Celeron

I'm currently in talks with a dealer on a CG, 6MT, Navi 2004 TSX. Its new, only been on the lot for a couple of weeks now. The price he originally quoted me was $27,500, which is not a very good price as far as I'm concerned. $1500 off MSRP on a 2004 model with the 2005s right around the corner is no great shakes if you ask me. What do you think is a fair price for this car? I was thinking about proposing $26,800. Too low? Too high still?

Help! First time car buyer here. I've read a bunch of tips online already, but I need opinions of people who already own the car.

Thanks!

ricecake

Hi Celeron! Have you read this thread:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11993

There is some good general advice in sauceman's initial thread, but other people have also weighed in on specific TSX negotiations too.

Celeron

Yah, I already checked out that thread. Good info for sure. I didn't see anything regarding this particular situation, especially with the 2005s due out next week. I want to get a fair price, but I don't want to low ball it so low that the dealer dismisses my interest.

Jeffropugs

I originally was looking at 2004 with Navi. i dealer gave me a price of $27,100 about 6 weeks ago. I'm in the same state.

I think you sould hold out for 26,800. They want to get rid of them, and I believe that would be a fair price for you both.

Depends on S&D, but if your $300 off, I think he will make the deal. Don't fall for 'you're gonna walk away over $300?' say right back 'you're going to kill the deal over $300?

vasu

I'm about to get a new TSX, I'd like an auto with navi. There are a few 2004's on the lot left and I assume 2005's are a week or two away.

What should I try to go with, $27,000 ? What's the invoice pricing?

-vasu

Celeron

According to the Yahoo cars site the invoice on the 2004 Navi cars is 25,970 or so. Dealer here in NY expects deliver of the 2005 TSX on the 11th or 12th.

Jeff, thanks for the tips.

bryan14309

I got mine about two months ago 6mt with navi black/ebony. I paid 26900 which included wheellocks and splash guards. I didn't put up much of a fight though. I added the price you can buy those two things at handa-accessories.com onto my asking price which was like 26830 and went up to 26900 because they treated me much better than any other dealer I made deals with. Now that 2005s are coming out, get closer to 26500. I believe that invoice price 25,970 doesnt include destination which is an additional 570. So invoice would be 26,540. Note that Acura gets holdback too so they still get money from the invoice. Although if the 6mt navs still dont stay on the lot for very long you may want to give them a little profit.

Celeron

Seems I've run into a bit of a snag here. The dealer is trying to tack on a $400 "documentation" fee which according to the sales man includes:

"Documentation fees cover the closing costs of the purchase, ie, the paperwork, titling and registration transactions."

He also included $61 for the registration and titling, so I'm left with a $400 charge for "paperwork." Not acceptable.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Have you paid similar fees?

Viking

Documentation fee of $400! Get a detailed bill for there so called documentation fee and let them know your lawyer want to see what they are charging for. I think $50 dollars is reasonable but $400, that is just plain robbery.

Edit: I found this thread over at Edmunds discussing the doc fee issue. So I guess it will vary by state but you should get the detail of the doc fee to see what they are doing.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/Web...b.1@.ef10f3b/0

Celeron

I sent another email to him asking for him to explain it. We shall see.

bryan14309

Oh man! $400 is rape! I hate how dealers don't tell you what costs what. The good thing is you haven't signed anything yet. One question.... are you getting new plates? I got new plates and my doc fee was 200 bucks total (I think around 80 for the new plates). I probably got owned on that one too. If you are just transferring plates, id look for less than 100 bucks for all of it. Get each thing itemized for how much it costs (registration, title, tags if needed) and then ask the dealer what other little fees they like to throw on each of their cars. Be confident in what you ask and look them in the eye and be friendly at the same time even though you know they are constantly sneaking in little white lies here and there. Careful though because after you make your deal and agree to a final price, you still have to deal with the lie-nance manager ;-)

If they give you a hard time, just walk out. I had to do that at Clair Acura of Norwood MA. The sales lady there Patricia treated me like shit. I don't buy a car unless i can test that exact car out. She gave me BS by saying it didnt have gas in it or fuses in it yet. I saw that lie straight up. We agreed on a price, she got an excellent price from me she would have made a great profit on the car. But she wanted at least a 1000 dollar deposit on the car and I still didnt get to drive it yet. I don't get it, I dressed up business casual and everything and she knew I had done my homework and still didn't give me any respect. If you go to Clair Acura of Norwood MA, and your dealing with Patricia, she will be nice when letting you drive the demo but when you start talkin numbers she's an absolute B*tch and treats you like you are brainless

Celeron

Yah, I'm getting new plates. North Carolina only charges $61 for registration and titling. That $61 includes plates. I'm still waiting for an answer.

I'm handling this through email as I'm in New York right now, dealer is in North Carolina.

TSXey

This is in the Phila PA area and in reply to my online inquiry, three local dealers quoted and they were all close in price so I went with the one closest to home. I got my brand new '04 TSX this past Summer with auto tranny no navi including destination for $25200. I did trade in a useless old bombed out Saab for it but even the Saab dealer and my very reliable mechanic both told me it wasn't worth anything since the blown tranny cost more than the car was worth. But it was a trade in so I'm mentioning the circumstances.

Celeron

I heard back from the sales guy. He wouldn't explain the "documentation" fee. He also wouldn't budge from his already too high price of $27500 for a 6MT Navi, 2004. Oh well, another lost sale for him.

vasu

I just got back from the new orleans dealership. Carbon grey tsx, ebony interior, navigation, auto. The dealership here already adds a protection package (teflon trunk liner, wheel locks and mud guards) and auto charges $389 for it. I asked if I could get it removed but he said he'd only knock $200 off if I did that since it's on there already. Plus i kinda want the mud guards anyway, still annoying.

Anyway he wont budge below $28,300 saying while other states/markets can go lower (I referenced this board), they can't here, or something.

So $28300 for the car with the wheel locks, trunk liner, mud flaps.

he said outright that he wont budge a penny on a 2005 and they have no problem selling it to someone else.

-vasu

Celeron

Ouch man. Maybe look at dealers outside your state if you are close to the border. I just sent out an additional 3 quote requests. If nothing else it gives me more ammo when I visit the local Acura dealer.

$28,300 is not a very good deal on a car that is about to see a new model. At least I don't think so.

Viking

It is a 2004 model it will be taking full year of depreciation in two months. It all depends on supply and demand for that dealership area, if the cars are selling they have no incentive to lower their price b/c somebody else is willing to pay their high prices. You guys are also negoiating at the beginning of the month so they don't have any pressure to meet any month end sales quotas.

bryan14309

For Celeron, if he thinks he can sell the 2004 6mt nav for 27500 then let him do it on his own. I wouldnt even bargain with them if a sucker will buy it for that much since other dealers will sell you an 04 tsx for less. You also have a right to know what he's charging you for. Id definitely not deal with him from this point on.

vasu

The problem for me is that there are no other dealerships near by, they are all pretty far away and I know my dad wont be willing to drive out that far for it.

I looked on Edmunds and the true market value of the car is $28,450 (without wheel locks, trunk liner, mud flaps), so I guess $28,300 with those things isn't horrible?

The thing is, if I fireback with, it's already got a year of depretiation on it, he'll fire back with "yeah, that's why we're giving you this huge discount"

I tried pulling the 2004 going out and 2005 coming in argument, but they've got 5 TSX's left for the next 3 weeks (when their 2005 allotment is coming in), and another one of those 5 was going for sale while I was there, so down to 4 by the time I left. Selling what they have wont be a problem for him.

ugh.

-vasu