Quick answer
Asking a dealership for its “best price” doesn’t get you far, because the answer is one number with nothing attached to it. In Ontario the advertised price already includes everything except HST and licensing. So what really differs between dealerships is the trim, the rate and term, the trade-in value and the add-ons. Ask for a written, itemized quote on one exact vehicle, and compare it line by line.
What does a “best price” request tell a car dealership?
A one-line “what’s your best price?” tells me the buyer is sending the same message to every store in the GTA. I don’t take it personally. I get it every day at Maple Honda in Vaughan. But here’s how it reads from my side of the desk: this person hasn’t picked a trim, hasn’t driven the car, and will go wherever the number is lowest.
A salesperson who believes that has two options. Send a careful quote that gets forwarded to the next store to be beaten by fifty dollars. Or send a low number that leaves something out, just to get you in the door. Neither one helps you. The first makes people guarded with you. The second wastes your Saturday.
Why does the lowest quote often not turn into the lowest cost?
The lowest emailed quote on a new car often isn’t the lowest cost, because each dealership answered a different question. One quoted the base trim, another quoted the trim you actually want. One counted a loyalty or graduate incentive you may not qualify for. One left out accessories already installed on the car on its lot. One quoted a car it doesn’t have.
And a single price can’t show the rest: the interest rate and term, what your trade-in is worth, and what the protection products cost if you want them. On a financed or leased car, those decide what you pay far more than a small gap in the selling price. A $500 gap in price is $565 after 13% HST. One percentage point of interest over a long term is more than that.
What you ask, and what you get back
| What you send | What comes back | Can you compare it? |
|---|---|---|
| “What’s your best price on a CR-V?” | A number for a trim you never named, with assumptions you can’t see | No |
| “Can you beat this number?” with no quote attached | A guess, or an invitation to come in | No |
| Exact trim and colour, lease or finance, term, trade-in details, timing | An itemized written quote: price, fees, rate, term, trade value, HST and licensing | Yes, line by line |
What does all-in pricing in Ontario already settle?
All-in pricing in Ontario settles the fee question before you ask. Under OMVIC’s advertising rule, a price advertised by a registered Ontario dealer has to include every fee and charge the dealer plans to collect. Freight, pre-delivery inspection and pre-installed accessories all have to be inside that number. Only HST and licensing can be added. I explain the rule in OMVIC all-in pricing, explained.
So if two Ontario dealerships advertise the same new Honda trim, the advertised prices are already close to like for like. The real differences are in what isn’t advertised: your trade, your rate and term, and what gets added in the business office.
What should you ask a Honda dealer instead of “best price”?
Send these five things and ask for a written, itemized quote. It’s the message I can answer properly, usually the same day:
- The exact vehicle. Model, trim and colour. If you’re deciding between two trims, say so.
- How you’re paying. Lease, finance or cash, and the term you have in mind.
- Your trade-in. Year, trim, kilometres, and whether there’s a loan on it. What your trade is worth in Ontario is a good place to start.
- Your timing. This week, this month, or when your lease ends.
- What matters most. The total cost, the rate, or getting a specific colour fast.
Honda Canada sets the lease and finance rates and the incentives each month, and they’re the same at every Honda dealership in the province. You can check them yourself on this month’s Honda offers in Canada before you ask anyone for a number.
How do you compare two car quotes fairly?
Put them side by side and check that five lines match: the trim and colour, the selling price before tax, the rate and term, the trade-in value, and the list of add-ons. If any line is different, the totals aren’t comparable yet. Ask the dealership to requote on the same terms. A good one will.
If you already have a written quote from another store, bring it in or text me a photo. I’d rather tell you it’s a good deal than waste your time trying to shave it. And if you haven’t driven the car yet, do that first. A price on a car that doesn’t fit your life isn’t a deal. You can book a test drive in Vaughan in about a minute.
Does it matter which dealership you buy from if the price is the same?
It does, because the sale is the first day of a relationship that runs for years. Service, warranty questions, the lease return and your next trade-in all go through people. In my experience, the buyers who get the most help later are the ones who were straightforward at the start. They said what they wanted, shared the other quote and gave a clear yes or no. That’s true at any dealership, not just mine.
Common questions
Is it rude to ask a car dealership for its best price?
No. It’s a fair question and I answer it every day. It just doesn’t get you much. One number with no vehicle, term, trade or timing attached can’t be compared with another dealership’s number.
Do I need quotes from several Honda dealers in the GTA?
No. Honda Canada sets the rates and incentives, and Ontario’s all-in rule puts every charge except HST and licensing inside the advertised price. So the numbers are closer than most people expect. One written, itemized quote on the exact vehicle tells you more than ten one-line emails built on ten different assumptions.
Does a dealer's advertised price in Ontario include fees?
Yes. Under OMVIC’s all-in price advertising rule, a price advertised by a registered Ontario dealer must include every fee and charge the dealer intends to collect. Only HST and licensing may be added on top.
What should I send a salesperson to get a real quote?
The exact trim and colour, whether you’re leasing, financing or paying cash, the term you want, your trade-in’s year, trim and kilometres, and when you need the vehicle. With those five things, a dealership can give you a number that holds up.
Want help with getting a real quote on a Honda from a real human?
Henry Chen at Maple Honda will walk you through the numbers in plain English — no pressure, no scripted pitch. Book a test drive online, or text a photo of any written quote to (647) 523-6878 for a free 15-minute review.