Anyone Gotten Good Pricing in Central North Carolina ???

I would suggest totally scrapping the usual idea of emailing and faxing to get competitive quotes from amongst those dealers. For whatever reason, dealers in NC don't seem to take email shoppers nearly as seriously as walkins. However, if you nail down exactly what you want, and if you phone around, you just may get a few responses indicating a willingness to deal. This is different from the "competitive quotes" idea that I see here so often. Rather, it'll just let you know some idea of what the different lots might actually have on the ground, ready to go, and perhaps, how quickly they could order something else. I don't know that you'll get a "bargain" that way, but you may come closer to getting what you want. The deal is, that many of the dealers likely won't talk serious price until they actually see you in the flesh. I know that's completely archaeic, and has nothing whatsoever to do with actual ability to produce cash, but that's just the way NC is. It's regressive, to be kind.

Anyway, I'd suggest staying completely away from the droids in the Chapel Hill dealership. No deals, and very few vehicles there. A better bet is in either Burlington or perhaps Sanford. The salesdroid I got in Burlington didn't know much and didn't care to learn much, but knew that a sale was worth pursuing to the extent that he got me the tradein deal that I wanted. The Chapel Hill droids couldn't be bothered to stop talking ball scores amongst themselves long enough to notice that there was a customer that had come back three times with a firm commitment to buy. I've spoken with customers of both the Chapel Hill new car sales and the service dept. who all suggest that this is a dealership to avoid.

I would urge you to seek out dealerships where the Element is still considered "that weird boxy thing that might not sell", rather than dealerships where it's considered "the hot new seller from Honda". So, check out dealerships in Sanford, Burlington, and definitely Danville, VA. They may or may not be as quick to respond to email, but your chances of talking to a salescritter that understands that he has to actually make you happy are a bit better than in some of the higher priced dealerships that rely simply on convienent location to make their sales.

Hope some of this drivel helps.

I purchased a Pilot at Boyd Honda in Henderson for $800 under MSRP (and they gave me 3.49% financing). They were slow to resolve a problem with the leater after the sale, but they finally made good. They seem very willing to deal. When I called about the Element, they wanted to talk pricing over the phone before I even made a visit. My salesman was Semon Rice.

I have also been dealing with Nehru (pronounced NA-ru) Williams at Leith Honda in Raleigh. He was a pleasure to work with. He let me take 4 test drives and gave me tips on getting the best price (basically what I would have done anyway: shop over the internet, then come to him and he'd beat my best price). I couldn't get the car I wanted from him (SOP 5sp EX) as the only dealer that had one wouldn't agree to a swap, but I plan to give him first shot at my business next time I go shopping.

General advice is to call a dealership and ask for the "internet sales department." It's amazing how the dealers have reinvented themselves over the past few years, at least in the area of phone sales. The internet salesmen will talk price on the phone and are *very* price competitive.

Good Luck!

-darren

I know I'm not in Cetral NC, but I but a pretty good lease deal from LaPointe Honda in Charlotte. It was about a 3 week ordeal though. I first saw the E at LaPointe while taking my Civic in for an oil change. I loved the 4WD EX he had, but I couldn't get him below $290/month for a 48 month, 15k/yr, no money down lease. I was trading my 99' Civic EX Coupe which I owed $6600. They were going to give me $8000 for it.

I finially walked after a couple of hours and then called every dealer around the Charlotte area including Rock Hill SC, Hickory NC, and Monroe NC. I was going to get my best deal from the Monroe dealer at $271/month, but they had to order the black EX. Well, as I'm waiting for the black to come in, I get a call a few weeks later from the sales guy at LaPointe saying that he had a Blue 4WD EX (I liked the Blue and and Black) that he'd get me into for $265/month because sales were slow and it was the end of the month. I told him I wasn't sure and he immediatly said $259. I then said $255 and he throw in Keyless entry, wheel locks and mud flaps and I'd come see him. Sure enough, that's what I got, $255.88/month on a 48month lease with 15K/year and no money out of my pocket (except my trade). I think they ended up giving my $8500 for the Civic and I got the car at around $20K. Not too bad really.

I would say to definately make your calls or visits around the end of the month as that's when the deals seem to be had. Also, this was in the middle of the War so sales couldv'e been a litle slow then. YOu might also try to go to Edmunds.com and submit a quote, you'll get replies from all kinds of dealers from as far away as you want.

Good luck!
JRock