What's the breakout? OTD is nice but it's real hard to compare because of differences in taxes and title/license fees, plus other fees that get tacked on for whatever.

When I was buying an S-10 Blazer the dealer tried to tack on a $250 "EPA fee" that was really just a way to squeeze some extra cash from the buyer. Some dealers quote you a low price but then get you on the back end by tacking on various BS fees.

 

Edited my post.
Do you think I can still negotiate this bs fee DOC fee and DMV fee seem high.
What's the strategy on how to tackle this stuff.
Thanks.

 

I'm assuming your DMV fee is license and title. Those fees usually are fixed amounts. Not sure about NJ, but here in Illinois the doc fee is a fixed amount too and is the same charged to everyone no matter what car is being purchased. Never saw a tire fee but that might be a mandatory NJ thing. Since I don't live in NJ, I don't know whether these fees are higher than normal.

If the car itself is $19,125 with tax (and assuming your NJ tax is 7%) it looks like the price is more than $1300 off MSRP, which would be very very good.

 

Thanks. Bach.
Will update final price upon check out.
Another dealer is calling me and said they cant disclose price over the phone so I'll check that out.

 

I think I did pretty good.

I started by getting a TrueCar price for a 2015 Fit EX 6-speed in Modern Steel Metallic with a sticker price of $18380. The best TrueCar price was $18183. This price is not supposed to include tax and tags.

After being hounded by several dealers for a few days I emailed the dealer with the $18183 price and requested a bottom line price quote including taxes, tags and all fees. The salesman said that the price included everything. I replied and asked "Does that mean I can walk in with a certified check for $18183 and drive away with the car fully paid for?" I also made it clear that I wanted a clean car with no accessories and that I would not be buying any add-ons. The next day he replied and said the price was wrong however his manager had approved it anyway. I was skeptical.

During this time I was keeping an eye on inventory and found that this dealer had over 70 Fits in stock and 5 of them in the exact spec I wanted. Then I found that one of them had very high VIN. 75XXX built in 02/15. Cool! I'm hoping the assembly line will have worked out most of the kinks by this time.

Still, I waited a few days before making my move. When my wife decided to take the day off the other day I asked her if she wanted to go buy a car. She said sure! The website still showed the same car in stock so I called the dealer and asked for the salesman. It was his day off but they switched me to his manager. I told him that if he could confirm that this car was on the lot I would come buy it today. He confirmed and asked what price I was quoted. I told him and he said "That's a very aggressive price!" I said yes, that's why I'm calling! He put me on hold to check the salesman's emails and that the price had been approved. After a minute he came back and said yes, the car was there and the deal was firm. I told him we would be there in one hour.

We drove to the dealer 45 miles away and they were awesome! We were there for less that two hours. They did try to push sealants and warranties but I declined them all. They were very polite about it. I wrote them a $2000 deposit check and signed a promissory note to bring the balance in five days and we drove away.

After I got home I noticed that the car had wheel locks, mud flaps and a pinstripe! In the glove box I found the window sticker with the added "Appearance Package" that included the wheel locks, mud flaps, pinstripe and nitrogen tire fill (lol!) at $595! They never even mentioned it.

So, here's the breakdown.
2015 Honda Fit EX 6-speed Modern Steel Metallic
$15878.40
$880.00 Freight
$1424.60 Tax, tags and fees. $732.41 of which is tax.
$18183.00 out the door.

If I calculate everything including the free appearance package we saved $2217 off of sticker price.

Two days later I went back to drop off the certified check for the balance of the deal. The finance manager asked if I would reconsider the Honda Care warranty. I asked what they had quoted me previously. He looked in my file and said $1000. After looking in his pricing book he says "That's a very aggressive price!" same as the other guy. I laughed and said I'd take it. So I added another grand to the price of the car but the Honda Care warranty is one of the best in the business and could really pay off down the line as we plan to keep the car for many years.

Bottom line, $19183 with 7yr 100k Honda Care.

I think I did pretty good.

 

***Congratulations on the new purchase- depending on the Honda Care Warranty- going by 7 Years/100K miles- that would mean either of two plans- D70 (Zero Deductible) or C70 ($100 Deductible)- You can get from some Honda dealers (ones who sell Honda Care at discounted pricing)- the D70 around $795.00 and C70 around $690.00 with no sales tax. So finance department still made quota on warranties. You still did good- compared to most people who face- the closing spill/scare by the Finance Managers.

 

A Sincere Thank You! to everyone that took the time to write about their deals. I probably read most of them, and they were very helpful when the time came for me. I was going to wait until 2016 to get one, but I could not resist getting the Yellow one now--I have been looking at it all year.

I just got a FIT EX with NAV (MSRP: $21,745) for $19,997.
CA SALES TAX @ 9%=$1800.00
Documentation Fee: $87.20
CA Annual Registration Fee, CA Annual Property Taxes, and Electronic Filing Fee:
$267.49
Grand Total: $22151.69, Paid Cash, No Financing.
I did not have a trade. (Sold my 2009 FIT private sale.)

There was no negotiation on the $19,997 price—it was generated by Edmunds Price Promise for a FIT EX with NAV at the dealer I purchased it at. I asked the Sales Manager, but they would not go lower than that. It was take it or leave it. The other Honda dealers in my area I went to would not come close to $19,997, so I went with the Edmunds price.


Edmunds Lease offered on the same car, though the same dealer:

Lease at 15K miles a year for 36 months=45K miles total, $12,612 residual (58% of MSRP), 662.45 Out of Pocket to start lease (includes the 1st payment, tax, registration, fees); Make 35 more payments at $278.00 plus 9% tax. Payments are based on a reduced sale price of $19,997.

I was going back and forth with myself for a week on whether to buy or lease--in the end bought it.

 

Congratulations on your new 2015 "EX-L NAV" Fit and whatever zip code you used- I am sure you can breathe now- from the numerous emails, etc.

 

What is the significance of the VIN?


Early in the thread, someone said they want one in the 50XXXX range and waited until a dealer could provide one. You're similarly happy about having one in the 75XXXX range?


I'm not a "car person," but I'd love to learn about this.


Are you looking at the last 6 numbers in the alphanumeric sequence?

 

Honda Fit LX CVT with no options in yellow from Herb Chambers Honda in Alston, MA.

17,200 MSRP
15,499 –price of vehicle
298 - documentation preparation
5 – title preparation
987.63 – 6.25% MA state tax 60 – MA registration fee
75 – MA title fee
35 – MA inspection sticker
16,959.63 - out-the-door price

I emailed 5-6 Boston area dealers for pricing, here’s what I got from others:

• Prime Honda in Dedham ultimately offered 17,267 out-the-door with a lifetime powertrain warranty. They did lower their price several times, as I shared other dealer’s price, but ultimately wouldn’t match Herb Chambers’ price
• Honda Cars of Boston in Everett offered 17,380 out the door.
• Honda Village in Newton quoted 17,408 out-the-door. They wouldn’t let me finance through DCU, so they went off the list. DCU will give a 1.49% interest rate on a loan of up to 65 months, so long as you have an account with them.
• Atamian in Tewksbury seem like they would have been around 17,400, but they danced around giving me a price by email.
• Boch Honda in Norwood would not engage with me in a discussion by email, so I never got a price from them.
• Cambridge Honda would not engage with me in a discussion by email, so I never got a price from them.
• True Car showed the lowest price as 18,217 out-the-door.

 

The last 5 digits of the VIN, in my case 75XXX, are the sequential manufacturing number, Higher numbers simply mean later production. We are hoping later production means improved assembly line quality.

Also, if you look at the VIN sicker in the door jamb it will show the manufacturing month and year in the upper right corner. My car is 02/15 meaning February 2015. My car is literally only a few weeks old!

 

Is it CVT OR MT

 

***I like looking for dealers that offer the lifetime powertrain warranty- but it's really- just a marketing ploy- since granted when I purchase a car- I tend to keep it for well over 10+ years. But in the Auto Industry they know that most buyers- especially when a good share of people- lease and even if they purchase- a good share- just change vehicles every 3-4 years. So having a lifetime powertrain warranty- has no value to those buyers- but probably not thinking- they may have paid a few more in the initial purchase- seeing the ad for that coverage. It really only helps people like me- who want to keep the car for awhile.


Congratulations on your new purchase and end of the negotiations- You can breathe now!

 

19800.01 OTD + 610 7yr/80k honda care purchased from other dealer = $20410.01
17871ex cvt w/ wheel locks
1251.01 tax NJ
7.5 tire fee
369.00 doc charges
301.00 reg/title
Went with this dealer because they seem upfront. There was one who would give the car for 19.6 but played too much games.
North nj, bergen county.

Most outrageous quote i got was close to 22k from hillside nj honda.

Hope i did ok. Was offered hondacare for 850.00 "at cost". Great pitch thinking about it. I tried to lower it but figuy says he cant go any lower.

 

I paid $17,888 + Tax (9.25%) + DMV Fees = OTD below $20K for my FIT EX CVT Modern Steel Metallic.

 

Also I signed some kind of form that the dealer would return any extra amount that I paid regarding the registration fee. Did you guys sign anything like that?
Do they actually return some money? (1st time car buyer)
Thanks.

 

Nope, I've never heard or seen anything like that. Here in WI the registration fee is fixed and not based on what type of car you purchase, so there would be no instances of overpaid fees.

 

Mine has 77xxxx and built on 02/15.

 

My dealer estimate on DMV fees was pretty good. Only $3 off and they send me refund check after couple months.

 

I just purchased a 2015 Honda Fit EX - CVT. It came with window tint, wheel locks, and paint/interior protection(supposedly). Below is the price breakdown. I hope I didn't do too horribly for my first car negotiation. I feel like they probably got the better of me with all the little fees at the end.

Price and destination: $18,108.18
Tax: $1,131.76
Document Fee: $189
Title: $33
License Plates: $69.25
Inspection fee: $23.75
Full Deputy Fee: $5.00
Dealer's Inventory Tax: $40.06

Out the Door Price: $19,600