2013 and earlier-Acura TL Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • jpiatchekjpiatchek Member Posts: 177
    $31,688 in Springfield, Mo. This included $200 for the summer tire option( Bridgestone Potenza REO30's-which I wanted instead of the rotten Turanza EL42's). It also included mud flaps, tire locks and trunk mat(about$250-which I wanted and $195 document fees(which I detest) Subtract those options and the price was$31,043. As I mentioned, I could have got it cheaper if I wanted to work them. Incidently, they are part of the Jay Wolfe Group out of KC. This was a better price than I got from the Jay Wolfe internet manager. About $800-1000 over invoice and I drove it off the lot about l hour later instead of having to order or wait a month. A fair deal, but I could have done a little better-however they like me and will take care of me if I have a problem-I know from past experience.
  • ronn1010ronn1010 Member Posts: 6
    I was also considering a TL until I drove one that had wind noise and had read about the tire problem. I have owned 5 Acuras over the last 15 years and this is my first Lexus.

    The Lexus has a softer ride and you can't feel the road as well with it, howerver the Lexus has better value in a few years, based upon past years.

    The lowest price I could get for one without nav was 31,600. Same equipped ES330 was 31,000. Seems strange that I could buy the Lexus for 600 less and the MSRP for Lexus was about $1,650 higher. I bought the Lexus for 86.9% of the MSRP.

    My Lexus has the following options: Heated Front Seats, HI Head lights, Power rear shade, Mavigation system, CD player with 6 disc changer, Wood steering wheel & shift knob, trunk mat, cargo net and wheel locks.

    I found that since this is the end of the month and the end of a calendar quarter the dealer is concerned about selling units to maintain their bonus levels. And, giving some higher discounts makes the total quarter unit sale higher.

    So anyone thinking about buying now may be a good time to push for a good deal. The offer mentioned from So Cal at 87.3% of MSRP is another good example Lexus is ready to deal
  • kahunahkahunah Member Posts: 448
    ...did you experience the wind noise with?
  • danny1878danny1878 Member Posts: 339
    FYI the price of es330 has been dropping since december 2003 in order to anticipate the new TL. And still TL sells more and more. Last month TL's sales was over ES330.

    I agree it is the right time to buy the car but you should see there is a problem with the car which is now being investigated. I wonder if you knew that.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    I've negotiated $1,000 over invoice for a TL 6-speed w/ Navigation in any of my top three color choices. The caveat is that the dealer can't do that price if they need to trade out of stock, but will if I wait 4-6 weeks for my color. They would do that price or "slightly better" for a car that they currently have in stock, but is not my color preference.

    Any comments on the price, which by my calculations is a little better than $2,000 under MSRP?

    This is for an out of town dealer that I know reasonably well. In the DC area, there doesn't seem to be much negotiating room on a 6-speed Navi car. Anyone think otherwise?

    P.S. Also got a call on a G35 Sedan 6-speed from a dealer I visited last week. They are willing to go below invoice, basd upon some incentives through Infiniti. Unfortunately, I can't seem to warm up to the interior. The TL really is a step or two up. The ES330 mentioned by someone above has a great interior, but is a cure for insomnia to drive. Once a Camry, always a Camry I guess.
  • mdhaukemdhauke Member Posts: 202
    You got a good deal. The 6spd I got was the only one that came into the dealership that month. They are hard to come by.
  • 1violinist1violinist Member Posts: 338
    Sounds like a great deal! What are your color preferences?
  • klee3klee3 Member Posts: 57
    Has anyone bought a 2004 TL w/o Navi with auto. transmission in the Houston area recently? If so, what were the drive out prices? Thanks...
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,754
    Does this mean you'll have a Pilot and TL in the family? That's exactly what I was considering doing. BUT, my wife wanted a new house instead.

    oh well.

    go ahead and pull the trigger on it. I can live through you vicariously instead. :)

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • electronselectrons Member Posts: 16
    another of my 2 cents. I went into the local acura dealer and perhaps because of end of month or perhaps too many cars on the lot, but they are really starting to deal on the non-navi and auto TL. They offered 2k from MSRP, here in So. Calif..

    Also, wanted to make a point that this car has a 15% to 12% mark up and 3% to 2%, depends on mfgs, is being held back for the dealer, so the invoice that the dealer shows to the customers, show a much higher dealer cost. Most of the time the sales staff isn't allowed to go into this "hold back" area, because the owner/management likes to pull overhead from that 3% and they like to show the higher invoiced amount, which is generally shows a mark up for only 12%. For example the car has a MSRP of say $33,155 and invoice amount is say 9%. The cost that the dealer will show the sales staff and the public is $30,171.

    Lexus and MBZ will have 15% markup on the higher end models, but generally not on the highly competitive models like the C class, where it's probably down to 12%. Same is true for generally speaking all car mfgs, they could have low mark up on very competitive cars as low as 10% with only a 2% hold back.
  • smithdrgssmithdrgs Member Posts: 22
    when you negotiate switching the tires for others, how does it work?
    does the buyer buy them and bring them in?
    one person said, that they (the buyer) had to only pay the difference. so then, how much are the EL42s worth?
    will they do the balance and alignment?
    please clarify. thx
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    My color preferences on the TL are anthracite/ebony, silver/ebony and, perhaps, red/ebony. I'm going to try to find a red one to check out, since that's the one the out of town dealer has in stock. Unfortunately, he tried to e-mail pictures but the color didn't come through very well as it is in a florescent lit showroom.

    gbrozen, I'd probably hold off on a new SUV until the fall or later. I'm hoping the Pilot gets the TL navigation system for 2005. Murphy's law states that if I get a TL now, our Trooper will die next month, but I may be willing to take my chances.

    P.S. Your wife's preference for a new house is a smart one.
  • babkatbabkat Member Posts: 2
    I'm just North of Boston. Got a Non-Navi TL Auto, Anthracite/Ebony for $30899 + tax/reg/paperwork. No dealer options. Started with a $31294 net quote, ended under $31K. I was happy with that price. And I made them throw in an Acura Coffee Tumbler!!
  • ldnsocalildnsocali Member Posts: 7
    eletrons
     I have not been able to find the dealers that you are speaking of. Which dealer is giving 2k off MSRP. I am ready to purchase a TL. I was trying to sell my Lexus on the street but I have not had any luck. So I am just going to trade it in. I just can't wait any longer. If I can get the TL for 2k under MSRP, it will make me feel a whole lot better.

                              Peace
  • burryburry Member Posts: 37
    In an earlier post (under the Acura TL topic) I stated that I talked to a local Bridgestone dealer and they were willing to give me $185.55 per tire for the EL42s on a trade for the Turanza LS-Z. They
    were willing to deliver the new tires to the dealer and then I was to bring back the originals. They list the EL42s for $255 per ($169 at TireRack). They list the LS-Z for $291 ($216 at TireRack). The swap total will be $435.76 + tax. If I decide to do the swap I will have the Acura dealer mount and balance.
  • jkgjkg Member Posts: 8
    For those potential buyers in, or near, Asheville, NC, I highly suggest that you visit Appletree Acura, Fletcher, NC (just south of Asheville on I-26, Airport road), to purchase an Acura TL (Honda dealership is adjacently located). The Sales manager with Acura is an outstanding person, and the salespeople that I have met are wonderful to work with. I suggest you visit during the last 2 days of any month, for efficient and cost-effective buying of any Acura model. They have a large TL inventory as of late March.
  • flipper6flipper6 Member Posts: 30
    I purchased a silver TL 6 speed with nav in New Jersey about 2 months ago for $1000 off MSRP. At the time I looked at Edmunds to see what the cars were going for and felt I got a reasonable deal. I am sure I could have done better with more time and energy. I do not understand the advantage of dealing with dealers cost, hold backs etc. I know Consumer Reports is a big advocate of dealing that way but I do not see the advantage. If you were the dealer would you give a lower price because the buyer knew what percent profit you were making? I think it is simply a matter of supply and demand. If the dealer feels he can sell the same car to someone else for a higher price I do not see any amount of paperwork convincing him otherwise. If I owned a dealership I would sell the car for the highest price that I could regardless of what paperwork was presented. If a dealer has an unlimited supply of cars then the rules would be different. He would sell as many cars as he could as long as there was some profit. I'm not saying knowing the cost and hold backs does not help, I just do not understand why.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,338
    ATTENTION: HOST

    This is a spammer... On another forum he was telling about what a good deal he got at a Knoxville dealership.... Want to bet they are owned by the same company??

    Edmunds Price Checker
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  • jkgjkg Member Posts: 8
    Kyfdx: JKG is not a spammer. I have purchases 2 Honda/Acura products lately, from separate dealers, for separate reasons. I highly recommend both dealers for different types of cars.
    You should not assume, until you ask the proper questions. Please show more restraint in your posted comments.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,338
    You just sound like a car salesman.. And you love your Acura dealer, which has an adjacent Honda dealer, but you don't buy your Honda from the same dealer. You MAY not be a salesman.. but, it sure doesn't pass the smell test. Let me ask you.. Are those two dealerships related?

    regards,
    kyfdx

    Edmunds Price Checker
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    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,754
    what dealer in Jersey?
    just curious.
    Thanks.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • flipper6flipper6 Member Posts: 30
    The Acura dealer was Bridgewater. I do not know if the deals are better or worse now as that was over 2 months ago. At that time I think they had two 6 speed navs on the lot but as I say that was over two months ago.
  • jm2zajm2za Member Posts: 3
    TL Auto with navigation - $33,000 (including All season mats, truck tray & wheel locks) + Taxes & Registration.

    I live in N. Jersey and worked with Montclair Acura. They talked me out of a NAV. model since they said it would take a month to get one in and they were only will to come down to $34,195. But, they were willing to come down to $31,195 on non-Nav.

    I called Motorwold in Wilkes Barre PA and they gave me a quote of $31,000 for Non-Nav and $33,000 for Nav. over the phone. I went there to test drive and they had the exact Nav. I wanted (Anthracite /Ebony) which was the only Nav. on the lot. I was ready to ask for all-season mats, trunk tray & wheel locks, when they offered them up without negotiating. I also needed to pay $50 for a temp. license to get it to Jersey and they threw that in.

    Seems like a good deal. I pick it up tomorrow, so I'll let you know if these numbers change
  • electronselectrons Member Posts: 16
    ldnsocali, I went to two separate Acura dealers and both I negotiated the price down to 2k below MSRP. I have no idea where you are here but Tustin and So. Coast is where I went and negotiated. Which Lexus model you selling, just curious, because haven't heard many Lexus owners going to Acura.

    flipper6, negotiating from MSRP or dealer's cost is an individual choice. Not suggesting one way or another but I know that I never like it when someone is lying to me and showing me a Factory Invoice and claiming it's their true cost and deny that they have a "hold back." As for me, I have purchased several cars below the invoice that they have shown me. It's certainly not true invoice that they pay the mfg. but enough to satisfy curious eyes who do not know the car business. Again not suggesting that it's good or bad but it's helped me.
  • ldnsocalildnsocali Member Posts: 7
    I'm in San Diego and the best I can do is 32,000 from a broker and 32,600 from a dealer. So I am willing to drive if it means I can get it for 2000 under MSRP. Do you remember who you talked too? I'm selling a 98 ES300 that I brought from my boss a couple of years ago. It's in great shape but my wife believes that it is an old persons car. When I test drove the TL I agreed with her. The problem now is, I can't sell it on the street and the dealers are only willing to give me 10,500 for it. I would also love to some tips on the way you negotiate. If you don't mind.

                             Peace
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    If you check the header of this discussion - and also our new feature, Rules of the Road (linked at the top) - you'll see that salesfolks' names are not allowed here. Please don't ask for them and please don't post them.

    Be sure to check out the other guidelines on what is okay to post and what isn't.

    Thanks!
  • ldnsocalildnsocali Member Posts: 7
    Electrons
     I called Tustin and spoke to a salesman. The first thing that he said was, let's cut to the chase what have you been offered and what are you looking for. I told him that I was coming from S.D. and that I have been offered 32k from a broker. That I was looking to pay 31k. He said, well you know brokers add 500 to a 1000 dollars on top of what they offer. That he could give it to me for 31,500. That it did not come with mud guards or wheel locks, that was an extra 499. Which puts me right back at 32,000, the same price that I am getting from the broker. Which includes locks and guards. I'll give the other dealer a call Monday.

                          Peace
  • 03oddity03oddity Member Posts: 60
    Hmm, let's see...H and A Accessories has the factory mud guards for $64.68 and the wheel locks for $29.00. So $500 would be a little over 400% markup. I think you're wise to select a different dealer.
  • electronselectrons Member Posts: 16
    I see, the dealers charge approx $500 for installing that mud guard and wheel locks. I've done them myself and have saved that extra 400. The trick is take off the wheels and it's much easier to put on the mud flaps.

    My quote from the dealer included the mud flaps, the dealers shipping charges, etc. and yes it was 2k under the MSRP. It could be that at the beginning of the week it was close to the end of the month vs. today, the beginning of the new month? Who knows?

    I find it amusing that some TL owners are really into performance and don't mind the expense of pricey break pads, rotors, tires and other performance items, especially from a "Entry Level Luxury" car. I doubt you would see that from a Lexus LS owner or a Cadillac Sedan De Ville owner. Also interesting to see how the Audi A4 owners evaluate there care to the TL.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    I agree that you wouldn't find too many Lexus LS or Cadillac owners that are into performance. Those vehicles have the suspension dynamics of a Buick.

    I myself have put the TL high on my shopping list which incluses the 330i, 5-series and (on the non-performance front) 2005 E320 CDI. Although the TL is FWD and, as such, will never handle quite as good as the leading RWD sport sedans, it isn't far behind, based upon my test drives. And it's leagues above Lexus.

    Had BMW not botched up the 5-series redesign, that absolutely would have been my top choice. I remotely considered the GS430, notwithstanding the automatic only transmission, but then was further disspointed in the drive. My current Maxima has less body roll. Too bad, because I do credit Lexus with one of the best interiors in the business.

    The TL is no 330i Performance, but as far as FWD entry level luxury sedans, it appears to be above the rest. And combined with Acura relaibility and build quality and the exceptional navigation system and bluetooth phone, it's an impressive package.
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    Is money no object, or is it so far down on your priority list that you can more or less disregard the the ~$15K difference between a comparable 530 and a TL? Running a side-by-side on Edmunds was a jaw dropper for me on content and performance versus cost.

    I'm curious. I think the Euro/Dollar exchange rate has effectively priced the 530 out of the market; I'm wondering what your take on that is. In other words, I think it's less about the redesign and more about the price for the 5.
  • electronselectrons Member Posts: 16
    I have agree with you hoy..., I have driven the BMW and they do drive nicely, and I'm sure the Audi does also, but having owned BMW's in the past, the smile and the thrill is short lived when your sitting and waiting for your car being repaired as it empties your bank account. Sorry if this offends those ultimate fix it machines, but I'd rather put up with the little squeaks, (i don't have any actually) and drive right past the repair shops, even tho it may less prestigious owning a non Germany car.

    yes, I agree if they have free maint. and money weren't an issue, they may be the great car to own.

    This TL does have 270 hp while getting 28 mpg and quite good 0-60 and 1/4 mi time. Very impressive, while probably giving few major problems breakdown to 150 to 200k miles.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    I wouldn't say that money is no object for me, but I could reasonably comfortably afford the 5 series or E-class. For me, it comes down to realtive value. And, although the former TL wasn't even on my shopping list at all, the new one offers a very attractive combination of attributes that appeal to me.

    Regarding the 5-series, it really is the styling and the damn i-Drive system taht ruin it. I could have bought a 2003 530i sport for about $42k through European Delivery. The 2004 model, although more expensive, can still be purchased at about $45k through ED (discounted to $1,500 over the ED invoice). However, it was a big step backwards in style and aesthetics for me (highly subjective, I know). While I can forgive a few design quirks in a $32k car, the closer I get to $50k, the less forgiving I become.

    The E320 CDI is the value contender for me. At about $49k well equiped (again, through ED), I could justify that $16k difference over the TL. Except that I don't have as much confidence in Mercedes build quality as their past diesel reputation suggests. I have several friends who put 200k+ miles on old Mercedes diesels and not only did the car hold up well mechanically, it still looked and felt like a Mercedes at the end of its life. The current E-class, although a great looking car in my opinion, has a more checkered reputation with respect to reliability. And, while I'm griping, the Acura TL navigation system and hands free bluetooth phone system are 3 rungs up the ladder from Mercedes.

    So for me it comes down to value. Is my Honda S2000 for $32k as good of a sports car as the $60k Boxster S I also considered. No, but it's not $28k under the Boxster in performance and it's ahead on the no hassle turn the key and go factor. And, although I care about aesthetics, I don't care (much) about prestige.

    I sincerely believe the Acura TL is the best $31-33k bang for the buck out there. And by enough of a margin, that it has made me rethink the E320 CDI that I've been waiting for for the past 18 months.
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    Thanks. Great post! I have driven bimmers in the past (3 & 5 series). In fact, the 3 series is still going strong - nearing 20 years old.

    That said, I couldn't see the relative value, comparing a 325xi to a TL, let alone a 5 series.
  • kennyg5kennyg5 Member Posts: 360
    It is hardly debatable that the TL represents great value for a near luxury car, with performance, aesthetics and reliability to boot. If I do not already own an 03 Max(with only 7k miles), I would have sprung for the TL. The only shortcomings that the TL have (and this is my personal opinion) are its relative small trunk and crammed rear seats that cannot be folded down.

    Six months ago, I recall that a 5 Series BMW (nicely equipped) could be had for $43k, which was also a great buy, if you do not mind BMW's less than stellar reliability record. BMW and MB certainly have "prestige" appeal, but I value reliability much more than snob value :-)
  • kahunahkahunah Member Posts: 448
    ...but I don't think the rear seats are cramped at all (unless you're 6-1/2 foot driver with long legs). The reason the rear seats don't fold down is the because of the metal bracing in between the rear seat and the trunk which adds significantly to the car's overall rigidity.
  • dtate99dtate99 Member Posts: 122
    Hate to play hall monitor here, but the last several posts would be great under the Acura TL message board or possibly the BMW 3-Series vs Acura TL 2004 message board.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Thanks dtate99, you are exactly right. :-)

    This discussion is the place for folks to share their purchase experiences and the price they negotiated - other conversation belongs in our more general discussions which can easily be located with the search features on the left side of the page.

    Here are links to the very appropriate discussions dtate99 mentioned: Acura TL and BMW 3-Series vs Acura TL 2004.

    Let's continue debating these thoughts in one or both of those discussions ...
  • e11evene11even Member Posts: 4
    I too was offered the base model for $32,200. Then I mentioned I had credit union financing and the dealer told me to run, not walk, from their lot. Check other dealers for better pricing. I ultimately got $31,500 (plus some extras) for the 5AT non-nav in Central Ohio. Not the best price on this board, but reasonable and this seems to be the "dealer-agreed upon" price for this area.
  • wco81wco81 Member Posts: 594
    I too was offered the base model for $32,200. Then I mentioned I had credit union financing and the dealer told me to run, not walk, from their lot.

    Is that what you're implying, that they wanted to do the financing or they wouldn't give you that price?
  • tlseektlseek Member Posts: 1
  • e11evene11even Member Posts: 4
    I stated I had driven the vehicle, knew all about it and was lastly checking prices - ready to buy within 30 days. The salesperson said they couldn't keep the cars on the lot (there were twelve on the lot on a gorgeous Saturday and I was the only one looking at them, but I conceded they would be strong sellers). He quoted the price of $32,200 and wanted to know how I wanted to finance it. I told him I had secured financing and he immediately cautioned that if I had internet financing or was working with a credit union the dealership couldn't help me. I promptly left. If you are in the Cleveland, Ohio area....SHOP AROUND!
  • cjs2002cjs2002 Member Posts: 341
    I too am in the cleveland area... well actually in hudson... but not that far... they keep telling me that they can't keep them on the lots and refuse to negotiate a deal... I haven't done anything as of yet so to test their word I chose 5 TLs at random... wrote down vin numbers and options and I've been checking back every couple a days ... long and behold its been bout 2 and a half months now and all 5 are still sitting there... 2 have the nav system and the other 3 are the base models.... so yea shop around and dont let them swindle you... take your time... I'm still looking into everything but I' plan to be as informd and as ready as possible...
  • luckydog700luckydog700 Member Posts: 2
    I've been offered an AT for $31,700. Is that too much? Includes all the fees and dest. No other options.

      What do you think?
  • dtate99dtate99 Member Posts: 122
    I'll assume that this is without navi, right? If it includes navi...great price!

    If without navi, not so great price. And, by the way, the dealer pays the same for the manual and auto, so the price negotiations should be the same.

    Look back through this message board over the last month to get an idea of what a good price is; it may depend on what area of the country you are in, so pay attention to that, too.
  • luckydog700luckydog700 Member Posts: 2
    Dtate99,
      Right, no NAV.
    $31,700 >> not so great price...
      So, what do you think is a good price?

      I've looked at the past post to compare.
      As another reference, Edmunds "TMV" shows a $32,314 without any regional or color adjustment including destination. So, as a starting point, I thought I should at least beat this. I think with adjustments I'll be able to cut a deal that is about $1000 less.
      I've been going around with 5 dealerships. Four of them seem to be sharing allocation. Another is out of the area. One dealer would not come down from $32,600. Another stopped at $32,200. The others are still in the running.
  • danny1878danny1878 Member Posts: 339
    How about $31k?
  • flipper6flipper6 Member Posts: 30
    " And, by the way, the dealer pays the same for the manual and auto, so the price negotiations should be the same."

    Even though the dealer pays the same price for an auto or a 6 speed the price they are willing to sell each at might differ based on the demand in that local area. If the six speeds are in short supply they will likely go for more. If the auto's are in short supply they will likely go for more. This is true with the nav vs. non nav. The dealers are consistently making better deals on non navs rather than the navs. Dealer cost only partially determines the selling price.
  • bobzbobz Member Posts: 5
    Here in Northern California, I am getting the same BS about a shortage of TL's but there are sure a lot of them sitting at the dealers. I was quoted a price of $32k by Cars Direct and another Autobuying serice but would rather purchase from a dealer close by. From this board it sounds like I should be able to get them to come down further by about $ 500.00. It does appear that the navigation equipped cars are more in short supply according to dealers, but I don't want to pay an extra $ 2000.00 for that.
  • 03oddity03oddity Member Posts: 60
    ...with respect to demand for 2004 TL Nav. See my post #54 on the Acura TL Navigation System board.

    In a nutshell, the 2005 RL Nav system has real-time traffic info via XM satellite. WOW!!! I've been waiting my whole life for this.

    I phoned Acura Customer Service today; the rep said the 2004 TL Nav system is not upgradeable to this technology. There is no info at this time as to whether this will migrate to the 2005 TL.

    Bummer, dude! But should make for some killer deals on the now-obsolescent 2004 TL Navs.
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