[demansia]

Hello. Checking in from Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Well, after many months of lurking on this forum, and a failed attempt at buying during a snowstorm back in November 2008 (Just couldn't come to an agreement on price ... although, admittedly, I was aggressively low. Very low.), I did it ! Yesterday, while taking a quick look at a local dealership's inventory, I noticed that he just got a 2009 AWD Auto EX, Polished Metal Metallic, on the lot. So, I drove over on my way home from work to look at it. Nice. (I was originally interested in a Citrus Fire Metallic, which I think is a great color ... but, as I tend to keep my vehicles for 8 - 10 years, I thought the grey color might "hold up" a little better in terms of style and resaleability over time than the brighter orange color.)

Anyway, I stopped by today and spoke with the same salesman that I couldn't reach an agreement with back in November. And, after considerable discussion, we agreed to a price of $23,450, to include destination/handling, along with splash guards, security system, fog lights and hood air deflector, all installed. Plus tax, of course.

Unfortunately, I just missed the $1000 dealer incentrive by a couple of weeks, but I still think the deal was reasonable. How do you think I did ? Thanks.

 

[04EXE]

if YOUR happy...we're HAPPY.... ;-) period.
welcome to EOC

 

[fly104857]

Congrats on the purchase. I got my 08 EX out the door $24 or 24,500 out door price with the following- splash guards, front and rear air deflectors, security system, towing pkg, rear area cargo liner and moon roof sunscreen, and side step bars. We had reached an impass in our negotiations and I was ready to head to Syracuse dealers and this dealer knew that THIS particular E was the ONLY one they had on their lot that met my minimum criteria, so they finally ended up giving in more to reach an agreeable $. Overall, I think you did very good. As stated, if your happy thats all that matters....AND you now own an E!!!!

 

[BurnoutX]

welcome aboard


car shopping/price haggling is the biggest PIA. i don't enjoy it. i don't look forward to it.

i recently went thru it buying my used SC and all that matters is: its over, i own a E, and i am comfortable with what i paid for it. you will read on here who people got a E for less or had lower miles. that all varies on location too. either way, as long as you are happy and comfortable with what you paid, then screw what we think!

welcome "home"

 

[1fastvx]

FYI...it is 4WD not AWD.

John

 

[ORANGEE]

FYI...it is 4WD not AWD.

John

The Element is AWD.............."Real Time 4WD" as Honda calls it is actually AWD

What is the difference between Full time Four Wheel Drive (4WD) All Wheel Drive (AWD) and automatic All Wheel Drive (auto AWD)?



Full time four wheel drive, also called permanent 4WD, (not to be confused with: part time 4WD ) is a system that powers all four wheels at all times and can be used full time on all surfaces including pavement. The additional feature of a differential incorporated into the transfer case makes it possible to use 4WD all the time.
2WD is not available (only part time 4WD offers that option). Each tire creates about 25% of the available torque when the ground is level with a consistant surface. Driver has a choice of a "4-high" (that's your every day setting) and "4-low".

When "4-low" is selected the wheels create substantially more torque (on a Grand Cherokee its 2.72 times more) than in "4-high" - at the same time the vehicle moves at substantially slower speeds (2.72 times slower on a Jeep Grand Cherokee).

Important: "4-low" does not create more traction - it creates more torque and that can be detrimental when traction is marginal. Slipping tires are more likely in "low" than in "high"!

The low setting is an advantage for drivers who need to tow and maneuver a heavy trailer etc. and for drivers who at one point or another may want to negotiate difficult off-road terrain, when more torque and/or slower speed is needed.

All wheel drive (AWD) is a system that powers all four wheels of a vehicle at all times as well. Full time symmetric AWD would be the best term to be used. Difference to full time 4WD is that a "4-low" setting is not available in AWD cars. Due to the lack of "low range" AWD vehicles are much less capable in off-road settings than full time 4WD vehicles, but work perfectly well on-road.

Recently some new "automatic" AWD systems have emerged. Fancy names like "Real Time 4WD" or "active AWD" are hiding the fact that they are essentially sophisticated 2WD systems. Automatic asymmetric AWD would be the best term for them. Unfortunately, since they offer AWD only part of the time, some magazines have now called it "part time 4WD" - but that term has been used since WW II for cars like the Willys and Jeep Wrangler and their part time 4WD - the name coming from the fact that 4WD can only be used part of the time (when off-road), most of the time they have to operate in 2WD (on-road). Automatic asymmetric AWD is much less capable in off-road settings than full time AWD systems and inferior to full time 4WD. However, automatic asymmetrical AWD is becoming more and more sophisticated and offers pretty much everything consumers expect for everyday (pavement) driving.

Here is how they work: During traction loss at the driven axle (could be front or rear) a fully automatic system (hydraulic, mechanical or electronic) increases torque to the axle with traction. This means you have to completely lose traction in 2WD on your driven axle first and then the other axle will take over and try to keep the car moving and stable. So, for a brief moment you have AWD. Once the primary driven axle regains traction and both axles rotate at the same speed again, the system reverts back to 2WD.

Examples: Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, LandRover Freelander, Isuzu Trooper (TOD), Volvo V70, 1999 and later Jeep Grand Cherokee (in high range)

A frequent consumer complaint about some automatic AWD is, that all 4 tires need to be replaced even if only 1 or 2 are bad.

Confusing but true: some vehicles have a combination of part time and full time 4WD systems, or even a combination of 2WD, automatic asymmetric AWD and part time 4WD (low range). Impossible to give those custom mixes a name..

 

[1fastvx]

Real Time 4WD is what the specs say on the Honda site, as far as how it functions that is a whole different story. I was going by the specs on the Honda site which list it as 4WD.

John