And it's got to conform to California pollution standards. The pollution shown on the Fuel Economy is a bit better for west/east than other states.

This vehicle is available in multiple versions that look the same, but may have different air pollution scores. (See "How to Identify a Clean Car") All versions may not be available in your area.

 

Hey! Ask if you can still order an 09! At a nice dealer.

 

I'd go for silver, white, or blue sensation. VSA is the driving factor here, considering that it's widely seen to be the best safety feature since the seat belt. I have every confidence in my driving abilities, but there are always situations that are beyond your humanly control. I've found several non-Navi/VSA MT models in my area.

haha, now that's an idea. Well the dealer wasn't being shady, just rude. How would they be able to help, anyway?

 

Yes, ordering one (if possible) seems like an idea. (For the record, if you haven't already noticed, you can't seemingly get a 2010 in MT with Navi.)

As far as ones still on dealers lots.. using vehix search.. I was able to find some 498 and 550 miles from 94305

White Man NAvi/VSA at university honda: (corvalis, or) 498 miles:
2009 Honda Fit Sport w/Navi For Sale by University Honda in Corvallis, OR

Black Man Navi/VSA at Larry Miller Honda, Hillsboro, OR (560 miles):
2009 Honda Fit Sport w/Navi For Sale by Larry Miller Honda of Hillsboro in Hillsboro, OR

Three different ones of unknown color at Jay Lee's Gladstone Honda in Gladstone, OR 550 miles:
2009 Honda Fit Sport w/Navi For Sale by Jay Lee's Gladstone Honda in Gladstone, OR

2009 Honda Fit Sport w/Navi For Sale by Jay Lee's Gladstone Honda in Gladstone, OR

2009 Honda Fit Sport w/Navi For Sale by Jay Lee's Gladstone Honda in Gladstone, OR

Sounds like a trip to Oregon is in order!!

 

I'm not too sure what's going on at Jay Lee's, but they have some rather unusual pricing...

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$25,693

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$24,793

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$22,702

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$22,678

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$22,224

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$21,625

Those are automatics...

Here are a few manuals...

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$20,775

New 2009 Honda Fit Sport
$20,775

Is there some kind of special Oregon currency that is different than regular US dollars? If not, I wouldn't be shopping at THAT dealership.
------

How about a dealer trade? Finding another dealer who will trade for that Blue Sensation AND fix the dings/dents?

 

Well, I'm not sure where you got the prices... but if I go to honda.com and build an 09 man tran navi with sport if I add almost all the accessories (the ones that don't require you to remove others to add them..) I can get up to $29,068! (Obviously more if I went A/T.)

Of course, who knows? Maybe those prices are with all their fees, taxes, etc.!

Either that or that explains why they still have several m/t navi sport fits.

 

They had links when I posted them...

Either Edmunds/Autotrader or just Autotrader. They didn't list the name of the dealer or the location until I clicked on the link, so it's real hard to find them again. Just said "dealer" and there are a lot of those mystery "dealer" links.

OK, big link:
Find Cars for Sale: New 2009 Honda Fit Listings in Stock at Jay Lee's Honda - AutoTrader.com

 

Thanks for all the advice... I'll look into getting a car transferred, but I wonder how much a local dealer would charge me to get one all the way from Oregon... plus does anyone know if Oregon and California have different emissions standards? There might be some complications there.

So anyways, those of you who suggested reporting this dealer to Honda, I'm all for it. But would that do me any good in terms of getting this particular Fit? I'm not sure how it would.

 

The car has to be driven or flat-bedded. The latter of which is costly. How much did you offer for the blue one locally? Be specific.

 

Got a link to the Consumer Reports page?

 

This is probably what you looked at:
New Honda Fit Prices and Honda Fit Dealer Invoice and Cost

And this is the price I got from Anderson for the Blue Sensation: $18,288

 

I don't think it would be possible to link directly to the consumer report page as it is members only.

To the OP: I have never seen any evidence or even a suggestion that the CR price reports are not absolutely accurate.

 

I paid for the Consumer Reports info, so you would need an account and purchase the report too to see it. But they list the dealer invoice price for the Fit Sport MT w/navi, as $18,171, minus $362 for dealer holdback. That puts the actual dealer cost at $17,809. I initially came in low, offering about $17,000, which is when he scoffed and got "offended". So then I went up to the CR bottom line price, $17,800, but he wouldn't even listen to any offer.

The salesman insisted that my invoice figure was wrong, and was actually several hundred more. He showed me a printout of what he said was the dealer invoice price, which if I remember correctly was around $18,288 or so, but it didn't include any itemized details like destination fee or dealer holdback, and he didn't let me keep the paper either. So I don't trust that figure whatsoever. He also said that the dealer holdback was already subtracted from the price....

If they're offering me the invoice price, that's one thing. But for a vehicle with noticeable damage, that's a different story.

 

Did you talk to a manager about your options? If you did, and they still said no, first I wouldn't deal with them going forward. Second, I think it's legit to send a note to Honda of America about their dealer.

Not sure I agree with the BBB comments though. This is the dealer's choice, they're not running their business the way I believe they should, but they're doing nothing illegal or even unethical. They're telling you up front the terms of the sale, you take it or you walk. If their management team has the same opinion as their sales person regarding not fixing the dings I'd walk, maybe run...

Good luck...

 

I suspect the price quoted by the salesman was the "invoice" price, but that isn't necessarily what the dealer actually paid. The CR bottom line price or whatever they are calling it now is the invoice less any incentives given to the dealer which can be massive. "Invoice" is really meaningless to a smart consumer.

I would agree though that it is entirely up to the dealer how they handle the whole thing - not unethical at all (although a tad on the sleazy side perhaps with the "you don't know how car pricing works" stance but that's par for the course). You don't have to play their game though.

 

I thought the 18,288 was with destination, otherwise it would be "regular price".

Destination fees went up. $710. So, 18,288 - 710 = 17,578

Did you LOOK at the True Car link? I got that from Consumer Reports. And did not have to pay anything.

Was the Consumer Reports bottom line price with or without destination?

And do you really think you'll get that price? If the CR price is without destination, it's more than what the dealer was offering you at 18,288 (provided their price includes destination).

Edmunds:
MSRP with destination 710 = 18,820
Invoice with destination 710 = 18,171
Their True Market Value = 18,652

2009 Honda Fit optional equipment at Edmunds

-------

True Car (includes destination and a 181 dollar fee)

Dealer cost: 17,990
Invoice: 18,352
Average paid: 18,425
Sticker/msrp: 18,820

New Honda Fit Prices and Honda Fit Dealer Invoice and Cost

------

Notice already we have a discrepancy in the invoice price? What is that fee, that's the difference. And I'd probably be insulted too if you offered 17,000. Was that supposed to include destination?

Do you just not want them to make any money at all? And why?

Sure, dealers have some leeway. Sometimes they do try to move specific cars at super low prices. Other times they can charge more than MSRP and customers will gladly pay that amount to be the first ones with the new model, new year, new color, new option, whatever.

The dealers HAVE TO MAKE MONEY. OK? They do. Otherwise they go out of business. It works like that for ANY business. They all have to make some kind of money.

They don't have to sell it at a low cost. And they don't actually have to sell you any car. Like the right to refuse service to anyone at most any business, they can just not want to deal with a certain customer. It's too hard to please all the people all the time. It's not possible. And you're asking for a lot, that they are NOT willing to give you at this time.

If they aren't going to do it, those Oregon dealers definitely won't do it, as they are asking well above MSRP. THOUSANDS above MSRP.

You have THREE cars in practically your backyard to choose from. The Blue Sensation and the two Tidewater Blue. They are willing to give you a pretty good deal on the Blue Sensation.

I spent hours looking at dealerships for cars, trying to find something for you. Found one black one in San Diego. But there are not a lot out there. And from what we see so far, Honda won't offer the stick on the Nav in 2010.

So, IF (and that's a big IF) they are willing to take your business, and that 18,288 includes destination, I would totally jump on that deal.

Ask them politely to buff what they can. If the dings are in the right place, you can add on the door molding strip after a paint touch up. That will hide the touch up paint AND will help prevent future dings.

And don't even think about demanding they throw in the molding for free.

How long have you been looking for a car? Prices fluctuate, you know. Prices go up and down and back up and back down. You can take the price now. You can wait and see if by any chance it will go down. Maybe it will, in a month or two. Or maybe those cars will be sold and you won't be able to find any stick with Nav that doesn't have a couple thousand on top of MSRP. Or maybe there won't be any at all.

I guess it comes down to if you feel lucky...

 

Consumer Reports suggest a reasonable markup on their Bottom line price is between 1 and 2% I believe. I paid 1.5% over it. Of course, if you want a specific color, or if the car is in particular demand then you have to be flexible.

Mind you, this car is damaged. If it was mint $18300 would be a fair deal all round on the basis of your CR base price.

How long has it been on their lot? The longer they have it for, the more likely they are to deal.

To be honest, I think you may have made a tactical error by lowballing to that extent. Once you put that first offer in and it's dramatically lower than any reasonable person could expect to get it for (evidenced by you going to 17,800) you rather lost credibility. If you really, really want this specific car, I would go back and say " I would be prepared to pay £x if it was undamaged, but it is. What will you do for me". If it's nothing then find another car or buy this car, but don't fall in love with a car until you have the title in your hand (not that I would do it then, but I know other people have different views on this).

 

I believe the Oregon cars will satisfy California emission standards. Oregon is one of a handful of states where if you buy, drive, or register it in the state you get the same warranties as the California warranties which are longer on several points. (NJ and PA, where I got my car, are also two of the states -- my warranty book is out in the car, so I can't list all the states here but I looked at it the other night.)

As far as a transfer from Oregon... I don't think it's feasible.

I think your best bet if you really wanna get that MT VSA/Navi is that you:

1) get internet pricing (especially OTD, if you can) and further details from each of those dealers in oregon that I listed. (There may actually be more, I only searched with the one vehix service.)
2) go on a short trip to oregon, buy your car, drive it back.

If you just wanna try to get that blue one that is local you just need to find another dealer that will give you a good price, transfer the vehicle, and fix it.

Personally however, I don't trust a car that _already_ has significant damage that the dealer is unwilling to fix. I mean, what ELSE is wrong with
it?

I also don't think they're charging thousands more than the fit is worth. I _do_ think they are probably trying to sell/add options at that one (jay lee?) dealership as their prices vary greatly on their inventory from basic sports to sports with navi. If they were just adding fees, then all the ones in the same model would be about the same price. If you don't want those options just say "no thank you, please take them off, how much for the car without them?"

Some dealers DO add markups -- at a local nissan dealer when I was looking -- I did see a $1995 "market adjusted price" or some such nonsense on the versa and the cube, on top of the msrp. Of course I walked out (I had other problems with this dealer, and decided I didnt like those cars anyway, but I just laughed at the additional 1995.) From what I read online this is a standard practice at Nissan dealerships. That being said, at very least according to the vehix.com search there are VERY VERY few M/T VSA/Navi fits left for sale in the entire country; not to mention NONE coming out in 2010. I wouldn't doubt the dealer's belief nor desire to add additional costs ontop of these vehicles if that is what they are indeed doing; it's called supply and demand. However, demand in Oregon must be low because they still have several of these spread out over a number of dealers. So, one one hand we have year-end-clearance and the need to get rid of 2009 models, on the other hand, we have very rare car configurations.

 

I appreciate the help and advice very much, especially if you've spent hours looking for another car on my behalf. Thank you!!!

The CR invoice number includes destination. The bottom line price is their invoice, minus the dealer holdback fee. Yes, I did look at the Truecar link, and was also wondering what that $181 fee was.

The salesman was being a jerk, not just pretending to be offended by a low offer. You give them a number that's low, and then work your way up to a compromise, hopefully somewhere in the middle. It's called bargaining, and I'm sure car salesmen/women are accustomed to it, or they wouldn't be very good at their jobs. Did I expect him to accept $17,000? No. But I also didn't expect the rude reaction.

I'm not saying it's not a good deal, don't get me wrong. It's the damage that kills it, which is why I started this thread to begin with. If I'm going to drive a brand new car off the lot, I kind of expect it to be brand new, not dinged up on both sides already. If you saw this ding, it'd be immediately clear that it will not just buff out. The added cost to get that fixed myself completely ruins the deal. Also it's a pearl paint, so repainting is more expensive than normal.

If one of the windows was shattered while on their lot, or one of the tires went flat, would they sell the car like that? Cosmetic though this damage may be, I think it should still be their responsibility. Flat out refusing to address it doesn't help their case.

 

It's just that it was SO low that they weren't going to take you seriously.

Start with what they are asking and try working your way down. That seems to be the way folks do it, from what I've seen.

Are you paying cash? No trade?

I just wanted a little off the msrp, and I got a little off. And brought a check for exactly what they told me.

But you start adding in things like financing and down payments and trades...it's a completely different deal. You look at the prices people pay, but what they don't say in threads like this one:
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...tml#post714347

Is what the total cost is after financing for 2, 3, 4 years. They don't always mention their interest rate or how much they got for their trade and if they could have gotten more by selling the trade private party.

So while I probably didn't get the world's greatest bargain deal on my Base Fit, I'm not paying a dime in interest to anyone. My total price is exactly what that check was made out for.

You need to think about that part. You may well be getting a better overall deal in the long run if you are paying cash and getting the car at a good price. People that might have paid less will pay considerably more over time, because of the interest.