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I know they've just rolled out the RL, and maybe want some space in between launches, but my lease is up in January and I need to start wheeling and dealing now!!!
One said not until mid December (!!!)
Another said they'd be receiving 05's by mid Nov.
So I don't know for sure. I wonder if it depends on the dealer? I would think they would be getting them around the same time. A month's difference seems like alot. Plus to have 05's hitting the lots by mid Dec. just seems crazy late to me!!
Also, one said that the price difference would be an additional $250.
Here's the kicker!! I checked online at Courtesy Acura in Sanford which is the only one that comes up in that city on Acura's website. I checked their inventory and the car is new but it's AUTOMATIC. So I don't know if this guy is just pulling us in and planning to tell us later "oops it's auto. instead of manual but you should buy it." I know there's a good possibility that he uses a different system than just the regular net but do you all think that maybe he's trying to reel us in so that we buy the car even though it's not the one we want?
Whatever you do, don't call that other dealer asking about the car... If you do, they might put a hold on it for a few days, and not trade.
regards,
kyfdx
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(base model MSRP : $26,095 Invoice : 22,702)
- Curtain side Airbags $344
- Rear Spoiler $160
- Vehicle Stability control $559
- Glass breakage sensor $109
- Carpet/Cargo mat set $112
So total invoice(including desti charge and TDA $545, Dealer Holdback $521, WHSL financial Reserve $260 and gas)is $25,833. But is it necessary for me to pay for TDA, Dealer Holdback etc? Above offer is very good? I really want to know.
I'm in Seatle, WA. In my area, Acura TSX 2004 new is rarely at dealer inventory, especiallly auto-trans is sold out maybe.
Whicc is better, waiting 2005 TSX otherwise, buying Solara? (What about buying a Altima 3.5 SL 2005?)
Friends, Would you help me?
If you want a tight handling car and don't mind a stiff ride, the TSX may be a good option.
If you place a higer value on ride comfort and HP, the Solara might be a good deal.
An option that is somewhere in the middle might be an Accord Coupe.
I ended up locating what I wanted at Marion Acura in Marion Ohio. The sales manager gave me a quote over the phone ($24,916), quite a bit better than any other offers, offered me a fair price for my trade in, and took care of all the details without even asking for a deposit. He even offered to make hotel arrangements since I was traveling overnight. It was a real pleasure to deal with them and I highly recommend.
Honorable mention for being responsive and apparently competitive in pricing goes to Hubler Acura in Greenwood, Indiana, which quoted me $25,500 before I even tried to haggle, but didn't have the color I wanted, and Lindsay Acura in Columbus, Oh., which quoted me $26,000, including a 7 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty from a third party vendor (the value of which I never quite ascertained).
I love my sporty little sedan; it's quite a change after 15 years of minivan driving but my kids like it anyway! The only down side so far is that, without bucket seats in the back, the kids can actually touch each other in the back seat and fight over the fold-down arm rest. Flashbacks to my own childhood.
For what it is worth, the 2005 will have some nice upgrades (heated mirrors, lighted controls on the steering wheel, power passenger seat, and XM radio).
1) The S40 is a VERY fun car to drive in the 5T trim and loaded I could have got it out the door for under $30k. However, the interior noise from wind and the engine was noticeably higher than both the TSX and A4. The S40 had the most power making it the most fun to drive, but I didn't like the grabby clutch. Also, the interior was understated to a fault, even though everything was high quality. S40 eliminated...
2) The A4 is an outstanding auto. The interior has the high quality feel of the new Porsche my dad just purchased. Real metal, leather and high quality plastic that doesn't have the feel or look of plastic. The 1.8t without quattro w/ a manual was very fun to drive, but not as fun as the S40. However, the A4 had the feel of quality and a very nice ride with the sports package. Also, the BOSE audio system sounded amazing. I was so impressed with the A4 I almost didn't go to Acura, but I did.
3) The TSX is a car priced to sell. Standard everything for $4k less than the A4 and S40 I was looking at. So automatically I was questioning how they can give you all this stuff for so little money. I figured it out. The demo I drove only had 2,500 miles on it and the steering column was falling apart. Literally the leather, or fake leather, around the airbag was pealing off. Also, the engine is brain dead until 4500rpm. Finally, the inside of the car just looked fake and cheap after just driving the A4 and not quite on par with the S40. I found that after driving the TSX the second time I was upset that it was winning all of these comparos in the car magazines. I was questioning all of the opinions about this car. It's not that fast, it's not that nice and it isn't much better than the American Accord. TSX Eliminated
I decided on the A4 because of the decided edge it has on interior quality and the styling is by far the nicest. If I'm going to pay over $400 a month to buy a car I want to feel like I'm being spoiled when I drive. The A4 does that for me every time. It's also very fun to drive with the manual transmission.
Your suggestion that the TSX is not well made is pretty far off. First, I'm not sure what "fake leather" around the airbag you are talking about since there is no leather (or simulated leather) anywhere near the airbag on the steering wheel. The leather around the airbags on the door is nice perforated REAL leather. I don't think the leather in the TSX is as nice as the leather in the Audi, but that is another issue.
I have 20,000 miles on my TSX and I certainly do not have a "steering column that is falling apart." And, you are dreaming if you think the A4 will be anywhere near as reliable as the Acura over the longterm. That is my one big concern regarding the A4.
The TSX engine may or may not be "brain dead until 4500 rpm" as you suggest, but nearly every source that has tested the two cars head-to-head finds the TSX to be a good deal quicker. And, nearly every source finds that the TSX handles a lot better. We're talking Consumer Reports, Motor Trend, Automobile, Car and Driver, etc. EVERY SOURCE.
In terms of smoothness of transmission, that is not even close. The TSX wins by a huge landslide.
Having driven both fairly extensively, I would say the TSX is much more of a driver's car than the base A4 (quattro might be a different story). The Audi seems a bit more classy to me overall, but that is just a gut kind fo reaction.
Now, as far as the styling is concerned, I find the A4 interior to be somewhat classier, but a little less comfortable. I like the exterior styling of the A4 slightly more, but I like the TSX as well.
Anyway, this is not a comparison thread. But, you're being way unfair here. Both vehicles are nice and good options.
Good luck with that situation.
I am a current 2001 A4 owner and wanted to chime in real quick.
First off, you are quite correct about the interior of the Audi being quite nice and classy. However, after > 3 years with my Audi, it has been horribly unreliable. There are numerous interior rattles and shakes. I've had it in for major repairs about 5 times. It's even been towed in after the vacuum pump died and I lost all power. Now, I'm suffering from major "flat-spotting" in the power band. I have almost 45k miles and it's time to put this Audi to sleep.
Hence, I went for a test drive a couple weeks ago in a TSX. My impression is that the interior is every bit as nice as the Audi. Handling matches or even exceeds the A4. Power? Beats the Audi...but I have a 5-speed auto on my A4...and I was driving the 6-speed TSX. The TSX revs much more freely and doesn't have that obnoxious turbo lag. The TSX engine is much smoother than the A4 and almost silent even at 3k rpm.
And finally, price. The TSX is a bargain. I know you can get them for about $24.9k around the DC area. (non-nav). And I'll also tell you that the dealership experience with Audi is miserable. You get 4 years/50k of free maintenence, but as they say, there's no such thing as a "free lunch". I'd be willing to pay at this point just for a competent dealer.
That's just my opinion.
We finally found a six speed tsx w/o navi. It's black on black, not our 1st color choice but it was either that or wait for the 05's and pay a lot more for it! I love the color combo I was just a little afraid to own black b/c of how hard it is to keep up. But it's the ONLY one we could find in the state of FL that was a 6-spd. We have to drive 3 1/2 hours to pick it up but it's well worth it!
We're paying only $25,595 including a spoiler and a trunk tray. It's $27,900 OTD. Even better....the deal was made over the phone! No uncomfortable haggeling. I think it's an unbelievably great deal! We tried calling a couple dealers around us to see if they would at least match that price so that way they could just order it and truck it over to us. But no one would touch it for that price! I can't wait till Sunday. Two days can't go by fast enough!!
But Black/Black in Florida?
All I could imagine is that blk/blk baking in a parking lot all day!!
Good luck.
I know this may not be the place for a long discussion, but I am currently trading in my '04 solara SLE for a TSX because the handling is so bad and the car drifts to the left and pulls whenever the road is graded to that side. It is hard taking such a bath on a relatively new car and the Solara options are great, but the ride borders on unsafe and you can view similar stories at that forum. The TSX handling is very nice and the 4 vs 6 cyl is slightly noticable, but not exactly your father's 4 cyl automobile in terms of pick up and power. Hope that helps...
jim
My sister has the car now. She also has all of the 15 bazillion dents, scratches, nicks, smears, and swipes that are sooooo evident on a black car. It seems every and anything that could possibly mar a car's exterior, finds it's way to the black cars.
Get some good walking shoes because you are going to find that you have to park really really far from the other cars to keep from a door hitting it, someone swiping their car along the side of it (leaving you no note, of course, but a nice smear of their white paint), the stray grocery cart leaving you a nice $300 dent, etc. After about 9 months the car is so beat-up, that you give up on trying to keep it nice looking anymore.
Even when I had the car, I garaged it every night and dusted it every couple of days. That thing was IMPOSSIBLE to keep clean. I don't live in a dusty area, but, you'd never know it from that car.
So glad "Blackie" (yes, that's her name) was my first car, because I will NEVER buy a black car EVER again. They're beautiful for the first few hours. But, eventually you have to park it somewhere.
Good luck on the black.
Are you serious? Even thought the Solara has 225 hp and 240 ft-lbs of torque compared to the TSX's 200 hp and 164ft-lbs of torque?
Anyway, I decided on the TSX because I've been reading a lot of negative posts on the Solara forum. I also like the TSX's navi system. I'm also kind of thinking about the Accord too, the EX with navigation is almost the same price as the TSX with navigation, but with a V6.
Again, upgrades on the 2005 are significant, including XM radio, heated mirrors, lights for the steering wheel controls, and power passenger seat.
kirstie_h
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That having been said, I would not pay anymore than $500 over invoice for an 05. The dealer is going to give you some little story about it being a "hard car to get", "popular", etc. Tell him what you're willing to pay and don't let him take you any higher.
Even if they sell the car at invoice, they're making something like $800 with their "hold back". Do all initial contact through the Acura website also. Internet managers are able to go lower than anyone else at the dealership.
'05 TSX, 6sp, non-navi
$27,500 out the door
As for $500 over invoice, I think you will have to wait a few months before the '05s fall to that price. But I agree that I wouldn't pay anymore than that.
So, i will be able to buy next week, but probably won't get the price where I want it! I guess I'll have to just wait.
They gave me a written quote of $26,960 (that includes the destination charge), plus tax, tags, and a $95 processing fee. I figured I would take that price around to other dealers to get the best price, since I don't think anyone will negotiate that much when the cars first come out.
What do you think of that quote?
Does anyone know what the invoice price is for the 05 tsx? Comparing w/ invoice would maybe give you a more objective comparison for your qoute.
I personally think you did the right thing waiting for the 2005. Some of the new features are nice: heated mirrors (OK, you won't need those in Southern Cal), lighted controls on the steering wheel, XM, and power passenger seat. In a few months, when prices on the 2005 come down, you'll be glad you waited.
FYI: The TSX does have a number of options that are not included on the Accord, the most significant of which is the VSA. The TSX also comes with a nicer stereo, perforated leather, HID lights, autodim mirror, longer warranty, heated mirrors (as you acknowledge).
Considering the True Market Value (the average price people in my area paid)on a 2004 TSX was $26,097, and that the MSRP went up $500 from 2004 to 2005, I think I did pretty well, considering the cars are just delivering now.
Can you tell me the OTD price you paid for you '05 Accord and also the name of the dealership. Thanks