Quote:

Originally Posted by KittyFit

Actually, we should do pretty well with financing, H. and I both have excellent credit

I picked my Milano Red Fit Sport up last May for MSRP with a few accessories added in. I had a deposit since December and was in the dealer for over 6 hours negotiating. Please understand, which many people don't, dealers negotiate financing between the customer. Honda does require dealers to give the lowest rate and either way you could probably get a lower rate through an online vendor. People like to deal with traditional financing but will lose thousands of dollars doing so.

Milk them for everything you can. Cheaper price, more free stuff, more trade in value etc. Act like you will be financing through them. They will think they can make up the extra 1K for your trade in by adding a few percent to the financing. No matter what they say they will add percentage to your financing. If they say they haven’t- have them in writing on the contract sign that you are getting the lowest rate that Honda Finance has approved. Really though figure out financing before you go in. After negotiating everything else, have them make it in writing- then tell them you have a check from someone else.

Don’t get too anxious, it can cost you thousands of dollars. Just for kicks check out an amortization schedule on bankrate (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/auto-loan-calculator.asp) . Look at the total interest you would pay with only a percent or more higher than what you truly deserve.

 

what i find sad, is for a car that isn't in such high demand as say civics or accords, the dealers i went to had maybe 2 at most, and were charging 18 and up, for base models.

 

Honestly Ken, I leave that to the husband... part of why we have such good credit is him. We can go through our bank, or Honda, he's VERY meticulous. I am the one anxious for the car, but I am stepping back and letting him handle that stuff, plus the "milking" There's a reason his friend's call him "Bargain Bill" heh!

I've been emailing him some of the responses here for info, I'm going to send him your post right now as you bring up some good points.
Thanks for the help everyone!
Kitty

 

the vivid blue color is awesome, went to get my car tinted today and some idiot learning how to tint left a nice 12 inch long knife cut in my paint. my car has 165 miles on it and I am not to thrilled but i have really bad luck including a 07 saturn sky that the transmission went bad after driving home 20 miles and my rainy day car a ford escort (engine blown) . Anyway still like the car and love the handling

 

TwoP,
How awful!!

Well, latest is Ocala's going to give it to us for 16,585 w/ 6k for our trade, they are driving the Fit here to Tampa and then driving my beetle back.
:-) I think we did good!

 

I think you did good. some vehicles you can really negotiate but on these its take it or leave it. you are not overpaying so you will not feel any buyers remourse

 

wierd stuff for the new vw's. I sold my 74 bug to get the down on my fit, it was hard to see my first car go, but he's gonna be a show bug now ^^ damn pure bred >.>

 

Hey gang,

Thanks for all your help and suggestions! It's in and they are bringing it down from Ocala tomorrow morning! We got the deal I told you about, plus finagled some floor mats out of em! I am NOT going to get much sleep tonight!

So keep an eye peeled on the Picture forum, will post some up of my new baby there soon!
Kitty

 

This seems like a perfect thread for my first post since I just got a VBP Sport AT on 3/31 and got rid of a VW with electrical problems and a check engine light on for years with no major problems. Small world, huh?

If you've been able to get the car at under MSRP more power to you but I had no problem paying MSRP and having to buy wheel locks along with getting to pick the other accessories I wanted (back bumper cover thing & rear cargo mat). I'm in the North suburbs of Chicago and when we went to the Honda Dealer by my house to check out their SSM sport they had a 'destination charge' of 2,000 listed on the car. Oh, they also had $395 or $495 listed for fog lamps. I quickly got them to remove the fog lamp thing after going to the Honda website and pointing out that it's standard on the sport. I haggled on the other 2,000 and basically gave them an offer at MSRP if they got rid of this extra charge but in the end the manager told me plainly that they've gotten 1-2 Fits per month and for the last 3 months have sold them all at 1-2k over MSRP and with every option they can throw in (musiclink, wheel locks, cargo pad, cargo cover), etc.

I went to another dealer and they stated that they wouldn't go over MSRP, but it was pretty clear that they didn't need to do me any favors since the only reason I was able to get the car is because I put a deposit on it before it came in and in the 3 days from when I went in and put the deposit down until my car arrived they sold the other two they had in stock.

I'm nervous after reading the bumper paint thread but happy to join the forum. I'll have some pictures up once the weather clears up a little bit here. There's definately going to be some good ones from the parking lot at work and me parked in the 'small cars only' space next to a giant SUV.

 

Hey Muppet,

Well I have it!!! My Blue baby is sitting in the driveway right now! Not only did we get it at MSRP, but got floor mats, and then when they drove it here it had a cargo mat in the back and wheel lock set in the glove compartment! So with our trade on my Beetle and all that, I feel like I did GREAT!!! So now getting my sirus satallite sound system in as soon as my audio guy gets the Fit Kit, trying to figure the best way to get my bike in (the d@amn thing doesn't fit in tall mode! Bogus! I'll probably just take both wheels off, as I want to keep my back cargo space). Went to Best buy and got a car charger and the aux plug for my iPod Nano, ($30 as opposed to that expensive dealer hookup) Then have my neoprene car seat covers (with blue insert) coming from cover king, and my custom bumpersticker from Cafe Press (Buddha-Babe! Suffering is Optional.). Later an armrest and the color leather wheel, knob and cover set. :-) Love my new BABY! So much zippier than my old bug! Everyone grumbles about the power, but I couldn't be more pleased!

I too worried after reading the paint thread, but I am just going to keep a close eye on it and maybe in a couple years have an extra protective coat of clearcoat put on or something.

LOVE IT LOVE IT!! PICS ON THE PICTURE FORUM SOON!!
Kitty

 

congrats on your new car, you got a good deal out of it.

 

oh by the way, sony makes a little tray thing for your audio hook up, sits under neath the dash instead of just throwing it down into the tray, theres a link to it on the forums just gotta find it.

 

Thanks Brad, I'll look for it!
Kitty