www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=16...7
My original post above was a conclusive victory for the Honda to the degree that I'm almost embarrased having even considered the Merc in the first place!! All I needed to do now was decide on which model. Well since aircon is a must for us it had to be at least the SE but I have a real aversion to wheel trims and think the car looks much better with the alloys. My wife said she couldn't care less as long as we don't go a penny over our £9K budget. Sounded like a challenge to me!!
We knew that a brand new SE or Sport was out of our budget so I did a search within 100 miles of our home on the usual car sites and it only threw up about 20 SE Sports. They ranged from an 02 reg with 37K on the clock for £9k to well over 10K for a 52/03 reg!! I also remembered what the smug Honda salemsan said to me after we test drove the car - he basically said the price you see is what you pay as he doesn't need to discount as they're walking out of his showroom at the moment and they're in short supply!! This was going to be harder than I thought!
Then I spotted a demo 03 Sport with 4.5K, in the silver colour we wanted, for sale at a nearby Honda dealer for £9995. From what I've seen that was a good price in itself. I wanted to trade in the wifes 1994 Escort 1.6 LX which, according to the guides, had a trade value of £300 and a private value of about £500. I think I would be damned lucky to get £500 privately for it as the brakes are awful, the power steering whines and generally it's unpleasant to drive.
Knowing this I just steamed into the dealer and thought I would take the pee a little and offered my car in part ex and £9k cash. They wanted to test drive my car which I thought will blow the deal! They spent 5 mins pondering then agreed!!! Hmmm too easy I thought so I asked for 6 months road tax and a full tank of fuel aswell. They agreed to that too. Hmmm so I asked them to throw in some nice mats and a Honda cleaning kit - got that too!!
What a result. No hassle selling our car and I think a very good deal on the Jazz too. Would anyone agree or disagree? Having said that I do wonder if I could have got more off as I was expecting a battle but instead I got a very honest and professional service without the BS you would normally expect from a main dealer.
In any case the wife's happy and I've got myself a zillion brownie points and a dozen night passes with the lads! We pick the car up in about 10 days after they fully valet the car, including cleaning the seats, and I can't wait to drive past the first dealer and put two fingers up to the smug one - he says with a big smug grin on his face ;-)
|
TonyP. I think you`ve got yourself a reasonable deal and a great little motor.
I was in a local Honda dealer`s showroom recently and can confirm that the Jazz, Civic and new Accord are literally flying out of the salesroom, which is not too difficult to understand after you`ve driven one and can appreciate their engineering integrity and reliability.!!!!
|
If they are literally flying out of the salesroom, I suggest that you wear a very hard hat indeed if you are contemplating visting a Honda dealer this week.
Seriously Tony, I think you've got an excellent deal. I don't think there are too many nine year old Escorts around for £500 privately (not usable ones anyway) but at the same time, the p/x value for this car isn't anywhere a thousand pounds, so with all the extras you got too, it's a result.
Sometimes sellers just want to shift the stock and you do get breaks like that, so don't feel too sorry for the poor salesman who has still made his commission and sold at the screen price.
|
|
|
|
..In any case the wife's happy and I've got myself a zillion brownie points and a dozen night passes with the lads! ..>>
TonyP: Well done. Don't let anyone spoil your party. A car is only worth what the buyer pays for and seller sells for. Nobody else's opinion matters.
By the way, a common misunderstanding is the meaning of "brownie points". The swear filter here will not allow me to tell you what it means, so if you want to avoid inappropriate use of the term in future, check out
phrases.shu.ac.uk/meanings/
phrases.shu.ac.uk/meanings/78200.html
|
I tried hard to get some kind of discount on a silver Jazz. When that failed tried to get a free CD player - no go.
I've never come across such an unswerving salesman. I think you've done very well TonyP. Congratulations.
|
TonyP,
Glad your so pleased with the Jazz, but I thought you were going for a Berloodylingo...............!!!!!!!!???
|
|
Weighing up the practicality, reliability, costs of ownership and looks of the Jazz against the Berloodylingo, a car that is only driven by the living dead, like the pope for example, then I'm afraid the Jazz just pipped it there!!!
|
The Pope and me! Jeez, I'm in exalted company! And how come, at his age, he still looks younger than me!
Good luck with your car - and I promise I won't ever mention B******* again!
|
|
|
|
eMBe
English is a funny language. A phrase's meaning is that which is held in general understanding. Although most can work out how the phrase originated and indeed can still be used in that way, it is generally understood what it means now.
So common misunderstanding? No. Inappropriate use? No.
|
|
A bit like 'quantum' as in a 'quantum leap forward' meaning a big increase. In fact, a quantum amount is the smallest possible increase in energy level. Always makes me smile, although as you say, everyone knows what is meant by the phrase even if semantically it is incorrect.
|
Thats an interesting point for a Monday! But maybe the 'leap" aspect comes from the upheaval of understanding of the physical universe. Not that it is fully understood, but through quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle, the conceps of quantised energy, complicated by light as wave motion etc, there are clarifications of the nature of light, energy etc. So, quantum leap as used collqially makes sense in the context of the history of science, perhaps?
|
|
RF - I will keep this short, and will not post again on this thread, to stop it drifting off in to non-motoring. ..English is a funny language. ..> Agreed, but American English in this case.
>>. . Although most can work out how the phrase originated ..>> Oh, really? Where is your proof. Try asking around. Emprirical evidence I have shows that out of about 50 British motorists asked in our office, not one knew the true origin of the phrase and all were shocked to find out!
|
Like you - last post on this matter.
Ahh yes , well that means that they ALL understood the original meaning of the phrase as intended by the original poster. Hence no need to point out any alternative meanings!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regarding deals on new examples of the Jazz, a recent search on the Auto Trader website revealed a dealer with a number of pre-registered new cars at a considerable discount. I guess these are the last of the batch of pre-suspension revision models.
I was in my local dealer today testing a CRV (see earlier post)and mentioned this to the sales person. They told me they also had some new examples of the 'old' model Jazz for a 'good' price - subject to haggling of course.
Bearing in mind that 2 dealers have told me that they cannot tell the difference between pre and post suspension revision cars it may well be worth while negotiating a very keen price on a new earlier model rather than an 'expensive' used Jazz.
The dealer this morning told me it was impossible to tell from chassis numbers which were the later cars and even an inspection on a ramp did not reveal any obvious external difference. The only way they could confirm or otherwise whether an 03 model had the revised suspension was to email Honda in Japan with the car's VIN!
Maybe the so-called revisions are a hoax after all!
|
|
|
