Test drove a Civic Hatchback Sport 2.0 Manual transmission Boost Blue Pearl - Excellent vehicle, but outrageous dealer markup!

[bike_commuter]

Just got back after test driving the 2.0L manual Civic. Pretty sure I'm one of the first people to get to test drive the manual. So here are my first impressions.
1) The vehicle is just amazing. 2.0L engine is powerful enough for me, and with the stick shift it drove like a dream! Suspension, ride quality felt great too, even with the 18" wheels and low profile tires. Steering felt very direct and quick.
2) Lots of space in the hatch, especially with the seats down. Rear passenger space is great too, it's amazing how Honda has designed the interior space.
3) I really want to buy this car. The Boost blue pearl looks amazing too. But the dealer markup price is insane (USD 5,000). Dealer also had installed some other unnecessary stuff like Xzilon, etc, so the total price was USD 33,000. Absolutely ridiculous. The best the salesperson could do was reduce the markup to USD 4000.
4) Something interesting that I just realized. I didn't pay much attention to the instrument cluster while test driving. But if I remember correctly, the whole instrument cluster (speedometer as well as engine RPM) seemed to be digital, even on the Sport trim. I could be wrong though.

So, I just drove my dream car, but I have decided to wait. Any suggestions on how to avoid dealer markups? Or is that something unavoidable as long as the shortage continues?

PS: This will also be my first ever car owned. So any other first time car buying tips are welcome!

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[Steve182022]

Thanks for that review!

Re the crazy mark up. "Just Stay No!"
Start calling around and tell them you're ready to buy for MSRP.

 

[bike_commuter]

Yeah, the next time I call a dealer, the first thing I'm gonna ask is "Is the price on website final price? Is there a markup on top of it?". It seems ridiculous to me that the dealer advertised the car at $25,510 on website and mentioned the markup only after the test drive.

 

[arpypat]

Yeah, the next time I call a dealer, the first thing I'm gonna ask is "Is the price on website final price? Is there a markup on top of it?". It seems ridiculous to me that the dealer advertised the car at $25,510 on website and mentioned the markup only after the test drive.

You should take a screenshot of their list price online. They are supposed to honor whatever they list it at...

I did this back in 2019 when I bought my Si. They had listed a new Aegean blue Si for $22,600. I took a screenshot and then called them about it. They then changed their price online, but I had an image with the $22,600 and they gave it to me without any of the BS add-ons or accessories.

 

[bike_commuter]

You should take a screenshot of their list price online. They are supposed to honor whatever they list it at...

I did this back in 2019 when I bought my Si. They had listed a new Aegean blue Si for $22,600. I took a screenshot and then called them about it. They then changed their price online, but I had an image with the $22,600 and they gave it to me without any of the BS add-ons or accessories.

I mentioned to the salesperson about the website-price and I was about to show him the listed price on his own website. But he said "No dealer will currently include the markup on their website. That's how it is." This is really frustrating.

 

[ebhaynz]

So, I just drove my dream car, but I have decided to wait. Any suggestions on how to avoid dealer markups? Or is that something unavoidable as long as the shortage continues?

You'll have to wait for an economic downturn before you can fight against dealer markups. I've read this will happen in the next year or so. Right now dealers have ALL the leverage. I'd just use this as an opportunity to keep the car you have and save money. If you insist on buying from a dealer probably my best piece of advice is to email all the dealers around your area and go with the one with the lowest price. I'd avoid going on the lot at all tell them you've got medical issues and have them deliver to your home. Remember, the U.S. public ranks car dealers as the #1 worst customer service in America.

 

[justasimpleman]

Patience saves pockets….

Unless you are in need of a new car, wait it out. Supply will catch up.

 

[TypeSiR]

Yeah, say no to markup. You drive a stick. Wait a year, spend $33k on a used Type R or $27k on the new Si. If you must have the car sooner, try emailing every Honda dealer in PA or OH and ask for MSRP without markup before stepping on the lot. Good luck!

 

[greggogrecco]

My dealer negated a markup by adding onto my trade in.. if you have one you could try and leverage it.. that’s what they did for me for my R. They were able to recoup (maybe not profit from my trade), and their dealer manager still got to pocket his stupid markup. Win Win.

My take is, if a dealership really wants you to drive away and satisfy you as a customer, then they will make the moves necessary to meet you. And I asked where the markup goes and said that the extra money goes into someone’s pocket is just a scam.

Could be worth a shot.. the only real thing is that there are idiots out there willing to throw money away at these mark ups and it does not help the situation any…

The Boost Blue hatch def catches my eye and I dig it though in that Color especially!

 

[sgtmorph]

I work for a dealership and I tell every I know…now is the WORST time to buy a car! Do dealerships have horrible customer service sometimes? 100% absolutely!!!

But there’s a flip-side too, I’ve seen alot of positive interactions as well.

It really does depend on these factors:
1. The store you go to. (High volume/low volume…I’ll explain later)

2. The sales rep you meet. (They’re trying to build trust and rapport. If that doesn’t exist, the deal falls apart)

3. The car. (I could give you a Lambo for $1.00 but if you hate it, what’s the point?)

4. The sales manager assigned to pencil your deal. (Sales reps have zero to do with your pricing. The sales manager is given parameters they must stay within and those parameters change monthly. The only factor the dealership has control over is how much they sell you the car for. Outside of that, it’s actually the leasing bank determines your monthly payment based on vehicle cost, term depreciation, money factor %’s, and residual %’s. Finance banks are easier to follow. Store sets cost, bank sets interest rate %’s. That determines monthly amount. Point is, the sales rep has almost zero to do with the amount you end up paying. His job is really just to help you learn about the car, then after the pricing is set between the store and the customer, the sales rep helps with the administrative stuff like insurance, getting the car ready for prep, etc. )

5. The finance manger you sign with. (This is usually where shit goes south in a lot of deals ?? some of them can be pushy yeah…to the point where sometimes shit pops off lol. Most people walk on deals because of what goes on in that office sometimes. I get their side too tho, they’re not just there for you to sign on the dotted line. They don’t get paid if that was always the case. They obviously work on commish too, so accessories and all those random extended warranties, naturally they’re going to try and mention that as well. They got mouths to feed too like everyone else ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If just 1 of those factors doesn’t feel right…WALK OUT on the deal.

If you decide not to buy the milk in the supermarket because of the price, you simply put it back in the shelf. ??‍ You don’t need to provide a reason. Same concept.

TLDR
Now is the worst time to buy a car because there isnt much inventory. Every dealership will mark them up. No way around it. If you can afford to wait out the storm, you’ll get the car you want at/or below sticker soon enough. ??

 

[VarmintCong]

I got one of the first Sport hatches back in 2017. It was a reliability shitshow. Try to get a 2nd model year if you can. If you can't wait, buy the first one that offers MSRP and no add-ons.

 

[ebhaynz]

I got one of the first Sport hatches back in 2017. It was a reliability shitshow. Try to get a 2nd model year if you can. If you can't wait, buy the first one that offers MSRP and no add-ons.

Great point about reliability for the 1st year, plus the report that the Indiana plant is having a very tough time making the hatchbacks fit and finish work.

 

[Engine Fire]

How did the manual transmission of the new Sport Hatch compare to others that you might be familiar with? I read that it might have shorter throws and stiffer bearing support than previous Civics.

 

[silverrascal]

$4,000 markup for a car that makes 158 hp in today's auto market? I would be LMAO all the way out the door. Heck, even the ST version with 180 hp is still suspect for any markup. How the heck can that salesman keep a straight face telling anyone there's a markup on a Civic? Type R? Yeah, I understand. Si? Maybe... But your run of the mill Civic hatch or even sedan? Nah, I'll pass.

 

[ValkenDnB]

The screen isn’t all digital for the sport model. It’s like the ex, the left half of the screen is digital while right retains a normal speedometer. You don’t really notice it until the car is off and you really try to look. It’s well hidden if I’m honest.

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