Got a New Car!

After many hours of searching, I finally got my new car.  It’s a 2008 Honda Civic LX.  I chose it mainly for fuel economy at 36 MPG.  I also like the design, both inside and outside.  The specs are quite impressive for a compact car.  The essential features are all there, including the ever so required MP3 CD and portable MP3 players (via AUX in).

I bought the car at my favorite dealer: Hardin Honda.  They have a good selection of cars and unbeatable prices.  They also throw in free oil change for life.   I also bought my 2006 Accord through them and never regret it.   They rank #1 for Customer Service.   I high recommend them.

Car shopping is not fun.  Since my money is scarce these days, finding a good deal is a must for me.  It’s making my car shopping process more complicated and a stressful experience.  Which car should I get?  Internet or drop-in?  Used or new?  Which dealership should I buy it from?   Can I trust third-party used car sales?  Many questions to ponder and ask.

Since I already have a list of cars that I’m interested in, I don’t really need to find reviews, although there are some good ones like The Truth About Cars and Yahoo Autos.  Last week, I started email inquiries to all dealers, and all of them replied back, some multiple times.

Last weekend , it was definitely an interesting car shopping experience day of my life.  First, I went to Los Angeles, and met with two guys who were selling their used 2003 Civic Hybrids as advertised through craigslist.  They didn’t take good care of their cars.  The cars looked dingy and dinged, with bumpers dangling.   Even worse, their MPG meter indicated 38 MPG, which meant they didn’t drive the car carefully (for fuel economy).  They basically abused their hybrids.  Buying a used car is like a box of chocolate: I’ll never know what I’m going to get.

Later on, I went to Honda dealerships and looked for a new Civic LX (non-hybrid).  They all told me this car now carries a mark-up price of $1000.  Worse, they would not budge below the invoice price of $17,450.  I was told the demand for this car was high.  What is it with California and their willingness to buy a marked up car?  I was disappointed.

So I tried for used Civic LX from sites like cars.com and autotrader.com.  The asking prices were not impressive, at all.  I met with a lady who was eager to sell her leased LX.  After a bit of researching, I found out a lease-to-finance transaction is not consistent among dealers.  Then there’s the matter of getting a hold of the title, once the deal is made.  Can I really trust the individual?   There was just a lot of moving parts, doomed for failure.

Then I considered the offer from a Toyota dealer for a Camry LE that was priced below invoice. But I didn’t want to buy a mid-size sedan with mediocre MPG.  Seems like a waste of gas.  I also didn’t know the dealer well enough to trust them.  Besides, I’m a Honda man, anyway.

I knew what I wanted.  I always wanted another Civic.  The LX was my first and last choice.   So when Hardin Honda presented a price that no other dealer else could beat, I went for it.  For a total of $18,950 I went home with a new car.

I’m so happy right now, I can’t even sleep – had blog about it.  I can’t wait for the morning to play around with it.

Tags: car shopping, cars, civic, honda