only (in the long run) cost you money on a deal.

If you don't mind flying to Phoenix and paying MSRP (and there is a wait of course), the guy I am working with is great.

Support the Troops - Drive a Hybrid!

Years ago, I flew from Dallas to Houston to save $200 on a 1986 CRX HF

• The salesman conviently forgot to pay for my $50 Southwest ticket. Really should have flown back.
• The next summer, the after-factory tint bubbled up hiddousely.

While I should have been more forceful, I agree with nimbus2k you are going too far in the other direction and missing out on the best deal.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

Dangerkitty writes, "Given that buying a new car is about the biggest rip off in the world as it is I am not going to get screwed anymore than I have to."

About the biggest ripoff?? What is the biggest ripoff out there? I say going to an airport paying through the nose to park your car and then hundreds to thousands of $$$ to take a plane ride flown by overpaid flying taxi drivers!
Why I dont fly!

This is NOT the time to be trying to buy a new product, namely a new body style Civic Hybrid. I am starting to see them setting on lots unsold. Give it some time and they will dicker with you. If gas continues to rise, they will sell better and thus less dickering. You have to be patient. I drive Hondas all the time doing dealer trades and keep up with some of the dealers in Southeast.
Not all have had them on lots as of yet, so they are currently in high demand.
Buying a new car is a ripoff if you dont know what you are doing and time it right. You are not doing this!

Dangerkitty, For the price you mentioned I belive a member called tigerhonaker ordered a fully loaded with every option available HCH II.

The best advice so far is to go in there with a facts and don't fight with them. Set what YOU want to pay. If they can do it fine, if not walk out. It shouldn't be a fight to see who can rip off who more. Offer to pay what you think is fair, not how much you think will hurt the dealership the most.

As far as the car being hot right now, don't worry about that. There are still dealers that will sell you a car at or below MSRP. The options are probably whats raising the price. Read tigerhonakers original post. http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/q...22nd.4197.html

My hydroponics experiment

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?
"Crazy is what the sane call Delta Flyer"

Well I guess I should have known better than to get my information from an anonymous Internet message board but I really thought it might be worth a shot.

I would usually ignore messages from people such as nimbus2k who has absolutely no clue as to what he is talking about when it comes to my situation, but in this case I feel I must respond.


First of all genius the car that I wanted was not on the lot and it might take them months to get. So no even if we had agreed to the price of the HCH I would still not be driving one because they didn't even have it in stock when I started this process.

I didn't have either stars nor blood in my eyes when I walked in the dealership. In fact I walked in there on a whim when I found out they had three HCH's on the lot. 2 sold and one still for sale that was the wrong color and didn't have the Nav. All I was armed with was the knowledge of the price of the vehicle which I didn't even bring up on the first visit. We never talked numbers during the firsdt test drive.

Where did I ever say that I only called the dealership? Tell me where I stated that. Since you have absolutely no clue as to what has taken place between me and the dealership why do you feel you need to comment on it?

If you must know I went in not once but twice and test drove the HCH. Since it was close to Christmas and things were very busy at this dealership on my second visit I asked the sales lady to get back with me on a preliminary price point since she was short on time and about to close another deal with another customer. She didn't have time to sit down and talk numbers so I asked her to get back with me at her leisure.

The reason she called me on the phone was because I was on a trip and in Los Angeles at the time. It's kinda hard to sit down with someone with my checkbook out when I was over 2000 miles away. Dont you think nimbus2k?

Spare me the negiotiating tips there nimbus2k. The fact that I am living the life I live and making the money I make in an industry that has been destroyed since 9/11 is testament to my ability to negiotiate. I dont need tips from the likes of you nor have I asked for them.

Once again spare me the lecture. Before the sales lady gave me her opening price she told me that their dealership never goes over MSRP. Well from the Honda website the car I wanted with NAVI and all the options I wanted was listed as $25,300 MSRP. After telling me Tameron never goes over MSRP she then gives me a price that is in fact $2,200 over.

I told her to stop wasting my time when she was obviously lying to me. I told her that if they could not get anywhere in the ballpark of what the website was advertising I would end it there. Soon thereafter was when I got a call from the manager.

I dont mind playing head games and doing the negotiating bit but I do get upset when someone tells me one thing and then in the next breath does another.

Being lied to doesn't upset you nimbus2k or is that how you negotiate in todays world since you seem to be the "master negotiator.

How in the hell can you make a statement like that? What in the hell have I lost? I made a demand and they matched it. However, I dont feel like giving business to sales people and dealerships that are less than honest?

You have no clue as to what homework I have done. Do you always make snap judegements about people you dont know and have no clue as to their situation?

My blood pressure is just fine thank you. In fact I just checked it and it is 100 over 60. Being that I have to get a physical every six months I have to stay in shape and exercise. Blood pressure is the least of my problems.

I only accused them of lying, nothing more. And its not going to cost me money when I have yet to spend a cent. How you came up with that little gem of a stupid comment it beyond me. However, I guess it is real easy to talk tough and act like the negotiating master behind the keyboard of a computer.

Got any other great advice there nimbus2k?

Overpaid taxi drivers? Thats cute. Come up with some new material. That line is getting stale.

Tell the surviving passengers of the UAL DC-10 Sioux City Iowa crash that they were being flown by overpaid taxi drivers.

tbaleno,

Thanks for the level headed and informative post.

Fact of the matter is I never got into a "fight" with anyone at this dealership. In fact I was quite pleasant during to whole process. However, I am not going to let them state one thing and then make a direct contradiction in the same breath and not call them on it.

Once again thanks for the info. I will look into his experience.

First, it sounds like you were armed for a fight when you started the conversation. The two best ways to get the Worst Possible Deal on a car is to walk into a dealer with either stars or blood in your eyes.

[i]


Actually, I didn't get ripped off when I bought my car. I paid $100 below sticker, and drove my car off the lot that afternoon.