Acura TSX Prices Paid and Buying Experience

tturedraider · April 2003

Please tell us about your Acura TSX deal.

jthokie · April 2003

I paid 26,250 for a 6-speed manual TSX sans navigation system. That included wheel locks, splash guards, and delivering the car with the color preference I wanted from another dealership 5 hours away. They financed at 3.9%.

nicdmx · May 2003

jthokie...was that with our without the destination charge? Also..."sans navigation" means w/out naviagtion correct??

Thanks!

camina · May 2003

After test driving a TSX the dealer was telling me they are not discounting the car....at least not right now. Is this the case everywhere ?

CarMan@Edmunds · May 2003

Hi camina. I spoke with the manager of an Acura dealership whom I am friends with last week and asked him about the market for the TSX. According to what my friend told me, dealers in my area are not really discounting the new TSX at all. If they really have to they may throw in a couple of minor freebees, but they are sticking really close to full MSRP at this time. I am sure that this will eventually change as supply catches up with demand and the TSX is not the hot new product on the block. At one time dealers weren't discounting the Acura TL at all and now they are blowing them out at invoice. If you want what's hot and new you will have to pay a little more for this car, but if you can wait discounts are inevitable.

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gearhead10 · May 2003

When I test drove the TSX the salesguy also said they were going for MSRP except for a red MT they had on the lot for 2 weeks. He said he might be able to sell it for less. Evidently it was one of the first batch the dealership had gotten in the first weekend the car was out and the ONLY MT they had gotten. They had since gotten only AT's and had no trouble selling them at MSRP. So if you're in the market for a manual that's not one of the most popular colors (silver, gray or black) you might be able to get a discount.
Also seems that the AT's are way more in demand than the MT's.

aqpham · May 2003

The dealer I went to is also aiming for MSRP. The salesperson even added that they are taking orders right now for July delivery. I guess they are selling them like hot cakes. Hopefully I will be able to get invoice price later on this year or early next year.

aqpham

randomguy11111 · May 2003

Especially relative to the Audi 1.8 Quattro.... I wonder what kind of deal you could do there, especially a lease comparison.

Also, how much more the is the TL if the TSX is at MSRP.

P.S. I rather liked the look of it. Clear rip off of BMW/Audi styling as in the new accord interior (have these Honda people had an original idea in their lives - thank God they make great cars), but I am fan of the 3-series so it seemed rather nice to me.

midnightcowboy · May 2003

Actually you can buy a TL for less. A TL without NAV is now going for $24,500 and a simlar TSX is $26,990 (with $500) shipping.

matt00 · May 2003

Can you tell me how I can purchase a TL for $24,500? The best deal I got was $26,500?
Thanks,

gearhead10 · May 2003

One could probably get a comparably equipped A4 1.8T frontrack for around $27500. Would be a very close comparison. Both very nice cars with good handling that could use more power IMO.

A TL? It's larger but slower and doesn't handle as well as a TSX with MT. Bland styling too.

midnightcowboy · May 2003

A friend who is a wheeler dealer, went to Don Carlton Acura Tulsa toward the end of the month and paid $24,500 for a TL on the lot and the Tulsa Acura dealership is not that large, but their are only two in the state of Oklahoma.

I have not checked the prices in Houston, but I would expect similar saving. Especially since the current TL will be replaced in September.

randomguy11111 · May 2003

I am not arguing that TL is a better car. My point is that it is supposed to be a move up within the brand.

Personally I like a BMW 3-series over a 5-Series. But if 3-series was more expensive than a similarly powered, comparably equipped 5-series, it would seem strange.

So I question the value proposition, not which is a better car. Clearly the TSX is overpriced or the TL is underpriced. Or both... Doesn't matter, just intriguing...

Your comparison of a TSX manual and a TL automatic and prefering the styling, handling and power of the TSX points to why you would have this kind of inverse pricing.

Personally, I'd go TSX automatic myself...

Just'd feel bad the TL was cheaper....

gearhead10 · May 2003

Yeah, I guess Acura didn't have to think too hard to justify raising the price of the forthcoming generation of the TL.

I think the TSX may be considered overpriced only because dealers aren't moving off of MSRP to sell. And if one really needs the room, the current TL is a bargain (if you don't mind having an "old" car in a few months).

If TSX's start being discounted, Acura could sell way more than 15,000 of them. I seriously considered going for one, until I drove an A4 quattro. The 3-series is very nice as well with unbeatable driving dynamics but then one has to justify the extra $5-6K+ over a comparably equipped TSX.

And if one just HAD to have more power, the TSX is a Honda and we'll soon be tripping over tuner upgrades to get more power out of the K24.

uncledavid · May 2003

I doubt dealers will be discounting the TSX much, until Honda starts bring more of them over here. Its not going to be hard for them to move 15,000, so there is going to be little incentive to discount.

himiler · May 2003

In Syracuse, the Acura dealer has 3 ATs (none sold so far), and just received the first MT that wasn't spoken for already (after selling 3 MTs off pre-release deposits). Honestly, it's a bit of a dog with the AT, but the tranny is very smooth.

randomguy11111 · May 2003

a manual transmission would be insanity...

dudka · May 2003

I used to live in NYC and drove manual for years. no biggie, of course you can not talk on the cell phone, drink coffee, and do other inappropriate things behind the wheel. But having manual in traffic is not as bad as people make it to be. I used to keep it in 1st or second and just play with the trottle, rather than switching between brake and gas.
as far as street parking, after my car was broken in once, i started garaging, it is well worth the peace of mind to know your car will be there the way you left it last night.

midnightcowboy · May 2003

San Francisco

mazda6s · May 2003

A manual is OK in SF, you just have to get a Subie with the hill-holder feature. Of course, Subies are popular in SF for other reasons (not that there's anything wrong with that).

gearhead10 · May 2003

Hill-holder feature would be absolutely necessary.

I would agree with himiler also. Alright, what are the other reasons Subies are popular in SF? Guess I'm a little thick 'cause I can't figure it out.

robr2 · May 2003

This may get me in trouble, but Foresters are supposedly associated with one segment of the alternative lifestyle populace due to Martina Navritilova's use as a spokesperson. My SIS refused to even look at one due to that connotation.

Now Automobile Magazine said the Element would replace the Forester in that market audience but everyone I see is driven by traditional couples.

rroyce10 · May 2003

..... I never heard that one before .l.o.l.

Gheez, they are so popular .. hmmmm.

Terry.

gearhead10 · May 2003

I must sure miss a lot by living in SoCal! I'll never look at one the same again!

Thought it might have had something to do with the popular WRX that a couple of my friends have, LOL! The Element--I'd be surprised if any population segment wanted to be associated with that!

"I guess I didn't know!" --T.C.M.

robr2 · May 2003

Maybe it's a New England thing. But once I heard that maybe I started noticing the number of rainbow decals on the rear windows. Personally it doesn't bother me and it wouldn't stop me from buying one - the Forester's looks do that that!!

On Topic - anybody get a discount off the tSX MSRP yet??

stickguy · May 2003

Local dealer that I am on the internet mailing list for is listing TSXs for 25,990, so 1G off MSRP. No distinction between manual and auto, so it should be the price for any non-Nav car in stock. I believe the last ad in the paper said 41 "available", not sure how many in stock vs. known allocation.

Of course, they also will sell an Accord EX 4AT for about $20,500, so if you want the AT, is the Acura badge and extra features worth $5,500?

gearhead10 · May 2003

Okay, back on topic, $25990?! When I drove one four weeks ago the salesguy had a red MT on the lot from the first batch he got in. Said it was sitting in the showroom for most of the two weeks they had it and that he could probably get it discounted if I was interested. Didn't say how much though.

No discounts on the AT's--they had no problems selling them. This one had the beige interior with fake wood which I don't particularly like--I have a 7 year old and it's hard to keep clean!

mazda6s · May 2003

Don't forget you get a better warranty with the TSX, and they all have leather and 40 more HP.

3449gabi · May 2003

robr2 Tell your sister that I wouldn't be like to be associated with her suburban style, and her gas guzzler Mini Van/SUV neither. I guess we are even.

robr2 · May 2003

It's my sister-in-law and I shall. As for your comment, she's an up-scale urban dweller who was looking for a replacement for her 300M. You're entitled to your opinion and she's entitled to hers and I don't agree with either one of you at this point.

Personally, I find it hard to believe that someone would have an issue with a car due to a supposed connotation. I meant no offense to anyone - I was just sharing. Now having an issue with the Forester because it's ugly - that's another story!! :-)

Peace.

gearhead10 · May 2003

Hey, didn't mean to cause a disagreement by asking about the Forester. There are lots of people that have issues with different cars due to supposed cannotations and it's not cool. But I would agree that a lot of people would have an issue with the Forester and more so with the Element based on their looks alone!

robr2 · May 2003

Anyone up for a round of Kumbaya?? LOL

I can understand 3449gabi's reaction. I just hope he understands that I was not attacking anyone's lifestyle but relaying an annecdote. They was no malice towards anyone or anything except the Forester. I am, and my SIS is, pretty open minded - she just didn't want a Forester and perhaps the supposed connotation was one more negative in her mind. 3449gabi's description of her as an SUV driving suburban soccer mom was a bit presumptive and knee jerk IMHO.

As for the Element I like it. My folks even wish they knew about it before they got their CRV as they live near the ocean and the rubber floor would've worked out great.

As for the TSX, anybody getting a good deal yet?

mazda6s · May 2003

What's wrong with alternative lifestyles? I was thinking about proposing some legislation that would allow me to marry my car!

The TSX is a nice car, but I wouldn't want to marry one.

6t6 · May 2003

I just ordered a TSX auto, w/o nav, in Michigan and got $625 off MSRP, plus some accessories thrown in. I found most dealers refusing to discount right now, but there seem to be a few whom you can bargain into modest discounts.

gearhead10 · May 2003

Well, if you marry your car do you get a dependant exemption and then can write off the purchase price too?! Wait, I'm already married--getting into alternative lifestyles again--nevermind.

Back on topic, the dealership that I visited wasn't discounting AT TSX's but also wasn't charging a markup on MDX's back when they could--said it was against policy. So I guess it averages out +/-, no one gets a discount on one car and no one gets gouged on another.

CarMan@Edmunds · May 2003

Hi everyone. I just wanted to post a quick reminder to stick to the intended topic of this discussion - the Acura TSX. Any future off-topic posts will be deleted. Thanks.

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manualtrans · May 2003

I live in Southern California and I was able to get a hell of a deal. I made offers to 8 different Acura dealers in my area and finally got a quote:
$25,150 for Black on Ebony 5AT No/Navi
$27,150 for Black on Ebony 5AT w/Navi.

I decided to go all out and get the one with the Navi. I have signed all papers and am going to receive the care on the 23rd of May. The out the door price came out to be just over $29,000.

So yes, $1800 off MSRP ( a huge discount) can be had. It takes a lot of persistance at the right dealer with the right manager, on the right day.

elrod03 · May 2003

Which dealer gave you that incredible deal? I live in So Cal and will probably buy a TSX auto (no Nav) in the next few months. My intention was to wait until prices came down about $1000 to $1500 off MSRP but if I can get your deal I'd do it today.

manualtrans · May 2003

I would love to tell you which dealer in Socal gave me this deal. However, I don't want to promise you that you will get the same deal. Let me explain.

Most dealers have salesman that need to make a certain amount by the end of the month. I was lucky enough to run into one of these salesman. He was hungry and wanted to get a sale in by the end of the month. Heck, he was going to sell me a Satin Silver with Ebony interior no/Navi for $25,000, because it was on the lot.

So you have to go to the right dealer at the right time and be serious about purchasing the car. I've gotten similar offers at many dealers in Socal. So my advice to you is to be aggressive and if one dealer doesn't give you the deal, then move to another. Another strategy to use is to mention that another dealer offered to sell you the car at $XX and that you came into their dealership to see if they could do better. Let them know that, "I am ready to buy today, if the price is right." and they will compromise a great deal. Trust me! I've done it with many different cars and many different dealers!

elrod03 · May 2003

Thanks for the feedback, I will definitely try your tactic.

Based on your buying experience, do you know if any particular colors are "hot?" I'm interested in either the meteor silver or artic blue. One dealer told me he had not even seen the meteor silver, or the milano red for that matter.

uncledavid · May 2003

I bought one with Meteor Silver last week.

As for price, I didn't get them to come down much off of MSRP, but I found that they were willing to give me a lot more than my trade was worth. The dealer wound up giving me about $1300 above bluebook - far more than other dealers had offered. So, at the end of the day, it turned out to be a decent deal.

vikd · May 2003

...and you bought an AT TSX??!!

Head...hurting...does...not...compute...systems...shutting...down- ...

Regards... Vikd

oh, and enjoy your new ride. nice veh and a nice price...

manualtrans · May 2003

Yeah, I know my username is "manualtrans" because I am a car enthusiast and currently drive a manual civic ex. However, after months of driving in the So Cal area in hours of traffic to commute to and from work, I decided to go with the automatic.

I would say, manual all the way!!! But, NOT in LA!!! If I was in any other state, I would not have even considered the Auto. So yeah... I got an 5speed Auto Black on Ebony with Navi for $27,150.

As far as colors go elrod03, this is what I know. There are a lot of black, silver, white TSXs out there. Of these, the black ones seem to be the hottest. The satin silver seems to be the color that is most available on the dealers lot.

As far as the other colors, Milano red is the most common of the more unique colors, but is not all too common. Blue is a little more rare and yes the Meteor Silver is really hard to find.

You can get great discounts on these unique colored TSXs that have been sitting on the dealers lot for the last 2 months. They know that most people won't buy them unless they get a great deal. So take advantage of that knowledge and once again be firm about your offers. Down show any signs of compromise, unless you get your target price. They will easily be willing to sell you the TSX at most dealer for at least $25,500 (non-navi).

Kirstie_H · May 2003

A major daily newspaper is looking to interview folks who purchased a car for over sticker price since the beginning of this year. If you have a story to share, please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information by May 28, 2003.

uncledavid · May 2003

Its not the case that Red and Meteor Silver are more likely to be discounted. Those colors are harder to get, but sell pretty quickly. My dealer did have several Meteor Silvers on his lot, but they were all sold. I wound up getting one that was still in transit.

manualtrans · May 2003

I say that it was "more likely" to be discounted from "my experiences". Just because your dealer had them sell off the lot quickly does not mean that is the case with all dealers, especially in So Cal, where those colors are unique and the general buying public prefers classic colors like black, silver, and white.

Like I mentioned, from my experiences, many dealers tried to sell me a Milano Red or Blue colored TSX because they had been sitting on their lots for the past 2 months. This is in the So Cal area, once again.

zeong · May 2003

Hi uncledavid,

Do you have a picture of your meteor silver TSX? I lived in Austin, and they won't have the meteor silver for months. They can order one, but I don't want to order it without seeing the actual color, or the least, a picture of it.

I would greatly appreciate!! Thanks!

zeong · May 2003

By the way, my e-mail address is hata_san2000@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance

szellers · May 2003

I have an appointment on Saturday to test drive a Milano Red non-navi TSX at Courtesy Acura in Sanford, Florida. But really can't decide if I should wait for a white one, which is what I had originally wanted, but the red might be nice too. Have a 99 TL with 47,000 miles on it, in excellent condition and am considering trading, but not sure if I can expect for them to give me more for my trade, or try to get them to take money off MSRP? How should I approach this?

gearhead10 · May 2003

I haven't seen a white one but the car looks great in red. Kinda depends on if you're a "red" or white car person, i.e. some people think red is too bright for their personality or fear tickets. I would try to get them to lower the selling price as you then also save on tax and license fees. Not sure if they will be resistant to do that though. Getting more for your trade doesn't get you any more that just that.

uncledavid · May 2003

I live in Los Angeles. I went to nearly every dealer in the area asking about the Meteor Silver. The response I got was the same and same gain. They're getting few in from Acura, and the ones they get sell within a few days. I had to order one that wasn't here yet. Acura hasn't been shipping many for one reason or another, but they are selling quite briskly.

Zeong, I'm mailing you a link for photos. For what it is worth, I love the Meteor Silver and have had a number of poeple come up to me in parking lots and ask about it. It basically looks like a lite blue, and seems the nearly ideal color for Sunny Southern Cal. I also really like the Carbon (gray) interior, which is a nice halfway point between tan and black.

Its always a question of personal preference, but my favorite colors for the TSX are the Meteor Silver and Smoke (gray/light black - I forgot Acura's name for it).

Acura TSX Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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