Where to get best price in Houston, TX?

[apexi350z]

Looking for 07 CR-V EX, only went to Gillman Honda (Beltway8/59), and they have just 2 in stock. Both EX-L, which is not what I'm looking for. Salesman said it will take 2-3 weeks to order one. Didn't talk about the price. I want to get it $500 to $1000 below MSRP, is it possible? Which dealer is hassle free around the Houston, TX area? (probably no such thing :) )

Thanks!

[Black Pearl]

It doesn't look like you are getting much of a response from the Houston area. Due to the fact that I live in Pittsburgh, and buy a car once a decade, my comments will be next to useless--but at least you got a reply.

I bought mine in the end of May. Each dealer I visited had about 6 on the lot. According to the press reports the CR-Vs are moving fast and there is a big demand for them. That doesn't ode well for saving a lot money, but does indicate that you are interested in a good vehicle.

Personally I am not worth two hoots at dickering, I have a bad temper and the dealer's antics send me into the stratosphere. Yes, yes, I know don't get mad, get even. But that doesn't help me. I just get mad. A friend of mine has been buying Hondas for a long time and his experience has been that he got a far better deal off the Internet quotes than he did with dickering. So that is what I did. I requested quotes from the Honda website for a specific color and interior. I got about 600 off MSRP without uttering a word, which was a better price than the Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds True value. I am sure I got shafted on my trade-in, but it was getting shaky, so I took the money and run. I am sure you will hear about all these fantastic deals, people make. So let me be the exception, I never get fantastic deals. I get high blood pressure and no car or I get shafted. So there you have it. Some people can dicker, some can't. Some can't & claim they do. I figure it this way, if I signed the dotted line, I probably got shafted. It happens once a decade, so who cares? In any deal everyone should feel they got something and everyone feel they got a little shafted. But remember one thing, the dealer knows a hell of lot more about buyers than the buyer knows about dealers. They do it every day and you do it once in a blue moon. So take all that crap with a grain of salt.

The one thing you do have on your side is information. Look at Edmunds & Kelley and know your prices. Also watch the dealer added accessories. You can buy genuine Honda stuff off of H&A for a lot less than what your dealer will charge you. Although use caution, some accessories are not easy to install. H&A have instructions on their website. Make sure you can handle the job or know someone who can do it. If you are interested in extended warranties, you can find those on the internet for a lot less than what your dealer will charge. Google Honda Care and check out the prices. Take the price to the dealer and see if they will match it.

If you do get internet quotes, make sure you print the quote out and take it with you when you go to the dealer. Good luck and let us know how you did.

[char65]

Looking for 07 CR-V EX, only went to Gillman Honda (Beltway8/59), and they have just 2 in stock. Both EX-L, which is not what I'm looking for. Salesman said it will take 2-3 weeks to order one. Didn't talk about the price. I want to get it $500 to $1000 below MSRP, is it possible? Which dealer is hassle free around the Houston, TX area? (probably no such thing :) )

Thanks!

Hello:

I can't vouch for them, but I've read on a couple of other boards that Reliance Honda in Lake Jackson is pretty hassle-free and price fairly. They are on my list to contact when I begin shopping seriously in September.

[mikey]

I'm in North Carolina, and ended up getting $1200 off MSRP, but I'm convinced that no matter what state you live in, the way to go for best price is the web. Some of the quotes I got via email told me flat out that I could only get that price through the 'Internet sales' staff. Figure out which configuration you want, then use Honda's site to find dealers:

http://automobiles.honda.com/tools/dealer-locator/?address=&city=Beach&state=VA&zip=&dealername=&filters=

Although we're in Raleigh, with 8 dealers within about 40 miles, I could only get a few to go below MSRP, with the best deal at $800 off. Some of these 8 dealers didn't even respond with a quote, and one gave me a "special internet price" of MSRP. :rolleyes: When I expanded my search to about a 3 hour drive, I got dealers to go another $400 off MSRP. The best prices seemed to be in the metro areas where dealers were closer together-more competition maybe. We ended up buying from a dealer just south of Charlotte. They had our EX-L color choice in stock.

Honda's site shows 15 dealers within about 80 miles of Houston. I would use Honda's dealer locator to take you to dealers' websites and ask for quotes. Use the comments section to specify your configuration and start your pricing at about $1000 below MSRP. I'd compare prices without any accessories and fees-just sticker price, including the $595 destination.

It's also to your advantage if you're flexible on color choice, when you take delivery (as in waiting for the next shipment to get your choice), or being willing to take a V driven in from another dealer.

[brisma]

We just purchased a Whistler Silver/Black interior CR-V EX from Baytown Honda in Baytown, Texas. The internet salesman was Mr. Houston Hall. He quoted us the best price which was 21,999. No one else was willing to budge off the MSRP sticker price, which is around 23,445 in this corner of Texas. The dealership was getting ready for the Labor Day weekend sale and had quite a few CR-V's on the lot. If you live in the Houston area call Mr. Hall and tell him Mike and Amy Brister from Orange, Texas recommended him.