Moosecat

Any good or bad stories about TSX-shopping or buying at DC-area dealers? I have online quotes from Chevy Chase, Pohanka, and Tischer... And I'll probably be visiting the Falls Church Radley because their online inventory is the biggest.

(The online quotes are coming in right around $26,500, for a Non-Navi/5AT -- any thoughts on getting this price down at one of these dealers?)

ClutchPerformer

Radley will treat you very nicely in sales and service, but you'll have trouble dealing them down below $26.5k. They have a lot of TSXes because they sell a lot, and that's not good for your end of the negotiation. Good luck, though.

Edit: In case you're wondering, I got mine from Radley.

tnguyen88

I got mine from Radley too. It really depends on which salesman you work with. I dealt with one who wouldn't budge at all on my price, even when I brought in a written quote from another dealership. So I just called in and worked with another salesman... and everything went great.

ssm_tsx

I bought mine from Bill Anderson at Karen Radley. He was really good to deal with eventhough they wouldn't budge from MSRP. I bought my tsx back in April, so I'm sure they're willing to deal now.


www.radleyauto.com

jonredraider

I bought mine at Tischer. The deal wasn't spectacular (although they swear up and down that every one else here is a stinking liar claiming 1000 off MSRP). How did you like Tischer? Did you first approach on the Internet?

Moosecat

So far, all I've done is deal with Nick Kostin at Tischer by e-mail. He has quoted me $26,535, including destination. We'll see whether I deal with him any more. Unless someone gives me a quote much lower than the others, I'll probably just go with whoever can get me the car the fastest.

TonyFresh

i got mine from a guy name Minks at Karen Radley in Woodbridge for 28 and some change

tnguyen88

One thing to watch out for at Pohanka and Radley is that they charge "processing" fees that are around 250 or so. Make sure that they're not going to tack that onto your price after you bargain down.

My salesman tried to slip that one by me... at both dealers I dealt with!

TonyFresh

I got hit with that too...very very tru

tnguyen88

oh yeah.... REFUSE to pay that fee. If they tell you it's standard, then ask why the MD dealerships don't charge it. They tried to BS me and say that every dealer charges it.

TonyFresh

WHat is the big deal with Processing fees anyway

WHY.....

racergrl04

Bought mine at Frankel Acura in Hunt Valley MD...Great experience, sales man was great...let me keep all my mods off of my Prelude and still gave me a fair trade!

JRock

Most dealerships in the DC area are sticking to MSRP or very close to it due to the current limited availability of TSXs and excessive demand.

Yes you can demand they drop the processing fee.

Yes I work at a dealership.

No I wouldn't pay MSRP for it, but the only bargaining tool I'd have that you don't is that I work at the dealership and can get a slightly better price on one than a regular customer.

The TSX is easily the best entry-level luxury sports sedan compared to the A4, S40, or IS300; its main competition. It beats them all in price, features/numbers, or both.

Moosecat

Well, that makes me feel better about the fact that I'm likely to pay only $500 or so less than MSRP, when I see other posts (from other parts of the country) about people getting more than $1000 off MSRP.

My response when a dealer mentions a processing fee or any other fee that is not required by law is: "I don't care what you call it. That's between you and your accountant. All I care about is how big the check has to be." (Not in so many words, but that's the gist.) Same with "document" fees and such... It's all a bunch of crap. When I go to the grocery store, and I buy a loaf of bread that says "$1.29" on it, I don't expect the cashier to say, "Oh yes, there's a $.10 checkout fee for printing the receipt. And a $.05 fee for the paper bag." You would walk out of that grocery store, right? That doesn't happen because prices are supposed to include whatever the dealer thinks he needs to compensate him for the sale, and the only things tacked on at the end are the things required by law (like sales tax).

[/end rant]

jonredraider

I paid the prep fee. My dealer said that I could get it waived but then I would have to go to the MVA to get title and registration and tags. They told me it would take a good part of my day. So, like a big wuss, I said ok.

Moosecat

Welp, today I drove home a carbon gray/quartz, non-navi, 5AT today from Pohanka Acura. $26,285, without taxes and title. The processing fee was waived.

I had a good experience there. I had a better experience driving it home!

ClutchPerformer

Nice colors! Enjoy.

coujac

I worked with John Dube @ Pohanka Acura in Chantilly. I negotiated to 26,100 plus tax and tags. CG/QUARTZ/NON NAV/5AT. I have had some issues already with the service dept. I will be taking the car to Criswell in Annapolis for future service. Did anyone get the total care package?

Moosecat

If you don't mind, what service issues have you been having?

I also got my price quote from John Dube, but the deal was handled by Bill Kemavor at the 'ship. They were pretty fair and square with me at every stage -- the only minor hiccup was when they "forgot" to take off the processing fee when they first showed me the price breakdown, right before going to the finance guy. Not sure if they really "forgot" or what, but they fixed it right away.

coujac

Hey moosecat,
I made an appt and dropped the car off @ 8am to get the first oil change and fog lights installed. I called at 1pm and was told the car wasn't done yet although I was told it would be ready at noon. I then showed up at the dealer at 4pm and the car had not been moved from 8am. I was then told a good story about why my car wasn't done by the service consultant. The car was then worked on and was done by 6pm. I then was charged for the oil change (which was complmentary) and overcharged for the fog lights. I talked with the service manager who took care of the bill. I then noticed that there was grease on the front pillar, on the headliner and on the door skirt. I had to bring the car back for that cleanup. I also had installed a moonroof visor and it was damaged so I had the dealer replace it. Two of the clips were installed incorrectly. I expected better than that.
Also, I am still waiting for my tags. I picked up the car on Dec. 26th.

xizor

i bought a PWP/Parch w/o Navi from Radley Acura, pleasant experience even though I didn't get a great price. Pohanka offered me a better price only if I took one they had on the lot. I wanted 6MT which made it really hard to find my color combo.

Radley happened to have the exact one I wanted coming in, picked it up w/ 3 miles on it. They offered 500 off MSRP, wiggled to get the processing fee off ($750 off total) by using United Buying Service.

Got free oil change for life, loaner car and inspection. Better than Pohanka's 3 free oil changes (not like you need that many w/ the TSX though.)

jonredraider

Hey Xizor, how long ago did you get your TSX? I bought mine in December and the UBS said they couldnt do that car because it is not in enough stock! Was I fed BS?

xizor

Bought mine Jan 2nd, came in Jan 7th. There wasn't a UBS price or data sheet for the 2004 TSX, but we just went in and said we wanted to see their price. Radley said there wasn't one out yet, but usually they will take off the processing fee for UBS, so that's what they did. Didn't get any special UBS "price" though.

Cagar_a_Stoirm

Hey guys, out of the dealers in our area, have you had any trouble getting a test drive. I'm going to be buying a daily driver within the next few months and I'm leaning toward a TSX or a TL and I would love the ability to test drive one. I'm apprehensive because they are both new and when I bought my STi this summer they wouldn't let me test drive it and I ended up selling it to a 17 year old guy a couple weeks later. I would prefer no to have to go through that trouble again.

Thanks,
Dan

In addition I would like to say that you guys have a nice forum; as this is my first post.

Moosecat

I can't imagine you will have a problem getting a test drive anywhere. Scooby dealers are a little careful with the STi, I'm guessing, because of the "joy ride" risks. There aren't a whole lot of young people with no intent to buy who want to take TSX's and TLs for spins. Not so with the STi.

At Pohanka, anyway, they have demos that are assigned to test drive duty. However, I went in having already identified the specific car I wanted, so I was able to test drive the same car I bought.

Cagar_a_Stoirm

Excellent thanks for the feedback. I was at Pohanka a little over 2 and a hald years ago and took out a TL type S when they were brand new. I ended up buying a WRX instead and keeping it for about 2 years. Once the weather gets a little better I'll head out there and see if I can take out 6M, gotta love those Honda gear boxes

xizor

Hey, Cagar_a_Stoirm, I'm from Vienna and went to MHS, you're about the same age, where'd you go to school?

I went to Radley Acura and test drove a RSX Type-S within 15 min. of getting there and drove a TSX right afterwards to compare. IMO its bizarre for any dealership not to let you test drive a car you want to buy.

Cagar_a_Stoirm

Xizor, I went to Langley. I agree that it is upsetting how dealers won't let you test drive a car. I would say that maybe if I had been able to test drive the STi I might have not bought it, but I doubt it. It wasn't until later that I decided it wasn't for me. Cheap interior is what finally set me over board, after two years of having a WRX it had the same interior. I will always kick myself for paying over MSRP, because it's such a high demand car, is what the dealer said. Of course it was back then it had been out for a couple weeks. The same day I sold my STi I went to Brown's Honda and got a decent deal on my S2000. My first Honda I've had out of 7 cars. I've been looking for a good daily driver and so far I don't think the value and quality of the TSX or TL can be beat. And the more that I experience the TSX community the more I would like to be a full out participant.

mrdoug

Bought my Milano Red 6 MT non-navi TSX from Criswell Acura/Audi in Annapolis - salesman Bob McDonald, a nice guy, easy to deal with. Nice, low pressure, low B.S. experience and so far (7K miles), service has been fine, although just oil changes and I had to get a new tire (ran over a huge screw that damaged the sidewall). I had an "in" with them as one of my lawyer partners represents the dealership and he called ahead to "refer" me. I ended up taking the demo off the lot - it had 950 miles on it and was in pristine condition. I was originally planning to get the CG or Arctic Blue, but liked the red, I had to have a 6 MT and that was the only one on the lot, so I would have either had to order mine or get them to arrange a swap (which may not have been that easy). I believe I got a little bit of a deal because of my "connection" and another $500-$1000 off because it was a demo, and paid a total of $27K on the road including taxes, etc. Decent deal, I thought, although not a steal (don't think a steal is possible as the car is in demand and flies off the lots). Overall, I was pretty pleased with the dealership, for what it's worth.

mrdoug

Btw, I can't believe that anyone has "trouble" getting a test drive. That's insanity. I would just walk out if someone told me that.

biker

If anyone is interested I just got this:
I wonder if things are a little slow this week.
BTW, their Internet price was about 500 off MSRP with the processing fee waived.

thanassius

I live about 10 mins north of Frankel and will most likely go to them when I get my TSX in the next 3 or so months. If you don't mind me asking, can you give me some more details? MT/AT? 5 or 6? Navi/no-navi? color & options? And if its not too much, what you paid? Did you take one off the lot, or did you order yours? And if so, how long was the wait?


Thanks!

NBP 04 in NOVA

Don't buy into the "high demand, low supply" speel you get from the dealers. The invoice price on a non-navigation automatic is $24,200, so asking for something in the mid to upper $25,000s is more than fair. I bought mine at Pohanka 3 weeks ago for $25,750--considerably less than MSRP. I also got 2.9% financing for 60 mos.

JRock

It's not a schpiel, it's reality - there are very few TSXs on the lots or in stock anywhere in the DC Metro area. But price-wise, yeah, I'd want at least $1500 off sticker, if not more.