Joined
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34 Posts
Greetings All:
In August, I became a new member as I purchased my first 2011 CPO TSX (Graphite with Ebony Interior) with Tech Pkg. That joy was snuffed out on Oct 30 when Hurricane Sandy turned my less than 90 day old auto into an aquarium.
Now I must tell you that State Farm was EXTREMELY responsive and paid me basically what I paid for the car (less my $100 deductible) PLUS sales tax. WOW !
After receiving the settlement check via hand delivery on the Wed before Thanksgiving (no kidding!), I set about last weekend in search of a replacement. For those of you NOT in or around the NorthEast of the US, please know that over 250,000 vehicles (including many brand new at the Port of Newark) were destroyed due to the storm surge.
That made pickings fairly slim. Candidly I did not want to purchase a brand-new vehicle, so I scoured the CPO pages of dealers within 100 miles of my NJ home.
I knew I had only 2 must haves - Black outside and inside, and the Tech Pkg, and that limited my choices even more. But I found one black 2012 in Pennsylvania (about 60 miles away) at Davis Acura, and one 2011 in NJ at another dealer.
I did the usual haggle with the PA dealer, and even showed the salesman the settlement letter from State Farm. This was to be a cash transaction as the original car was not financed. That salesman reluctantly let me walk away from a vehicle with only 7K miles on the odo and NEVER titled (demo/loaner car), for a difference of $300. (Seriously ? And there is NO ONE in the store but me???)
I then went to the NJ dealer, and got a very good deal on a 2011 - exact same set up. I noticed when I went for the test drive though that the car drifted to the left. I brought this to the salesman's attention, and we agreed that before I handed over my check on Monday morning (today 11/26), we would take a final test drive. But I sealed the deal for $24,500 - 11K miles, full CPO, plus OUTRAGEOUS DOC FEES of $400 PLUS (and this REALLY ticked me off) a $100 DETAILING FEE. (Seriously ? You want to charge me to clean a car on your lot ????)
So we got a very good, but not GREAT deal.
Then this morning at 9AM the NJ dealer calls to tell me they have discovered a problem. The car I agreed to buy on Saturday has had frame damage and they spotted the weld when the car was on the lift. (How do you NOT know this, when it's YOUR demo/loaner car ? Obviously YOU fixed it.) I say "No problem. We'll ditch the deal. Return my credit card deposit. Maybe next time." Whew...Dodged a bullet there. And thanks to the dealer's sales manager for his honesty. I'd bet some RARE dealer might have let it go out the door and played dumb...or maybe I am just cynical :laugh:
OK. So now I call the PA dealer. There was something about the 2012 that felt "right" when I test drove it. I spoke to the Internet manager and said " Look I was there on Saturday. You guys let me walk out for $300. I'm giving you another chance." 5 mins later, the internet manager says "The Sales Manager has accepted your offer of $27,500." COOL!
So I get a ride down there..it's getting late too..but I drove home very satisfied with my purchase. The car is immaculate, clean inside and out..no dings or any paint damage of any kind 7K on the clock, and the full tech pkg. All I need are winter mats and a trunk liner and I am DONE!
Yes, I paid $3000 more than I received from the insurance company. (Psst..The PA doc fee was only $108 and no other "nuisance fees" - he-he). Remember this is an environment where people who REALLY REALLY need cars are also dealing with home damage, loss of possession and more. This makes haggling a little harder than usual. Supply and demand... powerful forces.
Thank you for reading my long winded story.. I think the moral is that what is meant to be, often is how things turn out.
Cheers!
john
In August, I became a new member as I purchased my first 2011 CPO TSX (Graphite with Ebony Interior) with Tech Pkg. That joy was snuffed out on Oct 30 when Hurricane Sandy turned my less than 90 day old auto into an aquarium.
Now I must tell you that State Farm was EXTREMELY responsive and paid me basically what I paid for the car (less my $100 deductible) PLUS sales tax. WOW !
After receiving the settlement check via hand delivery on the Wed before Thanksgiving (no kidding!), I set about last weekend in search of a replacement. For those of you NOT in or around the NorthEast of the US, please know that over 250,000 vehicles (including many brand new at the Port of Newark) were destroyed due to the storm surge.
That made pickings fairly slim. Candidly I did not want to purchase a brand-new vehicle, so I scoured the CPO pages of dealers within 100 miles of my NJ home.
I knew I had only 2 must haves - Black outside and inside, and the Tech Pkg, and that limited my choices even more. But I found one black 2012 in Pennsylvania (about 60 miles away) at Davis Acura, and one 2011 in NJ at another dealer.
I did the usual haggle with the PA dealer, and even showed the salesman the settlement letter from State Farm. This was to be a cash transaction as the original car was not financed. That salesman reluctantly let me walk away from a vehicle with only 7K miles on the odo and NEVER titled (demo/loaner car), for a difference of $300. (Seriously ? And there is NO ONE in the store but me???)
I then went to the NJ dealer, and got a very good deal on a 2011 - exact same set up. I noticed when I went for the test drive though that the car drifted to the left. I brought this to the salesman's attention, and we agreed that before I handed over my check on Monday morning (today 11/26), we would take a final test drive. But I sealed the deal for $24,500 - 11K miles, full CPO, plus OUTRAGEOUS DOC FEES of $400 PLUS (and this REALLY ticked me off) a $100 DETAILING FEE. (Seriously ? You want to charge me to clean a car on your lot ????)
So we got a very good, but not GREAT deal.
Then this morning at 9AM the NJ dealer calls to tell me they have discovered a problem. The car I agreed to buy on Saturday has had frame damage and they spotted the weld when the car was on the lift. (How do you NOT know this, when it's YOUR demo/loaner car ? Obviously YOU fixed it.) I say "No problem. We'll ditch the deal. Return my credit card deposit. Maybe next time." Whew...Dodged a bullet there. And thanks to the dealer's sales manager for his honesty. I'd bet some RARE dealer might have let it go out the door and played dumb...or maybe I am just cynical :laugh:
OK. So now I call the PA dealer. There was something about the 2012 that felt "right" when I test drove it. I spoke to the Internet manager and said " Look I was there on Saturday. You guys let me walk out for $300. I'm giving you another chance." 5 mins later, the internet manager says "The Sales Manager has accepted your offer of $27,500." COOL!
So I get a ride down there..it's getting late too..but I drove home very satisfied with my purchase. The car is immaculate, clean inside and out..no dings or any paint damage of any kind 7K on the clock, and the full tech pkg. All I need are winter mats and a trunk liner and I am DONE!
Yes, I paid $3000 more than I received from the insurance company. (Psst..The PA doc fee was only $108 and no other "nuisance fees" - he-he). Remember this is an environment where people who REALLY REALLY need cars are also dealing with home damage, loss of possession and more. This makes haggling a little harder than usual. Supply and demand... powerful forces.
Thank you for reading my long winded story.. I think the moral is that what is meant to be, often is how things turn out.
Cheers!
john
