Having a specific need or want for a certain type of car when buying can definitely add a barrier. With a specific request, car dealerships may not have what you are looking for exactly at the moment. This situation recently unfolded at the Navarre Cadillac dealership in Lake Charles, Louisiana. 

In the TikTok with over 2,800 views, car salesman Kelsey Richard (@cadillackelsey) recounts how a customer wanted a Honda Civic without a CVT transmission. Richard shares that the lot didn’t have one, but he insisted they got them frequently. 

“I had a customer last week asking me to find a Honda Civic that did not have a CVT transmission. We didn’t have on the lot,” he shares. 

Richard requested the contact information from the buyer, which he refused to give. This information was intended to inform them when a Honda Civic without a CVT transmission came in. 

“We always get these vehicles. What I can do for you is that, when I see one, I can let you know. What’s a good phone number for you?” Richard recalls asking.

The customer rejected giving Richard his phone number and requested to take his card instead. 

Richard questioned this, musing, “How am I supposed to let you know?”

“Give me your card,” the potential buyer requested. 

The car salesman agreed and passed over the card. This move is typically done to control the communication between the two parties as car salespeople are known to be pushy at times.  

However, the move may have been costly. Richard reveals at the end of the TikTok a Honda Civic without a CVT transmission now present on the lot. 

“So, we have one. 2024 certified pre-owned. Wherever you are mister sir, it’s here,” Richard concludes. 

Can You Get A Honda Civic Without A CVT Transmission?

To put it simply, yes, it is possible to buy a Honda Civic without a CVT engine. It may just entail a deeper search.

Car City Wholesale reports that the 2023 Honda Civic Type R has the option to buy without a CVT transmission. Additionally, the Honda Civic Si is another model for the modern Honda options without the CVT transmission. 

However, the majority of Honda Civics are built to have a CVT transmission in the vehicle. 

The shift toward CVT transmission allows for better gas mileage as it’s lighter and is cheaper to make. That said, it does cost more to repair and replace compared to conventional engines. 

While this move makes sense on paper, not all car enthusiasts are loving the move to CVT transmissions. 

Car mechanic and YouTuber Scotty Kilmer doesn’t like Honda CVT transmissions, either. “They don’t last as long as a regular automatic,” he claims. 

Did The Honda Civic Without The CVT Transmission Get Sold To The Customer?

Revisiting the TikTok scenario, the customer might not be aware that getting a Honda Civic without a CVT transmission is rare. While it’s not totally out of the ordinary, the customer probably should’ve given his contact info to the salesman if he wanted the vehicle. 

As it turns out, the Honda Civic without the CVT transmission did sell shortly after arriving. 

“Naturally it sold,” Richard wrote in a comment.

Others wondered if the initial prospective customer came back. Richard commented, “Still ain’t heardt from mista sir.”

“I ask them what direction they live in, so I can send a smoke signal,” one commenter suggested. 

By not giving the phone number to Richard, the customer lost out on the potential of buying this Honda Civic that arrived at the dealership. However, some commenters agreed with the customer’s decision to refuse giving any contact information. 

“I can see your customers’ point. You give salesman parameters next thing they’re going outside the perimeter trying to pressure you and it’s a complete nuisance and at that point lost your trust,” one TikTok commenter shared. 

“If you give a salesman your phone number and you don’t buy from that dealership every salesman from that dealership will eventually start calling you. I can definitely see why he didn’t want to give a phone number,” another added. 

At the end of the day, there’s a cost to everything. If you decide to roll the dice by not giving the phone to the salesperson, you may miss out on the opportunity to buy what you were looking for. 

@cadillackelsey

How should a salesperson communicate with customers?

♬ original sound – Cadillac Kelsey

MotorBiscuit has contacted Kelsey Richard via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We’ll update if he responds.