Hey, I'm thinking about getting a 2006 HCH soon, but do you guys think it's worth waiting for the 2007? I'm concerned that either 1) I'll like the '07 more after it comes out, or 2) the '06 price will drop after the arrival of the newer models.

I know there's a rush to get the HOV stickers, but for me it's not that big of a deal. I'm not going to hurry to purchase a car that I'll be driving for the next 7-8 years for a sticker that expires after a year.

I've just sent pricing requests to like 60 dealers up and down CA, and only 7 of them quoted me MSRP ($22,700). And one of them gave me 200 bucks under ($22,500). The most common quote was $24,700. If I can save a grand or two by waiting a month for the 2007 HCH, I'm definitely doing it.

Thanks!

 

Unfortunatley you will not save any money by waiting; supply and demand dictates the pricing on these vehicles. Even the 1.8L Civics are hot; the hybrids are untouchable.... There will be no 2006's around when 2007's hit.

Now, I could see waiting (if you are patient enough), because the price will only go up ~$200-300 and you will have a year newer vehicle. There will however be virutally no changes to the vehicle....

 

I doubt if Honda will be making any substantive changes to the 2007 models, given that the 2006 was a major redesign. Probably just colors and such. I certainly wouldn't look for any pricing breaks. If anything, 2007 MSRP will be higher. And whether the $2100 tax rebate extends into 2007 is another question.

I just bought a 2006 model a couple weeks ago and couldn't be happier. I was very happy just to be able to find one at MSRP. They can be tough vehicles to find, if you've looked around...

 

Because the subject of global warming is heating up (sorry about that) and CO2 emissions are under close scrutiny and the cost of gas is rising and the Middle East is such a problem..... Get your hybrid where and when you can is my advice. The premium can only rise.

 

I just bought an 06 last week. The Civic was redesigned in 2006 so it should be essentially the same for the next few years. Certainly the 2007 will be nearly identical. The sticker price will probably come up a few hundred dollars. 07s may have additional features or color options available, but I can only speculate and in any case these will be minor. The 06 has everything I want and I believe I was able to get a better discount because we are near the end of the cycle. Of course this is in a different part of the country.

My advice would be to go for the 06 now. You may be able to use the imminent release of the 07 as leverage to negotiate a better deal. If you wait too long you could be forced into paying more for an 07 that you didnt really need.

 

If you're ready to pull the trigger now I'd go for it. I'd be a little suspicious of the dealers sticking to the quoted prices you have considering the demand. Gas is going to jump here soon.(.10 - .20 or so) I knew they were setting us up for it when it dropped a bit recently and now they're using the closing of the Alaskan pipeline as the latest excuse to jack 'em up. So demand will only increase for the cars. Maybe wait till there's no more stickers to see if things soften a bit.

 

I heard that the price of gas in California is expected to reach $4.00 a gallon mark due to the BP/Alaska shut down, whether true or not, We are glad that we both our cars when we did. I agree that the 2007 model will cost more given that they can't keep the 2006 in stock. If you can find a 2006 at MSRP please send me an email since I have somebody interested.

 

There may very well not be a tax credit for an 07 Civic Hybrid, and if there is it will be smaller.

Check out the IRS web page on the subject:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/...157863,00.html

Here is a quote:
"Consumers seeking the credit may want to buy early since the full credit is only available for a limited time. Taxpayers may claim the full amount of the allowable credit up to the end of the first calendar quarter after the quarter in which the manufacturer records its sale of the 60,000th vehicle. For the second and third calendar quarters after the quarter in which the 60,000th vehicle is sold, taxpayers may claim 50 percent of the credit. For the fourth and fifth calendar quarters, taxpayers may claim 25 percent of the credit. No credit is allowed after the fifth quarter."

 

Derek,

Your facts are correct - that the tax credits slowly phase out after the 60K vehicles are sold by Honda. However there is no way that Honda will sell 60,000 hybrid vehicles in calendar year 2006. Last I checked the were planning to produce under 30,000 Civic Hybrids (and a few hundred Insights and a few thousand Accords). Don't worry about the tax credit issue this year. I suspect it will be until mid-late 2007 before Honda hits the 60,000 mark. Now if you want a Prius / Camry or other Toyota/Lexus vehicle then that's a different story. They have already hit the 60K mark.

Eric

 

Hi all,

This thread has been quiet for a while, but it's exactly what I'm thinking about so I hope you'll all forgive me for reviving it.

After a lot of reading and re-reading, I think I understand the tax rebate, and the countdown period after the 60,000th vehicle is sold. However currently, according to the IRS web site, the rebate only applies to the 2005 & 2006 HCH. Is there any reason to believe that the rebate WON'T apply if I hold out for a 2007 model? If it really only applies to the 2006 I've got to get in gear and find one before they're all swept out the door to make way for the 2007.

On a similar note, I'm very interested in the NY State Clean Pass sticker -- I have a long commute and the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway would be a godsend. Again, on the NY DOT website the 2006 HCH is listed, but not the 2007. Should I assume the 2007 will be there eventually?

Thanks in advance.