Buying a New Car, Part IV (Epilogue)
Well, everything went exactly as expected when we went to pick up our car, and we're now the proud new owners of a 2005 Honda CR-V LX. Once again, our new car buying strategy worked out exceptionally well, and the actual transaction was totally painless. After a final test drive and top-to-bottom inspection, we shuffled a few papers and then wrote the check. They didn't even offer to sell us an extended warranty. The whole process took just over an hour, and only about a third of that involved actual interaction with the salesman. Next up... Accessories. There are a few things on our wish list, including all-season floor mats and a cover for the cargo area. The main problem here is that OEM accessories come complete with a tremendous markup when purchased from the dealership. Yes, we could have included these items in our negotiations. This, however, complicates the negotiating process, and I'd much prefer to keep the main transaction as simple as possible. Fortunately, there's an easy solution.
Actually, there's a couple of easy solutions. The first is to buy after-market accessories rather than buying actual Honda parts. That works well for certain things (e.g., custom floor mats), but for other items there's no substitute for the real thing. In those cases, the internet is your best friend -- sure, you'll have to pay shipping, but the prices are far lower and you'll save on sales tax. What follows is a list of some of my favorite sites for Honda parts and accessories.
H and A Accessories
Cheapest Honda Parts
College Hills Honda
San Leandro Honda
Ray Laks Honda & Acura
All in all, I've found H and A to be to the best, both in terms of price and selection. That being said, it's definitely worth checking the various sites as prices do vary. For example, Cheapest Honda Parts wins out by $10-15 when it comes to the cargo area cover.
Read Part I of "Buying a New Car"
Read Part II of "Buying a New Car"
Read Part III of "Buying a New Car"
You're Reading Part IV of "Buying a New Car"
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"Buying a New Car, Part IV (Epilogue)" was first published at fivecentnickel.com
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