[tonyd555]

Hi Guys,
My partner and I have just moved to Atlantic Canada and need to upgrade our current mode of transport (2000 Toyota Echo). We really had planned on a CRV or Rav4 but always like the Element from when we sat in one at the Auto show in Toronto a few years back. Anyway, to cut a long story short, we test drove a 2003 Element LX today at our local Hyundai dealership. It was a 2nd owner trade in, it's in great shape with 159000km. He is asking $9900. Hoping some of you guys would chip in with your thoughts/advice. It looks like the only extra on it is a hitch.

Thanks everyone....

Tony. (Great site BTW)

 

[MkElement]

Is it a 4WD or 2WD? AT or MT? Y-package?
Here in Vancouver Canada, i saw a 03 with less then 70,000km, asking $17000. Another 03 with close to about 200,000km, asking $10000.

 

[tonyd555]

Sorry, it is 2wd, MT. (NOT Y PKG). I just spoke to the previous owner who had it since 2005, purchased and serviced at local Honda dealer. He put on 100000km and it had a rear shock and front wheel bearing. He also told me how much he was given as a trade in against a new vehicle, so that gives me some leverage in price negotiation. (I hope).

 

[REZA]

I think For a base manual LX with 159K km, the asking price of $9900 is too high, try talk them down to around $7000. Dealer most likely got it for $5500, that's what the auction price is for that model. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

 

[tonyd555]

Thanks for that. The dealer paid $6100 for it, the previous owner informed me, so I was thinking of offering $7500. It has cruise and alloys, was that standard on the LX ??

 

[psschmied]

I'm assuming that the Element is a Canadian version (if not, walk away), and the price is in Canadian dollars.

You're saying he's marked a used vehicle price up more than 50% over his cost, and he TOLD you? I thought the dealer around me we're bad!! By any chance, is the dealer from a middle Eastern or eastern European country? In some cultures the initial price of an item is purposely set to a ludicrously high level, and you are expected to counter with a similarly low response. In an environment like that you don't go shopping looking your best, and you expect to hear him protest that you are robbing him, that he's losing money, through every step of the negotiation.

If I badly wanted the vehicle, and I could pay cash, I'd start by offering him his estimated cost plus $300, wouldn't willingly offer much more than a 10% mark-up (7200), and I'd never, ever go over the blue book value listed or a vehicle in "good" condition. On any vehicle, never make your first offer the most you are willing and able to pay.

If it were me, I'd let the dealer see me looking at the vehicle, scowling at the price and walking away, shaking my head. If he paid 6100 and didn't put any work into it, 7000 would be a more than fair profit margin for him. The longer he has had it on his lot, the better that profit would look.

Regardless, I'd make the purchase contingent on it passing an independent mechanical inspection and emissions test. If he'd purposely inflate the price, I'd expect him to similarly exaggerate the condition the vehicle is truely in.

 

[tonyd555]

The car is Canadian and in cdn dollars. It is a trade in at a Hyundai dealership. The previous owner told me he got $6100 as a trade. (The dealer happily gave me the previous owners contact info). It has passed a safety inspection and the dealer is waiting for an ABS module from Honda to replace. It is really clean and has been well looked after and serviced at Honda. I think I will offer $7500.

 

[hapyface]

whats the problem with a non canadian version of the Element......its out of warranty anyways and u can now see vehicle insurance claims across the borders.... now if it was out of North America..... :lol:

I'm assuming that the Element is a Canadian version (if not, walk away), and the price is in Canadian dollars.

 

[psschmied]

whats the problem with a non canadian version of the Element......its out of warranty anyways and u can now see vehicle insurance claims across the borders.... now if it was out of North America..... :lol:

Things like missing OEM DRLs and Canadian emissions compliance stickers can be a problem.

 

[lizzurd]

Things like missing OEM DRLs and Canadian emissions compliance stickers can be a problem.

Drls can be hooked up for a decent price and are relatively easy to do. Emmisions sticker are a non-issue since Canadian E's have the same emmisions systems as US E's.

 

[hapyface]

Drls can be hooked up for a decent price and are relatively easy to do. Emmisions sticker are a non-issue since Canadian E's have the same emmisions systems as US E's.

our standards are different....we must use french and our word color, must have a u "coloUr"...of course everything is then converted into metric....i love the BC highway sign....

thinKMetric :-D