jyeager

Hi,

I just bought a Civic EX-L (2008) and the car will be delivered on Thursday. Now, they're trying to sell me all the extras : extended warranty, rust proofing, etc.

My question today has to do with the rust proofing. Honda (in Canada) is offering a 1-time rustproofing of $600. Then you have to remember to go back after 3 years, and every year after, for the 7 years the rustproofing is guaranteed. They say it's not oil-based, but more "grease/teflon"-like.

Otherwise, there's the regular oil-based rustproofing you do every year for $100.

Do I take Honda's rustproofing or go with the regular annual 3rd-party rustproofing?

(Also, what extras ARE important? I was told that NONE of them are. To get the car out of there before they rope me in for something more... thoughts?)

Ray paulsen

I know what your saying all to well, after you finished negotiating the price of vehicle it became time for you to enter the business office to sign your bill of sale, the very polite business office did not bring the bill of sale to the table, no the whole conversation was about extended warranty's , rust proofing, perma shine..

Right there had you had the knowleage, you would have said let me sign, get copy and on my way instead of having to listen to a 15 to 30 minute sales pitch thats a cash cow for the dealership.

Your in Canada, well I am in Canada ( home of the current mighty dollar, lol ) , and the rust protection Honda offers is worth approx $50. plus labour, your best rust proof in Canada is Vital, look them up , should be somewhere around $ 200. max - hmmm a saving of $400. plus tax, thats worth to investigate.

The regular oil - based protection your talking about is someone like KROWN, a waste of money and a very messy application, I would like for you to visit this page on my website http://www.usedcartips.org/ANYWARRANTY.html it will explain how the business office sells after market products.

jyeager

The only add-ons they got me for are :

- $150 for the hood deflector/protection (they tried getting me to spring for the $500 invisible plastic adhesive instead - kind of works like saran wrap)

- $90 for the rear mud guards

- $300 tinted windows

I think I got off lucky not buying into the thousands of dollars worth of other stuff they pushed on me.

PS: I took the EX-L (leather seats, heated seats, heated mirrors and 6 speaker system) and although I signed the contract, the car hasn't been delivered or even prepared yet. How worried should I be that I *won't* like leather seats? I mean I've never had them - and here in Canada, you couldn't get those other perks without them (the U.S. offers the EX - without the L - for 2008, while Canada doesn't).