Help, help: Which One is the REAL Invoice Price?

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by ElementSeeker, Jan 29, 2005.

  1. I'm ready to buy, with no trade-in, a new Honda Element 4wd EX
    automatic. I can do it all cash; don't need to finance this time.

    I've read of the "services" that offer to get you a car for a fee over
    invoice, but am wary.

    The "Invoice Price" for the identical vehicle is quoted quite
    differently by websites:

    - Kelley Blue Book $20,584.14

    - Edmunds $21, 725

    - and a nearby dealer, Autowest.

    Are we surprised that the dealer is the highest?

    But the others are high too, at least an Autotrader search shows a
    specific car (with vin) offered for sale by a dealer in my area for
    $20,505. And then I searched NADA, which says that the MSRP is
    $20,165, including $515 destination charge. They list "N/A" in the
    place for the Element invoice price.

    According to what II understand, there are no incentives on Elements at
    present. This car has no options once the specs above are set, so the
    price differences are not a matter of equipment.

    HOW CAN I FIND THE REAL INVOICE PRICE, ????
    i.e., what the dealer paid the manufacturer for the car? That is
    what I would like to offer dealers in my area, understanding that
    they'll make some money on the sale from holdbacks.

    Thanks for any insights,
    ELEMENT SEEKER, ready to buy
     
    ElementSeeker, Jan 29, 2005
    #1
  2. ElementSeeker

    RabanJr Guest


    $20,069 not including Frieght
     
    RabanJr, Jan 30, 2005
    #2
  3. ElementSeeker

    RabanJr Guest

    $20,069 Plus Freight
     
    RabanJr, Jan 30, 2005
    #3
  4. ElementSeeker

    Dick Guest

    The Edmunds price of $21,725 is not the invoice price, but the MSRP
    which is the price on the window sticker. They are showing the
    invoice price not available at this time. I have purchased several
    new cars using Edmunds as a guide. When they do list the invoice
    price, I have found them to be right to the penny with the dealer's
    invoice.

    Dick
     
    Dick, Jan 30, 2005
    #4
  5. ElementSeeker

    Jason Wells Guest

    ElementSeeker wrote:

    Doesn't Edmunds have a disclaimer that invoice prices can vary per
    dealership? It may not be possible to know the exact invoice...
     
    Jason Wells, Jan 30, 2005
    #5
  6. ElementSeeker

    Dave Guest

    Generally Edmunds, KBB, Consumerguide.com all have the same, and
    "official" (in so far as that goes) invoice price. Once in a
    while they disagree. And that may be due to manufacturers
    changing the price. Lately these adjustments occur once, up to
    a few times, throughout the model year.

    And on top of that, there is typically an additional 2-3%
    holdback. But a dealer may get different kinds of incentives time
    to time that are not published. So depending on car, even invoice
    (or even inv-holdback) isn't necessarily the greatest deal you can
    work. And, of course, depending on model popularity.

    Good luck!
     
    Dave, Jan 31, 2005
    #6
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