Mar 28
Prices Plummet! and Reader floored by Honda price Gaps!
Here are two good stories today on Car prices.
One from the Hamiltom Spectator, re: Honda prices, titled ” Reader floored by Price Gaps on Honda Vehilcles! ”
We fail to understand the spin that the Honda Public affairs person put on the gap!
- “they are not the same apples to apples Vehicle” !
The American one comes with TPMS and a 2 Litre windshield washer reservoir. The Canadian has a 4 litre windshield washer reservoir and indicator light!
Shame on You Honda! The media should just ask these “spindoctors” to describe in detail the true differences! Honda will never answer this question! Maybe one of our members will track them down and ask the question.
And another in the National Post Titled “Values Plummet”
Both articles fail to mention or interview dealers or people in the U.S. to find out: Prices are going down there too!!
March 28th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
It’s funny when I see news articles like “now is the time to buy…
lowest prices in 57 years”. Sure, some companies such as Toyota have lowered their prices slightly but they’re still much higher than in the U.S. given the huge rise in the value of the Cdn dollar over the last 6 years.
Just because a car is $1000 cheaper than it was last year doesn’t mean it’s a good deal because it’s still $10000 cheaper in the U.S.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Serge and Robert,
I think it may be time to start requesting donations and use the money to put ads in the major newspapers. Showing these bogus comparisons and maybe make these auto companies and all involved squirm a bit.
I’ll sign up for $100
March 28th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Count me in to for 100.00. Roger Delorme
March 28th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
For all those who claim that the auto makers are matching U.S. Deals with price cuts and financing deals
CNNMoney.com
Car deals abound as economy sinks
Wednesday March 26, 11:06 am ET
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
The economy stinks, the housing market is in the dumps, and auto sales are way down. Looks like a great time to go car shopping.
With talk of a recession, consumers are tightening their purse strings, so carmakers and dealers are doing whatever they can to keep the metal moving.
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“I think it’s one of the best times in recent history, certainly,” says Jack Nerad, managing editor of Kelly Blue Book.
Vehicle purchase incentives - including cash rebates, low interest financing and behind-the-scenes dealer cash -are at near-record levels, says Jesse Toprak, an analyst with automotive Web site Edmunds.com. And incentives are peaking earlier in the year than usual.
“Anytime between now and July or August would be a great time to buy,” he says.
Wait a little longer and you may find better prices, according to Toprak, but you’ll also be picking through the dregs of the remaining inventory. If you want a good deal without having to accept an ugly color or paltry options, sooner is better.
Learning from past mistakes
It’s not that car dealers are desperate. Unlike past years, auto lots aren’t bulging with unsold vehicles. “There are still people buying,” says Mike Jackson, president of AutoNation, the country’s largest auto dealership chain.
Manufacturers have learned from past mistakes and have ratcheted back production to better meet reduced demand. “Days to turn,” a measure of how long vehicles sit unsold on dealer lots, has remained about steady since last year, says Toprak.
But the current downturn has been so severe that vehicle manufacturers have quietly added incentives just to keep things where they are, he says.
The average level of incentive spending per vehicle is about $2,500 so far this year, according to Toprak. The record was $2,600 in 2004, during the height of Detroit’s big-incentive wars.
Chrysler is already offering a $1,000 cash rebate on the just-released 2009 Dodge Journey crossover SUV and up to $6,000 on the Jeep Commander large SUV, according to Edmunds.com. Chrysler offered the highest average incentives last month, according to Edmunds.com.
A quieter approach
Carmakers have learned that big, splashy incentive-based marketing programs - “Red tag clearance mega-sale!” - hurt brand image and feed a consumer habit of waiting for the next big rebate program. So today’s incentives, while big, are wielded more gently. You may not hear about them until you start shopping more seriously.
“Most automakers have done a good job of selling the product, not the deal,” says Toprak.
But all the incentives don’t necessarily spell great deals for car shoppers. As always, says Tom Libby, an analyst with J.D. Power and Associates, it all depends on what you’re shopping for.
The specific model in question makes a difference, according to Libby. Sought-after vehicles, like the Buick Enclave crossover SUV or the redesigned Honda Accord will be harder go get a deal on.
And neither the Enclave nor the Accord is being sold with heavy incentives.
It also depends on where you live, says Nerad of Kelley Blue Book. There are more region-specific incentives than ever before, he says. “Companies get more sophisticated every year - every month really - on how they allocate this stuff.”
March 28th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
I too think that Drew has good idea about putting ads in newspapers. I will gladly donate $100 for this noble cause.
We should be reaching out to increase the awareness of the general public of false claims by Canadian manufacturers and exposing our government’s hand in putting roadblockes against importation of cars from US.
For those looking for bogus comparisons I have an excellent example, take a look at FAQ under the ‘Benifits of a Canadian Specification BMW’ at bmw.ca. BMW would have you beleive that you will save $6940 if you leased your BMW 328xi Sedan in Canada! That is almost 7 grand saving when leased in Canada as opposed to getting one from US.
Most manufacturers are agreeing that prices are a bit higher in Canada and are trying to convince potential customers that price difference though present is not huge, but BMW is trying to tell us that we actually save money by buying in Canada.
BMW must think that their customers are idiots.
March 30th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Count me in for 100.00 donation. I would prefer to see something on a national basis with reference to website forums dealing with importing US vehicles. In answer to Sarmads comment above calling BMW customers idiots is a little harsh and would only refer to those who purchased in Canada. Foolish might be a better term, and you know what they say about a fool and his money. P.S. The 100.00 would be a tiny portion of the money I saved By purchasing my new Honda Ridgeline in the US with the help of this and other websites.
March 30th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Thanks for all the offers. Bob and I will certainly take you up on these offers. We will very soon announce that new logo of ours and I think everyone will love it. Maybe that would be a great time to show it off in some newspapers. We would also use some of the money to get the logo ready for a nice car sticker proudly showing CWB. Stay tuned.
Serge
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Its one big game of fooling Canadians. Toyota touts prices of x amount for a Corolla. Yet I have never met one person who ever paid that price for that imaginary vehicle
Then again I believed in the tooth fairy until last month
April 9th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I recently purchased a Honda CRV in Ohio. I was told by RIV,Honda USA and Honda Canada that I required a recall letter. When I was at the dealer both Honda USA and Honda Canada told me that thy would not provide me with a recall letter. Honda Canada said it was because it was a US vehicle and Honda USA said because I was not a US citizen. However I brought the car into Canada and RIV does not require a recall letter. Imagine that! Also, you do not have to pay state taxes in Ohio contrary to what I thought.
April 16th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
count me in too.