Buying A New Car Via the Internet

The "Internet Sales Departments" will love you. Just the mention of "no haggle" will be enough. By the way, the Internet sales staff is usually nothing more than just another salesperson. If you don't haggle or at least go into it knowing what you want to pay/how much you want to pay/any incentives or rebates that are active, etc., you're just handing over a few thousand.

But, if you want no-haggle, just pay sticker price like Saturn owners do.

You may also want to contact the fleet manager of the dealership and tell him what you want to pay. He/she may bite.

 

I did it a couple years ago for teh firm I worked for. The first rule is simple: Tell them exactly what you want (make, model, color and specific features). Goto Honda's website and I'm sure they have all the options and pick the ones you want.

I then sent an e-mail out to 4 local dealers and said here is what we want the dealer who can get us the best price gets our business.

You can tell the guys who want your business will still track you down and call you on the phone (3 out of 4 companies did that and I simply said show me your best price). I don't know if I got the overall best price possible but it saved alot of haggling.

 

I'm surprised that LooneyToon was not the starter of this thread

 

I would never buy a car off the internet. Just my own quirk.

 

As long as you are willing to research prices/options beforehand, you should be able to name your price/options and get it quick. It's not even hard work anymore. The internet will give you all the information you need.

 

get a honda passport, crv's are like a civic in a suv body.

 

bought my car on the internet. VW even gave a 5% discount for going through the internet. got the price i wanted to.

 

But you missed the part where the salesperson gets up and pretends to go talk to his boss about giving you the best price while he is actually just doodling. Are you sure you wanted to miss out on that? LOL

I once had a guy who gave me the best price he could offer on a car and then he told me something like, "Look...I've got other customers so do you want the car or what?". Suffice to say he didn't get my business. I took his price, however, and bought the car elsewhere with more features for $1500 less. Note to any salespeople, don't say stupid sh*t to your potential customer for whatever reason or your a lousy salesperson who loses business. This guy was a salesperson for the month. I thought he was the worst salesperson I had ever come across in car buying. I think he pre-judged me and thought I wasn't serious or wasn't financially viable...which was completely wrong. He didn't spend much time at all with me, either, before he issued his ultimatum.

 

More like an Accord in a SUV body. CRV's have an Accord engine I believe.

 

ID2K,

Email LooneyToon. He can give you plenty of good advice on car buying.

 

I just bought a new 2004 Honda Pilot EXL on the internet in July.

The locals around here wouldn't come off list by more than a couple hundred - then they tacked on a bunch of overpriced oem features like a grand for fog lights so I started eshopping.

I found a guy on ebay selling new Pilots at a great price (almost $3g below list), but I had to pick the car up in Shreveport, LA. I went on Edmunds and sent emails around to internet dealers in nearby cities. I stated what car features and color I wanted and I was a serious buyer and that I found a deal for $x but I'd rather not drive that far if I don't have to - but I will - can you match it.

I got calls from guys saying they couldn't match it. "I can sell these cars all day at $1g below list." My reply was "thank you, bu-bye". But then I got a call from Team Honda in Atlanta (2 hours drive for me). They beat the ebay price, by $100 but added on a $390 dealer fee so really I paid $290 more but I didn't have to make a 9+ hour each way drive. The nice thing too was upon talking to the finance guy, he matched my credit union rate of 3.85% with no additional fees and I could get the paper work all done at one time at one place.

So no waiting in the tiny office while some dufus goes to "check with his manager". The paperwork was all filled out waiting for me when I arrived. And even though I bought this car from a different state, it went off without a hitch. They got the car (picked up from another dealer at no charge) with all the features I wanted (even threw in the rear mud guards at no charge - the locals wanted $200 extra for them) - the color I wanted - the rate I wanted - at close to the price I wanted.

Find the price you want to pay - go lower than what Edmunds says to pay and see who can match it. Be sure to take into account all fees. I knew about the $390 but felt it was worth it not to drive. But if you know from shopping around that that is the car you want and it's new, go for it.

 

i was under the impression he was buying used. If not, go for the pilot definately.

 

ok so I have reading comprehension problems. Happy, Why dont you just go rub it in my face already

 

That might be a little difficult as I understand that Looney is having issues with his living situation, so he might not even be able to check his email.

 

I did finance it and I was planning on going through my Credit Union since they had the best rate. The finance guy at the Honda place matched my CU rate of 3.85% with no fees so it made the transaction even smoother. Otherwise, you have to have the dealer fax the title to CU or bank and they will cut a check for $x (price - down payment). Take your check to the dealer and they will then fed-ex you the title to have transferred. Take the title and all the paperwork to the courthouse, and they can take it from there.

But if you go through them, they will take care of all the paperwork, except the last part - they'll fed-ex you the title and you take care of the rest at the courthouse. This may vary since I bought the car in another state. I think if you buy and finance it in the same county, they completely take care of it.

But like the car - shop around and see if they can match. Go to peoplefirst or your bank or CU to get the best rate.

Also, do the math before you get there. Given the term, apr and financed amount (total price - downpayment), you should get a monthly amount - there are website everywhere that will compute this for you. Write this amount down and compare it to the final on the total. They should match to the penny - if not, they snuck something in there on you.

Even as anxious as you are to get a new car, remember this time of year, they are more anxious to sell you a car...at least they should be.

And don't let them tell you it's a Honda and we don't negotiate. Even at $3k off list, they made a tidy profit.

Also, if your handy with the tools, you can add any oem part on later cheaper. Honda loves to make money in this area. I bought some oem running boards for the Pilot shipped for $390 on ebay. It took me 3 hours to install and I had to get the instructions from another website (there were a million pieces and no instructions), but I saved over $500 by doing it myself.

 

I recently bought mine this way. Got it close to invoice.

Be careful though, the finance manager will still try to jail rape you so do you homework before going in. I was expected a finance rate of 1%. When I got into his room he had me at 5.9% but made sure I saw the LOW monthly payment. They try to get you focused on the low monthly payment. When I asked about the 1% he said, "hmmm, let me see if that is still available...". I knew it was and said that's what I expected before I came over there. He then looked in his book and said, "we can do it!" then tried to rape me again with warranty talk.