Fat chance. I talked to a dealer today, who said everybody and their brother wants the car on January 2nd (me too). The dealers are going to try to gobble up the whole tax saving with markup. There's a frenzy now because of pent up demand. That may subside a bit toward the end of the year, and then there'll be a new frenzy when the tax credit kicks in. As that gradually subsides there will probably be another frenzy in California when people realize the carpool stickers are running out. Then another frenzy when the quota for tax credits approaches.

Each of these milestones will give the dealers another opportunity to get their markups back up to $2000-$3000.

At least that's what I'm seeing in the Bay Area.

2006 HCH Alabaster Silver w/Navi
2003 Honda Accord LX

The Costco price in the Bay Area was $100 below MSRP for the 2005 HCH. There's an update coming in two weeks for pricing on the 2006.

2006 HCH Alabaster Silver w/Navi
2003 Honda Accord LX

After talking to about 20 dealers within 100 miles of San Jose (mostly branching out into the Sacto area), I've found 4 dealers willing to sell for MSRP, with delivery in 3-5 weeks (most don't know for sure, but a few have VIN numbers ready). The variability is amazing though. I found two dealers, 23 miles apart; one wants MSRP, the other MSRP+$5,000!

I think dealers are stupid to think they can gouge on people waiting for the tax credit. If peope are willing to wait for the credit there is NO WAY they would buy a car at a price that eats it up. And they have already shown they aren't desperate.

My hydroponics experiment

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

Would you clue us in, please?

2006 HCH Alabaster Silver w/Navi
2003 Honda Accord LX

mike harvey honda in burlingame,ca quoted my mom $23,300 for a 06 hch, which is $900 over msrp

she took it, we're getting the car in 10 days; we snapped it up while it was on transit to the dealer, not pre-sold yet

some dealers are charging $2k to $4k above msrp: avoid those.

Here are the prices I have been quoted so far (I sent out my requests 24 hours ago). Note that these are all with NAVi and in most cases these are described as 'internet prices' that you only get by requesting a quote through the Honda website. Many of the email quotes I got specifically say to only talk to the 'Internet Manager' (usually the person who sent the email) and to NOT get a retail sales person involved since that could cause the price to go up because of their commission.

University Honda, Davis: MSRP
Elk Grove Honda: MSRP+500
AutoWest Honda, Roseville: MSRP+500
Tracy Honda, Tracy: MSRP (talked to Hank Klaren, nice, informative, honest)
Honda of El Cerrito: MSRP+1500
Honda of Oakland: MSRP+4800
San Leandro Honda: MSRP
Auburn Honda: MSRP (talked to Ray Brown, also nice/knowlegable/honest)
Yuba City Honda: MSRP
Honda of Stevens Creek, San Jose: MSRP+5000
Menlo Honda, Redwood City: MSRP
Barber Honda, Bakersfield: 550 UNDER MSRP
Lancaster Auto Group: MSRP
Robertson's Palmdale: MSRP
Mike Harvey Honda, Burlingame: MSRP+2000
Ocean Honda, Santa Cruz: MSRP+1000
AutoWest, Fremont: MSRP+5000

The 'gouge factor' pretty much ran as some of you predicted; highest in the heart of the Bay area, and MSRP in the central valley (some <60 miles from San Jose). The big exception was Menlo Honda in Redwood City, selling for MSRP and ironically only 23 miles from one of the the biggest gougers, Stevens Creek Honda in San Jose.

I hope this helps someone! It burns me up that people are getting taken advantage of, especially when they could get a much better deal by driving a few miles if they only knew!

NASA,

Mike Harvey Honda offered us $900 over MSRP today, and we took it.
Yesterday they quoted us $300 over MSRP.

My point is that each day, more honda dealers are going to charge more over MSRP for new 06 HCHs. Particularly those selling straight at MSRP right now.

Don't dally!

It's interesting that they sold to her for 900 over, while they quoted me 2000 over. Maybe they figure they can jack up the price more with NAVi? Did she go in and talk to someone, or was that an internet quote?

Yep. I should add that many of the quotes I got were "only good for 72 hours"