2020 PHEV Not Just For California

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I've spoken to two Michigan dealers now who independently report that Clarities will be allocated starting around April.
One actually was able to check a listing of the vehicles designated for their location and verify that the color and trim combination was not on it. For a small deposit, they're willing to place a request to adjust that to what I want.
It appears that reports of the Clarity PHEV's country-wide demise were exaggerated.
 
I went into McDavid honda in Frisco, TX. They said Clarity PHEV are exclusively for California Residents and nobody else. They wanted to sell me a used Clarity with 55k miles on it for $26k or a new Accord Hybrid or Insight for about the same price. They even ventured to tell me I will not get the $7500 federal tax rebate on new Claritys anymore. They just would not want to order me a Clarity as mentioned that is what their Honda Rep told them
 
Mani Suresh said:
I went into McDavid honda in Frisco, TX. They said Clarity PHEV are exclusively for California Residents and nobody else. They wanted to sell me a used Clarity with 55k miles on it for $26k or a new Accord Hybrid or Insight for about the same price. They even ventured to tell me I will not get the $7500 federal tax rebate on new Claritys anymore. They just would not want to order me a Clarity as mentioned that is what their Honda Rep told them
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And that's precisely what I expect to hear from any non-California Honda dealer.
 
So far we have 2 dealers in Michigan and 3 in Rhode Island that say otherwise. css28 may have more information for us later today.

That’s positive feedback from 5 and negative feedback from one dipstick dealer in Texas.
 
Just to add to this thread, I called my dealer in Massachusetts, Herb Chambers and they told me they would gladly order a 2020 Clarity for me, any color I want. They said they plan to order a few to have on their lot for test drives.
 
My pessimism was referring to the 2019 order attempts over the past year.

If 2020 orders are being placed, maybe things have changed? Would be positively fascinating if this car was available nationwide for 2018's, CA only for 2019, and then again nationwide in 2020!

As an owner, I hope so! The longer this thing is produced, the better support I'll have as my 2018 ages.

Here's hoping these orders all go through and cars are delivered!
 
I spoke to the American Honda Zone Manager about the 2020 availability. With a bit of hemming an hawing and a little CYA, he basically said that they were currently available for any dealer to order for inventory. But allowed how it might change again if they run into more "high demand" in California.
 
The Clarity is a limited production run compliance car. Only 20,000 per year. For comparison that is about the number of Accords that get sold every 4 weeks. It seems to me since we are in January 2020 it is a bit late to order a 2019 Clairty and a bit too early to get a hold of a 2020 that was only just announced. So yes even though you can technically order a Clarity from any Honda dealer there is the limited availability issue plus the dealership’s motivation to sell you a car they actually have vs unicorn they don’t.
 
As I said earlier, there are at least two posters on the Facebook forum who have ordered a 2020 and are expecting delivery this spring. Limited or not ordering is an option.
 
It's not so much as question of ability so much as of willingness: Dealers are not required to sell every car a company they rep makes and if they don't want to place special orders they are not required to place special orders.
 
Kerbe said:
It's not so much as question of ability so much as of willingness: Dealers are not required to sell every car a company they rep makes and if they don't want to place special orders they are not required to place special orders.
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Because they wouldn't have to offer any discounts for special-order cars, you'd think dealers would find it profitable to special-order cars for customers willing to pay for them.
 
"It's not so much as question of ability so much as of willingness: Dealers are not required to sell every car a company they rep makes and if they don't want to place special orders they are not required to place special orders."

Quite a change from the 1940's when all Ford dealers no matter where they were located had to have a Ford tractor on display.
 
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