Buying car

[Richard]

Mom is looking to replace her car. She called me today, she's been to local dealer in Atlanta area, saw a Honda Civic LX (I'd suggested she look at Accord...but she liked the Civic)

2003 Civic LX, 17, 887 miles. When asked, the salesman said "$15,999. She said.."what's your best price" and he walked away, asked his boss...came back and said $14,999.

First question is... (and I know Honda's are nice cars) is this a reasonable price used?

When I went to their website, I looked up the car here. Stock number 8812 if the url didnt' work.

The advertised price HERE is $14,999 /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

My view of the matter is, $14,999 is now the STARTING asking price, not their "knocked off" price.

Reasonable?

Any thoughts of pricing on car like this? I've not bought a car for 12 years, so I'm clueless.

tia for any thoughts.

Richard

 

[mathey]

YMMV, Edmunds says a 2003 Honda Civic LX 2-door is dealer retail priced at $12,900 and the 4-door at $13,100...I'd say $14,900 is way high, but it may be +/- depending upon your area.

Carmax here has a 2D with 10k miles for $14,600, and a 4D with 4k miles for $14,999. Carmax in Town Center (Atlanta area somewhere?) has a 4D, 5spd with 6k miles for $13,998. IMHO, Carmax is usually a bit on the high side.

 

[cowboydoc]

Go to this site here and you can plug in the car, zipcode, etc. I'd say $15k is way too high on that car. http://www.edmunds.com/tmv/used/index.html?tid=edmunds.u.mainindex.appraise..1.*

 

[Richard]

Thanks for the nifty sites! will go investigate them now.

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BB_TX]

Definately go to edmunds.com or other similar site. Find the envoice price, print it out, and take that with you to the dealer. Tell him that the envoice price is where you will start talking. Generally you can get a vehicle anywhere from envoice price to maybe $400 dollars over invoice, depending on the popularity of the vehicle and how bad the dealer is wanting to move his stock. Also, go toward the end of the month. Most dealers are wanting to move units at the end of the month to make their numbers. Also be sure to check on that web site for any current rebates and/or incentives available. Some dealers won't tell you about those and pocket the money themselves.
If you intend to trade something in, go to bluebook.com or nada.com and get the average trade-in value of that vehicle. Take that with you also so that when you begin talking about trade, you will know both the dealers envoice price and the average value of your car. That puts you in the drivers seat (so to speak) rather than the dealer.

 

[AndyM]

Kelley Blue Book is another good source for used car pricing information.

 

[PBMAX]

Richard , I don't buy new for I can't stand a car to be worth 2000-5000 less than I paind for right off.

The sites mention are the site I have used for yrs. Always found edmunds very close if a tad on the high side... Blue book is also great....

I look for those between 10 and 25 kmiles. Carfull though many are rental cars...and can look great and last no time....in this mile range....

Based on the info you provided <font color="red"> 2003 Civic LX, 17, 887 miles </font> the site show the car at 14,999 looked at them based on the miles you provided.
It's is very possible they have the mileage mixed up... I didn't try the stock #...

the ones for 13,999 is listed as
2003 Honda Civic LX Silver 13,221 Automatic $13,999 or
2003 Honda Civic LX Silver 21,415 Automatic $13,999

 

[Joe1]

Richard:

Do you really want to do business with this guy. He tried to cheat your mother by high balling the price by $1,000.00 over the advertised price. Isn't that illegal? It's certainly unethical. I don't care how good the car is, I'd call his manager, tell him what a POS he has working for him and that I'm not dealing with his dealership, ever and I telling all my friends and associates via the internet to stay away from a dealer that hires blood suckers like his salesman.

That's not the only good used Civic on the market.

 

[PBMAX]

Joe1 my 1st thought was is this bait and switch???

But decide to help him on the GOOD PRICE issue... As a live in bama and pricing is usually close...to Atlanta. I would at the very least use the edmunds as guide as I mentioned it's usually close...

since you mentioned it He might want to ask around about the dealer... if hasn't already.He could as you say have simply got a POS sale person...
I got one fired years ago for telling one interest rate in wrighting and found a nother on the contract as I was lookin it over....

Threatend to call the base legal (Navy) when I got done with him...and make sure they reported it to the local military in the area.... if he was still there when I came back next week.

Have seen bases make it a standing order for personell not to do buisness with certain dealers... You can imagin what that does to some dealers..... Word of mouth is almost as fast as the net.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[jayhawkRoy]

Joe1 is right. I would not go back. While it is not illegal to set a price higher than one they advertised on the internet, it's pretty unethical to do that. I would be concerned about how they conducted themselves in other aspects of their business (service, etc). A 2003 Civic 4DR is being sold by a Honda dealer in the Kansas City area for 13.317, and it has only 4000 miles on it. Realize there is a difference in prices regionally, but I think your mother should look around a bit more after being armed with Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds' retail and trade values. I generally average the two, and that figure becomes the price I am generally willing to pay for a used car.

 

[Richard]

All good thoughts, I’m going to say something but before I do, want to make VERY CLEAR that I’m as distrusting and cynical of ANY car salesman as anyone (no disrespect to any car salesmen that might be here)

That said, this guy has claimed (and I’ve come to believe him) that he is VERY new there. So new he “supposedly” sold his very first car just last night.

Yada yada yada… I talked to him for an hour over phone today, as I LIVE on the phone; I like to think I have a reasonable assessment of a persons phone voice. He’s either a masterful “bs’er” and carried his pitch over an hour, or he’s as he presented himself.

Nonetheless, the car sticker was the 16k and internet price 15K. I find it at least plausible that he didn’t know. (Not that I like it, nor plan to adhere to their pricing structure)

I’ve gone to Edmunds and another site (forget which). Mom isn’t going to do ANYTHING without my approval.

She’s a nurse (nurturing type). A sales situation, or a “confrontational” situation (ala, car purchase) is NOT something that makes her comfortable. I on the other hand, evidently did not inherit that gene from her. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I’ve given her the Edmunds site and told her that is the highest price we’ll likely pay…additionally, the dealer is adding on like $400 “paperwork fee”. I had him fax me a “out the door” proposal with EVERY charged item listed on it as a line item. If we purchase from them (or any dealer), I’ll be sure to tell them that my opinion is, “paperwork fee” is a cost of doing business and not a line item that we’re paying for.

After all this is said & done, I found same car, similar miles at a different dealer on internet, with THEIR posted price around $13,500. I keep trying to make it clear to her that “this” car isn’t the only one and we need to keep eye open.

Richard

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Richard,

Since this is for your mother, I would suggest that she look into the Honda Certified Used Car Program. Honda's are great cars (I have one), but that 100k warranty provides a lot of comfort on the purchase of a used vehicle.

Your post reminded me that I'm supposed to be keeping my eye out for a "Certified" Odyssey for my daughter. The local dealer has one for $2k below the Edmunds value. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I'm going to go check it out.

 

[PBMAX]

Does any one know what a new civic Lx cost in 97 or where I can find it.
A local dealer claims to be selling 2004 hondas at 1997 prices this weekend...
I was curious as to what loaded civic cost in 97 compared today..
Dug a bit at edmunds and blu book and didn't see what they where new in. 97

Was wondering if was really such a good deal, if so mabey it might be good for Richard.... Although the taxes on cars are higher here in bama...

 

[mathey]

1997 Honda Civic LX 4 door sedan base MSRP $14,650

2004 Honda Civic LX 4 door sedan base MSRP $16,160
INVOICE $14,771

so it's not a stretch, so-to-speak

 

[PBMAX]

DAT'S about what I expected...Funny how they make sound like a 5K diffference /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[mathey]

right up there with "we'll pay off your trade no matter how much you owe!" and "no credit applications will be refused!" and "lowest prices this year!" and "if you don't buy today, you'll be making a big mistake" and ...well, you get the point...sheesh, what a bunch of maroons