Quote:
Originally Posted by GoHuskies
Picking up a new car in a down economy is such a weirdly sweet deal!
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You know, you're right. I was thinking the same thing last night. But, now to the NEWS...
I just got home from picking up the car. It is amazing... astounding... I had not driven the HCH since '06 when they were introduced. The Polished Metal color is stunning. The beige leather is right on, and really dresses up the interior. I cannot believe what a solid tank this car is – hope it lasts! My '02 Insight was flimsy... my '07 Camry Hybrid was a marshmallow on wheels. The Civic is a blast to drive, and the quality and materials are far better than on my Toyota (the last one I'll ever own), and the Camry Hybrid with virtually identical equipment was $10K more money.
The dealer was 55 miles north of me... I took the train up the coast. The car had 8 miles when I picked it up and we farted around the dealer, test drive, etc. before heading home. MPG with cruise control at 65 MPH and hills was 48.5. Just playing around by taking the cruise off for a short time gave me the sense that 55+ MPG will be a piece of cake.
My salesperson at Honda Santa Ana was Marvin Rojas – 888-211-6493. I can't say enough positive about this dealer, and Marvin. Negotiating was a breeze... always courteous and respectful... finance department did not try to sell me ANYTHING and got me in/out in five minutes. Again, with a smile. The dealership GM found me outside before I left, and personally thanked me and asked about my experience. All-in-all, this was by far the best new car purchase experience I've ever had, and I've owned DOZENS of new cars. What a difference it makes not to have the dealers grind you. And then to get the amazing deal that I did... wow!
For those in CA, remember that sales tax will go up ONE percent in April, and registration fees will double as well. Dealers here are seeing increased business from people who want to save a few bucks on those things, too.
All glories to Honda, and congrats to other lucky fellow newbies!
P. S. This forum seems to be much more active and social than others I've found, as well as having lots of good tech info.
P. P. S. I was thinking whether I might want to swap for some '09 EX wheels, but I really do like the pie plate wheels. Interesting that if you go to the British Honda site, the same style Civic Hybrid comes with traditionally-styled wheels in 15" or 16". The version there has a folding rear-center armrest, and chrome door handles. Since they have Polished Metal color, I wonder how much a set would cost... <big grin>. Isn't life good?