i am in the process of getting a E dx awd 5 spd manual, but theres a few things im not to comfortable with, 1 thing is they didnt even tell me how much ide be getting for my trade in 2000 chevy cav 5 speed coupe with 80k on it, 2nd its the 5 yr leadership plan the guy was telling me about ,its 12thousand miles a yr but ide realy be paying to buy it out right so he said the milage didnt matter, and after a few numbers he said ide be paying 314 a month with 500 down and my cav, i put 200 down but he has to locate the car and when i asked him if that was extra he said to not worry about it :x, i dont want to get screwed and im glad i found this board, sorry to keep this long but i need some help here, thanks

Bend Over Here It Comes Again. Whenever a dealer tells you not to worry about it, start worryin'!
It sounds like you signed up for a lease. And a hefty one at that. Ask him what the residual payoff is after 5 years. At 314 a month, you are ponying up $18840 which is a decent price, especially after trading in a monster piece of crap, like your cav with high mileage. If you find out there is a residual payoff, you're paying $314/mo. rent. Basically. Lucky for you though, you're only out $200 at this point.

Don't let them rush you into something. Take time to figure out what you will be actually paying for the vehicle. Make them disclose everything before you go any further, including what they will give you on trade. Take time to check on the Internet and see if it's a fair trade-in price on your vehicle (Edmunds.com)and afair deal on your new one (Edmunds again). If you don't feel at all comfortable walk away. There will be other deals. Don't buy in haste and get screwed.

the guy said its 314 for 5yrs but the balloon at the end is 6,250 to refinance but my car has been in an accident and i still owe 5,500 on the cav, do u guys think its even worth it to lease this with the option to own or should i just walk away, my main reason to get this car is the winters up here are a killer.

seems like a rather large residual.

thats because i still owe 5 grand and the car was hit by an 18wheeler to the tune of 6,000 in damage, i just dont like the fact he isnt telling me what i want to know , he just tells me im paronoid and laughs

i realy appreciate the time u guys took to try and help me with this, im stuck in a bind, i love the E and i need a safe car for the winter but i dont like the whirlwind approch the guy is taking, this is for the stiripped down model with no extras also, edmonds said the trade in on my car as it is right now is 3,107 but when i told the guy what i thought my car was worth he said on line estimates is for ins. claims only and isnt the true trade in value, i know this guy is blowing smoke rings up my u know what, thanks again

do yourself a favor and tell him hes full of it and he lost your biz because of that!

1 last question, am i obligated to buy now that the guy is locating the suv for me?, just to give alittle back ground on my accident, it was last winter when i was on the interstate getting to work and it was rain mixed with ice and i hit a sheet of ice spun out into a guard rail and kicked right out in front of an 18wheeler with a full load, he hit me right on my side door and pushed me for about 300ft before we stopped, i didnt get a bruise on me but now im a freak when i know i have to drive in snow..lol, he thinks im coming tomorrow to close the deal but after talking to u guys i think i need some advise as what to ask him to make sure i can get the best deal possable

Take your time! If you really want an Element, it's worth the wait to get your deal done right. You refer to bad winter weather, but don't actually tell us where you're driving. Be more specific, and I'd bet someone here will rush to literally help you pick a dealer, or walk you though the money issues. It sounds as if you may be relatively inexperienced in the car-buying biz. Just ask, and assistance will likely appear. And tell the jerk you're dealing with now to be patient...your "auntie" just took ill and you need some time off.

thanks hownowcb and your right i am i newbee, last time i bought a car i went with my dads friend who used to sell cars and i was pretty much out of the haggle, i live in upstate NY Orange County and the dealer is honda of middletown, i want to do this right and im glad u guys r willing to help out

Grendel:

You may want to PM some of the people listed under NY Element Owners and see if they can lend a hand. You might also find info under the shopping forum.

I wish you the best of luck


Just remember.....

thanks lae10851 i think i'll do that

Everything you ever wanted to know about buying a car. It took me about 2 weeks to get through it and completely comprehend it the first time...It took only about a week the second time! :shock:

Serious, this really help me lay down a sweet deal I was really happy with.
www.carbuyingtips.com

Yeah...K-Dan's car buying tips link is exactly what I used to get my E.

Actually I spent ONE day reading all 7 chapters of it.

That same night I did my online requests through the various online
autobrokers that were listed in the guide.

The next day I got emails and calls from 80% of all the dealerships that I had expected to get quotes from.

And the following day I got my SSM 2WD Auto E...for LESS than INVOICE!

www.carbuyingtips.com is great cuz it explains just about EVERYTHING you need to know about purchasing a car, and just about ALL THE SCAMS you need to watch out for. I was ready to kick-ass at the dealerships...but luckily for me there was just no need.

If anything, reading it will at least empower you and make you feel that much more confident the moment you step on to the dealer's lots.

after skimming over the link i realize im not ready to do this yet, theres to much i dont understand about what im buying or how for that matter, u guys saved me alot of money :D

The more you read here, you’ll be amazed at how frequently there can be “differences of opinion” on every topic imaginable, yet in this instance, even some of the more vocal among the tribe rallied on your behalf! We’d all agree (I think) that we’re especially pleased by HAPPY Element owners, and if things aren’t going right, and you need more time and info., we’re collectively glad to have helped you discover that, and to have given you tips to fix the problems. Best of luck, and sincerely hope to see you happily “in your Element” some day soon!

well i called the dealer and told him i was backing out and he was coming up with a ton of reasons i shouldent, first he said he already had the car delivered and i told him it wasent my problem and he could always sell to another buyer, then he tried pulling the u might not be able to get my 200 deposit back and i told him my layer would call to find out why, then he said that he wouldent do that to me and he would make sure i would get my money back..lol, he asked me to come down tomorrow to haggle some more, i found out the e i want is 19k but im upside down 5 grand for my cav but hes giving me a $2,800 trade in and when i looked my car up online to a dealer its only worth about $3,400 so now im upside down 2,200, i asked about the dock fee and he said there wasent 1, so when i go tomorrow im gona tell him i want my monthly payment to be 290 instead of 314 or im walking and i also said i want the final price with everything printed out so i could go over it and see how much it would cost me in the long run and he said not a problem, im gonna need some help there to see if it is a good deal or not and thats where u guys come in if u dont mind, im still learning this game but after reading some of the links u guys gave me helped alot to under stand the games the dealers like to play, sorry to keep this long :D

Seems to me you have learned quite a bit in just a couple of days.
Best of luck in your negotiations, hang tough.

thanks overthehillbill but actualy i just learned it last night..lol, i was up to about 3am reading and printing out everything i think i would need, and from another post i read im going to print out my credit rating from a few different sites and ask the dealer what my score was then pull out my list and cross reference it