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IF YOU HAVEN'T PURCHASED YOUR INSIGHT YET, below is a suggested check list to go through before you make the final purchase. These are things I should have checked, but didn't and it's always an after the fact thought.
That said, when you’ve found the car you want check for the following;
That said, when you’ve found the car you want check for the following;
- Build Sheet - Honda sheet stuck to the window listing The Standard Features, MSRP, Fuel Economy, Designated Dealer and VIN#. If the designated dealer is NOT the one you’re at, the car may have been a trade. I test drove a different color car and wanted the Orchid White. The dealer did not have it in stock, but said they could get one from another dealer 15 minutes away. When I picked up the car the following day the Designated Dealer on the Build Sheet was not the one my dealer got it from, but it was 50 miles away. Apparently it was a trade from the originating dealer to the one my dealer acquired it from. Therefore, it had traded hands twice before coming to me. When I received the car it had 69 miles on it which accounts for the mileage.
- Date of Manufacture - It will be noted by month/year on the label that is attached to the drivers side door pillar. You will want to know this as it may indicate how long the car has been sitting on the dealers lot. The date of mfg for my car was 11/18 (Nov 2018). I purchased and signed the papers for the car on 3/29/19 and I picked it up on 3/30/19. That said, the car had sat on the dealers lot for 4 months.
- Vin# - Located on the Build Sheet, Label on drivers door pillar & drivers side of dash in the corner right below the windshield. From the VIN# you will be able to tell what the Production Number is - it will be the last 6 digits of the VIN#. My production number is 19,150
- Look over every inch of the car BOTH inside/out for any defects. I made the mistake of just quickly glancing over the car only looking for the more obvious things such as color mis-match (possible body repair), scratches, door dings etc. What I ended up missing was a small dent or imperfection right where the trunk lid folds over. It's very small and depending on lighting conditions it's easy to miss and doesn't stand out. However now that I know it's there it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. I may be anal, as a matter of fact I am, however when you buy a new car you want it to be perfect. I ended up with a car built 4 months prior, was traded amongst two dealers, had 69 miles clocked and had a body imperfection on it.
- Had I checked what I'm suggesting, I would have waited for the dealers next shipment for a later production. If I wanted a better deal on a 2019 I should have waited for when the 2020 models hit the dealers because they will be wanting to get them off their lots for the new inventory. Or better yet I should have just waited 3 more months (Since I wasn't in any rush) and gotten a 2020 as I'm sure it will have some added features - very possibly some that the Japanese version has such as BSM and that beautiful front grill.