Hey guys, I've been lurking and haven't bought the Clarity yet. I'm still waiting out my lease on my Genesis that runs out in May. I test drove the Clarity a couple weeks ago and really like it. The dealer is hounding me now, and is telling me they are making deals on all 2017 Clarity's. I thought they were all 2018's!?! I asked what they difference was and she said "they have some similar features. The difference is in the drive, and some features are now standard" I can find anything on differences on a 2017 vs 2018 Clarity. It kinda looks like the 2017 was the all electric version sold in CA, and that's it.
The 2017 Clarity is the BEV (recognizable by the clear taillights) and FCV models (recognizable by the black roof). The 2018 are all PHEV models. I'm not sure what kind of deal the dealer is offering on the 2017 Clarity's, as the BEV and FCV are available by lease only, and AFAIK it's a fixed price.
Thanks for clearing that up. I don't think that dealer knows what she his talking about. Also, i found a dealer that shows their clarity's for $1,400 below MSRP. In their description, their policy is no-haggle, we just give you the lowest price we can offer. I might drive out there when it's time. Side note; when do you guys think the 2019's will show up on the lots? August?
What is your location? In my experience, a dealer is always willing to negotiate if they know that you will buy for cheaper somewhere else. I'm hearing more and more owners who have purchased for $2000 or more below MSRP. I purchased mine for a little over $3000 off on a base model. This is in the Los Angeles region. Pricing will vary significantly depending on region due to different supply and demand.
You might consider tracking the VIN numbers from the dealer inventory. If they don't have too many cars, it won't be that much work. The longer the car stays in the lot, the sooner they want to get rid of it.
I took my Genesis in for an evaluation on the trade-in. While i waited i test drove the Clarity again. This time, i drove it around while in sport mode. Much better drive. I think I will be satisfied with the car. Had good pickup and i was able to dart out in front of traffic. I also played with the radio some. It really is not that good of a radio. I'm talking about sound quality. What are y'all thoughts on the sound quality?
Hmm, I played with the sound. Put the bass all the way up, and mid and treble all the way up minus one notch. Maybe the song wasn't a good one to go by. Also, this was satellite. My genesis isn't that great on satellite, yet sounded better than the Clarity. This isnt' a deal breaker, but i was hopeful that it would be good.
The problem with audio is that most sound sources are low quality. FM radio is terrible and satellite may not be that much better. For testing you want to use HD radio or a high quality output on a phone jack or USB stick (320 kbps MP3), or possibly Bluetooth (but that depends also).
I bought my car 1/29. The dealer had 5 on the lot, 3 touring and 2 base models. When I went in (I had purchased my 2014 Civic from the same salesman) they had never even sold a Clarity and the salesman as well as everyone else in the dealership knew zip about the Clarity. They spent more than an hour to answer some rather basic questions. Went back later that day after doing some research. Other dealers within 50 miles of me (my dealer is 1/2 mile away) had vehicles in stock, including one exactly like the one I was considering, color, trim, etc. Other dealers showed online $1500 off the sticker price of $37,450.00 When I first asked the salesman what they wanted for the car, he said that since they were brand new cars and nobody else had them (ha ha ha) that they were going with the sticker price. I showed him printouts from 3 other dealers with the $1500 discount online without even attempting to negotiate. Salesman excused himself and and came back offering $1600 off sticker. Then we started talking about my trade in. They were about $500 too low on my trade in, based upon what I was willing to accept. Told salesman, "here is my last and final offer" of cash and trade. Salesman says "No can do". I say thanks, shake his hand and walk out of the dealership. A block down the road, salesman calls me and says they will do the deal on my terms. So, I got them down about $2000 below sticker while getting $1000 more for my trade in than they originally offered. Remember, knowledge is power and the internet is a great thing.
These kinds of vehicles sell better in some areas than others. I just checked a west Texas dealer for Toyota, over 500 cars, only 4 Prius which probably haven't moved for awhile. Honda seems to be pushing this to most dealers, some may have difficulty selling.
