Takata airbag inflators
02-16-2016, 02:55 PM
#81
Burning Brakes
I had a chat with the service manager at my dealership today, and we talked about the info they have thus far, and the risks. What was important to me is that it was ultimately my decision as to how I wanted to proceed, and that if my wife and I were uncomfortable with the risks, that they would work with us to keep us happy. He talked about how they're procuring secure off-site storage for any cars awaiting recall.
But then we talked about the relative risk. We are located in the Northeast, which isn't an overly hot or humid location. I asked him how the dealership was addressing the issue with their own cars (loaners, demos, associate lease programs, etc). His response was that for at least the ones associates were driving, they are choosing to continue driving them since the risk is extremely low. In terms of the loaners, they use only MDX and TLX vehicles, so none were impacted, so that wasn't an issue.
He did say that while the recall is very broad today with every vehicle in a category identified, he has heard that there may ultimately be a smaller number as they work to identify specific groupings based on MFG dates that may or may not be impacted. But that being said, he indicated that the customer is the one in control of whether they feel they're at risk and the dealer will work with each individually.
As I said earlier, and based on the above additional info, my wife and I both likely will continue to drive the '12 TL and '15 RDX until the parts are available and we get the inflators replaced. Not only because our cars don't fit the location demographic where the highest risk is, but also because if we parked these cars for 4-6 months (or more) in dead storage with no starting or driving, it's about the worst thing you can do to a car. It might be a different story if we lived in the south or the west where heat and/or humidity are more significant.
andy
But then we talked about the relative risk. We are located in the Northeast, which isn't an overly hot or humid location. I asked him how the dealership was addressing the issue with their own cars (loaners, demos, associate lease programs, etc). His response was that for at least the ones associates were driving, they are choosing to continue driving them since the risk is extremely low. In terms of the loaners, they use only MDX and TLX vehicles, so none were impacted, so that wasn't an issue.
He did say that while the recall is very broad today with every vehicle in a category identified, he has heard that there may ultimately be a smaller number as they work to identify specific groupings based on MFG dates that may or may not be impacted. But that being said, he indicated that the customer is the one in control of whether they feel they're at risk and the dealer will work with each individually.
As I said earlier, and based on the above additional info, my wife and I both likely will continue to drive the '12 TL and '15 RDX until the parts are available and we get the inflators replaced. Not only because our cars don't fit the location demographic where the highest risk is, but also because if we parked these cars for 4-6 months (or more) in dead storage with no starting or driving, it's about the worst thing you can do to a car. It might be a different story if we lived in the south or the west where heat and/or humidity are more significant.
andy
02-16-2016, 09:08 PM
#82
I found that my car is involved in the recall. Gave a call to dealer. They simply retorted that they will let me know when the parts are manufactured and available. Called Acura client relations but all they did was give me a case number and a promise that someone will call me back in a few days. May be I should send a letter too 
.
.
02-16-2016, 09:52 PM
#83
Well. Things seem to be moving fast. The Acura clients team called me today itself and said that they have already spoken to my dealer and will provide a rental car for me tomorrow until the airbag is fixed.
So you guys are saying that the Takata airbag issue is blown out of proportion and the real risk of injury is minimal at best...(?).... and leaving my car out exposed to the elements for 4-6 months or more is worse for the car (it doesn't look appetizing anyway).
Hmmmm.. something to think about.
So you guys are saying that the Takata airbag issue is blown out of proportion and the real risk of injury is minimal at best...(?).... and leaving my car out exposed to the elements for 4-6 months or more is worse for the car (it doesn't look appetizing anyway).
Hmmmm.. something to think about.
02-17-2016, 06:59 AM
#85
02-17-2016, 08:20 AM
#86
Well. Things seem to be moving fast. The Acura clients team called me today itself and said that they have already spoken to my dealer and will provide a rental car for me tomorrow until the airbag is fixed.
So you guys are saying that the Takata airbag issue is blown out of proportion and the real risk of injury is minimal at best...(?).... and leaving my car out exposed to the elements for 4-6 months or more is worse for the car (it doesn't look appetizing anyway).
Hmmmm.. something to think about.
So you guys are saying that the Takata airbag issue is blown out of proportion and the real risk of injury is minimal at best...(?).... and leaving my car out exposed to the elements for 4-6 months or more is worse for the car (it doesn't look appetizing anyway).
Hmmmm.. something to think about.
From what I know about the airbags (and I know more about them than most here) the risk on a late model car is minimal - but I'm not going to tell you that there is no risk - there is always a risk when you are dealing with any sort of propellant that is intended to blow up a bag that slams into your face.
IF you want to get into a new car, then I think that this is the time to write that letter. Ask Acura how they are intending to store your vehicle - will it be in a climate controlled building hooked up to a trickle charger and off the ground so the tires don't flat spot? How will the paint be protected?
Ask them how they would like their car sitting for 6 months? Will the dealership do a full service with a new battery when you get it back?
This is Acura's responsibility and it will cost them a ton of money. It is in their best interest to do what a reasonable customer wants.
I'm sure there are ambulance chasers out there starting takata lawsuits already - maybe you want to contact one of those.
Above all, be reasonable. Ask yourself "what can I reasonably expect?"
Me? I'd think that giving you blue book dealer retail for your car (minus any damage) and selling you a new car at or below actual cost would be reasonable.
Is that reasonable? The local Toyota dealer serviced my boss' truck and forgot to put the lugnuts on a wheel. A block from the dealership the wheel came off, causing underbody, suspension and body damage. The dealership gave him close to dealer retail and a very good price on a new truck.
Giving everybody a loaner is very expensive and buying the cars back, fixing them and selling them may be far cheaper. Added to the loaner cost is storage, maintenance and a whole slew of new batteries and tires. In addition, some customers will claim that pre-existing damage is "new" and it just causes a whole slew of customer relations issues.
Last edited by ceb; 02-17-2016 at 08:24 AM.
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Comfy (02-17-2016)
02-17-2016, 09:38 AM
#87
I just spoke to the service manager at our Acura dealer. He offered us an Enterprise rental car, but said it was not possible to give us an Acura loaner vehicle. I mentioned that at least one person in this group was given a TLX loaner, but he said that they only had 26 loaners and that typically all are given out to customers having their cars serviced on about 3 out of 5 days each week.
He said that lots of people have called to get information about when the repair could be done, but only one other person asked about a substitute vehicle.
I am not yet sure what to do. He said we could keep our Acura at home, which was good news. I would not have wanted our car sitting on some lot for 4 months or more. I may see what vehicle we are offered from Enterprise. He said that if it smelled of smoke or was otherwise unacceptable, we could swap it out.
Gregg
He said that lots of people have called to get information about when the repair could be done, but only one other person asked about a substitute vehicle.
I am not yet sure what to do. He said we could keep our Acura at home, which was good news. I would not have wanted our car sitting on some lot for 4 months or more. I may see what vehicle we are offered from Enterprise. He said that if it smelled of smoke or was otherwise unacceptable, we could swap it out.
Gregg
02-17-2016, 11:38 AM
#88
I am not yet sure what to do. He said we could keep our Acura at home, which was good news. I would not have wanted our car sitting on some lot for 4 months or more. I may see what vehicle we are offered from Enterprise. He said that if it smelled of smoke or was otherwise unacceptable, we could swap it out.
Gregg
. I wish they would offer some Acura SUV instead of a rental car.
02-17-2016, 02:10 PM
#89
The following article is just a "tip of the iceberg" indication of the magnitude of the problem and what the regulators are facing. The article is below because my browser is on strike.
Let me clarify something about the regulators that you might not know.
Almost all of them are car guys. The garage is filled with what you'd find in our garages at home - older BMW's, older MB's, a few Corvettes, a Lotus, a few 70's Beetles and the mix of Acuras, Accords, Civics, mini vans and pickups.
These guys understand the problems but they also understand the reality of regulations. They aren't some weird entity that is in bed with the manufacturers and thinks all consumers are foolish - they are passionate about their jobs, are woefully understaffed and work long hours.
Let's look at the problem. We have airbags that are installed by most ever car manufacturer that has a problem. The problem is that as the propellant absorbs moisture, it goes bang more forcefully and ruptures the very metal container that is supposed to contain the bang.
We know what the problem is and we know that it takes time (years - over 10) and humidity (think Mississippi in August) to cause the problem.
In the US, there are about 50 million cars with those airbags. There aren't enough spare airbags around to fix every car now.
What does a regulator do? Remember that a recall isn't initiated by the regulators, it is done by the manufacturer (because they don't want to face the fines imposed by the regulators) in coordination with the regulators.
A prudent person would look at all the known facts and conclude that airbags with this propellant that are less than 8 years or so old (IIRC, the "newest" car with the problem was a 2006) should be OK for a couple of years - especially if you're not in a very humid climate. Accordingly, a staggered recall makes sense.
Some manufacturers have recalled far newer cars (including some from 2016) that - as far as we know - don't have that problem yet. In addition, some manufacturers may not know what airbags are in what cars because the same part number could apply to the same part from different manufacturers - I've had cars where some bulbs were Osram and some were Bosch - it just depended on which bulbs were dumped into the bin that day.
Honda/Acura seems to recognize the significance (a bit late, but still) and magnitude of the problem and is offering loaners. Accepting a loaner doesn't preclude you from writing the manufacturer and asking for a different resolution.
As it looks now, most - if not all - cars with Takata airbags that use this propellant will get recalled eventually and trying to find those cars without Takata airbags is next to impossible.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/bu...=29578620&_r=2
Let me clarify something about the regulators that you might not know.
Almost all of them are car guys. The garage is filled with what you'd find in our garages at home - older BMW's, older MB's, a few Corvettes, a Lotus, a few 70's Beetles and the mix of Acuras, Accords, Civics, mini vans and pickups.
These guys understand the problems but they also understand the reality of regulations. They aren't some weird entity that is in bed with the manufacturers and thinks all consumers are foolish - they are passionate about their jobs, are woefully understaffed and work long hours.
Let's look at the problem. We have airbags that are installed by most ever car manufacturer that has a problem. The problem is that as the propellant absorbs moisture, it goes bang more forcefully and ruptures the very metal container that is supposed to contain the bang.
We know what the problem is and we know that it takes time (years - over 10) and humidity (think Mississippi in August) to cause the problem.
In the US, there are about 50 million cars with those airbags. There aren't enough spare airbags around to fix every car now.
What does a regulator do? Remember that a recall isn't initiated by the regulators, it is done by the manufacturer (because they don't want to face the fines imposed by the regulators) in coordination with the regulators.
A prudent person would look at all the known facts and conclude that airbags with this propellant that are less than 8 years or so old (IIRC, the "newest" car with the problem was a 2006) should be OK for a couple of years - especially if you're not in a very humid climate. Accordingly, a staggered recall makes sense.
Some manufacturers have recalled far newer cars (including some from 2016) that - as far as we know - don't have that problem yet. In addition, some manufacturers may not know what airbags are in what cars because the same part number could apply to the same part from different manufacturers - I've had cars where some bulbs were Osram and some were Bosch - it just depended on which bulbs were dumped into the bin that day.
Honda/Acura seems to recognize the significance (a bit late, but still) and magnitude of the problem and is offering loaners. Accepting a loaner doesn't preclude you from writing the manufacturer and asking for a different resolution.
As it looks now, most - if not all - cars with Takata airbags that use this propellant will get recalled eventually and trying to find those cars without Takata airbags is next to impossible.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/13/bu...=29578620&_r=2
Last edited by ceb; 02-17-2016 at 02:14 PM.
02-17-2016, 03:07 PM
#90
8th Gear
Join Date: Jun 2013
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My dealer called to inform me that my RDX is on the recall list. It will take six months before they have the parts to do the repair. In the mean time they have offered me a rental car. Additionally they have offered to buy my RDX back from me and trade for a new RDX. Considering this is as result of a recall what kind of deal should I expect from the dealer? My thinking is that a fair offer would be the retail value of my RDX rather than the trade-in value and that I should have to pay at or around the dealer cost for a new RDX. It seems to me that a deal like this would be fair and that the transaction should not involve haggling over the trade-in value of my car vs. the "best deal" I could get on a new one.
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
02-17-2016, 03:19 PM
#91
My dealer called to inform me that my RDX is on the recall list. It will take six months before they have the parts to do the repair. In the mean time they have offered me a rental car. Additionally they have offered to buy my RDX back from me and trade for a new RDX. Considering this is as result of a recall what kind of deal should I expect from the dealer? My thinking is that a fair offer would be the retail value of my RDX rather than the trade-in value and that I should have to pay at or around the dealer cost for a new RDX. It seems to me that a deal like this would be fair and that the transaction should not involve haggling over the trade-in value of my car vs. the "best deal" I could get on a new one.
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
02-17-2016, 03:21 PM
#92
My dealer called to inform me that my RDX is on the recall list. It will take six months before they have the parts to do the repair. In the mean time they have offered me a rental car. Additionally they have offered to buy my RDX back from me and trade for a new RDX. Considering this is as result of a recall what kind of deal should I expect from the dealer? My thinking is that a fair offer would be the retail value of my RDX rather than the trade-in value and that I should have to pay at or around the dealer cost for a new RDX. It seems to me that a deal like this would be fair and that the transaction should not involve haggling over the trade-in value of my car vs. the "best deal" I could get on a new one.
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
I am hoping that the dealer is making this offer in good faith and not capitalizing on this situation to sell more cars. I guess I will find out shortly.
Anyone else gotten an offer like this from their dealer? If so, how did it work out for you?
Randy
A dealer acting in good faith? Have you had your coffee yet?
02-17-2016, 03:33 PM
#93
02-17-2016, 07:11 PM
#95
02-17-2016, 07:33 PM
#96
Calgarian
So far there is no program from Acura Canada to help with a buy back program. Acura Canada is helping dealerships with depreciation and flooring.
02-17-2016, 08:26 PM
#97
Not addressed at you but everybody who says "my dealer doesn't know" or "my dealer won't help" needs to learn how and who to ask to get what you think you deserve. If you don't want to do that then quit-yer-bitchin.
02-17-2016, 09:41 PM
#98
Does anyone know what is the physical address of Acura corporate? I mean where should we send the letter to?
edit: I got this address from web. Is this okay...?
Acura
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
1919 Torrance Blvd
500-2N7E
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
United States
Phone: 800-382-2238
Fax: 310-783-3023
edit: I got this address from web. Is this okay...?
Acura
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
1919 Torrance Blvd
500-2N7E
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
United States
Phone: 800-382-2238
Fax: 310-783-3023
Last edited by Comfy; 02-17-2016 at 09:44 PM.
02-18-2016, 07:29 AM
#99
Does anyone know what is the physical address of Acura corporate? I mean where should we send the letter to?
edit: I got this address from web. Is this okay...?
Acura
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
1919 Torrance Blvd
500-2N7E
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
United States
Phone: 800-382-2238
Fax: 310-783-3023
edit: I got this address from web. Is this okay...?
Acura
Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
1919 Torrance Blvd
500-2N7E
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
United States
Phone: 800-382-2238
Fax: 310-783-3023
U.S. Owners:
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Acura Client Relations
Mail Stop 500-2N-7E
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746
Tel: (800) 382-2238
In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:
Bella International
P.O. Box 190816
San Juan, PR 00919-0816
Tel: (787) 620-7546
02-18-2016, 09:14 AM
#100
Torch & Pitchfork Posse
Although I would not challenge anyone who believes that Acura should buy back or trade out of their affected car vs. pay for a rental and potential storage fees & maintenance of the affected car, I do believe there are other financial implications that impacts how best to address these situations.
There can be corporate write off decisions. Which is better to the shareholders, the trade out model or the loaner / rental model?
There can be insurance issues. Takata as a supplier has insurance for defective parts and claims would be due Honda / Acura. However, Takata is toast already and those pockets likely emptied already.
Honda / Acura (and all manufacturers) have insurance to cover costs in these type of situations. Ultimately the manufacturer needs to address the safety responsibility of the car. However, the magnitude of this and the number of client companies (Car Companies) affected will have significant impact to the insurance carriers. Will insurance funds lessen the impact to Honda / Acura's bottom line?
Does trading out wash or makes the cost write off make more sense on the books? On one hand they move new inventory. On the other hand they have to float the trade in inventory until repaired and resold. There WILL be opportunist dealers who WILL make profits re-selling those cars. Used cars as a who make much more profit margin than new cars. The accounting logistics can be complicated.
Now which avenue to follow is the better financially, is a question for the accountants. And Honda /Acura offering some choice to the owners complicates the spreadsheets further. That is likely why a 'case by case' assessment has been declared and no ONE solution will be executed.
I am not passing judgement on either avenue (trade out or loaner / rental) people decide to make. I simply wanted to illuminate that the bottom line impact to the company varies on those conditions and is not simply Cost A >,< or = Cost B.
There can be corporate write off decisions. Which is better to the shareholders, the trade out model or the loaner / rental model?
There can be insurance issues. Takata as a supplier has insurance for defective parts and claims would be due Honda / Acura. However, Takata is toast already and those pockets likely emptied already.
Honda / Acura (and all manufacturers) have insurance to cover costs in these type of situations. Ultimately the manufacturer needs to address the safety responsibility of the car. However, the magnitude of this and the number of client companies (Car Companies) affected will have significant impact to the insurance carriers. Will insurance funds lessen the impact to Honda / Acura's bottom line?
Does trading out wash or makes the cost write off make more sense on the books? On one hand they move new inventory. On the other hand they have to float the trade in inventory until repaired and resold. There WILL be opportunist dealers who WILL make profits re-selling those cars. Used cars as a who make much more profit margin than new cars. The accounting logistics can be complicated.
Now which avenue to follow is the better financially, is a question for the accountants. And Honda /Acura offering some choice to the owners complicates the spreadsheets further. That is likely why a 'case by case' assessment has been declared and no ONE solution will be executed.
I am not passing judgement on either avenue (trade out or loaner / rental) people decide to make. I simply wanted to illuminate that the bottom line impact to the company varies on those conditions and is not simply Cost A >,< or = Cost B.
02-18-2016, 09:48 AM
#102
Although I would not challenge anyone who believes that Acura should buy back or trade out of their affected car vs. pay for a rental and potential storage fees & maintenance of the affected car, I do believe there are other financial implications that impacts how best to address these situations.
There can be corporate write off decisions. Which is better to the shareholders, the trade out model or the loaner / rental model?
There can be insurance issues. Takata as a supplier has insurance for defective parts and claims would be due Honda / Acura. However, Takata is toast already and those pockets likely emptied already.
Honda / Acura (and all manufacturers) have insurance to cover costs in these type of situations. Ultimately the manufacturer needs to address the safety responsibility of the car. However, the magnitude of this and the number of client companies (Car Companies) affected will have significant impact to the insurance carriers. Will insurance funds lessen the impact to Honda / Acura's bottom line?
Does trading out wash or makes the cost write off make more sense on the books? On one hand they move new inventory. On the other hand they have to float the trade in inventory until repaired and resold. There WILL be opportunist dealers who WILL make profits re-selling those cars. Used cars as a who make much more profit margin than new cars. The accounting logistics can be complicated.
Now which avenue to follow is the better financially, is a question for the accountants. And Honda /Acura offering some choice to the owners complicates the spreadsheets further. That is likely why a 'case by case' assessment has been declared and no ONE solution will be executed.
I am not passing judgement on either avenue (trade out or loaner / rental) people decide to make. I simply wanted to illuminate that the bottom line impact to the company varies on those conditions and is not simply Cost A >,< or = Cost B.
There can be corporate write off decisions. Which is better to the shareholders, the trade out model or the loaner / rental model?
There can be insurance issues. Takata as a supplier has insurance for defective parts and claims would be due Honda / Acura. However, Takata is toast already and those pockets likely emptied already.
Honda / Acura (and all manufacturers) have insurance to cover costs in these type of situations. Ultimately the manufacturer needs to address the safety responsibility of the car. However, the magnitude of this and the number of client companies (Car Companies) affected will have significant impact to the insurance carriers. Will insurance funds lessen the impact to Honda / Acura's bottom line?
Does trading out wash or makes the cost write off make more sense on the books? On one hand they move new inventory. On the other hand they have to float the trade in inventory until repaired and resold. There WILL be opportunist dealers who WILL make profits re-selling those cars. Used cars as a who make much more profit margin than new cars. The accounting logistics can be complicated.
Now which avenue to follow is the better financially, is a question for the accountants. And Honda /Acura offering some choice to the owners complicates the spreadsheets further. That is likely why a 'case by case' assessment has been declared and no ONE solution will be executed.
I am not passing judgement on either avenue (trade out or loaner / rental) people decide to make. I simply wanted to illuminate that the bottom line impact to the company varies on those conditions and is not simply Cost A >,< or = Cost B.
Part of the equation for the owner also is "do I want my car to sit idle for several months".
Further complicating the issue is that Honda owns a minority interest in Takata and nobody knows how this will affect resale values down the road. A great buy right now is a private party purchase of a Passat, Jetta or Golf TDI, but we don't know if the prices will continue to fall when a fix is announced or if any "new" owners will be entitled to any rebates or buybacks.
The same will hold true with the millions of Takata airbag equipped cars.
02-18-2016, 10:27 AM
#103
Burning Brakes
Just wanted to add that a rental car does not guarantee a safer car. Some could have open safety recalls (yes, it's legal to rent them). Some could be missing secondary safety gear such as side curtain air bags. Less serious are unresolved TSBs.
Loaner cars from Acura are probably better. Still, the first gen ILX loaned to me had a clunk in the suspension, and I bet people filled it with regular (not a safety issue, but neglect nevertheless). It's hard to say if they are safer than a recent model Acura with a known, but low probability, air bag problem.
The choices are clearer with old vehicles in humid environments.
Loaner cars from Acura are probably better. Still, the first gen ILX loaned to me had a clunk in the suspension, and I bet people filled it with regular (not a safety issue, but neglect nevertheless). It's hard to say if they are safer than a recent model Acura with a known, but low probability, air bag problem.
The choices are clearer with old vehicles in humid environments.
02-18-2016, 10:59 AM
#104
Burning Brakes
One more thing... if you go the loaner / rental route for safety reasons, don't take half measures. Get the VIN of the vehicle and run it through some of gov safety websites. You should be able to find out if all recalls have been performed.
02-18-2016, 11:28 AM
#106
Burning Brakes
To me, it's this time lapse between the time of the recall and the time of repairs that people are grappling with. Do you keep driving it, do you park it and use a rental or loaner, or do you dump it. To me, living in NH with vehicles that are either 1 or 4 years old and ones that we love to drive, the answer is clear that we keep driving and enjoy them, and get them repaired when the parts arrived. The answer would be less clear for me if I lived in AZ or FL (for example).....
andy
02-18-2016, 02:54 PM
#107
In looking at KBB and other sites, the value hasn't tanked recently, so I think that the market is still trying to figure out whether such a huge recall has a real impact or not. but to turn this around, once the vehicle IS repaired with a new inflator, one could argue that the value is increased over the rest of those out there, since it would be a known, safer, repaired vehicle.
To me, it's this time lapse between the time of the recall and the time of repairs that people are grappling with. Do you keep driving it, do you park it and use a rental or loaner, or do you dump it. To me, living in NH with vehicles that are either 1 or 4 years old and ones that we love to drive, the answer is clear that we keep driving and enjoy them, and get them repaired when the parts arrived. The answer would be less clear for me if I lived in AZ or FL (for example).....
andy
To me, it's this time lapse between the time of the recall and the time of repairs that people are grappling with. Do you keep driving it, do you park it and use a rental or loaner, or do you dump it. To me, living in NH with vehicles that are either 1 or 4 years old and ones that we love to drive, the answer is clear that we keep driving and enjoy them, and get them repaired when the parts arrived. The answer would be less clear for me if I lived in AZ or FL (for example).....
andy
The market hasn't responded yet - but - if people get loaners then they'll get a low(er) mileage car back than those that kept driving their cars. But, those cars may also suffer from long term storage.
Either way, only time will tell.
02-18-2016, 04:03 PM
#108
8th Gear
Join Date: Jun 2013
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As a followup to my previous post regarding the dealers offer to buy back my RDX; I talked with the dealership and they had me determine to avg. retail value of my car using Edmunds.com. They said that this is what they would give me for the car. They also said that the price of a new car would be $1500 off retail which is supposedly at or near the dealer invoice. I am considering this offer.
02-18-2016, 05:36 PM
#110
Depends on lots of variables - including where he is and the condition of his car. What does Truecar for his zip say? Although one can beat Truecar, it does give you a ballpark figure.
It may be a great deal, a decent deal or no deal.
Remember, he will never, ever get retail for his used car.
It may be a great deal, a decent deal or no deal.
Remember, he will never, ever get retail for his used car.
02-18-2016, 06:31 PM
#111
As a followup to my previous post regarding the dealers offer to buy back my RDX; I talked with the dealership and they had me determine to avg. retail value of my car using Edmunds.com. They said that this is what they would give me for the car. They also said that the price of a new car would be $1500 off retail which is supposedly at or near the dealer invoice. I am considering this offer.
If you are in VA, Pohanka Acura will deal.
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Stanuwmad (03-22-2016)
02-18-2016, 07:28 PM
#112
I've decided to pass up on the rental car offer. I'm thinking that the risk is very minimal and not worth keeping my car in a dealer lot for storage and me driving a crappy rental car for 4-6 months all the while paying for an RDX.
I'm sending the letter to Acura and see if something will come out of it. If not I'll just replace my airbag when it's available.
I'm sending the letter to Acura and see if something will come out of it. If not I'll just replace my airbag when it's available.
02-19-2016, 07:30 AM
#113
Ignore invoice. Meaningless. Deal in percentage off MSRP, not absolute dollars. Approaching end of the model year and end of the month, I wouldn't pay more than 10% off MSRP. Shop around. Do it over internet or by phone. Make sure they aren't jacking up the MSRP by adding in mats and mud flaps, etc.
If you are in VA, Pohanka Acura will deal.
If you are in VA, Pohanka Acura will deal.
Truecar for Northern VA shows the RDX Advance for selling ABOVE MSRP. That certainly isn't what we'd pay but it lists a good price at about $1000 under MSRP and a great price at $2000 under - so about 5% under. That is about what Pohanka sells the cars for if you've been a previous customer with the same salesperson.
Accordingly, depending on where he is, the $1500 (with well above trade-in value for his car) sounds like a pretty decent deal. He might want to research and factory to dealer incentives or see if he qualifies for any of the Acura programs (military, college grad etc.) and reduce the cost further.
Me? I like to squeeze the last dime from the dealer but this sounds like a pretty decent opening salvo that might not be repeated.
02-19-2016, 10:52 AM
#114
Yeah, 5% off list seems to be about all anyone could hope for here in Colorado after talking with a couple of dealerships. We bought (2) RDX Advance models a couple of weeks ago and we couldn't find a dealer that would do any better than 5% off MSRP after they added their "mandatory" regional advertising fees, etc.
That said, we had 2 leased vehicles that they gave us a very good trade-in amount for (the very upper end of the range listed on KBB), so this adds another variable to the mix, as they could have just as easily given us less for our trade-ins and a bigger discount on the RDX selling price.
Also, my advice to anyone who ever leases a vehicle: always see what a dealer will offer you for trade-in before simply handing your car back to the leasing company at the end of your lease. We made $6400 by having Acura buy out our leases on our 2 Toyota RAV4s after 35 months once you factor in that we would have had to pay Toyota $700 in lease-end disposition fees for 2 vehicles. Our buyout amounts from Toyota were just over $18k and the Acura dealer gave us $21k for each car.
That said, we had 2 leased vehicles that they gave us a very good trade-in amount for (the very upper end of the range listed on KBB), so this adds another variable to the mix, as they could have just as easily given us less for our trade-ins and a bigger discount on the RDX selling price.
Also, my advice to anyone who ever leases a vehicle: always see what a dealer will offer you for trade-in before simply handing your car back to the leasing company at the end of your lease. We made $6400 by having Acura buy out our leases on our 2 Toyota RAV4s after 35 months once you factor in that we would have had to pay Toyota $700 in lease-end disposition fees for 2 vehicles. Our buyout amounts from Toyota were just over $18k and the Acura dealer gave us $21k for each car.
Last edited by jkozlow3; 02-19-2016 at 11:05 AM.
02-19-2016, 02:12 PM
#115
Yeah, 5% off list seems to be about all anyone could hope for here in Colorado after talking with a couple of dealerships. We bought (2) RDX Advance models a couple of weeks ago and we couldn't find a dealer that would do any better than 5% off MSRP after they added their "mandatory" regional advertising fees, etc.
That said, we had 2 leased vehicles that they gave us a very good trade-in amount for (the very upper end of the range listed on KBB), so this adds another variable to the mix, as they could have just as easily given us less for our trade-ins and a bigger discount on the RDX selling price.
Also, my advice to anyone who ever leases a vehicle: always see what a dealer will offer you for trade-in before simply handing your car back to the leasing company at the end of your lease. We made $6400 by having Acura buy out our leases on our 2 Toyota RAV4s after 35 months once you factor in that we would have had to pay Toyota $700 in lease-end disposition fees for 2 vehicles. Our buyout amounts from Toyota were just over $18k and the Acura dealer gave us $21k for each car.
That said, we had 2 leased vehicles that they gave us a very good trade-in amount for (the very upper end of the range listed on KBB), so this adds another variable to the mix, as they could have just as easily given us less for our trade-ins and a bigger discount on the RDX selling price.
Also, my advice to anyone who ever leases a vehicle: always see what a dealer will offer you for trade-in before simply handing your car back to the leasing company at the end of your lease. We made $6400 by having Acura buy out our leases on our 2 Toyota RAV4s after 35 months once you factor in that we would have had to pay Toyota $700 in lease-end disposition fees for 2 vehicles. Our buyout amounts from Toyota were just over $18k and the Acura dealer gave us $21k for each car.
02-19-2016, 03:10 PM
#117
Previous vehicles I've purchased in Colorado have all included some kind of doc fee, advertising fee, or dealership "prep" fee. It's pointless trying to get any of these fees waived - I just negotiate the total purchase price as low as I can and see if other dealers will beat it. Once no one will beat the price, I know I can't really do any better.
Anyway, I digress - we're way off topic in the Takata airbag discussion.
02-19-2016, 07:38 PM
#118
The dealership I ended up purchasing from does not charge a "doc fee" per se, but they show you what is supposedly THEIR invoice which includes a $400 advertising fee that is attached to every new vehicle they sell (supposedly ALL Acura dealers in the Rocky Mountain region pay this).
Previous vehicles I've purchased in Colorado have all included some kind of doc fee, advertising fee, or dealership "prep" fee. It's pointless trying to get any of these fees waived - I just negotiate the total purchase price as low as I can and see if other dealers will beat it. Once no one will beat the price, I know I can't really do any better.
Anyway, I digress - we're way off topic in the Takata airbag discussion.
Previous vehicles I've purchased in Colorado have all included some kind of doc fee, advertising fee, or dealership "prep" fee. It's pointless trying to get any of these fees waived - I just negotiate the total purchase price as low as I can and see if other dealers will beat it. Once no one will beat the price, I know I can't really do any better.
Anyway, I digress - we're way off topic in the Takata airbag discussion.
The bottom line - to get back to the topic - is that the $1500 under MSRP may be a very decent deal.
02-20-2016, 11:17 AM
#119
If I could get avg. retail for trade in and $1500 off MSRP, I'd seriously consider it. That sounds like a pretty good deal IMHO & FWIW...
02-24-2016, 10:29 AM
#120
Instructor
Just a quick update for this topic.. I don't own a RDX, but my parents do, they have a 2013 RDX AWD with TECH Pkg.
I told my dad about the recall last week and he called the local Acura dealer (North East Acura in Albany NY). They told him to bring the RDX in the following day and will provide him with a loaner.
The loaner my dad picked up was a Ford Focus sedan through Enterprise
The dealer told him that Acura would only pay up to $30 / day, and if my dad wanted a small SUV or anything he would have to pony up an additional $10/Day.
They also did not let him keep the RDX, they told him he had to leave the RDX there with the dealer.
Personally, I wouldn't have been very happy with the Loaner provided given that they are paying for and driving a much more expensive vehicle.
I am leasing a 2016 ILX that is affected by the re-call... i'm going to pick up my rental this Friday. Depending on what I receive as a rental, i'm going to pursue Acura Client Relations to pursue a buyout of my lease or request for a better rental... wish me luck!
Anyway, just something to consider for those thinking about getting a rental vehicle.
I told my dad about the recall last week and he called the local Acura dealer (North East Acura in Albany NY). They told him to bring the RDX in the following day and will provide him with a loaner.
The loaner my dad picked up was a Ford Focus sedan through Enterprise
The dealer told him that Acura would only pay up to $30 / day, and if my dad wanted a small SUV or anything he would have to pony up an additional $10/Day.
They also did not let him keep the RDX, they told him he had to leave the RDX there with the dealer.
Personally, I wouldn't have been very happy with the Loaner provided given that they are paying for and driving a much more expensive vehicle.
I am leasing a 2016 ILX that is affected by the re-call... i'm going to pick up my rental this Friday. Depending on what I receive as a rental, i'm going to pursue Acura Client Relations to pursue a buyout of my lease or request for a better rental... wish me luck!
Anyway, just something to consider for those thinking about getting a rental vehicle.