2013 and earlier-Acura TL Prices Paid and Buying Experience

habitat1 · July 2004

For what it's worth, I traded my 2002 Honda S2000 in for our 2004 Acura TL. I got the TL at $1,000 over invoice, AND the dealer gave me 100% the Edmunds trade-in value for the S2000 ($22,000), so I only paid tax on the $11,300 difference (registered the car in PA).

I potentially could have sold the S2000 privately here in DC for $25,000, but that would have resulted in a lot of hassle and the $3,000 more I might have received would have been partially offset by another $1,320 in sales tax on the new car.

I agree with your decision to wait, if the best you can do is MSRP for the TL and a ridiculously low balled trade in on the XC90. But there are other dealerships out there that would likely treat you much better (i.e. like mine in PA), whether you decide to wait on the 2005's or not.

P.S. My Acura dealership was unsuccessful in selling the S2000 off their lot and ended up wholesaling it anyway. So perhaps they are a little leary of giving 100% of trade in value on a $22k-$30k trade in again. But I am quite sure they would come very close, certainly not a $7,000 low ball (especially given you were already agreeing to pay about $2,000 more over invoice for the TL than I did).

comp · July 2004

Congrats on the deal, it is always gratifying to see someone do a decent deal. I've dealt, er tried to deal with this dealer before to no avail. Back in 99 or 00 tried to buy a TL but again they wanted nothing less than sticker with no trade. I don't mind the dealer making something (3%) but sticker is just a little too much profit in my opinion. I had also heard a few things about the dealer. Thought maybe that had changed over the last few years but guess not. I wasn't looking for the deal of the century just something respectable. Since there is only 1 dealer in this area I am out of luck for now. I hear the 05 Audi A6 is going to have the bluetooth technology. Then maybe Acura won't be the only game in town. Enjoy your TL, as I said before it is a great ride.

habitat1 · July 2004

Again, it's up to you, but I was offering my suggestion that if you were prepared to pay $1,000 under MSRP for a 2004 TL and accept slightly less (within $1,000) of the true trade in value for the XC90, the dealership I bought from in PA would likely make that deal. In other words, the "net" price you wanted in the first place, or perhaps even a bit better.

Unlike you, I had plenty of Acura dealerships in the DC area to choose from, but, by and large, all wanted close to MSRP for a TL w/Nav (especially a 6-speed in my color choice w/ no extra miles on the odometer). So I had no hesitation in ordering from my former hometown dealership 375 miles away. As far as maintenance and service goes, I don't think buying out of town will be much of a detriment. I called a few local service department managers and asked if they had any problem with servicing a car not bought from their dealership and the answer was a universal "we want your business". No free car wash at one, but I know how to use a hose.

As for competition softening the market for the TL, I don't think the $40k-$50k A6 will do much. I drove the 6 cylinder and was not impressed with it's performance. The 4.2 V8 I drove stickered over $50k. Big discounts were available, but I suspect the new 2005 will be in high demand for awhile. Most of the cars I considered were above the TL in price, in some cases by $20k+ (E320 CDI). While there are some nice choices out there, none offer the overall value of the TL, IMO. The soon to be redesigned 2005 G35 sedan may be the most serious challenge in the same general price range.

Good luck whatever you decide. It is unfortunate that your choice of cars may be affected by the choice (or lack thereof) of dealerships.

comp · July 2004

I would have jumped on that deal Saturday. I think I am pretty realistic when it comes to car buying and don't expect too much. A little give and take is fine with me. After having a few days to think about the deal I was offered it occurred to me that I am doing all the work. Buy the car for MSRP, can't trade because they don't want to, sell my car in the paper (with all the hassles) and write the governor a check for sales tax on the MSRP price. Hmm what's wrong here. Shouldn't the salesman and dealer be doing all the work. But again, Acura can ask whatever they want for the TL and I can say no and walk away. We'll see what the market looks like this winter. Just out of curiosity who was your dealer in Philly?

habitat1 · July 2004

My dealer was Contemporary Motorcar in Erie, PA. They sell Acura, Mercedes and Saab. I had initially called them on the 2005 E320 CDI, but stayed with them (same slaes manager/person) when I decided to go with the TL instead.

They couldn't have made the transaction easier for me if they tried. They gave me the trade in price over the phone based upon my (accurate) description of the car. The paperwork was done in 10 minutes flat when I arrived to pick up the TL. If, as you sound, your an honest guy that wants a good deal, I couldn't recommend Contemporary more highly. And I'm sure they wont change their approach if you decide to wait until the 2005's come out.

comp · July 2004

Glad to hear you had an enjoyable experience. Buying a car doesn't have to be painful, unfortunately there are many dealers that make it that way. And of course there are some of us consumers who want it all as long as it is not a penny over invoice. I've always been willing to pay 3% over invoice ( think it is a fair profit for dealer) but have done a few good deals in the past at invoice. Just all depends on the supply and demand. What are your experiences with the car so far... good and or bad? What would you like to see different on the car?

habitat1 · July 2004

Overall, at 3,000 miles, my experience with the TL has been very good. I generally like the performance and handling. The "amenities": bluetooth phone, navigation system, XM radio etc. all serve to make my drives more pleasant. The clutch engagement on the 6-speed took awhile to get used to (as opposed to my S2000, which felt comfortable from day one). No rattles or squeeks at his point.

What would I change? Not much. The seats could be a little better with more thigh and side support, but they are still noticably better than my 1995 Maxima. Coming out of a Volvo - known for very good seats - you may find the Acura seats only "acceptable" but not great. The audio system, for all it's claims as groundbreaking new technology, doesn't match the crispness of sound from the old Nakamichi / Fosgate system I had installed in my first new car - a 1978 Datsun B210GX. But again, it's quite good and I'm not exactly a high decible rock and roller. Probably the biggest issue I have with the car is that, for pure driving pleasure, no FWD car will match the feel and handling of, say a BMW 5-series. But the $530i is another $18k in price, or $25k if you go to the 545i, which is necessary to match the quickness of the TL. The TL is at least as good or better than any of the other FWD cars I tested and, IMO, is a better overall package than the RWD Infiniti G35.

If I might ask, why do you want to trade your XC90. We will be replacing our SUV next and the XC90, along with the MDX/Pilot, Lexus GX470 and a couple of others are on our list. I'm impressed with the looks and drive of the XC90, just not sure about Volvo reliability compared to the others.

habitat1 · July 2004

Overall, at 3,000 miles, my experience with the TL has been very good. I generally like the performance and handling. The "amenities": bluetooth phone, navigation system, XM radio etc. all serve to make my drives more pleasant. The clutch engagement on the 6-speed took awhile to get used to (as opposed to my S2000, which felt comfortable from day one). No rattles or squeeks at his point.

What would I change? Not much. The seats could be a little better with more thigh and side support, but they are still noticably better than my 1995 Maxima. Coming out of a Volvo - known for very good seats - you may find the Acura seats only "acceptable" but not great. The audio system, for all it's claims as groundbreaking new technology, doesn't match the crispness of sound from the old Nakamichi / Fosgate system I had installed in my first new car - a 1978 Datsun B210GX. But again, it's quite good and I'm not exactly a high decible rock and roller. Probably the biggest issue I have with the car is that, for pure driving pleasure, no FWD car will match the feel and handling of, say a BMW 5-series. But the 530i is another $18k in price, or $25k if you go to the 545i, which is necessary to match the quickness of the TL. The TL is at least as good or better than any of the other FWD cars I tested and, IMO, is a better overall package than the RWD Infiniti G35 or AWD Audi A4 Quatro.

If I might ask, why do you want to trade your XC90? We will be replacing our SUV next and the XC90, along with the MDX/Pilot, Lexus GX470 and a couple of others are on our list. I'm impressed with the looks and drive of the XC90, just not sure about Volvo reliability compared to the others.

jrkelly · July 2004

I bought my Desert Mist/Parchment non-navi auto TL a little over a week ago from Mac Churchill in Ft. Worth. Worked out the deal in advance with the internet sales manager. It was easiest and most pleasant car buying experience I've ever had. Paid $600 over invoice without haggling at all. Everyone was very laid back at the dealership and came up to welcome you to the family. We were in and out with the car in no time. I highly recommend them. Stay away from Goodson Acura in Irving. They try all the deceptive practices in the book. They even wanted me to put down a $1,000 non-refundable deposit, which is illegal. And Vandergriff just wants to play the sales song and dance game. Go to Mac Churchill.

mplsguy · July 2004

I just ordered a car in blue/quartz. In the Minneapolis area, I couldn't find much of a deal. The best I could find locally was $1000 off on a nav. I wasn't impressed with White Bear Acura or Berkle and neither would budge on their price. The sales people and internet guy at Bloomington Acura were great, but they couldn't quite do enough on the pricing.

So, I am going to go to a Chicago suburb to pick one up. They are going to pick me up from the airport on a Sat morning in a few weeks. I got it for $1000 over invoice with a little pushing plus splash guards and all weather floor mats at a discount. Overall I saved about $1000 after the plane ticket for the effort. Total price is $33300. It isn't the best I have seen posted but underneath TMV and the best I could find in the entire midwest.

I hope to enjoy my trip back home in the new car.

xkegsx · July 2004

Hi all, I just put a deposit on a Black TL w/ auto. and navigation. I paid 2000 under MSRP, got a few accessories tacked on for free, wheel locks, engine block heater, and got the guy to give me a free service contract that covered maintenance on the car for 3 years. I also bumped up the standard warranty and add window etching out of my own pocket. Total was 33,200 and after taxes etc. it came to 35 and change. Good deal?
PS. : It seems to be the best deal around as I went to a few other dealerships and they want 2-3 grand more. Just wanted to see if you guys knew of something I didn't.
Also these guys seem good, because I originally wanted to get the A-spec not realizing it wouldn't bode well in the area I live in and these guys were gonna charge me cost for the package whereas the competitors wanted to sell it to me for 9 grand... What a rip.

rsr152 · July 2004

Hi,
I will be moving to Portland, OR and purchasing a new car in about 1.5-2 months. I had a few questions and would appreciate any pointers or suggestions. Currently I am a resident of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).

My choice is between the TL & G35 leather w/ premium pkg.(An '04 I35 w/ Nav. and cold weather pkg. for < $28k would be a third choice).

Questions:

(i) What are typical "additional" fees dealers charge in Oregon, or to Oregon residents (buying in WA, or CA, for instance)?

(ii) There is no sales tax on cars, right, for OR residents?

(iii) What is a good time to buy a new car- August, September, October (due to '05 models and inventory reduction etc.)?

(iv) Would it be unreasonable to expect to get an '04 non- navi. TL or '04 G35 w/ prem. pkg. for $32k, all inclusive?

(v) How well does the argument of an '04 car being "a year old" (and so it should be offered for lesser) usually work in Aug/ Sept/ Oct, if the dealer has some '04 models on-site?

Thanks again.

arizonaroads · July 2004

Although the heat of the summer is bearing down on Arizona dealerships, 6spd MT TLs remain in short supply. I am now considering waiting until September and ordering a 2005 TL so that I can get the color, tires, and transmission I want. Has anyone heard any rumors, inside information, industry hints or anything else concerning any price increases for the 2005 TL? While I expect some sort of price increase, given the popularity of the TL, I am wondering if it will balance out against the depreciation of a 2004 vs a 2005 model. Also, has anyone heard of any additional features or changes that might justify a price increase? I wouldn't expect any major changes in major systems for at least three years, but small items might be added or revised. Comments?

steve5 · July 2004

Who was your dealer???

xkegsx · July 2004

DCH Acura in Verona New Jersey. Just to clear things up I had to pay extra for the extended warranty.

hpowders · July 2004

Hello. I live in the Tampa Bay area. Good sports. Lousy car dealers. Anybody out there have any positive experiences with Acura dealers anywhere in Florida?
Thanks.

shelly · July 2004

Got a great deal from Palm Beach Acura give them a call ask for judd
tell him shelly sent you 5616860300

mdhauke · July 2004

Your question gets asked here about 3 times a week. Nobody knows anything.

scomyrwil · July 2004

I just picked up my new TL with navi on Saturday from Regal in Lakeland. Just get a buyers order from another dealer and they will beat it by a couple of hundred bucks. I bought 4 Acuras from the Tampa dealer in the past due to the fact that Regal could not come close to their price. The other dealer could not meet the lower price.
When I got my car they have about 10 TL's. My price was 2K off sticker. Bought the First Finish option so that the finish won't get hurt by the love bugs. I would strongly suggest it. Also bought a Motorola V600 cell phone to connect to the car.

Talk to Billy Morrison. He is honest as well as his manager. They will treat you right

mattd · July 2004

Got a price update. I had another dealer email me a quote as I was dialing the dealership to put in my deposit. After more haggling, I got it for $33007.52 + TTL. Seems like apretty good deal to me.

aahwang · July 2004

I haven't read many buying experiences from San Jose, San Francisco, or general Bay Area. I'd like to add in my own experience here for your reference.

I just picked up a Silver with Ebony 2004 automatic TL at Stevens Creek Acura. I had a good buying experience there. They are the volume leader, and they have some good selections to choose from. They are able to give the best price in the Bay Area, and more importantly, they match the lowest prices if you show valid quotes from other dealers. I was able to buy the car for less than 1000 over invoice.

My salesperson. Steven Tom, was very competent and very easy to work with. Ask for him if you are in the Bay Area and looking for a TL. Tell him that Albert has recommended him to you through Edmunds.com. (I am not getting any benefits from this, of course, but just to let you know of a good person whom you can work with)

Thank you, and hope you have a good buying experience in the SF, SJ, Bay Area!

cpa4u · July 2004

I know exactly what you mean about the Acura dealer in Nashville. I tried to make a deal there about 3 years ago and couldn't. Now I tried again on an '04. Still wasn't able to get anywhere with them. I asked what their best price would be. The sales guy said, do you want navigation or not? I said no. He said, our best price then would be $33,500. I said that is more than sticker. He said that they included the protection package on every car and was giving me a discount at that price. I walked.

I got a quote today from an Atlanta dealer that will let one go for $31,400. I still think I can do a little better.

igiban · July 2004

Is yours with Nav or w/o? Did you get the price via internet quote? Does yours come with some mats/guards/locks.. etc? Congrats.

mldj98 · July 2004

I live in the Tampa area and just purchased an Acura from Crown Acura in Clearwater. When I was in my search mode for my new Acura I was in contact with dealerships up to a 100 mile radius of Tampa. I came across 3 dealerships that were very professional and had very good prices based on what I have read in this forum. If you want to know more info please let me know and I can give you the scoop, so to speak!

mdhauke · July 2004

33,500 for a non-Nav? lol, what is this dealer thinking? That is the proce most places are selling Navs for now. I hope there arn't any idiots out there that would actually buy one for that proce.

cpa4u · July 2004

Believe it or not, people are paying that. While I was there 2 were being cleaned up for delivery to people waiting. Unreal that people have no clue that they can actually find dealers willing to come off the sticker. Matter of fact, I just received an email from a Florida dealer willing to sell at $30,500 for non-nav. May have to buy a plane ticket and fly down.

aahwang · July 2004

mine is w/o nav. I think the ones with Nav is going to have less discounts. I got prices from Internet Sales department from other dealerships as well, and that allows me to obtain the best deals for negotiating purpose. It seems to me that dealership are very willing to go about 1000-1500 over invoice for one without nav. Anything below requires more work. The car I got was also has wheel locks, which cost separately. Hope this helps!

pete419 · July 2004

Has anyone had a good recent purchase experience in Southern California?

I'm interested in a 2004 TL w/ auto & navi. But the dealers in the L.A. area all seem to want sticker price or close to it. Cars are scarce--some Acura dealers don't have ANY TLs on their lot!--and no one seems to want to deal.

The best price I've found so far is $34,645, which is $550 off MSRP. That's the CostCo pricing, and apparently it's "take it or leave it." I'm envious of some of the prices you guys have gotten in other parts of the country.

If anyone has any good info or advice about buying here in So. Cal., I'd really appreciate it. Example: Would I do better waiting a couple of months until the 2005s are out?

Thanks.

Pete
pete419@aol.com

tcl · July 2004

I searched the dealers inventory on the web, the dealer in Valenica show 17 TL in stock, the most in So CA. I do not know how accurate is the inventory shown on the dealer web site. 80% of the web site show the inventory. Alhambra have 9 while Cerritos have 7. I live in Southern CA also but would wait for the 2005 model. However I start to watch the market condition.

jfool · July 2004

I'm living in America more than 20 years and I had 5 cars already.I never bought a car for less than 25% of the sticker price.My last purchase was New 2002 Honda Civic SI in December of 2002 in NY/NJ area for $14,248+ $460 destination + tax (NYS)+1.9% for 3 years.I always look for Acuras and always walk away.In July,2003 I had a deal going for an Acura CL-S 6-speed-manual for $25,995+TTL and did not take it.The dealer still has the car.That should tell You something. Look at Honda ,Nissan,Toyota companies and see how they profit the best,than decide what You want to pay for a particular car.

If You stand at a busy intersection in a Big city
and ask every women to sleep with You,You will get Your face slapped a lot of times,BUT!!! YOU WILL GET TO SLEEP WITH A LOT OF WOMEN!!!

Do Not Settle for the fourth best.Good Shopping!

phn344 · July 2004

I purchased a 2004 TL (non-nav) on Labor Day for invoice price (30,325 plus $53 doc fee, and TTL) at Libertyville Acura. Mcgrath in Morton grove would not negotiate close to that (but they offer free car washes). I used email and phone looking for invoice price and did the deal over the phone with Libertyville in about 10 minutes! Picked it up the next day.

There are A LOT of 04 TL's at the dealerships around here so I think it's a buyer's market.

Good luck everyone...its a fun car!

igiban · July 2004

What's the website that shows TL inventory of dealers?

aaargh · July 2004

What is your point?

bklynpanman · July 2004

I was supposed to pick up my tl black/black 6sp/navi last night but received a call in the afternoon that the car had been hit!! can you believe that? from DCH Montclair Acura. They found another one that I'm picking up Friday.. Crazy.. 33,200.. 48 month lease.. 415/month. with protection package.

tcl · July 2004

Go to google search for acura dealer locator. You will locate the dealer by zip code or city, then go to individual dealer web site. Most car dealer have their web site and most of them show inventory up to some point. If you see the inventory going down fast that is mean the car in high demand. If there are more cars in the lot may be more room for price negiotation. Valenica Acura hacs the most, may be they not selling that fast in that area of town. Valenica is where Magic Mountain at. Give them a call or email see what happen. I am waiting for the 2005 model otherwise I will contact them.
http://www.valenciaacura.com/en_US/CombinedVehicleSearch_1.chtml. Good luck and let us know how do you do.

tcl · July 2004

I just found out Thomas Acura even have more in stock. They listed 16 auto w/nav. Thomas Acura is in West Convina off FWY 10

lucky · July 2004

Hello Aahwang,

Glad you had a good experience w/the dealer. You seems please w/your price. Did the dealer also throw in mats or other goodies with your price? Can I ask roughly how much you get your car for? It's my very first time buying a new car so the experience of going to the dealer to talk to those Salesmen can be nervous for me. Any tips will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Lucky

lucky · July 2004

WOW! $30k for your TL is really cheap. Is this just the basic and you did not add any upgrades? Can you share some tips?

Thanks,
Lucky

pete419 · July 2004

tcl,

Thanks for the information on TL inventory in L.A. Actually, I went over to Thomas Acura myself yesterday--and they had only one TL for sale. That contradicts what the inventory page on their website says. Same for Valencia Acura: their website shows 17 cars, but when you call, they only have two.

I asked the salesman at Valencia what was going on, and he apologized and explained that the websites are handled by an outside company and aren't up to date: they show what cars were inbound to the dealership but don't take into account the ones that have already been sold. I saw no reason for him to lie to me, so I guess that's the way it is.

Bottom line: It sounds as if 2004 TLs are in short supply in So. Cal.

Guess I'll just have to decide if I'm ready to pay $500 under sticker now or hold out . . . until . . .?

Pete

durgak · July 2004

you have to bargain on out the door price that is when you can get good price.

tcl · July 2004

Thanks for the information in the actual situation. However my friend got an internet quote from Valenica Acura for $ 31,467 plus tax and Lic. It is about $1000 over invoice on the base model. I do not know it is a real price or come on deal. I figure at the end of the year demand may ease due to the new RL coming out. The RL may not take away people want the TL. If demand is high on the RL, the dealer need to sell more TL to get more RL. RL is higher margin car, dealer may lower the price on the TL and make more money on the RL. As I understand the dealer only get more car if you sell more on a certain fixed ratio. They cannot pick and choose. The 2005 model may have some improvements anyway.

comp · July 2004

I envy all of you who live in locations with multiple dealers. I think you get better deals on vehicles and also better service. Seems when there is just one they don't have to go the extra mile. I had a good buying experience with the one and only Infiniti dealer in Nashville, but the service was the worst I'd ever experienced. Sold the car to a friend a few years later. I have heard some service related stories from our local Acura dealer which makes my quest for a TL a little harder now. I did find dealers in surrounding states willing to deal, some priced my trade better and some discounted the car more, but I am now second guessing going the Acura route with our one and only dealer and its service reputation. I know that Acura has great reliability and may not need anything more than regular service visits for a while, but one of the horror stories told to me was about a routine oil and filter change. Paying premium prices for a Yugo experience isn't my idea of money well spent. It just disgusts me that this Nashville dealer doesn't strive to be any better. Who wants to open another Acura dealer in Nashville?

dec7 · July 2004

I live in BHM, AL and talked w/ all dealerships in TN, GA, AL, and N FL for a few weeks before purchasing. In all cases I compared prices assuming I was buying from their current inventory, Auto TL w/Nav, included the extra's (tr tray, mud flaps, wheel locks, prot pack) and looking for 'out the door' price (incl. any fees before tax). Most got close in the final hours, but Nashville couldn't even get within $2000 of the next worse price. I laughed at the salesman. How on earth do they stay in business????? Best price I found- Columbus, GA at $33400 w/ nav, $31400 w/o nav (out the door).

ftlay · July 2004

Hey, I'm also from BHM and am looking for TL with the same spec as yours. Have you visited other dealerships or did you talk over the phone? I test drove the TL at BHM and am test driving the 6 speed at Huntsville. What were your experiences like with these 2 dealerships?

chookalish · July 2004

I've been actively searching in the LA area the past few weeks, as I've been looking for a TL auto w/ nav. Here's what I've learned.

1. Price. I went to South Bay and was told that they are just going MSRP only, no negotiations. Called Cerritos and asked if they were selling for sticker; the salesperson said the absolute best deal they heard of was about $300 below MSRP. Called Covina and asked them if I could get it for $1000 below MSRP, and they hung up on me. Called Downey, to ask about availability- told them I didn't want the extras they added on- wheel locks, mud guards. They refused to sell without the extras- in fact the manager told the sales person they could remove them, put them in the trunk, and I could sell them on ebay if I wanted to.

Now just a couple hours ago I got an email from Downey, offering the TL with, mud guards, wheel locks and destination for $31788 (no nav), and with nav for $34088.

My guess from talking to these salespeople is that $500 off MSRP is likely, maybe $700-800 off if the stars align in your favor. But they're all making a huge push to sell at MSRP.

2. Availability. Most dealerships were completely out of TLs the past couple weeks, but I think most of them got large shipments today. This afternoon and evening, I got (literally) a bunch of phone calls telling me they got cars in today. Tustin said they got 6 in anthrocite in. South Bay is getting some in this week, and more next week.

When I looked at one dealership, they first talked about how tough one color was to find, and that it would be a 3 month wait to get that color in stock. When we started talking about leaving a deposit on a color, the sales guy talked to his manager and said they were getting two in the color I wanted within a week.

Another sales guy told me the TLs w/ nav are hard to find, but another sales guy told me that most of the ones coming in now are w/ nav. Yet another one told me that more of the 2005s will come with nav.

One last item here- I checked on the availability of TLs on each dealer website, and when I called to verify what they had in stock, the website info seemed to be inaccurate.

3. Transmission recall. Spoke with a higher up at Honda (got to be vague here) about the transmission recall on the earlier 2004 TLs (and Accord V6- offhand I don't know which other models were affected). Shouldn't be a problem on the current 2004 TLs, but it's a logistical nightmare for Honda/ Acura, as involves a huuuuge number of cars. Initially, it concerned me when I was looking into the TLs, but I'm ok with it now.

As far as what I'm going to do now, I may wait a few months, just to see if the supply/ demand changes. I tried checking into any other new 2005s that might steal the thunder from the TL, but I didn't see anything new in the same category/ price range as the TL.

But if any of you could post any info on dealers, prices, I'd really appreciate it.

comp · July 2004

I am trying the email route rather than the phone. At times it is hard for me get my work done and negotiate with a handful of dealers over the phone all at the same time. So I sent about 6 dealers emails and most (not all) have responded. The quickest have been Huntsville. Very nice but didn't come off MSRP. I am also working with King in B'ham and they are off of MSRP by about $1500. A couple of dealers in KY responded but are not coming off MSRP either. I am losing interest in the TL because of the sales and service reputation of the one and only Nashville dealer. Not sure I can buy one and endure the sub par service experiences I am hearing about. For me buying is just the formality but a long term and pleasant service relationship is what is really important to me and I am beginning to think it can't happen in Nashville.

pete419 · July 2004

Thanks, chookalish and dukehouston, for the useful information about the So. Cal. situation.

I stopped by Downey Acura today and talked to the sales manager. For a TL auto w/ navi., he gave me a price of $34,500, including splash guards and wheel locks. I had a feeling he might go down a bit more, but not much. Also, he said the particular car I want--anthracite + camel--won't be coming in until the middle of September.

Chookalish, I'm wondering about that e-mail you got from Downey with the $34,088 quote. Was that accurate for that Acura? :-) The quote was about $1,100 off MSRP, and with some extras thrown in to boot. Right now I'm thinking that's a pretty good deal! But since you went on to say that someone could probably only get $700 to $800 off with the stars aligned favorably, I'm a little confused.

Pete
pete419@aol.com

chookalish · July 2004

Pete:
As far as the price is concerned- well, I'm just not very good at math. (Actually I was in a rush and just didn't take the time to add things up.)

I'd be happy to forward you the email from Downey if you have any interest. In fact, if you want to discuss the LA dealers in detail, I'd be happy to give you my "non politically correct" version via email- if nothing else, you'd probably get a laugh out of it.

As far as the color combo you're interested in, did they (Downey) offer to trade out with any other local dealer? South Bay was willing to trade out to get the color combo I wanted.

Ken

pete419 · July 2004

Ken,

Yes, please do forward me the e-mail from Downey--thanks! And I'd be very happy to hear your views on the LA dealers, PC or otherwise.

Trading out never came up in my brief discussion with the Downey sales manager. But it's good to know that some dealerships are doing that.

You can write to me at pete419@aol.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Pete

aahwang · July 2004

Hey Lucky!

Sorry I was busy at work these 2 days. Here is the response to your questions:

1) The car came with its own floormat, but I didn't ask for the heavy duty. In fact, this deal didn't have any accessories at all.
2) I got below 1000 over invoice. I consider that a rather good deal, given that this is the Bay Area we are talking about

Now, I got it when they have a sizable inventory on the lot. These few days, the inventory had lowered quite a bit it seems, so I am not sure if that price will be good anymore. However, if you are willing to wait a little bit, you can always wait for the time when the inventory is larger. That period will always give you an edge in negogiation. Also, start noting how long a car had sat in the lot. Go to the dealer's inventory on their website. Look specifical at the number A?????? Newer cars on the log should have a higher number then an older car. If you see an A056000, and then you see a A053000, you know that the A053000 car should have been on the lot longer than A056000. (if the factory makes 200 cars a day, and TLs are made in the same factory, then a difference of 3000 is roughly 15 days?...this is just a very very rough estimate) You can always play this to your advantage IF they have a good enough inventory. In this instance, it means that they have cars that they cannot sell, and that is in your advantage. When you negogiate, you are not negogiating for that A053000 mind you, since TL have the same equipment. You can always still get the newest car on the lot. Now, if they have like, 2 cars on the lot, then this method no longer holds true I believe. Simply put, if other dealers are all out, and this dealer has the last 2, they don't have to worry about selling it.
3) You may want to start keeping track of the dealer's inventory just to see if the flow of cars, just to give you an idea how quickly a car goes through a dealer. If it is slow, you can negogiate more. Otherwise, prices will be firm.

4) Very first time? Congratulations!! Here is a tip for you. Do not talk to salemen until you have contacted every Internet Sales Department. (You can do this by going to Acura.com). Immediately, you will have an idea who will give you the lowest price. Use this price and call other Internet Sales Managers, and say you have this offer, and will they be competitive and be lower. Do this a few times. From this experience, you can also gauge how well the dealer wants to deal with you. For example. If you talk to Dealer A, and ask, 'hey, Dealer B is giving me X dollars over invoice. Will you match?' If they are lightning quick in responding yes, you know there be more room to deal. The next call to Dealer C, you can say 'hey, Dealer A gave me an offer for X-100 dollars over invoice'. Some will say, well, sounds like you have a great deal! Then you know they don't have the inventory to accomodate your price. Move on to the next one. Everytime you got something lower, ask that they provide you with an email or a fax that will say "I will sell you for X dollars over invoice". They will also ask you to come into their dealership. Do schedule one, if you can, and schedule one that is a few days away. Then you can always use it as your leveage by saying to Dealer C...hey, if you are not able to do this. Then it's okay. I will go to Dealer B. This way, they know that they are not the sole competitor for YOUR business. And that may change their stances. Then again, it may not.

Just remember. YOU are in control. Be prepared to walk. If they will not honor a price, then politely thank them for their time, and leave. Remember that YOU are in charge of the money. YOU are giving them the money. Don't be nervous. Treat it as a game. It may even be fun!!

Let me know if you have more questions!

aahwang

2013 and earlier-Acura TL Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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