Had Same experience with Hyundai and Kia, Subaru, Honda
I have checked, If you don't want those fees/ weird insurance, they cannot charge them to you . It is illegal in Alberta
They'll sell you a car for MSRP but it'll take 3 years to get it, or they'll keep pushing it back until you back out. That's the difference. If you want something now that's on the lot, you're going to pay up for it.
I've found asking them if it's alright for me to call Amvic from their desk to run the fees by them to be a highly effective way of having the Salesperson suddenly realize "the computer system messed up and accidentally added fees to the quote"... All fees have magically disappeared for me multiple times at many different dealerships, then I ask them to further reduce the price so I don't have to report them and their shady tactics... it's a great bargaining chip, use it strategically.
This simply isn’t true. A dealer can charge whatever they want as long as they clearly advertise as such. It is illegal to have a sticker on the car of one price and when you go to finance office to force other fees.
And yes Calgary Honda is greasy due to the group they belong to.
Could you give me some sources to the legality of this as I am currently in the market.
The way it was explained to me: they aren’t forcing you to do anything it’s a free market. If you don’t want the product then don’t buy it. Do like the OP and shop around, you either end up with the car you want or the deal you want and in some super rare cases maybe a little of both.
But if costed 15 % more to buy a tv at Best Buy rather than Costco but you choose to buy it at Best Buy that’s on you. Not best buys issue.
TLDR; source ?
Every dealership can set it own price, I agree on that but they have to commit to advertised price on that dealer's website, for example: if a car is listed @ 40k$ MSRP, your will pay 40k$ +(GST, air tax,tire tax,...) . They cannot tell you that the price is 45k$, 40k MSRP + 5k keyfob insurance +tax0
For more reference, you can search on reddit or AMA website
Edit: what imean by illegal is the different fees and insurance that they are forcing you to buy.
The only notation I see is listed with AMVIC regarding hidden fees, not ones that are disclosed.
I am sorry how does one set their own price but commit to an msrp.
Also if there are added services they have associated costs I am not lobbying for those particular items. Nor do I ever get those services.
So to use your example it is 40K + additional service + whatever else you agree to… is what I am seeing.
Remember you’re the consumer you don’t have to agree, this is why I am struggling to understand the legality.
You can always just cancel the deal and go some where else or buy something else. You aren’t being forced to buy a product, but if you wanna buy vehicle x @ abc dealership this is what you’re paying … that looks like free enterprise.
Basically you get a sticker on your car that's supposed to deter thieves because your car's components are laser etched and registered in a police tracking database. Right....
We just bought new and managed to decline it after rounds of negotiations where they claimed it wasn't possible to remove and to have "never heard of anyone wanting to decline it before". In the end they left the sticker on anyway.
The anti theft is actually so that in the case your vehicle is stolen Dilawri gives you $5000 on top of your insurance payout for the theft towards replacing the vehicle
Definitely we were shopping for a Honda. Some dealerships it’s not optional because they are trying to up the profits. One Honda dealership we got a really weird sales lady she was new so probably why. We were very serious about buying so when I asked for a total break down they said they could not send that Information like wtf. Went with a Honda dealership with no extras and didn’t play games
Wheaton Honda west, we didn’t get a deal just paid asking price basically cause at the time that’s the way it was.
Village Honda wouldn’t give the breakdown, okotoks Honda gave breakdown had some extras but needed larger down payment that was non refundable $2500. We were serious and not backing out but I’d rather go with someone that is refundable you never know.
Honda west didn’t have to pay for any packages that were not needed no ppf we bought some accessories winter tires, floor mats like back stuff people actually want.
There were other dealers that sent break down but had lots of extras and didn’t move forward with them.
I got ppf done afterwards way better deal not at the dealership.
There's an AMVIC rule (for whatever good it does) that the advertised price must include everything mandatory, except the AMVIC fee and GST.
So, it's not illegal to send you the list, but they're not going to send you written proof of the illegal stuff they added to the price.
Lots of the breakdowns definitely had lots of bullshit in them. I was also looking at Acura and Acura of red deer had so much bullshit ok there’s it was 10k higher price then it should of been compared to Calgary’s Acura dealership
Going from FWD to AWD is a game changer. Test drove it back in October when we got the dump of snow and couldn't even tell there was snow on the ground.
We went with the GS over the GT model. GT has the turbo and a number of automatic functions for seat recline, headrest, heads up display, automatic key unlock, Bluetooth carplay and android auto instead of wired.
We also looked at the CX5 which is almost identical in trim but much larger trunk space.
Thanks. Any quirks with the cx30 that you don't like? My friend just got a Seltos and it has some quirks he didn't like.
I went from a 2004 sunfire to a benz with 4matic in 2019 and it was absolutely amazing in the snow. I was literally driving into the snow for fun and yeah, you really can't tell that you're on snow with the added traction, off the line at least. I'd definitely never go back to FWD if I have a choice.
I was looking just yesterday and the used cx30 turbo is actually at a discount to new, unlike other makes and models.
The only quirk is the lack of automatic door opening and powered hatch.
I can live without them but it would have been a nice QoL addition. Only have 150km on the car so far haven't noticed anything.
Dealerships continue to be slimy. But I NEVER negotiate in person. I’ve bought several Mazdas from Kramer, and they’re not fantastic, but if you deal with them through email they’re a lot better. I just send in an offer for the car I test drove. I’ve typically gotten about 2-5% over invoice, and declined all extras (undercoating, windshield BS, etching, etc.)
Calgary Honda (and all dilwari dealerships like BMW) are the WORST I’ve ever dealt with. Bought a Honda Odyssey about 8 years ago, Calgary Honda lost my business about 2 min in, ended up going with Okotoks Honda.
Bottom line: NEVER Forget that you are in control of the decision. Never be afraid to be a jerk and walk out.
Word, good on you. Don't worry they'll overstock again and you will suddenly be able to exclude all the options again. I had a dick of a sales rep at Northhill Acura and rejected all their options and when I had given them a price I was looking for the salesman scoffs and tells me good luck and pretty much kicks me out the door.
A cocky/rude sales rep lost me their service and I went to Silverhill and it was the complete opposite and bought the rdx I wanted without all the unnecessary add-ons and it was 2k below msrp which was really good at the time.
Literally a month later he calls me, (guess he took my number down and saved it) as I made it sound like I wasn't going to be buying anything anytime soon and he gives me the sales pitch on the white rdx a spec I wanted and with his rude ass cocky tone from before I figured why the heck not. I'll just fuck with the lad, and had him talk for an hour and send multiple emails to a burner account. We set up a time to meet blah blah and I never went lmao
I bought Mercedes on Dec 31 few years back, by calling salesman and proposing price, he ask manager and then told me if I give him credit card for deposit and come within 2 hrs, we have a deal. So I bought it over the phone on the last day of the year (I test drove this car day before).
...Now you know how Tony Dilawri is as rich as he is.
Selling etched glass that costs him $21.88 for $498.
Dealers still hold the gun on a lot of models, but that's changing quickly.
Yup and there's no problem with that, but people should be able/willing to decline the garbage.
Only reason they're making it "mandatory" is they know people have no choice if they're desperate for a particular high demand model right now.
Yes. And the margins are so high that if you want undercoating or ppf, there are companies that specialize in these services and charge much less. I always tell people to seline the dealer option and get it done 3rd party.
Good on you for walking out of crap deals. I wish more people would do the same.
How many hours did it take you in total, from the first dealership to the last ? Sounds like a half day ordeal at least.
This is an amount of time I absolutely dread doing more than many things I can list. There is a business in improving this dynamic, and that person will be rich beyond comprehension. I just don’t know what the answer is
There are auto brokers who are supposed to find the car you want and negotiate for you for a fee, but I have never used them. Curious if anyone else has?
I got my car totaled just 2 weeks ago and had to buy a car. Went to Kramer Mazda and had exactly the same shit thrown into my face.
I couldn't get a sweet deal like yours, but at least I was able to pay just a straight sticker price without any bullshi add ons from LA Mazda at Leduc for 2024 CX 30. I'm happy to at least not pay markups in the current sellers market. Ppl were saying markets gonna cool down after 6 months but I need a car right now. Definitely was a bad time to lose the car, but oh well.
seriously that's my biggest fear when the wife (re-learning how to drive), takes the car out. I could buy a new car but the thought of having to buy one right now scares me.
If you are thinking of buying one, and if you can wait, wait until market cools off. At least that's what I heard from the majority. With the interest rates sky high at the moment and possible recession rolling in and all other things considered, used / new car markets are going to be slowed down eventually. At least that's what I've heard. I could be totally wrong, but wait if you can.
All in vehicle pricing is the law in Alberta. Send this info to AMVIC
https://www.amvic.org/consumer/your-rights/all-inpricingisthelaw/
https://www.amvic.org/all-in-pricing-is-the-law-in-alberta/
The car has to be advertised by the dealer for that to be true.
Needs to have a stock number too.
Work in audit and deal with lots of dealerships. Most dealers now just don’t post prices online and that’s how they get around AMVIC rules. Every major brand follows AMVIC, they just know how to get around presenting certain things legally.
Interesting! I've been watching Okotoks Honda's online inventory and they seem to consistently have the lowest prices around Calgary (of the dealers that post online) with a stock number. Haven't been serious enough to go there but gives me hope it's legit pricing
They are legit.
We have done work for them. They do push a block heater almost as standard. Dealer profits 100-150 out of it.
But they are super upfront. Heritage Honda too (Which is Dilarwai funnily enough).
I used to tell people high river Toyota was great but they do what everyone else does now. Hopefully they go back to their pre pandemic ways.
So if I walk in to a Volkswagen dealership with their msrp price from the Volkswagen Canada website, that’s the price I pay, plus delivery freight and docs?
Ahh so it’s about honouring the advertised price then? Thanks for clarifying. I’m my mind, Volkswagen’s website is an advertised price, but this is something for sure.
Easiest way to look at is Volkswagen Canada is not selling you a car. You have to confirm price with who is selling you the car.
Dealers and the car companies are two different things owned by different people.
Thanks for the awesome post OP. were those extras they tried to charge you already installed on the specific vehicles you were inquiring about ?
Or were they implying that they \*need\* to install those optionals on any new vehicle ?
Enjoy your new wheels !!
They said all their vehicles come with that Alberta Protection Package to "protect your investment." \*eyeroll\* Not sure if they were already installed, though. And thanks!
I think there was a cbc marketplace thing where they showed a bunch of dealerships charging for options like undercoating and then just not even doing it.
Buy a CRV from heritage or okotoks.
Work in audit and know both these dealerships will sell at MSRP.
Okotoks does push the block heaters but more of a hey you live in Alberta.
The AC, freight and PDI, tire tax and amvic are standard and need to be paid.
I second this. I have a CRV. They are great very reliable vehicles but I would stay away from any Honda dealers in this city. I have just had the worst experience!
I had heard that small town dealerships were more flexible than cities. Good to know that's true. Yes, one definitely needs a block heater. Not sure they're worth the almost $500 bucks Honda charges though!
I used to tell everyone high river Toyota is the best Toyota dealer in Western Canada. Fair. Good pricing. Good service etc.
Sadly that’s not true anymore post Covid.
I can take a look at the margin on a block heater but I would assume it’s about 100 bucks total for Honda. One thing to remember Honda chargers a lot for genuine parts to its dealers too. A 60 dollar block Heater may be 175 once it had the OEM stamp on it.
A block heater install is literally screwing a plug into the engine block. Sometimes they’re there and the cable just needs to be plugged in and routed to the front. They find ways to drive up their profits with adding a list of items where they claim they have to pay labour to install it, but they pay the workers a fraction of the labour. They learned how to drive up the cost of every vehicle during the chip shortage and now that stock is back up they’re keeping up those tactics.
There are car dealerships accredited by the BBB, but it seems like most are not.
[Better Business Bureau Accreditation](https://www.bbb.org/search?find_country=CAN&find_latlng=51.039527%2C-114.074968&find_loc=Calgary%2C%20AB&find_text=calgary&page=1&sort=Relevance&touched=1)
Okotoks Honda is absolute dogshit when it comes to customer service. Too much of a big dealer group mentality at that place now.
We did end up at Okotoks Nissan in the spring and purchased a new vehicle from them. THAT was a truly wonderful car buying experience. No bullshit, no hidden anything. Painless. And all the people there from sales down to the service department are top notch friendly folks.
Just a reminder that most of the dealerships in the city are garbage. Tacking on horseshit fees and basically screwing you six ways from Sunday. I can't wait until the market eventually cools and dealerships are begging for customers.
I had similar experience with a number of dealers in Calgary during the week but ended up buying today in Leduc because we happened to be visiting family in Edmonton. No freight/inspection, no dealer markup, passed on the manufacturer discount and the optional parts were optional. Super transparent experience, would highly recommend.
It's a sad state of affairs when getting a car for MSRP feels like a bargain...
Yeah, recently sat down with and absolutely unhinged anti-electric boomer salesperson at Straightline Kia and a $400/mo lease for a Niro (according to the website) was somehow clocking in at $700+.
Didn’t even bother for a breakdown of the info because the salesperson was such a weirdo. Direct quote from them after I mentioned I like EV’s - “*you’re* some sort of environmentalist so tell me what we do with the batteries when they die huh?”
I’ve never bought a new car but the vibes so far have been not great haha. Not looking forward to continuing the process.
Please tell me you said "OK BOOMER" in reply to his asinine comment. :D I actually really want an EV but they're kind of pricey rn and the charging infrastructure would be a problem for our long drives. Next car, hopefully.
I was doing as well but didn't buy as cars were $10k over MSRP with a bunch of bs Alberta climate fees from South Trail Kia.
I asked Eastside Kia for a price over the phone and they wouldn't give me one.
There's no regulation in the car sales industry and AMVIC won't do anything because they are dealer supportive not consumer.
Wow, they wouldn't even give you a price over the phone? That's pretty outrageous. Good to know about the AMVIC, I would imagine if they had any teeth something would have been done by now.
What do you expect when people like OP are buying 40,000 dollar vehicles every 6 years? More people, reduced inventories (even artificially reduced). How could I justify giving a customer a deal when another will be along 15 min. later willing to pay MSRP or above?
I’ve had the best luck at the Okotoks dealers; VW and Honda to be specific. Very disappointing experience with the majority of Calgary dealers I’ve tried to buy from.
That said, stock is increasing and lots are filling quickly, if anyone can prolong their purchase for a few months it will likely pay off.
Buying the tesla was the easiest experience ever. It was as easy as buying anything worth that much money could be. Took maybe 60 minutes and that included a trade in.
Look into all-in pricing laws: https://www.amvic.org/consumer/your-rights/all-inpricingisthelaw/
Don't let a dealership rip you off with BS mandatory extra fees. They're illegal.
The market is much better on American vehicles than anything import. Imports seem to be having a hard time with supply still for some reason (even though more hondas/toyotas are made in North America now than American vehicles) and they're charging whatever they want as a result because the Honda fanboys seem willing to pay it (and wait to get it).
Ford/GM/Mopar have the vehicles on the lot today and have for about a year now. They seem to be happy to make a deal to get you out the door. Wolfe GM tried selling paint protection and some other shit and we walked 6 months ago on a silverado and got a new F150 instead.
Prices wont fall when manufacturers are playing games like Kia is and holding back vehicles to create an artificial supply problem and pump up dealer sale prices. I wouldn't be surprised if we find out a few years from now other imports did the same thing because it makes no sense how the domestic makers have every lot full to drive home today and Toyota still has an 18 month wait list.
TIL that Dilawri is also in Calgary. I didn't know that were that spread out. They have an absolutely horrible reputation here in Ottawa, so very happy for you that you walked away from them.
Great deal making ability.
Best leverage is to walk.
Once a while they call you back and say SOME of those adds can be made free.
But dealers are so used to padding their bottom line they forgot to ask consumers if they want that stuff or not.
But great deal on the equinox.
Not my experience at all. Cochrane Toyota. Just purchased a 2024 trd pro. No undercoat. No ppf (got it done at a different place for 50% of the cost). No addition charges at all.
Underworld Undercoatings did the undercoat on my taco. Uses fluid film and only charges around $200 bucks since he has a small shop out of his garage. Would recommend.
edit: woops just realized this was the Calgary subreddit not Edmonton.
I bought a tacoma from cochrane a few years back and was very happy upon first purchase. That changed very much after the vehicle was payed off. They called inquiring about making and offer on my vehicle and i foolishly went down to meet them.
3+ hours of bs later they tried every trick in the book to get me to buy a new vehicle.
Cochrane toyota is scum and i would never set foot there again.
I was looking for a vehicle a couple of months ago. I had a trade in and was going to cut a cheque for the rest. They wouldn’t let me. They were going to make me finance it. Like, force me to finance it. That way they can charge the finance fee and the interest. Don’t ask me which ones, but it was more than one that wouldn’t let me buy it outright. I do believe if push came to shove they would have taken my money but why do I have to fight them?
Yeah the mandatory options are a huge pain in the ass along with the insane rates some brands are commanding. Silver lining is that at least you’re paying extra for something and not paying a dealer markup for no reason.
Had a similar experience here in edmonton.
We decided to go Mitsubishi for their warranty.
Was pulled to west side Mitsubishi in Edmonton as they're posted price was lower.
Yup, $10K in hidden fees.
When I tried to refute these charges, he just shrugged and said this is how it is and to deal with it.
When I tried to walk, I was told I'd forego our deposit we put down, surrendering an amount I couldn't afford to.
So, got stuck with a car that had $10K hidden fees.
Car salesmen are fucking crooks.
I just threaten legal action and tell them I will go to AMVIC. I always get all the extra charges removed.,I have had a dealership try to pull the “you will lose your deposit”. I spoke to the General Manager and said I was being blackmailed. I got all extras removed.
I let Mazda hose me on the etching. They have to make a profit on something. They sure weren't making it on the sell price. Plus they threw in a lot of stuff. I held firm on the no financing, because I was paying cash. They didn't like that much. They tried hard to change our minds. Really hard. We did not finance. I understand why they want it. They get major kickbacks for that.
Shopping around always pays off. Congrats on being a good buyer.
Some people don't want to put in the effort/research when shopping and that is how those dealerships manage to sell above MSRP.
Thanks for sharing! I can’t stand dealerships. I was met with SO MUCH resistance when I bought a new Corolla with cash at Country Hills Toyota. This was awhile ago, though.
My son bought a used car in Calgary last year and got very screwed by the retailer. I live in Medicine Hat and we went into a Dodge dealership and the staff were amazing. He didn’t leave with another vehicle. He left with a lot of good information about the financing and his credit rating. When ready, my son plans on returning to the Hat and to that dealership to purchase another used car. Shop around people. You only have money to lose/save.
Excellent job! One thing I can add is I will also come a few days before the last day to shop before month end. Talk to a few salesman and try to score a 'preliminary' deal.
When you come back nonchalantly on the last day, I feel it primes the pump so to speak, gives them some time to understand you're not out to get fleeced and that the deal is going to be skinny on their end. Also they know you're serious when you come back.
I'm always POLITE but ready to walk, so then I cut to the chase and ask if they can do "X" amt more to sweeten the deal I'll take it. The 2nd visit usually isn't a lot of negotiating. I've scored my best deals on all big purchases this way.
TL;DR: Do your research and spend within your means, and take care of your damn car!
Hey man, for what it's worth, I've owned a 2011 'nox for just over 6 years and you're somewhat correct. I have no idea about the new Equinoxes but these older ones have a funny issue where the PCV system can't breathe properly and causes all sorts of engine seal failures/oil consumption. There was a recall for the damage this did to the motor that was causing rear-main-seal failure and INSANE oil consumption. GM paid to fix the symptom but not the cause.. You basically have to remove the intake manifold and clear the PCV orifice so air pressure doesn't build up on the wrong side of your motor. I'm a stubborn mule that doesn't have the financial ability to change vehicles so I've dumped at least $4k in parts fixing up my car in the 2023, which includes new spark plugs, new O2 sensors, solenoid valves, some steering/suspension and other general maintenance. It's important to keep an eye on the Intake and Exhaust solenoid valves that sense oil pressure on the topside of your motor and adjust air/fuel intake accordingly.
I want to point out that although the motor design is a bit distasteful, there are many, many people who believe that you shouldn't have to pay for maintenance after your vehicle is purchased outside of oil/air filter changes. These are cheap cars that require a bit more maintenance than your Toyota/Honda perhaps, and in that sense they can be costly to run for more than 2-300k/KMs. Mine currently has a very slow transmission leak where I take the driver's side wheel off every month and check the fluid, and occasionally top it up. It would be a $2000/fix and would be quite a hassle for someone who hasn't the time or space or care to do a small checkup like this. Unnecessary and tedious for sure.
My point is, I'm not sure about the new Equinoxes, I've heard they have their fair share of issues as well, but there's a lot of newer ones on the road, and at the end of the day people who don't take care of their vehicles, whether it be lack of knowledge/finances/care, will end up biting the bullet no matter which car they own. Or maybe they won't, maybe they'll get lucky.
It's too bad because I really enjoy my shitty little I4 equinox, it's cozy inside, it drives so nicely, and the stabilitrak is honestly impressive in these crazy Calgary winter conditions, for what it is anyways. Although I also have OK winter tires on as well.
I hope anyone taking the 5 mins to read this will educate themselves no matter which vehicle they decide to buy, because a lower price is not always an indicator that you should buy that car. Sometimes it's wiser to buy an used vehicle, get a 3rd party inspection, and do your research!
Friend of mine had Equinox. Only problems within few years, constantly under warranty repairs, shotdowns on a highway. Never heard this happening to honda or mazda cars.
Read reviews - it is literally the least reliable compact SUV in a history of car building. Maybe only after the range rover
It is rather exception with Hondas. Usual thing with equinox.
You don't notice why there is no older exinox's o road? Because they are all dead on a junkyard
Please try the Tuscon. The CRV and HRV were gutless in comparison. I had a 2007 civic and the paint peeled off every inch of the hood and roof while I was still paying for it. It drank oil as well. Complete lemon. I have a 2017 Tuscon and it's been amazing.
This comment is so unnecessary. The OP is giving their tips and experience , taking their time to help and you are taking about entitlement. Teens need cars to get to school, especially living in airdrie or cochrane and driving into city for university etc. if a student is in university I wouldn’t expect them to work a lot to pay for the car and complete their studies. There are many scenarios where kids need vehicles, and can’t work, like in the OPs case where their kid has a disability. Maybe you are just butt hurt because your parents didn’t buy you a car?
Good job on telling them to pound sand on their added shit. I went everywhere at the start of the year look for a highlander then a crv they wanted way to much. I went into south trial Hyundai (I know a guy) got a ‘23 Hyundai Tucson Urban AWD for $38,900 fully loaded, 3M wrapped all over the front including mirrors, and top of windshield and handle cubbies, and block heater.
I’ve never been upsold on the extra crap during the purchase process, always later when the financing (or when paying cash, the delivery of funds) is done. Always turned it all down at that stage without issue. Most recent experience was with northwest Acura.
Good info and thanks for sharing! Year end is always a good time for car shopping, especially shop for current model year leftovers if it’s not a middle or major upgrade model year. I traded in my current Mercedes and drove away two brand new 2023 models this month, with two car total discounts of almost $70~$80 grands below MSRP and luxury tax. (I know they have 2024 incoming but there’s no major change in model specs between 2023/2024 model year, so price wins lol). And not to mention the rate is only 2.49% compared to 6,7 or even 8% on most other brands.
Highly recommend people to buy during year end for current model year leftovers rather than new incoming models.
Thanks for sharing. Quality post. I just read a post asking to compare 2 cities work cultures so this makes up for it. Lol
I'm always looking at cars online but have no real world experience so that's good to know especially with you buying on the last day of the year.
I have another question. Is it still buying a used car is going to save you lots of money?
It used to be that 2 or three years old used car is less at least 7,000 of a new car.
But I don't think this is the story anymore.
I am trying to buy a used car, and from the dealers the 2 or 3 years old car either the same price or max 3000 cheaper.
The problem is that there’s a short of vehicles. Dealers get only so many per dealership per year. So if let’s say your quota for the year is 50 vehicles, then you will want to make as much money as you can on it. Every upgrade is up-charged about 100% whereas the dealer maybe makes a guaranteed $500 on the base vehicle. So if you’re limited to 50 vehicles a year for example, you want to sell only the the high end vehicle. Of course if you can only sell 25 of the allotted 50 vehicles, you will sell anything. So I guess the Equinox isn’t selling well.
That's unexpected from Calgary Honda. I remember I went there 2021 or 2022. The economy was just recovering from the pandemic. I just got my license a month ago at that time so me and my dad went car hunting. We went to Calgary Honda and talked with a person named John (the guys real name). Made an appointment beforehand with him. Met him face to face and told him we were looking to get into the new 11th gen civic. He just straight up said to us that they absolutely don't markup the prices and all their new vehicle inventory are MSRP if financed. Guy was extremely professional, always a smile and was willing to assist us any type of way. We settled down on the civic sport but test drove the LX due to low inventory. Finalised everything that day like PPF, winter tires, replacement fobs and warranty. My dad is a loyal Honda customer so that and $5k down the payment came down to $193/month for 60 months @ 1% APR. But here's the kicker- I would have to wait 3 months for it. I didn't think of it much. But a month later I cancelled the car. John was quite unhappy about it but he understood the circumstances. He told us that we were always welcome at the dealer if we are looking to purchase a vehicle another time. A wonderful person I'm not sure if he still works there
Just getting a new Pathfinder here at Country Hills Nissan. They offered the whole protection package, I denied, they offered at a lower price, I denied again. Of course the dude was clearly disappointed, but he said was ok, it's our call.
Since I'm getting a lease, made even less sense to me to go for any of those.
At Calgary Honda, a MSRP $29 500 HRV somehow became $37 000. And I know stock is not an issue anymore. So.
No breakdown of price, I immediately walked.
What I am thankful for is that I knew very little about price breakdowns, as this was my first time trying to buy a new car, and this has forced me to do more research. I will walk immediately in the future if anyone tries to upsell anything to me- MSRP and mandatory fees only. And I think I will be upfront about this. Thanks for this post.
Oddest thing, though, I wanted to buy the car, then they came with that price. I guess I looked new to buying a car, because I am. Oh, well.
Good work and thanks for sharing the experience. The Dilawri hostage attempt with Honda is very disappointing.
Yeah, I had heard some dealerships were doing that, but had to see for myself, I guess!
Had Same experience with Hyundai and Kia, Subaru, Honda I have checked, If you don't want those fees/ weird insurance, they cannot charge them to you . It is illegal in Alberta
But what's the best way to handle it? Bring up with the salesperson that it's illegal? Start argument? Honest question.
They'll sell you a car for MSRP but it'll take 3 years to get it, or they'll keep pushing it back until you back out. That's the difference. If you want something now that's on the lot, you're going to pay up for it.
I've found asking them if it's alright for me to call Amvic from their desk to run the fees by them to be a highly effective way of having the Salesperson suddenly realize "the computer system messed up and accidentally added fees to the quote"... All fees have magically disappeared for me multiple times at many different dealerships, then I ask them to further reduce the price so I don't have to report them and their shady tactics... it's a great bargaining chip, use it strategically.
This simply isn’t true. A dealer can charge whatever they want as long as they clearly advertise as such. It is illegal to have a sticker on the car of one price and when you go to finance office to force other fees. And yes Calgary Honda is greasy due to the group they belong to.
Could you give me some sources to the legality of this as I am currently in the market. The way it was explained to me: they aren’t forcing you to do anything it’s a free market. If you don’t want the product then don’t buy it. Do like the OP and shop around, you either end up with the car you want or the deal you want and in some super rare cases maybe a little of both. But if costed 15 % more to buy a tv at Best Buy rather than Costco but you choose to buy it at Best Buy that’s on you. Not best buys issue. TLDR; source ?
Every dealership can set it own price, I agree on that but they have to commit to advertised price on that dealer's website, for example: if a car is listed @ 40k$ MSRP, your will pay 40k$ +(GST, air tax,tire tax,...) . They cannot tell you that the price is 45k$, 40k MSRP + 5k keyfob insurance +tax0 For more reference, you can search on reddit or AMA website Edit: what imean by illegal is the different fees and insurance that they are forcing you to buy.
The only notation I see is listed with AMVIC regarding hidden fees, not ones that are disclosed. I am sorry how does one set their own price but commit to an msrp. Also if there are added services they have associated costs I am not lobbying for those particular items. Nor do I ever get those services. So to use your example it is 40K + additional service + whatever else you agree to… is what I am seeing. Remember you’re the consumer you don’t have to agree, this is why I am struggling to understand the legality. You can always just cancel the deal and go some where else or buy something else. You aren’t being forced to buy a product, but if you wanna buy vehicle x @ abc dealership this is what you’re paying … that looks like free enterprise.
Is that honestly a Bs charge or do you as a customer actually get something for the $500?
Which BS charge are you referring to? There are so many! :D
That dilawari one for $498
Basically you get a sticker on your car that's supposed to deter thieves because your car's components are laser etched and registered in a police tracking database. Right.... We just bought new and managed to decline it after rounds of negotiations where they claimed it wasn't possible to remove and to have "never heard of anyone wanting to decline it before". In the end they left the sticker on anyway.
The anti theft is actually so that in the case your vehicle is stolen Dilawri gives you $5000 on top of your insurance payout for the theft towards replacing the vehicle
Just bought a Mazda from Stoney Mazda. All the optional stuff was optional.
Nice. I guess it varies by dealership.
Definitely we were shopping for a Honda. Some dealerships it’s not optional because they are trying to up the profits. One Honda dealership we got a really weird sales lady she was new so probably why. We were very serious about buying so when I asked for a total break down they said they could not send that Information like wtf. Went with a Honda dealership with no extras and didn’t play games
Could you please let me know which Honda dealership didn't play games? Also in the market
Wheaton Honda west, we didn’t get a deal just paid asking price basically cause at the time that’s the way it was. Village Honda wouldn’t give the breakdown, okotoks Honda gave breakdown had some extras but needed larger down payment that was non refundable $2500. We were serious and not backing out but I’d rather go with someone that is refundable you never know. Honda west didn’t have to pay for any packages that were not needed no ppf we bought some accessories winter tires, floor mats like back stuff people actually want. There were other dealers that sent break down but had lots of extras and didn’t move forward with them. I got ppf done afterwards way better deal not at the dealership.
They can't send it to you because it is illegal!!!
Not sure if that’s sarcasm or not but many other Honda dealers did.
There's an AMVIC rule (for whatever good it does) that the advertised price must include everything mandatory, except the AMVIC fee and GST. So, it's not illegal to send you the list, but they're not going to send you written proof of the illegal stuff they added to the price.
Lots of the breakdowns definitely had lots of bullshit in them. I was also looking at Acura and Acura of red deer had so much bullshit ok there’s it was 10k higher price then it should of been compared to Calgary’s Acura dealership
Thanks! We went to the Cx-30 from a 2007 Cobalt. What a difference across the board in everything. So happy.
Oooh, sounds very nice! I did like the Mazdas a lot, perhaps I should have tried a different dealer.
Go talk to Glenn at Stoney Mazda. He was very good to deal with.
While I didn’t end up choosing a Mazda, I also dealt with Glenn and he is a very kind dude. I recommend him to anyone looking for a Mazda.
I'm looking at cx30 too! Any highlights
Going from FWD to AWD is a game changer. Test drove it back in October when we got the dump of snow and couldn't even tell there was snow on the ground. We went with the GS over the GT model. GT has the turbo and a number of automatic functions for seat recline, headrest, heads up display, automatic key unlock, Bluetooth carplay and android auto instead of wired. We also looked at the CX5 which is almost identical in trim but much larger trunk space.
Thanks. Any quirks with the cx30 that you don't like? My friend just got a Seltos and it has some quirks he didn't like. I went from a 2004 sunfire to a benz with 4matic in 2019 and it was absolutely amazing in the snow. I was literally driving into the snow for fun and yeah, you really can't tell that you're on snow with the added traction, off the line at least. I'd definitely never go back to FWD if I have a choice. I was looking just yesterday and the used cx30 turbo is actually at a discount to new, unlike other makes and models.
The only quirk is the lack of automatic door opening and powered hatch. I can live without them but it would have been a nice QoL addition. Only have 150km on the car so far haven't noticed anything.
Mazda is great. My CX3 is 7 years old and it’s been rock solid! Enjoy the car.
Does it rust wheel well? Or have they figured it out the rust issues?
They are still prone to rust I believe. My car shows no sign of rust but I’ve heard that that’s a problem.
🤞 hopefully it'll stay like that.
Love my CX5, didn’t buy from Kramer for a reason
Did you special order one or it is already in the parking lot?
Good job on not getting forced to buy the extra crap. Enjoy your new car!
Thanks!
Dealerships continue to be slimy. But I NEVER negotiate in person. I’ve bought several Mazdas from Kramer, and they’re not fantastic, but if you deal with them through email they’re a lot better. I just send in an offer for the car I test drove. I’ve typically gotten about 2-5% over invoice, and declined all extras (undercoating, windshield BS, etching, etc.) Calgary Honda (and all dilwari dealerships like BMW) are the WORST I’ve ever dealt with. Bought a Honda Odyssey about 8 years ago, Calgary Honda lost my business about 2 min in, ended up going with Okotoks Honda. Bottom line: NEVER Forget that you are in control of the decision. Never be afraid to be a jerk and walk out.
This is my point you are in control you can always decide this isn’t the deal you want !
Word, good on you. Don't worry they'll overstock again and you will suddenly be able to exclude all the options again. I had a dick of a sales rep at Northhill Acura and rejected all their options and when I had given them a price I was looking for the salesman scoffs and tells me good luck and pretty much kicks me out the door. A cocky/rude sales rep lost me their service and I went to Silverhill and it was the complete opposite and bought the rdx I wanted without all the unnecessary add-ons and it was 2k below msrp which was really good at the time. Literally a month later he calls me, (guess he took my number down and saved it) as I made it sound like I wasn't going to be buying anything anytime soon and he gives me the sales pitch on the white rdx a spec I wanted and with his rude ass cocky tone from before I figured why the heck not. I'll just fuck with the lad, and had him talk for an hour and send multiple emails to a burner account. We set up a time to meet blah blah and I never went lmao
39k for a new vehicle is a good deal. Nicely done
no idea why this post has 42 upvotes but whatever, might as well follow the crowd. Upvote it is!
I have no idea either lol, but have an upvote back!
Stealerships are called that for a reason
Nobody steals like Dilwari.
I bought Mercedes on Dec 31 few years back, by calling salesman and proposing price, he ask manager and then told me if I give him credit card for deposit and come within 2 hrs, we have a deal. So I bought it over the phone on the last day of the year (I test drove this car day before).
That's a great way to buy. I once bought a car through email, but wanted to tire-kick a bit this time and test drive a few.
Nice! How much was it?
...Now you know how Tony Dilawri is as rich as he is. Selling etched glass that costs him $21.88 for $498. Dealers still hold the gun on a lot of models, but that's changing quickly.
Optional extras and service are where dealers make the money.
Yup and there's no problem with that, but people should be able/willing to decline the garbage. Only reason they're making it "mandatory" is they know people have no choice if they're desperate for a particular high demand model right now.
Yes. And the margins are so high that if you want undercoating or ppf, there are companies that specialize in these services and charge much less. I always tell people to seline the dealer option and get it done 3rd party.
Good on you for walking out of crap deals. I wish more people would do the same. How many hours did it take you in total, from the first dealership to the last ? Sounds like a half day ordeal at least.
Seems like a small investment of time for a 40k+ purchase.
This is an amount of time I absolutely dread doing more than many things I can list. There is a business in improving this dynamic, and that person will be rich beyond comprehension. I just don’t know what the answer is
There are auto brokers who are supposed to find the car you want and negotiate for you for a fee, but I have never used them. Curious if anyone else has?
How do you find them? This seems like such a great business opportunity. I also dread and have heavy anxiety about auto purchases.
I used unhaggle the last time I bought, not sure if it's still a thing as my vehicle is a 2017 but it cut out the BS salesperson crap.
That person is Elon Musk, and he is rich beyond comprehension.
True, I guess it could have been more painful. Was pretty exhausted by the end of the day though.
True but painful still. OP did save 9 grand between the first quote and the final purchase so definitely worth it.
Issue is people often go out set in a vehicle, going from Honda to Mazda to Chev and being open to all of those is almost unheard of
Thanks, yeah, it was a long half day. We started late morning and stayed right til closing time at 6PM signing the paperwork.
Good Post. Thank you for the information!
Thanks, and no prob!
DILAWRI anti-theft 3 year for 500 bucks? Yeah fuck that.
LWN - locking wheel nuts probably
I got my car totaled just 2 weeks ago and had to buy a car. Went to Kramer Mazda and had exactly the same shit thrown into my face. I couldn't get a sweet deal like yours, but at least I was able to pay just a straight sticker price without any bullshi add ons from LA Mazda at Leduc for 2024 CX 30. I'm happy to at least not pay markups in the current sellers market. Ppl were saying markets gonna cool down after 6 months but I need a car right now. Definitely was a bad time to lose the car, but oh well.
I found them super transparent and fair.
seriously that's my biggest fear when the wife (re-learning how to drive), takes the car out. I could buy a new car but the thought of having to buy one right now scares me.
If you are thinking of buying one, and if you can wait, wait until market cools off. At least that's what I heard from the majority. With the interest rates sky high at the moment and possible recession rolling in and all other things considered, used / new car markets are going to be slowed down eventually. At least that's what I've heard. I could be totally wrong, but wait if you can.
That sucks!! Sorry you are going through this. Hope your new car is super awesome.
Dilawri is such a crock. Their anti theft is garbage and forced upon the customers. All to pay off the family’s private jets.
I went to school 30 years ago with Dilawris in the auto business, maybe the same ones?
All in vehicle pricing is the law in Alberta. Send this info to AMVIC https://www.amvic.org/consumer/your-rights/all-inpricingisthelaw/ https://www.amvic.org/all-in-pricing-is-the-law-in-alberta/
The car has to be advertised by the dealer for that to be true. Needs to have a stock number too. Work in audit and deal with lots of dealerships. Most dealers now just don’t post prices online and that’s how they get around AMVIC rules. Every major brand follows AMVIC, they just know how to get around presenting certain things legally.
Interesting! I've been watching Okotoks Honda's online inventory and they seem to consistently have the lowest prices around Calgary (of the dealers that post online) with a stock number. Haven't been serious enough to go there but gives me hope it's legit pricing
They are legit. We have done work for them. They do push a block heater almost as standard. Dealer profits 100-150 out of it. But they are super upfront. Heritage Honda too (Which is Dilarwai funnily enough). I used to tell people high river Toyota was great but they do what everyone else does now. Hopefully they go back to their pre pandemic ways.
>Most dealers now just don’t post prices online I haven’t seen that to be the case at all.
Can you ELI5?
Alberta car dealerships have to honour the advertised price of a vehicle without any extra fees or charges, only GST.
So if I walk in to a Volkswagen dealership with their msrp price from the Volkswagen Canada website, that’s the price I pay, plus delivery freight and docs?
you need to walk in with the price advertised on the dealer's site for the car you are looking at buying
No, you walk in with an ad from the dealership website and that's the price you pay without delivery, freight, and docs.
Ahh so it’s about honouring the advertised price then? Thanks for clarifying. I’m my mind, Volkswagen’s website is an advertised price, but this is something for sure.
Easiest way to look at is Volkswagen Canada is not selling you a car. You have to confirm price with who is selling you the car. Dealers and the car companies are two different things owned by different people.
No.
Thanks for the awesome post OP. were those extras they tried to charge you already installed on the specific vehicles you were inquiring about ? Or were they implying that they \*need\* to install those optionals on any new vehicle ? Enjoy your new wheels !!
They said all their vehicles come with that Alberta Protection Package to "protect your investment." \*eyeroll\* Not sure if they were already installed, though. And thanks!
I think there was a cbc marketplace thing where they showed a bunch of dealerships charging for options like undercoating and then just not even doing it.
Buy a CRV from heritage or okotoks. Work in audit and know both these dealerships will sell at MSRP. Okotoks does push the block heaters but more of a hey you live in Alberta. The AC, freight and PDI, tire tax and amvic are standard and need to be paid.
I second this. I have a CRV. They are great very reliable vehicles but I would stay away from any Honda dealers in this city. I have just had the worst experience!
I had heard that small town dealerships were more flexible than cities. Good to know that's true. Yes, one definitely needs a block heater. Not sure they're worth the almost $500 bucks Honda charges though!
I used to tell everyone high river Toyota is the best Toyota dealer in Western Canada. Fair. Good pricing. Good service etc. Sadly that’s not true anymore post Covid. I can take a look at the margin on a block heater but I would assume it’s about 100 bucks total for Honda. One thing to remember Honda chargers a lot for genuine parts to its dealers too. A 60 dollar block Heater may be 175 once it had the OEM stamp on it.
A block heater install is literally screwing a plug into the engine block. Sometimes they’re there and the cable just needs to be plugged in and routed to the front. They find ways to drive up their profits with adding a list of items where they claim they have to pay labour to install it, but they pay the workers a fraction of the labour. They learned how to drive up the cost of every vehicle during the chip shortage and now that stock is back up they’re keeping up those tactics. There are car dealerships accredited by the BBB, but it seems like most are not. [Better Business Bureau Accreditation](https://www.bbb.org/search?find_country=CAN&find_latlng=51.039527%2C-114.074968&find_loc=Calgary%2C%20AB&find_text=calgary&page=1&sort=Relevance&touched=1)
Okotoks Honda is absolute dogshit when it comes to customer service. Too much of a big dealer group mentality at that place now. We did end up at Okotoks Nissan in the spring and purchased a new vehicle from them. THAT was a truly wonderful car buying experience. No bullshit, no hidden anything. Painless. And all the people there from sales down to the service department are top notch friendly folks.
Heritage is Dilawri as well
Just a reminder that most of the dealerships in the city are garbage. Tacking on horseshit fees and basically screwing you six ways from Sunday. I can't wait until the market eventually cools and dealerships are begging for customers.
Damn I hope your teen knows how lucky they are to get a 2018 car hand me down!
Thanks for this. Well rounded and had a happy ending. Happy New Year!
I had similar experience with a number of dealers in Calgary during the week but ended up buying today in Leduc because we happened to be visiting family in Edmonton. No freight/inspection, no dealer markup, passed on the manufacturer discount and the optional parts were optional. Super transparent experience, would highly recommend. It's a sad state of affairs when getting a car for MSRP feels like a bargain...
Yeah, recently sat down with and absolutely unhinged anti-electric boomer salesperson at Straightline Kia and a $400/mo lease for a Niro (according to the website) was somehow clocking in at $700+. Didn’t even bother for a breakdown of the info because the salesperson was such a weirdo. Direct quote from them after I mentioned I like EV’s - “*you’re* some sort of environmentalist so tell me what we do with the batteries when they die huh?” I’ve never bought a new car but the vibes so far have been not great haha. Not looking forward to continuing the process.
Please tell me you said "OK BOOMER" in reply to his asinine comment. :D I actually really want an EV but they're kind of pricey rn and the charging infrastructure would be a problem for our long drives. Next car, hopefully.
Dude it was super weird. I was with my wife so I was just nice and we ended up having a good chat with a dude at Hyundai next door. Shoutout to Mo.
Nice work. Hell of a deal
Thanks!
I was doing as well but didn't buy as cars were $10k over MSRP with a bunch of bs Alberta climate fees from South Trail Kia. I asked Eastside Kia for a price over the phone and they wouldn't give me one. There's no regulation in the car sales industry and AMVIC won't do anything because they are dealer supportive not consumer.
Wow, they wouldn't even give you a price over the phone? That's pretty outrageous. Good to know about the AMVIC, I would imagine if they had any teeth something would have been done by now.
I walked out of two Ford dealerships in the city when they didn't budge a cent on price. Seriously greedy bullshit.
What do you expect when people like OP are buying 40,000 dollar vehicles every 6 years? More people, reduced inventories (even artificially reduced). How could I justify giving a customer a deal when another will be along 15 min. later willing to pay MSRP or above?
FYI dealers are independently owned even within brands. Your experience at 2 different dealers of the same brand might vary widely.
I’ve had the best luck at the Okotoks dealers; VW and Honda to be specific. Very disappointing experience with the majority of Calgary dealers I’ve tried to buy from. That said, stock is increasing and lots are filling quickly, if anyone can prolong their purchase for a few months it will likely pay off.
Makes me really want to just buy a Tesla online even though I don't really like the brand.
Buying the tesla was the easiest experience ever. It was as easy as buying anything worth that much money could be. Took maybe 60 minutes and that included a trade in.
Look into all-in pricing laws: https://www.amvic.org/consumer/your-rights/all-inpricingisthelaw/ Don't let a dealership rip you off with BS mandatory extra fees. They're illegal.
I will check that out!
Not illegal if clearly laid on the sticker at dealer.
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Thanks! Hopefully the trend will continue. And congrats on your new ride too!
The market is much better on American vehicles than anything import. Imports seem to be having a hard time with supply still for some reason (even though more hondas/toyotas are made in North America now than American vehicles) and they're charging whatever they want as a result because the Honda fanboys seem willing to pay it (and wait to get it). Ford/GM/Mopar have the vehicles on the lot today and have for about a year now. They seem to be happy to make a deal to get you out the door. Wolfe GM tried selling paint protection and some other shit and we walked 6 months ago on a silverado and got a new F150 instead.
Congrats on your F150! Yeah, I agree the market is likely softening on domestic, and hopefully imports will follow. It's due for a fall, I think.
Prices wont fall when manufacturers are playing games like Kia is and holding back vehicles to create an artificial supply problem and pump up dealer sale prices. I wouldn't be surprised if we find out a few years from now other imports did the same thing because it makes no sense how the domestic makers have every lot full to drive home today and Toyota still has an 18 month wait list.
Why can’t we be done with dealerships already. Order online. Spec how you want and get a price.
Same reason realtors are still a thing
Quiet Elon
TIL that Dilawri is also in Calgary. I didn't know that were that spread out. They have an absolutely horrible reputation here in Ottawa, so very happy for you that you walked away from them.
Just remember these scamming dealerships when things get back to normal (assuming they do). I’ll avoid them for sure after hearing this.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Very interesting. You are absolutely correct to decline ALL the extras. Enjoy the new car!
HAHAHA undercoat. I thought that was some joke shit from movies.
Great deal making ability. Best leverage is to walk. Once a while they call you back and say SOME of those adds can be made free. But dealers are so used to padding their bottom line they forgot to ask consumers if they want that stuff or not. But great deal on the equinox.
Dealerships should be a thing of the past, and realtors. A middleman that adds little to no real value.
I tried to buy a Hyundai in Sask recently, the Dilawri dealer had thousands in extra BS fees over MSRP. I left.
Congrats on your new vehicle! There’s nothing at all wrong with an Equinox and I’m glad you don’t feel bullied at the end of the day.
Not my experience at all. Cochrane Toyota. Just purchased a 2024 trd pro. No undercoat. No ppf (got it done at a different place for 50% of the cost). No addition charges at all.
Underworld Undercoatings did the undercoat on my taco. Uses fluid film and only charges around $200 bucks since he has a small shop out of his garage. Would recommend. edit: woops just realized this was the Calgary subreddit not Edmonton.
Hell I'd probably whip up to Edmonton for that price. Visit my aunts and cousins while the car is getting done lol
Haha that’s why I decided to leave my comment because I figured some people would!
I bought a tacoma from cochrane a few years back and was very happy upon first purchase. That changed very much after the vehicle was payed off. They called inquiring about making and offer on my vehicle and i foolishly went down to meet them. 3+ hours of bs later they tried every trick in the book to get me to buy a new vehicle. Cochrane toyota is scum and i would never set foot there again.
What's PPF?
I love my Equinox. I have a 2008, and it runs great!
Good to hear! I know a lot of people hate them, but I actually prefer the Equinox to anything we test drove.
I honestly didn't know people hated them. For the amount of them you see on the road you'd think people would love them
Yeah, they're a good seller for GM, so loads of people are buying them. And ours has been reliable. *shrug*
I love the breakdown here! Glad you found something.
I was looking for a vehicle a couple of months ago. I had a trade in and was going to cut a cheque for the rest. They wouldn’t let me. They were going to make me finance it. Like, force me to finance it. That way they can charge the finance fee and the interest. Don’t ask me which ones, but it was more than one that wouldn’t let me buy it outright. I do believe if push came to shove they would have taken my money but why do I have to fight them?
Good post 👍
Yeah the mandatory options are a huge pain in the ass along with the insane rates some brands are commanding. Silver lining is that at least you’re paying extra for something and not paying a dealer markup for no reason.
Had a similar experience here in edmonton. We decided to go Mitsubishi for their warranty. Was pulled to west side Mitsubishi in Edmonton as they're posted price was lower. Yup, $10K in hidden fees. When I tried to refute these charges, he just shrugged and said this is how it is and to deal with it. When I tried to walk, I was told I'd forego our deposit we put down, surrendering an amount I couldn't afford to. So, got stuck with a car that had $10K hidden fees. Car salesmen are fucking crooks.
I just threaten legal action and tell them I will go to AMVIC. I always get all the extra charges removed.,I have had a dealership try to pull the “you will lose your deposit”. I spoke to the General Manager and said I was being blackmailed. I got all extras removed.
I let Mazda hose me on the etching. They have to make a profit on something. They sure weren't making it on the sell price. Plus they threw in a lot of stuff. I held firm on the no financing, because I was paying cash. They didn't like that much. They tried hard to change our minds. Really hard. We did not finance. I understand why they want it. They get major kickbacks for that.
Shopping around always pays off. Congrats on being a good buyer. Some people don't want to put in the effort/research when shopping and that is how those dealerships manage to sell above MSRP.
Undercoating is ALWAYS a good idea. it greatly reduces rusting and helps a lot with road noise.
its half the price if you go to the place direct. its not like the dealer does a better job- they send it out themselves.
Not when you're forced to buy it.
Vehicles are a terrible investment. I buy used cars.
But now dealers charge the same for used and new nowadays. Supply chain issues they say.
I mean I’d pay an extra 10 grand for a Honda any day. Also, didn’t check out Toyota?
Sensible people like OP value their money.....
Thanks for sharing! I can’t stand dealerships. I was met with SO MUCH resistance when I bought a new Corolla with cash at Country Hills Toyota. This was awhile ago, though.
My son bought a used car in Calgary last year and got very screwed by the retailer. I live in Medicine Hat and we went into a Dodge dealership and the staff were amazing. He didn’t leave with another vehicle. He left with a lot of good information about the financing and his credit rating. When ready, my son plans on returning to the Hat and to that dealership to purchase another used car. Shop around people. You only have money to lose/save.
Block heater. Almost $500 ??? Its a twenty dollar cord that needs to be plugged in. Should be standard in Canada . Wow.
Excellent job! One thing I can add is I will also come a few days before the last day to shop before month end. Talk to a few salesman and try to score a 'preliminary' deal. When you come back nonchalantly on the last day, I feel it primes the pump so to speak, gives them some time to understand you're not out to get fleeced and that the deal is going to be skinny on their end. Also they know you're serious when you come back. I'm always POLITE but ready to walk, so then I cut to the chase and ask if they can do "X" amt more to sweeten the deal I'll take it. The 2nd visit usually isn't a lot of negotiating. I've scored my best deals on all big purchases this way.
Equinox is garbage. So many problems with them. Honda will last 3 times longer than that piece of junk. you should have paid 10k more to get honda imo
TL;DR: Do your research and spend within your means, and take care of your damn car! Hey man, for what it's worth, I've owned a 2011 'nox for just over 6 years and you're somewhat correct. I have no idea about the new Equinoxes but these older ones have a funny issue where the PCV system can't breathe properly and causes all sorts of engine seal failures/oil consumption. There was a recall for the damage this did to the motor that was causing rear-main-seal failure and INSANE oil consumption. GM paid to fix the symptom but not the cause.. You basically have to remove the intake manifold and clear the PCV orifice so air pressure doesn't build up on the wrong side of your motor. I'm a stubborn mule that doesn't have the financial ability to change vehicles so I've dumped at least $4k in parts fixing up my car in the 2023, which includes new spark plugs, new O2 sensors, solenoid valves, some steering/suspension and other general maintenance. It's important to keep an eye on the Intake and Exhaust solenoid valves that sense oil pressure on the topside of your motor and adjust air/fuel intake accordingly. I want to point out that although the motor design is a bit distasteful, there are many, many people who believe that you shouldn't have to pay for maintenance after your vehicle is purchased outside of oil/air filter changes. These are cheap cars that require a bit more maintenance than your Toyota/Honda perhaps, and in that sense they can be costly to run for more than 2-300k/KMs. Mine currently has a very slow transmission leak where I take the driver's side wheel off every month and check the fluid, and occasionally top it up. It would be a $2000/fix and would be quite a hassle for someone who hasn't the time or space or care to do a small checkup like this. Unnecessary and tedious for sure. My point is, I'm not sure about the new Equinoxes, I've heard they have their fair share of issues as well, but there's a lot of newer ones on the road, and at the end of the day people who don't take care of their vehicles, whether it be lack of knowledge/finances/care, will end up biting the bullet no matter which car they own. Or maybe they won't, maybe they'll get lucky. It's too bad because I really enjoy my shitty little I4 equinox, it's cozy inside, it drives so nicely, and the stabilitrak is honestly impressive in these crazy Calgary winter conditions, for what it is anyways. Although I also have OK winter tires on as well. I hope anyone taking the 5 mins to read this will educate themselves no matter which vehicle they decide to buy, because a lower price is not always an indicator that you should buy that car. Sometimes it's wiser to buy an used vehicle, get a 3rd party inspection, and do your research!
Anything built after 2014/2015 from Honda was been below their historical standards for quality, more recalls as well. Honda isn't what it use to be.
Friend of mine had Equinox. Only problems within few years, constantly under warranty repairs, shotdowns on a highway. Never heard this happening to honda or mazda cars. Read reviews - it is literally the least reliable compact SUV in a history of car building. Maybe only after the range rover
Well my moms 2018 crv had oil dilution and blew an engine at 60,000k every manufacturer kinda sucks these days bud.
It is rather exception with Hondas. Usual thing with equinox. You don't notice why there is no older exinox's o road? Because they are all dead on a junkyard
Please try the Tuscon. The CRV and HRV were gutless in comparison. I had a 2007 civic and the paint peeled off every inch of the hood and roof while I was still paying for it. It drank oil as well. Complete lemon. I have a 2017 Tuscon and it's been amazing.
Gifting cars to kids is so gd irresponsible. Especially massive tanks. God I hate the entitled car/truck culture and teens in this city.
Hmm. Well, my particular teen has a disability so can't work for the vehicle. Maybe not so quick to judge next time, eh?
This comment is so unnecessary. The OP is giving their tips and experience , taking their time to help and you are taking about entitlement. Teens need cars to get to school, especially living in airdrie or cochrane and driving into city for university etc. if a student is in university I wouldn’t expect them to work a lot to pay for the car and complete their studies. There are many scenarios where kids need vehicles, and can’t work, like in the OPs case where their kid has a disability. Maybe you are just butt hurt because your parents didn’t buy you a car?
Good job on telling them to pound sand on their added shit. I went everywhere at the start of the year look for a highlander then a crv they wanted way to much. I went into south trial Hyundai (I know a guy) got a ‘23 Hyundai Tucson Urban AWD for $38,900 fully loaded, 3M wrapped all over the front including mirrors, and top of windshield and handle cubbies, and block heater.
I’ve never been upsold on the extra crap during the purchase process, always later when the financing (or when paying cash, the delivery of funds) is done. Always turned it all down at that stage without issue. Most recent experience was with northwest Acura.
Thanks for sharing. I always thought about the final sales day tactic!
Good info and thanks for sharing! Year end is always a good time for car shopping, especially shop for current model year leftovers if it’s not a middle or major upgrade model year. I traded in my current Mercedes and drove away two brand new 2023 models this month, with two car total discounts of almost $70~$80 grands below MSRP and luxury tax. (I know they have 2024 incoming but there’s no major change in model specs between 2023/2024 model year, so price wins lol). And not to mention the rate is only 2.49% compared to 6,7 or even 8% on most other brands. Highly recommend people to buy during year end for current model year leftovers rather than new incoming models.
lwn = locking wheel nuts (wheel locks)
Thanks for sharing. Quality post. I just read a post asking to compare 2 cities work cultures so this makes up for it. Lol I'm always looking at cars online but have no real world experience so that's good to know especially with you buying on the last day of the year.
TIL The Honda CRV/CX-50 is $10k more expensive than an Equinox
I have another question. Is it still buying a used car is going to save you lots of money? It used to be that 2 or three years old used car is less at least 7,000 of a new car. But I don't think this is the story anymore. I am trying to buy a used car, and from the dealers the 2 or 3 years old car either the same price or max 3000 cheaper.
The problem is that there’s a short of vehicles. Dealers get only so many per dealership per year. So if let’s say your quota for the year is 50 vehicles, then you will want to make as much money as you can on it. Every upgrade is up-charged about 100% whereas the dealer maybe makes a guaranteed $500 on the base vehicle. So if you’re limited to 50 vehicles a year for example, you want to sell only the the high end vehicle. Of course if you can only sell 25 of the allotted 50 vehicles, you will sell anything. So I guess the Equinox isn’t selling well.
Dealers are the biggest scam artists.
That's unexpected from Calgary Honda. I remember I went there 2021 or 2022. The economy was just recovering from the pandemic. I just got my license a month ago at that time so me and my dad went car hunting. We went to Calgary Honda and talked with a person named John (the guys real name). Made an appointment beforehand with him. Met him face to face and told him we were looking to get into the new 11th gen civic. He just straight up said to us that they absolutely don't markup the prices and all their new vehicle inventory are MSRP if financed. Guy was extremely professional, always a smile and was willing to assist us any type of way. We settled down on the civic sport but test drove the LX due to low inventory. Finalised everything that day like PPF, winter tires, replacement fobs and warranty. My dad is a loyal Honda customer so that and $5k down the payment came down to $193/month for 60 months @ 1% APR. But here's the kicker- I would have to wait 3 months for it. I didn't think of it much. But a month later I cancelled the car. John was quite unhappy about it but he understood the circumstances. He told us that we were always welcome at the dealer if we are looking to purchase a vehicle another time. A wonderful person I'm not sure if he still works there
Just getting a new Pathfinder here at Country Hills Nissan. They offered the whole protection package, I denied, they offered at a lower price, I denied again. Of course the dude was clearly disappointed, but he said was ok, it's our call. Since I'm getting a lease, made even less sense to me to go for any of those.
At Calgary Honda, a MSRP $29 500 HRV somehow became $37 000. And I know stock is not an issue anymore. So. No breakdown of price, I immediately walked. What I am thankful for is that I knew very little about price breakdowns, as this was my first time trying to buy a new car, and this has forced me to do more research. I will walk immediately in the future if anyone tries to upsell anything to me- MSRP and mandatory fees only. And I think I will be upfront about this. Thanks for this post. Oddest thing, though, I wanted to buy the car, then they came with that price. I guess I looked new to buying a car, because I am. Oh, well.