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Honda Element

Discussion in 'General' started by Jason Coleman, Apr 15, 2003.

  1. Jason Coleman

    Jason Coleman Well-Known Member

    O.K., We are very close to 'putting an offer' on a new Element, but was wondering if any fellow BBSers actually worked at a dealership and could be of any help. Anyone know how much room the dealership will have to work with on pricing? Can the dealership bend on the installation costs? Example: Honda's website states that Fog lights are $325, before dealer installation. The dealership qoutes $599 installed (they charge $70/hour labor). Anyone have any suggestions? The invoice and dealer qouted retail are about $1600 apart and the dealership gets a 3% kick-back, according to the sales guy; this leads me to think there is amble bargaining room. Thanks.
     
  2. punkrockrob

    punkrockrob Well-Known Member

    that's the ugliest car I've ever seen, way worse than an aztec. Kinda looks a car you would build with legos. Sorry I don't know anything about pricing.
     
  3. Repo Man

    Repo Man 50 years of Yamaha GP!!

    Aztec's ugly sister.....:Puke:
     
  4. binx51

    binx51 Well-Known Member

    jason, i work at a honda dealership, i sold for 6 yr. and im back in service now.I would go through sales to get your accessories installed thay can get it done at cost (parts and service)where if you go to serv. after you buy it, parts and serv. are going to charge you retail. Most of the time sales will put accessories on at cost in order to get you to buy the car. As far as the element goes let me know what model your looking at and i will get you cost so you can see what kind of deal your getting. they will probably try to make a little more money on the element because they are selling well and the dealers are not getting alot of them unlike accords and civics. let me know what you need i will try to help you get the best deal possible.
     
  5. Jason Coleman

    Jason Coleman Well-Known Member

    I agree that the Element is different. It has an ugly duckling appeal, I think. Most importantly, Jen likes the looks, she agrees with the wierd appeal thing, and she likes the way it drives. I like the gas mileage it should get.
     
  6. Jason Coleman

    Jason Coleman Well-Known Member

    Binx, I sent you an email. Thanks for the offer to help.
     
  7. Due North

    Due North Source of Insanity

    Jason, I have always found that if you convince them you are about to buy (without actually saying it) you will get many concessions. Make it seem like the little extras are the deal breakers and they will be falling all over themselves to accommodate you. When my wife was getting here car, they threw in the keyless remote, the rear deck spoiler, the CD player and then the extended warranty - all of which they were going to charge her for.......
     
  8. Joe Morris

    Joe Morris Off The Reservation

    I actually had the sales manager cursing me across the show room when I made the deal on my wifes car. That confirmed to me that I'd gotten a good deal! ;) I think he came down $5400 on that one. :beer: :p :D
     
  9. KC

    KC Active Member

    Im glad Honda made this thing. People will finally leave my Aztek alone!
    It does have some cool features, those barn doors on the side are neat :P
    It should also be a decent tow vehicle, heck maybe you can even put a bike in it depeding on cargo height.
    But it looks like a cross-wind magnet with those flat tall sides and little tires.
     
  10. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Emily (Umbrella Girl #1) has one... I'm still trying to get her to get plates that say either WONDER or SLTINE....

    And it's an odd choice since she was one of those making fun of Evelyne's Aztec.

    They do have some neat features but still do ntohing for me. I'd rather get a VW Eurovan.
     
  11. 50Joe

    50Joe Registered User

    Yea, baby! I love my Eurovan. 2 bikes and gear inside with not too much of a problem. 21mpg at 75~80mph fully loaded as well. I don't care what people say about you Mongo, your OK. :D
     
  12. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Well, I am slightly biased, my first car was a VW Thing, then a Super Beetle (with an auto shift of all things), some friends and I had a bus in there as well...

    And what's up with Chrysler trying to say they created the minivan? What kind of BS is that, the VW was out for decades before Chrysler stole the idea and marketed it to the soccer moms.
     
  13. 50Joe

    50Joe Registered User

    Yea, I agree. Those in the VW crowd say the same thing. My family has been sort of VW drivers on and off for many years. We seem to always go back to them. I've owned a Scirocco, diesel Rabbit, pickup, a really trick Corrado that I sold to go racing, and now my van. Also, I bought the wife a new beetle turbo back in 2000. It has been a really good car and is fun to drive. I just wish they would sell a diesel Eurovan in the States.
     
  14. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Ah, another VW diehard. :)

    The Honda Element is a neat little whatever. I looked at them as a replacement for my GTI, but when we started to discuss price, the dealer started to play games. Sorry, it's neat at $20k and not worth it for me at $25k.
     
  15. Umbrella girl #1

    Umbrella girl #1 Well-Known Member

    O.K. I have the Honda Element, and I love it. It has lots of room and also is very vesitile. I haul my 10 year old daughter and also my 50 pound bassett and they both are in love. All the seats lay down and also the seat will come out and also you can fold the seats up on the side. Plenty of room in the back for storage. We have traveled in it and it really handles nice. Mine has the sun roof in it and its too cool. Lots of people have looked at it and the always take a second look.

    I got my from a great dealership, Honda Carland here in Georgia. Keith Campbell really helped me out. I want to get extra accessories for mine, just ain't had time.. If you go onto the web site, google.com, research under Honda Element, there are quite a few places that sell the accessories. (and it don't look like a lego)

    Anyway enough said, I love my car!!!!!!!!-:D ::D :clap:
     
  16. UGA Dawg

    UGA Dawg Fertile Member

    I had driven nothing but VWs since I had been driving until about 2 years ago. I bought a Mazda B4000 Pickup. I bought it as a more practical vehicle for road racing. Well, the damned thing started having tranny problems at 32K. The warranty was up at 36K. I took it in and they said they couldn't find anything wrong. My guess was that they were trying to wait until 36K and it went tits up so I would have to pay for the repairs.

    I took a bath on it and went back to VWs. With the power of that GTI, I should be able to tow an SV and gear with no problem. Hell I towed my whole first season with a jetta with 115 hp. I have had 6 beatles, 2 Rabbits, 2 jettas, and now a GTI with a chip on order. After the chip, it will have 240HP! I am whole again. Next on the agenda......The Taureg! That thing is bad as hell but they are proud of it. 35K Yikes!!!!:D
     
  17. Umbrella girl #1

    Umbrella girl #1 Well-Known Member

    SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MY HONDA ELEMENT?????:confused: :confused:
     
  18. Jason Coleman

    Jason Coleman Well-Known Member

    We had planned on going to the dealership on Friday or Saturday, but due to other circumstances, that may change. Thanks for everyones' advice...and opinions. Jason B, thanks for the help. I will keep everyone informed, especially if I can be like Joe. That is what we will be repeating, 'be like Joe, be like Joe.' One cuss word will be great!
     
  19. kds

    kds Well-Known Member

    Saleman cussing you...

    I bought an F-150 once, and the sales manager was cussing me. I used an employee discount, which was 5% below invoice minus shipping costs plus they have to give you fair market value for your trade-in. To make it funnier, another person was using the same deal to buy a convertible Mustang GT at the same time. Basically, the dealership was selling $55,000 worth of inventory for no profit while buying 2 used cars that they probably couldn't make a profit on. They actually called me a few days later and wanted me to "redo the paperwork". They claimed the bedliner was not included in the price, the college grad discount was expired, etc, and I needed to redo the paperwork to correct the sale price. After they called the third time, I told them to call my lawyer if they needed anything else, but I wasn't re-buying the truck because I liked the deal I had. I never heard from them again.
     
  20. Joe Morris

    Joe Morris Off The Reservation

    Try this one! The sales manager came over to close the deal as the particulars were all worked out. I thought I was getting a pretty good deal. He took a long look at the paperwork then looked up, held his hand out, and read the number adding "....pluse tax, tag, and title". I pulled back my outstretched hand and said "What are you trying to pull?". I thought my wife was going to shoot soda out her nose! :D

    The fast talking sales manager then slowed his speach to explain the charges and add that they are payed by the buyer. I paused and said "...well, I guess I offered too much for the car then. Could you figure out what the total of those charges is and subtract that from my previous offer?" I completely expected to get thrown out as the manager got all red faced. The salesman figured it up and we made a deal. BEAUTIFUL!!!

    BTW, I make no claims of being a master negotiator. In fact, I'd guess I've been taken more times than not. But this deal held no emotion for me except the pain of handing over money. I think remaining detached and unemotional about the outcome puts you in a better position to negotiate well. Good luck!
     

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