How to buy a Civic Si Under MSRP

[enter801]

I thought this might be of use to those of you who are interested in buying a Civic Si in the near future. Some dealers are charging over MSRP and others charging MSRP. I am picking my Si up next week for $500 under MSRP (and if you have bought yours for cheaper and how, please share) because I am buying it through the internet salesman. The dealership I am buying from discounts $500 for the Si bought through the internet, and more for other models. Another option to look into is a Costco or Sam's Club discount. They both have auto programs with local dealers attached to them. You can go to costco.com or samsclub.com and find their auto sales programs and you will be able to find a local dealer (or not local... I imagine if you search you can find the best deal if you're willing to travel). The dealer I am buying through is also the Costco dealer for my city, so the discount is the same for me. My pops always thoroughly searches for the best deal when he buys new cars, and has been able to find good deals out of state (I'm in Utah). He is going to buy a new 06 RAV-4 for my mom from a dealer in Colorado for $500 over invoice.

I think they are starting to up the production on the Si's or possibly it is just because some of the preorders are being fulfilled, but it seems to me that dealers are getting in more Si's now. Mine wasn't preordered, just scheduled to come in and I am snagging it close to delivery, but there is another dealer in town with an Si on the showroom floor. I won't buy it though because they won't discount it at all and want to shove 2 higher priced accessories down my (or anyone who is considering buying) throat, the body kit and fog lamps. So they are being greedy and losing a sale because of it, their loss.

Anyway, just thought somebody might benefit from this. I am sure there are some people out there who have hook-ups and what not and are getting them cheaper, but for the average joe this is an avenue to consider.

enter801

[Janizary]

There are a few dealers here that offer a similar incentive for going through the internet sales department, however, in each case, that 'special' treatment was suspended specific to the Si.

Still, I agree it is a good idea to check that option out. It paid off for enter801, it should pay off for others.

[rbpearl]

First of all , the civic that I bought is not an Si but this may work for you... Si is in high demand unlike the Auto Civic Sedan LX that I bought.

Look at the Sunday Newspaper Ads. I bought my 2006 Civic Sedan LX (Automatic Transmission ) for $16,299 (excluding destination($550), tax,doc , lic & registration ). Regular MSRP for that is $17,310 (excl. dest.,tax, etc...). It was an AUTO show bonus sale here and it only appeared for two weeks. But still, you'll still see a lot of great deals from the newspaper ( be sure to bring it along when you go to that dealership ). Not all newspaper Ads appear on the internet.

[Jrfish007]

Interesting... I had no idea that Sam's Club had car bargians too.

[zadscmc]

As a hybrid owner, and I frequent many forums where the discussions frequently revolve around trying to find vehicles under MSRP. With hybrid demand being so high, pricing at the dealers has been on the premium side of MSRP, not the discount side. This situation seems to be similar with the new Civics.

Two tips that constantly are brought up are:

• Do your homework! Know exactly what the car should cost. Use edmunds.com or some other site.

• If you are shopping in a metropolitan area, look at the outlying areas, maybe as far as 300 miles or more away for better deals. For example, if in LA, look in Bakersfield, in Philly, try Allentown. These dealers don't have the same traffic as the city dealers, and usually are willing to deal.

[letsgoflyers81]

I got the Costco discount when I got my 04 Civic. Their arrangement is $100 over invoice before any rebates or incentives but that doesn't apply to limited quantity vehicles like hybrids and the Si. I got my 04 EX coupe new for $16,000. When we went back to the dealership for my wife's Hybrid and I asked if they had the same deal, they said all they could do was $100 under MSRP. Another dealership was able to get us one sooner for MSRP so we decided it was worth it to spend an extra $100 to get it a couple months earlier. We should be getting it in a couple weeks. We'll see what happens in the fall when I look for an Si to replace my EX.

[Skyline]

NEVER buy a car at MSRP.

The best way I've found is via the internet sales. It's easy to have 10 dealers competing with each other in a matter of minutes. Just take your best offer from the various dealers, and e-mail it to the other 9 dealers, and watch them all scramble over each other to get you a better deal.

[letsgoflyers81]

Originally Posted by Skyline

NEVER buy a car at MSRP.

The best way I've found is via the internet sales. It's easy to have 10 dealers competing with each other in a matter of minutes. Just take your best offer from the various dealers, and e-mail it to the other 9 dealers, and watch them all scramble over each other to get you a better deal.

Ordinarily I'd agree with you. However vehicles on limited runs that are in high demand like the Civic Si and Civic Hybrid are almost impossible to come by for under MSRP. A lot of dealerships are getting thousands of dollars over MSRP because the demand is that high. With any luck the 07's will be easier to come by and might be had for under MSRP.

[Skyline]

Originally Posted by letsgoflyers81

Ordinarily I'd agree with you. However vehicles on limited runs that are in high demand like the Civic Si and Civic Hybrid are almost impossible to come by for under MSRP. A lot of dealerships are getting thousands of dollars over MSRP because the demand is that high. With any luck the 07's will be easier to come by and might be had for under MSRP.

Still not buying it...

I live in Nashville, and there was only 1 dealer within a 60 mile radius that had a single LX Sedan MT in stock. It wasn't the color I wanted, so I had them trade it to a dealer in Louisville, KY for another color (black). They did so, and I was still able to get it for about 800 under MSRP. Took about a week and a half of talking to dealers, and trying to find what I wanted, but it worked out. Even if none are in stock you can get them to give you deals that they will accept when the next shipment hits the lots.

Maybe there are some regions that will absolutely not budge on the price, but I've yet to hear of it.

[letsgoflyers81]

Originally Posted by Skyline

Still not buying it...

I live in Nashville, and there was only 1 dealer within a 60 mile radius that had a single LX Sedan MT in stock.

And that's for an LX, not an Si or Hybrid. Check with the dealerships in your area and see how much they're asking if you don't believe me. Check in threads here and on www.vtec.net. Regular Civics are easy to get for under MSRP if you know what you're doing. Si's and Hybrids aren't.

[Skyline]

Originally Posted by letsgoflyers81

And that's for an LX, not an Si or Hybrid. Check with the dealerships in your area and see how much they're asking if you don't believe me. Check in threads here and on www.vtec.net. Regular Civics are easy to get for under MSRP if you know what you're doing. Si's and Hybrids aren't.

My apologies. I completely overlooked the entire Si theme of the thread. :rolleyes:

[skittleslegend]

My Si is under MSRP. I didn't have to do anything special. I just have a great dealer. Whatever you do, don't sign anything or put down a deposit until the dealer writes out your price for you and signs it. Internet deals are great because the person's name and department is usually in their sig. You have something to hold them to if they try to screw you out of your deal. Most people don't get things in writing and end up with some bogus "deal".

[DeezV604]

i got 1200.00 off msrp on a white si.
How?
well pretty much the dealer just gave it that way
A dealer in Ma called Honda north.
Offers the same price to every customer, no hassle of haggling.
I sat down said i want a white si with navi
he said right now we sell them for 600 off msrp-
then he said since u bought a car from me before ill give u another 400-
so i was at 1k off
then when we were talking about add ons,
i mentioned they gave me 300 off on my accord, so they threw me another 200
1200.00 in total off my new Si

[skittleslegend]

Originally Posted by DeezV604

i got 1200.00 off msrp on a white si.
How?
well pretty much the dealer just gave it that way
A dealer in Ma called Honda north.
Offers the same price to every customer, no hassle of haggling.
I sat down said i want a white si with navi
he said right now we sell them for 600 off msrp-
then he said since u bought a car from me before ill give u another 400-
so i was at 1k off
then when we were talking about add ons,
i mentioned they gave me 300 off on my accord, so they threw me another 200
1200.00 in total off my new Si

I almost bought a Fiji Si being built next week from Honda North. They're really great people to deal with. My only problem was my current car is dying and I needed something sooner than later. My dealer called me to tell me they had a GG coming in, but they're trying to find a Blue to swap with. But if anyone wants to contact them, talk to Jill Creutz. She was really great and they were selling it $600 under MSRP.

[presto]

anyone have any good dealer recommendations in the bay area (california).. east bay to be exact.

[letsgoflyers81]

Originally Posted by DeezV604

i got 1200.00 off msrp on a white si.
How?
well pretty much the dealer just gave it that way
A dealer in Ma called Honda north.
Offers the same price to every customer, no hassle of haggling.
I sat down said i want a white si with navi
he said right now we sell them for 600 off msrp-
then he said since u bought a car from me before ill give u another 400-
so i was at 1k off
then when we were talking about add ons,
i mentioned they gave me 300 off on my accord, so they threw me another 200
1200.00 in total off my new Si

That sounds like an amazing deal. I'll be looking for an 07 Si in the fall and if they can offer a deal like that, I'll made the five hour drive up there and break in the new car on the trip back.

[skittleslegend]

By the fall, I don't see why you shouldn't. A lot of people are a few months out on the wait list. The Si sedan should be out by then, and the hype will subsequently follow suit. You should definitely be able to get a good deal on an Si coupe for well under MSRP.

[Silver8th]

Dealer invoice price on this link at Auto consumer guide.
http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/N...5/Act/Showall/

[lvl7civic]

I like the idea of emailing all the local dealers. Is there any way you could post your dealings with this technique if you havent deleted the emails? It's definitely something that would be worth trying.

The only real issue I can see with internet sales is that they cannot appraise your trade in until they get you into the dealership. By then, they already know that you want to buy the car from them and they can attempt to rape you on your trade. At least that's the way I see it.

I did have one dealer who wanted to do what he called retail for retail where the dealership pays retail for my trade and I pay retail for their new car but I'm still skeptical about that little deal.

[letsgoflyers81]

Originally Posted by lvl7civic

I like the idea of emailing all the local dealers. Is there any way you could post your dealings with this technique if you havent deleted the emails? It's definitely something that would be worth trying.

The only real issue I can see with internet sales is that they cannot appraise your trade in until they get you into the dealership. By then, they already know that you want to buy the car from them and they can attempt to rape you on your trade. At least that's the way I see it.

I did have one dealer who wanted to do what he called retail for retail where the dealership pays retail for my trade and I pay retail for their new car but I'm still skeptical about that little deal.

This can be an advantage as well. If you go to a dealership, let them look at your trade in and try to work on the numbers of the new car and trade in at the same time, they can fudge the numbers and screw you. The best thing to do, in my experience, is to negotiate the price of the new car and then negotiate the trade in value. If you do this, dealing over the internet isn't a problem. You get a price on the car in writing and then see what you can do about the trade in. When I got my last car, I got a great deal ($400 under invoice) on the car but they didn't offer me much for my old car. So I sold it privately for $1800 more than they offered and I was set. Since I got the price of the car in writing, they couldn't tell me it was dependent on a trade in.