The $125 at the dealer isnt such a bad deal, because it includes the install. Installing those hooks would have been a PITA. I was more than glad to let the dealer do it for me. I ended up getting my mats (all weather even) for $109 though (including install). They basically did the install for free, cause the retail price for the all-weather mats are 109.

 

I THOUGHT it was over! Now I go to get my loan and ask the dealer for the VIN number of the car I put a deposit on. My salesman tells me that the blue M/T Sport on the truck is really a base automatic. Still, he promises me to have a car in a week or so. But, he has no Sports to trade with any dealer around and another dealer in Greenville tells me they will not trade Sports for base models since the Sport is a better seller. So when do I really get the car I want???

Then my Spartanburg dealer phones me to ask if I'm still interested, this after two days prior I walk away from a $299 markup. I tell him I found a car without markup (kind-of; see above) about ten miles down the road. He proceeds to tell me that this dealer has broke the "agreement"... all SC dealers have agreed to sell at $299-$399 over markup! What the he** is going on here!!!

I continue to call around and find a few white M/T sports in the state. The Rock Hill dealership has one but is firm on a $399 markup. Then I find another white car in Orangeburg with a $87 markup. I'll go to see that Fit this afternoon, and if I like the look, I hope to drive it home. Then off to cancel my $500 credit card deposit in Greer.

What a journey!

 

wow, I WISH I could find one for only $399 markup. I bet the California folks feel the same way.

 

it's simple supply and demand.

as of this friday, there only around 35 fit base and 20 honda fit sports available in the entire state of california.

just for comparsion sake, most (if not all) dealerships have more accord sedans in each individual dealership in stock then the entire state have for fits.

 

Screw Honda, this is no way to do business on an entry level car. In my area 4 dealers have mark ups of $1300, $1835, and $2185, as well as ADM on EVERY car in the lot
My 98 Camry looks sweet, and runs like a top,(at 110852 K) plus no car payments, and gets 32 HWY using Mobil One.
We have 5 Toyota's in our family, all for $500 over cost, all from the same salesman in 8 years.
I guess my last Honda was my 94 Del Sol.
Tyme to say buh bye Honda. ADM is for chumps!

 

I heard that price fixing among independent sellers is considered a felony in the United States.
What do you mean when you quoted agreement? Maybe this dealer
is owned by parent company which owns many other dealers in your area?

 

FondaFit,
The Manufacturer PAYS the dealership to Prep the car. The manufacturer also provides free training for the dealership to train the PDI techs. In some states, it is illegal for the dealership to charge "prep". Double-dipping the customer is not cool.

 

Fit Customer,
Yep, that would be price fixing in my opinion and should be reported to the state agency in charge of consumer affairs. That's a big no-no!

 

lyndab5685,
I checked, and Honda is just as frustrated about unethical, sleazy delareship as the public but state and federal laws prohibit the manufacturer from demanding a fair and reasonable deal for consumers. As you know, dealer groups exert powerful influence on politicians (read contributions I prefer to call bribes). This type of politician is in the same category as those fat, cigar-chewing used car guys in the seedy section of town, imo.
Honda builds in a tremendous value and quality and these pirates come along and just blind-side customers in these sleazy practices. Fortunately, there are some who refuse to do business that way and you can find them with a little effort. But, don't blame Honda, blame the corrupt political system that supports these sleazy people.

 

I paid msrp but I had to travel 160 miles to ventura.

 

Hi,
The one I looked at is San Francisco was $21,000. The MSRP was around$15,950. I haven't shopped for cars in a while so I was pretty shocked.
I am not serious yet so I didn't try to negotiate but I figured I would have to go outside of SF anyway-
Christy

 

Yes, I thought the "agreement" was illegal too. But that is the term the salesman used. I know these guys compete pretty hard against each other, so I doubt that they are owned by the same family. The "families" in this part of the state might own a Honda, Ford and Subaru dealership, though.

I'm not certain how broadly these dealers have conspired to raise prices above MSRP. Obviously, the Greer dealership will sell at MSRP, assuming they get the blue M/T Sport I have my deposit on, and they actually sell it to me! Then again, they may have another buyer on the hook and just forget to call me pocketing the extra $299 profit.

All my local dealers are asking $199, $299 and $399. The Orangeburg dealer adds only $87 but is a 2.5hr drive from home. I never did make it there yesterday.

 

Put my deposit down today at $126 over. Feeling OK. Was the lowest quote by $1000 in my area (9 dealers contacted). Black Sport AT. Build date tomorrow (happy birthday!). Those brutal taxes ate up the slick wheel budget though...

 

if build date is tomorrow, you are looking at a roughly early july delivery.

 

dont even bother right now if you arent serious yet.

simply not enough supply for the demand at this point.

 

They tried $1900 but got them down to $500 Huntington Beach in Orange County, CA

 

$0 for my Fit from Santa Ana, orange county, CA

 

Anyone that pays more than MSRP for a car like the Fit is an idiot.

 

I actually got $20 dollars below MSRP + dest. fee ($16500). This was a quote another dealer quoted me, but I didn't buy from them because they are forcing me to pay for their pre-installed accessories.

Then I went to Honda Santa Ana, and told them I only wanted MSRP + dest., no strings attached. And the salesperson said, no problem! Then he quoted me the same amount as the other dealer. I guess some dealers don't really do math very well...

I guess I can treat someone to dinner with the extra $20!

 

No mark up now, but I've had my Fit for a month. Ha ha