Hello,

I just had a good Honda buying experience, so I figured I'd share with
you. In essence, I think the reason that I had a good buy was a
combined result of the internet shopping tactic and happening to
getting in touch online with a salesperson with a particular
personal sales policy.

First, define some variables here.
X="published" invoice price of my model without any additional
options including destination charge. "Published" means
that I got this number from edmunds.com or carsdirect.com.
Y=Tax, tag, registration, documentation fees
Z=manufacturer-to-dealer cash incentive per sale of my model
   (happens to be available for the month of my purchase)
All numbers below are approximate within $100.

At the beginning of the month, I emailed 6 dealers asking for
their best out-the-door price for my model. In the emails,
I made clear that I am shopping online and comparing
several dealers and "undecided" about the method of payment.
The responses were (in the order of descending price).
The breakdowns are my interpretations.

Dealer 1: (X+$900)+Y
Dealer 2: (X+$600)+Y
 --> In about a week after the first quote, this dealer corrected
      their quote to X+Y. I think they decided to pass $600 out
      of Z to me.
Dealer 3: Car price is X+$100
Dealer 4, 5: X+Y
Dealer 6: Car price is X-Z-$200

Dealers 3, 6 did not give me the exact out-the-door price. The price
from Dealer 6 was too low and therefore I guessed their car
price does not include destination charge. I asked about it, but
there was no definite answer from them.

After waiting for three weeks, I sent another email to dealers
2, 4, and 6 asking for their final best out-the-door price. (I did not
any method of transportation to dealer 5, so I gave that place
up.) In the email, I made it clear that I am writing one check
in full amount of the out-the-door price and I will be walking
in to the dealership with the lowest price and simply pay and
pick up. I also gave my willing price in the email saying that
I am willing to spend X-Z+Y. The final responses were

Dealer 2: X+Y
Dealer 4: (X-Z+$100)+Y
Dealer 6: (X-Z-$200)+Y

The interesting part is that dealer 6 could just have accepted
my price, but did not and stuck to its original quote, which
turns out to include destination charge. At this point, the dealer
- no, the salesperson - got my trust (sort of) and my business.
A couple of days later, I went to dealer 6, wrote a check for
the quoted price, and drove one home. The salesperson said
he gives relatively aggressive prices to sell many vehicles
under his name.

Well, I bought an Accord LX sedan Special Edition. It is interesting
to me that my final price is slightly lower than the out-the-door
prices projected from those 'fair values' for a new Civic EX
sedan. :) Hmmm. It could be due to that Civics are hot-selling,
but Accords are not so... Anyways.

The good part for me about internet buying was that I only gave
them my email address and no phone numbers whatsoever,
so they could not call me trying to negotiate over the phone or
make me come to their place first. I just don't like haggling
in any real-time fashion. I could take time to think over their quotes
and reply at my convenient time in the privacy of my place.

Finally, this purchase was made in the US. Thanks.