wow... unreal. You guys were putting very little deposits. I put $3000 on my credit card.

This way I could get my dep back if they didn't deliver on the day promised. I put an extra $12k when I picked it up. Was prepared to put more but the bloody interest rate would've gone up to 8.9%. It's @ 6.9% right now, weak!

 

I put a $1000 as welll...

 

I put down $2000.

 

i think most people are saying what their down payment is. i'm asking what your deposit before purchase (to reserve the car for you) was.

if you bought it and it was on the lot, you probably didn't put a deposit down.

1000 and 2000 for a deposit is insane.

 

$1000 on credit card, went towards my down payment afterwards. I was buying used and they wanted to see I was serious about the car.

 

I wasn't asked to put a deposit down. One of the many reasons why the next car I buy will probably be an Acura and if it is an Acura, it will be from that same dealership and from the same salesman if I can help it.

I originally went in to the dealership looking for a 2006 RSX. I talked with my salesman and there were a few sitting on the lot, but no 2006s yet. A few weeks later I went back in to talk to him because I read that some 2006s were showing up. It was than that he told me to wait because in about a month Acura would most likely be doing their special financing deals. So we found a car with a delivery date right around 12/25/2005, a 2006 Vivid Blue Pearl RSX. He put it on hold for me and didn't even ask for a deposit, even though he was going to have to do a dealer trade in order to get it.

I get really excited about things really easily. I had done endless amounts of homework before deciding to go with the RSX, but I went home and read more and more about it. The more I read, the more I saw things about the TSX that I liked, I didn't think I could afford it though.

However, I called my salesman and asked if he had any 2005 TSXs sitting on the lot. He said they had two, one was an Arctic Blue Pearl. We talked numbers, I realized that I could indeed afford the TSX (the difference in insurance almost made up for the change in monthly payment), I decided to switch. I don't regret making the switch for a second.

Even through all of that, he never once asked me for a deposit. I even asked him if he needed one, he said no. This wouldn't seem so weird to me, but I'm 20 years old. I wasn't expecting to be treated so well. I was so impressed with this dealership that I now recommend it to all my friends and family who are in the market for a new car. After all, you know you can't beat Acura.

 

Most times...if a customer says they are going to put $2,000 down for example, we'll ask them for it up front and it also works as a deposit. It's the same thing in most instances.

It isn't insane if you were going to put that amount down anyways.

Diggs

 

if its a "non-refundable" deposit, it's insane.

 

-Soapbox Warning-

As to the price you end up paying - It's so easy now with the Internet to find out what or close to what a dealer pays for a car that you can build a set point or base cost for the car you're looking for and then negoiate up from there. I'd suggest you spec out what you want and then contact all the Acura Internet Sales Departments (and this is the trick part) via telephone. People to people contact is important here. You could be cutting out some of the commissions here and help lower your cost. Have your financing in order (don't go hunting without bullets in your gun) and tell them that you are buying this car and the only question is for how much and from whom. The old rule in buying & selling things via negoiation is "there's no such thing as equals, you're either in control or he is."

This really helps when you're adding extras to the base model. You should (given the cars availability) be able to negoiate most of the added extras and labor down in order to get the "packaged" price for the car down where the dealer can still justify selling the car to you and still make some $$'s. Remember that they make their money moving product (turning inventory) not sitting on it and paying the flooring cost. Don't get too greedy. Remember they think they can still add back some profit margin when you come in to sign the papers. The F & I guy is normally the best closer on the lot. His job is to add profit margin. Just say no and believe me if he's good it won't be easy. They must think that you will walk if they fuck with you too much and most closers WILL TEST YOU. Let him explain to the Manager why he blew a deal and the car is still on the lot.

As to the deposit it's normally used as "commitment money or are you serious money" by the dealer. There are times when they need a deposit to justify ordering (adding to their normal inventory count) a "special" car. Depending in which state or province you live the applicable DMV code will tell you your rights, etc. If you don't get it in writing then shame on you and your life-lesson saga continues. A saleman is not going to jepordise his job because he made a promise to you.

Above all have fun!!! You're getting a new car damnit, enjoy your new ride.

 

...what he said...

I sell a lot of cars every month. I'd like to say it is because I am good at what I do, but I also don't feed my peeps a bunch of <poop>.

When he says they will test you...mark his words....they will. I never take no for an answer...I just rework it from a different angle.

Sill Water didn't say one thing that was wrong. Just try to make it easier on yourselves and offer something fair. We all want to sell cars...and we all want to buy cars...just meet in the middle.

When people start "mooching" too much, it gets to a point where it is like trying to squeeze blood (water) from a rock (or however that saying goes). I just sold an Escape for $50 bucks over NET NET (which is $50 of holdback), and my people still didn't trust us, or the deal, and still tried to get more. It gets to a point where I don't understand how people don't get embarassed. You can work a good, easy deal...it is mainly in the customer's hands how smoothly said deal will go. If you are offering like $500 over invoice (which from what I have read on here is around the avg), your dealership would be idiots if they didn't take it. Plus it will probably go relatively quickly.

Dealerships never take the first offer...because it has happened in the past that someone offers something reasonable and it is immediately agreed to, and the customer backs out because they think they paid too much. If you go in with all your homework done (bring it with you too), and make a reasonable offer...stick to your guns when they try to "bump" you. You'll get it.

Diggs

BTW...it doesn't look like myself or anyone else will be very successful trying to dig into a dealer's holdback on these cars. That might save you some more grief by not attempting that...Fords are a different story...and different buyer.

 

with Dirk Diggs.

The thing to remember here is that you will never beat somebody at their own game. Every salesman is told the old saying, "buyers are liars" and when negotiating on the final price "the first one to talk buys the deal." Now don't get all bent or PO'd, that's just the way it is. Way do you think that Saturn tired the "one price" system? Dirk's approach is very much in line with how I used to sell when I sold on commission and had no set prices. You need to do your homework and not be an emotional buyer or you'll be at the mercy of the seller or leave all pissed off at a sales system that you can never change. Be fair to them and let them make a living too. But if you're having a problem with the sales guy and he's just not treating you in a civil manner then get a different salesman. You have the power of the wallet.

Dirk Diggs, if you have the time perhaps you can tell everyone here how a TO house works. It's good to know when you've found the point when the Sales Manager is getting involved in your deal.

P.S. - I'm here to tell that you should be so lucky to find a salesman like Dirk or myself when I was selling. Our approach is harder to do and takes more time than the system or rhythm selling system. When you find a good salesman tell you friends and the SM at the dealership for this type of customer sales is a dying breed.

 

zero

nada

nothing

 

I put $500 down on 10/06/2005 got the car on 12/03/2005

Later
Mindshare
2006 TSX
TSX Avg MPG

 

Likewise, Acura of Boston requires a $1,000 NON-refundable deposit to order a car. They weren't the only one, I was also negotiating with a Clair North in NH who required the same. Has nothing to do with credit rating; this is not a down payment but an order deposit.

 

$500 deposit for me. When I went in, they weren't able to process credit card and the salesman had me sign a blank piece of paper signifying that it was for the deposit and got my credit card number. It made me uneasy to do so but seeing as how I had a 2 hour drive back to town and was tired I didn't feel like balking. At the time, I assumed that the deposit was refundable, but started having doubts when I got back home. If I had to do it over again, I would have asked to see the terms and conditions I'm signing to.

They also "forgot" that I'd paid a $500 deposit on the car when it came to the final deal, and when I pointed that out, they then balked for a bit about how they were losing $900 on the trade-in.

Definitely make sure and double check all your numbers before signing! Bring a friend too, it greatly reduces the stress of the closing experience.

 

I put down $3000. I could have put down less but I wanted to pay that much.

Why?

Because I could put it on my credit card and get 3000 areoplan miles.

If the 2006 price increase was higher than expected the deposit was totally refundable.



Excited