Last night we took home a magnesium (okay, grey) 2004 Civic Hybrid from Motorwerks out in Barrington. We ended up paying slightly less than invoice using this "fax attack" method espoused by the people at Fighting Chance.



Monday morning we faxed 20 dealers in the area, listing what we wanted what we knew about the car's pricing (MSRP, invoice price, and the fact that Honda gives dealers a 3% holdback from MSRP. Closest under 3 miles away in Morton Grove (not where we test-drove); farthest away in Highland, Indiana.



We got 8 replies Monday. We do not hear from the nearest or farthest dealerships. Nor anyone in Chicago proper.



Two stores have no '04s left and give quotes on '05s. One at MSRP, one a little less. Meh...if we were the sort of people who had to have the hottest model year right away, I wouldn't be shopping for a Honda Civic, hybrid or not.



Of the '04 bidders, one is quoting full MSRP, destination fee, and unwanted options, saying he can't budge on it "due to supply and demand." He's the first guy I hear from, and is the internet sales manager, not the store sales manager I sent the fax to, so I'm initially leery of the whole process. But as the bids trickle in throughout the day I almost end up feeling sorry for him. His out-the-door price is higher than both quotes I got for the 2005 models!



A woman at a different store in the same family of dealers doesn't do much better, offering 1% below MSRP. Thanks to the lack of unwanted options, she's cheaper than *one* 2005 quote, anyway.



One quote for $225 over invoice, $100 over invoice, two quotes for flat invoice (which works out to an OTD price of $21,073 with tax & tag). That's more like it.



Day 2: Regrets to the '05 dealers.

Call the closest dealer, where we test-drove but didn't fax. Best they can do for us is $500 below sticker.



After lunch, I start calling the respondents to see who's really interested in our business. The two ridiculously high dealers can't get in the ballpark. The highest guy I can't even get a hold of, so I just leave a message saying I'm going with another offer.



+225 is willing to deal, but only if I come in that day, and he won't quote me a new price. Sorry.



+100, at River Oaks, undercuts invoice, giving me an OTD price of $21K flat. Her disadvantages are she's further away and she only has my second-choice color.



flat invoice A: I get voicemail. I leave a message that they have 30 minutes to get back to me. They don't.

flat invoice B: balks that $73 could be the dealbreaker, but isn't giving up yet.



I go over and talk to Kirsti. She says paying the $73 is probably worth getting the color we like best. I tend to agree but by the time I get back to my desk, flat invoice B (Motor Werks) has agreed to match the 21K OTD price. I call River Oaks back, and tell her she's been matched by a closer dealer with our first-choice color. Since that 73 was off the out the door price, we ended up $67.5 under invoice.



I like the car so far. The MPG does seem at or close to what's advertised, but you do have to alter your driving style a bit, coasting and relying on cruise control more. Nice and quiet, especially compared to the lawnmower we drove before.