About to order a Clarity 2019

It depends on where you live. The 2019 models have been available in some states for a while and not yet in other states. Does your dealer have a VIN for the incoming 2019? That would add credibility.

 

After last year's debacle when Honda couldn't get Canadians the Claritys they'd ordered or even tell them when they were coming, all you can do is hope.

 

I'm in Michigan. I ordered my 2019 Base Trim March 22 and was told 8-10 weeks. Today marks 7 weeks. I've been eagerly checking my email for a message from the salesman for the last week.

Al

 

So strange to hear stories of buyers waiting weeks or even months to buy a Clarity when down here they sit on the lot for months with no interest from buyers at all.

My Clarity had sat on the lot in Oklahoma City for 6 months and had 9 miles on it when I bought it two months ago. The salesman asked me why I wouldn't be more interested in the Insight instead!

 

In this case it's Canada, that's a whole different situation. They also had to wait a long time for Prius Primes to be available in Canada, months after they were available in the U.S. These cars are being built primarily to satisfy ZEV requirements in several states in the U.S., essentially a certain percentage of cars sold in those states have to be BEV or PHEV. So if Canada doesn't have similar requirements then Honda and Toyota probably don't feel a rush to deliver cars there. In the U.S. they rush to deliver to the ZEV states (California, Oregon and east coast states) meanwhile other states get almost nothing for the first several months, and orders reportedly take forever. Then about halfway through the model year when ZEV states finally have enough they start shipping larger quantities to the other states, where there is little demand and no factory incentives and no state tax credits and no local promotion or marketing and dealers who are confused by this strange car with two fuel doors that they are supposed to try and sell. So they pile up on the lots, until year end when dealers offer whopping discounts to get them out of their hair, which is when people like me in Georgia can afford to buy one

 

If I wanted a 2018, Touring, and a color I didn't want - I could have been driving a Clarity for a while now. My local dealer had 3 2018's. white touring and 2 black base. A dealer across the state had 6 - modern steel, moonlit forest pearl, 2 silver, and 2 crimson pearl - all 2018 and all touring. No 2019's in any trim or color. So I ordered a 2019 crimson pearl, base trim. For $30k, rather than drive away in what I can get, I'll wait and drive away in what I want.

 

I had the same experience. My salesman was on vacation when the rest of them were sent to Clarity classes. What he didn't know would fill an owner's manual.

He thought I was crazy for buying this expensive car; why not buy the much cheaper redesigned 20019 Insight they had just got in. I had to to tell him that because of the tax credit, the Clarity worked out much cheaper for me, not to mention that I could drive it all electric most of the time.

 

It hurts a little bit as @insightman to agree the Clarity is a much better car than the Insight.

 

Gasp!!! Cough!!! Heart stopping; get out the defribrilator!! @insightman didn't give his old Insight some lovin’. It’s the first sign of the Apocalypse. The Four Horsemen are sure to follow. Selling all my stock, putting on my tinfoil hat, and moving out to the country. Civilization as we know it is sure to fall. ITEOTWAWKI!!!!!

(I’ll have to Mad Max the Clarity into an off road war buggy and run it on solar and ethanol from the still. Sniff, I’ll miss everyone on the forum when the power and Internet go down.)

 

Rivington Rally Honda Smith Falls has white base model Clarity in stock my salesguy was Scott

 

@KentuckyKen, ease up. @Mowcowbell wasn't talking about the REAL Insight, the most advanced car designed in 1998.

 

Did you get a base or Touring and how much did you pay before taxes? Thanks.

 

I didn't get as good a deal as buyers are right now... I ended up at $33K for my base model and got 4 year financing from Honda at 1.9%. At that price, the dealer threw in window tinting all around, and 3M protectant film behind the door handles and door edges.

They did give me a more than fair price on my trade ('17 Subaru Outback Limited), so I didn't feel too bad about the deal I got.

 

My dealer (Rancho Santa Margarita Honda in SoCal) let me know that a bunch of Tourings are "on the boat" and will be here the end of May. Fortunately the arrival is in Long Beach, CA ... so it's a fast transfer to the dealership.

By the way, I purchased mine through the "internet sales manager" and, with the $6,000 Honda rebate that is available in California and Oregon, mine will net to $30,861 before the $7,500 Federal tax credit (not yet sure if I qualify for the State of CA $1,500 incentive, or if my power company still has any incentive dollars remaining).

Though I do NOT know the details of the unadvertised Honda $6,000 incentive for California and Oregon (but am checking with the dealer), I do have a buddy back in Minnesota (where we moved from in June of 2018) who drives an Accord Hybrid and is *very* interested in this deal. His words: "Man ... I could fly out there, stay with you, buy the car, drive it home, and still save thousands!" I'll post more here when I find out more.

 

Here is an article on CarsDirect that specifically states all aspects of the Honda Clarity PHEV rebates, along with other information, and you can refer back to the page for updates: https://www.carsdirect.com/2019/honda/clarity-plug-in-hybrid?src=20&lnk=lw9MynSeamY-Jj%2AHewz0mFVfTZJ7zd%2F%2FXw

 

Your friend won't be able to do that. It seems the $6000 incentive is only for CA or OR residents. He may find that type of discount on leftover 2018s.

 

Hey Electra. After posting the first comment I then checked with my dealer and he emailed back that yes, he could sell my buddy the *2019* Clarity Touring at the same price I paid (which includes that $6,000 unadvertised rebate) and here is how he said it would work and that "it's pretty simple":

• Your buddy can buy the car at our dealership at the same price you are paying here in CA.
• He will pay our CA sales tax on the purchase.
• He will then pay title/registration back in Minnesota.
• He will need a one way trip permit to drive back which we will provide.
• Rebate expires July 5, 2019.

 

1) When you checked with the dealer, was it a salesperson or someone in F&I? When the docs are actually set to be signed, it is possible that the discount does require residency. Most discounts of this nature do given the reason behind them is Honda gets ZEV credits for vehicles sold (and registered) in Section 177 States.
2) The ~8% sales tax could be a hit. I would check to see if Minnesota will credit him the amount he paid in CA or if he has to pay again when he registers the car (if he ships it instead of driving it, he will not have to pay the CA sales tax).

If he has to pay the sales tax twice, the cost of a plane ticket, fuel, hotels, meals driving back I'm not sure what the overall savings would really be.