Marin Acura had me out the door driving my new car home in less than 90 minutes.

After reading here how many of you had to wait endlessly for a Carbon Gray TSX, I was skeptical when the Acura of Marin Internet Sales Manager emailed me that they had the car I wanted (CGP/Ebony/Auto/Nav) in stock. I replied that if they truly had the car and would sell it for list, I’d be down with my checkbook the next day. He assured me that the car was there, and that it had the “Protection Package” for an additional $495.

No Thanks.

Thirty minutes after getting that email, I received a telephone call asking me if I wanted the car.

“Not interested.”

“Do you mean you won’t take it for $295 over list?”

“Your email said it was $495.”

“Oh, that’s retail; I’ll give it to you at our cost.”

“Please explain to me Ben, why would I pay anything for something I didn’t want?”

“Well, let me see if my service manager will take off the wheel locks and splashguards and remove the trunk mat. If he agrees to do that will you buy the car at list price?”

“Of course, didn’t I already tell you that I would?”

“O.K. I’ll call you back in 5 minutes....”

I headed south to Marvelous Marin with my Leaseguide packet and 3 months’ worth of Internet surfing materials in hand, wondering all the way there what surprises they had in store for me. Whatever they were, I felt I was prepared.... couldn’t be anything good though, could it?

After the introductions and confirmation of the 7 mile odometer reading, we went for a brief test drive and retired to Ben’s office. I gave him my SS#, CDL, and insurance card, then filled out a one-page credit application and signed a few standard CYA disclosures. We agreed on the price, and the lease numbers were in line with the estimates I had printed off of the Acura.com website and a couple of other online sources. Thirty minutes later we were in the Finance Managers office signing the final lease & license documents, and 20 minutes after that I was out in the car getting the lowdown on the navigation system and other features.

Wow, so quick & so smooth.....

Now this next part must be the surprise that I had been anticipating/dreading, because the fact that everything went as smoothly as it did shouldn’t be a surprise, should it? Hope for the best; prepare for the worst... guess I got lucky this time.

Back when I was being shuffled from room-to-room, one of the sales staff had overheard my name mentioned. When I came out of the Finance Managers office she approached me and asked me where I was from.

I told her Illinois.

“What city?”

“Rock Island.”

“Steve, I’m Marty M...........!” (She was a friend from my high school days, 2,000 miles and 39 years away from Here & Now)

[Imagine spontaneous hugging in the dealership showroom here]

Yes, we had a moment right there amongst the TSXs and MDXs....

So I ended up with a pleasant buying experience and a funny story to tell. And I still can’t believe how quickly I had my car after seeing a CG TSX for the first time the day before.....

BTW, if you look closely at the picture on my website, you just can make out a set of wheel locks. And what do you think of those splashguards?

Looks like I’ll have to Ebay that trunk mat though.... :P

SJHCL

 

CONGRATS!!! Believe it or not...After 3 months and 6200+ miles later I am still sounding that happy about my car!!!!!!

 

Congratulations!!!

And double-congratulations for making it clear to the dealer what "no" means!

You have pictures of your car on your Web site? What's the URL?

 

Thanks sheik28 and Brad.

I have only one posted so far which I took on my way home from the dealer, a larger version of my new avatar... its the www button. I'll take some more after the first washing.

 

Congratulations man!!!!

how much are willing to sell that trunk mat?

PM me!

 

Thanks DjElucid.

Sorry for the confusion, but I meant that I would have to buy a mat on Ebay. I can understand where you got the opposite impression though: I was planning on adding the splashguards and mat eventually... just didn't like the dealer forcing me to pay that outrageous mark-up.

SJHCL

 

ahhh.. got'cha. I heard the splash cards leave marks on your car. If you want a trunk mat you can contact this guy, he's pretty good. He's a dealer willing to sell stuff for less:

Jack Szanto
Parts & Accessory Manager
Norm Reeves Acura Temecula
909-491-2341
jackszanto@nrsg.net

 

You're lucky that the dealer was willing to removed those items. Some dealers--of all different brands--employ tactics to try to ~force or pressure~ the unsuspecting customer into "protection packages". In the trade, these are also known as Dealer Extortion Fees. The fees can be literally from out of nowhere and can be the purest of simplest of dealer mark-ups.

I bring up this older message thread every now and then for the benefit of those who are newer to this forum:
Avoid Dealer Extortion Fees

 

that's good to hear...but i would not pay MSRP for a non exclusive car though.

 

Thanks for the info Dj.

And Brad, as to the "protection" items (dealer extortion): I could easily have waited until I sold my CL to buy the TSX, so they knew up front that I wouldn't close unless I got my price. I told them after the credit check that they could either remove the guards & locks or leave them on, whatever was easiest for them, knowing full well that the liklihood of them having extra service department staff available late on a Saturday afternoon was unlikely.

 

I added some today... check out my dub button below

Santa Rosa Steve
[AKA SJHCL]