Acura RL Prices Paid and Buying Experience

gtgray

Dude -

You're kiddin', right??

graphicguy

As KYFDX mentioned, you agreed to the deal, so there is no recourse. Actually, I think the dealer is going above and beyond by offering a "30,00 mile service package" as compensation.

Every deal is different. While it's good that we have these boards here to discuss pricing, there are so many variables that go into a deal (trade-ins, fees, option packages, color, stock situation, credit situation, etc) it's tough to compare one deal to another.

Also, understand that there is probably more than just a bit of "look how I beat your deal" going on with your co-worker. What he paid may be true. On the other hand, it may not be true.

The fact remains, you signed the paperwork on YOUR DEAL. You were happy with it. Stand by it.

BTW....how do you like the car?

mrblue

It's a free market. If you did not take the time to cross-shop, then you risk not getting the best possible price. Your complaints appear to be nothing more than sour grapes on your part. It does not look like the dealership misrepresented anything to you or did anything wrong, and the $30K service offer does appear generous under the circumstances. As others have commented, every deal is different. There is a wealth of information out there about auto pricing. If you did not take full advantage of that information, you have nobody to blame but yourself. Besides, your deal was not bad. Maybe not the best possible available, but certainly well below MSRP.

jweaver1

What about the trade in value? Everyone always seems to focus only on the purchase price. Maybe your co-worker got $2000 less on his trade.

paul_philly

Wow - a lot of nay-sayers here. While it's true that there is a bit of sour grapes on my part, it stems primarily from the fact that another Piazza dealership sold the car to my co-worker for $1200 less and I have to deal with him everyday. I'm still working it, but appreciate all the responses.

So Graphicguy, you ask how I like the car? Well, the car certainly has potiential; it's the highest HP car I've ever owned, first AWD, best sound system, quietest cruising vehicle, most luxurious and loaded with tech gadgets. I also cross-shopped Infiniti M, Lexus GS300 and BMW 530xi and choose the RL over all of them. HOWEVER, it's been at the dealer's shop for a week - exactly as long as I've owned it. I'm having the 3 TSB's done, there's a vibration noise coming from the rear windshield & right rear door when driving over bumps, passenger air bag messages keep popping up, and the navigation is about 100 feet off. I'm also a little disappointed that the navigation screen is not touch screen like my 04 TL, but all in all, once the bugs are worked out, I'm sure I'll love it. I can't wait to get it back.

Thanks for asking.

edwardl

Just about to close a deal on an RL in Nj for 41,785 includes destination.

I think this is a good deal.

How about he extended warranty.

What are people paying for the 6/100000.

hybrid3

Wow that's a great price, on Long Island I could not get lower than 43500. I decided to wait for the 06.

gocanes1

Just wanted to let you know I just purchased '05 with delivery included for $42,900 in the Hartford CT area. Just 140 miles from Nassau/ Suffolk line.

tlnmdx

It could be the same dealer that sold the car to your co-worker for $1200 less and you will have no recourse. At the time of your purchase, another person could be buying an RL for $500 more than yours, does that person get a $500 refund? NO.. It just mean that person may be less informed or don't care about the absolute best deal. Each purchase is separate and every buyer have to do their own negotiating. The dealer could play nice and offer you some free accesories but they don't have to. You could threaten to do all your future business elsewhere and they probably don't care because when is your next new car purchase?

graphicguy

paul....a co-worker just bought an RL. He let me drive it last week. I was duly impressed. For the money, it's a lot of car. 300HP, AWD, Nav, etc.

In the past, I've toyed with getting an Acura, but the dealerships around me (only 2) seem to be more interested in sticking to MSRP. Now, it's not like MSRP wouldn't be a decent buy on Acuras. It's just that everyone else in other parts of the country seem to be able to get discounts. I suppose they are really popular around OH (where some of Acura's models are built).

That said, last time I shopped, the previous generation TL was on my radar. The previous gen of the RL was woefully dated. They were giving deals on those.

Having bought and sold a lot of cars (and being burnt more than once), every deal I've made has been different than the one before. There are so many variables.from one person's purchase compared to another person's. First, while Edmunds reports are good as a general guideline, like anything else, you really don't know the particulars of any of the deals.

It's just human nature for someone to say they got a better deal than you did. IF they actually did or not is the question. You made a deal that you were happy with when you bought yours. Nothing changed except for the fact that someone else may or may not have gotten a better deal (when all the factors of the deal are taken into account).

From what I hear/read, most Acura dealers are focused on customer satisfaction. I'm sure they'll get your "buggaboos" sorted out.

Enjoy your car.

mevande

edwardl Where did you get this outstanding deal?

Re" """Just about to close a deal on an RL in Nj for 41,785 includes destination.""

Thanks

Mike

ctsang

Even at $41K, it's not a great deal since the car will be 1 year old very soon. The price of 06 model will not be higher than 05 price anyway and has even more goodies.

msu79gt82

The price of 06 model will not be higher than 05 price anyway and has even more goodies.

:confuse: I am unaware of any significant changes to the RL. Could you elaborate with sources? The '06 will offer a Tech Package option for ~$4000 extra.

mevande

From what I have read, no one should pay more than 42K (and maybe a few hundred extra) for a 2005 RL? What do dealer charge to add the spoiler?

Thanks!

Mike

hendjaz

"no one should pay more than 42K "

This may not be accurate for all geographic areas, or even for many areas. It seems to depend on where you are shopping. Check out the geographic differences at carsdirect.com. Don't know how precisely accurate it is but it does show considerable differences between regions of the country. Also read that dealer incentives have or about to expire on the 05 models and we'll have to see what that does to the price if the incentives are not extended.

hybrid3

Was Going to wait for the '06 RL, but was afraid the deal will not be as good on the '06. Then brought a couple of friends with me to the dealer that thought I should get the TL since it such a nice car and cheaper. The TL is great, but I just love the RL. So I figured I would wait to see the IS 250 awd(due to price), but seems like the back seat is really small and 0-60mph in the 8's. My other dilemma is my lease on my gas hog SUV isn't up until January, so if I waited too long to jump on the '05 deal I would not get the color I want or they may be sold out shortly. Dealer selection is limited here on Long Island already. So I think I got a very good deal on it, making the price difference between the TL and RL not drastic. So I left a deposit today.

3yrs. 15k per year $565 a month. This does not include a $550 bank fee or Tax.

I thought this was a great price. Any thoughts?

johnl2

I actaully was in the same situation as you. i waited for more than a month on the new Tl to come out and then decided to get RL since its not too much price difference. Went to the dealership and almost got one but decided last min that didnt really like the color and they didnt have my first color choice, so left and now decided on waiting for the IS350 to come out first and see. Hopefully it wont be a disappointment or else I will have to go back to a RL. The RL is great, dont get me wrong, but just that I think I am probably a lil too young to drive an RL (almost 29) and since my gf thinks it looks a lil older for me. But i have to say I like the style of RL more than the TL, which i thought was great already. Anyway, I thought I am the only one here who will cross shop between the RL and IS350 since they are such different cars and for different kind of buyers.

hybrid3

Well, I am 34yo and and my tastes are changing a bit. I just do not want to compromise too much on any one thing. rear wheel drive unfortunately, not an option. I saw more G'35's and rwd BMW's stuck last year in the snow. As I get older too I am not willing to deal w/ what I was will to deal w/ in my mustang GT days, hard ride low tech and small rear seat. I've had enough with SUV's. So I went with RL because I love the interior and it does not compromise too much on anything, It's all around nice at a great price. It's handles great, speed is okay, safety great(I am getting old), I like the look, everyone doesn't have one(where I live everyone has a TL), I have to admit the performance #'s on the IS350 make it tempting, but again being in NY I can't get rwd.. The IS 250 awd has two big drawbacks. It's small and it's SLOW. I might have overlooked the size of the Lexus IS if they made a IS 350 awd.

bhamacura

Johnl2- I too was originally interested in the TL, then the RL, and now interested in the IS350. Like the RL much better than the TL, but the IS350 is tempting (even if it is much smaller). If it is not priced aggresively, will go with the RL, assuming that they are still available in the low $40s

mg808

I too was in this situation. I'm 33 and I just got a 05 RL in NJ (low $40K's). The car is awesome. Cross shopped all the mid-luxos (E, 5, GS and Infiniti M). For the money, exterior/interior looks and build quality, the RL has no competition. I couldn't justify paying over $50K on the other cars in this class. That was my personal preference and nothing against BMW, Merc, Lexus or Infiniti. I've owned Mercs, BMW's and Acuras so there was no bias towards any mfr.

Regarding the IS, the car is just to small, forget about the price. Its smaller than a TSX.

Good luck in your purchases, just remember, don't overlook the RL. This car is simply an amazing piece of machinery. :shades:

bhamacura

Mg808- Which dealership did you use in NJ?? May need to look out of state to get a RL. Thanks

jub

i used ramsey, nj to get mine last week. about 46 out the door.

hybrid3

I will be picking up my RL in a couple of weeks. I have a palm treo 650 cell phone. The treo can have problems linking to some bluetooth devices. Lexus is reporting problems linking to it. Does anyone have the RL and a Treo 650, any issues in having it link and work?

bhamacura

I am assuming that is with TTL. What was the buying price at Ramsey?
Anyone out there that has used a dealer in the Southeast that is offering the RL for a good price??

mg808

I used Montclair Acura. They were very good to deal with, painless buying experience. My family has bought a few Acuras from them.

bhamacura

MG808-
Do you have a contact name at Montclair Acura? Also, do you mind telling what you paid for the car (excluding TTL)?? Thanks!

kyfdx

Quoted from the message at the bottom of this discussion...

"You may include the dealership name, city and state in your post. Please do not post names of salespeople, telephone numbers, email addresses, or other contact information."

Thanks for your cooperation..

regards,
kyfdx
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philbaker

I have a Sprint Treo 650 and an RL. Seems to work fine although I've not tried downloading any numbers.

hybrid3

Great! Thanks, otherwise I would have to get rid of my Treo. I have Cingular, but I think it's more the phone than the carrier that matters.

philbaker

Note there is an upgrade for the Treo OS. FOr the Sprint model one of the additions is support for Acura. But I found I was able to call thru the RL before and after the upgrade. Also spoke with Acura and there is no way to add the address book in the phone to the RL. You can add your names and numbers by hand.

Does anyone know how to set up Acura Link? Acura said to go to www.acuralink.com, but there's nothing there.

kyfdx

This is a pricing discussion..

Please post questions about the RL here:

Acura RL Owners: Problems & Solutions

regards,
kyfdx
Host-Prices Paid Forums

jub

42,500 at ramsey incl wheel locks, trunk tray, mud guards
and destination.

bmackrell

does anyone have an update on when we can expect to see 06 models in acura dealerships?

msu79gt82

Houston area dealerships told me late October.

ssviper

I just drove the GS 300 AWD and the RL last night. I liked the RL a little better, although the GS is a very nice car. (McGrath Acura in western suburbs of Chicago) price on the RL was $42,700. I intend to purchase, not lease. Is 42,700 a good price?

Some things I noticed: the RL seemed a little quicker, GS has rearview camera and cooled seats, RL has rear-side sun shades, RL has shifter paddles on the wheel, RL has DVD audio and Onstar, Mark Levinson was not available on the Lexus because I am in the midwest???( I guess people in the midwest don't like to listen to music in their cars), navigation in the Lexus is touchscreen-but some of the functions are disabled if you are driving, navigation on the RL is controlled by the knob and other buttons and is not touchscreen.

Also both dealers were pushing chip guard or road block. a protective clear coat for the bumper, hood and mirrors to guard against rock chips. It cost about 750 to add. Is this a good deal or a scam?

Thanks for any help.

hendjaz

We have an 05 RL and an 06 Lexus RX 400h so I am able to compare the electronics and sound system very well between the two. However there is no real comparison as the RL is much better all around I believe in these areas. Acura has chosen to let the owner decide when they want to use the navigation system and other electronics while Lexus has chosen to take away many of those decisions from the owner/driver. As a consequence much of the Lexus electronics are not capable of being adjusted by the driver, in some cases at all and in others when the driver wants to (i.e. can' change some of the nav when vehicle is moving).

The RL sound system is considerably better to my ears than the Mark Levinson system, which is somehow considered to be an upgrade option ($$). It is not bad but is fairly mediocre. The RL system is truly superior imho.

RL prices seem to vary by geographic area so it is hard to tell if the price you are being quoted is the best in the Chicago area. It is much better than you would get in Seattle but maybe not as good as you would find in parts of CA and some other states. The price for the plastic chip protective sounds a bit high from what I have heard. We don't have it on either the RL or the 400h but regret not getting it on the 400h as it got a pretty good chip in the paint in the first week. The RL is now one year old and has no chips at all.

Good luck in your choice. BTW, go Sox!! (from a Cubs fan)

recentbuyer

I also drove the GS 300 and RL and am going with the RL. I live in Chicago and found the color I wanted in Minnesota. Does anyone know the deal with Tax, Title, and License when buying from a dealer out of state? Does the MN dealer handle the taxes? BTW, 43k was the price.

bartalk3

A scam. Don't fall for undercoating, soundproofing, paint protector, leather protector, etc., etc. As the car salesman said on one episode of Seinfeld: "We don't even know what that stuff is." A profit enhancer is what it is.

acuralady

I am getting finishing touch on my RL for $130.00. This is a clear coat and scotch guard. I have it on my MDX, but can't tell. The dealer did assisted with cleaning some stains and spots once, but they did not do a good job and they kept telling me I had to go get it detailed. I am only getting it for my RL because it is black. I am also buying it from a different dealership and I hope to get better support.

acuralady

They have a $2500 incentive right now. They are giving it to the dealer, who in turn will sell it to you lower. I have a genuine quote of $40,800. I am in SoCal and I worked a few dealerships to get the quote that low.

diesel3

I just got a quote for the RL, 15k, 39 month lease with 2500 out of pocket, msrp 42,000. monthly payment 540. makes sense, good deal? Spoke to another acura deal and he told me jump on it b/c it was an awesome deal. Getting a $50,000 car for 42,000 is a steal in my eyes.

msu79gt82

Spoke to another acura deal and he told me jump on it b/c it was an awesome deal. Getting a $50,000 car for 42,000 is a steal in my eyes.

There are widespread reports of prices as low as $39,998 and $40,300 (visit dedicated rl sites like acurazine). $42,000 is a typical and not exceptional price today. Regarding these low prices being a steal, those who paid $48+ are not at all happy the the horrendous depreciation this car took in its first year

diesel3

i suppose but i shopped around all over NY and either the dealer had no 2005 rls left or nobody could match the price. I think its a solid deal. BMW 330is are leasing for 630 a month not even fully loaded while i am getting a fully loaded rl for 540.

nebraskaguy

Regarding these low prices being a steal, those who paid $48+ are not at all happy the the horrendous depreciation this car took in its first year

I received full Edmunds trade-in price for my 99 RL and paid MSRP for my 05 RL. The Edmunds trade-in price for a 99RL is now $8,000 less than I received. So, let's do the math. I paid about $50,000 for my 05 RL and now could probably get it for $42,000 (maybe less, if I really searched and was willing to compromise on color). What a coincidence - that's $8,000. Now tell me why I should care that I've taken such a hit on depreciation.

To top it off, I've been immensely enjoying the experience of driving a wonderful car for a year now.

hendjaz

"those who paid $48+ are not at all happy the the horrendous depreciation this car took in its first year"

I don't agree with this statement either from an accounting standpoint or as a year long RL driver. Depreciation is not realized in fact until a good is sold and only then can you compute what the actual depreciation will be. Anyone selling any vehicle in the first year after purchase will realize significant depreciation. The vast majority do not and their depreciation will be realized at a later date, after they have had probably several years of enjoyment from driving the RL

I would rather have bought a year ago and paid full msrp (which I did) than wait until now. Of course for those now just into the market as a buyer it is a great opportunity to get an even greater value than I did a year ago.

BTW, I am not afraid to further increase my cost in the RL for fear of depreciation as I just put some more money into the RL by swapping out the OEM tires for the Pilot Sport A/S tires.

dadcat

I also have the same combination of Acura RL and Lexus 400h vehicles. I fully agree with your comments on the comparison of the electronics. However, there is a way to circumvent the crippling of the Lexus NAV while moving. A set of button pushes can override the lockout on the Lexus gen4 NAV, until the next time the vehicle is restarted, by pushing the buttons in the following order: menu > volume > top left area of the screen, bottom left area, top left, bottom left > override ((hold for several seconds until beep occurs and override is highlighted ) > back. Destinations can then be entered while moving.

hendjaz

Yes, I go through that procedure as well to enable the while moving operation. The problem of course as you mention is that this must be done each time you start up. It is not a permanent override. I am hoping someone figures out a permanent solution or even better Lexus lightens up and follows the Acura model of allowing the owner/driver to make their own decisions.

Nonetheless, the 400h and RL are a great combo to have. As much as I like the 400h for its performance it gives me a greater appreciation of the RL as from a pure drivers standpoint I would rather be driving the RL. Now, if they would only add the twin electric motors to the RL, that would be heaven. Even greater performance and increased gas mileage.

mevande

Ramsey ... as in Ramsey NJ? Let me know.. thanks!

Mike

mevande

Its a rip off and a scam. You paid ""$130.00. This is a clear coat and scotch guard". The RL (and all other newer model cars ie last 10 years +) all have clear coat from the factory. This is 100 profit for the dealer.

steven9179

my wife and I have purchased 3 acuras from Open Road Acura in Wayne--love the place , the service. ---can't say enough about this dealseship. I have recommended 9 buyers to Wayne--so, when I bought my RL last December I paid 1ooo UNDER sticker

it's a great dealer to work with, and they remember your kind words and actions