msindallas: I am actually in Seattle area. I offered $1k above invoice for the car and MSRP for all accessories (about $1500 total) yesterday, but the dealer turned it down. The dealer countered my offer at 2.3k above invoice (which is $1.3k above my asking price), so I said forget it.
I only tried one dealer because it has the configuration I wanted. I will try the other 3 nearby dealers when they have the car I want. My advantage is I am not in a hurry. I am buying with cash ... Unless I get a very good deal, I would love to hold on to my $50k. On the top of that, maybe Acura will launch the 2008 version in Summer / Fall of this year (fingers crossed) .. That means some improvements over the current model, or some discount on the '07 model .. It's a win-win situation to wait, so why hurry?
In my couple months researching and monitoring, the NE states (NJ, CT, MD, etc.) buyers got the best deal. CA is reasonable too. FL, WA and Dallas seem to be what's called a "dealer's market", I guess ... If it keeps going this way, I will seriously consider buying it out-of-state and make a point to dealers around this area.
With the gas price soaring up, I don't think their sales will be improving.
In Arizona we are limited to four Acura dealers and good prices are hard to come by. I decided on an Acura MDX w/Tech package and started sending emails to 3 of the 4 Metro Phoenix dealers.
Having purchased 2 previous vehicles from Scottsdale Acura they were my first choice and also the first to respond to my email. They offered a paltry $1,000 off MSRP. But my confidence was elevated because their email stated and I quote:
“Once you have contacted me I guarantee that you will never pay a higher price then quoted and if circumstances allow me to sell at a lower price I will. If you can show me written proof of a lower price I will match it and include free oil changes for your first year of ownership. “
At the end of the day it is all about Truth Integrity and Honor.
Scottsdale Acura also tried to protect me from deceptive tactics warning me about other dealers: 1. “they will quote you a selling price with an asterisk * - hiding something to make their price seem less 2. they will quote you a selling price not including the destination fee – again to make their price seem less 3. they will not include the mandatory dealer installed accessories that they add to every car that they will require you to pay for 4. dealerships will quote you on a lesser model then what you requested 5. dealerships will quote you on a car that they do not have or cannot get for you – whether equipment or color combination”
The second email from Scottsdale Acura stated: "Let me know how I can help you. I am here to help you just let me know how. REMEMBER – I WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD." The bolding was from the internet sales person not me.
I then received correspondence from Acura of Peoria. They offered a price of $41,500 which included a cargo mat, window tinting, wheel locks and door edge guards. I was pleased with this price even though other parts of the country are getting the MDX at or near cost.
Acura of Peoria had the Dark Cherry color I wanted. Armed with this information I thought my job would be simple given the previous emails from Scottsdale Acura that stated. “If you can show me written proof of a lower price I will match it and include free oil changes for your first year of ownership.” and "Let me know how I can help you. I am here to help you just let me know how. REMEMBER – I WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD."
I forwarded my (written proof) Email to Scottsdale Acura. Although they responded immediately to prior emails I had to send several and finally got the response: "The boss said he will pass. We are selling these cars at higher numbers." Scottsdale Acura is their own worst enemy; they are quick to warn against competitors but practice the same ethics they warn you about.
So much for Truth, Integrity and Honor. But hey we are talking about a car salesman here. I was shocked that Scottsdale Acura would not honor their promise and end a relationship with a customer who had purchased two prior vehicles (dating back to the mid 80’s) and provided thousands to the Scottsdale Acura Service Department over the years. Why put false promises and guarantees in a written document if you are not going stand up to your word like a man?
Enough about Scottsdale Acura and their lack of integrity. We found Acura of Peoria to be less stuffy than Scottsdale Acura and genuinely interested in our business. They made the buying experience very easy and we were in and out in an hour and 15 minutes. No pressure, very professional and true to their word.
If you are in the market for an Acura in Arizona I would highly recommend Acura of Peoria, because at the end of the day they stood by their word and conducted business in an honorable manner and they offered the vehicle I wanted for significantly less money.
Scottsdale Acura left me feeling like a life-long friend who did something despicable which ended what had been a good relationship. Good relationships don’t just happen. Remain true to your word, honorable and conduct business with the same type of people.
If you are in Arizona I would suggest you give Acura of Peoria a shot.
I am looking to purchase a base model 2007 MDX in SoCAL/L.A. Keyes had a good selection but still 3K over invoice and Santa Monica didn't have much in stock. Thanks in advance for any help.
Finally, I got my MDX/Tech for $39,800 including destination from Motorworld Acura, PA. The only additional charges were 6% PA tax and $100 dealer/registration/tire tax etc. On the road price is $42,300 something. I was hopping to haggle and get it down to $39,500. However, the dealership is very generous and so I ended up doing no haggle/no hassle kind of business.
This is what is written by the general manager of Acura of Seattle on their website:
“Whether you are contemplating owning an Acura, or you're already a proud owner, we know that you have the highest expectations of the vehicles you drive and the people you trust to help you out. Our teams consist of people who care and who take the time for on-going training to be certain we're able to meet your needs with full confidence, providing the highest quality and user-friendly service available in the Pacific Northwest . When you walk into our dealership, whether to purchase a vehicle or visit our service department, you should feel like a guest in our home. Please contact me directly if you ever feel we could have done better, or if our staff has not addressed your concerns to your satisfaction.”
And this is my experience dealing with Acura of Seattle:
I first contacted Acura of Seattle in January initiated by a form in Edmunds.com. Since then, I have been emailing back and forth with the Internet Manager, whose initial is RF.
Last Friday, I wrote an email to RF with an offer price to buy one of the in-stock cars (new ’07 MDX – Sport w/ RES). The price that I offer was above invoice for the car, and at MSRP for the $1700 total of accessories. I believe my offer is reasonable. After several emails and several phone calls on Saturday and Sunday, we concluded that we couldn’t agree on the purchase price. A gap of $1221 was unbrigdeable. On Sunday afternoon, RF sent me an email and stated that my offer is impossible. The deal would just make her “go into the negative”. ((Well Let’s pause here a moment I wonder why other dealerships can sell even lower than that. No dealers are in the business of losing money)) Anyway, that’s that. I didn’t respond to her email and thought to myself, “OK, it’s not a good deal. I am not buying the car. Forget it”, which I did.
Monday afternoon at 5pm, DM, the General Manager (Acura of Seattle) called me and invited me to come down to his dealership. I told him that I am firm on my offer to Rose, so I didn’t think that we could do business. Then, he went on about wanting to sell me a car and wanting to meet his target 100 cars sold. If anytime, it’d be tonight where he can get me close to my offer. He didn’t want to disclose “how close” on the phone, which I could understand. Dealers don’t want you to bring their price to a different dealer. I told him I would be there and I asked him who should I see. He asked me to see RF. I called RF just to confirm this appointment and to stress again that I was firm on my offer. She acknowledged that and still invited me and said she would see me at the dealership at 8pm.
After re-arranging my plan for the night significantly, hoping to get a good deal on this car, I finally got to Acura of Seattle at 7:45 pm. Unexpectedly, I was “handled” by another salesperson, JH. Apparently, RF and DM were not around anymore. JH wasn’t sure which car I was there for. He didn’t know about the price that I had offered. He’s in the dark – thanks to his upper management. He was courteous and offered me a test drive. After being busy for about 20 minutes with his computer, he asked for my driver license and insurance, for the test drive. Again, he went back being busy Another 20 minutes, he came back with an email that showed my offering price and asked me “Does this price you offer include everything listed here?”. I answered “Yes”, as it is stated VERY CLEAR on the email. He said “My manager says it won’t work”. I told him “I was called by DM and talked to RF this afternoon. I told them my offer was firm. They asked me to come to discuss it”. JH was confused and said “But they’re not here and they’re not answering the phone”. He asked me to wait while he went back to his manager again. Another 5 minutes, he told me his manager just wouldn’t budge. At that point, I just walked out with disbelief.
I had to clear my schedule for this appointment. All I got was “the price won’t work”, eventhough the price had been on black and white since Sunday at 2:40pm. I don’t understand why Acura of Seattle messed with a potential customer They asked me to go there, eventhough knowing that my firm offer wouldn’t work. What’s the purpose?
This experience totally ruins my experience dealing with Acura of Seattle. This bad customer service from Acura of Seattle, as an official representative of a luxury brand name: Acura, reflects very badly on Acura.
During my lifetime, I have bought more than 10 cars: old, new, moderate-pricing, a couple luxury cars. I have dealt with luxury-car dealerships, non-luxury car dealerships and used-car dealers, which all showed me more respect and courtesy than what I experienced in Acura of Seattle. What a dissapointment.
At this point, all I can do is to warn shoppers in the Seattle area, of this type of treatment from Acura of Seattle.
If you need the complete names of the persons involved, feel free to contact me.
You did the right thing. Wait for some more time if you are not busy, they will call you back with an offer 500 less. The sales are slowing down as per one salesman in NJ.
Yes, you need to wait for their call. Answer the call, but drop the offer by few more $$$ in that call. Show that you are a potential buyer but not at that price and only when you get a good deal and be specific on the same to the sales call.
Wow - If your very detailed outline of the events are only half accurate, they have some very serious customer service issues. I would be extremely hesitant to do business with them at all, but in addition to taking additional money off of the offer, I would insist that they deliver it to your doorstep for your previous inconvenience.
Cheapskate, I think you hit it on the head with the observation that getting an invoice deal on an MDX depends largely on what part of the country you are in.
While I haven't made an offer yet (We have lots of time as my wife's FX is still on lease) I get a strong feeling from sales people in the Denver area that they aren't budging a whole lot from MSRP unless you are a "special" customer. One dealer is even adding $695 of dealer profit to the price of a new MDX and they are getting it.
I'm hoping that various factors (sales slowing, new model getting ready to come out, gas prices, etc) get the price down but I'm realistically expecting to pay about 3% over invoice as a "best case" scenario.
I just don't see better deals than that here at this time. Low inventory and high demand are keeping prices up.
The general manager emailed and apologized for the way I was being treated. He said he's going to send me a gift certificate - dinner for 2 at a decent restaurant in the area. I asked not to send the certificate, as it is not the time to be courteous at this point.
He knew I wanted the car. He just didn't want to give up his high profit. (Then why did he call and ask me to go to his dealership?) So be it... I have made it my personal "crusade" to devalue, depreciate, disparage Acura of Seattle.
My first step was to send a transcript of my emails to Acura Client Service in Torrance, CA.
My second step was posting on this forum.
There will be many more forums and websites that will show my story.
jmpage2 - Please understand that my frustation is not that they rejected my offer. I took my chance. It was end of the month. They have had the exact car for 3 weeks, so I offered them a price. They could sell one more car before closing the month. I could get a good deal.
I don't really mind if they reject the offer ... I have a very reliable car in a very good condition. I don't need to spend 50k in a hurry.
This is what ticked me off - The next day, the GM called my home, asked for my cell phone number and then called me on my cell phone. He said he's going to give me a price that is "close" to my offer..... and when i got to his dealership, he's not there. No one knows anything about what he told me on the phone. His cell phone is not answered.
Tell me .. what kind of treatment is there?
As far as dealers marking up their price, raking in as much profit as they want ... well, we, as the buyers, can always buy from out-of-state and ship it home. Let a more reasonable dealer earns our business. A co-worker shipped his car across the country for $1000. Invoice price vs. MSRP price is roughly $4000. You can do your math. :confuse:
There are always some ignorant buyers, who would buy at $5k above MSRP. Let them be the patrons for all the high-profit dealers. Count me out. :shades:
If all consumers shop and buy smart - well .... pretty soon invoice will be the starting price, as how it is with the non-luxury cars.
--- Do you know that Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA owner), one of the richest men in the world, is a cheapskate, too?
I also am shopping for a 2007 MDX base model and so far the best internet quote I have is for 37929 from Glendale Acura and Sierra Acura of Alhambra. I am in the process of getting a second round of quotes. Let me know if you have any other info.
I've received 2 quotes on base models for 37929 from glendale acura and sierra acura of alhambra. Haven;t purchased yet but this was the first offer via internet so hope to get it down a bit. Have you had any luck?
We just finalized a lease last night on an '07 MDX with the technology package. After much research and hours of negotiations, we had originally settled on a Taffeta White from one dealership only to wind up switching to an Aspen White Pearl (our top choice) a day later after they matched the price. Our final breakdown: 15k miles/year $0 down/$1,145 due at lease Negotiated sales price ~ $39,700 (est.) 42 months $623.44 per month. (it was about $602 per month with 12k miles)
We picked up our new ride last evening (Wednesday). The car was beautiful. We had yet to see an Aspen White Pearl in person and we were not disappointed by any means. The combination of the Aspen White Pearl and Parchment interior has to be my favorite of what we've seen (even though I'm a male and that definitely doesn't make the car seem very masculine). I'm 16, so the car obviously wasn't for me, but I am definitely satisfied even though my mom and I both preferred the Range Rover Sport (unfortunately it's $250 more per month). The MDX definitely has great value, even at around 40-45k. It is as technologically advanced as any car on the market - XM, sophisticated Nav, Bluetooth, SH-AWD, and voice commands for practically everything.
Having owned and driven a previous generation MDX before this, I can definitely say this one is an improvement. The handling seems much more fluent and it has a bit of a sportier ride. It's lower to the ground than it's predecessor and has more of a car-like drive. I've only driven it once so I have very limited impressions, but I could tell it had a better drive from just a brief cruise around the block.
I'll try and keep you all informed if I find out anything else. Hope I helped. Good luck to anyone else interested. In my opinion it should be worth the wait.
I haven't given them an offer (due to other reason), but I will. Hopefully, I will get better treatment from them. I will even bump up my original offer.
I purchased a dark gray/taupe 2007 MDX w/Tech yesterday from Hopkins Acura in Bay Area yesterday. It was a great experience - I would say it is the best experience so far. The internet manager and I communicated via emails before I went to the dealership on Sat. We settled down on a great price that no other local dealer could come close. I am very satisfied except that I have to wait for the vehicle to come in. The dealership does not it on the lot and has to trade with another dealer.
If you are interested, please PM me, I will let you the sale person's name.
I asked him whether I could disclose the sale price and he prefered not to. But I could say it is a great price that no other bay area dealer could match.
Anyone buy in Minneapolis St Paul area recently? I have been waiting for a good deal ... my target price is at invoice. I can wait until this fall to pull the trigger, but definitly can buy earlier if a good deal comes around.
"Anyone buy in Minneapolis St Paul area recently? I have been waiting for a good deal ... my target price is at invoice. I can wait until this fall to pull the trigger, but definitly can buy earlier if a good deal comes around.
Anyone has information to share, please?"
Wondering the same thing...no rush for me, but if anyone has any recent buying experiences in the Twin Cities to share, would love to hear about them.
TC salespersons claim this vehicle is still "too popular and selling well in the TC area to give discounts" Don't know if it's true but I didn't feel like waiting and I pulled the trigger. Received only $1,800 off MSRP.
In East coast, I have been watching the prices for the past 2 months. The quotes have gone from 1500 over invoice to 500 below invoice without any negotiation. I believe the following are the reasons
"A lot of people who buy these vehicles lease them and might not be able to really afford them."
This is a very interesting statement. I did a calculation to compare the cost of buy vs. lease, for a 5-year 12,000 mil/yr use life. I found that leasing is more expensive. I always think that people with deep pocket lease, while the rest of us just buy. Am I wrong?
""A lot of people who buy these vehicles lease them and might not be able to really afford them."
This is a very interesting statement. I did a calculation to compare the cost of buy vs. lease, for a 5-year 12,000 mil/yr use life. I found that leasing is more expensive. I always think that people with deep pocket lease, while the rest of us just buy. Am I wrong?"
Leasing is cheaper for the short term, which is why advertisements focus on the "low" monthly payment. This often attracts buyers who calculate payment only in their monthly expenses.
People with deep pockets and want to try new vehicles every 3 years Lease.
People who can't afford down payment and higher monthly payments also lease. Leasing is like talking a 10 year loan with 8% interest with too low monthly payments. You loose money in the end anyway but don't realize.
For example someone with just $2000 in pocket can drive a $40000 MDX with as low as 500/month. But you need to pay at least $1200/month for a 3 year 40,000 loan.
People with deep pockets and some money in bank typically buy.
Eastwing: I am waiting for a good deal, too, shooting for around invoice. Got a take-it-or-leave-it price quote of MSRP-$3,000 from a dealer. This is on a Tech/Ent models. On these, I expect more discount. Any other experiences in the area? Best wishes, - MS.
There are a number of us who lease because it gives us more of a tax advantage than interest/mileage write off of a purchase. Some drivers actually need a vehicle for business and leasing for three years is the best way to go. It all depends on the needs of the individual. Leasing used to be for business only but seems to be more prevalent with the everyday driver. If I didn't actually need a new car every 36 months, I would buy and keep the thing until the wheels fell off or 10-15 years, whichever came first. Cars are, and always will be, depreciating "assets". They only make money for the dealers.
I agree, sometimes leasing makes sense. However, barring some huge tax benefit it always ends up costing more in the long run.
For someone who wants to pay extra to drive a new car every few years and has relatively low mileage it's not a terrible deal.
Unfortunately a lot of people seem to get sucked in with the "affordable" payments without giving thought to the long term cost and especially the penalties if you go over substantially on the mileage.
My wife is a dentist so there are certain tax benefits in leasing the MDX, but I still think it makes more sense to buy it and drive it for at least seven years.
"but I still think it makes more sense to buy it and drive it for at least seven years."
My calculation shows the keeping a car at least 5 years will make "buy" a better deal than "lease". Not rocket science, but it may show that "buy" is a more financially sound option for most people.
Just pulled the trigger yesterday at a Chicago suburban dealer. I was working with four local dealers and ended up going with the one closest to my home when he matched the best offer. MY deal:
2007 MDX Base Dark Cherry Pearl Protection Package 1 (All Season Mats, Cargo, Wheel Locks) Sport Running Boards $37,900 (5% financing through my bank)
I found that most dealers would go to $37,400 with the all season mats included. My bargaining power was limited by our color choice. Cherry is very rare at least around these parts.
I have been offered a base model demo/trade in with 4900 miles + roof rails/crossbars for 36700 + ttl. This seems like a nice deal to me but I was wondering if there is any way to accurately value a trade-in like this with a mileage factor, etc. Going to drive it tomorrow so any last minute advice would help.
Where are you getting the information that the price hike for next year will be $4000. This will factor into whether I need to move in the next moth or so or be able to wait.
I know this is probably the wrong forum but...don't you think they should also make power lift door standard? Now you would have to pay for the entire RES... this is crazy.
I know this is probably the wrong forum but...don't you think they should also make power lift door standard? Now you would have to pay for the entire RES... this is crazy.
I completely agree. So, we need 4 things (I added the last one) as standard offerings -
Auto dimming mirror Rearview Camera Power lift gate Rain Sensing Wiper
If Acura is reading this, I would have bought the car by now if the above were available as standard equipment.
I'm shopping a MDX with tech with and without RES currently. I've been quoted 40.3K for the tech and 42.3K for both tech and RES. Is that a good price and how much further can I negotiate?
Does it include destination ??. if it doesn't, I would say it's $1k more than what I would negotiate for. Depends which part of the country you are in.
Comments
Base MDX
36 months
12K miles per year
$522 + tax
$1800 TOTAL drive off
Opinion....
I only tried one dealer because it has the configuration I wanted. I will try the other 3 nearby dealers when they have the car I want. My advantage is I am not in a hurry. I am buying with cash ... Unless I get a very good deal, I would love to hold on to my $50k. On the top of that, maybe Acura will launch the 2008 version in Summer / Fall of this year (fingers crossed) .. That means some improvements over the current model, or some discount on the '07 model .. It's a win-win situation to wait, so why hurry?
In my couple months researching and monitoring, the NE states (NJ, CT, MD, etc.) buyers got the best deal. CA is reasonable too. FL, WA and Dallas seem to be what's called a "dealer's market", I guess ... If it keeps going this way, I will seriously consider buying it out-of-state and make a point to dealers around this area.
With the gas price soaring up, I don't think their sales will be improving.
Having purchased 2 previous vehicles from Scottsdale Acura they were my first choice and also the first to respond to my email. They offered a paltry $1,000 off MSRP. But my confidence was elevated because their email stated and I quote:
“Once you have contacted me I guarantee that you will never pay a higher price then quoted and if circumstances allow me to sell at a lower price I will. If you can show me written proof of a lower price I will match it and include free oil changes for your first year of ownership. “
At the end of the day it is all about Truth Integrity and Honor.
Scottsdale Acura also tried to protect me from deceptive tactics warning me about other dealers:
1. “they will quote you a selling price with an asterisk * - hiding something to make their price seem less
2. they will quote you a selling price not including the destination fee – again to make their price seem less
3. they will not include the mandatory dealer installed accessories that they add to every car that they will require you to pay for
4. dealerships will quote you on a lesser model then what you requested
5. dealerships will quote you on a car that they do not have or cannot get for you – whether equipment or color combination”
The second email from Scottsdale Acura stated: "Let me know how I can help you. I am here to help you just let me know how. REMEMBER – I WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD." The bolding was from the internet sales person not me.
I then received correspondence from Acura of Peoria. They offered a price of $41,500 which included a cargo mat, window tinting, wheel locks and door edge guards. I was pleased with this price even though other parts of the country are getting the MDX at or near cost.
Acura of Peoria had the Dark Cherry color I wanted. Armed with this information I thought my job would be simple given the previous emails from Scottsdale Acura that stated. “If you can show me written proof of a lower price I will match it and include free oil changes for your first year of ownership.” and "Let me know how I can help you. I am here to help you just let me know how. REMEMBER – I WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD."
I forwarded my (written proof) Email to Scottsdale Acura. Although they responded immediately to prior emails I had to send several and finally got the response: "The boss said he will pass. We are selling these cars at higher numbers." Scottsdale Acura is their own worst enemy; they are quick to warn against competitors but practice the same ethics they warn you about.
So much for Truth, Integrity and Honor. But hey we are talking about a car salesman here. I was shocked that Scottsdale Acura would not honor their promise and end a relationship with a customer who had purchased two prior vehicles (dating back to the mid 80’s) and provided thousands to the Scottsdale Acura Service Department over the years. Why put false promises and guarantees in a written document if you are not going stand up to your word like a man?
Enough about Scottsdale Acura and their lack of integrity. We found Acura of Peoria to be less stuffy than Scottsdale Acura and genuinely interested in our business. They made the buying experience very easy and we were in and out in an hour and 15 minutes. No pressure, very professional and true to their word.
If you are in the market for an Acura in Arizona I would highly recommend Acura of Peoria, because at the end of the day they stood by their word and conducted business in an honorable manner and they offered the vehicle I wanted for significantly less money.
Scottsdale Acura left me feeling like a life-long friend who did something despicable which ended what had been a good relationship. Good relationships don’t just happen. Remain true to your word, honorable and conduct business with the same type of people.
If you are in Arizona I would suggest you give Acura of Peoria a shot.
I am looking to purchase a base model 2007 MDX in SoCAL/L.A. Keyes had a good selection but still 3K over invoice and Santa Monica didn't have much in stock. Thanks in advance for any help.
Finally, I got my MDX/Tech for $39,800 including destination from Motorworld Acura, PA. The only additional charges were 6% PA tax and $100 dealer/registration/tire tax etc. On the road price is $42,300 something. I was hopping to haggle and get it down to $39,500. However, the dealership is very generous and so I ended up doing no haggle/no hassle kind of business.
“Whether you are contemplating owning an Acura, or you're already a proud owner, we know that you have the highest expectations of the vehicles you drive and the people you trust to help you out. Our teams consist of people who care and who take the time for on-going training to be certain we're able to meet your needs with full confidence, providing the highest quality and user-friendly service available in the Pacific Northwest . When you walk into our dealership, whether to purchase a vehicle or visit our service department, you should feel like a guest in our home. Please contact me directly if you ever feel we could have done better, or if our staff has not addressed your concerns to your satisfaction.”
And this is my experience dealing with Acura of Seattle:
I first contacted Acura of Seattle in January initiated by a form in Edmunds.com. Since then, I have been emailing back and forth with the Internet Manager, whose initial is RF.
Last Friday, I wrote an email to RF with an offer price to buy one of the in-stock cars (new ’07 MDX – Sport w/ RES). The price that I offer was above invoice for the car, and at MSRP for the $1700 total of accessories. I believe my offer is reasonable. After several emails and several phone calls on Saturday and Sunday, we concluded that we couldn’t agree on the purchase price. A gap of $1221 was unbrigdeable. On Sunday afternoon, RF sent me an email and stated that my offer is impossible. The deal would just make her “go into the negative”. ((Well Let’s pause here a moment I wonder why other dealerships can sell even lower than that. No dealers are in the business of losing money)) Anyway, that’s that. I didn’t respond to her email and thought to myself, “OK, it’s not a good deal. I am not buying the car. Forget it”, which I did.
Monday afternoon at 5pm, DM, the General Manager (Acura of Seattle) called me and invited me to come down to his dealership. I told him that I am firm on my offer to Rose, so I didn’t think that we could do business. Then, he went on about wanting to sell me a car and wanting to meet his target 100 cars sold. If anytime, it’d be tonight where he can get me close to my offer. He didn’t want to disclose “how close” on the phone, which I could understand. Dealers don’t want you to bring their price to a different dealer. I told him I would be there and I asked him who should I see. He asked me to see RF. I called RF just to confirm this appointment and to stress again that I was firm on my offer. She acknowledged that and still invited me and said she would see me at the dealership at 8pm.
After re-arranging my plan for the night significantly, hoping to get a good deal on this car, I finally got to Acura of Seattle at 7:45 pm. Unexpectedly, I was “handled” by another salesperson, JH. Apparently, RF and DM were not around anymore. JH wasn’t sure which car I was there for. He didn’t know about the price that I had offered. He’s in the dark – thanks to his upper management. He was courteous and offered me a test drive. After being busy for about 20 minutes with his computer, he asked for my driver license and insurance, for the test drive. Again, he went back being busy Another 20 minutes, he came back with an email that showed my offering price and asked me “Does this price you offer include everything listed here?”. I answered “Yes”, as it is stated VERY CLEAR on the email. He said “My manager says it won’t work”. I told him “I was called by DM and talked to RF this afternoon. I told them my offer was firm. They asked me to come to discuss it”. JH was confused and said “But they’re not here and they’re not answering the phone”. He asked me to wait while he went back to his manager again. Another 5 minutes, he told me his manager just wouldn’t budge. At that point, I just walked out with disbelief.
I had to clear my schedule for this appointment. All I got was “the price won’t work”, eventhough the price had been on black and white since Sunday at 2:40pm. I don’t understand why Acura of Seattle messed with a potential customer They asked me to go there, eventhough knowing that my firm offer wouldn’t work. What’s the purpose?
This experience totally ruins my experience dealing with Acura of Seattle. This bad customer service from Acura of Seattle, as an official representative of a luxury brand name: Acura, reflects very badly on Acura.
During my lifetime, I have bought more than 10 cars: old, new, moderate-pricing, a couple luxury cars. I have dealt with luxury-car dealerships, non-luxury car dealerships and used-car dealers, which all showed me more respect and courtesy than what I experienced in Acura of Seattle. What a dissapointment.
At this point, all I can do is to warn shoppers in the Seattle area, of this type of treatment from Acura of Seattle.
If you need the complete names of the persons involved, feel free to contact me.
Wait for some more time if you are not busy, they will call you back with an offer 500 less. The sales are slowing down as per one salesman in NJ.
Show that you are a potential buyer but not at that price and only when you get a good deal and be specific on the same to the sales call.
While I haven't made an offer yet (We have lots of time as my wife's FX is still on lease) I get a strong feeling from sales people in the Denver area that they aren't budging a whole lot from MSRP unless you are a "special" customer. One dealer is even adding $695 of dealer profit to the price of a new MDX and they are getting it.
I'm hoping that various factors (sales slowing, new model getting ready to come out, gas prices, etc) get the price down but I'm realistically expecting to pay about 3% over invoice as a "best case" scenario.
I just don't see better deals than that here at this time. Low inventory and high demand are keeping prices up.
The general manager emailed and apologized for the way I was being treated. He said he's going to send me a gift certificate - dinner for 2 at a decent restaurant in the area. I asked not to send the certificate, as it is not the time to be courteous at this point.
He knew I wanted the car. He just didn't want to give up his high profit. (Then why did he call and ask me to go to his dealership?) So be it... I have made it my personal "crusade" to devalue, depreciate, disparage Acura of Seattle.
My first step was to send a transcript of my emails to Acura Client Service in Torrance, CA.
My second step was posting on this forum.
There will be many more forums and websites that will show my story.
I don't really mind if they reject the offer ... I have a very reliable car in a very good condition. I don't need to spend 50k in a hurry.
This is what ticked me off - The next day, the GM called my home, asked for my cell phone number and then called me on my cell phone. He said he's going to give me a price that is "close" to my offer..... and when i got to his dealership, he's not there. No one knows anything about what he told me on the phone. His cell phone is not answered.
Tell me .. what kind of treatment is there?
As far as dealers marking up their price, raking in as much profit as they want ... well, we, as the buyers, can always buy from out-of-state and ship it home. Let a more reasonable dealer earns our business. A co-worker shipped his car across the country for $1000. Invoice price vs. MSRP price is roughly $4000. You can do your math. :confuse:
There are always some ignorant buyers, who would buy at $5k above MSRP. Let them be the patrons for all the high-profit dealers. Count me out. :shades:
If all consumers shop and buy smart - well .... pretty soon invoice will be the starting price, as how it is with the non-luxury cars.
--- Do you know that Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA owner), one of the richest men in the world, is a cheapskate, too?
I also am shopping for a 2007 MDX base model and so far the best internet quote I have is for 37929 from Glendale Acura and Sierra Acura of Alhambra. I am in the process of getting a second round of quotes. Let me know if you have any other info.
Thanks
I've received 2 quotes on base models for 37929 from glendale acura and sierra acura of alhambra. Haven;t purchased yet but this was the first offer via internet so hope to get it down a bit. Have you had any luck?
15k miles/year
$0 down/$1,145 due at lease
Negotiated sales price ~ $39,700 (est.)
42 months
$623.44 per month. (it was about $602 per month with 12k miles)
We picked up our new ride last evening (Wednesday). The car was beautiful. We had yet to see an Aspen White Pearl in person and we were not disappointed by any means. The combination of the Aspen White Pearl and Parchment interior has to be my favorite of what we've seen (even though I'm a male and that definitely doesn't make the car seem very masculine). I'm 16, so the car obviously wasn't for me, but I am definitely satisfied even though my mom and I both preferred the Range Rover Sport (unfortunately it's $250 more per month). The MDX definitely has great value, even at around 40-45k. It is as technologically advanced as any car on the market - XM, sophisticated Nav, Bluetooth, SH-AWD, and voice commands for practically everything.
Having owned and driven a previous generation MDX before this, I can definitely say this one is an improvement. The handling seems much more fluent and it has a bit of a sportier ride. It's lower to the ground than it's predecessor and has more of a car-like drive. I've only driven it once so I have very limited impressions, but I could tell it had a better drive from just a brief cruise around the block.
I'll try and keep you all informed if I find out anything else. Hope I helped. Good luck to anyone else interested. In my opinion it should be worth the wait.
you did the right thing. keep doing it. I wouldnt deal with this kind of dealerships.
If you are interested, please PM me, I will let you the sale person's name.
I asked him whether I could disclose the sale price and he prefered not to. But I could say it is a great price that no other bay area dealer could match.
Anyone has information to share, please?
Anyone has information to share, please?"
Wondering the same thing...no rush for me, but if anyone has any recent buying experiences in the Twin Cities to share, would love to hear about them.
If gas stays over $3 for the summer it might dampen the sales of MDX and other large cars.
$4000 price hike for 07 MDX
Gas mileage
Gas price
Thanks.
This is a very interesting statement. I did a calculation to compare the cost of buy vs. lease, for a 5-year 12,000 mil/yr use life. I found that leasing is more expensive. I always think that people with deep pocket lease, while the rest of us just buy. Am I wrong?
This is a very interesting statement. I did a calculation to compare the cost of buy vs. lease, for a 5-year 12,000 mil/yr use life. I found that leasing is more expensive. I always think that people with deep pocket lease, while the rest of us just buy. Am I wrong?"
Leasing is cheaper for the short term, which is why advertisements focus on the "low" monthly payment. This often attracts buyers who calculate payment only in their monthly expenses.
People who can't afford down payment and higher monthly payments also lease. Leasing is like talking a 10 year loan with 8% interest with too low monthly payments. You loose money in the end anyway but don't realize.
For example someone with just $2000 in pocket can drive a $40000 MDX with as low as 500/month. But you need to pay at least $1200/month for a 3 year 40,000 loan.
People with deep pockets and some money in bank typically buy.
2) Is premium fuel really required in these cars or can I use regular and be fine.
Thanks
Just a word of observation: I think the prices quoted do not include destination charges; so the final prices are still above invoices.
For someone who wants to pay extra to drive a new car every few years and has relatively low mileage it's not a terrible deal.
Unfortunately a lot of people seem to get sucked in with the "affordable" payments without giving thought to the long term cost and especially the penalties if you go over substantially on the mileage.
My wife is a dentist so there are certain tax benefits in leasing the MDX, but I still think it makes more sense to buy it and drive it for at least seven years.
My calculation shows the keeping a car at least 5 years will make "buy" a better deal than "lease". Not rocket science, but it may show that "buy" is a more financially sound option for most people.
2007 MDX Base Dark Cherry Pearl
Protection Package 1 (All Season Mats, Cargo, Wheel Locks)
Sport Running Boards
$37,900 (5% financing through my bank)
I found that most dealers would go to $37,400 with the all season mats included. My bargaining power was limited by our color choice. Cherry is very rare at least around these parts.
Thanks for everyone's input on the board.
Thanks
They will add/change some options but you won't be able to get 2008 MDX for invoice until 2009 Feb I guess.
I need 2008 with the following STANDARD
AutoD mirror
Rearview camera
45,990.50 vehicle
55.00 doc fees
3798.75 tax
380.00 Title, license, registration
8.75 California Tire fee
Total: $50,243
Thoughts?
I completely agree. So, we need 4 things (I added the last one) as standard offerings -
Auto dimming mirror
Rearview Camera
Power lift gate
Rain Sensing Wiper
If Acura is reading this, I would have bought the car by now if the above were available as standard equipment.
Thanks.
if it doesn't, I would say it's $1k more than what I would negotiate for. Depends which part of the country you are in.
Do you guys think it's good deal? For tech how much extra will make it a good deal?