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2013 and earlier-Acura TL Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • socaldriver1socaldriver1 Member Posts: 3
    What state do you live in? If So Cal, which dealership did you purchase the TL?
    I received a quote prior to the $1,500 dealer incentive, for a 03 base TL w/out Nav for $29,600 out the door. What's a good "out the door" price I should go to the dealers with? From the discussions my guess would be $28,000.
       I'm also seeking a dealership names/recent price quotes received. I live in Southern California (Orange County).
  • ash213ash213 Member Posts: 40
    I bought my Tl one month ago. I have posted my deal earlier. I have been following other messages and I think deals have gotten better since I bought mine (except 2.9% financing). You should be able to get it for $25,500+tax+tag and anything else you can get thrown in, wheel locks, etc. Trust me you can do better than my deal now, ask for quotes on the internet. Call Turnersville Acura in NJ and see what they are asking, and that is probably the best deal out there, at least here on east coast, and there should be someone similar to Turnersville in S. California. I live in Maryland.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    About two months ago, I was ready to go with a 2004 Honda Accord EX V6 when they came out. During my research, I discovered the soon to be released 2004 TL, and thought that was the way to go. Although the new TL would be great, I'm not real keen on paying MSRP, which is probably going to be around $33,000, at best. I'm usually against purchasing a leftover, especially a body style that is getting replaced, but the $1500 Acura "marketing support" on the '03 TL made me think twice.

    I went out today to check out the '03 TL, '04 TSX, and the '04 Accord. I hadn't driven any of them up until today, although I did drive an '03 CL Type-S last week. I requested a quote from Autobytel so that I could deal directly with their internet sales person. When I showed up, I explained my situation, that I was still up in the air on what I was going to do, wanted to check out the cars and I still planned on looking into the Accord before making a decision. My first surprise was when they came right out and told me about the $1500 "marketing support" on the TL. The second surprise was when they told me that the TSX is in great demand, and they were only discounting them $1000. From what I've been reading, a $1000 off on a TSX is a great price. The third surprise was after I drove the TL and the TSX, they came back with a price of $27,152 + tax and tags for the TL Type-S and $25,990 for the TSX. Both prices included destination.

    Although the Accord was very nice, and I felt it had the best driving feel of the three (very smooth transmission), it didn't have the level of quality of the Acuras. The leather was not rich, and some of the trim just seemed considerably cheaper than the Acuras. The dash and the switches were definitely top quality, but the Accord woodgrain in person is much worse than I had expected. The woodgrain in the tan TL interior has the typical richness you expect in an upscale car.

    The TSX is also a very nice car. It has a nice upscale look and feel, but the 4 cylinder with auto. didn't have the smoothness of the 6 cylinder cars and the suspension was noticeably tighter. I'm sure it would be a blast to drive hard, but I didn't think I would be happy with it on a daily basis.

    I went back and drove the TL again, after having driven the Accord, and that confirmed to me that the TL had a much richer and quality feel. The TL was not as smooth as the Accord. The suspension is a little tighter, and the transmission was not as smooth. It's a great car for this price, but I'm don't know if I'll be making a mistake by buying the old body style.
  • eddiemaceddiemac Member Posts: 141
    If you want the 03, then go for it. You need to take a good look at what you want vs. what it will cost you. As it stands right now, there is(using your figures) about a $6000.00 difference between the 03 and 04 TL. You need to decide if the changes in the 04 are worth 6k, and do you want to spend that much for a car. If you think it is worth 6k for the 04, get it, if not, get the 03. i have a 2002 tl-s w/nav, which is the same body as the 03. I have seen and read about the 04 and I like the changes, but there is no way that i am getting rid of my 02. I plan to keep it at least 7 years. Remember- whenever you are ready to buy, there is always something out there to purchase. Get what feels right to you.
  • ggu2ggu2 Member Posts: 8
    #54 of 55 2003 TL Type-S $27,152 by fdefulvio Sep 12, 2003 (8:10 pm)

    Wow, that's $400 below invoice and after - $1.5K. Could you provide the info on which dealer, or web site and state you got this. Thanks.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    www.acuraofturnersville.com
    I think they are going into the nearly $1000 holdback. I was expecting them to go no lower than $27,500 on the '03 TL-S, so I was pleasantly surprised when their initial offer was $27,152 on a $31,830 MSRP vehicle.
  • kennyg5kennyg5 Member Posts: 360
    The TL, like the Maxima, has a significant changeover between 03 and 04 models. I bought the 03 Max because it is the last model year made in Japan, has proven reliability and I also own two other Max (92 and 97). I looked at the 03 TL before I bought the 03 Max, which then had a discount of $500 below invoice.

    I read about the 04 TL in the mags but have not seen it in person. I think the 04 looks good but the belt line seems a bit too high (I believe that is supposed to be a "trendy" new look). The 04 has more power and luxury items, but you have to pay a higher price (probably at MSRP). If you want an 03, it is now the best time to buy because of the deep discounts. Moreover, because the 04 is a new model, it will be more prone to having design bugs. However, hopefully the 04 will not have the tranny problem that some TL owners have been complaining about.
  • jimshijimshi Member Posts: 1
    wow! $27,152 is a steal on TL-S, IMO.
    I'm living in upstate NY and wondering whether it is possible to purchase the vehicle from NJ.
    My Acura dealer here is not willing to lower a penny on their advertised price.
    Thanks for any comments.
    Jim
  • billyperksbillyperks Member Posts: 449
    I am with you- seven years with my TLS and then I will start looking again.

    Just to add- we the consumer cannot keep up with the Manufacturers (I have said this a thousand times)with the different body changes and upgrades to their cars.If one is going to try and keep up, you will end up having car payments the rest of your life.

    I could have waited for the 2004 TL, but for what? to keep up with the Jones.
    No way, I was happy with the $29,200 I spent on a fully loaded tight built TLS.
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    You can buy your car in any state. Just be careful about taxes and registration. Your state (NY) will demand a tax no matter where you buy your car so make sure that you don't also get charged the NJ taxes. One of my friends made a mistake like that: bought a Volvo in Arizona, paid taxes and registration there and then paid them again in his state (New Mexico).

    You have to explain to the dealer up front that you're from another state. All the dealers in NJ should be quite familiar with the situation.
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Can anyone tell me what, if any, prices have been advertised in the Chicago area this week on a new 2003 TL(non-Type S and non-navi)?
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    I would suggest requesting an online quote from one of the major services,or directly from your local dealer's web site. Most dealers will give their best initial price to online customers. If the quotes that you get back are not significantly below invoice,you will probably need to take a trip to a dealer to get a better quote. Showing up in person will show them that you are serious, as opposed to making a phone call or sending an email. My dealer was up front with the current $1500 marketing support, but I was ready to let them know that I was aware of it. There is nearly $1000 holdback on these vehicles, so there is plenty of profit left for the dealer. Having '03 models sitting on the lot costs the dealer money. I'm sure they will be very happy to get any portion of the holdback sooner than later. I'm sure sales of the TL have been slow as people have been waiting for the '04. The Acura dealers in my area still have a nice selection of '03s available, and many are Type-S.

    I would not even consider an '03 if the price was not at least $1500 below invoice. It's basically a one year old vehicle with an old body style once you drive it off the lot. This is a car that people were paying close to MSRP for up until a year ago. This will be a $5000 savings from what the '04 will initially cost. You will save $7000 if you can live with 225 HP. You will probably start seeing a lot of one and two year old TLs on the market as the hardcore enthusiasts trade theirs in for the new '04. I'm thinking that I'd rather pay a premium and drive a new '03 off the lot instead of looking for a used one.
  • eddiemaceddiemac Member Posts: 141
    I own a 2002 tl-s w/nav, and on 8/26/03 my wife purchased a 2003 MDX touring w/ nav and res. We live in Washington, DC, but we purchased the MDX from Lindsay Acura in Columbus, Ohio. The DC area dealers were offering 500-1000K of msrp, but we got 1900 off msrp, plus discounted and free accessories from Lindsay. to Sweeten the deal for August, the salesman drove the MDX to DC for free! We signed an exemption from Ohio sales tax form, and registered the vehicle in DC and paid DC taxes. If you are interested in making a purchase in NJ- go for it! Just send them an e-mail and tell them what you want to do. That's what I did with the MDX. If you ask, you have a 50/50 shot at getting what you want. If you don't ask, the answer is always 100% no. Good luck on your purchase.
  • rodeodawgrodeodawg Member Posts: 19
    is showing me a used 03TL-S (at a "great deal" price of $26.9 with only 27K miles), but I am also interested in their 03-Ss (but, when informed that I know about the incentive, only $1.5 "off MSRP"), as well as their 04's (will be "much more expensive and must have non-refundable deposit").

    I am dealing with the same salesman who sold me my Touring MDX at full sticker last year. After reading edmunds TMV and these boards, I am surprised that they can keep a straight face as they make the above statements to me. I guess they made enough money off my MDX deal that they don't need my business.
  • ash213ash213 Member Posts: 40
    Run and spread the word.
  • cathyturnercathyturner Member Posts: 2
    I wanted to trade in my BMw x5 for 03acura TLS with navigation.The dealer is saying a total price of 34000.Is it the current price or am i being fooled by the dealer.Please let me know
    Cathy
  • ash213ash213 Member Posts: 40
    Call Turnersville Acura in NJ and that will tell you the current (best) pricing in the market. I was quoted $25,000+tax+tag for a 03 TL (no navi or Type-S) yesterday. I would add $1,000 to $1,500 for a Type-S and about same amount for navi, so $28,000-29,000+tax+tag is what it should cost.
  • cohenfivecohenfive Member Posts: 85
    just want to give you all a headsup that the great deals on leftover tl's are even around in the sf bay area, home of overpriced cars. my wife and i went to test drive both the s and base car last night. worked with a really nice salesman, happy to share his name offline. anyway, they are offering their tl's for $25.6k and tl-s's for $27.6k without any haggling. i'm sure you could do a tad better, but in any case i was surprised at the pricing. the dealer is concord acura by the way, if you want the salesmen's name email me. they have a decent color supply in stock.

    richard cohen
    cohenfive@yahoo.com
  • rocky1908rocky1908 Member Posts: 5
    I spoke to one one dealer and he is ready to sell Acura 2003 TL with Navigation system for $28,500 + tax + tag + processing fee.
    He is giving for free Gold Package and all weather mats.
    He is charging 350$ for spolier( Original value 749$).

    Is it a good price ? Is it worth buying Acura 2003 TL ? Please give your valuable suggestions....

    Thanks in advance
  • cohenfivecohenfive Member Posts: 85
    well if you take the non-nav price of $25.6k and add 1800 for nav (my guess), you get a price of $27.4k at my dealer without any negotiation. mats should be free and i don't ascribe any value to the gold package...maybe negative value...:)

    spoiler sounds reasonable, make sure that the quoted price includes painting...

    sounds like you can do better...as for the car itself, my view is that it represents outstanding value at these lower prices but you still have to like the car...i liked the 's' a lot but my wife thought it was too harsh. we both thought the base model was well equipped but wish it was outfitted as nicely as the 's'. there are a lot more differences than just the added horsepower. to me the 's' is well worth the added $$. we're going to check out the g35, saab aero and maybe volvo s60 t5, all of which cost quite a bit more.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    That would be a good price for a Type-S with Nav., but not a base model. My dealer is offering me $27,150 for a non. Nav. Type-S. I think the Type-S and Nav. options are both around $2000, so I think you should be looking at closer to $27,500. I would accept no less than $1500 under invoice, and that still leaves the dealer with close to $1000 holdback to work with. Acura is offering a $1500 "marketing support" on the '03 TLs.

    If you are interested in the options, you can calculate that into your discount, but I wouldn't expect to get the option discounts if they come down lower in the base price.
  • stuukestuuke Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased a used 2000 TL with Navigation. The asking price at the dealer was $19995 but I got it for $16900. It does have 50k miles but hey it's still a great price.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    Two weeks ago I had posted that Turnersville Acura in South NJ made me an offer of $27,150 for an '03 TL-S. I had been checking their web site to see their inventory, and boy was I shocked when I showed up today, and they had zero Type-Ss left!!! Their web site listed about ten TL-Ss. The sales manager said that several people had even come down from North NJ during the week to buy a car.

    Fortunately, they had a salesman's demo available, with only 1,000 miles, in the colors that I was looking for. It was one of the vehicles that I had seen on their web site. They were only willing to go another $200, to just under $27,000, saying that was what they paid for the car. I was able to get them to sell me the wood steering wheel for cost. I didn't really care about the 1,000 miles, and was hoping for at least another $500 off of the original price, but in the end, I'm happy with the additional $200 savings. Even if they could go lower, I think I still did pretty good getting it for under $27,000. Overall, it was a very good experience.

    That 1,000 miles sure made the drive home a lot more fun! It's already broken in. Also, it has a July 2003 build date, so the transmission should not have any problems.

    One more thing. They gave me an invitation to their '04 TL launch party.
  • tturedraidertturedraider Member Posts: 159
    Dealers are notorious for not keeping their websites up-to-date. Which always makes me think, "What good are you?" Manufacturers whose websites allow you to search dealer inventory tend to be more current in my experience. I can't think of a manufacturer that doesn't offer inventory search. Those inventory figures get updated automatically when the dealer reports sales to the manufacturer. At the dealership they're lucky to get someone to update their site more than once a month.
  • tturedraidertturedraider Member Posts: 159
    I just added a discussion for aftermarket body side moldings for the TSX and TL in the Aftermarket area.
  • colinzcolinz Member Posts: 22
    hey fdefulvio, i bought a acura 3.2 TL from turnersville acura on wednesday and i'm glad that i bought it earlier than i planned because i don't think they have anymore. i was gonna wait till the end of this month when the rebate was almost over but thank god i got it early. the salesperson was so friendly and not aggressive or anything. i got the black exterior with the parchment interior...the last one they got. i had a bad experience with acura of ocean for those of you living in monmouth county. they gave me one price but when i was ready to put a deposit they gave me a higher price and said "we didn't officially agree to that price" lots of b/s. anyone else buy a TL from turnersville? does anyone know how many miles you get when you get it new?
  • lorenzo46lorenzo46 Member Posts: 7
    I let my keyboard do the walking and just purchased a new 03 TL 9/26/03. Acura of turnersville came in with the best price 25,013. Lorenzo
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    I bought my '03 TL-S on Friday afternoon. They only had three salesmen demos left after I bought mine, and I think one of those was sold while mine was being detailed.

    Next time I will have to wait until I make my purchase before telling others about a great price. It worked out this time, but I was probably a day away from having nothing left to choose from. My wife kept rubbing it in, shaking her head "I can't believe you posted the price on the internet, and now they're all sold! What an idiot!".

    I still can't believe how nice they were to deal with. Everyone was honest and friendly from the moment I walked in the door to after I drove off the lot. They didn't even hit me up for all of the additional crap that the finance person usually tries to force, I mean offer you. If that's not enough, they have Starbucks coffee!
  • colinzcolinz Member Posts: 22
    i just bought a 2003 acura tl and i need to know if it's alright to use the auto-off headlight feature. i checked 2 dealers and they said don't depend on the auto-off feature because it was for if i really forgot to turn it off. is it a big deal if i leave it on because they turn off after 20 seconds anyway. also how long does the xenon bulb last and about how much does it cost to replace one? if someone knows please post a message for me. thanks
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    I can't begin to understand what the dealers were trying to tell you. The auto-off feature in the TL is PRECISELY what its name implies: if you forget to turn the lights of, the car will do it for you. Having the lights on for extra 20 seconds after you turn off the car is not going to have any noticeable impact on battery charge or on the bulb life.

    Having said that, I never forget to turn off lights. The car does remind you with a beep that the lights are still on, if you take the key out and open the door.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    My salesmen told me that I could leave them on all the time, and that is what I've been doing. Turn your lights on and leave them on. After you take the key out, they will automatically go off after about 10 seconds. Just ignore the chime as you exit the car. The next time you start the car, they will automatically go back on.

    Every car that I've owned for the last five or more years has had daytime running lights, so having my lights on all of the time is fine with me. I'm guessing the Acura dash lights are now always on, but I haven't noticed them. My other cars, the dash lights would come on when it sensed that is was too dark.
  • tturedraidertturedraider Member Posts: 159
    The popular opinion regarding xenon lights is they could last the life of the car. At any rate they are supposed to last a long time. They do not produce light using a filament. An electrical charge passes through the xenon gas and creates light. If you'll notice, they probably kind of "pop" on and then get just a little brighter over the next few seconds.

    Xenon lights use considerably less current than regular bulbs, so there's less demand on your battery/electrical system. Considering these two things it seems to me it would be fine to leave them on all the time. You'll be even more noticeable with the brighter lights. I live on the Fort Worth side of the DFW metroplex and thus drive alot on the freeways. I always turn my lights on, because there are so many people who don't pay attention to their driving. I want all the visibility I can get.
  • mpmmmmmpmmmm Member Posts: 1
    The company I work for programmed all it's vehicles to have the headlights turn on and off whenever the engine is turned on and off. The result? They need new batteries every 8 to 12 months. I would use that feature for the way it's intended. It's good in case you forget to turn them off manually.
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    Why would the batteries fail, if the lights are never on when the engine is off? In other words, you stated that the lights never rely on the battery. Then why would it fail???
  • cooldad24cooldad24 Member Posts: 163
    I have different opinion on the Xenon light than tturedraider. Xenon is an very inactive elements so it need higher voltage to ignite it. It requires 800-1200V instaneous voltage to ignite and then draw little curent to sustain the active status. It sucks less current after ignition but tax when ignite. That is why the car using halogen can't use Xenon without modification. You need a whole set of light module and higher voltage fuse to sustain such high voltage. It also cost much more than halogen so only standard in luxury model or hiest line. Most car with Xenon light will delay the ignition when start to preserve power for it. I suspect leave the light on will speed up the power drain on the bettery. I am not expertise on this and my opinion is based on the property and basic concept of how Xenon light works. Maybe car manufacturers has new design to address this issue. Leave ot not all depends your preference. Even doesn't tax much, why not shut it off before turn off engine and gain min. 1-2 month of use on the battery? My 2 cents.
  • ssyhwangssyhwang Member Posts: 2
    Thank you #79 Lorenzo. I just purchased new 03 TL
    at Bridgewater Acura this evening. The asking price at the dealer was $25.5K, but I demanded your price($25,013) and they gave it to me. I am pretty pleased with overall experience and can't wait to pick it up on Saturday.
  • carrelman2carrelman2 Member Posts: 80
    There is no shortage of 03 TL's if you are willing to travel to New Jersey. AS of today Oct. 1st Ryan's open road Acura shows 65 TL cars in inventory on it's website. I'm sure you can get a good discount. Good Luck.
  • colinzcolinz Member Posts: 22
    winter season is coming and it would be nice to start the car from your home without going outside in the cold. does anyone know if i can add a remote starter to the TL. when i get one installed, does that affect the alarm system or the keyless entry system? anyone who got one installed please let me know what i need to do or if anyone else know please post a message. thanks
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    My understanding is that you can put a remote starter on pretty much any vehicle with automatic transmission. Just call couple local installers and ask...
  • udeman55udeman55 Member Posts: 20
    If anyone is interested, I saw the new 04 TL's.

    $33,150 total. $35150 with Navi.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,435
    I happened to see one today also, and that is the price for an automatic. Any idea if it is the same for the 6 speed (a la the TSX)?

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • 15191519 Member Posts: 2
    Picking up white diamond pearl with navi Wed. or Thurs.Will be paying sticker price at 35150 minus my 02 TL-S with navi and 17000 miles in a trade.The difference will come out to $14032.The difference is the out the door price.Pepto-Bismol really helps at this time.By the way what happened to the forum on acura-tl.com ,another part site comes up.
  • ruedarueda Member Posts: 4
    #88 regarding Bridgewater Acura price: Congratulations on your purchase. Who did you deal with at this dealership to get that price? Was this plain TL no Nav, no S engine.
  • vancmtvancmt Member Posts: 22
    Looking for a deal on a '03 TL with no Nav in Portland, OR. Any ideas around where to go for the best deals and selections?
  • ruedarueda Member Posts: 4
    Lorenzo:
    On your purchase what additional fees did you get charged besides basic tax and license fee. I assume the 25,013 was not out the door pricing.
    Thanks
  • dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    You better hurry up. Locally (Northern VA) all TL-S are gone and TL is heading the same way.
  • vancmtvancmt Member Posts: 22
    Been offered $27,800 for a TL no NAV Blue eternal metallic. Seems kind of high. Any ideas what a reasonable price would be?
  • acu1234acu1234 Member Posts: 2
    I am looking for a good deal for a 2003 TL, or TL-S model in Houston, TX. Did anyone buy a TL recently in Texas.
  • fdefulviofdefulvio Member Posts: 47
    You should be looking for prices in the low $25K for a base TL and low $27K for Type-S. Add another $2K, maybe less, for Nav. My dealer sold his entire stock. Other dealers with inventory should eventually come down to that price as well.
  • colinzcolinz Member Posts: 22
    don't go for the 27,800 price. that is way too high even for the type S but i think you meant the base edition. you should be looking at 25,013 or 25,500 but it shouldn't be more than that.
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