Okay, my desires for an Odyssey have turned out to be a bit premature
given the current state of my trade-in and the cost of the vehicle.

I spent the afternoon at a local dealer I've had good luck with for 15
years. I want a EX-L with Navigation system and got them down to
$28,914. We were getting down to the goofy garbage like their document
fees and something they call a VEK, or Vehicle Enhancement Kit which
is comprised of overpriced splash guards, "etching" (useless), pin
striping and such and priced at $495.

Anyway, the end result was that we were between $1,200-$1,500 apart
when we ended the discussion.

I then got to thinking that if I essentially garage my trade, by the
time December rolls around first, I'll have paid $2,000 more off the
trade (the negotiated a pretty fair price for it) with the value not
falling off much at all, or at worst, about $500.

Then, later in December has always been a GREAT time to buy a car.
They're desperate to make any deal to get a car off the lot at that
point. However, it appears the Odyssey will be new for 2005 and will
finally be showing up late September or early October which means 2004
Odyssey's will start disappearing pretty quick and I expect the 2005's
will be sold at/over/near MSRP for quite some time where now they
going for $1,500 below MSRP.

Should I re-think this whole strategy or just hold my ground and
expect that come December I should still be able to find an 04 EX-L
w/Nav?

 

> Should I re-think this whole strategy or just hold my ground and
> expect that come December I should still be able to find an 04 EX-L
> w/Nav?

IMHO: Call back the dealership you were negotiating with and bring up your
offer $300 on the phone, make sure you have the salesman speak to the sales
manager! You will probably be able to get it, if they say no and they say
"you won't get that price anywhere" just say "you know, you might be right,
I might not get that price anywhere, BUT I for sure won't be getting the car
here, so if YOU want to be the one selling me a car, lets just close this up
and I will give you a deposit right now"

 

On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 22:51:42 GMT, "Lattes"
<d2do2dmtakethispartout@hotmail.com> wrote:

>IMHO: Call back the dealership you were negotiating with and bring up your
>offer $300 on the phone, make sure you have the salesman speak to the sales
>manager! You will probably be able to get it, if they say no and they say

Tried something similar. They're not budging for some reason. I can't
be far off the price and this idiotic Vehicle Enhancement Kit is
ridiculous.

 

tell them you dont want the vek, 500 bux for something that going to make
the vechile look ugly anyways =)



"Rich Heimlich" <agrajag@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:61h6f0telq0aajkmd021fgbi4e2n3838ec@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 22:51:42 GMT, "Lattes"
> <d2do2dmtakethispartout@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >IMHO: Call back the dealership you were negotiating with and bring up
your
> >offer $300 on the phone, make sure you have the salesman speak to the
sales
> >manager! You will probably be able to get it, if they say no and they say
>
> Tried something similar. They're not budging for some reason. I can't
> be far off the price and this idiotic Vehicle Enhancement Kit is
> ridiculous.

 

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 00:21:32 -0230, "M.C. Tee"
<tedwards@LEAVEMEALONEroadrunner.nf.net> wrote:

>tell them you dont want the vek, 500 bux for something that going to make
>the vechile look ugly anyways =)

I did, and I won't accept it. They give you the line that the vehicle
is already equipped and I say, "Thanks for the gift then, but feel
free to remove it."

BTW, I also always tell the dealer, "Oh, you need to know I also
charge $1,000 to advertise on MY vehicle so if you plan on putting
your dealership advertising on MY vehicle, I'll make sure to look for
that deduction on the price."

What got me was that I've bought 4 vehicles from this VERY dealership
over the years and when I mentioned that I wouldn't be paying a
documentation fee, the manager said, "We've always charged that fee
and won't be stopping now," to which I am forced to reply, "Well, I've
bought 4 cars in a row here and have never paid a documentation fee
and won't be starting now."

Why car sales always need to be filled with complete crap is annoying.
Understandable, but still annoying.

VEK as far as I could tell included the pin striping, the so-called
etching, splash guards, cargo tray and mats. Add all that up and if it
actually costs them $100 I'd be shocked. I also loved the bit about it
already being on the vehicle and yet I'd just driven the vehicle and
made sure none of those things were their except the cargo tray which
they could easily remove. Of course I'm sure that would throw off
their entire inventory system. <grin>

 

they are trying to sell you you don't want. I have recently purchased
an EX-L and didn't have any problems with anyone at my dealership. I would
suggest another dealership. In fact, the one I purchased from didn't even
suggest any options. They got knocked in the survey for that.

One of them is likely to sell you what you want.

The invoice on that EX-l with Nav is $27,429. You should be starting at
that number. or find a dealership that will.

Scott
"Rich Heimlich" <agrajag@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:4ll6f0teplpcatgnuah39eor6nj57qu0i4@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 00:21:32 -0230, "M.C. Tee"
> <tedwards@LEAVEMEALONEroadrunner.nf.net> wrote:
>
> >tell them you dont want the vek, 500 bux for something that going to make
> >the vechile look ugly anyways =)
>
> I did, and I won't accept it. They give you the line that the vehicle
> is already equipped and I say, "Thanks for the gift then, but feel
> free to remove it."
>
> BTW, I also always tell the dealer, "Oh, you need to know I also
> charge $1,000 to advertise on MY vehicle so if you plan on putting
> your dealership advertising on MY vehicle, I'll make sure to look for
> that deduction on the price."
>
> What got me was that I've bought 4 vehicles from this VERY dealership
> over the years and when I mentioned that I wouldn't be paying a
> documentation fee, the manager said, "We've always charged that fee
> and won't be stopping now," to which I am forced to reply, "Well, I've
> bought 4 cars in a row here and have never paid a documentation fee
> and won't be starting now."
>
> Why car sales always need to be filled with complete crap is annoying.
> Understandable, but still annoying.
>
> VEK as far as I could tell included the pin striping, the so-called
> etching, splash guards, cargo tray and mats. Add all that up and if it
> actually costs them $100 I'd be shocked. I also loved the bit about it
> already being on the vehicle and yet I'd just driven the vehicle and
> made sure none of those things were their except the cargo tray which
> they could easily remove. Of course I'm sure that would throw off
> their entire inventory system. <grin>

 

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 10:47:23 -0500, "Scott Van Nest" <JohnDoe@***.net>
wrote:

>The invoice on that EX-l with Nav is $27,429. You should be starting at
>that number. or find a dealership that will.

Yep. BTW, how real is the destination fee? For me that seems like yet
another item that is a hidden joke. That'd be like a restaurant adding
a line item for the shipping of the lobster from Maine to your plate.

 

no one gets away from the destination charge. you will pay that one, unless
your buying that nice Element. I think they are probably giving them away
for free. Docs fee is a negotiable fee. I think I gave it to my dealer for
not jacking with me.

Scott
"Rich Heimlich" <agrajag@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:vth8f09s37hn33dvlt1d895bftkvaq2h2c@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 10:47:23 -0500, "Scott Van Nest" <JohnDoe@***.net>
> wrote:
>
> >The invoice on that EX-l with Nav is $27,429. You should be starting at
> >that number. or find a dealership that will.
>
> Yep. BTW, how real is the destination fee? For me that seems like yet
> another item that is a hidden joke. That'd be like a restaurant adding
> a line item for the shipping of the lobster from Maine to your plate.